Nursery Today by Lema Publishing

MARCH 2018 ISSUE 6 VOLUME 21 Independently audited. ABC circulation of 4,204 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017

A SIMPLY TIMELESS NEW LABEL WITH CLASSIC DESIGN, LUXURY MATERIALS AND FABULOUS FUNCTION.

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joiebaby.com/signature For all sales enquiries, please contact Joie UK on 01889 808 900 or email: uksales@joiebaby.com

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contents

Contributors

Re g ul a r s the team Editor Penny Franks penny@lemapublishing.co.uk

14 30 54

Ad Manager

Christine Contreras christine@lemapublishing.co.uk

Design Production Director

Ross Hewitt Why the time is right for the independents

News

MARCH 2018 ISSUE 6 VOLUME 21

Barking Mad This issue John Barker asks is your shop floor earning you the money it should be and if not can changes be made?

file Retailer Pro p Talking Sho apshot Supplier Sn cts New Produ roducts The Baby P n Associatio

Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Intelligent Retail David Fairhurst reminds us why you should stay on top of your links!

NSG

Cover Story 16

Joie Joie’s success has been on innovation, quality and value with a core range of multi-award winning home and travel products - we find out more.

Publisher Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Managing Director

Features

Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Circulation Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

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Wheeled Goods & Accessories

Wholesale

Safety

Wooden Toys

Show Preview

Lema Publishing Ltd

1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930

p62

Harrogate Int. Nursery Fair It’s showtime - we bring you a full round up of what to expect this year.

www.nursery-today.co.uk

Subscription per annum: UK £40, Europe £50 (surface), £60 (airmail)

p32

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

p66 p4 Introducing the new Tiny Tatty Teddy range by BreathableBaby, featuring the adorable grey bear. Tiny Tatty Teddy is the perfect choice for a gift for both boys and girls

For further information, please contact rachelle.harel@breathablebaby.com

25 - 27 March 2018

Harrogate Convention Centre, Yorkshire

Register online now so you don’t miss exclusive show offers, plus lots of innovative ranges in the 2018 New Product Showcase

The UK’s only nursery trade show

www.nurseryfair.com Tel: 01902 880906

Email: adrian@nurseryfair.com NT March 18 - approved.indd 1

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editor’s letter www.nursery-today.co.uk Twitter: @nurserytodaymag

pring has sprung, although many of us would find that hard to believe with the Siberian weather conditions recently. Fortunately though the snow appears to be leaving UK shores and the weather predictions are looking better for when the Harrogate International Nursery Fair open their doors. The show this year has a completely new look accommodating three different halls of the Harrogate Convention Centre, with fewer entrances concentrating visitor flow in a structured way. Although this year will represent a more compact show, attendees will not be disappointed and will experience halls full of brand names with, for example, BabyStyle, Joie, Cosatto, Hauck, Redkite, Obaby, Venicci and BeSafe exhibiting alongside the smaller growing companies and many new exhibitors this year. Of course, this is also the trade show where you will experience many fantastic product launches - this event is where you will find the diamond you have been looking for. Alongside this visitors will also experience the new Product Showcase area

Looking for Wheeled goods? Check out our feature starting on page 18.

Heading to Harrogate? Turn to page 32.

located in Hall Q , which will be the first port of call for many retailers and buyers to see what is innovative and fresh at the show. One thing is for sure this year, you can be guaranteed that while you are walking the halls you will not be scratching your head wondering if there are any new products! In addition, the Baby Products Association has organised a great line of speakers for its annual Seminar Programme with speakers from 3Volution, Gfk and The Insights People. These seminars will be extremely interesting for visitors and are free to attend. 3Volution will run us through the General Data Protection Regulation, (GDPR) which comes into force in May. Gfk will explain the current retail climate in the ever changing nursery sector and explain the value of high end value products, while Parents Insights will be exploring how the purchasing influencers of new parents are evolving. To view the full seminar information visit: www.nurseryfair.com/ seminars Remember also, Harrogate is the home to our industry trade awards. Presentation of the Baby Products Association’s annual industry awards – the Baby and Nursery Trade Awards (BANTAs), sponsored by Nursery Today magazine; and the Concept & Innovation Awards sponsored by 3Volution, will take place injc Hall Q at 4pm on the Sunday. Our cover this month features Joie who you will find in the Kings Suite during the show. Joie is a brand that has come a long way in just over six years in the UK and 2018 is looking positive for this ever growing and dynamic award winning brand. Continuing their commitment to grow, you will find a whole host of new products

being launched by them at Harrogate, you can read more about these by turning to page 16. You can find a full preview of the show starting on page 32, which will assist you in pre-planning your visit and give you a flavour of what you will find within the show halls. To pre-register your attendance to the show visit www.nurseryfair.com This month we also bring you a host of features covering topics and products in the Wheeled Goods and Accessories category (page 18), Wholesale (page 58), Safety Products (page 62) and Wooden Toys (page 66). On a final note to all you golfers out there - remember to register for our annual golf day which this year will also feature a new Challenge Cup provided by BabyStyle. The event will take place at Puckrup Hall near Tewkesbury. This is a Hilton Hotel course which is beautifully maintained. The date to put into your diary is the 27th June. Why not drop Malcolm Naish an email: Malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk, telephone him on 01442 289930 or see our advert will full details on page 65. Here’s to seeing you all in Harrogate.

nstant classics www.hippychick.com

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Did you know… he Baby Products Association (BPA) was established in 1945. It was set up with the objectives of promoting the baby and nursery products sector in both the UK and Europe. Today they play an active role in the development of product standards and provide an umbrella of support and specialist services to their membership. One of the benefits of membership for smaller companies that do not use their own PR company is that members can take advantage of the BPA’s in house PR Company. The Baby Products Association will offer you free PR and marketing advice over the phone or by email.

Subjects covered are:

Excitement at team Gummee

There has been much excitement for the team at Gummee, the baby teething brand and home of the Original Teething Mitten, as Gummee glove made its way onto shelves in Mothercare over January and Febuary. “Gummee glove has been selling incredibly well within Mothercare Ireland since beginning of 2017, with sales growing every month. It seemed only fitting that we should also be in Mothercare UK, and our social media followers as well as the whole of Team Gummee are all very excited. It is an honour to work with Mothercare, and a clear indication of our brand growth and success to date.” Jodine Boothby, Managing Director & Gummee Founder .

www.gummee.life

Katie joins team egg egg stroller & BabyStyle are delighted to welcome Katie Grech-Cini to the team as egg Brand Executive. Katie brings with her a wealth of experience from the sharp side of retail as well as in-depth knowledge of distribution from previous roles. Working alongside Gill Pedley (egg Brand Manager), Katie will provide day to day support in the field for independent retailers, primarily in the north. Excited about the new challenge, Katie said: “I’m looking forward to working on such a prestigious brand as egg® and getting out and meeting all of the wonderful independents that have helped to make the brand such a success.” Web: www.babystyle.co.uk

• A dedicated marketing plan giving targets and budgets • Professional copywriting – for brochures, leaflets, websites as well as PR • Liaising with editors on both trade and consumer media to gain coverage, product reviews and competitions • Liaising with professional bloggers for product reviews and competitions • Managing social media platforms to build up following and brand awareness • Crisis management – in case of product recalls and bad publicity etc.

For full details please contact Christine Scippo: Email info@k-communications.co.uk

www.b-p-a.org 6

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Bottoms up

Clever Clogs Trading appointed as Exclusive Distributors for Petunia Pickle Bottom in the UK and Ireland. Already hugely popular in the US, Clever Clogs trading are delighted to bring Petunia Pickle Bottom to the UK and Ireland. Metropolitan practicality meets on trend Soho-style fashions in this exciting range of changing bags and accessories. Petunia Pickle Bottom delight in bringing fearless style and sophistication to the world of modern motherhood with bold patterns and smart design. Available from March 2018. Stockists include several prestigious retailers including John Lewis, Natural Baby Shower, Pramworld and Baby Planet. For further information email: sales@cleverclogstrading.co.uk

Baby&More celebrate Wonder-ful partnership

Keeping baby socks on!

Renowned nursery distributor Baby&More are celebrating 10 years of supplying Waitrose with the ever-popular Mum 2 Mum Wonder Bib range. Waitrose have worked with the Baby&More team since they launched the Wonder Bib range in the UK and it has since become a staple of the leading retailer’s baby product offering. Caroline Mynard, Buyer at Waitrose comments: “Wonder bibs have been so successful for us because they are fantastic quality and perform so much better than any other bib in the market, as well as them looking really contemporary!”

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Boost with BeSafe BeSafe launches the first Highback booster seat on the market to meet strict new safety standards. The new iZi FLEX FIX offers dynamic flex-performance and Side Impact Protection ‘bumpers’, but also features BeSafe’s well proven innovation SIP+ (side impact protection +). While the seat already passes the demanding approval tests of UN R129-02 without SIP+, this extra safety feature absorbs additional force by deforming like a car’s crumple zone and reducing side movement. Furthermore, the iZi Flex FIX i-Size allows families to fit up to three people in a row by simply detaching the ‘bumpers’ that face the inside of the car. The lap-belt guider and shoulder-belt guiders also ensure optimal positioning of the vehicle belt. Tel: 01606 814 638 Email: sales@hts.no www.carseat.co.uk

Expansion for Winstanleys Pramworld Established in 1963 and three times winner of UK Best Independent Nursery Store, the newest addition to the Pramworld family has opened its doors with a beautiful state of the art showroom in Stoke on Trent spanning over 4,800 sq.ft. Director, David Winstanley said: ”We chose to open a shop in Stoke-onTrent based upon the successful model of our Wigan store. Like Wigan, Stoke is a large conurbation with great transport links to outlying areas and towns. “The location of the new store is easily accessible from the A500 and only a couple of miles from Hanley town centre. It took us approximately eight weeks to create the showroom from an empty shell and we have worked closely with the best names in the industry to create a comfortable and spacious store. “As one of the UK’s largest independent retailer’s we’re able to offer our customers online prices in-store, representing tremendous value for money along with award winning service.” The new showroom offers free on-site parking and is home to over 50 market leading brands, featuring everything from prams and car seats to furniture, bedding and baby essentials.

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...Easy to order directly from our NEW trade website... www.sockons.co.uk All products are supported by a comprehensive press and pr campaign.

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news Knowledge is power Gro’s G ro Rob Pascoe, Group Commercial and Marketing Co Director explains why by Di ensuring you have the correct en information, knowledge can in be b king.

Pure bliss with H&Co The Hardenberg&Co team is putting on their trainers to tackle 13.1 miles of the 2018 Stafford Half Marathon on behalf of Bliss – the charity for babies born too soon or too sick. Held in March, the Stafford Half is a popular race on the local race calendar, attracting some 4000 runners: four of the H&Co team are more than up for the challenge! Bliss holds a special place in H&Co’s heart as Managing Director Julie Ebrey’s son, Marc, a surviving twin, was born at just 24 weeks weighing a tiny 1lb 60z. Any support you can offer Team H&Co would really be appreciated and will give extra emphasis as they stand on that start line in March. You can make a donation to support the team at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hardenbergco

ne problem new parents experience is an overwhelming amount of information from different sources. With sometimes s contradictory word of mouth information, conflicting opinions from infl in nfl fluencers, or the confusing results of a Google search, can all make the process of selecting what is best for their baby a difficult choice. Parents therefore rely on the information coming from suppliers and retailers to be accurate and informative. Having accurate product information across all channels can reinforce to parents how a product works, what the features of a product are, and how it will meet their needs. Allowing them to make a clear choice once they have weighed up the benefits of one product over another. When creating assets we always have the consumer in mind. Will they understand the features? Is the language appropriate, are the important temperature and sizing information given the correct prominence? And very importantly, is there a consistency of information? We know that parents feel *“Information should be readily available” and that parents assume products meet relevant safety and quality standards. Ensuring that product claims and labelling are correct helps build the trust of the consumer and gives the retailers greater confidence to sell our products. For us the relationship with the Lullaby Trust is something we always endeavour to communicate strongly as it helps reinforce our commitment to safety and quality and helps educate parents on safer sleep advice. Giving retailers the assets and training on products helps build reassurance and the ability to confidently recommend the most appropriate product for their consumer. Whether it’s through sales agents and representatives or specialised training staff, via regular updates from suppliers, or keeping up to date with trade and consumer press keeping staff trained in product is a huge benefit for suppliers and retailers alike. Armed with up to date correct knowledge retailers can better address the needs of their customers and provide a better experience for parents. Ultimately this is not just a benefit for parents but ensures better sales and more loyal customers that are better informed and better equipped to meet the needs of their baby. *1045 Respondents to Native Media hosted Baby Sleep Bag British Safety Standard Survey 2017

Second year for Posie & Bear it again as the only inventor who

Charlotte Lonngren of Posie & Bear Ltd has done ion has made it through to the finals of the prestigious Baby Products Associat once. than more Awards Concept & Innovation Charlotte has invented and created various products for the nursery market. other Her invention TinyTimer was a finalist in the concept awards in 2017. Her is she and market U.K. the in launched just has unique invention FeedingBuddy year. this later products other of number a launch aiming to 27th Charlotte will be attending Harrogate International Nursery Fair 25th – seminar the (near Q137 – Q134 stand awards March. You can find her on the BPA room). www.posieandbear.com

A magic number Take a look at the 96 new product launches that are in stock at Baby Brands Direct including the brand Boon that can make almost anyone smile with its wacky comedic slogans, bright colours and quirky solutions to everyday requirements. Also the spring 2018 Enchantimals dolls range, full range of Elmer and The Very Hungry Caterpillar plush and new toys from Fisher-price from learning keys to walkers. There’s also an expanded range of musical instruments from Halilit, pull along toys from Little Bird Told Me and a real treat including the new Silvercloud travel collection and a wholesome range of Nuby products are in stock too! Baby Brands Direct offers a great selection of brand leaders for retailers to mix and match stock requirements from.www. babybrandsdirect.co.uk

Babymule joins Be Baby Marking an era of impressive growth and international expansion, Be Baby Ltd - owners of the multi award-winning weaning brand Tidy Tot – announce the acquisition of Babymule. Building from its pioneering and expanding product portfolio of weaning products under the Tidy Tot brand, Be Baby Ltd now turns its attention to the equally dynamic Changing Bag category with the acquisition of the well-established adventure lifestyle brand Babymule. www.babymule.com

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Got the right mix of traditional and innovative? (and a twist of difference)

bĂŠbĂŠlephant

Find out more Find us by the New Products Showcase, Hall Q www.bebelephant.com | +44 20 8202 1467 | info@bebelephant.com

news Power of the parent Anthony Temple, Managing Director of Rainbow Designs, the Home of Classic Characters, takes a look at the parents of today. t a time when spend is much more considered it is more important than ever to understand our market and just who are the parents and the purchasers, behind the babies of today? The majority of parents today fall into a sector known as Generation Y: The Millennials. There are no precise dates for when this generation starts or ends but typically it is referred to as those born between the early 1980’s through to the mid to late 1990’s. It was reported in 2016, that there were 13.8 million people in the UK between the ages of 20 – 35 and accounted for 21 percent of the total UK population. Millennials, sometimes referred to as ‘echo boomers’, are the children of the ‘baby boomers’ and more importantly, they grew up when many of the considered classic nursery brands were very much in fashion. The millennial generation were surrounded by renowned brands, many of which were born from publishing heritage, such as Peter Rabbit, Paddington, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Guess How Much I Love You, Miffy and Winnie-the-Pooh. The popularity and success of these classic brands today is directly linked to the millennial’s own childhood experiences, connections and fond memories of these wholesome and trusted characters. Millennial parents know that they are in safe hands when purchasing classic brand product and they want this security for their own precious little ones. This millennial generation are at the forefront of social media and digital technologies. To capitalise on this, retailers not only need to be mindful and creative with their selection of products but also look at the critical importance of creating a good communications strategy to showcase their products to this captive audience via the right medium.

Cozy N Safe Merlin is er. the Big Test winn car seat is the

Cozy N Safe’s 360° rotating Group 0+/1 ‘Merlin’ winner in its class in the recent Mother & Baby magazine Big Test. Three mums, with babies aged between six weeks to 30 months, put every rotating car seat in the market to the test and agreed that the Merlin was their outright winner. Mother & Baby say: “The mechanism to rotate the seat is a doddle to operate. We love the comfy seat padding - car seats don’t get much plusher than this – and our testers like the deep recline.” Tel: 01902 494905 Web: www.cozynsafe.com

Cutest tub ever is here!

