focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES Image courtesy of Nuna
Back seat drivers Car seats continue to be an evolving category, and with the current pandemic and lockdown in the UK and Ireland we take a look at whether we have seen any significant changes that may have had an impact on this product category.
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ar seats are required by law, however during the first couple of months of the UK’s lockdown restrictions on travelling by car were in place. With this now having been lifted this is a category that will continue to reflect growth and consumers are turning their attention back to this category to ensure their children are travelling safely and correctly. However, there are also many danger signals that appear to have emerged - the volume of second hand car seats that have appeared online. We asked Dorel’s UK & Ireland Marketing Manager, Debbie Wakefield for her thoughts and what type of message Maxi-Cosi are currently sending out to the consumer to highlight this. “A lot of first-time parents will be unaware of the dangers of buying a second-hand car seat, so it is our responsibility as a market leader in child travel safety to educate them. “At Maxi-Cosi we do our best to inform the consumer to ensure that they make the purchase that is right for them. We ensure that this messaging is echoed through all of our external communications, i.e. website, social media and our PR activity with press and influencers. With the loss of face-to-face interactions with our retailers, we are very aware that we had lost a vital touchpoint with the consumer, so it is important to reinforce this across everything that we do.” Axkid’s UK & Irelands Country Manager, Jayne Caul agrees and feels it is the responsibility of the brands to ensure this message is delivered. “The risks of purchasing a second-hand car seat should be highlighted at all times, it is a very important message and we still have the responsibility to convey it to the market. In the midst of lockdown car seat purchases may not have been top of mind but as restrictions ease, it is imperative this message is not
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lost as consumers seek out car seats for travel.” What about awareness? Are consumers better educated now (especially when you consider more people have turned to online as a source of information) as to what they seat they require for their children during the various growth stages? “Consumers are becoming more educated on car seats and the various stages at which they need to upgrade. But this is a message we need to continuously push online and in-store.” Said Cybex General Manager, Luke Burns. “As retailers are beginning to open, we can work even more closely with them to offer parents product demos and information so they can be more aware of when is the best time to make the switch to a different car seat group.” Jayne does feel there is still confusion out there among parents and agrees it’s all about ensuring the correct information is continuously available to assist. “There is much confusion still evident in the market, in particular regarding regulation, group categories of car seats and what is best for baby/ child. This all leads to confusion when consumers are making their car seat purchase. “There is also a big difference between best practice – rear facing for as long as possible and regulation, which is something many customers are not aware of. These messages need to be very clear online and in-store and Axkid retailers are very good at this. Education is key to help our consumers make informed choices which best suit both their and baby/child’s needs.” With so much online research, would it be a fair assumption that the consumer is taking into consideration safety elements before style? “Certainly in the car seat category, as one of the most researched purchases. Its function is to safely carry the most precious thing in the world, their
The survey says…
Nursery marketing specialists, FanFinders, surveyed 500 consumers focussing on car seats. Here’s the results. Were you brand focused when you bought your first car seat?
Yes: 172 (34.4%) No: 328 (65.6%) Did you understand what you would require?
Yes: 401 (80.2%) No: 99 (19.8%) Did you buy your car seat in a shop or online?
Online: 288 (57.6%) Shop: 212 (42.4%) Did you have your car seat professionally fitted into your vehicle?
Yes: 141 (28.2%) No: 359 (71.8%) Did you also purchase accessories at the same time as your car seat (e.g. shoulder straps)?
Yes: 207 (41.4%) No: 293 (58.6%) Did you buy a car seat that was a differing brand to your pram?
Yes: 237 (47.4%) No: 263 (52.6%) Once the baby carrier was outgrown, did you buy a car seat to take them through all remaining age stages? (e.g. group 1/2/3)
Yes: 373 (74.6%) No: 127 (25.4%) Did you buy a second-hand car seat?
Yes: 73 (14.6%) No: 427 (85.4%) For more information on FanFinders and the consumer insight they offer, please call: 0203 808 3011 or visit www.fanfinders.com