One-stop shop features largest collection of educational books, games, toys, customizable apparel and more based on the full range of PBS KIDS programs
Highlights include more than 75 award-winning products
ARLINGTON, VA, Nov. 10, 2011 – PBS today announced availability of its PBS KIDS Shop for Mobile (m.shop.pbskids.org). The PBS KIDS Shop – a one-stop shop for all things PBS KIDS - enables parents to easily find high-quality, educational books, games, toys, DVDs and more based on the PBS KIDS programs their children love, including more than 75 award-winning products. Now available on any web-enabled mobile device, the PBS KIDS Shop lets parents browse and buy from the convenience of their phone just in time for the busy holiday shopping season. In a recent survey, PBS found that 26 percent of parents of 2- to 10-year-olds have used or plan to use a mobile phone for their shopping needs in the next three months*, while Google predicts that 15 percent of total “Black Friday” searches will be from mobile devices.
“Busy parents have repeatedly asked us for a ‘one-stop’ resource for everything PBS KIDS and we’ve created just that,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President, Children’s Media, PBS. “The PBS KIDS Shop – both online and on mobile – gives them a simple and convenient solution to find educational toys, games, books and more that reinforce the learning goals of their kids’ favorite PBS KIDS series.”
Adding to the convenience of the mobile Shop, repeat shoppers will be able to create a profile for a one-click payment option. PBS worked with Brand-Xpand, a recognized leader in the successful design and management of e-Commerce sites and services, to create the Shop as well as World Pay and Cell Point, international leaders in mobile e-Commerce, to realize a seamless mobile implementation.
PBS KIDS continues to offer fans more content via mobile. Its educational apps for kids have seen more than 1.4 million downloads and there have been more than 360 million video streams from its popular PBS KIDS Video for iPad - an impressive average of two million per day. “A mobile extension of the Shop was a natural choice for us as PBS KIDS continues to offer more and more content wherever families are,” continued Rotenberg.
Parents will find all of their children’s favorite PBS KIDS programs represented at the PBS KIDS Shop, including SESAME STREET, CURIOUS GEORGE, SUPER WHY, DINOSAUR TRAIN, SID THE SCIENCE KID, MARTHA SPEAKS, THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!, ARTHUR, WORDGIRL and more.
The Shop features the full collection of the newly launched PBS KIDS branded toy line of preschool toys designed to extend off-screen learning. The line consists of more than 20 individual wooden toys for preschoolers (ages 3+) across key toy categories, many of which have won industry accolades. Highlights include:
• The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio-winning PBS KIDS Exploration Blocks.
• PBS KIDS Puzzle Playset Safari, a themed playset that promotes imaginative play and encourages children to explore new words.
• PBS KIDS 3-Layer Puzzles (in Barn, Camping and other themes) to promote problem-solving, letter recognition, number matching and other developing skills.
The PBS KIDS Shop also features exclusive items you can’t find anywhere else, including backpacks, lunch boxes, thermoses, apparel and party supplies that can be customized with children’s names and their favorite PBS KIDS programs and characters.
Proceeds from the PBS KIDS Shop will help fund free, educational PBS KIDS programming for all children. Parents consistently rank PBS KIDS as the #1 trusted source of children’s educational media. PBS is also the #1 source of TV and online content used by pre-K teachers in the classroom.
About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for children, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online and community-based programs. For more information on specific PBS KIDS programs supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.
*Source: ORC Parents Caravan, October 2011
Contacts:
Maria Vera, PBS; 703.739.3225; mvera@pbs.org
Caitlin Melnick, 360 Public Relations; 617.585.5775; cmelnick@360publicrelations.com