Prince Lionheart’s new and innovative Tubimal – the hands down cutest tub ever that also doubles as a storage bin for later use, is here. Complete with an infant hammock for bathing baby and a lid for use as a storage bin, when the time comes., the Tubimal is multi-Purpose for multi-years: Stage 1 – Baby Bath Stage 2 – Toddler Bath Stage 3 – Storage Bin Perfect baby shower gift to be filled with other Prince Lionheart baby essentials! Tel: 020 8997 7054 Email: uksales@princelionheart.co.uk

Cruz is official best buy Launched in the UK only seven years ago, UPPAbaby pushchairs have become a firm favourite for new parents looking for style and practicality. Winners of multiple industry and consumer awards for their ease of use and parent friendly features, the UPPAbaby CRUZ stroller has now received the highest score for a pushchair from consumer champions Which? Achieving an incredible test result of 87% the new and improved CRUZ continues to retain its Best Buy status which it has enjoyed since its UK launch back in 2012. UPPAbaby also recently regained Which? Best Buy status for their VISTA stroller, achieving a very high score of 82%. The 2018 VISTA range also arrives in the UK in Spring, along with the launch of the MINU, a brand new compact stroller from UPPAbaby. Web: www.uk.uppababy.com

Brits are great gifters

According to the survey of 1,000 UK adults carried out by One4all, the Post Office gift card, Brits spend a total of £179.74 on gifts for friends or family members’ unborn babies, all before their first birthday. £77.51 of that total is spent before the baby is even born, then a further £102.23 is spent once the bundle of joy has arrived. The average Brit will purchase 17.05 gifts on average between the pregnancy being announced and the child turning one. Baby showers topped the list as the most popular ‘new baby’ gifting occasion , following christenings or other religious ceremonies, and the research revealed some interesting findings around event. 37% of those aged 18-24 will buy gifts for a loved ones’ baby shower, compare d to just 6% of those aged 55 or over. According to the data, Liverpudlians are the most generous new baby gifters, splashing £196.96 on 17.56 presents for their loved ones’ babies. Meanwh ile those in Manchester came in second place, spending an average of £191.92 on 15.62 gifts for their loved ones’ newest additions. The One4all Gift Card can be spent in more than 50,000 outlets across the UK and is available to buy from Post Offices nationwide and online at www.one4allgiftc ard.co.uk. 10

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Advertorial DOREL

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retail

BUMPSTART

Celebrations at Bumpstart BabyShop, based in Buckinghamshire are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. We spoke to owner Helen Hickman to find out more. Now it is still touchy feely but it is also all about price. We will get the pram and car seat sale, but sales of things like highchairs and bouncy chairs are minimal. I wonder whether a lot of baby goods are purchased second hand or handed around families as there is so much financial pressure on young families with mortgages, student loan repayment, etc.

You must have seen a number of consumer trends over the years - which trend do you feel has had the largest impact?

Travel systems and more recently the ability to change a pram from single to double use.

Can you tell us a little about your store? What was the inspiration to open your doors?

It was my father in law’s idea. He was one of the first farmers in our area to diversify into other business areas by changing our chicken sheds into light industrial units. He was looking for something for my brother in law to do and found a franchise (Nippers) which was advertising for farming families to open nursery shops in redundant farm buildings. He realised that my brother in law wouldn’t want to do it, but as I was a new daughter in law and he had an old tractor shed - result!

You are celebrating your 25th anniversary - what would you say has been the largest area of change since first opening?

The Internet and Internet pricing and the huge range of baby goods and other equipment and goods available now. I remember that I had about five prams on my shop floor when I first opened. It was a very touchy feely business having a baby then, and my customers used us as a one stop store for everything that they needed for their baby. 14

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How do you keep abreast of current trends with the ranges that you offer in store to reflect these?

I try to read all emails and information sent to me by suppliers and would be suppliers. I also read trade magazines, and visit trade shows. I have a fantastic team who listen to our customers and input on what we should be selling. I have also, thanks to Yas Ali and the NSG, met and made friends with a whole load of independent nursery retailers, and I find discussions between us very useful too.

Is there a particular product category that you feel has seen the largest innovation in development over the years?

Car Seats. They were really basic when I started out and I regret to say that we sold second hand ones for a couple of years. We would not dream of doing that now. The innovation and technology now used when producing them is really amazing.

A notable area that has changed would be the use of the internet - how has this effected your business over the years? The Internet is a very valuable research tool

and we find that our customers are generally extremely well informed and know what they want before they even step over the threshold. We do have a website but it is very much used as a shop window for us. However our sales are mainly “bricks and mortar” sales, probably because we advertise our stock at full price on our website, and that the people who buy from us generally buy from us because of our high level of customer service and expertise. Sadly, however, it is becoming more and more apparent to us that although our customers value our service, they want to buy as cheaply as they possibly can, and we are either having to price match the “box shifters” or find ways of competing with them. It is very difficult, particularly as some Nationals are in financial difficulty too and seem to be offloading stock left, right and centre. It’s extremely depressing when you have spent a great deal of time going over products, and when you have helped the customer to choose what they want, that they then whip out their phones to find the best price that they can. We have no intention of becoming an Internet “biggie”. We are here to make money, not turn it over. Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity.

Do you offer the same products in store as you do online?

We try to sell lots of products instore that we don’t sell online. We find that doing this helps us with margins and the customer has to come in store to view. We have never set out to be a store with a huge Internet presence. There are already so many out there and we would have to invest so much money to be at the top of the list of them.

How are you currently driving awareness/footfall to your store?

Social media mainly. We use Facebook and are just starting to play with Instagram. We

You are a Brand Ambassador for iCandy how did you achieve this and what benefits does this bring?

PRIMA BABY

DS AR

Are you a brand focussed retailer - how important are brands to you?

We are very happy as we are. We are fortunate enough to still be in this business after 25 years, thanks to where we are based, that we are well established and my extremely low overheads (no rent or business rates). I don’t think that I would go into the baby retail business now if I had to rent anywhere or pay rates, with the poor margins that are being created by internet pricing. They are becoming unsustainable. I am also extremely fortunate to have a fantastic team supporting me – Janette has been here 23 years, Susan 19 years and Katie eight years. Charlotte and Megan (our teenage staff) are fantastic too and showing great promise. Oh – and my daughter, who was toddling around on my opening day 25 years ago, pushing her baby sister around in a baby walker, is getting married in June. Perhaps I should go into the wedding business…

Our mums are very fashion conscious and product aware so long as we have stock of the newest model and the latest colours, then they are happy! Dads like technology (car seats and monitors - so the more buttons to push, the better).

Finally, can we expect any expansion plans on the horizon or exciting news announcements?

Would you say there is a ‘hero’ product at present that mums just can’t get enough of and view as a must have?

I attend Harrogate and Cologne and find both to be extremely useful. I also read trade magazines and try to listen to what my customers want.

I was approached by Martin Boyle at iCandy, as I was one of the first original iCandy stockists and because I am a bricks and mortar store with a high level of customer service. It is still early days, and I am unable to discuss the benefits other than to say that I’m delighted that I’m an Ambassador. It’s really helped our iCandy sales and our profile with the company and I would like to think that it’s turning out to be a great decision.

2018 BRAND NEW COLLECTION

How do you currently source products - do you attend any specific trade shows?

FO RM

We are very well known for our choice of wheeled goods and car seats. We have a large carpark right outside the shop and are forever trying prams in boots of cars, and we prefer to try a car seat in a car for our customers before they purchase. We also stock a large selection of mattresses and offer a made to measure service too.

FO RM

Is there a particular product category that you feel you are known for your expertise within?

We appreciate that there are many brands around, but we can only seem to sell the brands that have a large marketing budget and who are “out there”. We have seen some fabulous wheeled goods with good margins, but we have trouble in persuading our Mums that they are fabulous because they can’t find anything out about them on the Internet or in their parenting magazine, or because their friend hasn’t got one. I wonder if this is a regional problem as I have retailer friends in the Industry who sell these products well. We are based just outside Milton Keynes, and there are hardly any independent shops left (none in central MK). We are surrounded by Nationals.

FO RM

also purchase names and addresses from Bounty via the Tickled Pink Breast Cancer charity. By doing this, we do our bit for breast cancer, and we mailshot around 600 – 800 pregnant parents each month. This works well for us. We also use Google ads, but it can be expensive. We no longer advertise in Newspapers and Magazines, except for a local Flyer magazine and the Parish Magazines (surprisingly helpful to us).

Brands are extremely important to us.

theredkitebabycoltd redkitebaby Check out our website redkitebaby.co.uk

SEE US AT

THE HARROGATE NURSERY FAIR HALL G STAND 16

Call our sales team on

01454 326 555 nursery today

Cover Story JOIE

Raising the bar 2017 was another fantastic year for Joie that saw them surpass turnover targets yet again and reaching record sales of £45million! s you’d expect from a brand that has come this far in a little over 4 - 5 years trading, Joie are not content with this outstanding growth, the bar has been set even higher and the start to 2018 is already looking very positive in respect of achieving their aims! Managing Director David Welsh says: “We’re committed to supporting and growing the David Welsh - Managing business in Director the UK and Ireland for everyone involved with the brand. Both retailers and consumers have come to expect top products

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with very competitive prices, and nd of course great margins for retailers, with no compromise on quality and safety. I’m excited to see what this year holds for us as we build on our success, and drive sales with alll of our customers!” Joie’s success has been clearly built on innovation, quality and value with a core range of multi-award winning home and travel products, and last year saw these hero items make a big impact on their respective categories, especially car seats, where the Spin 360, one of the best value rotating car seats on the market has really helped Joie take the major share of the group 0+/1 market in the UK. Its practical feature

“ Jo ie’s s uc c es s h a s

b een c le a r ly bu ilt on in n o va t ion , qu a lity an d va lue w it h a c o re r an g e o f mult i- a w a rd w in n in g h o me an d tr ave l p ro duc ts ”

that makes loading and unloading baby effortless is really appreciated by parents with glowing reviews being received across all media platforms. S Simple and secure fitting in tthe car is taken care of by the integral ISOFIX base and th continuing Joie’s commitment co to the extended rear facing use of seats it is suitable from us birth to 18kgs, approximately bir 4years of age rear facing! 4ye Along with the Spin 360 the Alo Every Stage multi-group seat Eve that takes baby from birth right up tto 12 years of age covering all tthe groups is very much a go seat for parents and retailers to se alike. In 2018 the Every Stage alike and its popular group 0+/1/2 sister product the Stages car sist seat will see further

Spin 360

LFC Nitro Stroller

Sansa 2 in 1 swing

enhancements with addition of ISOFIX attachments, becoming the Every Stage FX and Stages FX. The addition will see the seats take full advantage of this easy and secure fixing option in the applicable groups, further cementing their reputation as top multi-group seats. Joie’s home category is not being ignored either, with the all-new Sansa 2 in 1 swing and Wish bouncer launching. The Sansa in particular further enhances Joie’s impressive swing range and follows on from last years awards haul for the Serina swings endorsing their continued position as consumer favourites. The Sansa is a multi-motion soother that glides from side to side, front to back, or combines both for the ultimate in options. The cocooning softly padded seat also turns through 90 degrees to easily change the direction of all the motions. Featuring soothing vibration, lullabies and nature sounds the cosy 3-position seat is the perfect place to relax. With Joie’s now trademark lift-off seat, it also doubles as compact portable rocker, with a soft 5-point harness, toy bar and dual speed vibration! 2018 also see’s Joie launch Joie Signature, a sophisticated new car seat and pushchair collection. The range uses some of Joie’s most popular products and enhances their design, materials and finishes taking them to whole new level of style and quality! Exquisitely crafted, Signature is designed for today’s family looking for style and sophistication at an affordable price tag. A collection developed to make memories of each moment with baby be even more special and last forever. The collection features elegant faux leather touches, in beautiful hues on handles and accents throughout. Statement fabrics - warmly woven and richly blended fabrics with block quilted padding providing extra plushness and cradling comfort, especially on car seats forming classic lines to cocoon your little one in chic cosiness. The Signature wheels

feature Joie’s new and exclusive flex comfort ride spring suspension system. A clever sprung seat gives an extra smooth ride, which works to cushion baby’s body, offering a 30% smoother strolling experience. Launching at the end of March the new collection will see a heavy weight media campaign supporting its entry in to the UK market, concentrating on digital and social channels. March will also see the launch of the eagerly awaited Liverpool Football Club and Joie branded product range. The collection kicks-off in the UK with pushchairs and car seats, and will be joined later in the year by indoor items too. A portion of the proceeds from each branded product will go to the Liverpool Foundation to help amazing things happen in the lives of children around the world. David Welsh commented; “ Our partnership with Liverpool FC as the club’s first official family partner and global baby gear partner, is really exciting, the brand will be reaching a huge worldwide audience. However, equally importantly, the club shares our values of supporting families in need and we look forward to working with the club on charitable initiatives.” As the brand goes from strength to strength Joie UK recently completed a multi-million pound purchase of the managed office complex where it all started back in 2011. This gives Joie the space to grow its Staffordshire based headquarters as and when they need to. With its roots now firmly in place and to take full advantage of the demand for the brand that Joie is seeing, the UK team keeps growing with further hirers to its sales, marketing and product teams. Joie was pleased recently to promote Michael De Cotis from his Sales Trainer role to Key Accounts Manager and so Joie is also

Signature Litetrax4 Flex

www.joiebaby.com

delighted to Jamie announce Rose that Jamie Rose has joined the team as Sales Trainer for Joie’s London and southeast region. He brings a wealth of experience gathered over a number of years in the industry, most notably with Dorel. Jamie said; “It’s a great time to become part of the Joie family as they’re a fantastic young brand and their growth is incredible. All the products are easy to use, innovative and look to suit every parents needs. I’m looking forward to learning the range and using my existing knowledge of the industry to help grow the great reputation Joie has.” UK Sales Manager - Chris Armstrong, commented on both appointments by saying; “We are constantly looking to strengthen our sales and training teams, as we believe it’s crucial to our continued success. We know Michael will continue to show great passion and enthusiasm for his new role and Jamie joins at an exciting time and I’m sure he’ll play a major part in our success!”

nursery today

focus WHEELED GOODS AND ACCESSORIES

Pushing the profit The wheeled goods sector remains buoyant as a category with a continued focus on brand names. he wheeled goods sector is buzzing with options for the majority of retailers. With a constant refresh by manufacturers and suppliers, the wheeled goods category is buzzing with options. There really is something for everyone. Whether it comes from the desire for the latest fabrics, or a chassis/frame that may ‘stand out from the crowd’ - it is obvious for many retailers that the demand is there and furthermore, this sector offers fantastic up-sell opportunities by way of accessories. Of course travel systems have always been thought of as good value for money. We asked David Winstanley of Winstanley Prams his thoughts. “I’m not sure it’s about value for money - customers definitely want the best price for the product they’ve chosen but we sell more premium priced products than, what could be argued, better value for money lower priced products.” From our mini survey this month, we can see that 1,034 of those asked bought a different car seat brand to fit onto their chosen pram. Is that being seen among retailers? “Yes, some brands don’t have a car seat in their range so the customer has to choose an alternative, but also I believe that there are a number of car seat brands out there that are considered market leaders and the customers are aware of these and choose to buy them over the own brand alternative.” Damon Marriott (UK Product Manager, Joie) told Nursery Today: “Whilst travel systems are still sold in considerable numbers, the bias has switched to items sold separately as this gives the consumer a freedom of choice not found with a single box travel system. “Wheels that are travel system compatible offer choice to purchase a good quality but lower value infant carrier or a top of the range luxury lie flat infant carrier. So future product development has this flexibility in mind as retailers can still bundle seats and sell as travel systems as and when desired.” Are consumers brand focussed when looking at this category? Nikki Vadera (Head of Marketing UKI, Dorel) would say a definite yes. “Parents are very brand conscious. This is because the pushchair purchase is much more of a style and fashion purchase and is therefore a more emotive purchase. Many consumers treat their wheels purchase similar to that of the purchase of clothing or accessories such as a handbag. Therefore the brand plays an important role in this.” David agrees. “We are such a brand led society

nursery today

“branWdse’re anbodmcobansrdtaedntlyby

align ou rselves w ith th e on es w e identi fy w ith an d like. If you’re buyin g a stroller w ith a he fty price ta g th en th e sa me is true

”

research before they come into store and have an idea of the brands they’re interested in and the ones they’re not. However, their mind isn’t made up, and they want in depth demonstrations of the products. After all, they’re spending upwards of £600-£700 and need to be sure.” Take a look at the following pages where we highlight products that are available to order now.

