Retailers dps_qxp 2_muk.qxp_Layout 1 25/03/2022 13:51 Page 1
RETAILER FEEDBACK
Right: Natural Baby Shower explains that consumers feel they might miss out on the perfect stroller when looking online, so often come into store hoping the nursery specialists can provide this. Below: White Farm Baby Barn says a car seat that swivels is key for today’s consumer.
From the coal face
As the experts in the travel system and car seats market, retailers are the link between new parents and the nursery industry, and provide invaluable insight into buying habits, key considerations and the challenges in selling to new parents. Progressive Preschool sits down with some key indies to find out the current situation.
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t’s been a turbulent few years for retail to say the least, but with babies still being born and new parents needing to kit themselves out, they have adapted and found new ways of supporting consumers, and are now emerging stronger than ever before. The current situation across all industries is creating challenges with selling big ticket items like travel systems and car seats, and as such price was the word on everyone’s lips when we spoke to retailers. Yas Ali, director of Babyland Fife, comments: “The main challenges we are seeing in-store at the moment is a mixture of misinformation and unrealistic expectations. Times are hard and getting harder, prices going up not down, but so many consumers seem to be perhaps looking at second hand pricing and now older pricing and are getting a bit of a shock when they come in store.” Claire Caborn, owner of Daisy Tree Baby Boutique, agrees: “I think pricing can be a problem as everyone always wants a deal and I’m not sure what the answer is. I like to think that the customer service PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL
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ULTIMATE GUIDE 2022
Compatibility One of the main challenges for Natural Baby Shower when selling car seats and travel systems is compatibility. Lydia Clark, social media and marketing manager, tells us: “For us, its our customers understanding that different brands are compatible. They may prefer one car seat to another, but they are buying a particular stroller so they assume they have to get the matching branded car seat. “It would be brilliant if suppliers could raise awareness and produce content about compatibility, instead of having a somewhat hidden area about it and adapters available etc.”
customers receive in-store is worth more than saving a few pounds.” That customer service is something that has been in abundance over recent years, and continues to be key. During lockdowns, nursery retailers employed a range of innovative methods to support consumers. Tom Fotheringham, cmo at Online4Baby, explains: “As a business we had to adapt quickly to make sure we could satisfy customer demand and continue our exceptional customer care levels. We transformed our store into a studio and held daily live streams showcasing product. They were also able to interact with our amazing sales team, who could offer personalised advice.. “Video content, high quality photography, and insightful copy and
