Nursery Today June 2019

JUNE 2019 ISSUE 9 VOLUME 22

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contents the team Editor Penny Franks penny@lemapublishing.co.uk

Ad Manager Christine Contreras christine@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

JUNE 2019 ISSUE 9 VOLUME 22

Contributors

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Rick Vickers rick@lemapublishing.co.uk

Managing Director

The Insights People This issue Jenny Kieras looks at why customer reviews and influencers are key to your marketing strategy

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Barking Mad Pramlands John Barker is talking GoT, football, stock issues, returns and the new VAT system

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Intelligent Retail David Fairhurst looks at why it pays to look ahead when planning out a new eCommerce website launch

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Ross Hewitt Ross Hewitt takes a look at how, through social media, usage of key words and by asking the right questions, new customers will find you!

Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Cover Story

Chairman Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

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Babymoov Changing time with Babymoov take a look at their latest range.

Circulation Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Features 18

Lema Publishing Ltd 1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930

Car Seats & Accessories

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editor’s letter www.nursery-today.co.uk Instagram: nurserytoday LinkedIn: Nursery Today elcome to the June une issue, oking at where we are looking car seats and accessories, sleep p time solutions and highchairs.

Car seats continue to keep apace with trends and safety standards, with more (from information we can gauge for our FanFinders mini survey) being aware of what they require, with more than 91% of the respondents stating ‘yes’ to having an understanding of requirements.

Other interesting facts that hat came out via this survey was that an alarming 43% did state theyy found various car seat reviews online confusing and contradicting - what as an industry can we do to remedy this? led was that Another fact that was revealed more than 65% stated that it wasn’t of importance to them to have their car seat professionally fitted.

Perhaps if we encouraged more parents to venture in-store when looking at or discussing car seats, not only would this figure increase, it would also give retailers the opportunity to discuss requirements further and hopefully eleviate any contradictions that they may have read within an online review.

My personal view is that you just can’t beat the personal touch when we look at car seats and where better to receive this than in-store and from an expert? This is why independent retailers are the lifeblood of the nursery industry and their knowledge and p p opinion is incrediblyy important.

You can see the full survey results within our feature starting on page 18.

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Check out products available within the sleep time category.

Page 42.

Looking for car seats? Take a look at what’s hot by turning to page 18.

Our cover this m month features Babymoov wh who are renowned for their uniqu unique, popular and award w winning products. m This month we take a look at their new changing cha bags, which ha now been have launched. la Beautifully c crafted, with style and a function at the f forefront of their d design, these bags a set to impress. are T Turn to page 10 wh you can find all where the information.

Th are two key There events taking place in Firs The Baby June. Firstly, Products Ass Association will be keeping everyon everyone on their toes as t they have announced their Annual General Meeting which is to take place on Thursday 13th June.

This event is open to all and not only provides a great platform for like-minded people to meet and discuss hot topics, but there will also be an informative seminar programme. For example, Jenny Kieras of The Insights People will give members a heads up on consumer trends in the nursery sector and an insight into how they can engage with consumers effectively and encourage sales in an ever-changing highly competitive marketplace.

For more information visit www.thebpa.eu where you can register your attendance.

Secondly, June is also the month of the Nursery Today Golf Day. This year’s ‘tee off ’ will commence on Tuesday 25th June. ev will again be The event held at Puckrup Hall, Near T Tewkesbury and featur the now coveted feature BabyS BabyStyle trophy. If you haven already booked haven’t your place, contact Malc Malcolm Naish on 0144 289930 or email 01442 mal malcolm@ lem lemapublishing.co.uk T month I had This the pleasure to int interview online4baby -w what can I say, apart fro wow! Having from st started on a market st in 1987 and stall la launching o online4baby in 2 2004, they have become a company with a turnover of £6m! This is an

My personal view is that you just can’t beat the personal touch when we look at car seats and where better to receive this than in-store and from an expert? amazing achievement. You can read more by turning to page 12.

Finally, remember Nursery Today is your complete media solution. Not only are we your only monthly nursery trade print magazine, but you can also sign up for our regular online news service via our website www.nursery-today.co.uk, become an Insta friend of ours or link with us on LinkedIn! All details are at the top of this page.

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news Strong year ahead for The Insights People Market intelligence company, The Insights People, specialising David Martin in kids, tweens, teens and parents has made a series of promotions, as well as bringing in four new faces across its UK and US operations as it looks to build on a successful start to 2019. Since the start of the year it has brought in Leapfrog, Sky and SYBO Games as clients and expanded into France, Germany, Italy and Spain after the success of its US launch in 2018.

Jenny Kieras, who previously held the position of General Manager, becomes Chief Operating Officer after playing an instrumental role in leading the business through a sustained period of growth. Jonathan Watson is promoted from Product Manager to Chief Product Officer, where he will oversee the future development of The Insights People’s award-winning portal and the creation of the 48 insight reports produced each year.

Toy and licensing stalwart David Martin joins as Chief Commercial Officer, bringing with him a wealth of experience of the toy and licensing industry, having previously held senior director roles at Crayola, Funrise and KD Group.

In the US, renowned kids and family researcher Amy Henry arrives as a US Insights and Strategy Specialist and will use her considerable industry experience to expand the company’s offering in North America.

The company has also brought in Alex Rapley as Client Services Manager, who will be responsible for leading client development and management, and Tom Musk as Head of Content, who will oversee the company’s content, PR and social channels.

Expanding the team means the company has outgrown its current Northern Quarter premises, so it is relocating to a new office on Oxford Street in central Manchester.

Web: www.theinsightspeople.com

Magic Merlin gets the Gold

Cozy N Safe’s award winning Merlin Group 0+/1 has won a Bizziebaby Gold award. Bizziebaby are all about helping new and growing families to find products that help make life easier. The Merlin epitomises this with it’s 360° rotating feature, easy access recline, self adjusting harness and extended rear facing option to 18kg.

With reviews and tests conducted by parents for parents Cozy N Safe are delighted to have received a Gold award for the Merlin.

Web: www.cozynsafe.com

Can’t afford to exhibit in Cologne?

Great news for companies wishing to participate in Europe’s largest baby trade show – Kind und Jugend, from 19th to 22nd September 2019 – but can’t afford to stretch their marketing budgets. The Baby Products Association still has grants of £1500 available which will make a significant contribution towards their stand costs.

Adrian Sneyd, UK Pavilion organiser at the show comments: “The DIT grant edibility criteria allows companies to receive a total six grants towards exhibiting at Kind und Jugend. Many of our regular participants have now reached this limit and consequently, there grants are up for grabs for new companies wishing to participate.

“Space in the Baby Products Association’s UK Pavilion at the show is selling fast, but we still have stands available. The opportunities that Kind und Jugend offers in terms exporting are pretty much unrivalled, so any UK business wishing to explore new international markets are encouraged to take advantage.”

For more information or to discuss stand availability, contact Adrian on 01902 880906 or email: adrian@nurseryfair.com

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Flexible feeding

Medela unveils its brand-new, research-based, Flex Technology to provide maximum comfort and more milk.

The new Medela Flex is a unique ovalshaped breast shield that can be rotated 360°.

The exciting development will ensure mums can truly find the right position to suit their individual shape when expressing.

Thanks to the thoughtfully designed soft and flexible rim, the new design also provides a comfortable and effective seal.

Compared to the standard 90°, the innovative Medela Flex has a breast shield opening angle of 105°. This new design provides a more flexible fit to best support women with breasts of varying shapes and sizes. Not only does this new design offer a truly personal fit for mums, the new shape also reduces pressure and allows the milk to flow more freely.

Web: www.medela.co.uk

The customer is right!

Nimble was recently featured in new BBC series ‘The customer is always right’ on April 26th on BBC One – and each episode a winner is picked, and Nimble won! And after all the 15 episodes were shown on the 10th May, Nimble scored the highest points in the whole series with 43.5 out of 50.

The 15-part series is presented by Lucy Alexander and includes popular YouTube personalities like the faces behind LadBaby, Mark and Roxanne Hoyle (3m Facebook followers), who produced last year’s Christmas No. 1 single, and Antonella The Uncensored Reviewer (1.3m Facebook followers).

Web: www.nimblebabies.com

All white for Cheeky Chompers Cheeky Chompers, the Edinburgh based multi award-winning brand behind the original chewy dribble bib, the Neckerchew, is thrilled to announce it has partnered with global lifestyle brand The White Company.

This exciting collaboration sees two exclusive products launching in store and online at the White Company this May. Cheeky Chompers innovative Neckerchew and MultiMuslin products have been designed in The White Company’s effortlessly stylish signature scattered star print on a crisp white background, in 100% organic Muslin.

Web: www.cheekychompers.com

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news Mix and match Baby accessories specialist MuslinZ has given its stockists more options after launching new ‘Pillow Box’ packaging which means they can ‘mix and match’ with different combinations of muslins.

The new product case can contain three rolled up 70cm x 70cm muslin squares; a peek of each which is revealed through small open windows.

The eco-friendly, recyclable Pillow Box offers stockists a huge amount of flexibility as, while some will be sold as pre-defined sets of three muslins, stockists are also being given the option to mix and match. This means they can fill the Pillow Boxes with their own chosen combination of three MuslinZ muslins, giving choice and variation, and a truly personalised product to their customers.

MuslinZ has also rebranded their packaging which now features a subtle, grey heart pattern which looks contemporary and stylish, allowing their muslin prints to take centre stage.

Feeling Konfident!

Konfidence is thrilled to have been named a finalist at the 2019 National Family Business Awards in the Retail category.

The prestigious awards now in their 10th year recognise family-owned businesses and celebrate their contributions to the British and Irish economies.

As a British family business with three generations involved (four if you count the little ones testing and modelling the products!), Konfidence is Europe’s leading designer and manufacturer of dedicated safety swimwear for babies and children - and the market leader across 25 countries worldwide.

The company’s flagship product is the Original Konfidence Jacket.

Web: www.konfidence.co.uk

For more information contact MuslinZ on info@merrygorounduk.co.uk, on 01295 810008 or visit http://muslinz.com

Sun protection from Cloby Block 98% of the sun’s harmful rays this summer with no use of chemicals!

Brand new to Hippychick, the Cloby sun blanket offers UPF 50+ sun protection for little ones when they’re out and about. The super soft and lightweight blanket is multi-functional with two snap buttons for easy attachment and endless configuration. Attach to a stroller as a cover, use as a towel, cape, feeing cover, snuggle blanket, the possibilities are endless….

Web: www.hippychick.com

eCommerce Sales & Merchandising Specialist For over 25 years, Boori has stood for quality and innovation. Since starting in 1993 as an independent nursery store in Sydney, Boori have now grown into a truly global furniture brand trusted by over 1 million parents around the world.

Boori are looking for an energetic and analytical eCommerce Sales Specialist to join their friendly team in Newbury, Berkshire. You’ll be responsible for championing and implementing Boori’s eCommerce strategy to deliver sales through Boori’s retail partner’s sites and own website.

Working directly with the UK Managing Director, you’ll be collaborating with Boori’s existing marketing, sales & technical teams. This is a genuine opportunity for a commercially aware, sales-focussed eCommerce professional to really make their mark and take ownership of a key business function within a small, committed and talented team.

To apply, please contact lee@boori.com with a CV and cover letter.

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Mothercare focused on rebuilding as a global brand Mothercare plc has announced their full year results for the 53 week period to 30 March 2019.

Comparatives are based on the 52 week period to 24 March 2018.

Mothercare reported losses on the back of a drastic restructuring plan, but the company said it will now focus on rebuilding its brand.

Headline losses before tax came to £87.3m for the 53 weeks to 30 March, compared to £72.8m this time last year. Losses were deepened by the retailer’s store closure plan, which was agreed last year under a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

Mothercare said the programme had been completed ahead of schedule, reducing its UK estate from 134 stores to 79. Worldwide sales, which includes international franchise partners and wholesale, slipped 7.9 per cent to just over £1bn.

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cover story Babymoov

Renowned for their unique innovation, several popular and award-winning Babymoov products have been patented.

Changing time with Babymoov he brand new changing bag duo launching May 2019, created as an ode to Babymoov’s French heritage, reveal two new high performance changing bag styles designed with the ultimate functionality and

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th e b en efits in ve ie el b e W “ appy an d un co mp li cate d of h p arentin g. S imp li city an din g h p rob le m - so lvin g are everyt to a p arent. ” d bilit A study t d off 200 parents t conducted d t d durability.

by Babymoov outlined key preferences for parents looking to purchase a changing bag which went on to influence the ranges’ key features. 70% wanted a gender neutral style to fit comfortably and effortlessly within the lives of both male and female parents. In this order, practicality, capacity, and longevity were marked as the top priorities when it came to choosing a changing bag while 60% of parents said integrated or included essential accessories like the changing mat were also important.

Country living

Named after the mountainous countryside region of ‘Le Sancy’ in central France, the backpack offers easy access discreet changing features. Unzip the external front pocket to unfold a removable thick changing mat with additional storage sleeves and translucent compartments for changing essentials. Switch to the back of the bag 10

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where super thick padding will guarantee support and comfort. Unzip the back panel to reveal an XL insulated pocket. The extendable bag fastening allows the top of the bag to be rolled down or extended and fixed securely. With a large capacity of 26 to 36 litres, Le Sancy is perfect for families with multiple children and by no means limited to a day bag. Made with quality waterrepellent fabrics, this bag range gets the thumbs up for durability, all year round.

Paris chic

Symbolic of the finesse and timeless urban chic of the Champs-Elysées in Paris, the ‘Le Champs-Elysées’ tote changing bag can be worn as a classic shopper style or adapted with longer straps to wear as a messenger style. Designed with travel-savvy features as well as large capacity of up to 29 litres, an external pocket opens to allow travelling parents to slip the bag over the handles of their suitcase. Whether you want organisation or ease, one huge bag or three split compartments inside enable complete flexibility and customisation of the space within your changing bag. Parents have the option to wear as a changing bag, a handbag or a stylish weekend bag.

Both styles are now available to order in three colours: saffron, mineral blue and smokey grey.

Lifetime Warranty

Trust in their products is of the highest

importance to every consumer when it comes to caring for children from newborn and beyond. It is a responsibility taken seriously which is why Babymoov are hugely proud to have been the first ever nursery brand to offer the Lifetime Warranty Promise since 2002 which guarantees the lifespan of all of their products.

“It is massively reassuring that as a brand we offer this promise and assurance so that parents can feel confident in the reliability of the brand and longevity of the product.

Under that promise our dedicated product support service is available to help every parent get the best out of their Babymoov product and experience.” Kayleigh Binns, Customer Service Team.

A Green Future

As part of their eco-pledge to reduce plastic waste and adopt greater sustainability, three new guidelines will result in greener processes for manufacturing, less packaging and more eco-friendly materials. Starting with the audio monitor range, no longer will plastic blister pack packaging be used but recycled card shells instead. A healthier choice for baby and the planet –their sourced organic cotton will provide the softest, anti-allergenic covers for the new Babymoov sleep cocoon. With feeding products like Foodii storage pouches, these are washable and safe to re-use up to 5 times while popular babybols will be available in glass for the first time.

Retailer Relationships

With over 60 UK retailers, long-standing growth for Babymoov customers is something they work hard to tailor to their niche, including exclusive edition projects.

“Having worked with Babymoov for five years, they are one of our top brands for essential day-to-day products designed with baby and parent in mind. Since the very beginning Babymoov has always been ahead of the game and continues to be an innovative brand that keeps on exciting us with their new product launches! Particularly with their most recent launches where we have seen Babymoov align even more with our core, brand values by putting a greater focus on sustainable efforts with their new eco and organic products. For example, recently launched reusable Foodii pouches to store and feed baby’s purees and food on-the-go. This was a product we saw huge potential in and have not been proven wrong!” Award-winning Key Independent Nursery Retailer, Natural Baby Shower.

To find out more about stocking Babymoov baby and parent ranges, request a catalogue or to place your order for the new changing bag collection contact them on

Tel: 01823 772 995 or email Victoria at sales@babymoov.co.uk

The Babymoov Story Beautifu

l ergonomic design to simplify life as a parent Created from the vision of three French dads in 1998, Babymoov have been an innovative leader in the Nursery Industry for over 20 years by enhancing the lives of expectant and new parents. 10 children between them and a wealth of experience in and outside of the industry, Babymoov is the one baby these three men are raising together! - with the core objective to create smart, yet simple solutions for every parent.

“Parents are perfectly placed to influence and co-create products that they use every day to be smarter, more efficient, convenient and enjoyable too. This is why our unique parent workshops held at Babymoov HQ are at the heart of our innovation process and what we do. We listen, we observe, we respond.” Laurent Windenberger, Co-Founder and CEO of Product Development While the objective remains a constant, demand is everchanging which is why Babymoov’s innovation process took to a whole new level and channel, in order to continue involving parents and also give back to them. In 2013 Babymoov opened their first crèche. The Babymoov crèche concept today thrives for local parents and Babymoov employees and continues to offer a window into the evolving relationship between parent and baby.

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retail

ONLINE4BABY

All for baby Online4Baby has grown considerably over the years and is showing no signs of slowing down!