David Winstanley

- from the moment we wake up and drink a coffee from our Nespresso machine to the moment we go to bed and set the alarm on an Apple i-phone. We’re bombarded by brands and constantly align ourselves with the ones we identify with and like. If you’re buying a stroller with a hefty price tag then the same is true.” Trends continue to be abundant with one area of focus being compact folds. With parents now looking for slicker styles and lighter chassis this trend looks set to continue throughout 2018. David told us: “Over time the traditional large wheel chassis has become a much smaller part of our sales mix but similarly we don’t sell a large amount of the compact fold from birth products like the Bugaboo Bee 5 or BabyZen Yoyo and these tend to be a second purchase from six months onwards. Some our best sellers such as the Silver Cross Pioneer or Wayfarer would not be considered compact folds.” We asked Damon if he felt that we are seeing an increase in the popularity of compact folds and if so, why? “For sure in the stroller category there has been a distinct swing towards the need for compact folds like our Joie Pact, instead of the more traditional umbrella strollers. The numbers are increasing, however yet to overtake the umbrella stroller volumes. The compact fold really suites the smaller hatchback, and boots when packed with luggage or shopping. And of course for holiday travel with tight cabin space, the compact is really practical, we expect to see volumes increasing significantly during the holiday season.” Our mini survey illustrates that over 80 percent researched products online prior to making their decision. However, is this something that retailers have noticed in store? “Yes absolutely.” Said David. “The majority of customers have done some

The survey says… Nursery marketing specialists FanFinders surveyed 2,000 consumers focussing on wheeled goods. Here’s the results. Did you buy a Travel System?

Yes: 1546 (77.3%) No: 454 (22.7%)

Did you buy a different brand of car seat that adapted to your chosen pram?

Yes: 1034 (51.7%) No: 966 (48.3%)

Did you make this purchase in a store?

Yes: 1060 (53%) No: 940 (47%)

Was this a product that you researched online prior to purchase?

Yes: 1640 (82%) No: 360 (18%) Was the cost a consideration for you?

Yes: 1443 (72.2%) No: 557 (27.8%)

Did you buy a second lightweight pushchair?

Yes: 586 (29.3%) No: 1414 (70.7%)

Was the size and weight of this important to you?

Yes: 1526 (76.3%) No: 474 (23.7%) Was your purchase brand driven?

Yes: 1080 (54%) No: 920 (46%)

SMOOTH RIDE

wherever you GO

NEW

BALIOS S 3-IN-1 TRAVEL SYSTEM From birth up to 17 kg (approx. 4 years)

COLOURS

For further information contact your Cybex Account Manager. Alternatively call our Customer Service team on 02074 264 938. CYBEX-ONLINE.COM

7740_Cybex_Ballios S ad_315x240.indd 1

07/03/2018 12:05

focus WHEELED GOODS AND ACCESSORIES

A true pearl

BabyStyle are looking forward to unveiling the all new Oyster 3 at Harrogate this year. The Oyster 3 looks set to be another truly iconic member of the Oyster family as it incorporates all the stand out features from the original Oyster and the Oyster 2, it is a larger stroller but enhanced with a much more compact fold. To see all the stunning new Oyster 3’s features for yourself be sure to visit BabyStyle on stand G7 at Harrogate. Web: www.babystyle.co.uk

Perfect ffor ttravellli ling Chicco

Miinimo2 measures just 55x48.5x25cm when folded . Its compact size, long shoulder strap and travel bag that can be used as a backpack make it perfect for travelling, helped by the fact that it only weighs 6.2kg. When folded, it can fit easily into small spaces; mean ing travel on planes, trains and cars alike is made easy. Its fully reclining backrest provides unparalleled comfort for little ones, and the shock absorbing wheels keeps them comfortable whatever the terrain. For the wet weather days, Chicco Miinimo2 come s complete with a rain cover and extendable canopy to ensure babies are kept warm and dry all day long. Suitable from birth.

Web: www.chicco.co.uk

Full of features Bébéboo have now launched the all-new Joli which is tylish, comfortable and packed full of features, Joli is the newest addition to the bébéboo range. Complete with an 8-piece accessory bundle, the pram boasts elegance and luxury, whilst covering all aspects of parenting needs. Bebeboo founder Mostafa Saadat said: “Our new Joli is the culmination of many months of hard work and we are very excited to see it launched. All aspects of the pram from design to quality and finish have been carefully thought out and the end result is a fantastic new product!” Tel: 0330 678 1114 Web: www.bebeboo.co.uk

nursery today

The mighty Atom

The latest addition to the multiaward winning Oyster col lection is the Atom, a lightweight stroller suitable from birth, great for daily use and perfect for travel . Weighing in at just 7.9kg the At m is feature packed wit Ato h spacious lie-flat padded recline seat, adjustable footrest, one-hand co pact fold, all-round com su pension, flip-out sun sus visor, lo kable swivel front wheel loc s and ra ncover. The Atom is fre rai est nding when folded. sta The Atom is available in T ngsten Grey and Wow Tu Pink. We W b: www.babystyle.co.u k

Meet Quantum Classic, appointed with luxury suiting fabric and made extra special with hand selected premium detailing. Lovingly engineered for every adventure. Read more on page 28.

#madeofseattle dionouk@diono.com | 01827 310557 | diono.com

Nursery_Today_MAR18_FINAL.indd 1

07/03/2018 15:24

focus WHEELED GOODS AND ACCESSORIES

Hasta la vista

Born in the USA and arriving in the UK seven years ago, UPPAbaby has become a global brand in a very short space of time. From the outset, UPPAbaby picked up rave reviews as a result of clean, no nonsense, functional styling and has now developed a strong and loyal following. VISTA was one of the first pushchairs to adapt to a growing family, with clever design that delivers opportunity to adapt a single stroller into a pushchair for two or even three children. If one’s enough, the CRUZ offers practical, urban chic styling. 2018 brings the launch of the MINU, a compact fold stroller with big

stroller features and the usual UPPAbaby hallmarks. Distributed in the UK by DCUK Ltd you can view their ranges at Harrogate Nursery Fair. Tel: 01422 383555 Web: www.uk.uppababy.com

amicelaynew collaboratioi n wiithth Air f e h t o t e m o Welc novative French stroller brand is proud togaanntnoFrunench navy blue shade, softly

Babyzen, the in s featuring an ele eme. by Air France serie YO YO e Th : ce airline’s colour sch an The YOYO Fr miniscent of the re n the two brands. t, ee in pr tw w be p ne hi a ns io lat re distributed ial en paired with ec th d sp ce planes an reinforces the an n Fr r tio ra Ai d n bo ar lla bo co e Th has become an ico bin luggage on Babyzen concept er accepted as ca e oll th , str 12 rst fi 20 e in th d s wa launche n. ping. Originally eir young childre by Air France shop the world with th e or pl ex to nt wa who for stylish parents m

zen.co Web: www.baby

Exceptional value The Pack Ip-Op Classic XL from Bebecar represents fantastic value. It features the same high-quality engineering as all Bebecar pushchairs, at a fantastic price for the complete travel system. The Pack includes the carrycot, pushchair seat, group 0+ infant car seat and raincover. The Ip-Op chassis gets a classic look with spoked metal wheels and a ‘peaked’ carrycot. The chassis has a height-adjustable handle and wheels with ball bearings, giving an exceptionally comfortable ride for parent and baby. The Pack Ip-Op Classic XL is available in a choice of seven fabrics, including the leatherette Specials range. Matching accessories are also available. Tel: 01692 408801 Web: www.bebecar.co.uk

nursery today

Ooh la la The OhLaLa stroller from Chicco is both amazingly light and incredibly sturdy. At only 3.8kg, it is perfect for parents on the go. With a smooth one-handed drive, detachable bumper bar and included rain cover, it is a highly practical and easily manoeuvrable option. It is also very easy to handle and carry, taking up very little space when folded, meaning it is ideal for travel both by car and public transport. New for 2018, OhLaLa is available in the new vibrant Power Blue colour way to brighten up even the rainy days. Suitable from birth. Web: www.chicco.co.uk

AVAILABLE NOW FEATURED AT THE

Harrogate International Nursery Fair March 25th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 27th 2018

2018

www.bebeboo.co.uk

focus WHEELED GOODS AND ACCESSORIES

Practical st yle The Chicco Ec ho is the pe

rfect stroller for practical yet mod parents looking ern and stylish for a product. With its structure, compa lightweight ct umbrella fold and practical ca offers the ideal rrying handle, it solution for pare nts and babies on The stroller also their travels. has lockable fro extremely easy nt wheels makin to manoeuvre an g it d comes complet shopping basket e with raincove and foldable su r, m mer/winter hood a new extendab le canopy. incorporating For added versat ility, a bumper ba The stroller com r has now been es in a bright Sc included. arlet design, an vibrant royal bl d Mr. Blue, a ue shade. Suita ble to use from 22kg. birth through to

Web: www.chic co.co.uk

ionof t a u t i s y n Made2018f, thoe lartest Saalsa 4 pushchaithr fre omSalsaABisCsuDitaesbligenfrisomone6

ot, Brand new for included carryc i-Cosi/Kiddy/ yet. Using the included Max e th g in us d their greatest an . impressive 25kg ating flexibility months to an s even more se w avy duty lo al he rs it, to un ap at ad ard facing se w or Cybex car seat ight /f nt re fe pa fers a ather ef ct, he The Salsa 4 of n visor and a le su ailable, the av ith s w ie or od ss ho ce PF 50+ atching ac m of e ng a suspension, U ra t e an s who w le. With a wid ce for customer oi ch t adjustable hand ec rf pe e lsa 4 is th ABC Design Sa handle anything. n ca at th pushchair 1491 Tel: 01652 64 m design.uk.co cab w. w Web: w

nursery today

A superb duett

Hauck are pleased to announce the arrival of the next generation Duett. The Duett 3 has all the same seating options as previous Duetts but now built on a completely new strengthened chassis is also able to take a second pram unit. This means that for the first time the Duett can be used as a twin. Other new features are solid rear wheels to protect against finger entrapment and individual rain covers for the 2 seats. Available as optional extras are the second pram unit and the Comfortfix car seat and compatible isofix base. Tel: 01978 664363 Web: www.hauckuk.com

OUR

AWARD WINNING

For further information on our SS18 range contact Amy Wills: amy@closeparent.com www.closeparent.com

focus WHEELED GOODS AND ACCESSORIES

Great allrounder

Seal of approval The Diono Quantum has received the Which? seal of approval, excelling with a score of 83%! Putting this multi-mode stroller in the top ten pushchairs in the UK. Which? said Quantum is “practical, easy to use and has good manoeuvrability. It’s a high scoring pushchair because it’s good at what it does.” This accolade is another one to add to the growing list as Quantum has already won several prestigious UK awards and is shortlisted for more! The features that always come out top are the best in class hood which is massive and offers complete coverage, the patented one step brake and the innovative multi-functional seat unit which simply transforms from a lie-flat bassinet to toddler seat. With no separate bits to store, it’s easy to use, simple to fold and a super neat package to store. Tel: 01827 310557 Email: uk.diono.com

Cybex has launched its new Balios S pushchair, an ideal companion for those who want all the latest features, without the premium price tag. A robust and stylish pushchair, the Balios S is the perfect companion when on the go thanks to the 3-in-1 travel system which takes parents through the city streets and across the country with ease. It can be used with the new Cot S (suitable from birth to 9kg, approximately six months), the matching seat unit, or one of the renowned Cybex infant car seats, such as the Aton M i-Size. Featuring big All-Terrain Wheels with a four-wheel suspension and easy click-on and click-off memory buttons, the seat unit is reversible, so a child can be parent-facing or forward-facing to enjoy the view. The Balios S offers ultimate cosiness for a child thanks to the three backrest positions, and the adjustable legrest, which provides a comfortable sitting or lying down leg position. Additionally, the smart one-hand recline function offers a full lie-flat position, making the Balios S suitable from birth. Email: info.uk@cybex-online.com Web: www.cybex-online.com

The Rockit Rocker

This portable ba by rocker has al ready gained a massiv e following from parents whose lit tle ones needed the added comfort of their pushch air or pram being rock ed to help them settle and sleep. The Rockit Roc ker has a univer sal strap that will pushchair hand le, it has a simpl fit any pram or e switch operatio speed. Once sw n and an adjusta itched on it gent ble ly rocks and soothe Rockit has been s babies. tested to the high suitable for use est EU safety sta from birth, is sh ndards, is owerproof, has cycle and is extre a 30 minute rock m el y qu ie t ing in op Web: www.rock eration. itrocke

r.com Web: www.ba bystyle.co.uk

Seeing double lling oll tro str Compactt st C strollers and travel

The Roma Spring/Summer 2018 range includes systems in convenient packages. New for this year is the Capsule Travel Stroller, weighing only 4.9kg with a super compact fold. In the Travel System category, the new Moda is only £350 for the stroller and carrycot, with optional car seat adaptors transforming the pram into a travel system compatible with all leading car seat brands. All systems come complete with changing bag, footmuff, raincover and insect net. The Rizzo Stroller and Vita Travel System have launched in the new Tweed colourway. Web: www.romaprams.co.uk

With a practical width of only 78cm and a lightweight frame that makes it easy to manoeuvre, the Echo Twin Stroller is perfect for everyday use. The wide seats feature fully adjustable 5-point safety harnesses, with shoulder pads and each seat can reclined to four different positions. In addition, both leg rests and hoods can be adjusted independently, and the rear section of the hoods can be removed for ventilation in the summer. Unlike many twin strollers the Echo is ultra-compact when folded and is easy to carry around due to its practical handle. It has an umbrella closing system with auto lock that prevents it from opening accidentally. Suitable from birth. Web: www.chicco.co.uk

nursery today

Visit us at Harrogate, stand G19 Hip-Hop Evolution pram shown in Navy Plaid

www.bebecar.co.uk

BebecarUK

feature DIONO

Forever evolving Nearly two decades have passed since Diono first stepped out into the world and started a business dedicated to family travel. With a different name and just one product, things have changed a lot since 1999. We talk to new UK and EIRE VP, Helen Robinson about the evolution to become the best ‘little big brand’ in the industry. t all starts in Seattle the original home of the brand and current HQ. “We are ‘made of Seattle’”, explains Helen, “Our ideas are shaped by the uber cool Pacific Northwest where urban th city culture nestles amongst wild oceans and ci redwood forests, all in the shadow of an re active a volcano. It’s exciting and laidback at the th same time, and is a place, where being ‘a little different’ is the norm. We are proud to t be inspired by this landscape, to do things t which have never been done before and a create lovingly engineered products, with w a big dollop of everyday magic!” Diono has been known as one of the market leading brands for accessories – m clever little ideas which parents find they can’t live without. Things like the handy buggy buddy which can be seen on most high streets and shopping centres. This success sees Diono on sale in more than 50 countries, reporting double digit growth for over 10 years, “So many of our products are multi-award winning with great reviews and consistent year on year growth which has been supported by national and

With stylish design, sumptuous fabrics and clever little features, Quantum Classic has every detail covered

nursery today

independent retailers” comments Helen. “Since launching our Radian car seat in 2016 and the Quantum travel system last year, the perception of Diono has evolved and we have been working even more closely with independent retailers to grow sales of the new categories through this channel. We are now seeing significant consumer awareness of Diono as a brand which supports safer car travel and core messages such as extended rear facing. We are proud to have a network of passionate car seat advocates who assist in driving awareness and sales. “We want to continue supporting these channels and feel we can grow further” continues Helen. “We have invested significantly to enhance our NPD and commercial management which is headed by Global Product Director, Nigel Plested. We now have a global team based across three continents, incorporating designers, new product developers and category management with over 200 years combined nursery industry experience.” “Our family of brands currently span Baby Carriers, Car Seats, Carrycots, Strollers, Travel Accessories and Travel Systems which each have their unique place in the market. Our focus is to bring products to market that fulfil a real need. Many items are completely innovative – Carus for example is the first carrier which maintains the same harness position in every carry mode and therefore always gives optimum back support and Traverze is the first stroller with a telescopic luggage style handle for ultimate convenience on the go. “We are also evolving our current ranges to meet consumer demand for newness” enthuses Helen. “The next product to launch is Quantum Classic. This version of our Quantum, is tailored to encapsulate the timeless quality of our travel system compatible stroller. It’s appointed in a luxurious suiting fabric, made extra special with the addition of hand selected premium detailing. Like all our products, Quantum Classic is inspired by the rough forests, mountains and modern urban culture of the American Pacific Northwest. With a lovingly engineered chassis featuring clever technology and a style of understated luxury,

Quantum Classic is just as at home on city pavements as it is on rough country tracks. It’s a product which has got every attention to detail. For example, a handy pump also comes included and has a bespoke storage place in the basket. With growth of the product range in wheeled goods and car seat categories, Diono are also working collaboratively with key retailer partners building support programs to drive sales across the product range. “Our investment in a new detail orientated and fast paced development team is allowing us to develop exclusive capsule collections tailored to retailer needs and capture the potential of new, fresh and timely opportunities. The first of these is our partnership with Mothercare which will be launching to consumers in March. This capsule collection will be a range which celebrates analogue prints with digital technology, to achieve a sense of being visually engineered, a contemporary active aesthetic and reflecting the dynamically digital modern world we all live in. The partnership will allow consumers a much broader access to the brand, supporting increased awareness and growth. With first feedback from consumer trials being exceptionally positive, these launches are going to be a pivotal point in the next stage of growth for Diono.” It’s not just about product development for Diono. “We are enhancing our communications strategy to build on the successful campaigns which have resonated with and enriched our relationship with parents” continues Helen. “We are investing particularly in our digital channels to grow advocacy and working with key influencers to share our brand story. Combined with our exciting pipeline of new product and category development, it’s a great time to work with us to be part of our transition into the next best “little big brand” in the industry.” Tel: 01827 310557 Email: dionouk@diono.com

AD_0183_ILevel_NTAd_EN.pdf

03/08/2017

15:24

flat out finest

157 tilt

meet i-Levelâ&#x201E;˘ E kick bac

k & relax!

