September 2018 – During the “Babycool” trade fair in Paris, the French Toy and Childcare Federation has invited Frank Rosenthal, marketing and distribution consultant, to share his findings on the growing importance of the internet on nursery products commerce.
- Parents buy online often
When the parents place the pure general-purpose players for their online baby-shopping (56.2% according to the IDM), they are also 46.8% to buy them on the sites of the physical specialists of the sector, in front of the pure players of childcare (41.3%), sales sites between individuals (36.4%) and branded retail sites (16.7%).
- Parents are not afraid to buy 2nd hand
Around 36% of nursery products bought are 2nd hand articles.
80% of mothers of children under 35 months and 87% of first-time moms have already bought one 2nd hand childcare product.
- A strong need for information
Many parents look for product information online. Price comparison can be made by visiting a shop and comparing with similar online offers on their smartphone.
Mothers (38% and 50% of first-time mothers) would like more sales people in shops to give them good advice on the various products.
- The future
Time is moving swiftly. Virtual assistants, such as Amazon’s “Alexa”, are often used, by those who are equipped, for the search of a product (51%) and even for buying (30%).
This growing trend means that nursery product online sales services must register with the manufacturers of these assistants, and make access to them easy for the consumers.