Penny Franks had the pleasure to question Co-Founder, Christy Foster to find out more.

The company was first established in 1987 as a family run business, what was the inspiration behind the decision to open a nursery store?

Both my sister Cheryl and I had a strong work ethic from a very young age. I started working on the markets after school and got hold of a couple of pushchairs which sold quickly. It was clear that people on low incomes also wanted the good quality nursery brands and were therefore happy to have seconds. We started buying returns from the Littlewoods catalogue and became well known for having quality products at an affordable price point, so our customer base and the business continued to grow and grow. This really was the birth of Online4baby.

The company appears to have quickly grown and evolved over time, what was the rationale behind launching Online4Baby in 2004?

Selling on the markets opened our eyes to the opportunity in the nursery sector but it was incredibly hard work and long hours travelling to different markets around the region. When eBay came out we realised it offered us the ability to reach a much larger audience so we listed some of our products and they sold almost immediately.

After dropping seconds and starting to sell new products, we eventually became the No1 Power Rated Seller in the UK and one of the biggest baby stores in Europe with a turnover of £6m. We were even featured as part of eBay’s anniversary celebrations as

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one of the first companies to hit £1m turnover and even got a mention on the News at 10!

Eventually we felt we could make a go of selling direct and reduce the commission we were paying to eBay. We launched the website and due to the large amount of sales we’d done on eBay, people were already searching for our brand name and the sales started to come in. As with being early adopters on eBay, we try to be a leader in the sector and this has been key to our growth.

Your decision to launch Online4Baby on eBay at that time also saw you bring your own brand to market ‘4Baby’, what was the reason behind this decision?

After selling on eBay for a period of time, we realised there was an opportunity for a quality set of products at a lower price point that wouldn’t compete with the brands we were selling from manufacturers. 4Baby gave us the opportunity to target and engage with another segment of customers, many of which have gone on to be repeat customers buying products from our brand partners.

As a company you have experienced continued growth over the years, with the Online4Baby website launching in 2012, how was this achieved?

It comes down to buying well, establishing

After dropping “ Aft

seconds and starting to sell new products, we eventually beca me the No1 Power Rated Seller in the UK and one of the biggest baby stores in Europe with a turnover of £6m. ”

great relationships with suppliers and having strategic focus. We’ve got over 30 years’ experience in the sector and over that time we’ve learned what works (and what doesn’t) so we’ve become pretty good at picking winners.

We’re also a cash rich business which means we are incredibly well positioned to buy any large volume overstock and clearance lines to sit alongside our core p product range.

Tell us also a little about your showroom, how does this operate alongside your website?

We opened the showroom in 2015 as we were always getting asked by customers if they could come and speak to someone about the products we sell online.

We’re not selling pencils here, many of the products we sell are complex and cost a lot, so some people want to touch them, see how they work, check build quality and know whether it will fit, for example, in their Ford Focus.

Do you offer the same promotions and products in your showroom as you do on your website?

We run different promotions in store as we’ve found that it’s a slightly different type of customer to those buying online and we can tailor the advice and support we give them.

The benefit of the showroom is that it’s next to our main warehouse so if it’s not on display we hold stock of most lines so they can almost always take away whatever they want.

You have incredible online review statistics, how important are these to you and how do you maintain these fantastic reviews?

We try and make the customer experience as frictionless as possible and take a customer centric approach to the business. Reviews tend to be polarised and you can’t please

everyone, but we try to provide as much information as possible and make the buying experience easy to reduce any negative experiences.

Do you operate on social media and if so, how important is this to your business?

We operate across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter currently which provide a good platform for raising brand and product awareness and responding to enquiries. Recent scandals around data privacy and fake news have made people less trusting of these types of platforms and brands in general so we work hard to provide useful content, foster meaningful relationships and create a dialogue with our customers on their communication channel of choice.

Do you have a particular product category that is performing well for you at present?

Travel Systems and Car Seats are the big ones as you’d expect. Also, as it’s coming into Summer, we’re selling a lot of umbrella strollers and parasols as people get ready for their holidays.

Is there a current hero brand or product that is an absolute must for your business?

We’re very selective on which products we carry and are constantly analysing the business and rationalising our SKUs to keep lean and ensure we have focus. As with every business we have

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retail

ONLINE4BABY

brands and products which sell better than others, but we’ve learned that this can change very quickly so we’re always cautious about naming any in particular!

Nursery is an incredibly emotive sector, how do you manage customer expectation?

It’s definitely not easy! We’re often dealing with people going through one of the biggest events in their lives and with this comes heightened emotions. Many of those working here are parents so understand what the customers are going through so this helps when dealing with the more challenging aspects to the business.

Platforms like Amazon have created a customer expectation in terms of returns and delivery which is difficult to meet for independent businesses like ours. You’re never going to please everyone, but we set high expectations of ourselves and our business and thankfully most of our customers see this.

With regard to your showroom, how important is it to your business to ensure that all staff are trained correctly with regard to product demonstration?

Training is critical and we take huge pride in our showroom employees knowing the products inside out. We also undertake regular training with our ur brand partners to ensure our employees’ es’ knowledge is up to date. Customers visit sit our showroom from as far afield as Glasgow and Cardiff, so we want to ensure that if they’re making that amount unt of effort, we give them the best service possible and they go away happy.

Are you brand focused with regard to your current selections?

out e dea l w it h us w eesar s op en fo r busin to an d w ould lo ve d iscuss any l opp ortun it ies as stwinelg as bu ild lon g la We re la ti on sh ip s. d h ave cap ac ity an ove th e fun d in g to m qu ic kly. ”

Absolutely. We obviously want the best products at the right price for our customers but we’re conscious of each brand’s requirements and we work hard with them to ensure these are met. We appreciate that partners need to protect their brands and the fact we have several long-standing relationships spanning over 25 years shows we take it very seriously.

How do you keep up with current nursery trends?

We do the usual in terms of attending industry events and reading the trade press but we’re genuinely passionate about the sector which helps us keep abreast of sector trends. We also keep a keen eye on up and coming social influencers and celebrities as these can often be the source of trends rather than the industry itself.

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“ Forthalerllle thweh ob radon ’t

You only have to look at the Yo recent surge in baby carrier recen purchases which in part was purc started after Piers Morgan start ridiculed James Bond (Daniel ridic Craig) for wearing one. This Cra generated media coverage gen which whi actually started a really positive conversation around pos masculinity with other dads ma posting pictures of themselves po proudly wearing their baby pr carriers.

No amount of ca attending conferences or at reading press can predict re these types of events. t

How do you source nursery brands/ products for your stores?

Having good relationships with manufacturers is key.

We’re known for always paying on time, taking orders in quickly and being easy to deal with (I think!) which often means we get access to some great offers.

The shows are always great for finding new products which we feel would suit our audience and we meet with suppliers regularly to find out what they feel is their next ‘big thing’.

Since first launching, what would you say has been your

biggest challenge over the years?

With any business growing as fast as ours, the biggest challenges are almost always linked to systems, processes and having enough space as we tend to buy in volume.

We also operate a next day delivery service and with the volume of orders we are doing currently, every day is a challenge! We wouldn’t have it any other way though, it makes coming into work every day exciting, even after all these years.

Finally, are there any exciting plans on the horizon that you can share with us?

Actually, we are entering a whole new chapter in the business. We have recently opened up a massive 4,000 (7,000 total) more pallet locations and received £1m of additional funding. We have increased our team by 25% in the last few months as we drive forward to our 2020 plan of being three times the size we were last year.

We are doing this by working closely with existing brands and new brands on the end of lines and clearance goods, as well as a strong proposition on value own brand items. We work with our brands to manage their goals and while not disturbing the market, clear through problem and overstocks, without the need for clearance houses.

A key part of our commitment is to find the best solutions for brands to still maintain brand value, whilst taking in these excess stocks and working with them to the best results for all concerned.

For all the brands out there who don’t deal with us and/or have the wrong perception of us….we are open for business and would love to discuss any opportunities as well as build long lasting relationships. We have capacity and the funding to move quickly.

advertorial SILVER CROSS

Silver Cross Special Silver Cross is launching its first car seat collection, designed to make car safety simple for parents. he new car seat collection from Silver Cross was unveiled at Harrogate International Nursery Fair in March, with excellent feedback from retailers and the press, as well as being named Best New Safety Product by the independent Nursery Support Group (NSG).

Prior to developing the collection, Silver Cross conducted a survey of over 1,000 parents, which revealed more than half found shopping for a car seat confusing. Together with the reported high rates of incorrectly fitted child seats, it was clear the focus had to be on making car safety simple.

The collection includes four new designs offering solutions from birth to 12 years, so parents can easily select the correct car seat for each stage of their child’s development. All of the seats offer ISOFIX to enable the easiest fitting, with Dream and Motion also being i-Size Approved.

For added reassurance, Silver Cross is launching a unique mobile app linking to a QR code on each car seat. It provides a simple to follow five-step installation guide, so parents know that their car seat is fitted safety and correctly.

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Hamish McPhillips, Silver Cross Car Safety Category Manager “We’re extremely excited to be launching our new car safety collection with four brand new car seats.

“We know from our survey that car seat shopping can be confusing for parents, but we hope our new collection, combined with our unique app providing a five-step installation checklist, will help make the whole process easier.”

“Each of our new car seats are simple to use and install while offering the best protection and most comfortable environment for babies and children, giving parents absolute peace of mind.”

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Safety and comfort The Silver Cross car safety collection incorporates pioneering safety technology, while high-tech fabrics offer the utmost in comfort and style.

All four products share a standout look and feel with the softest fabrics, diamond quilting and ergonomically contoured design for enhanced comfort.

A breathable natural bamboo fabric that’s super soft to the touch is used throughout the collection. It has thermo regulating properties which absorb moisture, keeping little ones warm yet dry, while hypoallergenic properties make it perfect for sensitive baby skin.

The three early stage car seats also have a removable padded bamboo insert, which can be adjusted as little ones grow, ensuring they’re always in the most comfortable position.

Silver Cross Car Safety Collection Dream: Age: Birth to approx 9-12 months Compatible with the Dream i-Size base and Silver Cross prams and pushchairs. Dream has five head rest positions, four-layer side impact protection, a five-point safety harness and an adjustable hood.

Motion: Age: Birth to approx 4 years i-Size car seat with 360 degree rotation, plus a fixed side-loading position. It has five head rest and three recline positions, Motion Safe side impact protection, an easy lock ISOFIX system and five-point safety harness.

Balance: Age: Approx 9 months to 12 years Balance has two stage configurations, 9kg up to 18kg and 15kg up to 36kg.

When moving between the two stages, there’s no need to remove the harness as it simply stores away in the pocket. Balance has an easy lock ISOFIX system and top tether for secure fitting, nine head rest and three recline positions plus a five-point safety harness.

Discover: Age: Approx 3 years to 12 years A high-back booster seat with five head rest positions and Isofix fitting. As the head rest is adjusted, the side impact protection automatically expands, providing more space as your child grows.

Email: info@silvercrossbaby.com Web: www.silvercrossbaby.com

Motion • 360° i-Size • Height: 40-105cm • Weight: Birth to 18kg • Age: Birth to approx 4 years

Dream • i-Size • Height: 40-85cm • Weight: Birth to 13kg • Age: Birth to approx 9-12 months

Balance

THE RANGE

• Group 1/2/3 • Weight: 9kg-36kg • Age: Approx 9 months to 12 years

Discover • Group 2/3 • Weight: 15kg – 36kg • Age: Approx 3 years to 12 years

nursery today

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focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES Image courtesy of Joie

The survey says…

Nursery marketing specialists FanFinders surveyed 1000 consumers via their platform Your Baby Club focussing on car seats. Here’s the results.

Were brand names important to you when you purchased your car seat?

Yes: 578 (57.8%) No: 422 (42.2%) Did you understand what you required?

Yes: 914 (91.4%) No: 86 (8.6%)

Take a seat Car seats for children are a must-have product here in the UK and are required by law. However, how aware are consumers at present with regard to what they need? Are we sending out a universal message, or could we be doing more as an industry? he car seat category is a sector that continues to evolve and introduce new innovation, with perhaps Group 0+ and Group 1 having been the largest groups to experience this. Damon Marriott (Head of Product Development, Allison Baby UK) explains why: “Group 0+ and Group 1 see the lion’s share of developments. This tends to stem from aiming to protect children when they’re at their most vulnerable. Innovations such as lie flat and automatic side impact panels were all developed to ensure each generation of children is even safer than the last, no doubt we’ll continue to see most major developments revolve around safety when it comes to car seats.”

We also asked Hamish McPhillips (Category Manager, Silver Cross), for his thoughts. “The first phase of R129 (i-Size) introduced in 2013 was for group 0+/1 ISOFIX seats, therefore we saw a lot of focus on these groupings. However, now with the second and third phases of the regulation being introduced, there are a lot of new features and products coming out across all the different groupings.”

Of course, with the internet pretty much at everyone’s finger tips, this is also a highly researched product category, with information-hungry mums doing their homework. However, with so much information now available, are we creating confusion? Holly John (UK and Ireland Head of

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Marketing, Chicco) feels that consumers may be a little confused when trying to understand the different standards and regulations. “A parent’s key consideration when choosing a car seat is focussed around safety, however, it can be difficult to understand the different standards and regulations such as ISOFIX and i-Size, which ensure the safety and compatibility of a car seat,” states Holly.

“ISOFIX is an international standard that makes it easier to fit a car seat safely and securely without using the seat belts of the car. All cars manufactured after 2011 have this system installed, meaning parents can easily and safely install car seats that meet this standard. “i-Size is an EU regulation, which aims to make car seats safer by taking a child’s height into account and by keeping them rearward facing for a longer period.

Installed using the ISOFIX system, i-Size car seats are a perfect solution for parents who are looking for a car seat that will stand the test time of time.”

Naturally like many brand names in this sector, help is always at hand. Chicco has launched a new online brochure to try to assist. “To help new parents when choosing a car seat, we have developed a comprehensive guide in our new brochure, which outlines the different standards and the features of our car seats,” said Holly.

Hamish also feels the industry as a whole needs to focus on quality information being provided.

Did you research online prior to purchase?

Yes: 845 (84.5%) No: 155 (15.5%)

Do you find car seat reviews that appear online confusing and contradicting?

Yes: 432 (43.2%) No: 568 (56.8%)

Did you feel there was ample information available to help you understand current car seat laws?

Yes: 750 (75%) No: 250 (25%) Did you buy your car seat in a shop or online?

Shop: 572 (57.2%) Online: 428 (42.8%)

Was it important to you that you had your car seat professionaly fitted into your car?

Yes: 342 (34.2%) No: 658 (65.8%)

Was the cost more important to you than safety features?

Yes: 291 (29.1%) No: 709 (70.9%) Would you have been interested in a car seat that had additional technology features?

Yes: 656 (65.6%) No: 344 (34.4%)

Did you purchase accessories at the same time as purchasing your car seat (for example, shoulder cushions, etc.)?

Yes: 378 (37.8%) No: 622 (62.2%) Did you buy a different brand to that of your pushchair system?

Yes: 426 (42.6%) No: 574 (57.4%) Did you look at car seats that would take your child through the various stages?

Yes: 772 (77.2%) No: 228 (22.8%) For more information on FanFinders and the consumer insights they offer, please call: 0203 808 3011 or visit www.fanfinders.com

Car safety made simple The new Silver Cross car seat collection offers solutions from birth to 12 years, so parents can easily make the best choice for their child. They’ll always travel safely, while the soft natural bamboo fabrics surround them in comfort.

Silver Cross’ unique mobile app provides extra p peace of mind, with simple step-by-step fitting guides. uides.

Dream i-Size

Motion

360º i-Size

silvercrossbaby.com

Balance

Group 1/ 2/3

Discover Group 2/3

focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES

“Quality over quantity is key here, throwing masses of information at consumers isn’t necessarily the way to go.

As a community we must work hard to provide clear, accurate and consistent guidance, especially as R129 develops over the years.

Admittedly this isn’t always straightforward as information in text form can be interpreted Jason differently depending on the individual, this makes it crucial that we communicate with each other before distributing information.”

Perhaps this is why retailers prefer to give the ‘personal touch’ to parents who are looking at car seats. Andrew Hammond (123ABC UK Ltd) is one such retailer. “There is a big percentage of our customers who have researched online, but with so much information available, which can cause confusion, we find it easier to explain it better in store with physical car seats so we can show them the benefits and functions.

“We try and tell customers to not have any preconceived ideas about car seats from online research but to let us show them what seats actually do so they can make a better informed choice.”

We also asked Andrew if he feels that as an industry we are sending out a universal message

with regard to car seats?

“I do think the car seat universal message is vvery clear for retailers but I think it is still confusing for customers who usually search w online before purchasing, which can p cause information overload in relation to car seat safety.”

When we look then at information that is available online, what Heller about online reviews, for example by Which? Can these further Whi confuse, perhaps more than inform, consumers with regard to the varying safety tests they may conduct?