WATCH M

A dreamy day-tripper that does more than most when on the roam or even at home. With i-Size security plus stretch and snooze Intelli-Snugâ&#x201E;˘ tilt for a healthier, safer, cosier carrier.

Share the joy at joiebaby.com For all sales enquiries, please contact Joie UK on 01889 808 900 or email: uksales@joiebaby.com

Joie.indd 1

14/08/2017 16:48

talking shop With the doors about to open to the Harrogate Int. Nursery Fair, we spoke to independent retailers to find out why this is such an important event in our trade calendar.

Emma Charlesworth

BABY BIRDS

Are you visiting Harrogate this year and if so, why is it important to your business? Harrogate is vital to any independent nursery business in the UK, that’s why we are showing under the Roma brand for the first time. How else would independents see all the new designs available for the UK? There is only one nursery trade fair in the UK Will you pre-plan your visit? Yes you have to. I plan my route round the halls beforehand and make appointments where necessary. Are you looking for established brands or something that may offer a point of difference? Both are vital. Independents need to have smaller company’s products to make them different to the multiples. I tend to head for independent colours or companies that don’t deal with the nationals. Is there a particular product category that you are looking at this year? Nothing in particular - just divine inspiration! Will you be attending any of the seminars? Not personally as Molly and I will be on the Roma stand. We’ll see as much of the show as possible in-between appointments.

WH WATTS

Gary Watts

Are you visiting Harrogate this year and if so, why is it important to your business? Yes we will definitely be attending Harrogate this year and I’m delighted to see that companies are still signing up even at this late stage. It is important that we maintain this show and support it. Two of us are going for the duration with other staff members attending on the Sunday. It is always important that we visit Harrogate and support the show plus it is the only opportunity for the team to see at least some of the products available and interact with the suppliers, we also look at deals that maybe available. Will you pre-plan your visit? We will definitely pre plan, we look at who is showing and what products we may want to look at and meet up later on Sunday to consider options and view points etc. Are you looking for established brands or something that may offer a point of difference?

nursery today

In general we do look more at established brands but we do have an open mind with regards to suppliers and products. Is there a particular product category that you are looking at this year? This Harrogate our focus will mainly be on wood and wheels but as stated previously we are going with an open mind. Will you be attending any of the seminars? We haven’t planned to visit any of the seminars but may do depending on the time we have spare if something catches our attention.

The Baby Barn Tea m - Rachael Lloyd, Sue Dronfield , Georgie wines, Noreen Fawcett & Tracie Ireland

THE BABY BARN

Sue Dronfield

Are you visiting Harrogate this year and if so, why is it important to your business? I have only missed one Harrogate in 25 years and that was because it clashed once again with a Mothering Sunday! I will be attending Monday and Tuesday. I love this show as it is a great way to catch up with other retailers, visit existing suppliers and meet new ones in a relaxed atmosphere. I think this show is just as vital as Cologne, more compact and quicker to get round giving you have more time to spend actually looking at the products! Will you pre-plan your visit? I will pre- plan my visit as this ensures I see who I really do need to see - but gives me time to be flexible when looking out for new suppliers/products etc. Are you looking for established brands or something that may offer a point of difference? I am always open to new brands/products as this is how we Independents survive. A lot of the current leading brands owe their success in part to us. We have to maximise on a great product whilst its growing as we all know what happens once national accounts get involved. This industry certainly keeps us on our toes with constant challenges especially this year with Mothercare closing stores and constantly discounting and Toys r Us in Administration. We do need to stock certain established brands especially with car seats as customers seem very brand aware in this area, but I definitely like having products that are more exclusive and so do our customers - it’s makes us stand out more and that’s why customers like to visit us due to our great selection of products.

Our new Safe Nights range has over 70 years of experience behind it and has been tested to the highest UK standards. The range of mattresses features exclusive Eco Comfort fibre for a foam and chemical free sleeping experience.

Complementary fitted sheets, fleecy blankets, hooded towels and baby sleep bags use breathable fabrics to help keep little ones at just the right temperature during the night.

Find out more at silentnight.co.uk

Is there a particular product category that you are looking at this year? I am not looking at any particular category - just some inspiration! We have struggled with bedding and nursery furniture this year so will be interested to catch up with other retailers to see if that’s been the same for them too. Will you be attending any of the seminars? With regard to the seminars - I have to admit I have never managed to go to any. Purely due to time. I will have a look and see what’s going on and if anything intrigues me I will see if I can go.

It’s good to talk! Fancy having your say about the nursery industry? Just drop editor Penny Franks an email at penny@lemapublishing.co.uk. You and your business could appear in the next issue of Nursery Today.

nursery today

focus HARROGATE

Head for Harrogate With a new layout Harrogate Nursery Fair is well and truly gearing up to open their doors. ringg u

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s our only UK nursery trade event Harrogate is a not to be missed event with many major brands who will be in attendance during the 2018 show including Joie Children’s Products, Cosatto, Hauck, Peg Perego, Venicci, BabyStyle, Obaby, BeSafe and The Red Kite Baby Company. This year Harrogate has a completely new look accommodating three different halls of the Harrogate Convention Centre, with fewer entrances which will concentrate visitor flow iin a structured way. The show will offer an unrivalled opportunity for manufacturers and suppliers of baby products to meet key industry buyers from multiple retailers, department stores b and supermarkets to independent retailers from around the UK. Adrian Sneyd, show organiser, said: “We are delighted to have all of the major brands returning to the 2018 show in March. Joie, Nuna and Red Kite will be joining a long list of well-loved brands such as BabyStyle, Bebecar, Cheeky Rascals, Hauck, Obaby, Peg Perego and Venicci to name jjust a few. Many companies left signing up to the llast minute this year and we look forward to showcasing some of the very best baby products that the industry has to offer.” Favourite British brand Cosatto has also made the decision to return this year – having last exhibited at the show in 2003! Andrew Kluge of the company comments: “I think it is probably 35 years since the very first time we had a stand at Harrogate – it’s good to be back and we hope the show will be a success.” Another exciting addition to Harrogate this year is Roma – a relatively new brand, launched by Emma Charlesworth, known in the industry for her hugely successful retail outlet Baby Birds of Dorset. The Roma brand is celebrity endorsed by Amy Childs of The Only Way is Essex and includes an exclusive range of ‘must have’ pushchairs, strollers, travel systems, changing bags and nursery interiors. Emma explains: “I started Baby Birds 25 years ago and having developed an in-depth understanding of the baby products market, two years ago decided to launch a product range of my own, together with my daughter Molly – Roma, which is my mother’s name. So far, our products have been positively

nursery today

embraced by consumers and we are now looking forward to gaging reaction from n nursery retailers at Harrogate.” H And it doesn’t sstop there with the latest companies to la sign up including si Mee-Go and M J M Mark. M Having attended last year to launch la their nursery range, Slumberland are another example of a company who can see the benefits of Harrogate. Steve Birds, Nursery National Account Manager said: ‘We are excited to return to Harrogate this year and are keen to meet more new buyers from across the country to continue our success and what better place to do it than at the UK’s only dedicated Nursery show.” Other highlights of the show this year include a New Product Showcase, which is an area destined to be a first port of call for retailers and buyers seeking the latest new product launches. In addition to this, while in attendance you can take advantage of the fantastic seminars that will take place. The Baby Products Association have organised a fantastic line up of speakers to bring visitors another great Seminar programme which includes everything you need to know about the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which comes into place in May 2018 (3Volution); how brands can engage with their target market (The Insights People); and the latest market trends and predictions (GfK). Remember also, Harrogate is home to the Baby Product Association BANTA Awards (sponsored by Nursery Today) and also the Concept & Innovation Awards. Registration is now open. This is a not-to-bemissed event for everyone in the baby trade. Don’t forget to register online today at www.nurseryfair.com for your visitor badge.

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Show opening times Sunday 25th March: 9.30am - 5.30pm Monday 26th March: 9.30am - 5.30pm Tuesday 27th March: 9.30am - 4.00pm

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Come and see our latest products on stand

Obaby Nursery Today Full Page - March 2018 - (Stamford, Belton, Disney Cots etc).indd 1

www.obabytrade.co.uk 01652 641491

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List of Exhibitors Hall G ABC Design c/o Obaby BabyStyle UK Ltd. Bebecar UK Ltd Boori (Europe Ltd) Cuddles Collection Ltd Obaby Rosy Fuentes The Red Kite Baby Co. Ltd. Venicci

G6 G7 G19 G17 G1 G3, G5,G6 G14 G16 G11

Hall Q PEG PEREGO Q1 All Day Designs Q78 ANHUI WORLDWISE BABY SAFE-TECH CO.,LTD. Q107 Aqua Wipes Q14 Baby Products Association Q148 BabyHub Q84 Belo & Me Q77a BeSafe Car Seats & Voksi Footmuffs Q42 Bespoke Bebe Q69 Bladez Toyz Q46 CBME China Q105 Clippasafe Ltd Q7 pp Q

nursery today

Concept & Innovation Awards Finalist - Clear View Suction Playpen Q134 Concept & Innovation Awards Finalist - Comfyse Cushy Cushion Q137 Concept & Innovation Awards Finalist - sandsliders Q136 Cosatto LTD Q88 Cozy N Safe Q35 dolce kidsme bbgg Q13 Dreambaby Q101 Happy Mummy Ltd Q61 HUGS FACTORY Q24 HushCush 4 in 1 nursing pillow Q77 Intelligent Retail Ltd. Q47 JINJIANG JINBAO BABY PRODUCTS CO.,LTD Q106 Karibu Baby Limited Q10 KeriKit Q62 K-Play International Ltd Q39 Little Tree Babycare Co. Q48 LoveKeepCreate Q95 Maias Company Q70 MATT INSTINCT Q82 Mee-go Ltd Q140 MerryGoRoundUK Q102 MIMOS PILLOW Q74 MJ MARK Q118 More-2-Explore Q79 Motherknot Q80 Mummy Loves Organics Q84a Nanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Manners Q83 Padgett Bros (A-Z) Ltd Q51 Pouce et Lina Q25 Roma Q90 Sand Sliders Q63 Shnuggle- Clever Baby Products Q40 Silentnight Q18 Slumberland Q29 SnuggleUp Ltd Q81 Sock Ons Ltd Q146

Stitch and Story Q75 Sweet Dreamers Ltd Q45 The Blinky Company Q67 The Daddy Bag Q66 The RHSM Group Q26 UPPAbaby Q28 Whisbear-the humming bear Q76 Xiamen Ansafe BabyandMaternal Products Co.,Ltd. Q104 Zellie Q64

Kings Suite Alcado Limited BeBeBoo Cheeky Rascals Ltd Hauck Fun For Kids Joie Childrens Products (UK) Ltd NUBELUNA Nuna Nursery Today Sheldon International Something Special Cheadle Ltd TouchFinder Springfield Link Entrance *List correct at time of print

KS1 KS3 KS18 KS15 KS9 KS5 KS13 KS8 KS21 KS7

ewan-deluxe-nursery-today-4.pdf

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LAUNCHING AT HARROGATE MARCH 2018 STAND Q45

CMY

the ultimate baby sleep aid just got better

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Space for travel Hall Q, Stand: Q84

Weighing in at only 6kg the new improved Sleepspace travel cot is the light weight, modern design you come to expect from BabyHub. With its trendy triangular shape and vibrant colour’s it stands out from the crowd. The cot is full sized and breathable. With plans to expand internationally true to form the innovative brand have done it again improving the already genius, multi award winning product now coming packaged with its very own tepee and mosquito net going into major retailers now. Tel: 07797 719542 Email: info@babyhubshop.com Web: www.babyhubshop.com

Soundly sleeping Hall Q, Stand: Q29

Flavours F lavours of success Hall G, Stand: G7 The BabyStyle and egg stand is once again set to be the place to visit this year at Harrogate. Samples from all their extensive collections will be on display including the much anticipated Oyster3, two new colours for the Oyster Zero and a new colourway for the Hollie furniture range. BabyStyle extend an invite for all show attendees to join them on stand G7 to experience their usual warm Harrogate hospitality at their after-show party on Sunday from 5pm, which this year features the “BabyStyle Gin Bar”, a great opportunity to try some unique flavours to toast the show’s success! Tel: 01509 816444 Email: info@babystyle.co.uk Web: www.babystyle.co.uk

Award winning Hall Q, Stand: Q77

winning nursing pillow that allows The HushCush 4in1 is a multi award with the right support and bly new mums to breastfeed comforta at this year’s Harrogate ch laun d Bran are. regardless of where they hCush:- Before and after birth International Nursery Fair. The Hus loped with breastfeeding support •Created by a mum and deve t •Ergonomically designed to aid scen liar experts •Retains mother’s fami , neck and spine in alignment for a baby’s digestion •Keeps baby’s head t natural tummy-to-tummy good latch •Helps maintain the mos portable •Evenly distributes baby’s ly positioning •Small, light and high , neck and shoulders Pop along to weight to reduce strain on your back stand Q77 and ask to see HushCush. Tel: 01435 873373 Email: admin@hushcush.uk Web: www.hushcush.uk

nursery today

Slumberland are excited to return to the Harrogate Nursery Fair for a second year. After a successful launch in the independent market last year opening over 40 independent accounts, Slumberland is continuing to grow opening new and exciting accounts. Steve Birds, Nursery National Account Manager says: “Last year was a great debut year for Slumberland; to be awarded ‘Best Safety Product’ at the 2017 Baby and Nursey Trade Awards (BANTAs) and shortlisted for ‘Best Sleep Product’ at the Mother & Baby Awards plays true testament to the quality of our Slumbertime Cot Mattress Collection.” Make sure you visit the Slumberland stand to be in with the chance to win a bed for one lucky buyer! Tel: 01823 688280 Email: miles.pluckwell@steinhoffukbeds.co.uk Web: www.slumberland.co.uk

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See the new range Hall G, Stand: G19

Making mums happy Hall Q, Stand: Q61 At Harrogate Nursery Fair you will find new, exciting and innovative products from the Happy Mummy range, including the Baby Elephant Ears in new prints, Buggygears latest designs and Drinkadeux glass bottles for babies and toddlers as well as some of their old best sellers. Special show offers also available. Find out more by visiting their stand in Hall Q!

their stand again, with Bebecar are looking forward to welcoming you to collection of new 2018 their view to e chanc the light refreshments and chassis and beautiful fabrics. features a unique The new Natura collection will be on display, which far has been so on reacti The s. chassi the on realistic wood-effect finish -effect is wood The it. e believ to it see to need do really incredible – you e of choic a in s fabric ed complemented by a selection of natural-ton denims and damasks. Tel: 01692 408801 Web: www.bebecar.co.uk

Tel: 0203 002 9698 Email: info@happymummy.com

Cozy N Safe: it’s in the Signature Inspired by a tradition of British craftsmanship, Cozy N Safe’s Signature range has bought bright new legends into the children’s car seat market.

