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Nurseries and Baby Gear
GirlWithTheMostCake
member
Article I Read About Boutiques and Big Stores Gear - ?
GirlWithTheMostCake
member
I read an article yesterday written by the owner of Magic Beans. She was saying that the boutique industry is having issues with baby stuff. That makes me sad because I have always been a boutique shopper. I know a lot of self employed people, including myself and I would always support the small business. If the price is the same, the service is generally better in my experience at the boutiques and if I can I'd much rather give my business to them. This is the case for me in all different types of stores. Anyway, one of the things she said was that people use her store and kick the tires, meaning they just come in to use it to test out, and then go buy it elsewhere. I would never do this and I honestly find it hard to believe that many people would go into a small store and use them if the price was the same. I personally would actually pay slightly and I mean slightly, definitely not a lot more for something if the service was better. I generally buy a product from people I like. I'm loyal like that, but maybe I'm not the norm? I'm interested to hear others opinions as it pertains to baby gear. I'm gonna go see if I can find the article now too.
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Re: Article I Read About Boutiques and Big Stores Gear - ?
This. I went to a boutique store to test out a few strollers I was interested in that the chain stores didn't have in-store. I then bought the stroller elsewhere for $150 less than what the boutique store was selling it for. I would much rather support small businesses/boutiques rather than chains but their prices are always so much more expensive.
Exactly.
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In my experience of the things I bought for our kids, boutiques were always the exact same price. Some of the big ticket items we got were Orbit, Bugaboo and Baby Jogger strollers and we have a Bloom high chair. I was always under the impression that the prices are regulated and if a big store breaks the rules I have never experienced a boutique that wouldn't price match if I asked them to. Has anyone been told by a boutique that they couldn't price match? I used to live in NYC so some of my stuff came from smaller stores there. Then I moved to NJ and I got the gear this time around here because I found a store I love, but the prices were always the prices.
Anyhow, this was the article https://www.kidstodayonline.com/article/554133-Opinion_The_problems_we_face.php?intref=sr It made me sad to see retail in general dealing with this in exchange for places like Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon and Buy Buy Baby who don't actually care at all about us as the customer.
This! I got my stroller with accessories at a large retail store for $100 less than the boutique-y store wanted. While I love to support local businesses (I work in one), $100 is a big difference!
Um, yeah. Most boutiques here won't price match and the prices are significantly higher. it's great that our local shops will but that's the thing about small businesses- they're all going to have different policies on pricing and price matching.
I try to support them when I go in to kick the tires if it's a low cost item- example: I bought a small selection of cloth diapers from a local boutique to see what I liked. But I'll be buying the rest online- the price difference is significant. If its something like a stroller, however, I simply can't justify spending more when I can buy it off Amazon for 100$ less.
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I don't think this issue is unique to boutiques. I think it,unfortunately, impacts them more but people still "kick the tires" at big box stores. Case in point - we recently bought our convertible car seats. We were able to get one for super cheap at Buy Buy Baby with coupons, store credits, and gift cards, but we needed a second one. There was no way I was going to buy it from them because their price was almost $100 more than other online retailers for the exact same car seat. So, I took my business for that purchase elsewhere - even though I was already in Buy Buy Baby and it would have been more convenient for me to just buy two seats at the same time.
With that being said, when we bought our City Mini GT, I went to look at it at a local boutique. They were super helpful. Their price was comparable to the big box store so I bought it from the boutique. And, like you, if it had been slightly more, I probably would have bought it from them anyway because they were so great and I, too, like to support small businesses when I can. Unfortunately, as other posters said, their prices on a lot of items just cannot compete.
Unfortunately the small stores cannot compete in price and customer service in terms of returns with the big box stores. The SA may be a lot more helpful or knowledgable, but their hands are tight if you want to return a used stroller, afterall they can't absorb that kind of loss, but a store like Costco will not even blink.
Another thing about my area, the few baby boutiques that I like their stock are in an affluent part of town, and the SA are often snooty and not very pleasant.
Eh, I do this some but I also spend a lot at local boutiques. It just depends.
For example, I bought my 2011 UppaBaby Vista from Amazon because it was $440. It was $700+ in the store. I did see it at the boutique when I was there to purchase something else and test drove it a bit but didn't discuss strollers with the staff (I spent over $900 on a glider there so I doubt they were offended).
I'll likely buy our convertible carseat from a large local baby boutique because they have certified carseat technicians that will help you find the best seat for your vehicle and needs in your price point plus they will teach you to install it correctly, install it for you, and will check it for you at any time. I would not use up their time like that and then buy elsewhere. I know that some people do but I feel like if I utilize their service and want to go with the product they recommend that it's only right if I purchase from them. To do otherwise, even if I can buy it slightly cheaper somewhere else with no customer service, is super shady, IMO.
