Kids retailers looking for something to help them stand out
Pricing specials, ‘competitive edge’ products fuel buying
Susan Dickenson -- Kids Today, 9/14/2009 5:37:00 PM
LIVE FROM ABC - At Kids Expo this week, retailers of baby and juvenile products are looking for unique finds and pricing specials to help maintain the competitive edge that’s keeping many of them in business during these tough times. As they arrived on the convention center floor yesterday morning, Kids Today asked a few buyers about their purchasing plans, outlooks and immediate concerns.
We’ve been in business five years and we carry furniture, gear, bedding and apparel. We have one store and also sell online at www.thebabyshoppe.net. Here, we’re looking at new furniture lines. Definitely, with the way the economy is, we’re looking at price points … trying to maintain a competitive edge. All things considered, business is good. Green is becoming very popular. Instead of just being a trend, I think it’s starting to fall into the norm of things. It’s something to keep an eye on.
-- Victor Flores, The Baby Shoppe, El Paso, Texas
We carry everything from preemie to teen-ager. I’ve been to this show every year for about five or six years. I came to look for something different that sells. Businesswise, we’ve been very blessed. Ours is boosted by having multiple businesses all linked together. We have not only a baby store, but we have an educational toy store and a teacher’s supply store as well. And God is on our side. Our outlook is fabulous.
-- Amy Herrington, Babies to Kids, Flagstaff, Ariz.
Business has been down, but we’re keeping our doors open so that’s the main thing right now. This is our first year of actually being down. Last year, even with the economic crunch we were still up 6%. We’re differentiating by bringing in new items. We’re taking the requests of customers, and this was one (Nap Nanny) we looked at and brought back from the Atlanta gift show. We sold out our first order in 48 hours. I’m here making a third order and the size keeps doubling. We’ve been shipping them all over Florida.
-- Tara Richardson, The Babies’ Room, Gainesville, Fla.
We’ve been in business about 22 years and come here every year. We do primarily furniture and bedding. We’re here looking for new tones, new finishes that companies have to offer… and looking for specials.
Steve Georgesen, Kids Room, Evansville, Ind.
Our company is almost four years old. We have two stores and come to Vegas every year. We’re looking for trends, and for something that doesn’t look like everything we’ve been buying in the past, to separate us from our competition. We keep seeing the same thing over and over. We’re here (Storkcraft showroom) looking for something different in furniture … also to see what the color trends are going to be for bedding. Green is not a large demand for us. We have some and try to carry a little of it in every category but it’s not a huge thing for us yet. Business is about the same, and we’re very optimistic about next year.
Krystal Eustice, New Baby Products, Atlanta
We just got here… and have no (purchasing) plans. My outlook for next year is in the column I wrote for Kids Today’s September issue, and there are a few predictions in there. Like the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act… and whether the U.S. government is going to start charging sales tax for people who ship out of state. It’s not an equal playing field.
--Mark Lazar, Lazar’s Juvenile Furniture, Lincolnwood, Ill.
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