Hall Q, Stand: Q35

he Champion ‘Excalibur’ won Gold in BB&T Awards 2017, for its deep padding, comfortable 4-point recline, the extra safety reassurance of a 5-point harness to 25kgs, plus a perfect fit in most vehicles. ‘Merlin’, much loved by Cozy N Safe fans, recently beat its competitors in Mother & Baby’s ‘Big Test’ on swivel car seats. Mumsnet rated it ‘Best for Comfort’ and Made For Mums said: “The level of comfort from the high-density polyurethane foam sets the Merlin apart from other seats.” Mum bloggers have loved it too, with one expressing, “Favourite feature -Love the 360 turning ability.” This Spring will see the exciting introduction of a Group 0+/1/2/3 named ‘Arthur’ and in summer, ‘Tristan’ a new iSize plus, alongside ‘Lancelot’ and ‘Galahad’ to join the Signature collection.

Tel: 01902 494905 Web: www.cozynsafe.com

nursery today

Slumbertime mattress collection

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Clippasafe celebrate 60 years in child safety lippasafe, the experts in child safety, are this year celebrating 60 years in business and will be showcasing the latest additions to their ever expanding range and much more at Harrogate Nursery Fair in March. Find them at Stand Q7. The UK based company has consistently led the way in the child safety market since the 50s, building its reputation for developing innovative products and supplying all the major UK nursery retailers as well as selling under its own brand which is instantly recognisable to parents today. Speaking about the success and ethos behind the brand, Managing Director and

father of three Roger Cheetham says - “We’ve come a long way and we’re thrilled to be celebrating sixty years of producing products that help to protect babies and children.” “Many of today’s parents are more independent and rely less on their own parents for help when bringing up their children, often missing out on vital experience. There are many potential hazards in and out of the home which new parents may not realise, so we aim to provide them with essential tools to educate them and minimise danger.” The current range includes popular products such as the Bump Belt, a patented seat belt safety system for mums-to-be; plus many style and colour variations on the original Clippasafe Harness and Reins as well as home safety essentials such as Safety Gates, Fireguards and Cupboard Locks. All of these and more will be showcased in Harrogate, be sure to stop by and congratulate them on their diamond anniversary! Tel: 0115 9211 899 Web: www.clippasafe.co.uk

Helps prevent and correct FLAT HEAD SYNDROME (PLAGIOCEPHALY) Clinically Proven Effective Specialist Medical Pillow

The world’s first and only lab certified safe pillow for baby use.

Visit us at Stand Q74

Patented Pressure Distribution Design

Email: info@mimosbabypillow.co.uk mimosbabypillow.co.uk Tel: +44(0) 191 249 8030 40

nursery today

Euro Stock Traders Ltd Nursery Today Magazine 23-02-2018 vector.pdf 1 23/02/2018 16:36:49

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The perfect match Hall Q, Stand: Q28 UPPAbaby will be showing their new collection on Stand Q28. New colours and fabrics for the VISTA and CRUZ strollers, all of which are available for delivery within days of the show. The much anticipated compact stroller from UPPAbaby, MINU, will be available from May and offers newborn and 6+ months solutions. A feature packed compact stroller making it a contender as a primary stroller when space is at a premium . There is also the opportunity to view products from their newest brand, Cognikids as well as the new 2018 Bassinest bedside sleeper from Halo.

is has a new Launching at fort blanket dream sheep e th an per soft com ew su s hi T e e! im ki announce dt blan for be the baa baa ging, perfect rple Introducing with silky ed in classic pu h us ce pl fa y le gl ab ug ve sn lo ’s baa om an fr a e ew ba mad uring ket, the snuggles. Feat ft cream blan so e ly tl us lit g eo in cuddles and rg go help bined with a t! Perfect for is or grey, com rt in an instan baa blankie fo a m ba co , e go id e ov th pr on ill or w e e ki m blan at ho to dreamland ft. by shower gi ones drift off ba l ia nt se es an e m co set to be 32 2623 ers.co.uk Tel: 02392 sweetdream .uk y@ rr ha co s. Email: er am weetdre Web: www.s

Tel: 01422 383555 Email: info@dcukltd.com Web: www.dcukltd.com

Make your mark Hall Q, Stand: Q118 What a great idea it was to launch a GREY range for MJmark. MJmark will proudly be displaying their wicker cribs Ophelia, Bianca and Miranda in a stylish GREY finish with complimenting GREY beddings across the range. Also, check out the launch of Comet and Cloud range which are also looking to be a success this year for MJmark who will present NEW designs of bedding sets in PINK and BLUE for these ranges. Tel: 07815179574 Email: jack@mjmark.co.uk Web: www.mjmark.co.uk

Be surprised with Ve1 nicci Hall G, Stand: G1

to would like to invite all stocking their products The team at Venicci sinesses interested in bu as ll we as sts cki sto of their existing 18. d gate Nursery Fair 20 from the industry an visit them at the Harro to know new people get , up ch cat w to ne y d nit an ons It is a great opportu uce their latest collecti m to launch and introd also an occasion for the rybody. odie bags for those product releases to eve surprises as well as go of er mb nu a th wi d Visitors will be greete g the show. o wh visit them durin o.uk Web: www.venicci.c

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Expansion to the range Hall G, Stand: G3 Obaby are delighted to be exhibiting once again at this year’s Harrogate Nursery Fair. As well as being a fantastic opportunity to meet up with existing and potential customers, Harrogate is key for showcasing their exciting and comprehensive selection of products. This year they will be showcasing their brand new 2018 range along with some of their much-loved classics. Following on from the release of the Stamford at last year’s show, its popularity has proven to be even greater than Obaby could have imagined and this year sees even more additions to the range available for you to discover. Ensure you visit stand G3 to take advantage of exclusive show offers and to experience the vast range of Obaby products for yourself. Tel: 01652 641491 Web: www.obaby.co.uk

Think Baby.

Race

Piano

Come and see our latest products on stand

LBP

LOVEDBYPARENTS

WINNER

Best Double / Tandem Pushchair

Gold

2016

lovedbyparents.com

Piano

Leaf

Mountain

Race

LOVEDBYPARENTS

WINNER Best Double Stroller

Platinum

2016

lovedbyparents.com

Walnut

abc-design.uk.com

Nursery Today Half Page - March 2018 - ABC Salsa4 and Zoom.indd 1

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Hauck head for Harrogate Silent to sleep Hall Q, Stand: Q18 Silentnight’s NEW Safe Nights range has over 70 years of experience behind it and has been tested to the highest UK standards. The range of mattresses use their Eco Comfort fibre for a foam and chemical free sleeping experience and also come with a washable cover to give every busy parent the flexibility they need. Parents can sleep soundly in the knowledge their little one is receiving the support, care and comfort they need through the night. The Safe Nights nursery accessories complement the mattress range. The collection includes fitted sheets for cots, cribs and moses baskets as well as fleecy blankets, hooded towels and baby sleep bags. All of the products use breathable fabric, produced in OEKO-TEX certified factories, to help keep little ones at just the right temperature. Tel: 01282 813051Email: grace.moorhouse@silentnight.co. ukWeb: www.silentnight.co.ukPIC: silent nightSignature of successKings Suit, Stand: KS9Joie are delighted to be exhibiting once again at the Harrogate Nursery Fair and looking forward to showing the nursery trade its latest additions to the 2018 range for the first time in the UK. Visitors to the stand will see the new Signature collection, wheels and car seats encompassing classic style, luxurious materials and innovation, yet retaining all the practicality you would expect from Joie. Another important new range will be products developed for the charitable partnership with Liverpool Football Club, Joie being LFC’s exclusive global baby gear partner and first official families partner! Joie will also have on show the all new Sansa 2 in 1, the latest swing to add to the already impressive indoor line-up and as you’d expect the latest innovations to the award winning Joie car seat range will be available to demonstrate why Joie has rapidly become a must-have brand. Don’t miss out, see all the new Joie lines, visit the Kings Suite stand KS9. Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com Web: www.uk.joiebaby.com

Kings Suit, Stand: KS15 This year, Hauck have a brand new stand and are doing something completely different by choosing a pitch right at the very front of the Conference Centre. Here they will showcase their new 2018 range, including wheels, ride-ons, bouncers and play yards, all in striking new designs and colourways. So pop along and say Hello, join them for a coffee and let them show you their exciting new products. Tel: 01978 664362 Web: www.hauckuk.com

Must-haves for mums Hall Q, Stand: Q26

Little Chick London prides itself on d supporting independent retailers and on ’ sives exclu w has some great ‘sho on offer. This includes a price reduction its award-winning breathable bedside crib for a limited time only. Don’t miss its best-selling Twinkle Lights Bedtime ty Soother which comes in either a pret new d bran star or heart design – and at the show this year, its ‘tiny baby’ Swaddle for premature babies with poppers for easy changing. Little Chick London’s beautiful range of products from 4-in-1 Support Cushions, to Comfort Nests and Bed Bolsters are designed to make life safer, more comfortable and a little easier for busy mums. Tel: 07976 773486 Web: www.littlechick.london

Yes please! Hall Q, Stand: G83 Launching only last summer, Nana’s Manners knife & fork is already multi-award winning, recently scooping a record haul of four awards (three Platinum and one Gold) in the Loved By Children Awards. Through simple, yet effective design the patented knife and fork have been developed to empower children to learn to eat confidently and independently. Designed by a parent and Primary Teacher, inspired to create Nana’s Manners after watching the struggle of so many children at mealtimes. The cutlery, which featured on Dragon’s Den last October, is only comfortable when held comfortably, as demonstrated on TV by dragon Peter Jones. Nana’s Manners makes learning to hold cutlery correctly fun, easy and enjoyable. Mealtimes become about chatting, laughing and connecting. In their year of launch, Nana’s Manners are delighted to be exhibiting at Harrogate for the first time. Tel: 020 3179 2350 Email: trade@nanasmanners.com Web: www.nanasmanners.com

nursery today

VISIT US AT STAND Q77

4 IN 1 NURSING PILLOW Pregnacy Support Pillow

Whilst Breastfeeding

Bottle Feeding

Porable Travel Pillow

Available only to independent retailers

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Talking ABC Hall G, Stand: G6

At this year’s Harrogate International Nursery Fair, as UK distributor for ABC Design, Obaby will be showcasing the company’s latest products. 2018 sees a more refined catalogue from ABC Design with the Salsa 4 being at the heart of the collection with some design tweaks and a range of exciting new fabric and frame combinations making it truly worth a look. The multi award winning Pepper and Zoom also feature with design refinements and new designs ensuring they’ll be in the running for even more awards this year. With their most impressive wheeled range yet and a wide range of stylish accessories available to match, make sure you visit stand G6 to experience the range for yourself and check out our exclusive show visitor offers. Tel: 01652 641491 Web: www.abc-design.uk.com

Wishy you had these Hall Q, Stand: Q40 Expanding the bath time category for 2018, and strengthening their position as the home of baby bath time, Shnuggle are launching new products. Shnuggle are adding to the bathtime experience with new launches – Wishy and Washy. Baby wishes come true with Wishy – the light up star bath toy. Perfect for little hands and curious minds, Wishy can be poured, drizzled and scooped for fun bath times! Wishy features a sensory light and texture so is perfect for entertaining babies from birth and beyond. Creating more relaxing hair washing, Washy is a a soft edged rinsing cup which conveniently hooks onto the Shnuggle bath for storage and convenience. Email: hello@shnuggle.co.uk Web: www.shnuggle.com

Natures wipes Hall Q: Stand: Q14 Newborn babies’ skin is very soft and delicate. Aqua Wipes have applied expertise in skincare development to formulate a unique new baby wipe, that is pure and gentle. Aqua Wipes are more than just a baby wipe, they contain over 99% Purified Water ensuring they are natural, caring and suitable for all babies, including newborns. Aqua Wipes are also biodegradable. More consumers are becoming environmentally conscious, and Aqua Wipes ensure they are not only providing the best level of care to their child, but to the environment too. Distributors wanted! Email: sales@aquawipes.co.uk Web: www.aquawipes.co.uk

Soothing sound

Hall Q, Stand: Q76

Multi-award winning Whisbear The Humming Bear is an innovative sleep aid that helps newborns with a smooth transition from a pre natal to postnatal life by recreating soothing sounds of the womb. Whisbear is the first sleep aid featuring the CRYsensor an intellige nt device that automatically activates calming white noise wh en your baby starts crying .Thanks to the device babies feel safer, settle down easier and - as a result - fall asleep fas ter. Whisbear is also a sensory toy that promo tes both - fine motor and sensory developme nt skills. Its paws contain magnets so it easily attaches to cots, prams, car seats. It co mes with a lifetime guarantee.

Tel: 0792023033 Web: www.whisbear. co

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*VTL HU K ]PZP[ \Z STAND Q 24

The best quality right down to the tiniest detail. 100% Italian hugsfactory.com

Functionality, design and high quality furniture for modern families.

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Designed for Comfort Hall Q, Stand±: Q35 Exhibiting for the first time at Harrogate, Cozy N Safe’s new extended Signature range of luxury car seats offer an uncompromising standard in comfort and safety. Check out the gorgeous, mum approved, multi-awarded 360° rotating ‘Merlin’ Group 0+/1 car seat. Meet the Gold winning Group 1/2/3 ‘Excalibur’ with its integral harness up to 25kg, and see the big reveal of the new Group 0+/1/2/3 super seat, ‘Arthur’. This British owned company construct their seats with environmentally friendly injection moulded shells and comfort improving, impact protecting high density polyurethane foam. Tel: 01902 494905 Web: www.cozynsafe.com

Fun at the fair Hall Q, Stand: Q102 MerryGoRoundUK is looking forward to the Nursery Fair at Harrogate with a larger stand for 2018. Having extra space will enable them to show all the brands they offer, with essential parenting accessories for all nursery businesses to stock. Many of the products they offer are organic, ethical and environmentally friendly. Essential baby basics such as MuslinZ muslin Squares, AppleCheeks washable nappies, Bright Bots potty training pants and the lovely Wooly Organic toys and baby clothing. Tel: 01295 810008 Email: info@merrygorounduk.co.uk Web: www.merrygorounduk.co.uk

Fresh new branding Hall Q, Stand: Q26

BreathableBaby returns to Harrogate this year to present its best-selling ranges with fresh new branding, including a stylish new logo, guaranteed to capture the already booming UK market. As well as gorgeous new en-trend colours, packaging will include clearer messaging for the consumer defining the products’ USP. BreathableBaby provides safer sleep solutions for babies with a range of crib liners made with breathable fabric which promote airflow, reducing the risk of suffocation and re-breathing carbon dioxide which is considered a risk factor for SIDS. It offers retailers the widest choice in the industry with sizes to fit almost any crib or cot, with two-sided and four-sided versions in colours and patterns to suit every fashion and taste – including the hugely popular Tiny Tatty Teddy; and also a gorgeous range of co-ordinating crib and cot sheets. Distributed by RHSM Group, be sure to visit BreathableBaby for some great ‘show exclusives’. Tel: 07976 773486 Email: rachelle@rhsm-group.com

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Correct positioning Hall Q, Stand: Q74 Mimos Pillow is designed to prevent and correct cranial deformities during baby’s first twelve months and is intended for babies sleeping and resting in the supine (face up) position, as recommended by experts, but as a safety precaution the pillow is easy to breathe through. The pillow works by correctly distributing pressure, reducing the total pressure on a regularly shaped head by up to four times. Mimos pillow has been extensively tested and formally certified as a medical device; as having a high level of air flow (94%); as being safe for direct contact with a baby’s skin; for not being a suffocation risk; and for not retaining unsafe levels of carbon dioxide for re-breathing. Find out more by visiting their stand during the show. Tel: 0191 249 8030 Email: info@mimosbabypillow.co.uk Web: www.mimosbabypillow.co.uk

focus HARROGATE

a hug Have nd: Q24

int venture.

