Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

do you think there would be much mileage in opening a cloth nappy shop?

69 replies

NappiesGalore · 01/10/2007 12:54

dp says he thinks not. that 'niche retail has in some ways been saved by the internet, but also killed by it'. that id be mad to take on a shop and premises and the hours / staff / stocktaking involved...

but i reckon it would be brilliant to have an emporium of cloth, where you could go and see and feel and touch and talk about and be advised on all the different types and sorts...

could also do all the outdoorsy stuff you only seem to be able to get online, like waterproof dungerees etc (i love all that stuff too)

and perhaps do second hand exchange sort of service on the nappies too...

what does everyone think?

would it only work in london, or not at all?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

claireybee · 01/10/2007 16:39

If there was a shop like that near me I would be bankrupt! It's bad enough being seduced by all the nappies online without being able to actually stroke/cuddle them! It would work if there were lots of customers like me around!

goingfor3 · 01/10/2007 16:45

Could you try selling them from a cart/stall in a shopping entre. You wouldn't be making a massive comitment renting out a shop and you could probably have i for a short time to see how it works out. If your shop prices are higher than internet prices then I imagine people would come and look at your nappies and then buy online cheaper.

NappiesLaGore · 01/10/2007 17:25

hmmmm, thanks for all the comments. i have been reading and re-reading them all.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

NAB3 · 01/10/2007 17:33

"nab - so the shop you know of seems confusing? could you elaborate on that? i think i would want to diversify a bit... but not so much that consumers would be unsure of what we are."

I find it confusing as it seems to have such a lot going on. It also has anupstairs which I couldn't face going up to. I think it was maternity stuff upstairs. The shop itself is small. On the right when you go in is a rail of second hand clothes. I think people take them in and get a cut when sold. There is a notice board for people selling prams, etc and a slot for businesses to leave leaflets.

They didn't have all the nappy stuff easy to access so if you asked for something it was produced and one didn't feel you could say no thank you. They had Kissaluv nappies on a shelving unit and some Motherease wraps, so you could touch and examine those without pressure to buy.

There was lots of things behind the till but again pressure to buy if you asked about them.

HTH.

LIZS · 01/10/2007 17:41

There is a one locally but it also diversifies into other eco friendly baby products such as Organic fresh baby foods and toiletries for mum and baby, slings, sheepskins etc . I suspect the overheads in the sort of locations where there might be sufficient demand could mean it is hard to be profitable. What about speaking to you council to see whether they have a policy fo for reusables which could be a stepping stone and what the uptake currently is.

NappiesLaGore · 01/10/2007 17:41

thanks nab.

know what you mean. i hate not being able to just browse alone. other countries have a different culture in shopping - they like to be served and have a person bringing everything out, but i dont feel comfortable to have a good old browse if someone ahs to go and get each thing i wanna look at.

NappiesLaGore · 01/10/2007 17:42

my council dont even offer an incentive scheme to parents, let alone to anyone wanting to set up in business. bit rubbish.

bagpuss · 01/10/2007 17:48

Ooh, Holly, you must be near me, Peachy Cheeks is my local nappy shop too .

curlywurlycremeegg · 01/10/2007 17:52

Those of you who have used Peachy Cheeks, what do you think of it, as I was looking for a premesis in South Manchester it wouldn't have been a million miles from me, although as I said I was looking into more than "just" cloth

NappiesLaGore · 01/10/2007 18:04

have just had a stroll round the online shop for peachy cheeks..
nice website, but maybe a bit flashy. too much emphasis on pretty and not enough on function.
and they only do 2 or 3 brands.

i want an emporium, dammit!

bagpuss · 01/10/2007 18:05

Curly, it satisfies the Tots Bots addict in me .

He doesn't do a wide enough range for my liking and funnily enough dh and I often consider starting up something similar but with more brands. Not sure how that would work in practise though.

