Children as a Target Audience: How to Build an Assortment and Promote Products

A children’s goods store needs to consider the needs of both people involved in a purchase: the adult who pays for the product and the child who will use it. Adults need clear product specifications, the full price, and information about safe use. Children need a chance to assess whether an item is comfortable and express their own preferences. Structure the consultation so both can get the information they need and agree on a choice without pressure.

Start by reviewing the questions families ask sales staff, checking product information, and then reviewing purchasing, merchandising, and advertising messages. Stores operating in Ukraine are subject to Ukrainian requirements for product information, toy safety, advertising, and personal data. The practical steps below include links to the relevant laws and regulations wherever they establish legal obligations.

How to group your audience by needs and product use

For assortment planning, we suggest describing each group by the shopper’s goal: everyday clothing, footwear for specific conditions, a game for shared leisure, or a gift within a set budget. The user’s age helps narrow the options, but for clothing you also need to consider size and fit; for toys, consider the intended purpose, age restrictions, and conditions of use stated by the manufacturer.

Do not assume that all children of the same age have the same interests. During a consultation, find out what the child already uses, where they will use the new item, and what they would like to try. Offer a choice of colors, game themes, or styles without assuming preferences based on gender or appearance.

This is a suggested store workflow. Use the product documentation to determine the safe-use limits for each item. If a product’s age restriction makes it unsuitable for the child, neither the child’s wish nor the adult’s willingness to buy it is a reason to recommend it.

How to research demand without collecting unnecessary data about children

Offer adults a brief, voluntary conversation after the consultation. For example: “Could you answer three questions about choosing a product? We don’t need your name or contact details.” Ask what they needed the item for, what information was missing, and what prevented them from choosing something from the available range. Declining the conversation must not affect the service they receive.

For a period you choose, sales staff can keep a shared table without names, phone numbers, or descriptions of specific children. A useful entry might say: “Customers asked for insole measurements for two models” or “The requested size was unavailable.” An entry such as “The child is anxious, so they need a particular toy” makes an unsupported assumption and does not help assess the assortment.

1. Choose one category and give all sales staff the same list of questions to ask customers.
2. Record the request, product group, missing specification or size, and consultation outcome.
3. Count recurring requests and compare them with product availability.
4. Choose one change: add to a product description, order a size, or move a sign.
5. After the change, check whether customers ask fewer of these questions and are less likely to decide against a purchase because information is missing.

Article 6 of the Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection” requires a specific lawful purpose, a proportionate amount of data, and storage no longer than necessary for that purpose. The grounds for processing are set out in Article 11. For assortment research, it is therefore advisable to collect aggregated requests that do not identify a particular family. Source: Articles 6 and 11 of the Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection”.

How to build an assortment matrix for a children’s store

Create a table in which each row represents a specific product and its variant. Track clothing and footwear sizes separately: having a model in stock does not necessarily mean you can meet a specific request.

• Need: The purpose and conditions of use for which the product is intended.
• Age and restrictions: Exact information from the manufacturer, including any stated need for adult supervision.
• Material or composition: Confirmed information from the label or documentation.
• Instructions: Where sales staff can find usage and care instructions and warnings.
• Full price: The product price, what is included, and any necessary additional purchases for use.
• Size: The manufacturer’s size label and actual measurements, if checked by the store.
• Stock: The quantity of each specific variant and its storage location.
• Requests and returns: Aggregated reasons that can help assess the product description, quality, or whether purchasing the product for stock is justified.

Before purchasing stock, check that all critical fields are filled in. If the supplier has not provided the necessary safe-use information, obtain it first. The word “natural” alone does not substantiate a promise that a product will not cause allergic reactions. Use the term “hypoallergenic” or cite a medical professional’s recommendation only when there is appropriate supporting evidence for that specific product.

Article 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Protection” requires sellers to provide accessible and reliable information before purchase about product properties, conditions of use, price, and safe use. The price must include all taxes and mandatory charges payable by the consumer. For distance sales, Article 13 also requires disclosure of delivery costs and payment terms. Source: Articles 13 and 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Protection”.

Illustrative calculation: The product costs UAH 800, a component required for its use and sold separately costs UAH 120, and delivery costs UAH 80. The buyer will spend UAH 1,000 in total: 800 + 120 + 80. Show how this amount is made up before the order is placed and explain exactly what is included.

