Forecasting demand for 40,000 different products, arranging for model kits to traverse the globe from Chinese factories to mom-and-pop hobby shops, and enduring random customs inspections with Alan Bass, a hobby kit and toy distributor. Why can't shops place orders directly with factories and cut out distributors? And what is it like to discover your childhood toys were actually samples given out for market research purposes? The hobby kit and toy distributor business he runs is Stevens International . You can find his family’s brick-and-mortar hobby shop, AAA Hobbies and Crafts , in Magnolia, NJ, and an online store at MegaHobby.com . WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be... "starter pack" . It's a curated Spotify playlist with some essential episodes from our back catalogue. GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at
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