Online retailer All Aboard Toys is getting on the catalog train with the launch of its first print book. The 16-page catalog mailed in mid-November. The title sells character-driven toys with more than 75 brands including Thomas the Tank Engine, Disney Cars, and Sesame Street.
Founded in 1999 as a Website selling wooden toy trains, All Aboard Toys has expanded to underwear, bedding, and party supplies for its character-themed toys line. Why a catalog now? That’s easy: “Christmas holiday season,” says Dave Carlson, CEO of All AboardToys.com. “We see it as an additional way to promote our offering vs. only marketing online.”
Centennial, CO-based All Aboard Toys is planning just the one holiday drop for now, says Carlson. While he would not disclose circulation, he notes that mailing segments for the book include one large group of current best customers based on recency, frequency, and monetary value data, and five drops from five different lists to acquire new customers.
Wasn’t the company put off by this year’s steep postal increases for catalogers? No, Carlson says: “We focus on ROI.”