Step2
Step2 is a Streetsboro, Ohio-based manufacturer of durable plastic toys, outdoor play equipment, pool and patio furniture, and residential home products, selling to families with young children and outdoor living consumers through DTC, Amazon, retail, and B2B trade channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersStreetsboro, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Step2 does
Step2 is a Streetsboro, Ohio-based manufacturer of children's toys, outdoor play equipment, pool and patio furniture, and residential home products, founded in 1991 and operating as a privately held company with 501–1,000 employees. The company's core technology is rotational molding of durable, weather-resistant plastic resin engineered for indoor and outdoor use, with product lines designed to meet ASTM F963 toy safety standards and FDA food-contact compliance for select planter SKUs. Step2's portfolio is organized across three divisions—Kids Toys (covering infants through kindergarten ages 0–7, including sand and water play, play kitchens, climbers and slides, playhouses, coasters, swing sets, ride-ons, pretend play, art furniture, and holiday toys), Pool and Patio (premium Vero and Mondello collections of in-pool furniture with corrosion-resistant hardware for chlorine and saltwater environments), and Home (mailboxes, trash and recycling containers, outdoor storage, planters, rain barrels, and newly introduced seasonal outdoor holiday décor). Sub-brands include Vero, Mondello, Naturally Playful, and EverTough.
The business model is straightforward unit-economics retail: one-time physical product sales with no subscription or recurring revenue, prices ranging from approximately $39.99 to $1,699.99. Revenue flows through four distribution channels: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site (Step2.com), the Amazon marketplace, a network of select physical retail partners, and a dedicated B2B trade channel (step2commercial.com) serving commercial buyers. Manufacturing, customer service, and corporate functions are co-located in Northeast Ohio. The company also faces an outstanding EEOC investigation alleging pregnancy discrimination and retaliation, disclosed in public regulatory records.
Step2 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Step2
- Legal name
- Step2
- Website
- https://step2.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Step2 is a Streetsboro, Ohio-based manufacturer of durable plastic toys, outdoor play equipment, pool and patio furniture, and residential home products, selling to families with young children and outdoor living consumers through DTC, Amazon, retail, and B2B trade channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Step2 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Toys & Outdoor Plastic Products
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor & Ride-On Toys Retail (CRALAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Seasonal & Holiday Craft Supplies Retail (CRALACAI)
Keywords
Where Step2 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Streetsboro
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Step2 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Physical Product Sales: Step2 generates revenue through the one-time sale of physical toys, play structures, and outdoor products. Products are sold at various price points ranging from approximately $40 to $1,700. Revenue is driven by broad retail distribution (e-commerce, Amazon, and physical retail partners) and seasonal product launches across categories including kids toys, pool & patio, and home products.
- Commercial / B2B Trade Channel: Step2 operates a dedicated B2B commercial channel (step2commercial.com) targeting trade buyers, commercial installers, and businesses, suggesting a separate commercial sales motion beyond consumer retail.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Toys (Sand & Water, Play Kitchens, Climbers & Slides, Playhouses, Coasters, Ride-Ons & Wagons, Pretend Play, Art Desks & Easels, Holiday Toys) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Swing Sets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pool & Patio Furniture (Vero & Mondello Collections) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Holiday Outdoor Decorations (Halloween & Christmas) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pool Games & Slides |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Planters & Rain Barrels |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sand & Water Play |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Step2 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Step2 designs, manufactures, and sells durable molded-plastic children's toys, play structures, and outdoor residential products. Its portfolio spans three divisions — Kids Toys (climbers, playhouses, play kitchens, ride-ons, swing sets, water tables, art desks, holiday toys), Pool & Patio (the Vero and Mondello collections of in-pool loungers, slides, chairs, volleyball and basketball sets, and pool accessories), and Home (mailboxes, planters, rain barrels, outdoor storage, trash & recycling, and seasonal holiday décor). Products are sold direct-to-consumer through Step2.com and Amazon and via a separate B2B trade channel at step2commercial.com.
Product overview
Step2 is a Streetsboro, Ohio-based manufacturer of children's toys, play equipment, and outdoor home products. The company operates as a single-brand portfolio organized into three main divisions: Kids Toys (including sand & water play tables, play kitchens, climbers & slides, playhouses, coasters, swing sets, ride-ons & wagons, pretend play sets, art desks & easels, and holiday toys), Pool & Patio (featuring the Vero and Mondello collections of in-pool furniture, loungers, chairs, pool games, and pool accessories), and Home products (including mailboxes, trash & recycling containers, outdoor storage, and seasonal outdoor decorations). The product portfolio spans from infant toys (ages 0-2) through kindergarten-age children (ages 5-7), with outdoor furniture targeting adult consumers. Step2 products are available through direct-to-consumer channels (Step2.com), major retailers (Amazon), and independent retail partners. The company manufactures in Northeast Ohio using durable, weather-resistant plastic materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Vero: Pool and patio furniture collection featuring modern designs including pool slides, loungers, chairs, and in-pool entertaining tables.
