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The business news is filled everyday with stories about China and their increase in cost, labor and governmental rules and regulations regarding manufacturing. In addition, many factories are having difficulty sourcing raw materials to make their products. What has happened is not only an increase in the price of goods from China, but also an increase in minimums that customers have to order which can limit variety within mixes. In other cases some manufacturers are using certain tricks to reduce the cost of making products. For example, in the plush industry, many suppliers and manufacturers have resorted to skimping on the size of their toys and the amount of stuffing being used just to keep the price consistent. If you’re a price buyer and aren’t concerned with quality, then you’ll be unaffected by these deceptions.
A survey taken by successful skill crane operators found that they’ll all agree that “winners make players”. To do this properly, machines have to draw attention by having compelling and high-quality looking toys and plush. If cheap plush is being used, you will see a significant decrease in plays. Your margins may stay the same but the gross cash revenue will likely fall. You can increase plays by keeping up with your machine’s claw maintenance/board settings and managing how you pack the crane.
The objective is for you, as an experienced operator, to experiment with different mixes at different price points to find out how the plush with a 10¢ or 15¢ increase will actually boost your sales, making it worth the investment.
Here, at A & A Global, we help support the industry by offering a variety of prices to accommodate our buyers. At the end of the day, you have to know that, unlike a lot of our competitors, we’re providing you with the quality that you paid for.
To learn more, Visit us today at www.parkwaytoys.com and click on plush FAQs.
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Just like a crane player, crane operators have to base their success on strategy. One common way is for operators to constantly look for attractive and quality plush at inexpensive prices (that in itself is a challenge and a topic for another article). The difference between Parkway Toys and its competitors is that Parkway Toys fulfills this demand with not only celebrated licensed mixes, but, more importantly, unique generic collections that are exclusive to our label. Among the variety of small, medium and jumbo generic plush kits are two plush collections that were created by Parkway Toys and stand out as truly unique pre-packs: Bok Choy Boy® and String Dolls.
These two unique and in demand toy lines began as bulk vending products. Successful in vending, they naturally have been adapted into plush kits and are now available for crane machines everywhere.
Trademarked by A & A Global Industries, Bok Choy Boy® has wild collectible characters with unique colors and corresponding Chinese symbols representing earth elements. A staple in today’s e-culture, Bok Choy Boy® can be found on internet blogs, YouTube and on iTunes as an app for the iPhone, iPod and iPad.
Inspired by two collective series of bulk vending figurines, String Dolls are a series of twelve small plush figures bound with bright, soft string to create a collectible that’s perfect for every audience.
Because these items first originated in bulk vending, both Bok Choy
Boy® and String Dolls plush are each available as their own mix and don’t come mixed in with other plush merchandise. This is a concept that Parkway Toys is driving home to operators to “theme” machines and generate a collectibility aspect into the crane playing experience. This generates more plays, and of course the positive results are seen in the machine’s cash box.
As an added bonus, Parkway Toys includes a free 17″ x 14″ poster showcasing these unique assortments within a crane machine. Posters can also be ordered separately at the convenience of the crane operator. Parkway Toys labeled plush can also be found mixed in with all of the plush kits.
To order Parkway Toys products, just contact your A & A Global Sales Representative in Baltimore or Los Angeles, and when you call, don’t forget to ask about our free freight program. It’s quick, easy and saves you money!
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Peel, Apply, Prettify: Disney Bottle Caps!
*As seen in retail environment*
Peel & stick Disney character bottle caps: adhesive backing of each cap can be applied to lockers, cell phones, journals, invitations and more.
2″ capsuled item ~ collection of 8 makes a great decorative item for young girls.
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A&A works its Disney magic again with *NEW* Disney Memory Card Matching Game
There are a total of six (6) decks in the collection and the classic matching games feature characters from hit animated shows like Winnie the Pooh, Handy Manny and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Each deck contains 25 pairs of Disney character themed matches and it fits perfectly inside 2” capsules.
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Now Available: Jumbo South Park Stickers: Series 2!
South Park is still Comedy Central’s highest rated animated show and this new collection of 14 features characters and quotes from the newest seasons.
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A&A is leading the way to offer items that will change your machines over to the new selling season.
Frightfully cool, scare your competition with a collection of figurines called “Zombie Planet”. Vending consumers will love these creepy characters, with haunting names like Brain-dead Britney, Long Gone John, Decay Ray and Rigamortis Rick. Designed by Hoppin’ Hydros, each zombie in this collection of 9 is distinctive and ghoulishly detailed. Zombie Planet is also available mixed with black and white rub-grunge design and is exclusive to 2” capsules.
For flat vending fans, A&A is also releasing three new tattoos: Grim N’ Girly, Barrio Life and Slash. Designed by Lethal Threat, Grim N’ Girly are 12 pretty and pink skull tattoos perfect for teen girls. From ODM, Barrio Life is a collection of 12 black and white, self-expressive designs representing the urban lifestyle with English and Spanish sayings. Slash features wild animal designs including jaguars, dragons and tigers with ripping effects.
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Extra Extra! Read All About It!
Check out A&A’s industry newsletter “Global Gazette” with information about products, account managers and vending-related news.
Read all about it online or download the .pdf from our website: www.aaglobal.com
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*NEW*
Disney Impression Rings! Remove Ring Cap to uncover Disney Cuties Characters: Winnie the Pooh, Mickey, Minnie, Chip & dale, Donald Duck, Goofy and more!
Buggyboos~from the creator of the wildly-popular Homies characters, David Gonzales. Crazily crafted alien bugs on a mission. Collection of 8 figurines in a variety of colors and designs.
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Squeeze, throw and roll A&A’s foam balls!
NEW~Marvel Heads: Series 2 and Disney
Self-vending for 2″ capsule machines
**also compatible with Tractor Time and Mighty Mini machines**
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A&A Global Industries is releasing Bottle Cap Necklaces, a fresh jewelry item for 2” capsules.
Chic and fun, these new necklaces make an excellent item for girls and are shown on a 2-sided “back to school” blister display. A collection of 32, each pendant has a trendy design and a boldly colored string to make a truly fashionable statement: customers won’t be able to put a cap on their excitement!
