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BABY PRODUCTS
Oh, baby! Starting a business that focuses on anything baby-related is hot right now. Besides the fact that there is a baby boom going on in our society today, more and more exhausted new parents are turning to the internet so they can shop from the comfort of their own homes—and while their babies are sleeping. There are hundreds of types of products you can sell, from baby furniture to feeding products to clothing and everything in between. You can focus on one area or all areas. If you are focusing on one area, try to find a niche, such as “eco-friendly baby furniture” or “just pacifiers,” “high-end baby furniture,” or “products for twins.” You also may want to include or even focus on pregnancy-related products, which will allow you to focus on two markets (before and after) and, it is hoped, get repeat visitors.
Either way, make sure your pricing is competitive (there are many online stores that sell baby stuff today) and make sure your site is organized by category and easy to navigate.
You will most likely be selling merchandise that you purchased wholesale. As a result, make sure you do your research and determine the best pricing. Because new parents are looking for information, make sure your site offers tons of it, either from the manufacturers or customer reviews. In fact, it may be a good idea to make the customer reviews prominent, because new parents love to share advice with each other.
This concept may also help drive your marketing plans; perhaps start a chat room on your site to get folks to start a dialogue on your site and keep them coming back for more. Or advertise in new parent-oriented chat rooms online. You also will want to offer an online newsletter to regular customers and advertise heavily through search engine optimization and search engine marketing.
SKILLS NEEDED
An in-depth understanding of baby products, as well as an understanding of the types of products that new parents need and want. Excellent marketing skills and excellent customer service skills are also musts as well.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
In this type of business, it’s very important for you to find your niche. There are thousands of baby products stores out there today—both online and offline—so it’s best to sell something unique. Also, keep in mind that while new parents may be the majority of the people buying on your site, in many cases grandparents or other relatives as well as friends may be your customers, so make sure to appeal to them as well.
WEB RESOURCES
Baby
Basket.com (
babybasket.com), an online designer and creator of distinctive gift baskets for new babies, new moms, new dads, and big brothers and sisters