Alfredo Perez (on right)

Alfredo Perez isn’t exactly Santa Claus, but in this modern age he may be the next best thing! Alfredo is an Import/Export Coordinator for Toys “R” Us. From his office in Paramus, New Jersey, he keeps toys and games moving in and out of the United States and around the world.

Toys “R” Us began as a children’s furniture store in Washington DC in 1948, just after the end of World War II. The store’s owner started selling toys because his customers asked for them. By 1957, the store was selling so many toys that its owner, Charles Lazarus, opened a toy “supermarket.” The company continued to grow, opening its first international stores in 1984 and its toysrus.com web site in 1998. Toys “R” Us now has a total of over 1,500 stores around the world, 465 of which are located outside the United States.

Alfredo’s most important challenge at work is making sure toys and games are delivered promptly to Toys “R” Us stores around the globe in the most cost-effective way possible. Toys “R” Us has a reputation as “first to market,” meaning that it prides itself on always having the newest toys and games in stock. And it’s Alfredo’s job to get them there so that you can play with them.

Alfredo works closely with Toys “R” Us buyers, the people who decide how many of each kind of toy or game is needed. He works with vendors, the hundreds of companies that manufacture the toys and games Toys “R” Us sells. He works with shipping companies to get those products quickly and safely to the stores in the United States and around the world. He works with Toys “R” Us staff in the United States to export products from the U.S. to stores in 26 other countries. And he works with Customs officials in the United States and in many other countries to make sure Toys “R” Us follows all the rules of trade.

Without Alfredo, those store shelves would quickly start to empty. And that wouldn’t be any fun. But what does Alfredo do when Toys “R” Us is about to open a new store in Japan?

Download the case study and find out!