“Unfortunately, yes this can be the case,” said Damon. “For example, when a do not buy or safety alert is issued by Which? the report can mislead consumers by alluding to or outright stating that a car seat is not safe. The crash tests used are designed specifically for use by Which? by individuals described as ‘our experts‚’ the tests are not part of a legally binding European standard such as R129.”

Jason Heller (Huggle) agrees and feels more communication is needed. “Brands and the likes of Which? must communicate before information is put into the public domain, especially if Which? are to make specific claims relating to products.”

What about safety? Are parents now looking

“on aSafcarety seahast apuhugrcheasebea, rinit’sg

usually the prima ry avenue of thinking and often aesthetic choices are made once the brand/pl atform has already been cho sen on the merits of safety.

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New Spin on Safety!

Meet iSpin 360. For Joie the category leading Spin 360 car seat has enjoyed tremendous success globally since its launch.

2019 sees an exciting expansion of this best-selling platform with an all-new i-Size rotating car seat for Joie, the i-Spin 360.

The i-Spin 360 is suitable from birth up to 105 cm or 19kgs.

A huge benefit of i-Spin 360 is the one-hand spin capability, which can be operated by independent buttons on each side of the seat offering parents an effortless way to get their child in and out of the car – even in a 3-door vehicle.

A new upgrade on the extra side impact Guard Surround Safety panels for i-Spin 360 is auto-activation. When the child is buckled into the seat, the Guard Surround Safety will automatically engage, coming out of the seat sides. However if vehicle space is an issue, parents can still manually adjust each panel individually, giving the option to close the Guard Surround facing the interior of the vehicle.

To help encourage rearward facing for as long as possible, another new feature on i-Spin 360 is a lock off device that prevents rotation of the seat in to a forward facing position for use. Once the child reaches 15 months and beyond, if forward facing is desired, parents can disengage the lock to allow forward facing spin.

As always to provide parents the option to keep their child rearward facing as long as possible for optimal safety, the i-Spin 360 rear faces all the way up to 105 centimetres.

Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com

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more closely at the safety elements of a car seat compared with the aesthetics? Damon feels the clear answer to this is ‘yes’. “Safety has a huge bearing on a car seat purchase, it’s usually the primary avenue of thinking and often aesthetic choices are made once the brand/platform has already been chosen on the merits of safety. Of course, owning a product that looks appealing is desirable but when a car seat can be the difference between life and death, it’s not surprising safety comes first.”

We asked Jason for his thoughts. “Our customers know that we will only ever sell products that are fully tested and best in class. Many have often researched the product before they visit us and understand this. That will always be their priority, however the design, colour and aesthetics are becoming very important also. When you spend a lot of money on a car you have every right to expect a car seat that has also been built with a strong design ethic which also looks good.”

How important are brand names within this category? “Brand names matter. Parents look for a brand that has a proven track record to back up their claims, and there are a number of key names that people think of when considering car seats, that’s not a coincidence. Parents won’t gamble on something as pivotol as car seat safety and their faith should always be repaid with absolute assurance,” commented Damon.

Also remember we are fortunate that we have an industry association, The Baby Products Association, who are always on hand and here to help. If you need any further information/clarity when you look at the car seat sector, you can call them on 0845 456 9570 or drop them an email at info@b-p-a.org

Four is the magic number With many parents finding car seat shopping confusing, Silver Cross is helping to simplify the process with its first car safety collection.

The four new car seats offer solutions from birth to 12 years, so parents can easily select the correct one for each stage of their child’s development.

For absolute peace of mind, Silver Cross has designed a unique mobile app linked to a QR code on each seat, which provides an easy-to-follow installation guide.

Launching soon, the collection features the softest fabrics, including a breathable natural bamboo with thermo-regulating and hypoallergenic properties, making it perfect for sensitive baby skin.

Tel: 01756 702412 Email: info@silvercrossbaby.com Web: www.silvercrossbaby.com

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focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES

In a spin Available in stock now, the Spinner is the i-Size compliant rotating car seat from Bebecar.

iirr The Spinner can be rotated 360° to help parents lift their in ts fi It vehicle. the of side either from out, baby in and the car with isofix and has an adjustable support leg.

Designed to rear-face from birth up to 105cm (approx. four years) and suitable for forward-facing oncee the child reaches 75cm tall. Removable support inserts and adjustable headrest height allow the seat to grow with the child, and there are four recline positions.

The Spinner is available in Black or Grey.

Tel: 01692 408801 Web: www.bebecar.co.uk

All around you AroundU is Chicco’s new i-Size car seat with universal Isofix connection points with top tether and an acoustic alarm that sounds if not attached correctly.

Suitable for newborns through to early years, the rearward facing position is recommended from birth to four years (40-105 cm), as baby’s head and neck are fully supported while the four reclinable positions ensure comfort at every age.

The integrated mirror means that parents can have eye contact with their little one at all times. From 15 months when they are ready to see the world, AroundU i-Size can be turned to forward facing. The intuitive rotating system makes it simpler than ever to switch between rearward facing to forward facing, and can even be moved to 90° to make it easier than ever to put the child into the car seat.

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

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Three in a row BeSafe launches new highback booster seat.

Following the success of the i-Size BeSafe iZi FLEX FIX, BeSafe are launching an ‘R44’ version between £190-220 RRP. Called the iZi FLEX ‘S’ FIX, the seat still allows for three seats (or people) in a row by simply imply detaching the ‘side-bump side-bumpeers’ rs that face the inside oof the car.

Available this his month in Black Cab, Midnight, Metallic, Sunset and Car Interior.

Call your BeSafe contact for further details.

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focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES

A Royal Throne for your little one Cozy N Safe’s Regal Signature range.

Cozy N Safe’s signature range of car seats including the amazing Arthur, magic Merlin and extraordinary Excalibur ensures that there is a royal throne for everyone. The Arthur is Cozy N Safe’s group 0+/1/2/3 from newborn to 11 years approx. 36kg, with extended rear facing option for group 1 to 18kg and a deep recline to almost lie flat position for newborns, it is amazing. The 360∞ rotating Merlin for easy access with extended rear facing continues to astound with the recently awarded Bizzie Baby Gold.

And for a car seat with extended harness to 25kg there is the ultimate Excalibur group 1/2/3 car seat.

Cozy N Safe - Without Compromise Tel: 01902 494 905 Email: sales@cozynsafe.com Web: www.cozynsafe.com

Fold and go For older children, the Fold&Go i-Size is suitable from three years until 12 years and can be easily transported and stored thanks to the easy folding function.

The i-Size car seat features FixPlus connectors as well as a three-point seat belt and innovative side safety system to ensure little ones are secure.

The handy belt positioner ensures it is in the correct place at all times, and the forward reclining system allows parents to select from four positions to find the most comfortable one for their child.

The Fold&Go i-Size can be adapted as little ones grow and the height and width can be adjusted independently to find the correct position for them.

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

Visual reassurance

a group 1/2/3 car The new gb Everna-Fix car seat is from around nine seat designed to evolve with a child or 9 -36 kgs. feature that months up to 12 years of age insta llation control, a unique top tether with A key feature of the Everna-Fix is the System, the top installed. Combined with an ISOFIX indicates whether the seat is correctly features have a Both ent. accid rotation in the case of an tether prevents from dangerous seat not installed n whe ing warn o audi l ng an additiona visual warning, with the top tether havi of the seat. correctly – supporting the correct use safeguards Energy Reduction Technology that rated Additional features include integ ning recli nted pate a and , to impact force the child and limits the neck’s exposure head remains in the safety zone of the ’s child the re ensu to s help headrest that ng forward during sleep. tippi headrest and prevents the head from Web: www.cybex-online.com

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new spin on safety meet i-Spin 360™ i-Size 40-105cm, )19kg A new i-Size certified, 360° pivoting protector usable rearward from birth to 19kg, and forward facing from 15 months. Simple Swivel™ for one-hand smooth spins, auto-engaging Guard Surround Safety™ side impact protection and Smart Ride™ lock-off ensure the utmost safety and the easiest of function.

For more information and all sales enquiries, please contact Joie on 01889 808 900 or email: uksales@joiebaby.com

Share the joy at joiebaby.com

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focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES

The evolution of a classic Britax Römer unveils striking new design with DUALFIX² R ng car seat DUALFIX, Britax Römer are Following popularity of the classic rotati proud to introduce its successor, DUALFIX² R. cedented safety standards, and Britax Römer are renowned for providing unpre ² R is no exception.

LFIX DUA the y, offering optimum comfort and qualit features, an update in safety n prove rs delive it 18kg, to Suitable from birth any.

Germ design and usability, and has been developed in black shell and is available DUALFIX² R comes in a sleek and sophisticated 2019.

June from s in a variety of colour option www.britax-roemer.co.uk

A real Pro Tested to i-Size safety standards the iPro Series combine years of safe, comfortable travel.

The ‘iPro Baby’ seat is one of a few i-Size seats that can be used as a travel system and using the ‘iPro universal adapter’ will fit on any stroller which uses ‘MaxiCosi’ attachments. It has excellent side impact protection, a removable newborn insert and can be used with a standard car safety belt.

The ‘iPro Kids’ can be used as a forward or rearward-facing car seat. It has a one-hand recline mechanism and seven adjustable headrest positions.

Both fit the Isofix ‘iPro Base’ with its easy click system, height adjustable support leg and locking indicators for a correct fit.

Tel: 01978 664362 Web: www.hauckuk.com

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Space saving design Diono’s Radian 5 is the original three across car seat, combining space saving design with our famous steel core, so the whole family can travel in superior safety and comfort.

Featuring a 12-position adjustable headrest, enhanced side impact protection, 5-point safety harness and extended rear facing capabilities from birth up to 25 kg (or approximately 6 years), Radian 5 takes car seat safety to a whole new level. Radian 5 is the perfect combination of enhanced protection, optimal comfort and superior safety; it delivers day in, day out, right down to the last detail.

Tel: 01827 310557 Web: www.diono.com

Get in and grow securely Give them space to keep growing securely—in their comfort zone. The MYTI™ car seat lets them ride first with a harness and then as a belt-positioning booster.

All while being i-Size safe and seriously relaxed. With an on-the-go three position recline and customizable growth system, it’s perfect from toddler to big kid— suitable from 15 months up to 12 years!

Find out more at nunababy.com

advertorial Britax Römer

Britax Römer launches the DUALFIX² R into the award-winning DUALFIX family ollowing popularity of the classic rotating car seat DUALFIX, Britax Römer are proud to introduce its successor, DUALFIX² R. Britax Römer are renowned for providing unprecedented safety standards, and offering optimum comfort and quality, the DUALFIX² R is no exception.

Suitable from birth to 18 kg (approximately four years), DUALFIX² R delivers proven safety features including the robust 5-point harness with soft chest pads. This ensures the child is held safely and comfortably in the protective shell of the car seat.

Furthermore the patented Pivot Link ISOFIX System protects the child’s delicate head and neck, particularly if parents choose to forward face their child in the seat. In the event of a frontal collision the forces exerted on the child are directed downwards into the vehicle seat which leads to a reduced forward movement of the child. Like all Britax Römer car seats, DUALFIX² R is equipped with deep, softly padded side wings to protect the child from side impact collisions by acting as a protective cocoon.

DUALFIX² R has been developed in Germany and tested according to Britax Römer’s own strict internal testing protocols which are set to exceed those required by law.

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DUALFIX2 R

Placing and harnessing an energetic child into a car seat can be a tiresome and strenuous job for parents and their bodies. That’s where Britax Römer rotating car seats can provide assistance in reducing physical effort and enabling easy entry when placing a child in their car seat. The new DUALFIX² R from Britax Römer, one of the most popular rotating car seats in the market has received an update in both design and usability from the classic DUALFIX. The shorter rebound bar enables DUALFIX² R to be rotated by parents in every recline position.

Furthermore, with the press of one button, the car seat rotating function unlocks and can be turned toward the open vehicle door. For optimum comfort DUALFIX² R offers multiple recline positions to provide the most ergonomic for the child, this can easily be adjusted anytime during the journey, whether the child is sleeping soundly or watching the world go by.

Approved to ECE R44/04 the DUALFIX² R is installed with ISOFIX and a support leg. Replacing the classic DUALFIX, DUALFIX² R comes in a sleek and sophisticated black shell and is available in a variety of colour options from June 2019.

Premium safety and comfort, DUALFIX i-SIZE

The award-winning DUALFIX i-SIZE is Britax Römer’s most premium rotating child car seat which features major advancements in comfort, safety and design and is suitable from birth to 105cm approximately four years). The DUALFIX i-SIZE adheres to the latest R129 regulation and has been developed, designed and manufactured in Germany, only being approved after extensive testing in Britax Römer’s modern in-house crash test facility which is one of Europe’s most prestigious, launched in 2017.

Providing ultimate comfort to both parents and children alike, the 360-degree rotatable car seat can

DUALFIX i-SIZE

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LFIX R has been “develDUA oped in Germ any and 2

teste d according to Britax Römer’s own strict intern al testin g protocols whic h are set to excee d those requi red by law.

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be used rearward facing from birth to 105cm or forward facing from 15 months to 105cm and also features a 90-degree rotation to the open car door, to help place and harness a child.

Furthermore, the DUALFIX i-SIZE has 12 recline positions forward and rearward facing including an ergonomically flat lying position for newborns, and can be rotated in every recline option.

The flexible follow on seat, DUALFIX M i-SIZE

The award-winning DUALFIX M i-SIZE is the perfect follow on seat to any infant carrier. Suitable from 61-105cm (approximately 3 months – 4 years) and also developed, designed and manufactured in Germany, the seat incorporates advanced safety features including “SICT inside” for side impact protection and deeply padded side wings providing safety along the entire seat – similar to a soft cocoon.

Additionally, the rebound bar helps to prevent the car seat from tilting in an impact, it can be adjusted by an entire 8 degrees allowing parents to easily adapt to the backrest of the vehicle seat and give growing children 10% of additional leg space.

The award-winning DUALFIX family offers superior safety and comfort for children from birth to four years of age.

The DUALFIX i-SIZE and the DUALFIX M i-SIZE both come with a stylish black shell and are available in a variety of colour options now. www.britax-roemer.co.uk

DUALFIX M i-SIZE

TAKE A TURN FOR THE BETTER WITH OUR DUALFIX FAMILY 360 DEGREE ROTATING CAR SEATS

NEW

Birth – 18 kg (≈ 4 years)

Birth – 105 cm (≈ 4 years | 18 kg)

61 – 105 cm (≈ 3 months – 4 years | 18 kg)

The DUALFIX i-SIZE offers ultimate comfort for parents and children from the first day.

The easy rotation and awardwinning design make it the ideal choice for every family.

The DUALFIX M i-SIZE is a very flexible follow on seat to any infant carrier. The seat combines great features with award-winning design for a safe and pleasant journey.

The DUALFIX² R is the brand new swivel car seat based on our classic DUALFIX. With the intuitive rotation function you are perfectly prepared for every journey.

focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES

Space to grow YOUniverse Fix is suitable from 9kg to 36kg, with plenty of space as little ones grow. The ISOFIX system with top tether enables easy and quick installation.

With a reclining system for additional comfort, parents simply pull the lever to adjust the size of the car seat, and the harness and headrest are simultaneously adjusted.

From nine months until four years (70-105cm) the installation can be completed with ISOFIX System benefitting from a five-point harness, or it can be installed using three-point vehicle belt following the intuitive red guidelines.

A soft reducer cushion provides additional comfort for little ones from their very first journey.

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

In the cloud The Cloud Z i-Size is a rotating infant car seat which features 1800 rotation for easy access (when used with Base Z) and an ergonomic lie-flat position outside of the car.

Featuring the integrated Linear Side-Impact Protection System, it reduces the force of a side-impact collision by approximately 25%. The base also features Driving Direction Control (D.D.C.), which ensures that the seat can never be turned to a forward-facing position.

One of the tallest car seats on the market, the Cloud Z i-Size offers 11 easy-to-adjust headrest positions with integrated harness guides for a customised adjustment as your child grows.

Web: www.cybex-online.com

Feeling secure Fe Nun has launched the new MYTI Nuna car seat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of the most versatile and secure car seats on the market.

The MYTI grows with a child transforming up and out from h harness car seat to booster seat, all the while remaining i-Size compliant, a first of its kind.

The MYTI offers a nine-position adjustable headrest and shoulder width making it the essential car seat with longevity.

Suitable for children aged 15 months to 12 years, the three th p position recline and ventilation seat panels ensure extreme com comfort however long your journey.

Web: www www.nuna.eu/uk

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Ultra p protection about the safety of T Thinking tthe youngest, Venicci have created a product that meets the create needs of babies and parents.

Ultralite is a car seat with a sspecial insert, which ensures the highest level of comfort and safety. Ultralite offers exceptionally light structural weight of 2.5 bei capable of absorbing a significant amount of kg while at the same time being ensuring perfect protection for the child. The force during a collision, ensur effectiveness of protection of the Ultralite car seat has been confirmed by tests performed in many European research laboratories. The single-point fixing of the belt to the IQ ISOFIX base guarantees full integration with the car’s ISOFIX system.

