Introduction

Just as with the evaluation process for the "Good Housekeeping Seal", which has continued to remain so popular and trusted for many years, a product must include excellent production values, universal ethical values, appeal to children, be consistent with age appropriateness, and innovative value in order to be considered for acceptance by The Toy Man® Product Guide to become a recipient of The Toy Man® Seal of Approval.

The Toy Man® Product Guide staff look for products that not only entertain, but also teach simultaneously with an added edge. The products must actively stimulate a child's imagination, and contribute to further creative skill development in the age group for which they are designed.

A product must be easy for them to use, consistent with current safety standards, as well as interesting. Products should contribute to a child’s development, mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally, while also being something they can have fun playing with. The product should have a strong durability level for extensive periods of play time and not break in the child's hands with reasonable use in their active play.

A very vital part of the scenario is that the company which produces the toy should be dependable and stand behind its product. It should have tested it with children to validate age appropriateness and match descriptive information, age guidelines, and suggestions for use. It should also be independent lab tested if applicable.

PLEASE NOTE: Results of product evaluations which fail to meet our guidelines will not be released, except to the manufacturer who submitted the product for review.  We do not return products which are submitted, (unless arrangements have been made prior to start of product evaluation.)

Products are generally donated with all appropriate manuals, etc. to persons in the target market for which the product has been designed, children's wards at hospitals, schools, off-continent urgent concerns, special needs children, or charities for disadvantaged children for most beneficial use from the contribution of the product.

Basis Of Our Product Evaluation Guidelines

All products are evaluated based upon strict guidelines originally established by the International Parenting Institute™, ( hereafter referred to as IPI™), ChildSafe International Corp. and The Toy Man® Product Guide are quite detailed and have been carefully developed.

Globally recognized credentialed professionals in multiple fields have either donated their time or been paid to help establish these guidelines and assist in regular updating of same. These guidelines are periodically updated to remain consistent with current trends of the industry regulations and consumer market.

An important point to consider which makes The Toy Man® Product Guide quite unique is that the evaluation guidelines we use for a bicycle are far different than the guidelines for a plush toy. Professionals from each class of products have been used to carefully define evaluation guidelines specific to each product type.

Each individual product evaluation/review is performed by a group of our staff members, in addition to independent credentialed professionals who specialize in the same category as the product being tested. As an added and necessary plus, every product is subjected to spontaneous hands-on consumer evaluation.  These evaluations take place in public / private schools, indoor malls, public events and public recreational parks, whichever is most suitable for each product type.

The evaluation report summaries / review results are derived from a combination of the scoring from the evaluation reports and the hands-on consumer feedback forms for all inductees.  The results are published in a four tab index card format to minimize the need for scrolling, our standard level offering.

PREMIUM LEVEL REPORTS

While our standard four tab index card format for the review summaries are sufficient for most consumers and buyers, there are others such as the corporate buy and buyers who seek a more detailed report on the product featured.

In Q2 or Q3 2019, we will begin offering a PREMIUM LEVEL report to meet the need for more details. Thisd will be offered as an added option for companies whose product(s) may be a recipient of The Toy Man® Seal of Approval. It will be provided for an additional price to the licensing fee, yet will have extensive valuable information that the serious buyer is looking for.

This level will also have benefits such asevaluation details from the credentialed professionals who assist us independently in our product evaluation. That is just the start; there will be an extensive number of other benefits with the PREMIUM LEVEL. We wil be providing more detailed information on this new option in just a few weeks.

 
A Sample of Our Evaluations Guidelines Structure

A small sample of our guidelines structure which we use to evaluate and rate products submitted for evaluation is listed below. Please note that this is only a "sample" outline of our entire evaluation guidelines. To share the entire structure would take an immense amount of space. In addition, it's always wise to never show all your cards so to speak.

Each section is evaluated on a 1 to 5 scale with the larger number being positive and the lower number being negative. We do not share our entire group of guidelines to maintain a unique proprietary evaluation procedure.

