In this article i will discuss the over 30 years, The Oriental Trading Company sells and provides great affordable party props, toys and arts and crafts to both people and groups.
They serve a wide range of sectors from individuals to charities, churches, or even schools. In this case, life is more fun and enjoyable with the help of creating and celebrating moments at a much affordable cost.
An Oriental Trading Company subsidiary, Berkshire Hathway ensures their budget items meets inspirations.
What Is Oriental Trading Company?
The Oriental Trading Company was one of the first companies in America to offer a wide range of products such as party supplies, labels, arts and crafts materials, and toys at low prices.
The company began with a small novelty shop and today is the largest direct retailer in the United States. It was founded in 1932 in Omaha, Nebraska by Harry Watanabe who opened the company with a simple mission.
Other retailers in the same sector had high prices, so he wanted to provide great products at a low price. As the years went by, Oriental Trading adopted newer marketing strategies such as catalogs and websites which greatly increased their revenue.
In 2012, the company became a subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, which helped the company grow exponentially. Even today, millions of customers are served by Oriental Trading’s diverse product catalog.
What Is Oriental Trading Company
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1932 by Harry Watanabe in Omaha, Nebraska. |
| Headquarters | Omaha, Nebraska, USA. |
| Ownership | Subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway since 2012. |
| Products | Offers over 60,000 unique items, including party supplies, toys, and crafts. |
| Subsidiaries | – MindWare Holdings, Inc.: Manufacturer and retailer of educational toys and games. – SmileMakers: Provider of patient giveaways and promotional products for dental and healthcare markets. |
| Mission | To make life more fun by providing affordable products that inspire creativity and celebration. |
| Website | www.orientaltrading.com |
Great Pricing
Oriental Trading promotes affordability at all levels of bulk ordering. They save purchases money on bulk orders as well. Discounts are available through email newsletter sign ups and rewards programs.
There are other promotional sales and discounts with free shipping as well. Oriental Trading is the answer if you are looking to save a dollar or two.
The Challenge
I’m sure you have heard about OTC Oriental Trading Company that is well-known for its wide variety of novelty toys, value-priced party supplies, and craft materials. As a retailer with such fortune, OTC also had the major pain of relying on outdated technology and unsupported systems like JD Edwards World.
The OTC team set the objective to improve the business operations of the company by shifting it to a supported Cloud-based platform.
The transition was essential to reduce the heavy reliance on outdated technology, while also employing modern-day practices that allow regular updates.
Most importantly, the workers did not want a disruption of ongoing business activities during this shift.
The Solution
Argano led an assessment of an existing ERP project with the intent to redefine the strategy for building an improved cloud setting. The collaboration between Argano and OTC was so strong that they did not just work together on the estimation, but also on the design of the phased approach.
The first wave included the implementation of Oracle Cloud ERP. It incorporated Financials, Indirect Procurement and Procurement Contracts, which set the groundwork for the second wave.
The rollout of Oracle Cloud SCM for Supply and Demand Planning, Inventory, Procurement, Trade Operations, and Product Data Hub was the second phase.
For both application-based and scheduled integrations, Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) was used to link the established legacy systems with their shipping consolidator.
More than 50 integrations that support high volume transactions were created through OIC.
Products
Oriental Trading products can be purchased only from their website, catalog or brick and mortar stores. Their selection includes office and school supplies along with costumes, decorations, and RC toys.
One of the most popular products is the Elite Tac Flashlight. Its LED light can shine over a mile and a water-resistant case with lifetime guarantee makes it robust.
While there are many pros, the cons are just as evident. This flashlight is one of the most expensive on the market and has a short battery life.
Pros & Cons of Oriental Trading Company
Pros
Good Prices: Known for value-priced products such as bulk party supplies, Oriental Trading is a go-to store for budget-sensitive shoppers.
Attractively Stocked: The company’s inventory exceeds 40,000 different products and therefore caters for different decorations for parties, classrooms, events and so on.
Time Saving: Schools, churches and event planners find it ideal for bulk purchasing due to the strong catalog and online based systems.
Quick Delivery: Many customers appreciate and praise the quick delivery of the orders, which is many times enhanced by promotions such as free shipping on certain qualifying orders.
Nostalgia: Long time customers return for decades due to ensuring brand reliability, appreciating value proposition further evokes nostalgia.
Cons:
Product Condition: Often described as low-cost, some items are flimsy and break or do not match the online description.
Customer Service: Support claims to respond slowly and help very little when it comes to resolving disputes of orders or charge attempts such as Fun Rewards+ membership fees.
Website Navigation: Users looking for specific products often find it difficult to navigate to specific sections of the interface, as it can be cluttered.
Return Policy Limits: Certain non-returnable items such as costumes, along with the company not covering shipping costs leaves some customers dissatisfied.
Subscription Controversy: Some customers have been charged unexpectedly due to automatic signup to a rewards program which has resulted in some shoppers losing trust.
Alternatives to Oriental Trading
From crafts and party decorations to unique collectibles, “Oriental Trading” has everything that can be found in the online market. Although they have a customer service and quality control reputation, there is a strong customer base searching for substitutes.
The clientele has found Orden and discourage alternatives like Etsy, where there online store and PayPal make custom gifts wide spread, with shindigs also making low cost customizable balloons and banners with easy online bulk orders.
Along with these, AliExpress offers a variety of cheap goods, while Party City remains one of the retails with a larger market share of affordable overpriced goods.
Is Oriental Trading Trustworthy?
Yes, Oriental Trading has a good reputation because it has been in business since 1932 and has an A+ score with the Better Business Bureau. They provide a wide variety of party supplies and decorations, among other things.
Is Oriental Trading reliable?
Yes, Oriental Trading is a reliable and safe website. They use industry-standard encryption to ensure that all personal and financial processes are safe. In addition, all users are guaranteed safe checkout for all purchases.
Conclusion
Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1932, the Oriental Trading Company began as a modest gift shop and has expanded into a premier direct retailer of low-priced party décor, art supplies, toys and novelties.
The company’s mission is to make life more fun. To achieve this, they supply over 60,000 unique products tailored to individuals, educators, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
Their acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway in 2012 helped strengthen their market share. Nowadays, they remain a cornerstone of creative inspiration and celebration – a one-stop shop for all things fun.
