Radio Flyer – Celebrating Toddlerhood for Almost a Century

We all know the name Radio Flyer.  Once we hear that name, images of cool and fun red wagons, bicycles and tricycles come to mind.  It’s hard to find someone who’s not aware of this company and it’s easy to know why.  They’ve been in the business of celebrating toddlerhood for almost a century now.  Since they started in 1917, they’ve been trailblazing and making sure that kids get the toys that they need to have fun.

It goes without saying that parents feel comfortable ordering from companies like Radio Flyer.  It has to be doing something great and the mere fact that it has survived this long is a testament to its greatness.  Very few companies can brag about hitting the century mark and Radio Flyer is 7 years away from reaching that goal.  From the way things are going, there’s no question that it’s going to hit that mark.

So what is the company doing right?  The answer is very simple.  They’re putting out great products.  That’s a key factor in ensuring success and this is especially true for companies in the toy industry.  Let’s check out the red wagons for example.  If we’re going to choose one toy as a representative of all the toys of all time; they’re probably the choice of most kids, parents and child-care professionals.  It’s hard to argue against a toy that has been well-loved for generations and have been the source of millions of great childhood memories.

Another secret to the longevity of companies like Radio Flyer is variety and continuous improvements.  Aside from the red wagons, the company also chose to create other well-loved products like bicycles and tricycles.  They could have chosen to rest on their laurels with the success of their red wagons but they chose not to.  Sure, there’s a good chance that they’ll still reach a hundred even with that single product.  But they won’t be as trusted and well-loved like today if not for the fact that they created more great products.

A lot of companies have put out great products.  Come to think of it.  It’s very simple to put out a great product.  You just need to check the present industry and look for needs and areas for improvement and with a great research and development team; you can create a design for a great product.  This is where the company’s technology and expertise comes in if you want to turn that idea into reality.  However, a lot of these companies are “one hit wonders” and they go under because they chose not to follow up on that success.

For companies like Radio Flyer, it’s all about producing as many great toys for kids as possible.  They win because they’re able to develop the staying power in the industry.  But most importantly, the kids win as well as they’re exposed to great products.