Big boxes well-stocked with crib textiles

Checking out the competition is something retailers do, or should do, frequently. Because the big box stores ranked on Kids Today's Top 20 Kids Home Furnishings Retailers present some of the stiffest competition, Kids Today's market researchers took a look at what they were offering consumers in infant bedding, specifically the selection of crib sets, crib sheets and blankets.

The gorilla on the block with the widest variety and deepest inventory is Babies "R" Us — with more than 700 SKUs of crib sets, blankets and sheets at its Greensboro, N.C. store. That's more than two and a half times as many SKUs as its nearest challenger, corporate sister Toys "R" Us.

In most stores, the largest inventory selection in baby bedding is blankets. With the exception of Babies "R" Us, USA Baby and Baby Depot, more than half of the baby bedding SKUs at the other stores visited is in blankets. At both Target and Wal-Mart, blankets account for two-thirds of the SKUs on display, while at Sears, Kmart and Toys "R" Us, blankets make up about three-fourths of the mix.

Blankets are less prominent at Babies "R" Us, where they account for slightly less than half of the SKUs of the three products under consideration, with the other half split about evenly between crib sets and sheets.

At Baby Depot, crib sets are dominant, making up just over half of the offerings. At USA Baby, the largest number of SKUs is in sheets — about two-thirds, with about one-third in crib sets.

As for price points, it's no surprise that Wal-Mart and Kmart offer four-piece sets at the lowest prices, coming in under $50. Toys "R" Us matches that with six offerings, but also has three sets at $69.99 and two at $79.99. The widest range of prices are available at Baby Depot, part of Burlington Coat Factory, where prices for a four-piece set start at $79.90 and go as high as $249.95 for a Glenna Jean or Noel Joanna set.

The price range at USA Baby is the highest-priced of the group, starting at $226.38 for a Cotton Tale Designs set that also includes as part of its price a mobile, wall hanging, valance, toy bag and diaper stacker.