Bhopal, Apr 22: Be it a child or youth almost everyone likes soft toys. This the modern trend. Nowadays, at least one soft toy could be seen in almost every household as a showpiece. These soft toys are available in different sizes and shapes.

The soft toys are also being gifted on the occasion of birthdays, marriages and Valentine Day. Due to this trend, sale of soft toys has also skyrocketed. The popularity of soft toys can be gauged from the fact that they are being sold from shopping malls and hi-fi shops to footpath vendors. Whatever the place may be, but the buyers are automatically attracted towards the soft toys. This is the reason why almost entire footpath at Link Road has turned into an array of roadside stalls where soft toys are being sold. These shops deal exclusively in soft toys including horse, bear, tiger, dolls and a whole lot of other designs and shapes. Same is the case with many other footpaths in the city. Besides, latest models of soft toys are also available in myriad of shops in the city including MP Nagar, New Market, Jumerati, Ibrahimpura, 10 No Bus Stop etc.

Price ranges from Rs 40 to 4000

The prices of soft toys vary mostly according to size and quality. Santosh, a vendor at the Link Road footpath told Bhopal Today Team that he has soft toys in the range of Rs 40 and Rs 500. Asif, who is doing this business for the last seven years has got soft toys worth even Rs 4000. He said that though the quality of soft toys sold at footpath stalls and hi-fi shops is almost the same. Yet, there is a huge difference in their prices and these toys are available with us at very low rates. He said that cost of toys increased at big shops due to maintenance cost of the shops including expenses on employees salaries, light, and airconditioners. Another vendor Hiralal said that the same toy we sell in Rs 100 is sold at Rs 500 at the shopping malls and Rs 350-to Rs 400 at other big shops.

Where the stock comes from

There are a number of varieties of soft toys. Most of the retailers of Bhopal purchase toys from the wholesale markets of the city. There are some manufacturers also in the city who requistion raw material, especially cotton and foam which is stuffed in the soft toys from Delhi and Mumbai.

The smalltime sellers at the Link Road footpath told Bhopal Today Team at every vendor maintains stocks worth Rs 15 thousand to 20 thousand whereas owner of New Market-based Top World toys shop said that they have stocks worth 80 thousand.

Varieties of soft toys

Soft toys are available in difference sizes, shapes and colours. These include miniature animals, toys and images of super heroes. The most sought after varieties include tiger, bear, Cheetah, deer, doll, monkey, Mickey Mouse, Santa Claus, Spiderman, Batman, Superman etc.

Source of livelihood

Soft toys have become a great source of livelihood for small timers. These people display and sell soft toys at impromptu shops at the roadsides. During the hot summer days, many of them do any other work since buyers are loath to stand in the sun and select a toy. However, by the evening fall, a number of vendors return to their footpath venues as buyers also get interested once again.

Many poor people also eke out an income by making indigenous soft toys. In view of increasing popularity of soft toys, its trade and manufacture are going to touch a new high.

What children say

At footpath stalls we can get the same toys at much cheaper rates. Then why should we purchase the very toys at exorbitant prices from big shops. That is why I generally puchase toys from footpath shops.

--Ruchi Patel, student

Be it a child or an adult, almost everyone likes soft toys. They attract people when they are tastefully decorated at the footpath shops. Here toys can be had in cheaper rates.

--Usha Pal, student

Though Teddy Bear was invented initially to woo children. But gradullay, it has endeared all age groups due to its innocent look. Girls also like Teddy Bear. That is why boys present them Teddy Bears on Valentine Day. In fact, Teddy Bear has swept the toy market these days.

--Laveesh Sawarkar

What shopkeepers say

'I and my family are doing this business for the last eight years. Our total earning for a day ranges from Rs 100 to 200. This suffices our basic needs, though some of the family members have to do other jobs also as this amount is not enough to meet other expenses such a clothes, house rent and contingency expenditure.

--Asif (Link Road)

There has been considerable increase in sale of soft toys as well as our income. But the intervention and high-handedness on the part of Bhopal Municipal Corporation create many a hurdle and problem for us.

--Santosh Yadav (Link Road)