After a career that has taken him through some well-known names in Spanish eCommerce (such as in his role as marketplace manager), Gerardo Casas is, since June this year, the Head of Ecommerce at Toys ‘R’ Us, one of the indisputable references in the sale of games and toys at an international level: a position of responsibility with numerous challenges. Taking advantage of his upcoming presence in, we have spoken with him, to find out his vision of the company and the future of the sector.
You’ve only been here for a few months at Toys ‘R’ Us: why did you make this change? What does it mean to manage the eCommerce of such a well-known brand?
I like sectors that have a soul and toys have it like no other. New sector, new colleagues, learning and, above all, the vision of the people who promoted my arrival.
In most companies, efforts are made to give the brand notoriety. Toys ‘R’ Us and toy are in the mind of the consumer. The hardest thing is done, now we just have to live up to customer expectations.
What goals do you set for this first year of your new professional stage? What challenges does the company face in the online channel?
The digital challenges of the decade are similar in most companies and could be simplified into three: a lot to do in an agile way, limited hands and resources, and those from “A to Z” turning most sectors upside down .
the company is doing a very important effort for the online channel. We already have seven strategic projects underway and another three will arrive soon. Our challenges: hyper-personalization, omnichannel, operations, productivity, customer service, pricing and stock management, BI, catalog and content.
What is the weight of the online channel in the Toys ‘R’ Us business?
After the boom last year due to the covid closures of the stores in the sector, our goal is to finish the year around 18%.
What differences would you highlight between the type of offline and online customers, products purchased, average ticket…?
Every time less. More than two types of client, I would say that there are different circumstances that lead them to use one channel or another. In our case, we are renovating all our stores, creating unique spaces that allow parents and children to enjoy themselves in an experiential way. Visiting a Toys ‘R’ Us is, today more than ever, an unforgettable experience. If you don’t know them yet, you should visit them, pure fun.
And how are both channels? How do Toys ‘R’ Us physical and online stores interact?
Great, they are the two sides of the same coin. In this company, the word omnichannel is not postured.
A consistent and unified pricing policy across channels, easy returns with a full guarantee, 3% loyalty on all your purchases regardless of the channel, free services on both channels and our buy 36th, which allows physical store customers to send the purchase of those products that are not within their reach directly to their home or click&collect without shipping costs. And most importantly, a very careful product selection advised by qualified and committed personnel from the sector.
The end of the year is approaching and with it the time of greatest sales in the toy sector: what weight does seasonality have in your business? How is it managed at the level of stock, shipping logistics, etc?
Surely the party starts soon. This sector plays the year in just three months.
Our logistics is distributed. Although we have a central support warehouse, we serve from 57 stores in Spain and Portugal following customer-focused criteria (stock, proximity and personalization). Solvent companies like or DPD they are giving us impressive levels of service, look for Verified Opinions reviews on our site and you will see what I am talking about.
In just over six weeks, Black Friday, Christmas and Kings come together: what is the real big day for you? Has it changed in recent years?
In our case, October will be important this year since we celebrate 30 years in Spain and we will celebrate the anniversary in style with the collaboration of a large part of the sector’s suppliers.
He fades more and more in his week and monththough no doubt It is the key day of the year. The one before Christmas and Three Kings also have a brutal impact since the Toys R Us delivery guarantee in the cities where we have stores (in two hours click&collect (C&C) or in three hours home delivery) allows us to give levels of service that very few can offer.
And so, in confidence 😉 what are going to be the best-selling toys this end of the year?
The graduates, without a doubt. The cinema has returned and together with the platforms (Netflix, Disney + or HBO) they will give impetus to universes of Marvel, Star Wars (Mandalorian), La Casa de Papel, etc. Everything STEM and educational electronics and of course, the Kidults segment is growing strongly (Funkos, Geek World, Collectibles, Decoration). And then, the big ones that never stop being updated (Lego, Playmobil, Mattel, Hasbro) and the hundreds of board games (classics and lots of novelties for all ages, tastes and hobbies).
On September 29 and 30 you will be present at the new edition of Retail Forum. What do you expect from this event?
Learn, especially learn. And meet good people and great professionals. With these three ingredients, the rest comes by itself. I am very excited and grateful!
At the event you will talk about business intelligence, personalization and improvement of the user experience. How does the data culture help to offer experiences adapted to the different channels?
They usually exist two radically opposite views of data management: one, protectionist, closed, on demand, elitist (in the sense of making it available to a few). The other, absolutely open, autonomous, collaborative and transparent. Without a doubt, I prefer the second, even assuming the challenges it has.
The use that each area, role or channel makes of it should not be filtered. The data empowers decision-making at all levels and in trained and responsible hands allows it to be aggregated to generate information. This gives weapons to make better strategic decisions. Outside fears, the data within an ecosystem of trust, I would share it. Strategic information is what needs to be protected.
What does it take to get organizations to take a customer-centric approach? What BI tools are you applying to favor the personalization of the user experience?
Today, as always, the consumer values the successes and understand the mistake if as a company you are able to adapt to him in every word or gesture, in the tone, the speed of response, the communication channel, the message and above all, the facts.
On these pillars, technology is needed to scale the business. SAP (ERP and eCommerce) allows us to integrate with ASPA a guarantee system with reference partners such as Openbravo, Connectif, Partoo, Verified Reviews, Akamai, Making SEM, Woosmap, Empathy, Oct8ne, Criteo, Tradedoubler, Reskyt, E-goi, OneTrust, HiPay, Paypal, Ingenico, Syndigo or Swogo, in addition to some very top ones that are yet to come. The world has become wonderfully complex, changing and fun.
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