I like to attend bazaars and super sale or discount events, but the only event that I always avoid every year is the Toy Kingdom sale events, like their annual warehouse sale in Megamall. I don’t like to go there and buy toys in low prices, but the idea is okay for me in having a massive super toy sale in one big venue, but there are lots of pressure that you will encounter through it and one of it is to line up in a long queue of customers lining up infront of the cashier, we experience this at the recent Toy Kingdom- the great holiday toy sale. I thought that I will escape the toy sale madness, but its just the thing that I can’t avoid especially when my wife knows about it and the idea here is to buy toys for our kid with the right budget we have for toys.
I didn’t brought money with me, because I already know the chaos happening inside the toy sale event. But then I was wrong after all, the crowd is calm and the flow of customers are very organized. There were times that push carts blocks our way and it clogs the hallway up to the end of the other hallway. Also, not just shopping carts, but also strollers and kids roaming around riding mini bikes. It was an eye opener for us that bringing a kid riding in a stroller during a busy bazaar is not a good idea, then we decided to get out of the venue and head to another bazaar happening in the other side of the city.
more story and photos below
I learned a new lessons here and I told my wife also that buying toys with low prices and discounts are very common, because these low prices are also present in the malls. But I have found some toys on display that have the 70% less discount, but the items are not that so cool, and most toys displayed here are not the popular brands. There are some popular brands and toy line like the Transformers, Johnny Lightnings toy cars, and baby- toddler toys. There’s also Lego toys with 30% only but not the new and popular ones, there are lots of RC helicopters and cars with super slash prices. We started to look for Disney Cars toys but then we didn’t succeed, but other merchandise are also available.
Here are some of my tips if you plan to visit a Toy Kingdom toy sale (even the warehouse sale or this holiday toy sale event)
1. Ask yourself first if you are very serious in buying toys for your kids, or toys as a gifts for your friends, nephews, niece, god child, etc. But if the answer is yes and you have a budget to buy toys as gifts for Christmas, then this event is for you, because toys sold here are in super discount and hoarding lots of it will save you lots of money. But if you plan to buy 2-3 or even 5 toys, then my advice is that you go to the nearest toy store in the mall, because sometimes they sell the toys there with the same low price.
2. Set up a budget for yourself if you plan to buy a load of toys for Christmas as gifts. Think of a budget like Php 3k for your child and Php 2k budget for gifts. If you have many kids, then I suggest that you raise the budget and balance it wisely.
3. If you will bring your child to a busy toy sale event, make sure that you have lots of company with you that can help you buying the toys, carry your kid, or even push the stroller. Its fun to shop around with our kids, especially when it comes to toys. Make sure that you are looking after them because kids are so fast and they can run and transfer to other store looking for their favorite toys. Its hard to look for your kid if they get lost, the venue is crowded by people and toys, so if you lost your child, then proceed to the security guard at the exit and alert them that your child is missing inside the venue. Its great also if you designated a meet up with your kid incase they got lost, for example that you guys can meet at counter 23 in case they got lost. Try to look for any paging service in the venue so that they can announce and call for your kid to approach you. Let them remember that they should not talk to strangers or even go with them, if there’s a staff or security guard in the venue, tell them to approach it and bring them to the paging system or holding area were they can be found easily out of the crowded venue.
4. Always check your belongings, sometimes there are advantageous criminals roaming around a crowded venue. They snatch cellphones, wallets, and other stuff inside your bag when you are busy. Be alert and always place your bag infront of you. Never leave your bag inside the shopping cart, if you do that, you should not leave the shopping cart and guard it at all times.
5. I noticed that some parents leave their kids sitting (or even sleeping) inside the shopping cart. It’s a funny sight that I saw a kid girl sleeping inside the cart and infront of her is a big boxes of toys. I felt sad when I saw that and got worried, its dangerous to leave your child sleeping inside the shopping cart filled with toys and the child is under it. If you don’t have a stroller, then carry your child, or ask your companion to wait for you outside and then carry the child when they are sleeping. Its okay to stay outside the venue and just to keep them safe.
6. When we entered the venue with our baby Ash riding in his stroller, I noticed that his hands are so busy touching the people around him, I saw him grabbed a toy from other people’s cart, it was a funny moment that the mommy saw it too, and just laughed at it. I told my boy not to take those things, the stroller is a hassle to everyone, so I carried my boy after, because its dangerous to roam around with a baby in a stroller inside a crowded bazaar even, people might accidentally hit my child with those basket carts or even hit his legs or arms.
7. Don’t let your child ride the bike inside the bazaar! And play with it… I saw a kid roams around the hall and I saw a little girl riding that ride on vehicle, that thing is so small and you might tripped if you didn’t saw it in the middle of the crowd.
8. In this toy bazaar event, its like having a working team with your family, you can designate a part of your family to line up to the cashier with an empty cart and then the others roam around the toy stalls and grab toys, you may place the toys to your cart and then go back to the toy stalls if you missed something, then do a substitute and switch task with them by let them grab toys too and you guard the cart and line up for the cashier.
9. If you like the toy so much and found out that it is battery operated, you should ask the store attendant to help you check if the toy has a working condition. Most toy sale events they also sell those toys having damaged boxes or containers, there are some reasons why other toys have low prices, because the packaging is damaged and it doesn’t look new. But if you see the toy inside, all brand new and untouched or unused. But it is better to double check if the toy still activates with new pairs of batteries.
10. I noticed that Toy Kingdom toy sale runs for two or three days, they reserved the 1st day of the event exclusively to card holders, like the BDO credit card, SM Advantage Prestige cards and the Toy Kingdom card. If you don’t have these cards yet, then you grab it while they still offer it. The card can be useful sometimes in gathering points for every purchase you made in SM malls, and also serves as an exclusive pass to 1st day sale events like this Toy Kingdom sale.
I’ll end my tips and lessons here for the moment, I’ll add more if I ever something comes out from my mind.
the crowd inside SMX, I just noticed that there are many people here shopping for toys, the other SMX halls are holiday sales of other brands, super crowded too. I noticed that all people attended this sale event and instead of visiting the 11th World Bazaar Festival in World Trade.
This sale runs for three days only. (it ended today) I saw that Angry Birds and Cars are the most displayed things in every sale and bazaar events. (lots of knock offs too)
lots of scooter and play pad on sale
Warriors of Virtue toyline slash price to Php 50 per action figure / here are the shopping carts
our hunt for baby and toddler toys begins here
this store got a great collection of toys for sale
signs with discounts are posted everywhere.
view inside the store and view of the hallway
here we found that electronic airplane, my baby boy loved it and it has price tag of P200. But we drop the toy there and decided not to buy bec. of the long lines to the cashier, we found the same toy in 11th World Bazaar festival, for sale at Php 250. The ice cream maker is selling like pancakes at the Toy Kingdom sale event, they say that its a toy but it can be used in making ice cream.
this rescue vehicle toy looks like a Playmobil toy / here's my wife and baby boy Ash looks on a bigger electronic airplane priced at P350
saw a store with lots of old GI JOE figures....I pass and decided not to look huuhuhuuhu
This wooden toy is cool..price at P2k
Transformers toys on sale! I checked on the prices and its the same price that they gave in the malls. P800 is the lowest sale.
I want to buy this remote controlled airplane, although that it is made of styro and has its own engine, the super discount price of P200 is not bad!
here's a photo of the entrance at SMX
I spotted SpongeBob mascot.. me and Ash approaches to get a quick photo op, then I noticed that this SpongeBob is not the official mascot or whatsoever.. then I realized that maybe someone cosplaying as SpongeBob got hired to have an appearance here at the SMX.
