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Trusted 15+ years | Over 250,000 Orders Shipped
100 Money Back Guarantee | Hassle Free Return
What's it like to work at Stuffed With Plush Toys ?
Wayne tells us what it's like and why it's so much fun.
When Litsa and I started the business back in 2006, we never knew it would grow into the business that we have today. We kind of fell into it when we were introduced to Luigi Bocchetta and his family who ran Bocchetta Plush Toys. We were looking to add a range of products to an online business, and through my 25 year history in importing and wholesale in the gift industry, the plush lines seemed like a great fit.
As it's been demonstrated, over the years, we have become Australia's biggest niche seller of stuffed animals, plush toys and baby safe cuddly products.
I guess we followed our dream.
In the early days, most wholesalers didn't want to deal with online only stores. We found it hard convincing some brands, that we had the expertise to represent quality well online. Luckily, being a techno savvy sales “nerd”, I have been able to to show them that with the right ideals, technology and brilliant customer service, we can actually be BETTER than some of the bricks and mortar stores that sell their products. We have been able to grow and grow, and now major brands align themselves with us quite freely. In fact, it's now a case of them knocking on our door to get our business.
Every day here at at Stuffed with Plush Toys is different for me.
Every day is fun, challenging and one I love waking up to.
Litsa and I still take a very hands on approach to customer service. A lot of the time either calls, chat requests through the website, or emails are all handled by one of us. It keeps us grounded in how our company is helping customers.
My biggest job now is marketing the business and products around the world, and finding new cuddly toys and critters to add to our online ZOO.
Recently, I got to travel to the New York Toy Fair at the invitation of a couple of large worldwide brands, to discuss new opportunities for them through our website. Not only was it fruitful in the ties we have now made, but I also got to experience New York on the coldest ever recorded day in history! I bet that is not in anyone else's job description ?
When you browse the website, a lot of the images you see of the toys, are also taken and processed by me. Learning how to photograph and process the photos, so they are appealing to YOU, our customers has taken a lot of time and effort. I think only now, am I happy with how it all works. Currently I am updating a few hundred product photos done a couple of years back, when my skill level was, hmmmm, average :) sometimes I look at them and wonder why they ever sold…..but they still do.
Every day, as part of my job, I also have to update the social media forums we work on. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. All need image updates, giveaway promotions, copy written, and messages replied to. It’s busy work, but we now have a loyal following of genuine fans, who love seeing new toys, and then look to us when they want a gift sent somewhere around the world. It's been challenging growing that fan base the right way, when these days we see so many other copycat companies simply “Buying Likers” to look popular. To be big and to be the best at anything, you have to work hard and look after your customers. It's a simple formula, that the business has stuck to since day one.
When things are frantically busy. Litsa, also gets me to help in the warehouse to make sure the orders are picked and packed correctly. Now...if you were one of the 6 unlucky people over Xmas who got the wrong colour in your toy…. That was probably me. I am horrendously colour blind, and that makes picking the toys problematic. Luckily, we now have much better systems in place to counter my colour deficiency, and it's unlikely to happen again. Litsa has made sure that all new employees are NOT colour blind, and your orders are double checked before sending. I do enjoy seeing all the packages of toys heading out, and started putting pins on a world map of where they head off too. We are currently at 42 countries since I started pinning 3 years ago.
There are about a million other things I can think of that I also get to do, but that's part and parcel of running a business. The day to day tasks are all a blur.
Being surrounded by thousands of toys, seeing new products and brands arrive, and then seeing them ship out around the world to happy customers is what makes me get out of bed in the morning, and also makes me work until 2am sometimes. I read somewhere that you should always work at something you are passionate about and really enjoy. I am lucky that has happened for us, and I am surrounded by great people who also love what they do.
I am really looking forward to what's coming up in 2016. We have some awesome new products arriving that are exclusive to us, setting us apart from other companies who can only follow our lead. Toy companies comes and go, but we have been around since 2006. It's been the best fun 10 years of my life, and I love what we do as a company.
I hope YOU also love what we do, and continue to support us in our endeavours. We always love feedback, bad or good, and we can only improve if we know there are problems. So feel free to contact either Litsa or myself by email, chat or phone and we’d love to hear from you.
Cheers,
Wayne
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