Innovative by design d Venicci AeroFIX is a modern ccar seat in the 17.5 kg /67 – 105 cm category according to tthe new I-Size certification of approval – ECE R-129.

enables safe transportation and is recommended by The AeroFIX design ena hild up to 105 cm in the rear facing position. This car seat uses Venicci for a child the same IQ base as Venicci Ultralite.

As an alternative, Venicci AeroFIX seat can also be installed facing forward for children 84 cm to 105 cm in height.

An innovative side protection system minimises the risk of injury from side impact. In addition, to improve the little traveller’s comfort the seat uses soft, top-quality materials, an adaptive headrest and tilt adjustment.

Email: info@venicci.co.uk Web: www.venicci.co.uk

Lie-flat safety Introducing the innovative new lie-flat car cot for newborns that complies with the highest safety regulations (ECE R129).

The Maxi-Cosi Jade combines the safety of a car seat and the sleep comfort of a carrycot. The perfect lie-flat position offers the ability for baby to travel comfortably and safely both during short rides and longer family trips. The unique Slide & Go installation offers an easy solution to go from the pushchair into the ISOFIX system in the car in seconds, without having to disturb your little one. The Maxi-Cosi Jade offers a travel solution where baby is safe to travel for longer periods of time. Offering a lie-flat solution means that baby is both safe, comfortable and that you need to take less breaks. The transfer from pushchair to car has never been so easy as the Maxi-Cosi Jade is compatible with the popular Lila pushchair along with other Maxi-Cosi pushchairs.

FULL OF FEATURES – FULL OF MARGIN! »

World’s first iSize R129 Highback Booster

»

Removable side bumpers, fits ‘3 in a row’

»

Unique SIP+ side-impact-protection

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PAD+, Belt guide, reclines and more!

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Selected retailers only

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Low carriage-paid order values

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Easy to deal with

Good for children, good for you!

Tel: 0208 2360707 Email: sales@uk-dorel.com

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focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES

All in the accessory

Smart features The Cloud Z I-Size with SensorSafe takes technology and enhanced safety to new heights. gh a smartphone app. Attached to The SensorSafe clip alerts a parent throu clip connects to your the harness system of your car seat, the SensorSafe nt critical situations. preve help to alerts ial essent es provid smartphone and

Key features include:

- Alerts if a child has slipped out of the harness. of your car to prevent a - The SensorSafe clip monitors the temperature child from overheating or overcooling. if a journey exceeds two - Tracks the length of a car journey and notifies hours. nt.

- Picks last known location in the case of an accide Web: www.cybex-online.com

Design, safety, function Cybex’s Z-Line range combines safety, comfort and consistency to protect children from birth up to 12 years.

Including the Cloud Z i-Size, Sirona Z i-Size, modular Base Z, as well as the group 2/3 car seat, Solution Z-Fix, the range follows Cybex’s D.S.F innovation principle: design, safety and functionality to offer maximum safety, precise functionality and a unique design.

Cloud Z i-Size: features a 180∞ rotation for easy access and an ergonomic lie-flat position outside of the car.

Sirona Z i-Size: uses the same Base Z as the Cloud Z, which has a 360∞ rotation, allowing parents to change the seat from rearward to forward-facing when their child has reached a minimum of 76cm, approx. 15 months. The Driving Direction control prevents misuse of the forward-facing position before a child has reached the minimum height requirement.

Solution Z-Fix: features an ISOFIX Connect and 12 adjustable height and width positions to adapt to a child’s changing needs as they grow.

Web: www.cybex-online.com

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Spring 2019 sees the launch of Two 2 Go, Diono’s new brand, featuring a range of juvenile accessories sold in handy twin packs.

In Two 2 Go Diono have created a range of everyday must-haves, packed in handy twin packs. The two-pack concept makes it easy and cost-effective for parents to have one of our accessories on hand, when and where they need it.

The range includes some of the most loved - and best-selling - lines such as the d2 Easy View mirror - the original 360° rotating mirror allowing you to get the best view of your baby in the back seat, from your front seat.

The Two 2 Go range combines practicality, everyday convenience, quality design and great value.

Tel: 01827 310557 Web: www.diono.com

Br th of Brea fresh air fre g AxissFix Air, Intro Introducin thanks than to new ies, the technolog tech safety standard stan for adults measure mea now also became for toddlers. available availa

brand Maxi-Cosi is the first mo Juvenile mobility airbags in a child car seat, incorpo ever to incorporate making the standard safety measure ffor adults now also available for toddlers.

The world’s first child car seat with built-in airbags reduces the forces on a child’s neck and head significantly in the unfortunate event of a collision. The new Maxi-Cosi Air Safety technology keeps toddlers in a forward-facing position up to 55% safer than children who are transported in a ‘regular’ forward-facing child car seat. Successful applications in the technology of airbag jackets for motorcyclists and airbag seatbelts in ultralight aircraft gave inspiration for the Maxi-Cosi Air Safety technology. Thorough development and testing led to this innovation that will become the new standard for forward-facing child car seats. The Maxi-Cosi Air Safety technology is a revolutionary step forward in child safety, giving parents greater peace of mind.

Tel: 0208 2360707 Email: sales@uk-dorel.com

There’s a new Titan in town Meet the Titan Pro, the car seat for children from 9 months up to 12 years.

This new addition to the Maxi-Cosi family combines high security standards with practical features for ease of use: the GrowSafe headrest easily adjusts to fit your child’s size as they grow – for safe and comfortable journeys. The innovative, crash-absorbing GCELL technology in the side panels also ensures improved side impact protection, especially in the shoulder area. Maxi-Cosi they understand that your children are precious and they grow quickly. That is why they have designed the Titan Pro car seat to grow with them and ensure comfort and safety on every journey, from 9 months up to 12 years. When using a group 11/2/3 car seat, parents need to adjust the seat reg regularly to match their child’s height. Any manual aadjustment is a potential risk of mistake that co could lead to a wrong installation of the car sea seat. The Maxi-Cosi Titan Pro makes it fo parents to adjust the seat to their easy for child, thus minimizes the risks. Thanks to the integr integrated GrowSafe headrest, parents are alerted when it is time to remove the harness sw and switch to the vehicle belt. Together with the Gro GrowSafe belt system, the smart headrest ensures that the child is correctly fitted in the seat and has a safe and comfortable ride every time. The handy ISOFIX anchorage system makes it child’s ch play for you to install the seat correctly iin the car. Three reclining positions provide extra ex comfort for our little ones.

Tel: 0208 2 2360707 Email: sales@ sales@uk-dorel.com

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focus CAR SEATS & ACCESSORIES

Stress free journey Award Winning Seat Back Organiser from s free.

Clippasafe keeps car journeys stres ve for parents who take their

The Seat Back Organiser from Clippasafe is a must-ha as it scooped a children on car journeys and want to keep them entertained. Parents agree by.

Bizzieba tion, organisa testing Gold Award from parent on longer trips; Great for short commutes and perfect for helping to keep kids occupied to keep pouches has It seat. front the to the organiser features straps that attach it easily can children so ment compart viewing iPad an plus in, items like toys, books and snacks TV. back seat own very have their convenience of One tester who tested the Seat Back Organiser praised the usability and r really enjoys daughte My trips! long for y especiall the product: “This is a brilliant product, also fits and perfect is this so family, to trips haul long do to have we when watching films her drinking bottles in. Well worth the money!” much tidier Another tester went on to say: “It’s very good quality and made the car a drink and snack, toys, car store to place A face. ance’s fi my on smile place which put a huge This was . bearable more spare nappies and wipes. The tablet pocket makes longer journeys great value for money!”

Tel: 0115 9211 899 Web: www.clippasafe.co.uk

Every stage…Joie’s got it covered!

When it comes to car seats that are designed to grow with your child Joie’s Every Stage car seat has it covered!

Designed to make growing up easy from birth to 12 years, it’s four seats in one that adjusts, adapts and protects through groups 0+, 1, 2 and 3.

Thanks to its AutoAdjust technology, the headrest and side wings grow up and out simultaneously meaning parents can rest assured the seat is where it should be. Additionally the seat has Guard Surround Safety that are side impact protection panels built in and a reinforced steel inner seat frame, meaning Joie has designed this to be as safe and secure as possible. Plus Every Stage is another great seat in Joie’s extensive range of extended rearward facing seats, as it can be used this way up to 18kg/4 years and then forward faces to 36kg/12 years.

Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com

Flat-out success!

s Joie’s lie-flat i-Size infant carrier ha trade received a great reaction from the and consumers alike, winning top ms honours in the 2018 Made For Mu awards in the hotly contested infant car seat category! from birth

The Joie i-Level is suitable up to 85cm and less than 13kg. i-Level cleverly and simply converts to a flat reclining seat that can be used flat, both in the vehicle and on the pushchair!

The i-Level’s 157 degree ergonomic angle is engineered to keep your child’s head, neck and body in perfect alignment promoting healthy spinal development and to maintain constant airflow.

Featuring certified side impact protection and a multi-height headrest es and harness that adjust together. It com lable avai also is h whic iBase LX, complete with an ISOFIX base, the ed. The infant seat pairs with need be base nd seco a ld shou y ratel sepa and litetrax 4 pushchairs, as ster cros , pact the Joie chrome dlx, mytrax, adapters. well as other brand pushchairs using Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com

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supplier snapshot This issue we’re talking car seats. We speak to some of the industry’s finest to find out their thoughts on this category.

Paul Sirett

COUNTRY MANAGER, UK/IRL - BESAFE

Sam Cheetham

HEAD OF PRODUCT/PROGRAM MANAGEMENT - DIONO Do you think there is still confusion surrounding car seats?

Currently parents-to-be face a double challenge. There are many different types, designs and styles of car seat so it’s hard for most new parents to know where to start. Also, R129 and R44 are currently running side by side. There are some great guidance websites that help educate and guide customers but as a manufacturer we believe it’s our duty to provide as much information as possible to help educate consumers to choose the best car seat for their needs.

Which would you say is the group category where we have seen the most innovation?

Car seats is definitely a category where we have seen innovation not only in the seat shells themselves but with customer facing fitting and instructions. The introduction of electronics and easy fit options make fitting and understanding car seats easier.

Do you think we offer sufficient information for consumers when they research car seats online?

As an industry it’s important that we educate the consumer and help them make the best choices for them regardless of spend, brand etc. After all we all want children to be safe and in a rear facing car seat for as long as possible. The Diono website aims to provide the consumer as much information as possible before they commit to a purchase.

Are parents looking at the safety elements of a car seat before they look at the aesthetics?

Often it’s a combination! Some are looking at the aesthetics to match their stroller or vehicle interior, on the other hand you have the consumers who are looking for the best seat that fits there needs and requirements along with the safety the seat offers.

Hamish McPhillips

CATEGORY MANAGER - SILVER CROSS Do you think there is still confusion surrounding car seats?

We conducted our own study of over 1,000 new parents in November 2018, in which more than 50% admitting to being confused when shopping for a car seat. There are also regular news articles outlining high levels of misuse and incorrect fitting of child car seats. Having listened to parents, they want absolute peace of mind that their car seat is fitted correctly.

Do you think we offer sufficient information for consumers when they research car seats online?

I believe there is enough information available for consumers. If anything, there could be too much information! Often consumers are confused by the wealth of choice and differing messaging.

Are parents looking at the safety elements of a car seat before they look at the aesthetics?

It’s a little varied, with some parents only focused on safety and others more interested in the aesthetics, understanding that safety is a given. We do know parents are spending more time picking the right car seat for them, their child and their vehicle.

Do you feel that as a car seat brand you offer adequate innovation?

Absolutely! We’ve launched a new range of four car seats, each offering different innovation and features. We focused heavily on the comfort, utilising the best fabrics. This is all supported by a first of its kind Silver Cross App which provides customers clear guidance on how to fit the seat within the car, offering ultimate safety and peace of mind.

Do you think there is still confusion surrounding car seats?

Yes indeed... a lot of confusion and many myths sadly, however this is a great opportunity for retailers to gain a competitive advantage by having well trained staff !

And those retailers should ask their trustworthy, reliable suppliers to help train their staff.

Which would you say is the group category where we have seen the most innovation?

The i-Size category representing a child’s stature height range up to 105cm (Group 0/1 under R44) continues to see more innovation perhaps than any other category across the Nursery Industry. However, pushchair brands are also finding innovative ways to bring Infant Carriers to market under their own brands and now the new i-Size regulations are established for Highback Boosters that category is also set to explode.

Do you think we offer sufficient information for consumers when they research car seats online?

Definitely not and perhaps the industry could work together to standardise some common, important features of car seats to allow the public to more easily select those that are most appropriate to them. We have done some interesting work with some Social Media/Online experts in this area already and hope to build on that very soon.

Are parents looking at the safety elements of a car seat before they look at the aesthetics?

Some do some don’t for sure... and here again this presents a great opportunity for retailers to gain a competitive advantage by being able to explain all the safety features of their car seat range.

How important are brand names within this category?

Branding can be important for consumer’s as a recognised brand name can quickly communicate a lot about a product, however here again retailers can gain a competitive advantage by being able to explain and recommend a range of product options for their consumer.

Do you feel that as a car seat brand you offer adequate innovation?

We have a good track-record and a recent good example would be that BeSafe was the first to market with an i-Size Highback Booster last Spring.

Do you think that at times reviews, for example by Which?, can confuse, perhaps more than inform, consumers with regard to the varying safety tests they may conduct?

Absolutely, these reviews and so called ‘tests’ are indeed confusing and should only be taken as a small part of the purchased decision process by the consumer.

How do you support your retailers?

We provide quality products, quality training, monthly marketing materials and importantly deliver margin.

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focus DIONO

The Diono difference In 2008, Diono began its journey to become a pioneer in car child safety. Today, the company is proud to say that millions off parents around the globe have trusted Diono with their most precious cargo. With a range of car seats and boosters, all designs are thoughtfully engineered, designed to grow and built to last for mile after mile, journey after journey. radian 5 – the seat that started it all Over 20 years has passed since Radian 5 was introduced. Since then it’s picked up a car-full of accolades and awards around the world. It’s been celebrated for its famous automotive grade steel core which is lovingly to protect a child at g y engineered g their journey. Today, each stage of th it continues to be hand-built and Diono’s pioneering reflects Dio facing for vision of “rear “ meaning parents can longer” m keep their little ones rearfacing up to 25 kg (approximately 7 years of (approxim age). Ra Radian 5 is designed to fit 3 acro across in most vehicles making it ideal for a m family’s growing f needs.

For 2019, n t there are seven new colourways making it c the perfect partner f every journey. for

orcas NXT fix - a constant companion for every adventure Diono has evolved its car seat selection with the introduction of the Orcas. As a Group 1, 2, 3 isofix car seat Orcas has been designed to be a constant companion for every adventure. With its blend of design and longevity it securely cocoons little ones

2 from 9kg – 36kg (approximately 9 months up to 12 years of age). For early adventures, Diono have incorporated a 5-point harness with simple one-pull adjustment, an infant liner and four recline positions.

As little ones grow, the Orcas then converts into a Group 2/3 high back booster seat with 7-position headrest that is easily adjusted to create the perfect comfortable and protective environment. Due to the wide-ranging age span, the covering fabrics have been lovingly engineered with durable fabric.

everett NXT - designed to grow and built to last With the Everett NXT, Diono has created a booster seat that’s designed to grow and built to last.

Advanced flip and store isofix connectors make installation simple and at 4kg, it’s lightweight and super portable too. As with all Diono products, this booster has been lovingly engineered and built around safety, comfort and support. It accommodates children from 15 - 36 kg or approximately 4 to 12 years. The 7-position headrest adjusts to provide protective head support and deep walls offer enhanced side impact protection.

Everett NXT is truly adaptable: offering parents the choice of two installation options: either via isofix connectors or seatbelt. All the best adventures get messy, that’s why Everett NXT’s soft but

hard-wearing textiles are machine washable, so parents can simply remove the cover cover, wash and refit refit with a single zip.

cambria 2 – plenty of room to grow As a company that’s been around for 20 years, Diono understands that children grow up fast and are soon ready to move up to a booster. Cambria 2 provides plenty of room to grow without compromising on safety or comfort and accommodates children from 15 - 36 kg.

Its spacious design allows plenty of room for a child’s shoulders, hips and legs and has extra length for better leg support.

The Cambria 2 excels with the ability to flat pack for storage and travel. When in use there are integrated isofix connectors and front adjusters for secure and simple installation and there are two cup holders for those all-important in-car refreshments. On arrival – if required - the removable covers wipe clean.

For more information or to arrange an appointment to view the full Diono range, contact Tom Hemus at tom.hemus@diono.com or call 01827 310557.

It’s what’s inside that counts.

At Diono safety has always come first and it all begins with a full-steel core. Inspired by Seattle’s aeronautical industry and developed by Diono engineers, the team developed a mechanically engineered spine which was then fabricated in automotive-grade steel. In the event of a collision, this core will act as a steel roll cage.

Furthermore, every car seat includes Diono’s Side Impact Protection. All Diono seats go through rigorous testing protocol to simulate side impact crashes. The seats are then evaluated based on how well they contain the head, while reducing chest and pelvis acceleration.