- Mondello
- Naturally Playful
- EverTough
Quantifiable outcome
- Products support child development from ages 0 to 7+ across multiple developmental domains including gross motor skills, fine motor skills, imaginative play, and social interaction.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Step2
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Step2 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Step2 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AmazoncoreAmazon serves as a primary distribution channel for Step2 products, including the new outdoor holiday décor collection (Halloween and Christmas decorations). Products are available on the Amazon marketplace alongside Step2.com and select retail partners, giving Step2 access to Amazon's massive e-commerce customer base.
- Select Retail PartnersminorStep2 products are distributed through a network of select physical retail partners in addition to direct e-commerce and the Amazon marketplace, providing customers with in-store purchasing options for holiday décor and other product categories.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Step2 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Little Tikes: Little Tikes is the most direct competitor to Step2, manufacturing plastic outdoor playhouses, climbers, ride-on toys, and sand/water tables for toddlers and preschoolers. Both companies share identical target demographics (ages 0-7), materials (rotomolded plastic), and retail channels (big-box, Amazon, DTC).
- Simplay3: Simplay3 is a direct peer in plastic children's play structures, playhouses, and activity tables. The company shares a closely related heritage with Step2 (both rooted in Northeast Ohio rotomolded plastic toy manufacturing) and competes in the same kids indoor/outdoor play category.
- Lifetime Products: Lifetime Products is a direct peer in plastic outdoor products, manufacturing folding tables, chairs, sheds, and outdoor furniture using high-density polyethylene and similar resins to Step2's weather-resistant construction. Both target the outdoor living consumer with durable, low-maintenance plastic goods.
- KidKraft: KidKraft is a direct peer manufacturing children's play kitchens, playhouses, dollhouses, and outdoor play sets. Both companies target the same developmental stages (toddler through early elementary) and compete head-to-head in big-box toy aisles and DTC e-commerce.
- Backyard Discovery: Backyard Discovery is a direct peer in outdoor play structures, swing sets, playhouses, and climbers for residential backyards. While primarily wooden, Backyard Discovery competes in the same category purchase occasions and end-consumer segments as Step2's swing sets and climbers.
- Cedar Summit: Cedar Summit (a Backyard Products brand) is a direct peer in residential swing sets, playhouses, and outdoor play structures. The brand competes for the same backyard installation occasions as Step2's swing sets and Naturally Playful line, primarily through home improvement and online channels.
Broad incumbents
- Fisher-Price: Fisher-Price (a Mattel subsidiary) is a broad incumbent in children's toys across all age segments, with overlapping products in ride-ons, play kitchens, and activity tables. While Fisher-Price's portfolio is significantly broader, both brands compete for the same parent-purchaser wallet share in big-box toy aisles.
- Hasbro: Hasbro is a broad incumbent toy and game manufacturer with portfolio overlap in outdoor play and preschool categories (e.g., Playskool). As one of the largest toy companies globally, Hasbro competes for retail shelf space and consumer mindshare with Step2's outdoor and developmental toy lines.
Emerging players
- POLYWOOD: POLYWOOD is an emerging player in sustainable outdoor furniture made from recycled HDPE plastic, directly competing with Step2's Vero and Mondello collections. While POLYWOOD's positioning emphasizes sustainability, both share the durable plastic/resin outdoor furniture value proposition targeting similar poolside and patio consumers.
- Green Toys: Green Toys is an emerging player in eco-friendly children's products made from recycled plastic, overlapping with Step2's sand/water play, kitchen play, and ride-on categories. While smaller and focused on sustainability positioning, Green Toys competes for the same environmentally-conscious parent demographic.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Step2 social profiles
Digital presenceStep2 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Step2 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Step2 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Step2 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Step2
What does Step2 do?
Step2 designs, manufactures, and sells durable molded-plastic children's toys, play structures, and outdoor residential products. Its portfolio spans three divisions — Kids Toys (climbers, playhouses, play kitchens, ride-ons, swing sets, water tables, art desks, holiday toys), Pool & Patio (the Vero and Mondello collections of in-pool loungers, slides, chairs, volleyball and basketball sets, and pool accessories), and Home (mailboxes, planters, rain barrels, outdoor storage, trash & recycling, and seasonal holiday décor). Products are sold direct-to-consumer through Step2.com and Amazon and via a separate B2B trade channel at step2commercial.com.
Is Step2 a public or private company?
Step2 is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Step2 founded?
Step2 was founded in 1991. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Step2 based?
Step2 is headquartered in Streetsboro, United States, in the North America region.
How does Step2 make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Physical Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are commercial / B2B Trade Channel.
Who are Step2's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Little Tikes, Simplay3, Lifetime Products, KidKraft, Backyard Discovery and Cedar Summit. Broad incumbents are Fisher-Price and Hasbro. Emerging players are POLYWOOD and Green Toys.
Does Step2 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Step2.
What industry is Step2 in?
Step2's product category is Children's Toys & Outdoor Plastic Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAC, Outdoor & Ride-On Toys Retail, with a secondary code of CRALACAI, Seasonal & Holiday Craft Supplies Retail. Its NAICS code is 459120 and its SIC code is 3944.