JPMA: Juvenile product sales remain constant in 2008
-- Kids Today, 11/5/2009 7:21:00 AM
MT. LAUREL, N.J. – The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association has reported that the U.S. market for
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juvenile products was approximately $2.7 billion in manufacturer sales for 2008.
The juvenile products market is defined as everything for baby from pre-natal to pre-school excluding food and apparel. This figure represents total sales through all of the major distribution channels including mass merchandisers, discounters and specialists, independent juvenile, department stores, drug and grocery stores, warehouse clubs, and e-tailers.
Driven by the economy, consumer lifestyles have changed and so have their shopping habits. What people want in products, why they want it and what they can afford has changed. In addition, parents are increasingly safety-minded and eco-aware and manufacturers are responding to these trends in new product design. Consumers are moving from high-end aspirational products to high-value, cost effective products.
New product technologies are playing an important role in product design and innovation.
Consumers are using information technology to research and learn about juvenile products. As a result of consumers savvy research abilities companies are realizing the importance of online marketing efforts and are tailoring their outreach to reflect consumer demand.
Highlights of the statistical study include:
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The majority of total dollar sales of juvenile products continue to be transacted through brick and mortar locations. More than 75% of sales were made through mass merchandisers, discounters and specialists.
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The shift to online retail sales is becoming more apparent across all classes of trade. Independent juvenile is leading the transition with online sales accounting for 16% of dollar sales in 2008.
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Juvenile products manufacturers are becoming more “green” and eco-friendly. In 2007, close to 41% of total gross shipment were estimated to be “green”, in 2008 this percentage increased to 56%.
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In 2007, the number of babies born in the United States reached 4.315 million, higher than the peak of the 1957 baby boom. In the first full year of the recession, U.S. births fell to 4.247 million in 2008.
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association is a national trade organization of more than 250 companies in the United States, Canada and Mexico. JPMA exists to advance the interests, growth and well-being of North American prenatal to preschool product manufacturers, importers, and distributors marketing under their own brands to consumers. It does so through advocacy, public relations, information sharing, product performance certification, and business development assistance conducted with appreciation for the needs of parents, children, and retailers.
For more information about JPMA contact: 15000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054; phone: 856-638-0420; fax: 856-439-0525; e-mail jpma@jpma.org or visit the Web site at www.jpma.org; or follow them at Twitter@JPMA.
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