That's My Son

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

By Tyler Wagner

It had been a long time since I had visited a Toys R Us, probably about 10 years at least. So when I ventured into the store to do some research for this paper, I was taken back by what I saw. The store was pretty much exactly how I had remembered it all those years prior, only now there were bigger toys, more accessories to purchase, and a slew of new characters for the kids to look up to.

The very first thing I noticed when I walked towards Toys R Us was the sign. Whoever came up with the color scheme for that sign was brilliant. If you make it all one color, like say black, you might alienate women, but if you make all the letters pink, then you are alienating the men. They perfectly blend colors together that make people feel comfortable and wanting to come inside and take a look around.

I felt like I was walking into an old friend’s house when I walked through the doors of the toy store. I remembered the smell, I remembered the layout, but most of all, I remembered the size. Going to Toys R Us was like going to Disneyland for me. It was this big, huge place where I could literally get lost and escape for an hour or two. Now while I didn’t quite get lost on this trip, I did find myself looking for a bench to sit down on after all the walking. I’m telling you, Toys R Us needs benches. Maybe I am out of shopping shape, but by the time I journeyed through the entire store, rack by rack and aisle by aisle, my feet were killing me, and I wasn’t even lugging anything around. I just don’t know how people do it. I guess I’m getting a little off topic, although I will be writing a letter to the store about my bench idea.

As soon as you walk through the entrance, the ploy to get you to buy begins. There are toys strategically placed right in front of you, and that’s even before you really get inside the store. They aren’t the little cheap toys that they are trying to get rid of either. Oh no. They are the expensive suckers; the guitars, the dollhouses, the trucks, the “Ultimate Big Gifts” as they say. I found it very amusing that there was a huge candy section near the entrance as well. Can you imagine anything more eye-popping to a kid than to come into a toy store and automatically see huge toys and loads of candy? Can you say cha-ching?

Once inside the store, they have televisions playing commercials advertising the toys that are available for you to purchase. This is brilliance at its best. I must have watched that damn T.V. for 5 minutes straight just waiting for the commercials to end and a show to come on. To my surprise, no show came on. Why show cartoons that might distract kids from shopping when you can endlessly plug the toys you are selling? No longer will customers have to ask workers how a certain toy works. Now you just wait for the ad for that toy to come on the screen and wa-la, you are an expert on it.

What I found really entertaining after that were the strategically placed wall hooks for hanging ornaments and things of that nature on, which were right beside things like ponies and dirt bikes. Surely no kid is going to walk by a wall hook and say, “Yes! Wall hooks!” Those are put there for a reason and that reason is that the store knows they aren’t just selling to kids. This fact became very evident later on in my journey through toy land as I found a classic downy bed with a picture of two grown ups on it right in the same section as kids playhouses. Are they trying to hint that parents are going to be worn out after all the shopping and building is done, so go and buy a bed for your troubles? It makes you wonder.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what the hot sellers are this year either. All I had to do was look at a giant wall dedicated entirely to Barbie to know that the long running franchise is still as popular as ever. Speaking of popular things for girls, what about this Dora the Explorer? My lord she was everywhere! I guess I was a little out of the loop on what’s cool these days for young girls, but I think I have a pretty good grasp on it now. Get a girl anything Barbie, Dora, Hannah Montana, or High School Musical, and I’m pretty certain you will have a friend for life.

The placement of the toys is also very important. They have trains set on the ground so that when kids walk by they are at eye level with them. I would have never thought about this if it hadn’t been for a little boy walking by and saying, “Wow Dad, look at the size of that train!” It’s brilliant. If they stack the trains on a shelf where only the parents can really notice them, they won’t be seen as much, but by putting them on the ground, bingo, you’ve got yourself a great seller.

The store is also really clever in their wording of things. For instance, they label all of their sections “Ultimate” this or “Ultimate” that. Ultimate Big Gift, Ultimate Game Shop, Ultimate Christmas Shop. It all tends to give you the impression that this is the end all, be all. Everything in these sections is the best and you just have to have them.

I had to laugh when walking by some boxes of pool tables and air hockey tables because of the kids shown on them. Every kid is so happy, and every box is blended just right with gender and race. I started to wonder what would happen if they showed a kid without a smile on his face on one of the boxes. Or better yet, if they dared put two Caucasian children on one of the boxes instead of one white child and one black child. Would the toy not sell as well?

Another thing I laughed at was the ingenious use of color coordination. It is such a constant theme in the store. For instance, in the clothes section, above a blue sign for boys sizes are blue boxes of play desks. Above the pink sign for girls sizes are pink Barbie boxes. Above the purple sign for infants sizes are purple drum kit boxes. I mean the coincidences never end. These people at Toys R Us are Coordinating Kings.
As I walked further, I began to wonder if I had left Toys R Us and accidentally entered into Babies R Us, for I found gift cards strewn all over. The cross-advertising never ends.

My tired legs limped further into the store and into the sports section, and I must say, I was shocked by what I saw. No, not shocked by the amount of gear, or shocked by the prices, but by the fact that the only team they had anything for was the Oakland Raiders. Yes, the Oakland Raiders. I mean, I know we are near Oakland and all, but any fan of football surely knows that Raider gear is not going to be a hot-seller this holiday season.

I’m honestly surprised there haven’t been more accidents at Toys R Us involving boxes falling onto people. Seriously, I looked up over the aisles and they literally have boxes stacked to the ceiling. To the ceiling! Plus, there are no bars or anything holding them in place. Can’t you just see some rambunctious little devil running through the aisles and nudging one of the stands a little too hard and giving the boxes a little shake, sending a box tumbling to the ground, aiming right for poor Timmy’s little head? Okay, maybe it’s not that easy to jar those things, but still, it’s something to think about.

The recycling and remaking of toys is also something I found to be very interesting. Toys that were popular when I was a kid like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and wrestling figures are just as popular today as they ever were. I guess this is the sign of a great creation.

Another great creation would be the giant light sabers from Star Wars that they sell. I’m not going to say if it was me or not, but there was definitely some racket being made in aisle seven from all the saber slashing. It lasted for about 5 minutes and only ended because this “particular individual” was starting to get weird looks from customers.

Cabbage Patch Kids still have a section dedicated to them in the store, only now they are called Classic Cabbage Patch Kids. Anything that’s been around that long certainly deserves that title. Did you know the doll was created by a man named Xavier Roberts in 1978? It was once said that there were more Cabbage Patch Kids in the world than people at one time.

Remember when “Tickle Me Elmo” was so popular? Well, obviously the people that made them do, because they have now made “Guess What Elmo,” “Up! Up! Elmo” and “Hokey Pokey Elmo.” I’ll tell you what; I for one can’t wait for “Shut the Hell up Elmo,” but maybe that’s just me.

As I walked past the mainstays like Lincoln Logs, Play-Doh, and Lego’s, I felt good in knowing that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Prices may rise, sizes may increase, but toys will always be a part of life, and for that I am thankful.