What to check before selling a toy in Ukraine

First, determine whether the item qualifies as a toy. Ukraine’s Technical Regulation on Toy Safety covers products designed or intended, directly or indirectly, for play by children under 14. It also sets out exceptions: for example, baby pacifiers and children’s fashion accessories not intended for play are not considered toys under this regulation. For scooters, bicycles, and other equipment, check the purpose and specifications of the particular product. Source: Paragraphs 2–3 and Annex 1 to the Technical Regulation on Toy Safety, approved by Resolution No. 151 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

A store that sells toys as a distributor must, before sale, check the technical regulation conformity mark, required documents, instructions and safety information, as well as the manufacturer’s and importer’s identification details. It is practical to carry out these checks when each new model is received.

1. Check the toy’s identifier on the product: type, batch number, serial number, model, or another designation. If the toy’s size or nature does not allow the identifier to be placed on the product, check for it on the packaging or in an accompanying document. Compare it with the supplier’s documents.
2. Check the manufacturer’s details and, for an imported toy, the importer’s details as well.
3. Check that the technical regulation conformity mark is present in the required location. European CE marking—Conformité Européenne—does not by itself replace compliance with Ukrainian conformity and marking requirements.
4. Make sure the instructions and safety information comply with Ukrainian language legislation.
5. Include exact age restrictions and warnings that may affect the purchase decision in the product description.
6. If there is reason to believe that a toy does not meet essential safety requirements, do not sell it until it has been brought into compliance. If it poses a risk, notify the manufacturer or importer and the relevant state market surveillance authority. If the store has already sold the toy and considers, or has reason to consider, that it does not comply with the applicable technical regulations, make sure the necessary measures are taken: bringing it into compliance, removing it from the supply chain, or recalling it from consumers. Depending on the circumstances, these measures may be combined. If the toy poses a risk, immediately notify the market surveillance authority about the non-compliance and the measures taken. During storage and transport, maintain conditions that preserve the toy’s compliance with safety requirements.

These obligations and marking rules are set out in paragraphs 27–29, 37–38, and 44–49 of the Technical Regulation. Warnings that may affect the choice must be visible before purchase, including in an online store. Put them in text in the product listing so buyers can read them before ordering.

Do not add a “3+” label arbitrarily. The regulation prohibits warnings that contradict the toy’s intended use. For toys that may be dangerous to children under 36 months, it provides for an appropriate age warning and an explanation of the specific hazard in the instructions. At the same time, point 2 of Part B of Annex 5 provides an exception: this warning does not apply to toys that, because of their function, size, characteristics, properties, or other reasons, are unsuitable for children of this age. Reproduce the manufacturer’s information accurately. Source: paragraph 36 and point 2 of Part B of Annex 5 to the Technical Regulation.

How to arrange displays and consultations

We suggest grouping products by clear purposes and specifications: intended use, size, age restrictions, and conditions of use. Signs and price tags should help adults compare options and let children browse suitable products alongside an adult. Choose the height of display shelves based on the specific fixtures, products, and ability to supervise; the recommendations here do not set a universal regulatory height.

Check the family’s route from the entrance to the checkout: can they move through with a stroller, read the price tag, reach a fitting room, and keep the child in view while speaking with a sales assistant? Separate display samples from sale stock. Place small parts, heavy boxes, and products that require supervision where staff can monitor the demonstration.

Set a short sequence for consultations: purchase goal, restrictions, two or three suitable options, comfort check, and agreement on the full price. A sales assistant can address the child directly while giving the adult the opportunity to agree on the budget and conditions of use.

• About the need: “Where do you plan to use this item, and what matters most to you?”
• During a fitting: “Try walking and squatting. Is it comfortable to move, and does anything feel tight?”
• When choosing a game: “In this game, you put pieces together; in this one, you complete tasks using cards. Which activity sounds more interesting to you?”
• About restrictions: “The manufacturer has specified a minimum age and the need for adult supervision. Let’s check whether these conditions work for you.”
• About the budget: “There are two options within the agreed amount. I can explain the differences in what’s included and in care.”

Avoid comments about a child’s body, comparisons with peers, and claims that “everyone already has” a particular item. If the family decides to postpone the purchase, offer to note the model and specifications so they can compare it later.

How to review children’s product advertising

Article 20 of the Law of Ukraine “On Advertising” prohibits calls to children to buy a product or ask others to make a purchase. It also prohibits undermining the authority of parents, other legal representatives, and teachers, or children’s trust in them; showing children in situations that are dangerous to imitate; making children feel inferior; or suggesting that owning a product makes them superior to other children.

