Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Underwhelmed.

After two days at the ABC Expo, I feel quite underwhelmed with this year's offerings. There are hundreds (thousands?) of vendors, but a lot of it feels like rows and rows of more of the same. There are a *spectacular* number of cloth diaper vendors at the show this year, and I have to say, I can appreciate how overwhelmed new parents must feel when they walk into our stores. I went to the show expecting to pick up some new cloth diaper brands, but at this point, I'm starting to feel like adding more variety to our already great selection of cloth diapers might actually do a disservice to our customers.

Seeing cloth diapers in person at a show like ABC gives me a chance to properly evaluate them. I was on the fence about the new Tiny Socialite collection from the folks at bumGenius, but seeing them IRL offered some reassurance that preordering them was a smart move. While they not be to everyone's taste, the prints look quite different in person than they do online -- I like them, all of them! The Flip diaper system now includes an optional newborn insert, a smart add-on that parents can buy to make the diapers fit small newborns better.

Bummis debuted a few new prints, both in their Super Whisper Wraps and their Super Brite covers. They're also introducing a new 'economy' cover, we ordered some, though I tend to think the term 'economy' as applied to a diaper cover is somewhat of a misnomer as all cloth diapers can be considered 'economy' when compared to their throwaway counterparts. We got a preview of a prototype of a product still in development, it's always exciting to get a sneak peak of what's coming up, the process of developing a new product is not a quick one, it requires lots of testing and tweaking! Suffice it to say, when this particular product is rolled out, I think it will be well-received!

At this point, the only new product we've picked up is a line of bamboo breastpads from Bamboobies. The breastpads are trim, absorbent, and leakproof. I've had my eye on them for a while, their daytime breastpads are very discrete under clothing, and they offer a more absorbent breastpad that's great if you leak overnight. We currently stock the bamboo breastpads from Mother-ease, but they are b-u-l-k-y!

We're considering a few new products that I'm still undecided about. Tegu magnetic wooden blocks are a novel approach to traditional wooden building blocks. The blocks are magnetic, so kids can create all kinds of configurations, however, the price point is a little high. $60 for 26 assorted blocks. Too high? Just right? I know we're not a toy store, but it's nice to offer something for the big brothers and sisters out there.

Another product up for consideration (and this is where I totally have to eat crow, mmmmm!) is the Woombie swaddler. We receive requests for a swaddler quite often, and the Woombie brand is a frequent request. Yes, it looks like a straight jacket, but for a baby who likes to be swaddled, I can see the appeal. Have any of you actually used this swaddler? Thoughts? Yay or nay???

There a plethora of nursing covers here, another product that customers frequently request. I'm not opposed to the idea of a nursing cover, I think any product that makes a woman feel comfortable nursing is a welcome addition to our store, however, there are so many different kinds of nursing covers, it makes my head spin. Bibs, shawls, shrugs, and the list goes on! It's time I just pick one and order it...

A major disappointment at the show is that Infantino has debuted some new carriers, a knock-off of Ergo, and a knock-off of the standard Mei Tai. Infantino's poorly-designed bag sling was responsible for the deaths of three infants, resulting in a recall and causing people to question the safety of babywearing in general. Infantino's new slings look shoddy and in person, I hope people are able to see past the low suggested retail price and realize that you get what you pay for. As attractivec as a low pricetag might be, it's not worth compromising the safety of a child.

Today is my last day at the show, I've put in loads of reorders to our existing suppliers, and now I need to make a final decision about the products I'm on the fence about. There are many (many!) bizarre new product offerings this year, suffice it to say, there will never be a shortage of stupidity when it comes to trying to suck the money out of new parents' wallets.

17 comments:

  1. The Tegu blocks caught my eye... they are pricy, but all quality wooden block sets are (although perhaps not this much). This mama could see getting a set when LO is older... and thinks Daddy would enjoy it too!!

    Also... did you snag any Bummis covers that have snaps instead of velcro?

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  2. Just a quick note on the woombie. We loved it!!! It was really helpful for my daughter who loved to be swaddled but got too strong for the usual swaddle and broke out easily. Definitely looks like a straight jacket but I liked how she was able to move well in it.
    It would be great to see it at your store - it was hard to find it Ottawa, had to drive out to Kanata for it.

