Import From China Business
A practical guide for starting a small business
2010-
Import from China
Sell on eBay
Sandra Kell
Ontario, Canada
Baby Products
Profit This Year: $10,400
“I started with $1,000 and began importing baby products from China. I sell them on eBay, Facebook and in my local stores. After 8 months, I am earning $400 a week. I finally quit my day job!”
Learn How
Photos: Dolls -
American Toys
Overview of American Toys Industry
American Toys industry today has the reputation of being dominated by video games: Microsoft's Xbox, Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation as the industry approaches $50 Billion. The birth of the internet information age in the 1990's combined with classic television advertising techniques from the 1950's continue to drive the demand for the American Toys market.
American Toys in the 20th Century
- American Toys began to change in the twentieth century. Before World War I, most American Toys were hand made. After the war, technology permitted the use of molded plastics.
- There was now a whole new set of toys for boys and girls to choose from. There were plastic airplanes, rockets and cars to replace little boys' wooden farm wagon. Girls were able to stock their toy kitchens with plastic toy food and utensils.
- By the 1930's, 95% of the toys in the America were manufactured in the U.S.
1950’s & 1960’s American Toys Era
- With the invention of toy advertising on the television in the 1950's and 1960's, it drove the American Toy market. It was an era of the Barbie Doll and Hasbro's Easy Bake Oven which became American culture.
American Toys History
American Settlers and American Toys
- Over five centuries ago when the settlers came to America, the American Toys available were obviously quite different than toys of today. Families spent the majority of their lives working on farms and growing their own food to survive.
- Men and boys hunt and fish as a favorite pastime while women and girls learned to quilt. Toys existed during that time were from native Indians who curved toy animals from wood and bone.
American Toys During the Early 1800’s
- By the early 1800's some American families ordered toys from abroad for their families but these were typically expensive. Few toys were manufactured in the America at that time.
- In the late 1830's, one of the first American toy manufacturing companies was The Tower Shop (renamed later as Tower Toy Company). By gathering the talents of a group of carpenters, the company was able to produce wooden toys of doll furniture, boats and toy tools.
American Toys Manufacturers -
- By and late 1800's and the early 1900's, more and more American toy manufacturers began to appear.
- Girls had dolls, doll houses and tea sets. Boys would play with toy soldiers, toy trains or farms and farm animals.
- Windup toys using a key became popular during that time. American Toys were supposed to prepare children for adult life during that era.
Famous Inventors of American Toys
The Frisbee, Flying Pie Plates
- William Russell Frisbie's family actually began playing around with flying pie plates in the 1870's.
- It was a solder named Walter Frederick Morrison who improved on the flying saucer and began marketing the product with the assistance of Richard Knerr and A.K. Melin, two UCLA graduates.
- They toys were named Frisbee which are still popular today.
The Slinky, Accidental Discovery
- Richard James, a naval engineer was conducting some experiments with springs when one of them fell to the floor and began to walk.
- He took it home and showed it to his wife, Betty James. She thought that it would be a great toy and named it Slinky.
- The invention in 1945 was a huge success and became popular over several generations.
Import Opportunities & American Toys of the Future
The American Toys industry can be quite unpredictable.
- Today, MacDonald's is one of the world's largest toy manufacturers due to its Happy Meal.
- Disney has also taken advantage of the American toy commercialism as evident by its toys being named after television and movie series such as Toy Stories.
- The American Toy industry today is full of products from overseas varying from 25 cents to 250 dollars. There are many import opportunities available to the importer who is interested in importing to USA.
- Will you be the one who imports the next Slinky or Frisbee?
Real Experiences!
Geraldine F. -
“I am interested in importing picture frames and toys from China to sell in the United States. Your web site has given me a lot of wonderful ideas.”
