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Amazon is mailing out a toy catalog to millions of customers as it capitalizes on the struggles of Sears and Toys R Us - here's what it's like
Amazon is mailing out a toy catalog to millions of customers as it capitalizes on the struggles of Sears and Toys R Us - here's what it's like
Jessica TylerNov 8, 2018, 19:36 IST
Amazon
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Amazon will be mailing out a holiday toy catalog for the first time this year.
The catalog, called "A Holiday of Play," has more than 60 pages of toys and games. The catalog is similar to the now online-only Sears Wish Book and defunct Toys R Us catalogs.
Amazon, like Walmart and Target, is fighting to win the billions of dollars in sales Toys R Us did in 2017.
Here's what the catalog is like.
Amazon will be mailing out its first-ever holiday toy catalog to millions of shoppers this year.
The toy catalog, called "A Holiday of Play," has more than 60 pages of toys and games for shoppers to flip through. There's also a Kindle edition of the toy guide. Prices aren't listed in the catalog, but some of the featured toys also come with a QR code, allowing shoppers to instantly scan and shop for them on Amazon. Shoppers can also scan product images with their phones to find out more information on the Amazon app.
Amazon's toy catalog is reminiscent of the iconic holiday guides distributed by Sears and the now-defunct Toys R Us, with a similar retro look and hundreds of toys and games to choose from.
Amazon's catalog is part of the e-commerce giant's recent push into physical retail, which has included opening a series of convenience stores, bookstores, and its new 4-star stores. The toy catalog will also be available in Amazon's 4-star stores and bookstores, according to CNBC.
Amazon's toy catalog, called "A Holiday of Play," is reminiscent of toy catalogs once distributed by Sears and Toys R Us.
The first two pages of the catalog have information about shipping and returns, the Amazon app, Prime, and other features.
Amazon's top toys, which include Lego sets, toy cars, and action figures, are listed at the front of the catalog.
The top toys also include plush toys, Nerf guns, and board games.
Some of the pages in the toy catalog are themed, like this page that has an assortment of Marvel toys ...
... or this Disney-themed page.
Other pages feature specific categories, like the section dedicated to plush toys ...
... or the section that's dedicated to board games.
Many pages had information about returns. Shoppers can get a full refund within 30 days for new, unopened products.
Most pages also had QR codes for shoppers to scan with the Amazon app to make it easier to buy products. Any photo in the catalog could be scanned with the Amazon app for access to more information.
Towards the end of the catalog are pages that feature tech products like cameras, small photo printers, Bluetooth speakers ...
... video games, TVs, and more.
The last page of the catalog has information on subscription boxes and gift cards. It ends by prompting the reader to go online to see more.
The layout of Amazon's catalog is strikingly similar to the now-discontinued Sears Wish Book, with images of toys and scattered across the page and information about each toy in the fine print underneath. Sears, which is currently navigating Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is only making its Wish Book available online this year.
One of the biggest differences between the catalogs is that Sears' sold appliances, clothes, and other products besides toys, whereas Amazon's catalog is strictly for toys.
The Amazon "Holiday of Play" catalog is also very similar to the catalogs once mailed out by Toys R Us.
Amazon will be mailing out the toy catalogs to millions of shoppers and will have it available at its 4-star and bookstores.
