focus COMPACT FOLDS
“C ompa ct an d lig htw eigh t push ch ai rs m ake tr avellin g th bu ilt up an d busy area s mucrohug h ea si er. C ompa ct fo ld s have al beco me a popula r ch oi ce fo r so second push ch ai r, as th ey area hand y w hen tr avellin g, especi sinc e m any can fit into th eally over he ad co mpa rt ments of pl an es .” D a mon M ar ri ot , Jo ie
Good things come in small packages The desire for nursery products that are stylish yet practical in terms of space has definitely been the case within the wheeled goods category, with a steady growth in the popularity of Compact Folds. We take a closer look.
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ith many parents living an urban lifestyle, compact folds have certainly come into their own. Although these are not necessarily a new concept, we have seen a leap in demand since being introduced by brands over the course of the last few years. This category is definitely gaining momentum with brands continuing to look at weight, size and overall ease of use. We asked Nuna’s Brand Manager, Steven Smith why he felt that compact folds have become popular. “There is a higher awareness of these type of products as an option. Consumers now have a choice and more brands offer these in their range. One of the most common questions we get asked at shows is ‘how compact is it?’.” Naturally Steven also feels that these assist parent’s who lead a more active lifestyle. “As a society, people travel more and lead more expansive lifestyles, so the compact fold makes it easier getting from A to B, whether that’s by car, aeroplane or other forms of public transport.” Dorel Juvenile’s UK & Ireland Marketing Manager, Debbie Wakefield feels the growth is a lifestyle choice commenting “In the past year, interest in this category has grown massively. There is a trend amongst parents to look for one pushchair that fits all aspects of their lives. This requires a multi-functional set of wheels that is simple and convenient; straight-forward to travel with, easy to store and versatile enough to function whether on the pavement or at the park.”
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Cybex’s General Manager, Luke Burns thinks style goes hand in hand with space saving solutions in this category. “More and more parents and even grandparents require a pushchair that takes up minimal space whilst being easy to fold and store away – and compact folds offer just that. For some parents, they are choosing a compact stroller over an all-terrain pushchair due to their city lifestyle or some simply are purchasing for travel and holidays. “Style is unique to each individual parent; some look for the design element and some look at the range of colours available. When it comes to Cybex’s compact pushchairs, full functionality and style go hand-in-hand so there’s something for everyone.” Would it be reasonable to feel that brand names dominate this sector? “Whilst brand names do have some serious clout in influencing purchasing decisions, first time parents are new to this market place.” Steven told us. “They may have preconceived ideas of what they want, however due to the amount of content available to them, their buying journey is often disrupted by alternative brands, whether this be online or in-store. This can be for a number of reasons including style, features and functionality.” What about innovation, is this also streaming through current ranges? “Innovation in one hand folds and various chassis styles overall has been a more recent development to give parents more choice.” Said Debbie. “However, the compact folds that have emerged from this are a lot more interesting as they
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The survey says…
Nursery marketing specialists, FanFinders surveyed 1,000 consumers focussing on compact folds. Here’s the results. Q1. Did you buy a second lightweight pushchair?
Yes: 196 (19.6%) No: 804 (80.4%) If yes to question 1 (196 users): Was the size and weight of this important to you?
Yes: 182 (92.8%) No: 14 (7.2%) Was the way it folded important to you?
Yes: 178 (90.8%) No: 18 (9.2%) Q2. Did you buy a Travel System?
Yes: 456 (45.6%) No: 544 (54.4%)
If yes to question 2 (456 users): Did you look at weight the overall weight, size and how it folded?
Yes: 386 (84.6%) No: 70 (15.4%) Q3. Was the cost a consideration if you did?
Yes: 384 (84.2%) No: 72 (15.8%) Q4. Did you research compact fold pushchairs online?
Yes: 314 (68.9%) No: 142 (31.1%) Q5. Did you look for an item that gave a ‘one hand fold’ option?
Yes: 232 (50.9%) No: 224 (49.1%) Q6. Did you look for a brand name that you recognised?
Yes: 282 (61.8%) No: 174 (38.2%) For more information on FanFinders and the consumer insight they offer, please call: 0203 808 3011 or visit www.fanfinders.com