Source: Book Hero
30 July 2026
Independent Kiwi retailer expands into toys after serving more than 100,000 customers and selling 345,000 books in under two years.
At a time when much of the retail conversation is about store closures, shrinking sales and tough economic conditions, one independent Kiwi business is heading in the opposite direction.
Less than two years after launching Book Hero, the online bookseller has today unveiled Toy Hero, a dedicated online toy store and the next chapter in the company’s continued growth.
The move follows strong customer demand for toys, puzzles and games, which quickly grew to around 20 per cent of Book Hero’s sales.
Rather than treating toys as an add-on, the team has created a dedicated destination bursting with 20,000 products and built on the same promise customers have come to expect – fast delivery, competitive prices and humans at the helm.
Book Hero has served more than 100,000 New Zealand customers and sold more than 345,000 books since launching, bucking a challenging retail environment and proving there’s still strong demand for independent retailers that straddle online, experiences and activations and immediacy.
Tim Wackrow, Co-Founder at Book Hero and Toy Hero, says Toy Hero is a natural evolution of the business.
“We’ve learnt that what customers value most is certainty. Whether it’s a birthday this weekend, a family road trip or just keeping the kids entertained, people want to know they can order from a Kiwi business and have it arrive overnight. That’s exactly what we’ve built Toy Hero to do.”
“Families were already shopping for toys alongside books, so creating a dedicated destination with the same fast delivery, fair pricing and personal service that people know us for was the natural next step.”
Launching today, Toy Hero features a curated range of some of the world’s best-loved brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Bluey, Wasjig and Paw Patrol, with thousands more products and brands arriving over the coming months as the range continues to expand.
Juanita Neville-Te Rito, retail consultant and founder of RX Group, says online retail continues to grow, but success increasingly belongs to businesses that give customers a compelling reason to shop locally.
“Almost one in every four retail dollars is now spent online, but the businesses seeing sustained growth aren’t necessarily the biggest. They’re the ones giving customers a reason to come back through proper service, competitive pricing, fast fulfilment and a strong local identity.
“Expanding into adjacent categories is also a natural progression for successful retailers. When you’ve built trust with customers, extending that relationship into complementary products is often far more effective than trying to acquire entirely new shoppers.”
Toy Hero is now live at Toy Hero website
Fast facts
- 100% New Zealand owned – Toy Hero is brought to you by the team behind Book Hero (ex-Mighty Apers)
- Launching with 20,000 toys, board games and puzzles available to buy with overnight nationwide delivery
- Stocking leading brands including Barbie, Hape, Hot Wheels, Bluey, Ravensburger and Tonies
- It comes hot on the heels of Book Hero, which launched less than two years ago and already has over 100,000 NZ customers having sold 345,000 books
- The combined businesses have 17 full-time staff
- Toys, puzzles and games grew to around 20% of Book Hero sales within six months, leading to the creation of Toy Hero
- Built on the same customer promise as Book Hero: fast delivery, competitive prices, real people and proudly Kiwi owned.