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  3. I'm not sure. I know, thanks, big help. But I find that I already have everything I need. My girls love their simple wooden blocks and I'm not sure that adding magnets would make that big of a difference.
    Good luck making a decision.

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  4. we love the woombie too! makes him look like a peanut but it works. It's nice that he can still squirm, move his arms and legs, which he couldn't do in a traditional tight swaddle. And now that he's older, he can get his hands up to suck on them(through the fabric), but not out to startle himself.

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  5. Would love to see grobags. Woombies are offered at discount sites regularly.

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  6. I've never swaddled - only slung. They look creepy to me.

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  7. How about stocking the butterfly wrap from Bamboobies, since you are already ordering their pads? I've never really felt the need for a nursing cover, but I really like the versatility of this one - and it's really pretty, looking more like a top than a blanket with a strap.

    Jill Swedersky

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  8. I loved your blog last year from ABC where you highlighted the many "wonderful" (read: disturbing) products available to help parents. I will never forget those awful phantom, disembodied hands! Any choice picks for this year?

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  9. We still swaddle our son occasionally at 10 months old. We have large flannel blankets that do the trick. When is tired he can't escape, but when he wakes up he can. The woombie wouldn't allow for escape at any age. For that reason I wouldn't buy one.

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  10. I was totally thinking of ordering a Woombie online - hard to find in Ottawa. At four months we are still swaddling. I originally thought "why buy some contraption when you can just use a big sheet?", but I admit I love our Miracle Blanket...it keeps her arms in way more than a regular swaddle (maybe we just never developed proficiency). Now that she's getting bigger she's busting out more, but still sleeps better bundled - Woombie seems perfect.

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  11. I'll spend money when I love something, and I love wooden blocks, but I can't imagine spending that much on them. Mind you, I got a whole bunch of plain blocks at the Great Glebe Garage Sale, so that tells you what my ideal price point is...

    And I too was hoping for something to rival those hands from last year! Tell us you saw something equally as strange/disturbing?

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  12. I bought a Woombie for my daughter and I love it. I wish I had that for my son; the Miracle Blanket worked really well but the Woombie is easier to use and more compact if you are traveling. I like the new Woombie design where the fabric is not as stretchy and it has a double-zipper. Not that it's hard to take her out of the Woombie to change the diaper but I usually keep her zipped up at the top and just unzip the bottom to change the diaper. :)

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  13. ah the disembodied hands, i remember that blog post. there had to have been something to top that this year? ;)

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  14. I tried the woombie repeatedly with my son and it didn't work for us. I don't think it was the fault of the woombie - just that my son wanted to have his hands up high above his head or on his face when he was sleeping - and he wasn't able to to that when he was swaddled in the woombie. Definitely in love with sleep sacks though. I own 8 (mostly Grobags, but also a few other brands) in varying sizes and thicknesses. At 2.5 years old, my daughter still uses one. I think you are carrying the Ergopouch, but only the super thick one? I have only seen it on your website and not in the KW store. It also doesn't indicate what size it is. Would be good to have varying sizes and thicknesses.

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  15. I bought a used woombie- its not bad but it looks darn wierd. I'll stick to my oversized blankets- my fav are the muslin onesfrom j.cole

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  16. After using a Kiddopotomus (sp?) for a few months, I really want to buy a woombie but only if it's the convertible one. The velcro doesn't stick anymore, and besides which, she is getting strong and can bust out of it, and then wake herself up. My daughter is a petite 5 month old baby who still requires swaddling, but since I don't know for how long for, I don't really want to spend the money on a regular woombie. I've compared the woombie and the ergococoon, while both seem great, the woombie wins in my books because it comes in extra long and I can get it with snaps at the arms for when she is transitioning and then as a sleep sac when she no longer needs swaddling. The problem is, most places just carry the original. My friend also has a houdini baby and she loves the woombie.

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  17. Please, please, please order the new GroVia patterns in the AIO!!! I saw on their facebook page that they were debuting these at the ABC expo and I'm planning to buy some for my little girl for Christmas. Is that wrong buying diapers for Christmas?? I guess not if I buy her something fun too. :)

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