Profitable toys

Making toys for profit

Profitable toys are easy to make and real wooden ones are always in demand. Toys have always been profitable and science has really played into you hands. How so? Most toys are now made from plastic and like so many plastic things, they tend to be 'throwaways'. Compare them with the toys of our youth, battered and bruised, but loved and treasured in equal measure. Ah, they say nostalia is a wonderful thing, well, it is certainly a profitable one as well.........

Children have an infinite capacity for imagination. One stick can become a galleon crossing the oceans of discovery, two sticks can become an airliner. A tiny teapot provides afternoon tea for a selection of dolls, a teddy bear, the occassional visitor - even the family dog - without ever running dry. Think then of the hours of pleasure obtained from a 'real' dolls house or a fort capable of holding back the forces of Romans, Vikings, maurauding Indians or whoever happens to be the enemy of the day. And think also that many parents are fed up with throwing out expensive plastic toys which have been discarded almost before Christmas is over!

So, we have a genuine market for a simply made product - one well within your capabilities to build, paint and sell at a profit. Parents see the value in an expensive toy which will have a long life - perhaps even become a family heirloom - while the hours of pleasure the new -and very young - owners will get is beyond price.

To aid that imagination, dolls houses must have doors and window, forts must have a drawbridge with a length of string to raise it - or side opening gates if it's to be North American one! - And not only are profitable toys like these easy to build, but all the scale accessories are available off the shelf. The point is, children's imagination will carry them off to places we haven't visited for the last 50 years or more.

I am not going to go into details about how to construct toys like this - the subject is far better covered elsewhere - After all, what is a dolls house but a box on it's side with compartments (rooms) in? And what is a fort but a sheet of plywood with a low wall and a tower in each corner? Instead, I just want to get you thinking about the concept, and the profits............. The point is, you know you can follow instructions and make a dolls house, fort, scooter or whatever. Just simple hand tools and an awareness that all the rough edges need sanding down and there be no sharp nailheads or whatever. So, Google up some plans and instructions. Cost? a few dollars and far more cost effective than starting from scratch. Buy the materials in and start building. You will have as much fun working with wood as the eventual owners will enjoy.

Right, you make your first. let us say, a dolls house. Take some photographs of it - nice sharp ones showing the various aspects and detail fixtures. Now start as much low cost advertising as possible, local freebie newspapers, postcards in corner shops etc. Say it's brand new, custom built and you are now taking orders for Christmas delivery- - obviously, dependent on what time of year it is, but parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents will be over the moon to think a major present has already been sorted out. You will know how long and exactly what it cost you so you can decide on a fair price - one which attracts customers but gives you a good profit margin.

Your first will probably sell very quickly - but if necessary, try putting it on e-Bay if you need to recover your initial expenses in a hurry - you will need the photographs then, plus you will need them to show potential customers and get started on the second profitable toy. As always with this sort of project, it gets easier and you get quicker with practice. Having one already built to display makes selling much easier - people do like to see what they are getting for their money.

When taking pre orders, perhaps for a child's birthday or for Christmas, the lead time might be several months. Ask your customers for a cash deposit - one third is about right. That way, you ensure that the customer is serious about the purchase and you can use the customer's own money to buy materials. We may only be talking about profitable toys but one very sound business rule is never to spend your own money if you don't have to!

OK., this may not be the fastest way to make money - one a week would be realistic - but it has no downside. You work at home, in your own time, you take virtually no risk because the worst possible scenario would be the cost of some timber.

You made something which will give years of pleasure, plus a nice little profit - That can't be bad............

Useful attributes on other websites

Looking for more help?

We will add to this section as time allows

Home page