focus BABY ESSENTIALS
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Buying for baby A new arrival into the family brings joy, but the level of products that new parents desire that are deemed as essential prior to baby’s arrival is absolutely astounding.
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f course, the first item that any parent absolutely requires after the arrival of a little one is an infant car seat as many hospitals won’t permit parents to leave unless they bring a suitable infant carrier to the maternity ward. However, from the moment pregnancy is confirmed, expectant mums turn their attention to a whole host of products that they deem as ‘must haves’. The list of requirements can appear endless of wants in comparison perhaps to needs. Findings from research, commissioned by Ergobaby UK last August, found that three quarters (73 percent) of British mums and dads were unprepared for how expensive a baby could be, with almost a quarter (22 percent) admitting they had absolutely no idea how much cash they’d have to splash on their new arrival. In fact, a third of new parents admit they didn’t set any kind of budget for baby-related items, and costs spiralled out of control, with more than a quarter (26 percent) claiming it was the most expensive year of their life. The study also found that more than eight in 10 new parents (86 percent) admitted they’d felt stressed out by just how much they had to spend on their new baby, and a staggering 94 percent believe it costs more to have a baby these days than for their parents’ generation. Two thirds said this was because everything was more expensive nowadays, while more than half (54 percent) said there was far more ‘stuff’ for babies out there to buy than in the past. And four in ten believe social media puts pressure on new parents to fork out unnecessarily. To read the full article, visit www.ergobaby.co.uk/blog Among the key items required we can state with certainty this will include a pram, car seat and cot, which equate to perhaps the largest of the items. However, you may also find expectant parents seeking a baby monitor, bouncer/recliner, bedding, mobiles, carrier or sling, changing bags, bottles and sterilisers… the list can be extremely extensive. A cot or cotbed won’t be used immediately, however, furnishing and decorating the nursery is an enjoyable process for many expectant mums and will often be purchased during the pregnancy stage and is viewed as an essential pre-birth product. Many newborns will spend their first three months in a Moses basket or crib in the parent’s bedroom, but with trends continually developing we have
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experienced a surge of interest in side sleeping cribs and a variety of products are now on the market. Parents are also more eco-aware with many searching for cots that are made from sustainable sources. Naturalmat’s Marketing Manager Jonathan Hunter agrees stating that their customers are seeking out products that are made using non-toxic and and natural materials.
Findings from Ergobaby’s research indicated that more than eight in 10 new parents (86 percent) admitted they’d felt stressed out by just how much they had to spend on their new baby Sleep time is an area that causes an awful lot of new parents anxieties, and as such parents are beginning to look more at what baby sleeps on, i.e., the mattress. We asked Jonathan if he feels that consumers are looking at how these are manufactured, and whether they opt for mattresses that state a level of breathability? “We hope so! We know that our customers are looking to avoid things like chemical fire retardants and synthetic materials that provide less than optimal breathability. The source, accreditation and quality of the material we use is always something our customers want to know about.” Another area that may be looked at is which type of baby monitor to purchase. In reality this won’t really be used until baby settles into their own room, but a monitor is considered an essential. With technology now spearheading this category, video monitors and those with built in ‘apps’ have seen an increase in interest by the consumer and this is perhaps an area where dad becomes more actively involved – dads just love gadgets! Changing Bags are also high on the list and have been held as an essential item for many years as let’s face it, babies don’t travel light. We asked Amanda Loveday, Ergobaby’s Marketing Manager whether she felt changing bags were considered a ‘must have’ by parents. “While some consumers begin their journey to purchase a changing bag believing they can simply
repurpose an existing bag, most realise that a specially designed bag is a completely different offering and it swiftly becomes a vital piece of kit.” What about function, is this focussed on more now than perhaps style? “Preference of function versus style largely comes down to the individual but Ergobaby believe parents shouldn’t have to compromise,” commented Amanda. “The functionality of a change bag is crucial, parenting on the move has its own unique challenges and it is important that products keep up with, and minimise, these challenges. When it comes to style, neutral colours are advantageous not only due to practicality in the face of inevitable stains and spills, they are more versatile in terms of appealing to a range of consumers, regardless of gender or personal style. Retailers with limited shelf space for change bags should consider products that are going to appeal to the greatest number of consumers.” Baby carriers or slings are also becoming very mainstream now as an essential item, however, are these a pre-birth purchase? “The perception of a baby carrier as a mainstream, must-have product is continuously increasing, we are a long way from the belief that babywearing is solely for those practicing ‘alternative’ styles of parenting and as we enter the new decade this trajectory is set to continue,” said Amanda. “The steady growth of exposure on celebrity parenting, including babywearing, along with the rise of parenting influencers, has directly influenced consumer’s opinions of the ‘trendiness’ of babywearing. At a deeper level too, the availability of educative materials around babywearing has led to parents becoming increasingly aware of the overwhelming number of benefits of using a carrier/sling, in turn having a direct impact on the number of consumers entering the sector. This has generated a huge shift in innovation and regeneration in the sector.” Although most expectant parents won’t actually buy any products prior to the three month stage of pregnancy, that doesn’t mean that research isn’t conducted from the moment they find out they are expecting. Savvy retailers recognise this and that through good customer service from the moment an expectant parent walks through the door, by using their knowledge and guidance can instil a level of customer confidence to generate sales throughout the various stages of parental requirements from pre-birth through to toddler stage.
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