COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A Colorado Springs toy store owner says strategic planning helped her business avoid potential disaster this holiday season as toy prices continue to rise.
Jennifer Goodman, toy buyer at Little Richard's toy store, purchased eight months worth of inventory in August instead of her typical three-month supply. The decision came amid uncertainty about potential tariffs and their impact on toy prices.
"We just weren't certain what was going to happen in the future and whether the tariffs were going to stick, whether they were going to go away," Goodman said.
The extra planning paid off. In August, the store's basement was packed with boxes stacked at least a foot above Goodman's head, with only narrow walkways between towering piles of merchandise.
"So our boxes, they were all through the basement, about at least 1 ft above my head, and there was maybe a walkway about this wide throughout the entire basement," Goodman said.
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Now, most of that inventory has moved to store shelves, and Goodman says the business is well-stocked through the end of the holiday season.
Customers are noticing the higher toy prices this year. Kiara Faithen, shopping at Little Richard's, said the increased costs are concerning.
"Everything is kind of through the roof," Faithen said. "Things are definitely going to be getting hit pretty hard by the tariffs and so it definitely makes money an even bigger concern than it usually is at this time of year."
Despite rising prices, some popular items continue to sell well. Labubus, which Goodman calls "the toy of the year," typically retail for $30 but can sell for as high as $80.
"It's been the toy of the year for a number of months, and it's one of those things that it came out of nowhere and everybody wants one from little kids all the way up to adults are buying and collecting these," Goodman said.
Goodman recommends shoppers buy their gifts sooner rather than later to ensure they get the toys, board games and puzzles they want this holiday season.
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