My sister and I have been running an online retail shop for gift items and souvenirs for three years now, and through experience we have learned to watch out for trends and fads to keep up with the demands of our customers. Our collection started with unique items that were rare and hard to find. That did not prove to be a very successful move, as we only got a limited number of customers checking out our products and less actually buying them. When we decided to shift our focus towards party supplies and accessories, most of our family and friends supported us by hiring us exclusively for their parties and other events. Many kids and their parents usually agreed on themed celebrations for birthday parties, and our usual customers most often comprised of these toddlers and little kids. For a while, many of the orders would be for specific movie and cartoon characters, but the past year showed kids going back to favorites of the past such as safari themes, cowboys and Indians, circus themes, and princesses and fairies. Our most popular items include elephant favors, lion and tiger figurines, zebras and other safari animals, which we always make sure are stocked in large quantities so we never run out. Costumes and accessories are also big hits, and our outfits sell out within weeks of being featured even when holidays like Halloween and Christmas are far off. My sister and I are actually quite happy at this turn of the trends, because trademarked items usually cost more than the ones we can source from regular suppliers or create on our own.   Customers can’t help coming back for more, because our savings makes us offer the best prices for our products, which we make sure are of the best quality to boot.