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nursery matters JOHN BARKER

Barking Mad This issue John Barker is talking GOT, football, stock issues, returns and the new VAT system. hat’s it. It’s over, 8 years of our lives have been dedicated to the story of a brooding hunk and his nutter of an aunt. We’ve seen lesser shows come and go, it’s fought off contenders from all the major channels and yet Game Of Thrones has always managed to be our favourite show, and now it’s gone. How Penny expects me to comment on anything is beyond me. I will try and remain focussed on the task at hand and complete this months article without too much deviation. In fact, I’m a little stumped as my life is currently on hold. . .Football season has come to an end and I have to wait till August to see the mighty Arsenal challenge for the league once again.

NFL doesn’t start again until September, Star Wars isn’t until December and I don’t go on Holiday until August either. I guess there’s nothing for it, I’ll have to concentrate on work (makes a change).

How’s 2019 going for everyone?

Don’t tell me, it’s a bit hit and miss. . .In the words of Douglas Adams. . .DON’T PANIC! We are all the same.

Days that should be busy are beyond bad and then on a random rainy Wednesday in the middle of the month you have your best day in months. It makes no sense and it’s making planning very difficult. With me being such a spreadsheet geek I put all of my faith in meticulous planning and forecasting using Excel and Numbers. I don’t know why I bother if I’m honest. You can analyse daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly figures as far back as your records go in an attempt to formulate some kind of pattern only to discover this trade is a little bit “pot luck” at the moment.

T

An unpredictable income means an unpredictable cash flow and this can prove problematic. In an ideal world customers actually pay for their orders when it arrives in store but that’s not how it works on a day to day basis.

As a perfect example let my tell you about a recent experience. A customer had ordered her pram bundle back in February for delivery in May. On the 1st May the phone rings, low and behold it’s said customer, “Is my pram in stock?”, “no but it will be with us this month” was the reply. Everyday the customer calls and everyday we tell her the same thing, “when it arrives we WILL call you”. I eventually got fed up of deflecting calls from the customer so I brought the pram in to stock. It is worth pointing out that the reason for my reluctance was that the customer isn’t due until August and she had only paid the minimum deposit. From experience we all know how this situation will play out. The pram will come in to stock as requested and then the customer won’t collect it or pay their balance for two or three months, meaning you’ve tied up space in your warehouse and had to buy the pram in from the supplier.

All with only the minimum deposit from the customer. Frustrating and all too common at the moment. Just like Mystic Meg my prediction has come true, the goods have now been in my warehouse for two weeks and the customer has made it completely clear that they have no intention to pay for, or collect them until closer to her due date – So why demand we get it into stock for her in May? Handling the situation is difficult as the customer is aware that their order is in stock and could come at any time to collect it (not that they will in reality).

Re-sell the items and if the customer calls to collect you’ll face an awkward conversation explaining why their goods are no longer in stock. Yes we may be perfectly justified given the circumstances but if the issue is mishandled the customer will immediately vent on social media and nobody wants that. I guess that’s the beauty of selling online – if you have the item in stock the customer orders it, pays for it and they get it straight away.

Ok so this then presents it’s own problems with returns etc. and my head can’t handle that much complication.

We’ve imposed a two week rule which means we tell customers that when the stock arrives in store the balance has to be paid within a fortnight. You guessed it, they still don’t pay. There must be a solution to the problem even if it manages to elude us so far. This is just one of the many trials and tribulations of operating the way many of us do.

In other news I have to report I’m really not liking the new VAT system.

Being a small business I am responsible for ensuring people get paid and I have to deal with the administration that goes with that.

The fact that we have recently been forced to report VAT more accurately using approved software has simply made my life so much harder. I’ve always used Sage and our accountants have compiled everything the VAT man needs at the end of every quarter.

I guess my roll was the book keeper, simply enter the data as an when and the accountant sorts the mess out at the end of the quarter, this I could just

about handle. The new system, as many of you will know, basically means we are now faced with choosing to fully operate our accounts or suffering the cost or paying an accountant to take them over. It can’t just be me that feels out of my depth?

When you consider that this move is on top of digital reporting of payslips to HMRC and the nightmare of admin that the workplace pension creates I feel like I’m drowning and the foot on my head is getting heavier and heavier. Some one in an office in that there London Town must have sat there one day and thought ‘I know how can we make it harder for small to medium sized businesses function!’

They clearly came up with two solutions, A) Build a Death Star and destroy any planets that offer any resistance towards the HMRC’s master plan and B) Force people to become bedroom accountants through the implementation of mandatory digital reporting. Thankfully this clever individual decided to go with option B (well, lets be honest it’s better than total annihilation) – Maybe the thought of Red 5 swooping in was enough to put them off option A, and for that we say thanks Luke!

The frustrating thing is that as our back office roles require more attention therefore meaning we have less time to actually manage our shops.

How in any shape or form is that a good thing for our dwindling high streets. I blame HBO and their insistence on finishing Game Of Thrones – Life was better then. Winter has come and cleared off !

john@pramland.co.uk nursery today

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talking shop This issue we’re talking car seats. We spoke to a number of independent retailers with regard to their general thoughts on this product category.

Jon Bean

BOURNEMOUTH BABY CENTRE Are your customers looking at car seats taking into consideration safety elements before aesthetics?

I would say that most customers do look at the safety elements first and then make their decision on the choice of the best.

Would you say we have sufficient innovation within this sector?

Yes I think the products are improving steadily year on year.

Do you feel as an industry we are sending out a universal message with regard to car seats?

I feel that there is a good message out there but unfortunately we do hear that consumers are getting bad or incorrect advise from other major retailers.

Have you experienced any specific consumer trends with regard to car seats?

One main specific we find is when we get a potential Group One customer they will always ask for a swivel car seat to get baby in and out easier.

Do you feel that reviews, for example Which?, can cause confusion among consumers or do you feel these assist in buying decisions?

Which? have had a massive impact on the sales of car seats over the years, we find now though consumers can get FREE reviews online.

I’m not really a fan of Which? as they have caused a lot of confusion with giving bad reviews and good reviews on the same products, some of which are excellent products.

Is this a sector where your customers research online prior to purchase?

Yes!

Is this a category where brand names play a pivotal role?

No I don’t think brand is pivotal, it will help sell the product but for instance when Kiddy and Cybex came out no one had heard of these makes and they proved just as popular as Maxi Cosi and Britax because they where excellent car seats. As long as the car seat is proved safe and has good features it will sell.

How does this effect you?

We follow reviews also, they help us learn more about the products and also it helps to try keep correct stocks of popular items.

What can manufacturers and suppliers of car seats offer to assist you?

Having stock of their items and be able to deliver them in quick time would be a great help.

Jason Heller HUGGLE

Are your customers looking at car seats taking into consideration safety elements before aesthetics?

Our customers know that we will only ever sell products that are fully tested and best in class. Many have often researched the product before they visit us and understand this. That will always be their priority, however the design, colour and aesthetics are becoming very important also. When you spend a lot of money on a car you have every right to expect a car seat that has also been built with a strong design ethic which also looks good.

Do you feel as an industry we are sending out a universal message with regard to car seats?

No. Unfortunately we don’t and that is something that needs to improve. This is especially important where there is so much information available to parents or independent reviews which they often refer to.

Do you feel that reviews, for example Which?, can cause confusion among consumers or do you feel these assist in buying decisions?

Absolutely. And that is why both the brands and the likes of Which? must communicate before information is put into the public domain, especially if Which? are to make specific claims relating to products.

Is this a category where brand names play a pivotal role?

Yes - as you know there are some well known market leaders who dominate the market and unless you have very deep pockets or are able to build a strong brand such as Cybex it is always going to be difficult to break that.

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Would you say we have sufficient innovation within this sector?

Yes - this continues to be one of the more innovative categories within the nursery sector.

Have you experienced any specific consumer trends with regard to car seats?

Rear facing Group 1-2 continue to remain a growth area for us along with high back boosters.

Is this a sector where your customers research online prior to purchase?

Yes - very much so. The issue is that there is so much information out there that it can often be confusing or over whelming and that is why they often come in-store.

We really believe that car seats should be an in-store only purchase.

What can manufacturers and suppliers of car seats offer to assist you?

In depth staff training, display stock and display units, along with improved margins of course!

Alan Peacock LITTLE PEAS

Are your customers looking at car seats taking into consideration safety elements before aesthetics?

I hope so! We’ve seen a huge shift in the Group 1 market and I’d say that the vast majority of customers who come, do come with the intention of continuing to rear face beyond their infant carrier.

We’ve also steered clear of ‘gimmick’ car seats that are super-hero characters or such-like that mask a poor quality seat.

Do you feel as an industry we are sending out a universal message with regard to car seats?

No, definitely not. I think customers are confused. Every day we’ll have a customer sayy “myy friend says y I’ve to buy this (R44) seat, as it’s now the law that they’ve to rear face. Is it 15 months,18 th months, two years, or till four years?” m This message needs to be clearer, but it’s eessential that retailers know their stuff. I find that I’ve regularly got customers coming to th our o store to have a fit checked, or to double check on advice they’ve been given by a c high h street retailer or ‘bigger store’.

Do you feel that reviews, for example Which?, can cause confusion among W consumers or do you feel these assist c in i buying decisions?

Which? has its place, but it does carry too W much weight with some consumers. I’ve m seen “DO NOT BUY” due to length of s

time to install, or their fitter not understand the fitting of the seat.

Sometimes they’re bang on, and sometimes they’re not - it can really blur the lines.

Would you say we have sufficient innovation within this sector?

I certainly think that this is continuing in the right direction. However, while children are still being injured in accidents, it’ll never be sufficient.

Have you experienced any specific consumer trends with regard d tto car seats?

Yes, the Group 1 rear facing and Extended Rear Facing to 25kg markets continue to be the strongest growth areas.

Is this a sector where your customers research online prior to purchase?

Definitely. We have to be on our toes, as the consumers are becoming more and more knowledgeable. We find that the majority now are armed with information they’ve found online, or from a friend.

What can manufacturers and suppliers of car seats offer to assist you?

I think that regular training is important. It allows all staff to have a clear and consistent message, and also keeps them ‘on brand’.

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THE INSIGHTS PEOPLE

Reviewing options T This issue Jenny Kieras looks at why customer reviews and influencers are kkey to your marketing strategy aving a baby is a life-changing event and parents, especially first-time mums and dads, d who often spend countless hours researching r the products they’ll need – no matter how big or small – before making a purchase. However, the methods parents-to-be use, and the advice they follow, is changing.

The majority (75 per cent) of new and expecting parents are millennials, so the approach they take to picking a car seat or highchair has shifted compared to that of previous generations. While recommendations from friends and family are still what new and expectant parents rely on the most when making purchasing decisions, the value of other sources is growing fast, and the sheer volume of alternative data sources means brands need to fight harder to make themselves heard and stay relevant.

New research from Parents Insights shows that product reviews on the site they are buying from now influence 23.74 per cent of parents, only just behind the 26.66 per cent who cite friends and family as their main source of recommendations.

Mums are especially trusting of on-site reviews from stores like Amazon, Argos and Mothercare, with 64 per cent saying these have influenced them in the three months to January 2019, up from 58 per cent in the previous quarter. This figure highlights the importance of the authenticity of these reviews. Amazon in particular has received criticism in recent months for allowing fake reviews on its site, which could potentially mislead parents into buying substandard products. On a broader scale, the Competition and Markets Authority estimates online reviews influence £23 billion of consumer spending each year.

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Jenny Kieras Chief Operating Officer Experienced in product development and both B2B and B2C marketing, Jenny’s focus at Parents Insights is expanding the products offered by the business, which currently surveys 10,000 parents each year to give brands valuable insights into emerging trends.

Jenny has worked for brands and with buyers and retailers in this industry for many years, so also knows it is more important than ever before to be able to stay ahead of trends and back product decisions with data and insight.

Parents Insights was launched

by Manchester-based The Insights People in 2018 to give companies direct access to flash trends and key data to enhance their knowledge about their target audiences’ attitudes, behaviours and consumption.

About Parents Insights Parents Insights is the most comprehensive and dynamic market intelligence resource on all things expecting and new parents in the UK. Every week we survey 200 expecting and new parents (up to the age of 4), which is more than 10,000 every year – which enables brands and agencies to provide significant insight what is influencing into the attitudes, behaviour and consumption of this generations of parents.

For more information on Parents Insights, a sample report and a demo of the Parents Insights award winning portal visit www.parentsinsights. co.uk/nurserytoday or call Jenny on 0330 159 6631.

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Bloggers winning dads’ trust Among dads, there’s growing signs that bloggers are having a key say in what products they end up purchasing. Our figures show the proportion of dads influenced by well-known parenting bloggers like The DADventurer and

rose from 15 per cent to 18 per cent at the start of the year.

This suggests brands that work with influential bloggers and YouTubers through the use of sponsored content will have the upper hand when it comes to appealing to new dads - a market that companies are targeting

said blogs and social media have the biggest influence when they make a purchase, this group are 49 per cent more likely to hold a baby shower, as they seek to emulate the lifestyles of celebrity mums such as Giovanna Fletcher, who shares a lot of her parenting story through Instagram.

New research from Parents Insights shows that product reviews on the site they are buying from now influence 23.74 per cent of parents, only just behind the 26.66 per cent who cite friends and fa mily as their main source of recommendations. more aggressively than before. In February, Pampers called on celebrity dads John Legend and Adam Levine for an advert that ran during the high-profile Superbowl half-time slot championing the male half of the new-parent team.

Bloggers and social media driving baby shower popularity Bloggers and influencers on sites like Instagram are not just affecting the spending habits of new parents, they’re changing how they mark pregnancy milestones too. Looking at parents who

Baby brands that have not already acknowledged the role product reviews and social media influencers can play in getting their products into the hands of new parents need to reassess their marketing strategy, or be at risk of getting left behind in an era where tech-savvy millennials who expect to have trustworthy information from brands at their fingertips are the ones calling the purchasing shots.

For more information, a sample report and a free trial of Parents Insights’ award-winning portal visit www.parentsinsights.co.uk/ nurserytoday or call 0330 159 6631.

retail TECHNOLOGY

Laying the groundwork for eCommerce David Fairhurst looks at why it pays to look ahead when planning out a new eCommerce website launch. s a well-seasoned online marketer, I’ve probably seen every possible scenario when being asked to promote a website, however it always surprises me when clients are totally on-board with the advice that I give and it really makes my day when it happens.

Recently I was asked to promote a new eCommerce business. That’s fine, it’s something that I have done many times, but this particular eCommerce business is so new that it doesn’t exist yet, as the new eCommerce website which will be powering the business is perhaps 3 months away from completion and isn’t even at the design flat-file stage!

So how exactly do you promote a business that is unable to trade and doesn’t have any visible online presence? The answer is, you can’t!

However that isn’t the full story…

A

Why Community Matters There’s a very good reason why old, established online retailers have stable incomes and that is the fact these websites generally have lots of repeat business. Getting repeat business relies on lots of happy, communicative customers who are willing to share knowledge of your business online.

This is great for established businesses, but if you have no eCommerce trading history and are starting a brand-new online venture, how can you get the ball rolling when your new eCommerce website is nowhere near ready for launch? The answer is show people what they can expect and then build community.

Teaser Campaigns and Blogging If you don’t have the ability to launch your eCommerce website with all of its associated revenue generating product content straight away, do what you can to start building a community and getting people interested in what

you will be offering. The way to do this is to create a content-rich holding page for your website and a good quality blog with regularly updated content.

If you already have your domain for your new eCommerce website registered then get some hosting set up and create an informative, well written holding page telling people what they can expect when your new eCommerce website arrives.

You’ll also need a blog – I recommend Wordpress as its easily the market leader in terms of functionality and user base, being open source and with a vast array of community produced plugins and themes to use.

Your blog should be installed in a sub-folder of your main domain (site. com/blog/ for instance) which means any content you add to your blog will be adding to the overall search engine effectiveness of your website as a whole.

After your blog is set up and you’ve installed a simple design then get blogging! The sooner you add content to your blog the better as this will start to build up history with search engines and make it more likely that the content you write will appear in search results for related keyphrases.

Social Marketing Of course, as you have planned ahead, you have already grabbed your social media accounts for your new business and that’s good because you’ll need these next when it comes to promoting all of the content you have created on your blog and holding page!

Get all of your social accounts associated with your holding page and when you’re ready, tell the World about the amazing products you will be offering.

Tracking Results You may not think that it’s important to track results at this stage, however I’d urge you to get a statistics package installed at the outset. This helps to build up a clearer picture from day one of what people are looking for, so

you don’t have to guess. I’d suggest using Google’s own Analytics package (google.co.uk/analytics) and Search Console (google.co.uk/webmasters) which will give you all the data you need and more. Using Google search console will also mean you can submit sitemaps for both your holding page and blog, which will speed up indexing of your new pages and mean you get results even quicker.

You’re a Blogger, get those links!

Links from one website to another are used by Google to gauge the popularity of any website. If your website has lots of high-quality links from respected websites, then it is going to rank well.

