Entrepreneur Buys Rights To Nostalgic Toys

I thought some here might find this interesting. This guy buys the rights to old toys/products like Squirmles and TV Magic Cards and markets them to nostalgic baby boomers and their kids.

https://nowstalgictoys.com/products/products.cfm

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From:
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/st...wscolumn5.html

Four years ago, the 25-year-old learned about Squirmles while working on marketing project at a Ohio college. While doing research, he learned that the product and the brand still had a strong nostalgic value for those that remember playing with it in the 1970s. Now those baby boomers are a target buyer, and so are their children, Zealer said.

"It's right up there with the slinky in nostalgic toys," Zealer said. So Zealer contacted an intellectual property attorney and purchased the toy patent from NSI Toys out of New York. Shortly after, he dropped out of school to focus on selling the product at malls, state fairs and other events, and hasn't looked back yet.

In order to further promote Squirmles, Zealer is partnering with Denton-based Stafford Enterprises Inc., a distributor of an array of products from toys to household products. The toy can be purchased on Stafford's Web site: www.staffent.com

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http://wn.com/Nowstalgic_Squirmle

http://www.squirmles.net/

Bill:

That is great information. Especially for those of us who remember the product when we were kids.

Over the last 5 years I have found that there are a lot of great products sitting and collecting dust on manufacturer's shelves that people can get the exclusive rights to for next to nothing, if not nothing, if you know how.

I heard this story -- not sure if the details are correct.

Guy from Japan calls Duncan yoyos and says, does anyone own the rights to your products in Japan?

Duncan says no.

Guy says, can you give me exclusive rights?

Duncan, who apparently did not sell many yoyos in japan said, sure, why not.

Guy takes idea and RUNS with it -- starting yoyo CLASSES all across Japan -- makes it into a NATIONAL CRAZE -- makes $80 million.

Never know until y'ask, I guess.

Semi-related...

The Smurfs were a big deal in their original "birthplace," Germany, for MANY YEARS (10?) before someone visiting there noticed them and found a way to import them to the US -- again, resulting in millions of profit.

Don't just assume your ideas have already been done + tried.

Maybe they haven't!

ASK!

Here's an idea for someone out there who wants to try it...

Nutella has been in Europe for DECADES -- very popular there. Now it's starting to be used in US.

Here's the thing -- in Europe, there's basically "NO SUCH THING" as PEANUT BUTTER!

I know, I've tried. If you're in Europe, and you ask for peanut butter in a supermarket -- or any food store -- THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!

If "they" can give us nutella -- WE can give them peanut butter!

A potential zillion dollar market.

Cheers.

-- TW

TW:

Your story about the Yo-Yos is great.

There are a lot of products out there just collecting dust that people can make good money with.

It is not a hard process and can be done for almost nothing if people know how.

It is how Joe Sugarman discovered Blu Blockers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnzVX6tXzsA

But most people are afraid to do what you said "ASK"!!!

Just watched this 30 minute video last night from E. Joesph Cossman

COSSMAN INTERNATIONAL MARKETING

You do have to give your name, email, zip code and how you found them.

There is so much info in that video.

I agree that the E. Joesph Cossman video is a great video.

I also highly recommend everyone watch it.

Both E. Joesph Cossman and Harvey Brody have taught me a lot.

E. Joesph Cossman had 25 winners in his lifetime and he found 18 of those products just lying around collecting dust.