Sec. #0318 - PRIMARY BEHAVIOR

	#0318 I/PB(a) Emotion
		What is the level of "funQuotient™" - How appealing is the product for use by a child?
		What is the level of "WOW!factor™" - To what degree does the product stimulate a strong positive impulsive response?
		What is the level of innovation and creative style that makes the product special or unique with stimulation of new play activity?
		What is the level of positive reaction from playing with a product - Does it cause a short or long term effect?
		What is the level of positive reaction from playing with a product - Does it cause a short or long term effect?
		What is the level of contribution to encouragement of positive social interaction with repeated use of the product in a home environment?
		What is the level of contribution to encouragement of positive social interaction with repeated use of the product in an educational environment?
	#0318 I/PB(b) Intellectual Thought
		What is the level of creative awareness development by a child's use of the product?
		What is the level of contribution to critical skill development?
		What is the level of contribution to acquisition of new learning skills, practice, and information by using the product?
		What is the level of contribution to long-term retaining of new learning skills, practice, and information by using the product?
		What is the level of fit for adaptation for "Special Needs" children? These children have different levels of development and adaptation with products.
	#0318 I/PB(c) Safety
		What is the level of contribution to children’s healthy physical development by using the product?
		What is the level of suitability with the product for use in home, educational environment, or both?
		What is the level of quality in packaging design, safety, and age/gender designation with the product?
		What is the level of unsafe materials percentage in the product - Has it been independent lab tested?
		What is the level of risk related to choking hazard?
	#0318 I/PB(d) Social Responsibility / Ethics
		What is the level of being appropriate for age level or gender specified on packaging for the product?
		What is the level of quality in design and use of the product? Determination needs to be made as to how well the product will hold up to a child's continued use.
		What is the level of educational value and accuracy of meeting specified productive ends with the product?
		What is the level of environmental contribution and social responsibility by the product?
	#0318 I/PB(e)The Five Senses
		What is the level of simplicity of use of product? ( A child should be able to use a product with minimal difficulty.
		What is the level of accuracy/quality in auditory level if applicable?
		What is the level of accuracy/quality in visual appeal for the product?
		What is the level of contribution to children’s healthy physical development with the product?
		What is the level of visual appeal for marketing value and sales for the product?

The Toy Man® Product Guide accepts all juvenile products designed for infants through adult. Prototypes are also eligible for submission, but they are only given article recognition, no awards; as are Beta versions of software.

Number of Products Required for Submission

The Toy Man® Product Guide requires only two sample products for evaluation.  It should be noted though that the more samples provided for evaluation, the greater number of evaluators that can participate and the number of hands-on consumers in that portion of the evaluation will be impacted dramatically.

Resubmission

Products that are NOT approved for The Toy Man® Seal of Approval are eligible to be resubmitted.  Upon re-submission the product, it must have the changes made which were specified in first submission denial for approval. There is no limit to the number of resubmissions.

Entry Fees

There are no submission fees of ANY kind.  It is the desire of The Toy Man® Product Guide staff to keep a level playing field for all products submitted for approval.

Licensing Fees

All products submitted for evaluation are analyzed and tested under our strict evaluation guidelines. There is NO FEE of any kind for any portion of the product evaluation and/or publishing of evaluation report summaries/articles on The Toy Man® Product Guide web site.

If a product is inducted, the product induction notification is published 24 hours before recipient is notified.  If the company submitting the product(s) desires to use The Toy Man® Seal of Approval or awards in any manner other than The Toy Man® Product Guide web site, a "first year" licensing fee of $150 per product, (with an additional $15 account setup fee for first year only.)   Each seal and/or award is specific to the year it was given. The licensing fees and usage are an option, NOT mandatory.

If the licensing option is selected, an in-depth and highly detailed evaluation report summary is published and will remain indefinitely for current and future reference.

( The OPTIONAL $150 USD licensing fee is in place in order to help create a greater "perceived value" of the Seal and/or Awards when used for promotional purposes outside of The Toy Man® Product Guide web site. The fee is used as part of funding base to produce Award Certificates and other materials delivered to the manufacturers of products which have been inducted. )  Renewal is only $25 per year on an annual basis.

Lifetime Licensing Fees

The Lifetime Licensing Fee entitles each recipient of The Toy Man® Seal of Approval, seals, and awards (if applicable), to unlimited use of all Seals and Awards authorized for use. With the business model of our staff working on a volunteer basis to help avoid any inflection of bias, we still have operational costs to contend with. The licensing fees assist us in having the assets to allow us to engage in constant study and evolution to help our service evolve with the needs of the industry as it changes each year.

Shipping and Delivery

The Toy Man® Product Guide upholds a policy of no acceptance of COD or postage due packages. If your package is considered to be oversized or overweight by the US Postal Service, Fed Ex, UPS, DHL, or Airborne Express, you will need to contact our office to specify how the products or toys will be submitted.

Please ship your products to the office specified on the product submission form.

All products with their corresponding applications, press kits, etc. should be included.

Evaluation and analysis is generally completed within 30 business days or less following reception of product, pending on complexity of design of product.   Prior to a major trade show product evaluations can be expedited upon request and approval.

PLEASE NOTE:  To ensure 100% understanding of our product return policy, we are re-affirming it here.  Results of product evaluations which fail to meet our guidelines will NOT be released, except to the manufacturer who submitted the product for review.  We do NOT return products which are submitted, (unless arrangements have been made PRIOR to start of product evaluation.) Products are generally donated with all appropriate manuals, etc. to children's wards at hospitals, schools, off-continent urgent concerns, special needs children, or charities for disadvantaged children for most beneficial use from the contribution of the product.