Image courtesy Graco
feature STROLLERS
Strolling forward
The infant stroller has evolved dramatically from its humble beginnings as a simple wheeled carriage. Today’s models reflect a shift in parenting lifestyles, design priorities, and urban living challenges. Far from being just a baby transport device, the modern stroller is a finely tuned tool engineered for mobility, convenience, and comfort.
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oday’s parents are looking for strollers that fit seamlessly into their busy, often compact lives. A key trend shaping the market is the rise of urban living, where families navigate smaller living spaces, narrow pavements, and public transportation. As a result, there’s a strong demand for lightweight, foldable strollers. Minimalist aesthetics are also in demand with many favouring sleek, neutral designs that match modern fashion and interiors, with black, grey, and earth tones perhaps leading the way. Brands are also responding to a growing eco-conscious audience by incorporating recycled fabrics, sustainable materials, and low-impact manufacturing practices. Modern strollers have seen significant innovation focused on ease of use. One-hand folding systems, automatic locks, and self-standing folds are now common features, especially valuable for parent’s juggling bags, phones, or another child. Advances in wheel technology, such as puncture-proof tyres, swivelling front wheels, and improved suspension make today’s strollers far smoother to push, even over uneven terrain. Compactness has become a defining feature with brands offering full-featured strollers that fold down small enough to fit in aeroplane overhead bins or car boots, without sacrificing comfort or storage space. Some strollers even feature adjustable handlebars for caregivers of different heights, breathable mesh panels for hot weather, and one-touch braking systems for added safety. While not as complex as travel systems, these stand-alone strollers are designed to grow with a child, often adapting from infant use with full recline modes to toddler seating positions. For nursery and baby gear retailers, strollers offer a valuable opportunity. They’re highconsideration purchases, which means consumers often visit stores in person to compare models. Offering a wide selection from budget-friendly to premium along with hands-on demo areas and knowledgeable staff can set a retailer apart. Moreover, strollers drive accessory sales. Parents frequently buy rain covers, cup holders, foot muffs, and organisers alongside their stroller purchase, increasing overall spend. By creating stroller bundles or exclusive in-store packages, retailers can further boost value perception and customer loyalty. In a world where convenience, mobility, and aesthetics matter more than ever, the stroller has become a cornerstone of modern parenting and a smart investment for retailers who want to stay ahead of the curve.
Nursery Today caught up with 123ABC/Ayrshire Baby Centre’s owner Andrew Hammond to gain his insight into the stroller category and how these perform for his business. Have you experienced any consumer buying trends when we look at strollers?
Customers at this time of year are always looking for small folds and cabin approved strollers for when travelling for a holiday and this is a trend we see every April – August.
What’s the balance today between price sensitivity and functionality when parents choose a stroller - are they leaning toward value, luxury, or versatility? Consumers are still very price sensitive in almost everything they do but we are seeing the holiday stroller as a mid-market purchase, but they also want the stroller to have functionality also.
Do you feel that social media, influencer content and parenting communities, have had an influence on stroller sales and brand loyalty? Definitely as the customer seems to have done their homework when they come into store looking for a stroller and usually end up purchasing the stroller that they have researched.
In your experience, what do you feel are priority features parents look at when purchasing a stroller?
Small compact folds and cabin approved are the big 14
on the list of priorities at the moment.
Is this a category where price is a consideration? Most of our strollers are retailing within what I consider to be affordable levels and usually what the customer was expecting to pay.
With the growing focus on compact living and travel, how important have weight, foldability, and portability become in this category?
Yes, all these things are important and we are finding all brands are very good at accommodating this for the customer with folds becoming very slick and a great selling point.
With regards to strollers, do you feel that there is ample innovation and new products launches coming through in this sector?
on the back of the colours that are selling in the main Pram sector.
Are there any particular strollers that are currently performing well for your business?
We don’t have an outright hero product as the selection we offer is vast but we are very excited about the launch of the new iCandy Pip and bugaboo butterfly which are imminent.
Do you feel adequately supported by the brands that you stock within this product category or is there more they could do?
Brands seem to have the summer season under control with stock and support which is great as 75% of our stroller sales are in such a short window up here in Scotland.
Every season we see new strollers coming onto the market from all leading brands with different quirks to try and entice the consumer to their product and of course colour pallets are evolving every season
nursery today
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14/05/2025 15:53