The dedicated toy store Toys R Us is coming back to the UK through a licensing deal between parent company WHP Global and Toys R Us ANZ.
Through the agreement, Toys R Us ANZ acquires the exclusive license to run both digital and physical retail for both the Toys R Us brand and for Babies R Us.
Toys R Us ANZ currently runs the Australian ecommerce websites for both brands after having acquired the brands from Hobby Warehouse Group in November last year.
The team plans to begin online sales to UK shoppers over the next several months, initially from existing operations in Australia, while it works to establish local teams, offices and logistics facilities during 2022 and 2023.
WHP Global CEO Yehuda Shmidman says the deal made sense as Toys R Us ANZ has demonstrated its ability to run a successful program through its work in Australia.
“We selected Toys R Us ANZ as our partner to expand into the UK because of their proven success in launching with us in Australia under the leadership of their CEO, Dr. Louis Mittoni,” Shmidman explained. “Toys R Us today is a vibrant business with over 900 stores and e-commerce sites across 25+ countries generating over US$2 billion a year in sales and growing, especially with the new launches underway for both the US and UK markets.”
Toys R Us ANZ says its confident the tactics it used for its successful launch of the brand in Australia will bring success in the UK market as well.
“Tailoring our successful Australian relaunch plan to the UK echoes the success of other e-commerce ‘platform play’ businesses that have delivered growth and value due to their ability to quickly and cost effectively expand their software, processes, partner relationships and brands into new countries,” Mittoni says.
“Since Toys R Us’ return to Australia in June 2019, we have scaled quickly as customers returned to the much-loved brand and our e-commerce model has proven its success.”
With the deal signed, Mittoni says his team is hitting the ground and speaking with key partners in the new territory.
“My team and I are looking forward to developing technical and commercial relationships with UK-based vendors and partners and to engage with the many loyal Toys R Us former customers and fans in the UK.”