The best baby

alian jo a Hall Q, Sta is a project born from an all-Its combined forces to create g with in er y al uc or de od ct , es pr Fa ili s ile m ug

H d fa d text ufacturer an y’s parents an essed to toda furniture man n approach. dr er ad od t m ep d nc an co w w ne ne a y untries, is g el in complet ildren us and other co ch y d al It an in es e bi bl ba ity furniture y availa the needs of es of its qual ction, alread lin lle y co us y io or on ct Hugs Factor Hugs Fa ean, harm ain feature of ic with the cl m bl ge he pu T an e s. ch th , ile g ve xt evol delightin panying te e designed to of its accom r products ar hattan bed ei an th M ll and the style e A th y. lit ve bi ha ta y ap he e T ad s s. it drails and th and need products is d without be ild’s growth be ch . e rd or th ni oa to ju kb t to to cot with blac and adap d s from cradle cradle to cot an m ed ill or -b sf H co an ng tr ti om which ucts: Not od ansfor ms fr pr tr st w ch te hi ne la w r he g ore! T d of thei Williamsbur n, but a lot m is the keywor io n at io st at ng rm gi fo Trans d and a chan Not only a be ng the year. colours in Kensington. du with modern ed ri ch gn si un de la c be si rdance to s a clas collection to mply in acco ion combine co ct lle en co lin d ile an xt The te . Their cotton l substances. e ganic cotton rmfu blication, th linen and or free from ha xcellence pu E d, ar of it nd su ta S ur . the RREC P OEKO-TEX Club for 2018 y features in Enthusiasts’ ce oy Hugs Factor -R ls ol R ation for the m official public factory.co @hugs Email: info .com ugsfactory .h w w w : Web

Great innovation Hall Q, Stand: Q134

Posie & Bear MD and inventor Charlotte Lonngren is through to the final of the Baby Products Association Concept and Innovation awards for the second year in a row - a first for these prestigious awards! Visit the BPA awards stand (Q134 - near the seminar room) to find out more. While you are in Hall Q you can also pop by the New Products Showcase and check out FeedingBuddy. FeedingBuddy is Posie & Bear’s innovative bottle feeding accessory, which launched in the U.K. earlier this year. This invention encapsulates Posie & Bear’s mission to deliver beautifully designed, practical solutions for modern parents. With even more products launching this year Posie & Bear are definitely one to watch. Web: www.posieandbear.com

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A new luxuriou s twist Hall Q, Stand: Q82

That Maternal Instin ct in every new paren t means you want wh your baby. at’s best for Your precious bundle deserves to sleep as sou ndly as you do, whilst the benefits and suppo getting rt their bodies need in those critical first 12mo when a babies growt nths, h is so rapid. Research has shown that newb need around 17 hrs of orn babies sleep each day, this he lps in the developme immune system, centra nt of their l nervous system and physical growth, with growing up to 50% in their spines the first year. Check out this Dual Sided designed mattr esses which has been to carry on giving tha developed t same support and be Tel: 01616221402 nefits up to five years of age.

Email: eugene@m pseinstinct.co.uk Web: www.mpsein stinct.co.uk

Celebrity stat status tus Hall Q, Stand: Q90 Roma Prams will be on stand Q90 at Harrogate Nursery Fair. Showcasing the new range for 2018 and the Amy Childs Collection, Roma have some exciting new releases exclusive to independent stores. The new Capsule Travel Stroller weighs only 4.9kg and has one of the smallest folds on the market. The latest colourway throughout the range is the Tweed, with rose gold or oyster colour chassis and coordinating fabrics. Amy Childs will be launching the new Moda pram this summer with an RRP of £350. Independent stores only, with area exclusivity. Email: sales@romaprams.co.uk

A collection of quality baby essentials. In 100% Cotton muslin and Bamboo/Organic Cotton muslin. Designed in the UK

If you would like to become a stockist Contact us at: sales@merrygorounduk.co.uk Register as wholesale buyer online at: www.merrygorounduk.co.uk

iZi Flex FIX i-Size

Loved by Children

World’s first R129-02 Highback Booster on the market

BabyHub SleepSpace is the only travel cot to come with a mosquito net and it converts to a play tepee!

» Removable SIP bumpers » SIP+ » 3-in-a-row

To find out more please visit babyhubshop.com

» PAD+ » Recline position

Join us at stand Q84 to see BabyHub & Sleepspace.

» Integrated carrying handle

To join in – Contact your BeSafe representative or email sales@hts.no

Going into major retailers now!

Innovative

Design Conscious

Safety Conscious

Dependable

babyhubshop.com

BrandBabyHub

focus HARROGATE

Hall Q, Stand: Q146

You can keep your socks on Over a million socks have been kept on little ones’ feet thanks to clever invention ow many times have you looked down at your little one’s feet to find that they only have one sock on? Or even worse, no socks! Well mum of 7, Kezi Levin, finally had enough of her little one pulling off their socks and discarding them on the pavement and decided she was going to do something about it! After searching high and low for a solution and turning up empty handed she came up with the idea for Sock Ons, an amazingly simple gadget to stop socks going astray. Made from soft, stretchy material, Sock Ons are designed to fit over regular socks, keeping them firmly in place no matter how hard your baby tugs and kicks. Kezi, a graphic designer by trade, spent three years doing the groundwork to get her product to market, funding the start-up herself through her graphic design business and launching it in 2008. When Kezi set out, she was advised by other business people to sell her invention to a producer and walk away - but she decided to go it alone. The fact that others told her she would never succeed by doing so only spurred her on to prove them all wrong! Since coming to market, the Sock Ons brand has made a massive impact in the baby industry, winning numerous awards and quickly becoming a ‘must have’ for all babies! Over a million Sock Ons products have been sold to date. They are available in most major UK retailers and are distributed in over 20 countries around the world. With six sons, and a new addition of a baby girl, this young British designer has her hands full with a growing family and burgeoning business. Definitely one to watch. Having found a solution to one parenting problem, the Sock Ons brand

has expanded to include more ingenious little products, designed to make life both easier for parents and more comfortable for children.

Mocc Ons are marching off the shelves Mocc Ons are moccasin style slippers designed to fit baby from six months up to three years. They’re made of a lovely soft and stretchy cotton stitched to a real leather sole which helps to prevent slipping. At this time of year in particular they are ideal for ensuring that your little one’s toes stay toasty however cold it might be outside.

Catch those dribbles

“ Siningceto

co m m arket, th e S oc k O ns br an d ha s m ade a m as sive impa ct in th e ba by in dustry, w in ning nu merous aw ards an d qu ic kly beco m in g a ‘must have’ fo r all ba bi es ! ”

Dribble Ons are bandana bibs madee from a really lovely blend of pure cotton and terry toweling which draw the dribble away from clothes and skin keeping baby dry and happy. The two-stud

ffastening allows Dribble Ons to grow w with baby and the quality fabric eensures they can be washed time and ttime again. They’re stretchy too, so are vvery comfortable to wear. The best tthing though? The gorgeous colours aand designs!

Babies are on their knees for Plod Ons Plod Ons and are designed to protect baby’s knees as they crawl around on hard floors or scratchy surfaces. Made from a lovely soft and stretchy cotton, they fit snugly over tiny knees without restricting movement and are ideal for the summer months when delicate knees might otherwise be bare.

Tickle Those Toes Toys Twiddle Ons are the latest addition to the Sock Ons family of simple yet brilliant baby gadgets. One of the hottest new products on the market, these foot finder toys are guaranteed to keep babies entertained and enthralled with their toes. Designed to stay put on baby’s feet, Twiddle Ons encourage babies to explore their feet and have ‘foot fun’ without the frustration of losing their toys! The sounds, colours and textures of Twiddle Ons toys have been carefully designed with key baby developmental stages in mind. So kick up those heels and tickle those toes! Email: info@sockons.co.uk Webs: www.sockons.co.uk

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Take a peek at exciting new products from award winning brands UPPAbaby

New strollers for 2018

Halo

Safe and convenient Bedside Cribs

Bumbo

Infant Seating and Bathroom Solutions

Cognikids

Helping kids develop in a changing world

supplier snapshot We spoke to some of the industry’s finest to see what will be on offer this year at Harrogate.

Kathryn BaldreyChourio

NANA’S MANNERS Why is Harrogate important to you as a company? Launching only last summer, this is our first UK Trade Show. We’re really looking forward to meeting more UK buyers from around the country as well as other people in the industry. Will you be launching any new products this year? We are very excited to be launching our next cutlery colours at Harrogate, as well as our new ‘All by Myself ’ mealtime set. Like our cutlery, all our products support children in becoming confident and independent as they grow and develop. What can visitors expect when visiting your stand this year? Us! We’re looking forward to getting our cutlery into your hands so you can experience how effortlessly it helps children learn to use a knife and fork. We’d love you to take away a pack of our Conversations Cards to enjoy - and we’re planning to have some sweet treats too! Are you running any ‘show only’ offers? We will be including complimentary packs of Conversation Cards with all orders placed at the show.

Sue Griffith HAUCK

Why is Harrogate important to you as a company? Harrogate is important to us because it’s a chance to see our customers face to face and to show them all of our product range in one hit. From their side it gives them the opportunity to feel the quality of the fabrics, how manoeuvrable a product is and how easy it is to fold up and down, all things they can’t experience from a catalogue. We also take away their feedback on what they like or don’t like and any other niggles they may have. Will you be launching any new products this year? Most of our new products this year are for indoors. We have an exciting range of rockers, ride-ons and play yards in our new ‘Hearts’ Design. In wheels we will show the next generation Duett - the Duett 3, vastly superior to its predecessors and a 3-wheeler with extra large wheels called the ‘Runner’. Plus some exciting new colourways on our already established products. What can visitors expect when visiting your stand this year? First of all a warm welcome! The Fair is in a new venue this year so it will be a whole new experience for exhibitors and visitors alike. Our stand is completely different in both size and shape to anything we’ve done before so we’re hoping visitors will pop in and take a look.

Paul Sirett BESAFE

Why is Harrogate important to you as a company? This Show offers a unique opportunity to have a higher quality meeting with our retailer network over a shorter period of time than when traveling the Country ‘on the road’. Will you be launching any new products this year? On BeSafe we will show the World’s first iSize Highback Booster on the market and on our Voksi brand the luxurious Baby Nests representing extremely good value-for-money! What can visitors expect when visiting your stand this year? Only a World first car seat launch... and probably the best value-for-money Baby Nest on the market... plus of course Exclusive Show Offers!

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Are you running any ‘show w only’ offers? For visitors the BeSafe & Voksi Special Offers alone would have paid for most people’s travel costs and significantly more, but the value of coming and having a thorough discussion with your suppliers is of course much, much greater. Why wouldn’t you visit?

Richard Bamforth UPPABABY

Why is Harrogate important to you as a company? We firmly believe in the importance of a UK-based trade show and the great opportunity it presents to meet all of our customers over the three day event. We are using Harrogate 2018 as a major launch platform for our new 2018 range which will come into stock at the time of the show. We recognise the importance of our customers being able to see something new and have ve it delivered within days rather than the long wait that can be a downside to international shows. Will you be launching any new products this year? Yes. The UK launch of MINU, the new compact stroller from UPPAbaby. We will also be showcasing products from Cognikids which use the latest technology, clever design and a fun loving attitude to create products that encourage babies to develop their own brains through movement and activity. What can visitors expect when visiting your stand this year? A warm welcome from the UPPAbaby team.

Andy Crane BABYSTYLE

Why is Harrogate important to you as a company? I feel that Harrogate is tremendously important not only to BabyStyle as a company but to the British Nursery trade as a whole and that is why we have always been regular exhibitors and fierce supporters of the show. Harrogate has consistently proved to be an amazing platform to promote and showcase all our favoured products whilst networking in what has to be the friendliest show on the Nursery Trade calendar. Will you be launching any new products this year? We are! This year our main focus will be on the brand new Oyster 3 and we are thrilled that its big reveal will take place at Harrogate. BabyStyle have consolidated the prominent and favoured features from the original Oyster and the Oyster 2 whilst also adding some new improvements to create the Oyster 3, which is all new whilst retaining the familiar Oyster look, we listened to feedback from both customers and retailers, have implemented some of these comments and we can foresee a bright future for our amazing new product. What can visitors expect when visiting your stand this year? BabyStyle always endeavour to bring as much of our comprehensive range as possible to Harrogate and this year will be no exception! The stand will once again

showcase all that we as a company have to offer and possibly a few surprises also thrown in for good measure? On Sunday we have planned an after show party starting at 5pm where we extend an invite to all Harrogate attendees to come and join us and experience our warm hospitality over a couple of drinks at the “BabyStyle Gin Bar” where we will be delighted to serve you some truly unique artisan gin distilled in the heart of the Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire. Are you running any “show only” offers? Naturally! That’s one of the great things about Harrogate, being able to offer some fantastic deals to show visitors, our Brexit Deals last year proved to be very popular, at the time of writing we have yet to decide what the 2018 deals will be, but you can rest assured that there will be some incredible offers to be had! nursery today

social media ROSS HEWITT

Independents... your time is now So far, 2018 has found me in a frequent state of wtf? am absolutely gobsmacked at some of the news I am hearing about this industry and utterly disgusted at the w way some ‘big boys’ are behaving, and iit has got to the point where I actually now look forward to it blowing up in n ttheir stupid, arrogant and greedy ffaces. I would love to go into detail, but I ccan’t, but I hope some of you can gguess and if I take the heckling out of iit and step back to look at the UK nursery retail n reta industry as a whole ‘‘thing’ then it makes for an interesting scenario. sim Put simply, the nationals are on the ropes. O One of them is just about out for the count. Another one has respec to one side and decided to put respect fight dirty and another is still

in g t , M an a g an d it w e H s s Ro Pi e o f S ec ret l M e d i a ’. r o t c e ir D ia ‘S avvy S oc in g a ut h o r o f h is d ig ita l m a rket st r n R o s s b e g a 9 8 an d h a d h is fi y tr 19 c a reer in t h e nu r sery in dus o t g& fo r a y in f M a rket in ro s s in o d a e H s a ver C c e fo r S il ec ret Pi e in r e m m o c E S e set up g 2 0 0 8 . H d h a s b een h e lp in n a d e v lo 2 0 10 foun d an d t e g s t n e . li e c r s in c on lin e eve i e .c o .uk etp w w w.sec r etp i e .c o .uk ec r | R o s s @ s 4 10 0 2 7 | 0 1 9 0 4 ec ret _ Pi e @S | Tw itter :

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behaving quite arrogantly instead of realising that they may have a golden opportunity ahead of them to forge some long term ‘partnerships’. So, let’s put them to one side…if they struggle or slide then they struggle or slide, and it won’t be because of hard working individuals on the shop floor (and I do feel for them) it will be because of ridiculous decisions and practices by senior management and directors. The real golden opportunity lies with the independent retailers and I hope that each owner of those stores realises this quickly. I also hope that all independent retailers will be visiting the Harrogate show because this is your opportunity to have meaningful

conversations about the future with the owners and managers of brands that have been backing your corner year after year now. Some brands that have not been visible at Harrogate for a while may return this year, and who knows, maybe this is driven by a recognition of the turmoil among the national accounts and a need to show rekindled love for independents? Others, such as BeSafe, Obaby, BabyStyle, DCUK, Little Chick and many more have been consistent with their support for the independent retailer and the Harrogate show year after year after year and if loyalty and consistency is to count for nothing going forward

then everyone might as well pack up and give the industry to Amazon and the supermarkets. Face to face is where it’s at and Harrogate is the best place for this. I keep seeing different people asking what brands are going to do to work with the independents as time and circumstances progress but asking that question in a closed Facebook group isn’t a grown-up way of conducting business or building a relationship. It’s just playing on social media. Pretty much every brand principal or proper decision maker I deal with isn’t on Facebook and certainly isn’t a member of industry hangout groups. If you want to ask a meaningful question and get an answer from a person who can make a decision that helps you then get off your sofa and ask it in person and that is exactly the type of

conversation that a trade fair is built for. Your approach will be welcomed with open arms, and all the support you need is waiting for you, at least I know that is the case from brands I work and speak to on a regular basis. This is your opportunity as independent retailers so grab it with both hands and work hard at it… don’t wait to be spoon-fed because everyone is just too busy for that at the moment. If you are struggling to convert footfall into sales, then that is a conversation for Harrogate. If you need some help identifying the trends that have just arrived or are coming, then that is a conversation for Harrogate. If you need advice on new ideas to advertise in your local area, then that is a conversation for

I hope th at all indep en dent retailer s w ill be vi sit in g th e Ha rrog ate sh ow beca use th is is your oppo rtunity to have meanin gful conver sa ti on s ab out th e future w ith th e ow ners an d m an ag er s of br an ds th at have been ba ck in g your co rn er ye ar after ye ar. Harrogate. If you want to run an event in the future in-store with a brand, then that is a conversation for Harrogate. The list is long but there will be plenty of people there for you to get new ideas or help from. I never subscribe to the view that knowledge is power as knowledge is relative and someone else always knows more, but you will leave

Harrogate with more knowledge so put it to good use when you get back home. Think about how you can grab some market share on your doorstep in the future as the physical retail landscape WILL change this year in your catchment area one way or another. See you at the show…

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focus WHOLESALE Image source: freepik.com

Little and often T

he majority of retailers get their stock from either a distributor or a wholesaler, however there are differences between the two. For example, distributors service independents and multiples, while wholesalers tailor their operations to the specific requirements and individual needs of the independent trade. A wholesaler views retailers as their key customers and they buy goods in bulk quantities, then sell to retailers in smaller amounts, which also gives them the ability to sell to the independent sector on a ‘little and often’ basis. A distributor represents the manufacturer in another country and is the only outlet for that brand in that territory and is a reseller of products. A solid reason to use a wholesaler or distributor is the problem faced by many independent retailers with regard the ability to hold vast quantities of stock. By using a credible wholesaler this no longer becomes an issue. Many manufacturers are unable to service the independent sector due to the costs and organisational structure required but, by working with a reputable wholesaler or distributor, retailers can access power house brands at the manufacturer’s trade price. Is now the time for you to get on-board with a wholesaler? These companies provide you, the independent retailer access to products that you may not be able to acquire under a different buying umbrella, giving you the benefit to remain competitive with your larger rivals.

