The toy business: it's not all fun and games.

Sure, you might be weaving dreams and defining childhoods. But players in the toy sector have to overcome unique and difficult challenges – just like any other kind of business.

One of the biggest challenges? Fulfilment. In other words, getting your products in stores and into customers' hands.

In this article, we'll look at some of the key logistical pain points for toy brands and consider how outsourcing your fulfilment might be able to help.

But not all fulfilment providers are created equal. So we'll also give some tips to help you choose the right fulfilment partner – one that knows your industry and is equipped to handle its unique hurdles.

Full disclosure: we provide eCommerce fulfilment services ourselves. We believe we're very good at it and would love for you to work with us. However, we'll try to keep this article as objective as possible.

The challenge: unpredictable demand

Some busy periods are predictable.

Case in point: Christmas. Unless Santa decides to send his sleigh for servicing, you know that the months leading up to December will be pretty hectic.

However, the rest of the year isn't so easy. Planning for peaks as a toy business can feel like trying to guess the weather with a pair of Fisher Price binoculars.

The fact is that fads rule the day. Toy brands are at the mercy of trends and market whims – perhaps even more so than the fashion industry, where they at least have tastemakers to direct consumer traffic into next season.

When a fad hits, you could find yourself riding a new wave of popularity. Or you could end up as yesterday's news. It's almost impossible to know.

This is, naturally, a nightmare for inventory management. Get it wrong and you could be left with a surfeit of stock during a quiet period – or, worse, not have enough inventory to capitalise on a market uplift.

How a good fulfilment partner could help

Take it from us: fulfilment firms aren't soothsayers. We can't tame a changeable market any better than you can.

But what we can do is offer flexibility when the market skyrockets or nosedives.

A good 3PL (third-party logistics) provider will be quick to react when your circumstances change. It should be ready to shift stock around when necessary – and have space to hand in case you enjoy unprecedented growth.

That's not all. You should expect total visibility of your inventory too.

For instance, our warehouse management system integrates with many popular eCommerce shopping carts. This means that stock changes on our side instantly reflect in your system.

And with our reporting system, you can instantly check on stock levels from any computer or mobile device.

When the market is as volatile as thunder, these are the kinds of tools you need to weather the storm.

The challenge: rising customer expectations

This isn't unique to toy brands. As the eCommerce revolution rages on, consumer demands are increasing across the board.

Customers expect their product to arrive in perfect shape, yesterday. And any thriving modern business needs to be able to deliver on this.

For toy brands, however, expectations run deeper. If a toy arrives broken or misses that crucial birthday delivery date, you're done for. You won't just have inconvenienced a customer, you'll have ruined little Timmy's special day – and there's no coming back from that.

Of course, pleasing every customer is easier said than done. You rely on couriers, for a start – and they might not always be able to meet strict timescales at a sensible price. And when the market is so unpredictable, it's hard to scale your in-house fulfilment process to match.

How a good fulfilment partner could help

A good fulfilment partner will offer quick deliveries as standard.

After all, we're competing with eCommerce behemoths like Amazon. They've set the stage for supersonic shipping, and any 3PL worth its salt should have followed suit.

Why is outsourced fulfilment faster than in-house fulfilment?

Well, for one, it's who you know. Fulfilment firms have strong and long-established relationships with couriers. This means the couriers are willing to offer fast, affordable shipping at scale.

Plus, there's a very clever technology called courier selection logic. This automatically chooses the best shipping partner for the job, based on factors like cost, distance and delivery time.

Finally, 3PLs often have larger and more flexible pools of staff. It's easier for them to handle market peaks because they simply have more hands to help.

But what about breakages? Can fulfilment firms ensure toys arrive in perfect condition every time?

A good 3PL will pack your items with the utmost care. It should also use eco-savvy, product-appropriate packaging to give them the best chance of safe arrival.

We can't control what the couriers do with Timmy's toy. But – speaking for ourselves – we only use trusted shipping partners with good track records for product handling.

Need a toy fulfilment provider?

At Stowsafe Fulfilment, we've helped all sorts of brands streamline their fulfilment and exceed customer expectations. It's just what we do.

Our biggest strength? Flexibility. When you work with us, we go the extra mile to meet your needs and overcome the unique challenges of your industry.

Thanks to our flexibility, we're able to handle order fulfilment for just about any type of business – including toy brands.

Want us to apply labels? Add "thank you" notes? Create gift-worthy kits for seasonal sales? No problem – all our services are 100% bespoke.

Plus, with our clean and secure warehouse, you can be sure that high-value items will be treated with the care they deserve.

For more information, take a look at our toys and games fulfilment services. Or feel free to get in touch for a no-obligation chat with one of our logistics experts.