Do not use images in advertising the store’s products, including graphic images, that show the use of real or toy firearms or explosive devices. Article 20 provides exceptions for the public service advertising it specifies, as well as advertising and announcements of audiovisual works; ordinary toy advertising is not covered by these exceptions. Advertising must not present a children’s product as affordable for every family regardless of its budget.

Source: Article 20 of the Law of Ukraine “On Advertising”.

Give adults the verified facts they need to choose: purpose, material, dimensions, what is included, care, price, and restrictions. If a blogger or contractor prepares the advertising, include these requirements in the brief and approve the finished text and demonstration before publication.

Fill in these examples with the actual specifications of the specific product. For demonstrations, choose activities permitted by the instructions and show any required supervision or protective equipment. For in-store events, we recommend allowing participation without a purchase and explaining the activity, conditions, and child supervision arrangements to adults in advance.

How to handle children’s contact details and photos

For a regular store consultation, information about the need and product is enough. Do not ask for a child’s phone number, address, school name, exact date of birth, or photo solely for planning the store’s product range. For an electronic contract, a seller may request only information that is necessary to conclude and perform the agreement. Source: Part 4 of Article 7 of the Law of Ukraine “On Electronic Commerce”.

We recommend not collecting children’s contact details for marketing. Instead, communicate with adult customers using contact details they have voluntarily provided, on a specified legal basis. Before photographing or filming children for advertising or publishing recognizable photos, consult a lawyer separately about the conditions for photography and filming, use of the image, and processing of personal data, as well as who must give consent in light of the child’s age and the representative’s authority. Until you have completed this review, we recommend that you do not photograph or film children for advertising or publish such photos. We also recommend clearly specifying the purpose, publication locations, and period of use in the consent.

The purpose of collection, legal basis, and disclosure of data are separate issues. Articles 6, 11, and 14 of the Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection” set out relevant requirements; Article 8 provides the right to withdraw consent, and Article 24 requires data to be protected. In practice, appoint a staff member to manage access, retention periods, and data requests. Do not add assumptions about children’s health, character, or behavior to customer records. Source: Articles 6, 8, 11, 14, and 24 of the Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection”.

Children’s store inventory in Torgsoft: sizes, stock, and sales

In Torgsoft, the “Стан складу” (“Stock status”) form shows product availability, quantity, size, and selling price; you can also set a minimum stock level and filter for products running low. For a clothing or footwear store, this lets you check a specific size before a consultation and prepare a replenishment list. The official import description includes material, color, size, and additional specifications defined in the product type. If the store needs an age specification, it can be set up as an additional product attribute and filled in using the manufacturer’s documentation. Check the setup process and availability of the required features for your chosen Torgsoft license.

To review results, use product groups and consistent comparison periods. The software includes sales analysis by product type and a sales ranking by size. Sales intensity analysis lets you select a period, accounting center, product type, and metrics for the number of products, receipts, or sales amount. Compare sales with stock: low sales when the required sizes are unavailable call for a different purchasing decision than low sales when those sizes are consistently in stock. The “Старт” (“Start”) license does not include multiple accounting centers or transfers between warehouses, so a workflow for a store chain needs to be checked against the license’s capabilities.

In the “Повернення” (“Returns”) mode, you can select products from a purchase using the receipt barcode, enter the quantity, and review returns for a period. We recommend comparing these transactions with separately recorded aggregated reasons: unsuitable size, insufficient product information, or a reported defect. The maximum return period set in the software needs to align with the store’s rules and applicable law; the setting itself does not determine the buyer’s rights.

What to check before your next purchase order or advertising campaign

1. Choose a category. Define the buyer’s need and the suitable conditions of use.
2. Check the information. Compare product listings with labels, instructions, and supplier documents.
3. Review sizes and stock. Separate unavailable products from those that are in stock but do not meet customer requests.
4. Update the consultation. Give sales staff a list of questions and verified specifications for comparisons.
5. Walk the customer’s route. Check access to product information, fitting, and safe demonstrations under adult supervision.
6. Review the advertising. Remove calls for children to buy or ask for a purchase, peer comparisons, and dangerous demonstrations.
7. Check data collection forms. Keep only necessary fields and define the purpose, legal basis, access, and retention period for processing.
8. Assess one change. Compare requests, availability, sales, and returns across comparable periods, and use the results to agree on the next order.