"Ty Simpson just wanted to get his hands on the Wiggles. His daughter was a big fan of the Australian music group for kids, but Simpson couldn't find any licensed products here in the United States. So, he decided to go into business, and started importing and selling Wiggles dolls, hats, books, DVDs, and other merchandise. Demand was so great that it didn't take Ty's Toy Box long to outgrow off-the-shelf, proprietary ecommerce systems.
"The Wiggles, Strawberry Shortcake, Barney, Doodlebops--toys based on these children's programs are called 'second-tier' merchandise, because the market for them, while strong, is not as consistently large as the market for top-tier toys such as Care Bears, crayons, and Hot Wheels. But this second-tier market has been a gold mine for Simpson, whose humble eBay beginnings have grown into a multi-channel income flow..."