I definitely agree with your last statement. If I think I can get it cheaper elsewhere, I ALWAYS ask my local store to price match and have never had an issue on anything. Not to be all ridiculous and political, but I think not shopping at these stores when we can for the SAME price (not more) is a large part of what is wrong with this country and trickles down to unemployment and all that. But, enough of my blah blah blah. I don't know where these boutiques are that actually day no to that? I honestly would feel like a real jerk to walk into a little store, use them for their expertise and the floor models they paid for and then buy it elsewhere. I would feel embarrassed and I couldn't imagine how angry I'd feel at consumers doing that to any of my family businesses. I used to work in the clothing industry and people did that made me wonder if the fact that our employees knew more didn't come at a cost. We had to pay them more for them to be more educated. Isn't the info worth anything? I do agree you can't return a used stroller to a boutique, but why would you? I mean if it's broken the manufacturer fixes it. I wouldn't try to return a car I used. I think of it in the same way. Obviously anyone can purchase anything anywhere they want. That's what makes this lovely world go round. I was just curious. It honestly sounds like a lot of people actually don't ask the boutiques for a price match. I met the Baby Guy in NYC last year at a Big City Moms event and he told me that Bob and Britax are some of the only brands that are on the slightly higher end where you can always get a better deal outside of the boutiques because they run their company as a volume company. The more the store sells the more rebates they get so they actually push consumers into the products as part of their corporate strategy. He told it to me because I was curious as to why most of the little stores in NYC stopped selling those brands. And snooty boutiques suck. If they are going to behave like that then they deserve to be out of business.
Boutiques therefore need to offer something that big box retailers don't, above and beyond "service." Personally, I bought baby gear from a multitude of places: boutiques, Internet only and big box retailers. You can get the same Bugaboo stroller from any retailer, but you can't always get the same nursery bedding and furnishing, the same clothes or the same specialty toys. I also love boutiques for gifts, assuming there's no registry. I can always find something "special" there. Some of my favorite baby gifts that I received were things like personalized blankets, NYC subway onesies and Metrocard rattles and wooden toys. But a carseat? Eh, I'm going to BBB or BRU.
I bought my first stroller from a boutique type store that had a lot of high end stuff--they actually gave me the best deal (better than online, and without having to ask) so I happily purchased from them, and that made me purchase many things from them--a swing, the bassinet attachment for the stroller, bedding, etc...and I was so excited to buy from them again for this new baby where I wanted a double stroller that would cost me $700 after all the accessories I wanted. Well unfortunately they could not give me a better price, and they actually for whatever reason could not get it in stock (they just kept telling me, next week, any day now, even put my name on a list to be called when they got it in...I waited for MONTHS before finally buying off Amazon). Well, I never got a phone call anyway. I had also gone to another boutique store that did have it, the sales lady was very nice, and I asked to be called when the stroller came into stock as well. Well, no phone call there, and they were selling it for full price anyway.
The other thing too is that a lot of places will make you feel very uncomfortable if you do ask about price matching or for them to lower the price. It's almost like they all of a sudden look down on you for even asking. So I'd rather just order it myself online a lot cheaper, have it in 2 days with free shipping, save on the sales tax (for now, anyway), and not have to deal with salespeople who cop an attitude for me not wanting to spend the extra $100 to buy through them.
If boutiques push away the business, then it's their fault to lose it and they shouldn't cry about it. Also no one should be looking down on you for price matching. That's so rude and equally as dumb on the stores parts. Can I ask what stores in NJ you went to? I live in Central Jersey too now and am like the baby boutique queen over here!
I buy unique cutesy stuff at boutiques. But as for baby gear, I love Amazon and I have Prime. So yup, I tested my travel system at Babies r Us, then ordered it off Amazon for 110 less and with a better selection of colors. And it was delivered to my doorstep two days later so I didn't even have to involve my husband to haul in for me.
I just saw your post here, I haven't been back to this thread in a while! I had a lot of success before at this place in Lakewood called Piccolino's. It's not a fancy place or anything, but they at the time had fantastic prices (you could totally negotiate, tell them you saw it cheaper online or whatnot and they would do their best to beat it or at least match it) and they sold a majority of the highest end stuff--Bugaboo, Orbit, etc...be forewarned that it isn't the prettiest looking place but they had a lot of stuff for a small store. The other place which had a really nice saleslady was Nessalee in Freehold. Lot of high end stuff there too, really cute stuff! Saleswoman was really really sweet and helpful.
I had also heard that there was another baby store that just opened in Lakewood--they have a huge popular website called pishposhbaby.com. I haven't been there yet but it's another one I'd check out if I were you. I believe that pishposhbaby and Piccolino's used to be the same company before but have since split off and pish posh started their own store. Hope this helps!
Piccolino is out of business as of recently. They claimed bankruptcy and they are now reopened as Pish Posh Baby, but to be honest I have only had bad experiences with them. They do some sketchy things. There was also a store in Howell that I noticed isn't there anymore, but I can't remember the name of it. I got all of my stuff for my 2nd child at NessaLee Baby and also found the sales people very sweet. I heard when I was there last month that they are expanding and opening a bigger store and then another store somewhere north soon.