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Our Favorite Shark Toys!
Great White Shark
Schleich
$4.55 (5)
Hammerhead Shark
Schleich
$4.00 (5)
Sharky Shark Water Balls
Waboba
$4.50 (18)
Shark Truck
Thin Air
$4.00 (5)
Shark City 12pc Puzzle
Crocodile Creek
$7.00 (4)
Shark Reef 36pc Puzzle
Crocodile Creek
$13.50 (4)
Shark Floor Puzzle
Mindware/Peaceable
$7.50 (6)
Shimmering Shark Reef 60pc Foil Puzzle Crocodile Creek
$9.50 (4)
Shark Plus Plus Tube
Plus Plus
$4.00 (6)
Shark Tooth Dig Kit
Blue Marble
$7.00 (4)
Hug A Shark Kit
Peter Pauper
$4.96 (4)
XL Beach Ball - Shark
Good Banana
$6.50 (6)
Extreme Sharks of the World
Wild Science
$10.00 (6)
Shark Reef Giant Coloring Poster
Crocodile Creek
$6.00 (4)
Shark Kite
Heebie Jeebies
$14.21 (3)
Shark Reef 7" Playball
Crocodile Creek
$6.50 (4)
Beware of the Shark Game
Continuum
$10.50 (1)
Shark Bubble Blaster
Little Kids
$6.50 (6)
Shark Bubbles
Crocodile Creek
$2.50 (6)
Junior Grabber Shark
Continuum
$2.50 (1)
Great White Shark Puppet
The Toy Network
$7.25 (1)
Great White Shark Adventure Pod
The Toy Network
$11.00 (1)
Shark Hi-Bounce Ball
The Toy Network
$.83 (12)
Mesh Bag Sharks
The Toy Network
$6.75 (1)
Stretchy Sand Shark
The Toy Network
$1.90 (12)
Giant Shark Glider 18"
The Toy Network
$2.83 (12)
Shark Water Blaster
The Toy Network
$2.25 (12)
Shark Pull String Bath Toy
The Toy Network
$1.50 (12)
Our Favorite Shark Books!
Lift the Flap Sharks
EDC
$6.00 (1)
Sharks
EDC
$2.50 (1)
My Awesome Sharks Book
House of Marbles
$5.00 (3)
Scratch and Sketch Sharks
Peter Pauper
$7.49 (3)
100 Questions About Sharks
Peter Pauper
$3.99 (3)
Never Touch A Shark Sticker Activity
House of Marbles
$5.00 (3)
Shark Reef Activity Book
House of Marbles
$4.50 (4)
Never Touch a Shark
House of Marbles
$5.50 (3)
What's An Acceptable Price Increase from Manufacturers in 2022?
Over the past decade, there has been a predictability each January regarding price increases. Most companies would go up approximately 5%.
This year we are finding companies that have increased prices by 10, 15 and even 20%. What is acceptable?
While a 10% jump in prices over 2021 seems large, with all the costs that manufacturers have had to absorb, that should be treated as the new norm. While we would love just a 5% increase, the 10% is something we can work with.
Where we need to look closely though, is when prices have gone up 15-20%. It may be time to see if there are comparable items from another vendor to try, where the pricing is more aligned to your market.
This year, more than any other over the past decade, is the year we need to evaluate value of the toys that we are buying. "This toy sold great at $19.99 in 2020, but will it really sell at $27.99 in 2022?"
Some manufacturers that you previously have not done business with, may warrant a second look, as their pricing has remained stable. It may be time to reevaluate those companies with 20% increases.
On the other side, try to accept the 10% increases. It's more than we like, but in almost every case it doesn't cover all the extra costs that manufacturers have had to absorb internally.
Shashibo - Our Final Days
We have been with Fun In Motion from the early days (when all they had was Spin Balls). We have always been one of their top Rep Groups. However they are moving in a different direction, and have hired Enchanted Moments to replace us effective March 12th.
Here's where you can help. Fun In Motion has graciously offered to pay us for all orders that we place by March 12th. It can be for immediate ship or future ship.
That means even if you place an order over the next few weeks with a November ship date, then your Sandy Ruben and Associates' Rep will get paid for it.
Whether it be immediate ship, future ship (or both), anyway that you can support us will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much for all your support of Shashibo over the years. We so appreciate it.
What I Learned from a
Cinnamon Raisin Bagel
"I'd like a Sesame Bagel with Cream Cheese please".
The employee at the Dunkin Donuts in Walterboro, SC replied "We don't have Sesame Bagels. We only have Cinnamon Raisin Bagels".
As I don't particularly like Cinnamon Raisin, I started to think where I could go. She then says "We do have English Muffins and Sourdough Bread."
Her offering something else prompted me to stay (and I did order the Cinnamon Raisin Bagel).
There are numerous times each week that customers come into your store looking for a specific item. Make sure that your staff doesn't simply say "No, we don't have that" but that they actually make an attempt to engage and offer something else.
It worked for the Dunkin Donuts in Walterboro, and it may work for you.
Place your orders online, anytime:
Sandy Ruben and Associates Road Reps
Boone Forst • booneforst@gmail.com (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
Catherine Coury • catherinecoury2@hotmail.com (Raleigh, NC)
Crystal Lemon • cctoysgames@gmail.com (Ft. Lauderdale/Asheville)
Daryll Gunter • toysarecool@yahoo.com (Perry, FL)
Don Smith • donsmithSRA@gmail.com (Athens, GA)
Jeff Griffith • jeffgriffithsra@gmail.com (Greensboro, NC)
Karen Bortle • karenbortle@gmail.com (Clarkesville, TN)                
Katherine Hodges • katherinetoyrep@outlook.com (Garner, NC)
Lizzie Lerner • thetoyladyfl@gmail.com (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
Melanie Minery • m.minerytoyrep@gmail.com (Vass, NC)
Misty Blalock Audish • mbaudish@gmail.com (Charlotte, NC)
Rachel Jones • toysalesrep@hotmail.com (Chesapeake, VA)         
Sandy Ruben • sandyrubeninfo@gmail.com (Hillsborough, NC)    
Valerie Bernstein • valeriebernstein1@gmail.com (Leesburg, AL)