Toys"R"Us® Introduces Wish List Kiosks in Stores Across The Country, Making it Easier Than Ever to Grant Christmas Wishes

WAYNE, N.J., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- It's that time of year again…kids are making their Wish Lists at Toys"R"Us® and checking them twice! As parents prepare to shop for the gifts their children are dreaming of this Christmas, Toys"R"Us today announced the rollout of Wish List self-service kiosks in all stores nationwide, making it easier than ever for gift-givers to grant little ones' wishes this holiday season. Once a Wish List is created either in-store or online, busy holiday shoppers can now enjoy the convenience of quickly accessing and printing a Wish List in-store with the simple touch of a button. The kiosks are arriving in stores now and will be available in all stores nationwide by early November. Together with their children, parents can also browse and select products with scanning devices to create or update existing Wish Lists.

In conjunction with this latest addition to Wish List, Toys"R"Us, Inc. is proud to continue its support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® to help make Christmas brighter for children with life-threatening medical conditions. This year, Toys"R"Us, Inc. has donated another $50,000 in Toys"R"Us gift cards to the world's largest wish-granting organization to fund shopping spree wishes in its stores. In addition, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, a public charity affiliated with the company, also has provided the Make-A-Wish Foundation with an additional $200,000 grant, enabling even more wishes to come true.

"At Toys"R"Us, we understand the joy of creating Christmas Wish Lists and want to provide a helpful way to assist gift-givers in selecting the perfect presents. We're pleased to offer another convenient way for time-strapped shoppers to "wow" kids on Christmas morning," said Greg Ahearn, Senior Vice President, Marketing and e-commerce, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "At the same time, our associates nationwide look forward to making the holiday wishes of some courageous children come true again this year through our extended relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation."

Introducing Wish List Kiosks*

Known as the ultimate toy registry, the Toys"R"Us Wish List is a service parents and kids can use together to create a tailored list of toys based not only on what the child wants, but on his or her age, interests and abilities. To make the Wish List process more convenient than ever, all Toys"R"Us stores nationwide will feature a dedicated Wish List self-service kiosk, allowing gift-givers to print out their loved one's Wish List quickly with the click of a button. These four-foot stands feature a 17-inch monitor to browse and print Wish Lists. Kiosks also feature other popular "R"Us® services, including the widely-used Baby Registry and appearing later this month, Geoffrey's Birthday Club sign-up. Together with their children, parents can continue to browse and select products with scanning devices in Toys"R"Us stores to create or update existing Wish Lists and can also access, update and print their wish lists online at Toysrus.com/WishList.  

Making More Wishes Come True Through Partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation

Toys"R"Us, Inc. is proud to continue its support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in making Christmas special for some truly extraordinary children. The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.  Wish kids often request visits to amusement parks, vacations for their families or meet-and-greets with favorite celebrities; however 12 percent of all wishes are for shopping sprees to their favorite stores, and many desire to shop at Toys"R"Us. This Christmas, Toys"R"Us employees will help create memorable shopping experiences for wish kids when they visit stores nationwide.

Last year, the company's $50,000 Toys"R"Us gift card grant to the Make-A-Wish Foundation enabled children's shopping spree wishes to come true in stores across the country. This year, Toys"R"Us, Inc. expands its alliance with one of the world's leading children's charities, which has been making children's wishes a reality for the past 30 years.  

"Wish kids have told us that their medical conditions were put into perspective by the chance to experience all the good and kindness in everyday people, and to that end, we are grateful to join with Toys"R"Us, Inc. to help make this Christmas extra special for children and families who deserve it most," said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. "Whether kids are hoping for a special toy or a magical day filled with holiday surprises, granting their wishes is rewarding to all parties involved, and we look forward to fulfilling more wishes than before with Toys"R"Us."

The company will raise awareness for its sponsorship of the Make-A-Wish Foundation by featuring the charity's logo on its in-store kiosks and online at Toysrus.com/WishList.

Granting Wishes for Little Ones

Wish List is available in-store and online year-round for birthdays, holidays and other special occasions. The company supports Wish List with a comprehensive marketing program inclusive of in-store signage, print and online promotions, as well as through its Facebook page at Facebook.com/Toysrus.

In addition, to create extra fun in gift-giving this year, the company is holding a special Wish List Sweepstakes in conjunction with The Hub from Hasbro, Inc. from Monday, October 18 through Sunday, October 31. The Hub is a multi-platform joint venture between Discovery Communications and Hasbro, Inc. that launched earlier this week to entertain, enlighten, empower and educate children and their families. To enter, participants must simply create a Wish List in-store or online and register on The Hub's dedicated website, Hubworld.com/wishlist. One randomly selected, lucky shopper will win all of the items they added to their Wish List**, plus 200 second prize winners will receive a $100 Toys"R"Us gift card, perfect for gifting to a loved one or to keep as a present for themselves.

Customers who create a Wish List for their child will enjoy the following benefits:

• Customize a Child's List with the RIGHT Toys – Wish Lists guide gift-givers to products that are age-appropriate and suitable for an individual child's skill level, helping to ensure that a child is not frustrated or bored with a toy.
• Set Expectations in Advance of the Big Day – The exercise of building a Wish List can be used as an opportunity to teach kids about the cost of certain products and which items are within a family's budgetary reach, so they are not disappointed if they do not receive a particular toy.
• Rely on Expert Advice from THE Toy Authority – In making Wish List selections, toy-buyers can consult with the store's knowledgeable associates or utilize the Gift Finder application on Toysrus.com for toy suggestions for a child's Wish List.
• Share Wish Lists Easily with Gift-Givers Near and Far – Notifying friends and family of a Wish List is as easy as sending insert cards that include the registrant's Wish List number. Wish Lists can be printed in-store at Wish List kiosks. They can also be shared via e-mail or through social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.
• Avoid Duplicate Gifts – Once a gift is purchased, it is deducted from the Wish List, just like a gift registry, so kids do not receive more than one of the same gift.  
• Simple Returns – Another perk of creating a Wish List is that registrants do not have to worry about keeping receipts in the event they wish to make a return or exchange an item in-store that was purchased from their Wish List. Store employees can look up any Wish List transaction simply by revisiting the purchase history on the registrant's list for easy returns. All other return guidelines apply.

About Toys"R"Us, Inc.

Toys"R"Us, Inc. is the world's leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands.  It currently sells merchandise in more than 1,560 stores, including 845 Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores in the United States, and more than 510 international stores and 200 licensed stores in 33 countries and jurisdictions. In addition, it exclusively operates the legendary FAO Schwarz brand and sells extraordinary toys in the brand's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com, Babiesrus.com, eToys.com, FAO.com and babyuniverse.com, it provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Headquartered in Wayne, NJ, Toys"R"Us, Inc. employs approximately 70,000 associates worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is one of the world's leading children's charities, with 64 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted nearly 200,000 wishes in the United States since its inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.

* Kiosks are featured in all permanent Toys"R"Us locations, not Toys"R"Us Express stores.

**Grand Prize up to $5,000 maximum value.

SOURCE Toys"R"Us