Believe it or not, now is the time to get some of the best, most valuable links your new eCommerce business will ever have! Because you are running a blog at this point, not an eCommerce website, people are more likely to give you links as you are not directly trying to sell anything, so get out there and ask for some links!

Approach other website owners and ask for links from their related content to yours, this will do your new business the World of good later…

David Fairhurst Head of Creative Online Marketing - Intelligent Retail

Moving Forward with eCommerce Of course, there will be a point when your brand, spanking new eCommerce website is ready for launch. You’ve put in all the hard work writing product descriptions and category content and your designers have done a fantastic job of presenting all this information with some great imagery. What now?

Well I would suggest that you keep blogging and posting on social media!

All that community you have built up will still be wanting your content and Google will be loving your dedication to the cause, plus I guarantee you will be thanking your foresight and planning when the revenue starts pouring in!

David Fairhurst Head of eCommerce, Intelligent Retail, www.intelligentretail.co.uk David has been involved with Search Engine Optimisation and web development since 1999 and has spoken at many different retail and SEO conferences including Spring Fair and SES London

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focus SLEEPTIME & ACCESSORIES Image courtesy of Purflo

Sound to sleep Baby sleep time is an area that can cause new parents many anxieties, but what are manufacturers and suppliers focussing on to give added reassurance? Here we talk to some of the industry’s finest to find out more. anufacturers and suppliers in the sleeptime category recognise the opportunities that all related products bring, from Moses baskets, side sleeping cribs, cots and cot beds through to mattresses, bedding, nursery décor, lighting and baby monitors. The largest, and perhaps the most expensive in this category, being the purchase of the cot or cot bed.

We asked Mark Nicholls (Marketing Director, Green Sheep Group) if he feels there are any notable trends when we look at the sleeptime category? “We can see a number of emerging trends from our experience within the category. Parents continue to place a high emphasis on style when it comes to choosing many of their key sleeptime purchases, seeking something unique that matches their own taste,” said Mark. “The influence of social media (notably Instagram) has played big part in this, where parents can follow accounts and personalities who reflect their own style aspirations. As a result, at Snüz we are firmly committed to expanding our nursery offering to include more interest drivers such as accessory décor items. Our aim is to become the one-stop nursery shop where parents can gain inspiration and create their dream nursery. We also continue to see the growth in the use of technology in either aiding or monitoring baby sleep, culminating in the recent launch of a wearable baby monitor. Any solution which helps sleep deprived parents is likely to always grab attention, and it will be interesting to observe how safe sleep, technology and style all play their part within the category in the coming years.”

Sinead Murphy (Co-Founder and CCO, Shnuggle) feels that style and function are key.

“Aesthetically, parents are opting for stylish pieces to complement their own interior design. There is also a need for more and more features to be included in the product to benefit baby, all the while keeping baby as close as possible.”

Obaby’s Marketing Administrator, Beth Henry feel that lighter white or grey options for cots are also paving the way forward, with the more traditional colours, for example, pine and dark wood not being as popular.

Holly John (UK and Ireland Head of Marketing, Chicco) agrees: “When purchasing products in the

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sleeptime category, parents want to ensure that they are selecting the most comfortable and convenient solution for their little one. There has been an increase in demand for additional features that help soothe little ones as they sleep. For example, the Next2Me Magic features a new rocking mechanism that can be operated in free standing mode by the touch of a button.

“Colour schemes have also become an increasingly important factor for new parents designing their little one’s nursery. As a result, we have seen an increase in products on the market that are available in neutral colours, such as grey and beige that will suit most nurseries. With this in mind, the Chicco Next2Me Magic and Next2Stars night light are available in a variety of neutral colours, perfectly fitting in with any nursery.”

With parents (especially perhaps new mums) being information hungry, is this a category that is researched prior to purchase? “It very much depends on the product, however yes I feel it is definitely a category whereby purchases are more considered in nature,” said Mark. “This is pretty logical too, when you factor in that many sleeptime purchases are either likely to be used for a number of years (e.g. a cot bed), or are important in relation to the safe sleep of your baby.

“Whether a reactive, impulse or a big ticket buy, there is a strong influence from friends, family and online personalities. Often parents who have found that magic solution to getting a good night’s sleep are very keen to talk about it to their peers, and sometimes consumers won’t necessarily be aware they’re ‘researching’ as the information is pushed in their direction. Of course, not all recommendations and insights from these people are always welcome and can also be very overwhelming to new parentsto-be.”

Shnuggle are also experiencing this with their customers. “At Shnuggle HQ we’re definitely noticing a change in the level of research and detailed questions we’re receiving from customers.

Baby’s first bed is such an important decision and with more choices available than ever,” comments Sinead. “Many new parents need a bit of help to understand which bed will suit them best - and we are seeing more and more the power of the mumfluencer as part of this research.”

“

Th e m at p rob ab ly st ill ontreesos f is mo st un der - con si dert h e sleep t ime p ro ducts,e d w h en y ou fa cto r in imp o rtant ro le it p t h e U lt im ately, it is wla y s. y ou r p reci ous b ab y h at sleep in g on an d is su r roun de d b y fo r m t h an 12 h ou r s a d a o re y‚ Mark Nicholls

”

How important is the role therefore of social media? “Social Media is important as it is a great platform for peer to peer engagement and recommendations,” says WHL’s Managing Director, Richard Trott. “We see how important it is from the conversations we are part of on our platforms.

Influencers too are important, but more so is industry endorsement, for example, awards won giving the opinion of Experts in the field. So, they seek out a product like ours that fully complies with the BS4578:1970 and BS EN1130 which is the UK standard from Breathability rather than whatever a blogger says looks good.”

Bedside sleeping solutions have also risen hugely in popularity. Why is this? We asked Mark for his thoughts. “In my opinion, and from personal experience with my daughter, it is because bedside cribs like SnüzPod offer parents the chance to capture those special bonding moments, as well as being able to provide practical benefits such as ease of feeding and improved sleep throughout the night.

SnüzPod 3 has been a huge success and continues to lead the way in the category it helped create.”

With Chicco having continued to feature their Next2Me through various consumer media channels, bedside sleeping products have notably increased in popularity over the years. Holly told us: “The Next2Me was the original side-sleeping crib available on the market, and since then the concept of side-sleeping has become increasingly popular among parents as it allows them to share special bonding moments without compromising the baby’s safety. It is important that parents can easily get to their little one during the night to comfort or feed them, and side-sleeping cribs have proven to be an ideal solution.”

focus SLEEPTIME & ACCESSORIES Image courtesy of Gro

Richard feels that bedside cribs have grown in popularity due to their safety aspects. “Bedside Cribs have grown in popularity exponentially. Reason for this - parents are more wary about taking baby into their bed for co-sleeping and prefer to have a sleeping environment that keeps baby close to hand, but totally safe.”

As this is an extremely emotive product category, are parents actively looking for products that have a level of endorsement from either a known organisation, award winning status of perhaps an influencer? “Yes for sure, probably even more so within the sleeptime category where there are big unknowns for first-time parents. These endorsements might not just be in the form of an award though, it could be other examples of social proof such as reviews or influencer recommendations,” commented Mark.

Another area of concern and something that we are seeing an increased awareness of that of cot mattresses - what will best suit requirements and give reassurance? Parents are now becoming ever more aware (perhaps through research online) as to the array of different mattresses now available.

Of course we all know the success to a good night sleep is the function of the mattress, and this is no different for baby/infant mattress solutions. Beth told us: “The mattress is quickly becoming more important than the cot or cot bed it fits in. After all, the first stages of development are so important and it is crucial little ones are protected as much as possible.” So does that mean that the mattress is now a considered purchase? “As a separate item yes people will be looking for comfort and added features such as a waterproof layer and hypoallergenic qualities. But this is more relevant to cot mattresses as first beds general come with a mattress included,” said Sinead.

We posed the same question to Mark. “The mattress is probably still one of the most underconsidered sleeptime products, when you factor in

the important role it plays. Ultimately, it is what your precious baby is sleeping on and surrounded by for more than 12 hours a day...yet knowledge and budget is often absorbed by more ‘interesting’ products,” responded Mark.

“There is hope however! The shake-up we are seeing in the adult mattress category I think WILL filter down into the nursery market. As we as adults pay more attention to the mattress we are sleeping on, naturally this will gain more focus when it comes to our children. I’ve seen first hand in stores parents opt for the mattress in the ‘middle’ - the one which is of a good quality, often sprung because that’s what parents and store staff can relate too, and not too cheap nor too expensive.

“I hope that the next few years sees a change in this with more research and questions being asked by parents. At Snüz, we’re addressing this head-on with our new innovative baby mattress SnüzSurface.

Unlike most mattresses which offer one type of support and firmness to last from a newborn weight to a five year old, SnüzSurface provides three supports in one mattress adapting to the changing needs and weights of a growing child. Retailers too play a big part in placing an increased emphasis on baby and child mattresses, with greater training for store staff needed and more engaging sales assets.

We hope to lead the line with this.”

There is clearly a great array of baby sleep time products/ranges currently available, but what are manufacturers and suppliers doing to bring added brand awareness? To gain an understanding, as an example, we asked Sinead to tell us how they communicate their message to the consumer to support their retailers with regard their sleeptime product ranges. “Shnuggle have invested heavily into the launch of the new Shnuggle Air, more so than with any other product. We are working with retailers to create beautiful Shnuggle display areas in store.

“We have also created bespoke digital content designed to spread awareness of the product in

terms of the unique features and benefits to baby and parent, we have embarked on campaigns with key media in order to reach our target audience and we have carefully selected influencers to help communicate the messaging of Air.” With so much choice available, what roles do brand names play within the sleep time sector?

“Brands are extremely important in the sleeptime market, as parents want to ensure that the products they are purchasing provide maximum quality and functionality to keep their little ones safe and comfortable during the night,” commented Holly.

“As a leader in the sleeptime market, Chicco has built a strong reputation for delivering high quality and highly convenient sleep-time products that are trusted by parents.”

Finally what about innovation? We asked Mark if he feels we have sufficient innovation when we talk about products associated with sleeptime? “Winding back five-10 years, I’d have said no. But there is a movement in a positive direction when it comes to innovation within the category.

“I’d like to think that obviously Snüz has played its part in this, however other great brands are investing also in providing new solutions for parents (and babies!). The downside for consumers will be much more ‘noise’ and potential for confusion, which is why I think only those brands who truly live and breathe innovation will succeed and be able to cut through all of that.”

Touch of magic As the latest addition to the Next2 Me range, the Next2Me Magic includes a ran ge of exciting and unique new features.

Perfect nest Organic Cotton Baby Nest from Babymoov The transition from womb to cot can be unsettling for any newborn to adjust to.

Babymoov Doomoo Nest provides an additional reassuring cocooning environment in which to sleep, rest and play.

Placed inside the cot or co-sleeper, this baby nest is designed with 3D breathable mesh in the head area and complies with all UK fire safety and breathability standards. Its organic cotton cover is noticeably soft on sensitive, newborn skin with additional highly breathable and anti-allergenic properties.

Its extendable design means you can adjust the size of the cocoon as they grow up until around eight months old.

Available in two coloured prints, covers are removable and washable.

Email: sales@babymoov.co.uk

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The updated stylish design offers max imum comfort for both mother and baby, and the new sliding side panel makes it even easier for parents to reach their little one during the night. As Chicco’s most innovative side sleeping crib yet, the Next2Me Magic also includes a new rocking mechanism that can be operated in free standing mode by the touch of a button, and can be easily moved thanks to the four swivelling wheels. Supplied with a 100% antitransparent mattress cover, the Next2M e Magic is designed with zippers on the soft outer cover to make removal and cleaning easier than ever before.

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

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li NEW! SensAsure gh Baby Monitor Range t New for 2019! Angelcare is proud to announce the launch of their SensAsure range of Baby Movement Monitors. With a 40% smaller wireless Sensor Pad, the Angelcare monitors offer the same precise levels of baby movement tracking. There’s also an improved range of video and sound options to complement movement.

Exciting technological developments also include the ability to add a second Sensor Pad and Nursery Unit Camera to the original Parent Unit. This impressive functionality means the monitors grow with families, tracking movements of twins, or baby and toddler.

Available now, Angelcare’s SensAsure range continues to lead in baby movement tracking.

NEW smaller, Wireless SensAsure Movement Sensor Pad

* Alarm will sound if there is no movement after 20 seconds * Non-contact monitoring Range up to 250 metres (clear line of sight)

Room temperature display on the Parent and Nursery Unit

Infrared night vision

Angelcare AC527 Baby Movement Monitor with Video.

Two-way talk back

Other new movement, sound and video models are also available!

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5“ Large LCD touchscreen • Ideal for multiples, you can add an extra Movement Sensor Pad & Nursery Unit

Digital zoom & pan * Secure 2.4GHz digital transmission nursery today

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focus SLEEPTIME & ACCESSORIES

Face to me

Scientifically proven!

The ClevaMama extensive ClevaFoam baby and toddler support mattresses and pillow range are scientifically proven to support a baby’s growing Head Syndrome. body and help prevent Flat ology, was researched and developed Each product made using Cl evaFoam techn with the Trinity College University in Dublin. pressure on the back of ClevaFoam is scientifically proven to reduce the thereby helping to prevent 80%, by rt baby’s head by 50% and increase suppo aly). oceph Flat Head Syndrome (Plagi reduced heat retention and is ClevaFoam is 100% breathable, has significantly remarkably light weight. balanced and toxin free.

For comfort and safety, it is hypo-allergenic, pH le from 0 months+.

Suitab ies. allerg and a asthm with s Perfect for babie

The Face to Me is the ideal bedside cot and a perfect match for every bed, thanks to the height is tip resistant. ch hi w e am fr le ab st adju near to you as as be ill w e on tle lit Your d. eir own bettre ping in thwit ee sl ill st ss, t bu ma fy le ib com its ss po Face to Me h l safe and secure in the ping Newborns will fee unrestricted air flow, hel e panel in net fabric for plush border and a sid comfortable at all times. to keep your little one fold entirely flat. This m the frame and both d Cot can be remove fro velling. home use or whilst tra space-saver is great for o.uk Web: www.hauckuk.c

Tel: +353 1 8770724 Email: info@clevamama.com Web: www.clevamama.com

Double sided comfort The Respiro Cot Mattress from Baby Trend is a revolutionary new mattress design.

Engineered with high tech breathable mesh and open sides, the mattress guarantees 100 per cent ventilation for babies and toddlers.

Respiro offers a two stage design, with a firm side suitable from birth, then when the child grows, the mattress can be turned over to reveal a softer side, ideal for toddlers, helping children to sleep comfortably and peacefully throughout their early years.

Unlike traditional mattresses, Respiro doesn’t contain stuffing, which eliminates the need for toxic or carcinogenic flame retardants. The open-air design also makes the innovative mattress hypoallergenic, protecting little ones as it dramatically reduces dust mites and bed bugs.

Also included with the Respiro mattress, is a splash mat, laundry bag and storage bag. The mesh is easily removed from the frame for washing and storage.

For more information please contact customerservices@alpha-animation.com

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focus SLEEPTIME & ACCESSORIES

Be by me The Baby Elegance Be By Me bedside crib is a sleep time essential for newborns. It allows you to sleep close to your child, without having to be in the same bed.

or Designed to give the benefits of sleeping close, (for security, breast feeding and s newborn putting of dangers many the avoid parents help but a cuddle!) babies in bed with them. The Be By Me is designed for use from birth to so approximately six months. It folds easily and fits into its handy travel bag move. the on you’re if even ings surround same the in sleep your baby can Web: www.BabyElegance.com

Comprehensiive Comprehensive mattress range British-made mattresses from East Coast Nursery East Coast Nursery offer a comprehensive mattress range, giving consumers a choice of construction and support.

The range comprises:

• Foam, with a choice of wipe-clean or washable covers • Airflow Foam, with ‘eggbox’ shaped layer to improve airflow • Fibre, with a breathable, washable cover • Spring, containing a spring unit wrapped in dent-resistant foam • All Seasons Spring, with a dual-sided cover to keep baby warm or cool all year • Pocket Spring, with individual springs and high-grade foam • Cleaner Sleep Micro Pocket Spring, with anti-dustmite Amicor cover • All Natural, with natural coir and wool with bamboo cover Sample cubes are available to all stockists.

Tel: 01692 408802 Email: nursery@east-coast.co.uk Web: www.eastcoastnursery.co.uk

Breath easy

and Every bedtime begins with a calming the healthy environment, take a look at m Babymoov.

Hygro+ humidifieserwithfro allergies, the humidity level of the room

Gro to sleep Grobags are the award-winning baby sleep bag much loved by parents, from sleep experts The Gro Company.

Recent research revealed that Grobags can help parents and babies to get more much needed quality sleep, with 85% of parents feeling that their child sleeps better in a Grobag than other bedding.* The Gro Company’s latest Grobag designs are bursting with cute animal characters in soft trend led colours that provide something for all tastes. New for the summer months are two 0.5tog Travel Grobags, perfect for holidays abroad or warmer summer months and suitable to use with a 5-point harness in a car seat or buggy. *320 respondents to Grobag user, online satisfaction survey, August 2018 Web: www.gro.co.uk

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For newborn lungs and babi they breathe. Not only does the plays a big part in the air quality that t humidity level for a baby, it will also Hygro+ humidifier regulate the safes choice for up to 21 hours with one maintain the room temperature of your full tank.