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Sliding to success

Babybase are an establish ed wholesaler who have been serving the industry This year they are excited for 30 years. to announce their associ ation with Sandsliders: the accessory that allows a pra pushchair m or pushchair under 50c m wide to be pulled with Every parent knows the ease over the sand. nightmare of trying to pus h a pushchair on sand and seems to have solved the Lee Cowan problem simply and inexpe nsively. The Sandslider is virtua lly indestructible, enviro nmentally friendly and ma company that employs dis de in the UK by a abled workers. It comes in its own reusable cotton feather and not only con bag, is as light as a quers sand but also pebble s, snow, gravel, campsites “We are delighted that San and muddy grass. dsliders have chosen us to said Kate Shrubb of Babyb wholesale this marvellou s product,” ase. The product has been sho rtlisted for the BANTA tra vel award and seems rea the world by storm. dy to take Tel: 01

886 887758 Email: babybase.limite d@talk21.com Web: www.babybase.c o.uk

focus WHOLESALE

Great Brands, Great Products at a Great Price!

to weekly From weekly promotions of up to 30% off trade price funded by leading brands including Tommee Tippee, Munchkin Latch, Milton and MAM of interest. something has always Direct Brands Baby Bot, a new product arrivals ranging from Fisher-Price baby gear to the latest in STEM toys from Build order of visibility and independence POS, free products, nursery branded 2,000 over to access With a tailored online platform, account holders have in Excel lists price as well as products purchased of reports and les fi CSV product Free accounting. and log service aftercare payment, management, tracking, that include part no, barcodes, volume discounts and SRPs are also available. deletions, In addition, the website offers a wealth of information and engagement including digital catalogue, quizzes, corporate video, stock updates and refreshes, product on cations notifi automated receive to choose also can Users demos. video and guides USP brands, of interviews with brand leaders, ABCs price changes and discontinuations. minimum Baby Brands Direct is a multi-awarding winning wholesaler distributing over 80 prestigious nursery brands with a same day dispatch service, no documentation export bespoke with 12months last the in countries 65 to delivered has and UK the in stores value or quantity orders. It serves independent and freight arrangements. Web: www.babybrandsdirect.co.uk

ess their succ ccess isand distr quibbles, no fuss, instant Your su Babyprice offers quick response, no e rang a ng ibuti ing lesal ies online chat. Also there is the run business who Babyprice is a family ufacturers. Exclusive brands of nursery products from over 70 man bug ky,, Kel Gar, Kids Kit, Pipsy Koala,, Gold ooky include 5 Point plus, Doo and zfarm Kidz ome welc ce are delighted to and Sleepytot. Babyprice n 2018. Miracle Baby brands in g, weekly promotions, hi-resolution Competitive pricing, images, descriptions, CSV Feed, 24/7 online ordering and next working day delivery.

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decisions and for immediate quer is our success!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. telephone! As they say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Your success Tel 01935 424718 Web: www.babyprice.co.uk

1988 and ready to open

feature

Kate with som e

of the current

staff

BABYBASE

Happy Birthday

30 years ago, on Saturday 9th April 1988, Babybase first opened its doors to the public. For six months Kate Shrubb and her team had worked to turn a unit on the family trading estate into a slick and professional retail store. 3000 square feet of shop floor displaying everything you could ever want for your baby. The doors opened, the public rushed in and 30 years later Babybase is still with us. hese days Babybase is a nursery wholesaler supplying mainly independent nursery shops and internet retailers throughout the UK and further afield. The retail shop closed in 2007 but the lessons learned from that long period of retailing have enabled Kate to give her customers the range of goods and the service they need. “We used various wholesalers when we were retailing and found it very frustrating when goods turned up damaged or dirty or just didn’t turn up at all! When we started to supply other retailers we tried very hard to give them the service we expected ourselves.” Said Kate. “These days goods can be ordered online, by email, by fax or by telephone and all orders received before 1pm will be despatched the same day. My staff have all been with me for many years and know exactly what they are doing when it comes to picking and packing goods. We want our customers’ orders to arrive in perfect condition and pack our parcels accordingly.” When Babybase first opened on that April morning they had a large warehouse full of stock. These days with the cost of property being so high, Babybase consider themselves to be their customers’ stockroom. “A retailer can place an order in the morning and the goods will be delivered the next day, making it unnecessary for the shop to hold large and expensive stocks. “Our customers are always kept informed about items that are out of stock and the Babybase website includes details of new products that have just arrived, the special offers for the month, the monthly newsletter giving news (and gossip!) from the nursery industry, and details of when out of stock items will be arriving. And if the information

you are seeking isn’t there, Nikki and Claire in the office are always happy to hear from you and keen to offer advice and information.” One reason that every retailer needs a wholesaler, however large they are, is that such a mixture of goods can be bought in one order and with a carriage paid value of only £200 it is an ideal way to stock up on the items you need without having to buy huge quantities of slow moving products. “We stock the products of over 70

O ne re as on th at every “ retailer need

s a w ho les aler, ho w ever large th ey are, is th at such a m ixture of good s can be boug ht in on e order an d w ith a ca rriag e pa id va lue of on ly £ 20 0

”

Claire and Nikki in the sales office

different suppliers,” explains Kate. “We do our very best to keep everything in stock. Our website ordering system shows retailers when goods are in stock and allows them to order at any time of day or night to suit their schedule.” Babybase are also happy to drop ship items direct to your customers so that goods are not being double handled and get there more quickly. It is a long way from the shop that opened 30 years ago but the same desire to give good service and supply high quality products exists today as it did then. The members of staff have a wealth of

experience between them and many of them have been with the company for over ten years. Nikki started in the warehouse in 1997 at the age of just 19. Since then she has moved to the sales office, had baby Mia in 2008, baby Tyler in 2011 and returned to work five days a week in 2015. This year marks 21 years since Nikki first joined Babybase and that wealth of experience is beyond a price. Kate knows how lucky she is to have Nikki and all the other staff members who make the company what it is today. The company is holding a celebration staff dinner for current staff members and a few past members who were particularly important to the success of the company. Kate’s two sons Joseph and Sebastian will be there too and although neither of them work in the company at the moment, who knows if in another 30 years Babybase might still be going strong. Happy 30th Birthday Babybase! Tel: 01886 887758 Email: babybase.limited@talk21.com Web: www.babybase.co.uk

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focus SAFETY

Safe and sound Safety is paramount as soon as baby arrives home from hospital, however the need for safety items becomes even more apparent as baby starts to crawl and grows into an inquisitive toddler. More parents are now safety conscious and look for products that assist in protecting their children wherever possible. By information from our mini survey this month, it is also very clear that this is a heavily researched product category, with over 72% of respondents stating that they researched products prior to purchase. Products within this category include, for example, safety gates, monitors, safety aids, playpens and accessories, bed rails/guards, plus socket covers - all the way through to ear defenders. The list is quite extensive.

To love and protect

It’s no surprise that with falls in the home accountin g for a large percentage of ch ild casualties, pa rents are advised to in stall barriers to prevent toddlers accessing danger ous areas like stairs, as well as room s that require supervisi on such as kitche ns and bathrooms. Clippasafe’s larg e range of safety gates includes sty les like The Sw ing Shut Extendable Gate with a self securing catch mechanism, wh ich simply requ ires a firm push two ways and is to close. It can be installed secure set to open one ly between wall Also available is or cups. the Extendable hinge and is op No Trip Gate wh erated with one ich is secured with hand using a th of 60cm - 109c a releasable wal umb catch and m. l mounted lift mechanism. Another of Clip It extends to fit pasafe’s most po gaps white box that is pular products is the Socket Pr fixed over wall so ot ector. The protec ckets and plugs access wiring. It without removin tor is a secure prevents childre g the wall socket n from accessing that need to be or needing to the dangerous so left plugged in su cket and from un ch as TV system easy for adults, plugging items s, fridges and co by pressing butto mputers. Acces Tel: 0115 9211 ns on each side s to the socket is of the unit. 899 Web: www. clippasafe.co.

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Innovative alternative

Summer Infant’s Retractable Gate has a unique design that provides an innovative alternative to the traditional hardware mounted gates, so allowing the user to keep doorways and stairways open when the safety barrier is not needed. The Retractable Gate has great scope for all size rooms and for the use at the top of stairs with dimensions of up to 127cm wide and 76cm tall. It also features a very simple function with its easy locking mechanism, push down to lock and pull up to unlock. This locking method has been installed to give parents the efficient fast reaction that is sometimes needed when attending to baby or child. Web: www.summerinfant.co.uk

The survey says… Did you feel you had sufficient information available to assist in making your home safe?

Yes: 1630 (81.5%) No: 370 (18.5%) Did you research products prior to purchase?

Yes: 1448 (72.4%) No: 552 (27.6%)

Where brand names important to you?

Yes: 869 (43.5%) No: 1131 (56.5%)

Did you understand the various stair gates that are available and where to use them?

Yes: 1400 (70%) No: 600 (30%)

Did you buy safety products for each room in your home, e.g. kitchen, bathroom?

Yes: 958 (47.9%) No: 1042 (52.1%)

Comfortable foam pads, sturdy cups and stringent specs make BANZ Hear No Blare earmuffs the right choice for keeping your little ones safe from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). What’s more, Banz earmuffs are colourful, attractive and durable.

BANZ® COLLECTION

Hear No Blare

Available sizes: 0 – 2 years old

Sole UK wholesalers Sunproof Limited Contact sales@sunproof.co.uk

A WORLD OF SAFETY FROM THE HEART OF DENMARK BabyDan manufactures a wide range of small home safety items and innovative high quality safety gates, pens and room dividers. Solid products, built to last. Tested and approved to latest standards.

FLEX™ XL

For all sales enquiries, please contact Spencer Jefferson on +44 7834867791 or spj@babydan.dk. Find more info on www.BabyDan.com

FLEX™ SQUARE

GUARD ME™

MADE IN DENMARK - SINCE 1947

focus SAFETY

Guard Me The revolutionising BabyDan Guard Me safety guard folds back automatically and is near to invisible when not in use making it ideal for tight spaces. Guard Me is perfect for narrow as well as wide openings. Covers openings from 55 to 89 cm and up to 113.5 cm using the Extend-AGuard extension kit. BabyDan Guard Me is super flexible as it can be mounted on the inside as well as the outside of a door frame and at the top or the bottom of stairs. It is 100% PVC free, tested and approved according to latest standards and has won numerous international tests and awards. Tel: 07834867791 Email: SPJ@BabyDan.dk Web: www.babydan.com

Keep it n clea our children

S fety for Sa fe the sstarts with how sa m fro d things they fee why ’s at th , on aand play ted ea cr ey th e bl im aat N y ick St d Milk Buster an at th o du e Stopper, th s to every parent need es on tle lit eir th ep ke . hy alt safe and he d yucky milk fat an e es ov m re e cleaner that d ttl an bo s es by in ba ud g in clo s, nn sidue g resi ulti-award wi m bacteria-causin Milk Buster is a m ur bottlles ffree fro yo g in ak m , tic as ls bugs proteins from pl that cleans and kil d surface cleaner an y to ial ter smelly odour. ac tib a bleach-free an Sticky Stopper is es. re. sti na l cado and Kiddica without chemica w available on O no e ar ts uc od pr Nimble bies.com nimbleba Email: von.sy@ babies.com ble nim w. Web: ww

You heard right

Banz Baby Ear Protectors are certified effective noise reduction headphones for ages 0 to 2 years. Well designed with soft ear cups and a padded headstrap, Banz Ear defenders are small, lightweight, portable and adjustable. Babies end up in noisy environments all the time, with noise levels high enough to cause stress, alarm and tears. In some environments the noise levels can be dangerous. Think of the classic British summertime venues where noise levels are high: Glastonbury, Twickenham, Goodwood, Wimbledon, O2, Wembley Stadium, Silverstone, Bestival, Lords, Cowes Week, Isle of Man. The list could fill a page. This coming season, consumers will buy Banz Baby Ear Defenders to effectively protect their hearing. They have even been spotted on infant royals. Sunproof are the sole UK distributors for all Banz products. Tel: 01460 258040 Email: jouko@sunproof.co.uk

nursery today

Sleeping securely The bedrail is an essential item when a child is transitioning from the cot to a cot bed or bed. Summer Infant has one of the most comprehensive ranges of universal bed rails available, both single and double bed rails which have a classic cloth and mesh construction, that are available in pink, blue or white to complement any bedroom décor, to provide essential bedtime security. Summer Infant’s unique design allows the bedrail to be used no matter where the bed is positioned in the room and are suitable for divan and slatted bed bases, they fold down for easy access to the bed or to change linens and can fit on a range of sizes of mattresses, from cot bed (70 cm) to single (90 cm) size. Summer Infant’s Grow With Me Bed Rails have a guide retail of £26.99 for the single and £44.99 for the double. Web: www.summerinfant.co.uk

THE

BABYSTYLE TROPHY A NEW CHALLENGE CUP PROVIDED BY BABYSTYLE TO CELEBRATE THE 20TH YEAR OF THE NURSERY TODAY GOLF DAY

To encourage the golﬁng crème de la crème of the Nursery industry, Nursery Today introduces The BabyStyle Trophy. To be a winner be a part of a day of golf and essential networking. The team four-ball has always been closely fought and up until now each team member has received a handsome memento of a great day’s golf.

Now the company they represent as winners of the four-ball competition will hold this handsome trophy in their showroom/ofﬁce for one year as proof of their participation in this wonderful sport. MAKE A DATE IN YOUR DIARY Wednesday the 27th June, Puckrup Hall, Nr. Tewkesbury and just a couple of minutes off the M5.

Cost £100

For full details contact Malcolm Naish on 01442 289930 or email malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk to book your team’s place.

focus WOODEN TOYS

Wooden it be lovely An alternative to modern technology, wooden toys have been popular for decades and the good news is that parents are clearly seeing the value of wooden toys – their educational value, sturdiness, longevity and the fact that they do not need batteries. Of course, alongside this is the ecological aspect to wooden toys as many companies choose wood that has been farmed in a “green” or sustainable way. So far from being an item from a bygone age, wooden toys are very much a modern and contemporary product and a category where we are seeing a higher level of interest from the consumer.

Nursery Today questioned independent retailer Victoria Hampson, Director, Natural Baby Shower to find out her views on wooden toys. Do you feel your customers are looking more closely now at the materials used to produce a wooden toy? Our customers are definitely looking more closely at the materials used to produce a wooden toy. Varnish and dyes have always been of high importance, but now also the type of wood and the sustainability are becoming equally as important. Let’s take Plan Toys as an example – right from the start the wood is kept pure; no fertiliser is used to grow the trees and all products are assembled using non-formaldehyde glue, water-based dyes and recycled materials. This is so important when it comes to babies, inevitably wooden toys will be held, chewed and sucked meaning safety is at the very top of the list.

Is it important that the wood is from ethical sources? This is absolutely at the top of the agenda. Consumers, now more than ever, are far more knowledgeable and conscious of the sustainability and ethical practices a brand puts into its products – this plays a big part in their decision-making process when looking to purchase wooden toys. Consumers want to look after their children as well as the planet, because of this we support brands who are eco-friendly, using alternative energy sources.

Are you seeing a higher demand for wooden toys in your store? 66

nursery today

I think there is definitely an increasing demand in the market for wooden toys since we started trading 10 years ago, but because of that, there are a lot more re-sellers, so it is hard to judge how much. Plastic has always been a no go for NBS and thankfully reducing plastic use it is now much higher on the agenda across all industries, including nursery. Not only better for the planet, wooden toys are extremely durable and also timeless, meaning they can be passed down through the generations. I think this is a unique selling point to our customers. Consumers also perceive wooden toys as safer and certainly far more ‘green’ than other non-recyclable / non-biodegradable plastic toys.

