Babyland Fife

retailer opinion

Nursery Today spoke to Babyland Fife’s Managing Director, Yasmin Ali to find out her thoughts on the year ahead as an independent nursery retailer.

What are your hopes for 2023 as a business?

Hello 2023! Have all the usual hopes and dreams for the new year: stability, growth, success, and money in my pocket!

Do you think your customers will be altering their buying habits during the continued cost of living crisis?

The COL crisis has seen my customer base already alter their buying – a lot are leaving it really late to order. For reasons I can’t fathom. I think many were expecting Mr Boombastic Black Friday and Boxing Day sales and those freebies didn’t materialize for them, so it’s back to last minute panic buying. They’re still spending, but they’re really dragging it out. Doesn’t matter if you tell people ETA’s, I think there is this general thought process, that if you don’t have it, I’ll get it online – which is rarely the case. So… there is a fair bit of disappointment in the air also!

How has the cost-of-living crisis effected your own business, for example, the cost of running your store?

Costs as a result of the COL crisis have skyrocketed, across the board, everywhere, its all we are seeing everywhere. I for one have not switched off my heating, we are an old building – we need heat, just have to work harder to get the bill paid! Joking aside, everything is affected by this, mortgage, rent, rates, fuel, gas, lecky – have you seen the price of a fudge doughnut!? Look it is what it is, and we can moan about it but there isn’t much we can do but as always, ride it out.

I have a great working relationship with my suppliers, and I feel now more than ever we have a really good working system. I’d like a continuation of the same please guys and any support available for instore would be great!

Are your customers running research online prior to purchase and expecting larger discounts or price-matching from you?

Definitely our customer base is spending more time researching online prior to visiting. However, they come instore expecting things to be a lot less in price…they seem to think that indie shops are cheap as standard, or will discount for a ‘cash’ payment – have we gone back to the 80s marketplace selling? Before my time, but I hope not! I can’t do the haggling nonsense! I rarely price match, can’t handle that – just refuse. You’ve seen it cheaper, buy it cheaper. I remember working in Curry’s part time whilst at Uni, and having people come in from Dixons next door asking for price match – WHY?!!!!!

I digress! I think the largest challenge is going to be more of what we have had recently, stock and delays. Consumers leaving it later and later is not helping, 2023 will see us taking in more stock certainly, to cover all possibilities.

What type of support would you like to see your suppliers giving you throughout 2023?

I have a great working relationship with my suppliers, and I feel now more than ever we have a really good working system. I’d like a continuation of the same please guys and any support available for instore would be great! I expect more support from them on their websites and social media – they need to shout about us the way we shout about them (just a wee bit more guys please)!

Do you feel there will be a particular nursery product category that will be trending this year, or perhaps a colourway, products with eco credentials, etc.?

We’ve already seen people wanting all terrain prams; so, all-rounders – and I think this will continue this year, as people are making practical purchases. Colourwise; it’s my worst nightmare! Beiges (down with beige I say!), browns, greens – are popular, it’s really going to grow this year. The goth in me hopes this is a short-lived fad, but listen if it sells, I’ll stock it!

How will you be utilising social media throughout 2023? Do you feel this will give your business a higher level of success to bring customer awareness and drive footfall or visits to your website?

Social media is a no brainer, for all walks of life – there is no easier way to communicate and put yourself out to the world. We have things in the pipeline to grow interaction and I think awareness and footfall come as a bonus to that.

Speaking of pipeline, it’s bursting at the seams! New marketing campaigns, exclusive brand collaborations with key brands…and fun! Everything has been so serious for so long, I think on a human level, we need more fun and a little more lighthearted – business is business, good or bad times, we see them through – we are very well established – we just don’t need to be miserable whilst doing it (this is not my confession I am speaking of the human condition).