Hygro+ benefits everyone in its path by reducing the build-up of airborne particles, allergens, dust and indoor air pollution. As well as a soothing colourchanging night light and gentle oil diffuser, Hygro+ easy plug and play function, backlit touchscreen panel and sleek teardrop- shaped silhouette make this humidifier a real game changer in the home round the clock!

Email: sales@babymoov.co.uk

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Illuminated monitoring

Turn over a new leaf The LEAF grow takes rockers to a whole new level – or three to be exact.

s as your baby grows and From birth right up to 60kg, the LEAF grow evolve ng. Meanwhile, the nappi or g playin for t perfec – has three recline positions insert and integrated removable and machine-washable, soft organic jersey as standard. come rt head support ensure that practicality and comfo masterpiece of a is grow, LEAF the With no batteries, cords or noise, give your little one to takes it all is push small A . design as simplicity as well es, complete with a minut two the feeling of being rocked in your arms for over gentle side-to-side motion.

Web: www.nuna.eu/uk

SnüzCloud - Dream Big, Dream Anywhere Snüz is proud to introduce SnüzCloud, the new stylish, cosy baby sleep aid.

Since launching in May SnüzCloud has been shortlisted for Junior Design Awards and the buzz around the new Baby Sleep Aid isn’t showing any signs of slowing down! Packed with features SnüzCloud has four sounds including pink noise and a heartbeat, helping to comfort and settle baby to sleep.

Two light options, a calming pink glow for baby and soft white light to use at bedtime as little one gets older. SnüzCloud is the perfect upsell to SnüzPod and SnüzKot. Tel: 01789 734023 Email: trade@greensheepgroup.com

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Baby Pixel, with a 5” high resolution, colour touch screen monitor features revolutionary Moonlite enhanced night vision technology letting parent’s see baby as clear as day when it’s as dark as night by softly illuminating the nursery.

Brand new 360Tilt camera technology allows parent’s to view different angles of baby’s room by tilting the parent unit without the need to physically press a button to move the camera and unique Sleepzone virtual boundary alerts parents when baby moves outside of the pre-set virtual border.

WHAT PARENTS LOVE

• 3x zoom • remote pan/scan • Two way talkback • Onscreen temperature display • 240m range • Includes EU adapters and wall mount Web: www.summerinfant.co.uk

ClevaFOAm Range ÂŽ

Babymoov are looking for a new addition to join their fast growing UK team! The ideal candidate will have experience dealing with UK retailers as well as a thirst for knowledge, commercial aptitude and an insatiable appetite for growth.

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Business Development Manager â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Baby & Nursery Supplier Permanent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; F/T Home/Field based role â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2-3 days per month may be required at our offices in Taunton, Somerset Your profile: You will have at least 3 years relevant experience in B2B sales, preferably in the UK baby industry including to key or national accounts. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a talented and self-motivated salesperson with natural communication and management skills. You will have a key role in â&#x20AC;&#x153;boostingâ&#x20AC;? our brand in the UK by your dynamism, tenacity and charisma. Your organizational and negotiation skills together with a sound commercial awareness will also be key to success in this role.

Please visit the jobs board at nursery-today.co.uk to view full job vacancy details Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Offer The Business Development Manager role comes with a competitive Salary (DOE) + Bonus + Car + Laptop + Phone Please send your resume, cover letter and current salary to: Simon Winskill email: swinskill@babymoov.com

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Hypo-allergenic & toxin free

clevamama.com | info@clevamama.com

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focus SLEEPTIME & ACCESSORIES

Point of sale Counting Sheep, for dreamy nurseries Counting Sheep is the bestselling bedding and accessories range from Silvercloud.

The three Piece Bedding Set makes an ideal starter purchase for a themed nursery; it includes a quilt, bumper and supersoft fleece blanket, all with embroidered details. For new babies, there’s a gorgeous Sleeping Bag in 0-6 month size.

The Counting Sheep the perfect nursery colours, restful and fabrics cotton range is made in soft their bedding with ent complem can rs Custome girl. or boy a for choice décor Cot Mobile.

Musical soft a a Changing Mat – with or without a liner – and

Obaby’s new mattresss point of sale has proven very popular and is now on display in store.

The POS from Obaby displays their full mattress collection ranging from the simple Fibre mattress to their award winning Moisture Managementt mattress. This stand shows parents thee full content and materials used in each mattress with all of the key features listed.

Their All Seasons pocket sprung, Breathable Dual Core and Moisture Management mattresses grow with little ones providing multiple sleeping options for babies and toddlers.

All of their mattresses ensure that little ones have the most comfortable nights sleep from birth onwards, featuring a water-resistant removable cover which is washable at 60º.

Tel: 01652 641490 Web: www.obabytrade.co.uk

Tel: 01692 408802 Web: www.silvercloudnurserybedding.co.uk

Totally adjustable Sleep like a baby with ewan…

When it comes to baby sleep there is no need to look any further as at Sweet Dreamers, they’ve got it covered.

From their super soft ewan blankies to their soothing ewan deluxe, bedtime is taken care of with night time solutions for even the most restless little ones.

Explore ewan’s comforting sounds all with a resting heartbeat back ground, which is perfect for reassuring and calming baby into a peaceful sleep. Giving the precious gift of sleep, it’s no wonder ewan is working his magic in households worldwide.

Tel: 02392 262332 Email: harry@sweetdreamers.co.uk Web: www.sweetdreamers.co.uk 52

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The Hubble Airr is a 11-position heightadjustable crib b that allows parents to keep their baby within reach.

For babies suffering from colic or a cold, parents can adjust the angle of the mattress to raise the head.

Equipped with a breathable mattress and mesh sides for optimised air circulation, it offers the ultimate comfort for babies.

The crib can be folded in a matter of seconds onds for easy storage at home or in the car. Plus, it is ideall ffor travelling lli thanks h k to iits smallll ffootprint i and d comes with a handy travel bag.

Web: www.cybex-online.co.uk

focus SLEEPTIME & ACCESSORIES

Stand out with Madrid The Madrid cot bed features a wood effect finish with modern gloss accents, updating classic style with a contemporary touch that really makes the nursery stand out.

Suitable from birth to approximately four years, the Madrid cot bed has an adjustable three position base, allowing newborns to be put down easily without unnecessary bending and when your little one begins to sit and stand the base can be lowered by a further two positions. The sides have protective teething rails and can convert into a stylish toddler bed. The Madrid cot bed also includes a co-ordinating under drawer.

Tel: 01652 641490 Web: www.obabytrade.co.uk

Breathe easy with Shnuggle A breath of Fresh ‘Air’ from Shnuggle

Lullaby dreaming Complete with lights and 30 minutes of soothing nature sounds and white noise, Chicco’s First Dreams Lullaby Sheep is the perfect toy to accompany a baby to sleep.

With a voice recorder function, parents can record their voice and with a special sound sensor, which is automatically activated when it detects certain sounds, such as a baby crying. It is machine washable and available in both pink and blue.

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

The Shnuggle Air is the only bedside crib-to-cot from birth to beyond. It combines all the key features of baby’s first bed to provide a safe, close and cosy sleep space from birth, but is uniquely designed to grow with baby; converting to a stylish cot and extending the safety and comfort for toddlers up to approximately two years of age.

Designed with breathability at its core, the dual view, mesh sides help to maximise airflow as well as allowing parents to keep a watchful eye on baby and the airflow mattress has a hypo-allergenic fibre core. Extremely versatile, the Shnuggle Air has seven height adjustments to fit most bed heights and a gentle incline option to help ease colic and reflux.

Helping to extend the life of the Crib, the Shnuggle Air Cot Extension Kit easily transforms to baby’s second bed with larger bed base and fabrics. The Air Cot retains all the safety, comfort and style of the crib, whilst helping to ease baby’s transition to a cot with a familiar and safe sleeping environment.

Email: Sarah@shnuggle.co.uk

All shapes and sizes The Nebula from Red Kite Baby offers outstanding safety and quality with a contemporary design and intelligent functionality.

Bringing you closer to your baby for easy comforting and feeding in the night, this bedside crib is suitable from birth to approx. 9kg with the side sleeping function allowing you to sleep close to baby and develop a stronger bond.

Every shape, size and type of bed is covered due to an adjustable height allowing you to match the base height to your bed, along with a adjustable incline allowing the crib to tilt to help with digestion, reflux and colds. Should little ones wake up early, or just need somewhere to have fun, the Nebula converts into a stylish playpen.

Tel: 01454 326555 Email: enquiries@redkitebaby.com Web: www.redkitebaby.com

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social media ROSS HEWITT

Hiding in plain sight This issue Ross Hewitt takes a look at how, through social media, usage of key words and by asking the right questions, new customers will find you! henever clients or prospects have asked me how they can find new customers using social m media I find myself ending up being em embroiled in conversations where the starting point seems to be that there st iis a suspicion that people are hiding and a that the business needs to seek them out. t Considering that in the UK over 35 million people use Facebook regularly, the same number again uses YouTube, 113 million are on Twitter, 22 million on Instagram I and over 10 million acce access Pinterest it can easily be argued that nobody in the UK is hiding onli ine. online.

W M an a g in g , t it w e H Ro ss t Pi e an d ’. e r c e S f o D irec to r vvy S oc i a l M e d i a ‘S a in g a ut h o r o f h is d ig ita l m a rket st r n R o s s b e g a 9 8 an d h a d h is fi y tr 19 c a reer in t h e nu r sery in dus fo r a y into o f M a rket in g & a s H e a d r S ilver C ro s s in in c e fo E c o m mer set up S ec ret Pi e e g 2 0 0 8 . H d h a s b een h e lp in n a d ve 2 0 10 un d an d lo fo t e g s t n c li e r s in c e . on lin e eve i e .c o .uk etp w w w.sec r etp i e .c o .uk ec r | R o s s @ s 4 10 0 2 7 | 0 1 9 0 4 ec ret _ Pi e @S | Tw itter :

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The ‘new customers’ challenge always needs to be posed better.

‘Where can I find new people who might like to visit my nursery business’ is a much better question to ask. Now we can start to discuss matters. Where is your nursery business? What sort of products do you sell? What type of person do you want to come into your shop?

Business owners need to learn to ask better questions.

Think about the questions you want answers to with regards to finding new

customers. Then break them down into more focussed discussion points.

Once you know the type of person you would like to find then you can engage in a few rounds of hide and seek as one of the fundamentals of that childhood game is knowing who you are looking for.

This is where you need to think about the social media platforms available to your targets and who uses them and how they get used.

Does Instagram match your desired audience? Around 85/90% of users are under the age of 35. The gender split is in favour of females at around

56% of the user base to 44% male.

People are ten times more likely to engage with brands and retailers on Instagram than they are on Facebook.

Pinterest could be the go-to platform if you are looking to engage primarily with ladies as 70-80% of the user base is female. Research suggests that around 75% of Pinterest users have either already purchased or are planning to purchase something they have seen on the site. Double up with Instagram and you will covering lots of bases as people actually search for products on these two pictorial platforms.

Facebook has pretty much everyone on it and if you want to find specific people then you need to spend money on their advertising tools. If you need to put your content in front of females aged between 25 and 35 who live within 60km of the centre of Derby and have interests in pregnancy, breast-feeding and fashion then you can build a campaign on Facebook to do just that. Few people go to Facebook though to search for specific

products and they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really go there to get inspiration, so do bear that in mind when you are working out how to spend your budget.

The aim of this game of hide and seek is to turn it upside down. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really want to be spending time trying to find new customers that are hiding in plain sight. You need to spend time doing things that make new customers FIND YOU. They are already searching. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know that they are searching for your business yet but they are looking for the products you offer. Social media might also not be the perfect solution, so always bear that in mind.

Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advertising platform is excellent for targeting a local audience.

Consider using geographical keywords in your advertising campaigns or targeting local areas. Remember that over 80% of your audience is visiting or finding you on a mobile device, so you might just appear in a search result while that person is near your store and you will certainly be appearing on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screens who live

Think ab out th e questi on s you w ant an sw er s to w it h re ga rd s to fin d in g ne w customer s. Then break th em do w n into more focussed d iscuss ion po ints . within striking distance of where you operate.

You also need a blog and you need to write shareable articles that your target customers will enjoy reading and telling their like-minded friends about. Articles that search engines will discover and rank so that people find you in natural (non-paid for) search results when they are looking for the

specific products or themes that you wrote about. Articles that you can also share yourself on social media.

You create genuine customers rather than one-off sales by being found and loved. That way is so much better and easier than searching for people yourself and then trying to drag them back to your placeâ&#x20AC;Śthatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just creepy when you think about it!

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www.obabytrade.co.uk 01652 641490

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focus HIGHCHAIRS

Wooden it be lovely

The high life Highchairs are staple nursery products and come in a variety of styles and is a nursery item which is viewed as an essential – it would be incredibly difficult to feed a child without having a highchair! Therefore, this is one particular reason why sales are stable year on year. Although parents could change their buying patterns and switch to a lower price point brand, they simply can’t stop buying the category.

Here we bring you a selection of highchairs that are currently available.

Touch of magic

Made from solid, sustainably sourced timber, they are reliable and built to last. Wooden highchairs are wonderfully functional and practical, as they’re smooth and easy to wipe clean.

The Combination Highchair is versatile and long-lasting, turning easily into a sturdy chair and play table for a toddler.

It’s suitable for use from six months. It includes a full safety harness and a detachable tray, so families can pull it up to the table for their baby to join in with mealtimes.

Tel: 01692 408802 Web: www.eastcoastnursery.co.uk

Chicco’s Polly Magic Relax is the perfect companion to keep mealtimes covered from birth up until three years.

Up until six months, Polly Magic Relax can be used as a comfortable newborn chair thanks to the super soft reducer cushion that ensures little ones are snug and safe. What’s more, the reducer is reversible with breathable fabric on one side for the summer months, and a thicker cocooning surface for when the weather turns colder. A removable, colourful toy bar is also perfectly positioned to entertain little ones as they play and relax.

When it comes to weaning at around six months, Polly Magic Relax offers eight different height levels and three reclining positions so that the perfect feeding position can be achieved. As little ones grow, the tray can then be fully removed from the highchair so it becomes a table chair, allowing toddlers to sit up at the table to enjoy a meal with the family.

East Coast Nursery offers customers a choice of wooden highchairs to suit every need.

Add a bit of zaaz The ingenious ZAAZ highchair from Nuna grows with your child – despite being more compact than its rivals.

An anti-loop three or five-point harness and the super-slick gliding lift mechanism allows you to customise the ZAAZ to any size, height or amount of wiggles. With its removable tray and arm-bar, ZAAZ can slide right up to the table and, since food is to kids what paint was to Picasso, Nuna have made sure it’s easy-peasy lemon squeezy to clean.

Web: www.nuna.eu/uk

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

Up and Go Babymoov Up & Go Compact Booster Seat The lightweight, foldable and height adjustable booster seat for six months +. Designed to adapt to your growing baby, the seat is fully adjustable and when finished with can be folded down to a compact 7cm with a carry handle for on-the-go or quick and easy storage at home.3-point harness and four anti-slip pads on the bottom ensure safety for your little one with a super soft padded and supportive backrest too. Universal with all chair types. Booster seat cover is removable for easy washing.

Email: sales@babymoov.co.uk

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Sit’n Fold A light, compact high chair with an adjustable at. backrest and generous sewipe

tical The Sit’ n Fold from Hauck has a prac those all for et bask clean tray and a large storage toys. or tials essen important baby tray, Use as a freestanding high chair with e plac and ly or remove the tray complete next to you at the table.

After mealtimes, the ‘Sit’n Fold’ nal size. compresses down flat to half its origi . lling trave n Easy for storage or whe Tel: 01978 664362 Web: www.hauckuk.com

Feed me A long time favourite with Red Kite customers is getting a makeover – The Feed Me Deli has now been updated to fall within the upcoming Peppermint Trail range for 2019.

The Feed Me Deli highchair is Red Kite’s flagship highchair that features a bright and cheerful design which is guaranteed to make meal times fun. Messy meal time?

No problem. The Feed Me Deli features a seat that boasts practical wipe clean vinyl and a removable washable feeding tray which is perfect for cleaning those hard to reach places. The beauty of the Feed Me Deli highchair is it’s versatility as it can adapt to growing babies with its six height adjustable legs. This ensures your little one’s can sit at the same height as everyone else at the table.

Tel: 01454 326555 Email: enquiries@redkitebaby.com Web: www.redkitebaby.com

Easy to convert Koo-di’s Duo Wooden Highchair is a stylish mix of beechwood and padded PU leather to provide a safe and comfortable eating environment for your baby/toddler.

There’s a 3-position removable tray with dishwasher safe insert for easy cleaning, 5 point body harness (with wipe clean straps) and non-slip footrest. However, this it isn’t just a High Chair….. this multi-functional chair easy converts from a highchair to toddler colouring-in/art work chair to push in at a low table by simply adjusting the legs.

