Recently, a few of us from edplay took a roadtrip to the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. As we approached the museum’s gift shop, we were immediately drawn to a hat rack standing just inside the door. On it were all kinds of crazy hats – a shark, a lobster, an octopus, a ladybug. We couldn’t resist trying them on!
Play hats seem to entice customers of all ages. But what is it about them that’s so captivating? I put that question to a few manufacturers of play hats recently and they agreed that the transformative power of hats is a big draw. “They are a simple way to get into character and make believe,” said Renee Stojek of A Wish Come True.
“When a child puts on a hat, it doesn’t matter that he might be wearing his normal clothes; he becomes that character, whether it’s a fairy, firefighter or the Big, Bad Wolf,” explained Kevin Johnson of Elope.
“I’ll watch a child put on a hat and look at herself in the mirror, and I can tell that she sees herself differently,” added Susan Berns of Fairy Finery. “I think hats can help bring kids out of their shells. They instantly see a change.
“Hats are also symbolic in our society,” she continued. “In the old days, a hat said who you were: a firefighter, nurse, police officer or member of the military.”
They’re also the icing on the cake when it comes to costumes. Unlike other dress-up items, even the craftiest mother probably can’t make a tri-corner pirate hat of distressed ultra-suede.
“But I don’t sell costumes”
Sure, hats may be fun, but what if you don’t sell costumes? Can you still offer hats? “Of course,” said Renee. “A hat can be a costume in itself.”
Hats can be an introduction to playing dress-up. “Some kids don’t want to wear a whole costume,” explained Susan. Hats provide them with easy access to the world of make-believe.
Kevin noted that most of the toy retailers that carry his hats do not sell costumes. Why do they still choose to sell hats? Hats do more than just complete an ensemble; they provide a reason for your customers to hang around your store. “Children can try on a dozen hats in a few minutes,” he said. “They are irresistible and actually keep customers in the store longer.” Of course, the longer your customers stay in your store, the more likely they are to find something else they want to buy.
Who’s buying?
The target customer for hats is broader than you might think. While these manufacturers agree that the sweet spot is 4- to 8-year-olds, Susan sells plenty of hats for teens and toddlers, too. However, she admits that a 1- or 2-year-old will often prefer to pull a hat off and look at it rather than keep it on his head.
Parents aren’t the only ones buying play hats. They are also purchased by children’s theater companies, day care centers, teachers and children’s therapists. Consider marketing your selection to these customers as well.
Hats aren’t just for kids. “A lot of our toy-store customers have found that a significant percentage of the hats they sell are intended for adults,” said Kevin. “Almost half of our customers carry both children’s and adult sizes.”
Just how important is sizing? “Sizing is critical,” he continued. “It’s impossible to sell a hat that is too small to a child with a larger head.” It’s better to look for hats that are on the larger side, or that have an adjustable sizing feature, such as elastic or Velcro.
Hats and gender
I asked these vendors whether play hats reinforce gender stereotypes. “They absolutely do,” responded Kevin. “That’s one reason why we would never sell a ‘fireman’ hat, but we have four different ‘fire fighter’ hats.”
Susan pointed out that the strict gender division of yesterday is fading when it comes to play hats. “I think our princess hat is our only true girl hat,” she said. “Other hats, such as crowns, pirate, wizard and Woodsman hats, are worn by both boys and girls.”
Kevin agreed. “We are finding that more girls are buying the traditional male occupational hats, like police officers and pilot caps. However, no matter how much I try, I just can’t get my son to wear our pink princess hat.”
How to hang your hats
There are plenty of ways to display hats in your store, and these manufacturers offered numerous suggestions for getting your customers to take notice of your headwear. Whatever you do, don’t just let them pile up in a basket, or they may end up getting crushed or, at the very least, shopworn.
Use a hat rack.
This suggestion may be obvious, but it’s also an extremely efficient use of space. A hat rack can hold about 16 hats, and only takes up 7.5 square feet of floor space. If it rotates, it’s even better.
Hang them up.
Renee says that her hats come packaged on an easy-to-handle header card. Hats that aren’t packaged this way could be hung on pegs on the wall, but this may not work for all styles, especially if the hats are top heavy.
Put them in a cupboard.
Specialty toy stores are known for their unique and creative fixtures. An armoire or cupboard can house all sorts of hats, either stacked on the shelves or hung on the doors.
Wear one yourself.
When you and your staff don hats, you not only draw attention to the hats, you also make it easier for customers to find someone to answer their questions. It also conveys an immediate aura of fun to anyone who walks through your door.
Mount them on heads.
Some retailers use mannequin heads to show off their hats. Check with your hat vendors to see if they have display heads. Stores that are short on space can mount these heads between their slatwall and ceiling. This is a great way to add interest to an area that often winds up being dead space.
Group them in themes.
Who says all your hats need to be together? Break them up and add them to other displays. “I saw one toy store that arranged all of its pirate merchandise into the shape of a ship,” recalled Kevin. “They got really clever with grid wall, colored mat board, and fabric for sails. Their pirate hats were featured prominently on the mast.”
Don’t even think about not having a mirror.
That’s Susan’s advice. “What fun is trying on hats if you can’t see yourself?” she said. “If customers can see themselves with the hats on, it’s a big selling point.”
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