Would you say that your customers view these as a traditional play item that perhaps remind them of their own childhood? There really is something nostalgic about wooden toys, it’s comforting for parents to see their children playing with toys similar to their own childhood. Wooden toys are almost part of our heritage and culture. And what’s more, wooden toys create a lovely feature in any playroom or nursery and also act as a sentimental keepsake – the life cycle of a wooden toy is just so diverse!

Let’s go on holiday!

Over the last 25 years Le Toy Van has become a trusted partne r in the world of wooden toys which are ava ilable in more than 50 countries worldwid e. Their product range is ins pired by the understanding that chi ldren have little hands, but big imagin ations. So let’s all get aboard the vintage wooden holiday camper van and head off to the beach wit h this beautiful wooden toy fea turing a surf board, a padded mattress and a removable roof. Suitable from age 3+. Web: www.letoyvan.c om

Getting snappy Orange Tree Toys have some fantastic new designs being launched for Spring 2018. One of the new ranges to be excited about, is based around one of their most iconic toys, the Crocodile Puzzle. The character is hugely popular because it ticks all of the boxes! It is bright and colourful so looks great on shelf; it’s gender neutral and is also a great combination of fun and educational. The new range taps perfectly into these characteristics and also offers some great new innovative designs. Tel: 01242 244500 Web: www.orangetreetoys.com

Feeling hungry? ry? New to The Very Hungry Caterpillar Nursery Collection this spring are two ‘My First’ style wooden puzzles. The four-piece puzzles which star Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar and the beautiful Butterfly aid the development of fine motor skills. Rainbow Designs’ beautifully illustrated Wooden Blocks sets also provide the perfect activity to encourage creative building as well as number and letter recognition. Available in the Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You and The Very Hungry Caterpillar designs, the 16 wooden blocks feature letters of the alphabet and numbers 1-10 alongside beautiful brand illustrations. Also available in these renowned brands are the fun and educational wooden Peg Puzzles. Tel: 01329 227300 Web: www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

nursery today

nursery matters JOHN BARKER

Barking Mad This issue John Barker asks is your shop floor earning you the money it should be and if not can changes be made? want to talk about something that’s been bothering me how to best manage and drive profits from the shop floor. Since we moved in to our new store I have been more mindful of ensuring everything we have on display pays its way, or to coin a phrase from any of the multitude of TV based auction shows “washes its own face” and so this is where the lecture begins… As an exercise it’s worth looking at your shop floor and getting your head around a) how much it’s costing you and b) how much it’s earning you. Fingers crossed we all know our operating costs, given we do I’m assuming we know the size of our shop floors too? Don’t include any storage area, just the space used to generate an income for the business. If you divide one in to the other you get a cost per metre squared for your shop floor. It’s best to keep your measurements in metres as luckily most prams are happy to sit on a stand roughly 1m x 1m, making the next bit easier. As an example we will use a fictional store, Wheelsoff Prams Ltd. As they have a good size store with sufficient staff to ensure the customers are taken care of properly they have a weekly operating cost of £2,500.00. Their store is 125m2 excluding the warehousing space, which means their cost per m2

nursery today

As an exerci se it’s wo rth lookin g at you r shop floo r and gettin g you r hea d aroun d how much it’s costin g you and how much it’s earnin g you . Fin ger s cro sse d we all kno w our operat ing costs, given we do I’m ass um ing we kno w the siz e of our shop floo rs too ? per week is £20.00 (phew, glad that’s a round number!). On their shop floor you’ll find many prams from many brands, one such pram is the all new Diaper XL from Cradlecap Prams – it’s sat atop a lovely 1m2 stand (convenient that). Unfortunately Cradlecap Prams don’t support stores with discounted demo stock so full price was paid for this model (let’s say £350.00 ex VAT). If we multiply the weekly cost this gives us an annual cost and add the cost of buying the item the Diaper XL has cost £1,340.00 in it’s first year.

Now let’s assume the pram sells for a healthy £599.00, at 41.5% the gross margin on face value sounds amazing as it’s a rather nice £249.00. In real terms we need to sell more than five in the first year to pay for the item on display and warrant keeping it there. If the product works, great it’s not only paying its own way but is supporting those products / brands that are failing to meet their requirements. Now look around your shop floors and count up the amount of prams you have on display that you don’t sell week in, week out. You know the ones, the ones you get calls about all the time. The pram every mum wants to play with but never orders. It’s frightening when you sit and look, just make sure you don’t get your calculator out and actually put a figure to it. So, why do I mention this? It’s about ensuring you have the information you need to decide if a brand or product is worth selling now or in the future. Maybe it does sell but doesn’t warrant such a large display. Without stepping back and looking at your store it’s all just guess work. If a brand or product isn’t paying its way may be its time to discontinue it? Select an alternative product to occupy its space in your store. Furniture in our store is a perfect example. We have 11 sets on display

but in reality we only ever sell three on a regular basis and maybe one more infrequently, meaning the majority are sat there taking up space on a shop floor and not earning any money. Furniture can be even worse as to display it in any fashion requires room and lots of it. 4. 5 or even 6m2 is required to show a set off to its best. This leaves us with a decision to make, do we limit the amount of sets on display and enhance the range of profitable products or do we continue as we are and try to push the range as is? So what’s the point of this month’s article? I guess it’s to highlight the need for us all to step back from our shop floors and ask the questions we never get time to. Is your shop floor earning you the money it should be? Can we make changes? I’m selling very little of item A but I’m earning a good margin. Item B earns me very little but I’m selling lots of them. Every store will be different; we all have different operating costs after all. We need to get a handle on our costs and earnings if we are expected to compete in the marketplace. It’s very easy to point the finger at other stores prices or brands not supporting us but what if we need to look at ourselves and see how we can adapt? Until next time, happy trading and if you see me at Harrogate say hi!

Hundred Acre Wood, a stunning Classic Winnie the Pooh nursery collection.

. Follow us k u . o c . s esign Call 01329 22730 r visit www.rainbowd 0o The Home of Classic Characters

retail TECHNOLOGY

Are you linked up? Why you should check your links

T David Fairhurst

Head of Creative Online Marketing - Intelligent Retail

he work that I do on many levels involves a series of quite easy to understand tasks all based on sound principles plus a modicum, well let’s make that large chunk, of common sense. Yet when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation and dealing with Google, my job also includes being on constant 24/7 alert for change. Search Engine Optimisation at the basic level involves finding out what search engines are looking for and making a website as close a fit for those requirements as possible, which is great if you have a fixed set of ‘rules’ to work with, however Google (quite rightly) loves to improve and this means the rules change constantly. I mention this because even though you may think your website is already ‘optimised’ and performing at its peak efficiency, the things which were done to your website to make it perform so well in the past may mean you will fall foul of Google’s everchanging rules if you don’t adapt to those changes. Add to this the fact that there is now a very real possibility of what is termed in the industry ‘negative SEO’, that is, a competitor building links to a website in order to get that website penalised, a possibility which has become far more real with the latest updates to Google Penguin. I’d have to state, negative SEO is rare, but I have personally seen examples of this and without constant monitoring irreparable damage would have been done.

Google and Linking

Google used to love links. Links were an easy way for Google to establish if a certain page out there on the World Wide Web was important, appreciated and liked. Unfortunately, because Google has come to rely on links a little too much,

Google used to love links. Links were an easy way for Google to establish if a certain page out there on the World Wide Web was important, appreciated and liked. giving external links the biggest importance in rankings, a whole industry of link spammers was created who would create irrelevant, poorly written content from which to link from, polluting the entire Web with rubbish and spoiling Google’s search results. Google was upset. Google users were upset. Nobody wins, except of course the spammers, who overnight had a multi-billion dollar industry and millions of willing customers, all of whom wanted to be at the No.1 spot in Google. Thankfully, Google has grown up a bit and for a few years now has been severely tightening up on linking rules, expanding and clarifying their own Google Webmaster Guidelines so that it’s now clearer what is considered to be ‘bad’ linking practise.

David Fairhurst Head of eCommerce, Intelligent Retail, http://www.intelligentretail.co.uk

David has been involved with Search Engine Optimisation and web development since 1999 and has spoken at many different retail and SEO conferences including Spring Fair and SES London

nursery today

This means trouble for website owners and spammers alike – practises which were fully acceptable and legitimate ways to gain links in past years are now seen by Google as ‘link spam’, so these links need to be cleaned up, the upside being that the web spam industry has also been severely curtailed.

What You Need to Do

Firstly, check those site-wide links. This is where a link is put (usually by inclusion in a footer file or section in a website template) onto every page in a website. These used to be the mainstay of rankings for web design companies, SEO companies and any online resource which offered a free service or page out there on the World Wide Web, including popular free blogging platforms like Wordpress. With site-wide footer links, a company offering web design could get millions of links quite easily to that companies’ homepage, without doing any additional work. Every site that was launched by that company would have potentially thousands of links pointing back to the web designers’ homepage! Google now recognises that site-wide links are perhaps a bad thing, so have downgraded results for these types of links, in fact discounting the effectiveness of these links. This isn’t a penalty, it just means that after the first link from a website, all others become less effective. Remove site-wide links pointing at your website where you can, as this type of mass linking from one domain to another is very easy to spot for

Image source, Pexels.com

having much higher quality, so embed a link to your website in a page of editorial content then point those global footer links at this page. You have an instantly better linking resource!

Get Rid of Irrelevance

Google but don’t stress too much if you can’t remove them completely, Google is aware that site-wide links are prevalent online and has compensated for this accordingly. If you want to be really clever

about it, instead of completely deleting the site-wide footer link from sites pointing at yours try to get a page about your company created on these linking sites instead. These types of editorial pages are seen by Google as

Next on the list needs to be weeding out links from irrelevant websites and web pages. It used to be common practise to get links from online bookmarking websites, forums and blogs and if these are on-topic these links will still give your website a small boost in rankings, but links from irrelevant content will definitely ensure that Google will be ‘smelling a rat’. Audit the relevance of the links you have coming into your website, if these are from pages with little relevance to what you offer, have little real useful content and are stuffed with advertising then remove the links if possible, if not and as a last resort disavow the links via the Google Webmaster Disavow page (search in Google) - this will tell Google directly that you don’t trust these links coming into the website and that Google should ignore them.

Don’t Rely on Chance

The one thing business owners need to do is to make sure that their website is constantly monitored and checked for compliance with Google’s everchanging rules. Google’s own Search Console google.com/webmasters is both free and fully featured, however this won’t warn you if your links are falling foul of changing Google algorithms, only give you infuriatingly cryptic messages if the worst should happen and Google decides to penalise your website! What you really need is to analyse your links and weed out the bad ones before Google acts. There are many ways to weed out bad links, nowadays it’s no longer a case of having to do this manually. Many online services are now available to offer very fast and efficient analysis, meaning less time spent managing external linking. Choose a service which can be updated, and which offers monitoring, a one-off consultation and analysis really doesn’t cut it nowadays. Ask your online marketing/Search Engine Optimisation company what they use to identify bad links, this should be part of the ongoing process of optimisation of your website!

Bébéboo are hiring! Due to continuous expansion, we are looking to expand our sales team here at bébéboo. We are currently looking for a Sales Representative that is able to travel to various destinations throughout the UK, with previous experience of the Pram and Nursery Goods industry. As a Sales Representative, it will be your responsibility to build long-lasting relationships with both new and existing clients. The majority of your time will be spent visiting clients stores and attending regular in-house meetings. In order to be considered for this role, you must be a highly motivated individual with previous experience of sales and after-sales. The ability to work under pressure within a target orientated environment is essential, as is a full UK driving license. Salary: Competitive Hours: To be confirmed If you would like to apply, please send your CV to holly@bebeboo.co.uk, or alternatively, give us a call on 0330 678 1114. We will be exhibiting at Harrogate Nursery Fair, stand KS3, feel free to pop by.

New award winning baby and toddler products from Mum 2 Mum, BooginHead and Choopie, contact 0333 014 4242 info@babyandmore.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you. Bèbèboo recruitment team

nursery today

talking shop NURSERY SUPPORT GROUP

Shop matters with NSG ’m beginning to wonder if 2017 was real! How are we back at Harrogate Nursery Fair? I’m so glad that the setup is back to normal (weekend) and the new hall plan should keep everyone on their toes! Last month I left you with my personal Facebook group info, All Things Yas – thanks to those of you who have joined – welcome to my world! What have I been up to you ask. Well busy bee Yas has set up a new service called Pram Talk. I sspotted a gap. Being a member of m many buying/selling so called ‘mums’ ggroups, and constantly stalking brands ssocial media pages I made some oobservations:

Yasmin Ali, NSG

• Mums Groups 1. Encourage second hand selling because they think it’s a ‘cheaper’ option, they think that a brand-new system is out of their reach – not necessarily always true. 22. 99% referrals are to Mothercare.

• Brands 1. Direct the consumer to their OWN website/shops 2. Direct the consumer to their preferred national partner 3. Very rarely mention ‘independent retail partners’ or stockists

There is no real push towards independent retailers – and I feel that as these social media services grow indies as a whole are being pushed out, overlooked and forgotten about. And so was born Pram Talk. Linking consumers to bricks and mortar retailers – our own platform. It brings exposure, expertise and a wealth of experience. The group has already surpassed anything I could have imagined for it in its first few weeks… please do contact me if you would like more info!

Back to Harrogate…brand focus! There are some key brands that I think independents MUST visit… anyone exhibiting is a big deal, especially given the past couple of years and the disappearance of the bigger brands. We don’t all survive on bigger brands alone, and the support that brands are showing by exhibiting, needs to be returned.

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If you are one of those who thinks they do the show in one day, these are my recommended MUST VISITS and why…

1. MEE-GO Guess who’s back, back again! This is HOT OFF THE PRESS NEWS. To my knowledge this info (at the time of writing) is so fresh it’s not even updated on the show website. Mee-go are making a massive return to Harrogate Nursery Fair. The brand since its last showing has come on leaps and bounds; both nationally and internationally. Coming armed with the Milano range, Venice Child Kangaroo – that has been hugely successful stateside – I really rate this product. Serious independents need to talk to a company that knows them and supports them.

Tommy’s, Lullaby Trust and NHS on there. This is a niche line, the packaging is great, the pricing affordable, it has to become a staple in every shop. Rachelle is a huge believer in the independent retailer, and avidly supports the Nursery Fair every year. (She also has bubbles!)

4. COSATTO Making their way over a rainbow to Harrogate on the backs of bright pink Unicorns, with an entourage of dragons and mermaids wearing sombreros. After 15 years, Cosatto return to Harrogate Nursery Fair as part of their continued support to independents. With exclusive show deals, maybe some goodie bags…the prospect of bubbles AND the gorgeous independent exclusive WOW in Dawn Chorus. Get this in your diary, the party is on!

2. BESPOKE BEBÉ

5. ROMA PRAMS

Also known as FUR COATS NO NAPPIES, this company brought the original bespoke luxury faux fur hoods, made to measure to decorate prams. A much sought-after product by consumers, this product comes with full usage warnings, and is faux fur that is used widely. The company also make luxury super fabulous hand muffs and 100% natural sheepskin liners. This is her first trade show, so do pop in and say hi, and have a look around. The quality of the product is what sells it.

Independent only and celebrity endorsed; Roma Prams are a growing brand, with good quality product at consumer pleasing price points. The team are bringing new colours to the range, and 2 brand new models – the capsule (must see) and the Moda (MC compatible). The brand is independent at the core, and so tick all boxes – including area exclusivity. What better feeling than being protected by a brand who work hard to promote the brand and send consumers into shops; who understand the need to NOT saturate the market. The new things I’ve seen are pretty special…Go along and see the girls, it’s their first Trade Show so give them a warm Harrogate welcome.

3. LITTLE CHICK LONDON We as independent retailers don’t ask for much, we want a decent niche product we can sell, that there is demand for, we want our supplier not to sell direct if avoidable, we want product support, decent margin and of course exclusivity. Tick all these boxes off right now. Sleep safe products – are a massive deal, especially after hitting the headlines last year, link up with Little Chick for great product.; from pregnancy onwards. The award winning bedside crib, 4in1 cushion, 2 stage comfort nest and brand-new independents only lines will be available. You can refer your customer to their website if they want info – you have valuable sources such as

I am in attendance at the show so I’d you want to catch up please do give me a shout, also if you want to talk re Pram Talk yas@pramtalk.co.uk The NSG is on a roll, we are so together right now finding solutions and supporting each other. We are in talks with suppliers regarding certain issues and so far, have had some success. Thanks to Adeel (Aftabs), Penny (Everything Baby) and Lorrain (Nurseryland) for putting themselves forward where required, for the group and congratulations! Those allowing slashing…your days are numbered on shop floors if not already UP… See you in Yorkshire! Ay up!