In this way, the highchair easily adapts to your child’s diverse needs as they grow, establishing itself a two-chairsin-1 essential product!

Tel: 0845 6806179 Web: www.koo-di.com

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focus HIGHCHAIRS

Two in one

Snack Time Have baby join in with the whole family using the Graco Snack n’ Stow highchair.

A simple and compact folding highchair, it’s super lightweight at only 5.4kg and stands alone once folded – only 15cm wide! Full of convenient features, a comfy seat and come in great colours too. It has a large adjustable tray for added practicality and an adjustable footrest for greater comfort. There is a wipe clean seat so any spills can be easily wiped away. Suitable from six months to approx. three years.

Make dinner time fun for all with Graco!

The CBX Luyu XL highchair is a 2-in-1 highchair designed to perfectly fit with any home. Featuring a 5-point harness, it keeps your little one safely seated during meal times.

The

Luyu XL features a tray to make cleaning up easier for parents and thanks to the extra legs, it is the perfec t size for standard sized (75cm) and kitchen island tables (92cm ). The legs can also be adjusted to table height.

The highchair needs no screws to assemble and it can be put together in a couple of minutes.

Web: www.cybex-online.com

Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@allisonbaby.co.uk Web: www.gracobaby.eu

In a spin Meet the Joie Mimzy Spin 3 in 1, suitable from birth, due its full recline, until 15kg (approx. to 3years) it grows with baby right up to seating them at the table with the family.

Its unique 360-degree swivel seat is activated with one hand, locking into four multi-direction positions, allowing parents to find the most comfortable and best position to easily feed a young baby. Featuring seven height adjustments and five recline positions, including a 3-position footrest, it allows the child to be in the right position whatever mealtime entails and the perfect partner for every stage of development. A spacious and extra padded seat means baby is sure to be comfy at all times, and for the youngest baby there’s soft newborn insert. The newborn insert is removable and washable; the main seat pad is removable and wipeable. The seat also features a fully adjustable 5-point harness for safety. The extra large tray has a one-hand release and 3-positions, it also features a full cover clip-on over tray that’s dishwasher safe. The stylish modern frame opens and closes easily in a single motion and the tray stores away handily on the rear legs when not in use. The integrated wheels on the front legs allow for easy movement when needed and its freestanding when folded makes it the ideal choice for even the smallest of spaces.

Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com

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What a super seat

360° The 4-in-1 Super Seat offers tivity of floor time feeding and ac fun plus a booster in ones e! to accommodate

que stag Th s floor seat includes four uni Thi tre,, ntre w, as a positioner, activity cen gro they le whi n dre chil r younge yo feeding seat and booster. fee

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ch transitions to a booster seat Multi-stage seat positioner whi •M to sit unaided Soft support seat for learning •S ation. Toys include track toy, to stimulate hand/eye coordin toys with tre cen • 360° activity s and a shape sorter. spinner ball, 2 shaped teether • 3 Point safety harness with most dining chairs • Chair straps included for use tray • Removable, dishwasher safe o.uk Web: www.summerinfant.c W

The all in one Babymoov’s playful sister brand, Badabulle launch their 3-in-1 travel booster seat in July this year tripling up as a feeding seat, backpack and lunchbox in one! y easily and safel Universal with all chair types secured seat to reveal an the of side the ip Unz are. you wherever food and daily ng stori accessible inner compartment for the booster seat sform tran om bott items. Bag straps on the . For use with babies to be worn as a lightweight rucksack six months old up to three years.

Email: sales@babymoov.co.uk

THE

BABYSTYLE TROPHY A NEW CHALLENGE CUP PROVIDED BY BABYSTYLE TO CELEBRATE THE 21TH YEAR OF THE NURSERY TODAY GOLF DAY

To encourage the golfing crème de la crème of the Nursery industry, Nursery Today introduces The BabyStyle Trophy. To be a winner be a part of a day of golf and essential networking.

The team four-ball has always been closely fought and up until now each team member has received a handsome memento of a great day’s golf.

Now the company they represent as winners of the four-ball competition will hold this handsome trophy in their showroom/office for one year as proof of their participation in this wonderful sport.

MAKE A DATE IN YOUR DIARY Tuesday the 25th June, Puckrup Hall, Nr. Tewkesbury and just a couple of minutes off the M5.

Cost £100

For full details contact Malcolm Naish on 01442 289930 or email malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk to book your team’s place.

interview Style Products

Question of style Style Products have established themselves as a company who design, manufactures and delivers products that are known for their safety, functionality and style. Penny Franks had the pleasure to question David Bude, Managing Director, to find out more.

Can you tell us a little about The Style Products Company?

Established in 1983, The Style Products Company are global manufacturers of quality products for babies and toddlers.

Our focus on safety, quality and value have enabled us to become one of the best trusted brands.

Our passion for design and styling along with a sensible pricing policy does not detract from the most important factor of safety and comfort.

We have more than twenty years experience in designing and manufacturing. Our speciality is very high quality products that are user friendly and available at affordable prices.

You currently have two brands in your portfolio (Bebe Style and Kiddi-Style), can you tell us a little about these.

The Bebe Style brand are products for babies and toddlers from birth till the age of two.

Our award winning range are loved by parents and children alike. Our focus on safety, quality and value have enabled us to become a trusted brand.

We have a great range of car seats, highchairs, walkers, changing units, and play items including playmats, swings, and rockers.

Kiddi Style is a brand loved by toddlers, and young children. Kiddi Styles’ focus is on fantastic themed wooden furniture and role play.

We have a unique, high quality range of furniture, which includes themes such as Princess, Pirates, Crayon, and car themes.

Kiddi Style also have a great range of wooden role play products. A large range of dolls houses, from small to huge, and a fantastic range of kitchens.

What sets the two brands apart from competitors?

Design, quality, and above all price! We have created an amazing unique range of products. Carefully designed and manufactured to delight children and parents.

Many baby products, and especially wooden furniture and role play, are very expensive. Parents used to find themselves having to spend large sums of money for quality, safety and fun, or saying no to their children!

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We believe no parent should find essential baby products expensive.

The same with the wooden furniture, dolls houses, and kitchens – products in the current market are expensive, with many parents having to forgo the purchase.

Not at Bebe Style and Kiddi Style!

Our baby range offers high quality baby products at a far better price then other brand names.

Our Kiddi Style range offers amazing value for money themed wooden furniture and our kitchens and dolls houses have become best sellers. Parents love the fact that they can buy fantastic presents at a far lower price than current market brands!

You state that your products are exceptional value for money - does this compromise on the quality?

Quality is our number one priority – the way we offer exceptional value for money is to have a very small marketing budget and let the products talk for themselves. We have many repeat customers, and many parents and children have highly recommended our range!

You are a company with licensed product ranges - how do you decide on which licenses to concentrate on?

It is very important for us to concentrate on licensed ranges that appeal for both girls and boys, and have an educational theme.

We work with Mr Men & Little Miss as young children have great fun reading these books and they also teach important messages to kids.

We have a great Paw Patrol range, loved by boys and girls. The theme in every Paw Patrol episode is educational.

What are your core company values?

Our strap line says it all: Quality, value for money, and above all – safety.

Do all your products meet UK and EU Standards?

Of course, all our items are tested fully to all UK and EU standards. Our items are constantly retested to make sure all our items stay ahead!

What product or brand is performing particularly well for you at present?

All our items are best sellers! Especially our Mother & Baby Gold award 2019 Highchair, which is one of the best selling highchairs in the UK. Our Kiddi Style Princess themed furniture, as well as kitchens and dolls houses are extremely strong for us as well.

How do you bring consumer awareness to your ranges?

Simply by word of mouth! As parents and children love the products so much, our items are all highly recommended.

Do you operate on social media, and if so, how important is this to your business?

We run Instagram accounts with product launches, competitions and lots of fun facts!

It is important for us to engage directly with the consumer.

What type of support do you provide to your retailers?

We are very technologically advanced. We have great software and integration to provide live stock and order management, We pride ourselves on being very easy to work with. We offer dropship, pallet deliveries, direct shipments, FOB.

Is there a particular license that works exceptionally well for you?

Finally, are there any further brands or exciting news in the pipeline?

Our Paw Patrol range has become a best seller – we have created the range to be as fun as possible, with cut out characters and vibrant colours – and of course fantastic value for money.

Web: www.styleproducts.com

Yes, we are launching soon a fantastic safety range, including door stoppers, corner protectors, door locks, and much more!

Safe and Snug!

Joie’s new entry-level i-size infant carrier, i-Snug, will be the latest addition to their growing i-Size car seat range.

The i-Snug is super lightweight, weighing less then 4kg and suitable from 40-75cm approx. birth to 12 months with . The deep seat with certified side impact insert its new born support cushion with protection includes a removable full body infant omic carry handle with ergon wedge, to flatten seat angle for newborns. An base also allows for d curve a and on soft grip makes for easy transportati secured with a is Baby car! the of out ones little rocking and relaxing large canopy gives able 3-point one-pull adjustable harness. An easily adjust IX bases, ISOF Joie’s with atible plenty of shade options. i-Snug is comp rs using strolle brand other and rs, strolle Joie and compatible with most e. provid they ers adapt seat generic car Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com

Vital for baby

Welcome to the #vitalfamily - caring for to beyond families from birth new vital baby NURTURE range for all

Vital baby are launching their newborn needs. ucts for weaning, hygiene and play, Best known for offering high quality prod above all, safe, the new vital baby that are innovative, useful, easy to use and baby brand into families from a much NURTURE range will introduce the vital earlier stage. ising and changing products are vital baby NURTURE baby feeding, steril effortless, relaxing and fun as possible. designed to help make bringing up baby as parents and baby, the new range of Carefully designed as the natural choice for convenience and ease of use. With ce, uran products offers peace of mind, reass ps, breast pads, sterilisers and nappy their collection of baby bottles, breast pum life as a parent that little bit easier disposal systems vital baby aims to help make and more relaxing.. feeling of nurturing and caring Director, Dean Tollman comments, “The we want all new parents and carers which comes from family and friends is how y brand through the generations, famil a to feel when they join our vital family. As , carers, grandparents and of course we care about parents-to-be, mums, dads own family. We hope that the babies and toddlers as though they are our E range will enable us to help make introduction of our new vital baby NURTUR ble from pregnancy through to possi as fun and family life as effortless, relaxing toddlerhood and beyond.” isers, bottles, and feeding and Consisting of a range of breast pumps, steril E range is available from 7th May TUR NUR changing accessories, the vital baby 2019 exclusively to John Lewis.

Tel: 0700 4 222437 Web: www.vitalbaby.com

new!

Sponsored by

Wrapped in love New calming anti-pollution baby face cream now available.

A deliciously creamy, ultra-mild yet wholly effective formula that creates a sustained, protective veil between innocent skin and the harmful effects of pollution, whilst delivering the ultimate in nurturing and pampering too has been released by Little Butterfly London.

To further support and defend the skin‚Äôs delicate barrier, the cream combines a blend of proven, patented bio actives, including moringa tree that gently lifts micro-particles to maintain skin’s purity and softness, and candeia tree extract that neutralises daily environmental stress.

Anti-inflammatory oils of borage and evening primrose relieve dryness, itchiness or flakiness. Anti-irritant extracts of horse chestnut, meadowsweet and calendula comfort, calm and settle even the most sensitive skin.

Anti-oxidant oat kernel extract soothes and lightly moisturises, ensuring blissfully cossetted skin. As pure as nature intended - with just a mere whisper of fragrance derived from pure botanicals.

Web: www.littlebutterflylondon.com

Clean and rinse A 3-position recline bather with a soft, flexible seating area to provide complete support and comfort for baby at bath time.

Featuring a unique clean-rinse design allowing water to flow directly down and out of the bather, the bather helps to provide a hassle free bath time and folds compactly for convenient travel and storage.

WHAT PARENTS LOVE:

• Soft material conforms to support and cradle baby • Unique clean-rinse design allows water to flow directly down and out of the bather • Easy to clean and quick to dry • 3-position recline • Compact fold ideal for travelling and storage Web: www.summerinfant.co.uk

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BPA notice board Association urges members to join them The Baby Products Association’s annual general meeting isn’t just any old AGM – it’s an opportunity to help shape the future of the UK’s nursery industry; network with like-minded colleagues and companies connected with the baby products industry; and discover interesting facts which could affect your business. Managing director, Robert Anslow urges members to show support of the trade association and take advantage of the benefits it has to offer by coming along to this important annual event at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in London on Thursday 13th June 2019.

Nominations for the Association’s Executive

Robert Anslow M anaging Director If you r company is a me mb er of the Bab y Pro duc ts Ass ocia tion and you are not cur rently receivin g me mb ers ’ e-bulletins wit h industry upd ates , but would like to, ple ase em ail juli e@ b-p -a. org wh o will add you to the databa se.

www.thebpa.eu

Germany cracks down on ‘fake’ internet shops Apparently, it’s a worldwide problem – you order something on the internet, pay for it, sit back and wait for delivery, but it never happens. This is because the product – and in fact the shop your purchased from – never actually existed.

The German Lands of the Federal Republic has decided to act, taking measures to put a stop to the widespread problem of fake shops in Germany. This will include an identity check when registering a de-domain causing fraudsters a harder time when creating new websites. In addition, in order to enable consumers to identify counterfeit shops more quickly, ministers also plan to publish a public list on the internet and update it on an ongoing basis. A similar project exists in Austria.

ENPC General Assembly elects new executive committee During its General Assembly meeting in April held in Brussels, the European Nursery Products Confederation (ENPC) re-elected members of its Executive Committee until 2021. These are Roberto Marelli (president), Robert Anslow (vice-president), Peter Röhrig (vice-president), Stefan Aerts (treasurer) and Michel Moggio (secretary general).

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Committee and Technical Committee have closed and the successful candidates will be announced at the AGM. There will also be informative presentations, including Jenny Kieras of The Insights People, a market intelligence company specialising in the kids, parent and family sectors working with some of the biggest brands in the nursery sector. Jenny will give members a heads up on consumer trends in the nursery sector and an insight into how they can engage with consumers effectively and encourage sales in an ever-changing highly competitive marketplace.

For more information – and an RSVP form, visit the website at www.thebpa.eu

Parliament plenary update In April, at the last plenary session before the May elections, a ‘Consumer Deal’ was adopted. This updates several consumer protection directives including the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive to cover online shopping and digital products and services. For these directives a fine or penalty will apply in the case of a breach.

The plenary also adopted the draft regulation on fairness and transparency for B2B online intermediation with platforms, market places and search engines. A particular focus on the proposal is on the ranking of search results for which platforms must set out their terms, the conditions and main parameters which determine the ranking and reasons for the relative importance of those main parameters as opposed to other parameters. The platforms must also put an end to several unfair trading practices listed in this regulation to be listed in a ‘blacklist’ and set up an internal complaints handling system.

Both items need approval and adoption by the Council.

International expertise The annual plenary for the Technical Committee for childcare articles; TC 252 took place on 24th May 2019 in Madrid. It was attended by 25 experts as well as representatives from the European Commission and CEN. This provides an opportunity for the seven working groups within this Technical Committee to come together to update on their work during the year together with the work of the Committees with which it has a liaison.

Buyersdirectory

Business for sale Due to retirement by the current owner, Pram and Toy Centre is for sale.

This well established family business which has been trading since 1928 has an impressive level of profitability.

The business is to be sold to include all stock, with a large customer base travelling to this store from all over the country.

Sold with parking spaces available at the rear of the property, the shop is situated in the centre of Birkenhead, where there is a busy shopping centre located just a few minutes away.

Contact the owner for further information on the below: Tel: 0151 647 4444 Mobile: 07765488936 Email: pramandtoycentre@aol.com Coordinated Bedding

Textiles

Ambassador Textiles are a major supplier to the Nursery manufacturing industry, we stock an extensive range of top quality Baby Care fabrics in popular pastel colours:-

Baby Clothes • Caroline Jane International ltd • Dandelion baby clothing • Spanish design pastel babywear • Designed in the UK • Manufactured in Portugal.

• Garments essential for all seasons • Made from 100% Cotton and gorgeous Knitwear.

Telephone: 01908-690726 / 01455-844469 Email: sales@dandelionclothing.co.uk Website: www.dandelionclothing.co.uk

Wholesale

• Soft & Cuddly – Velboa, Dimple, Stars and Coral Fleece Circles • Cotton Waffle & Cotton Interlock • Moisture Absorbing – Bamboo Towelling & Woven Towelling • Lightweight & Pretty – Dobby Spot Polycotton & Brodierie Anglaise • Warm & versatile – Anti Pil Fleece Our Anti Pil fleece range has over 50 colours and 20 prints which can be made to order into Fleece Blankets in Cot, Pram and Picnic Blanket size (minimums apply) Visit our website to view the full range at www.ambassador-textiles.co.uk Or contact our experienced helpful team on 0161 624 4167 info@ambassador-textiles.co.uk

THE NEW LUXURY OF TRAVEL CYBEX- ONLINE.COM/PRIAM Contact EMEA-UKContact@columbustp.com for more information or to become a stockist.