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Traditional retailers are no longer the only game in town.
When Craig Winchell attended the 1998 American International Toy Fair in New York, he was sure he'd have no problem lining up sales for Conscience, his interactive board game for parents to teach their children the difference between right and wrong with real-world examples. But disappointment soon set in, as Winchell realized not even one of the major retailers in attendance had any interest in the game. Ten years ago, that might have been the end of Winchell's entrepreneurial pursuit. But not today, in the age of the Internet. As Winchell discovered, a whole slew of e-tailers were willing to take a risk on new yet unproven products.