Ames positions toys as destination shop - includes related article on Toy Tips Magazine

Discount Store News, Nov 18, 1996 by Laura Liebeck

This merchandise locator program is being carried throughout the toy department. For example, the Fisher-Price area is filled with product merchandised by color-coded age grouping under the titles of newborn, infant and toddler. Disney and Sesame Street merchandise are identified with simple shelf-strip signs identifying the theme, not the specific product, making it easier for store associates to stock and shoppers to find.

To augment toy sales for the upcoming holiday season, Ames has upgraded its third annual toy catalog, one of many retailers to do so. This year, the book is 56 pages, 20 more than in 1995. About six items are featured on each page of the 1996 catalog, called Ames' "Biggest Toy Sale." The sale runs for the entire month of November, clearly declared on the cover, which also lets customers know that there is no layaway fee, although there is a minimal deposit required (details in the store).

The catalog offers $114 worth of instant savings coupons on popular toys in denominations of $2 to $10. The coupons are located at the back of the book, covering such toys as Cabbage Patch Kids Snacktime Kid, worth $3, and Tyco's 9.6-volt Turbo Mutator, a $10 savings with the coupon.

New to the catalog this year are: * 13 color-coded sections by toy type. For example, toys for preschoolers are in teal. girls' toys in pink. art and science in purple and boys' toys in orange. * An open box for children to mark for their wished-for toys. * A box marked "see coupon on page 54 or 55," letting customers know they get an extra savings on these toys. * Toys exclusive to Ames, such as Little Tikes' Cozy Coupe in blue and yellow. Another exclusive is Double Loops Electric Road Racing Set by Artin. * The back cover is dedicated to Coleman camping gear, such as tents. lanterns and sleeping bags. * Four pages are dedicated to sporting goods products like inline skates, basketball accessories and skateboards.

Including sporting goods, and even some electronic toys. was done to meet consumers' lifestyle issues, said Covitz and Kaplan.

The cover of the book features toys around a Christmas tree and the chain's new Christmas bear in the foreground. Buzz Lightyear is resting atop a box at the center of the page, leaving little doubt that he will be on children's wish lists. Other easily identifiable toys include Etch A Sketch, Radio Flyer's Town & Country wagon, a Tonka truck, a Fisher-Price bicycle and a big container of Mega Blocks.

On the inside cover, Buzz Lightyear the action figure proclaims "This is an Intergalactic Emergency." and a smaller version of him states, "I am Buzz Lightyear," on a page devoted to toys made popular - and popular again - by the hit movie. These include Slinky Dog ($9.99), Toy Story Mr. Potato Head ($8.88) and Etch A Sketch ($8.99), plus Disney's "Toy Story" home video for $16.95.