Where in South Manchester did you look at?

curlywurlycremeegg · 01/10/2007 18:13

It was in Chorlton, opposite The Unicorn organic/co operative super market, I thought it would be an ideal spot, do you know the area?

bagpuss · 01/10/2007 18:52

I know of it, yes. I live about 10 minutes away from Peachy Cheeks but there were some lovely shop/units over the way from our house which I thought might make a good place but PC opened first! I wouldn't open anything in close proximity to them as they seem to have it pretty much sewn up for this area. Chorlton would have been good though, especially for the type of customer you would be after.

selee · 01/10/2007 21:35

i used to live in london and there was a great shop in stoke newington called "Born" who sold nappies, toys clothes etc etc, it was very popular and i think they had a few branches around uk? maybe call them for advice, they also have an online dept..?
i live in hampshire too (emsworth), there are loads of babies and young children here, open a shop near me please!!!!

fihi · 01/10/2007 21:50

know what you mean about wanting to be surrounded by your lovely stuff, and just to throw another random idea in, what about doing a "mobile shop" i.e. kit a van out....aahhh i can just picure racks of lovely baskets of all those cloth things (siggghhh) and you could then tour the groups of childminders, nurseries, markets, whatever takes your fancy. assuming you're in the manchester area you are smack in the middle of the M62 and potentially hit the potential market in liverpool direction (nothing i know of in merseyside except small one in formby), and right thru to hull on the other end. not to mention the m60. hey, franchise potential!

fihi · 01/10/2007 21:52

ooh i did like saying potential didn't i? serves me right for talking to DH and tryin to type. ooopps

tutu100 · 01/10/2007 22:49

Nappies Galore I live in Southampton and would love a nappy shop where I could go in and look at things. Please, please look into it.

It might be worth contacting the Southampton real nappy network to see if they could help you do market research here.

Hope I did read it right that you are somewhere in Hampshire near Southampton. Oh it would be my dream come true. I could probably keep you going on my nappy spending alone!

Skribble · 01/10/2007 22:54

Mobile show room is a novel idea, but might get a lot of interest. You can do regular rounds and park up outside baby clinics and info days etc.

Mothercare once did a roadshow round the outer islands of scotland to reach all the mums that couldn't make it to shops.

policywonk · 01/10/2007 22:55

There is a lovely shop in Brighton called Great Expectations, but like others mentioned on here it doesn't just do nappies. It does a roaring trade though - well, a mildly loud trade anyway.

(My slippers are here, BTW. My feet now look as wide as they are long.)

Flibbertyjibbet · 01/10/2007 23:09

There is so much competition in nappy selling. How would you compete on price with an internet seller. Internet sellers use say a spare room for storage and order in just as many as she needs so no huge initial stock outlay (which you would need in a shop, several of every make in every size in every colour). With a shop in a decent location to get passing trade you would have huge overheads - rent, business rates, fitting out the shop, and staff too for when you are lunch/day off/at the suppliers. IMO your overheads would push your prices up so that you are not able to compete with the competition, sorry.

NappiesLaGore · 02/10/2007 17:55

ooh, more answers

selee - i went to stokey school, theres a coincidence for you will look into born.. can imagine that being a good location these days, has gawn up in the world, stokey, since i were a lass dont know where emsworth is... will look into.

fihi - i think the mobile shop idea is fabulous. could get the demos all over with a well stocked/laid out van... hmmmmm...

tutu - thanks for the link, and if you make that a promise (to keep me in business) ill def do it!

PW - but are they taseful in their wideness?? have stumbled across GE site before... again, they only do two brands which is a shame...

flibberty, im pretty sure i agree, sadly. but i do wonder if having a comprehensive selection of all the different brands and types of nappy... plus some other well researched complementary product lines... might entice people to come in.. and once in, that they wouldnt want to leave without some new gorgeous peice of fluff... but yes, if prices were higher than online, i appreciate, and wouldnt blame, people would come and feel instore, but go home and buy for cheaper online.

would need to think carefully and research the target market and think about positioning... but im not sure id want to do it is it were an exclusive boutiquey sort of place, out of the reach of many people.

hunkermunker · 02/10/2007 17:56

Nappies, I've received an email that might interest you.

Email me? hunkermunker at gmail dot com

LadyMuck · 02/10/2007 18:00

The thing is, at the point that there is enough interest in cloth to make it profitable then the big names (Mothercare, Tesco's, Boots) will simply pile in.

pesto1 · 02/10/2007 18:03

ok,
the suffolk real nappy network has a shop.
we actually do quite well.
we have a second hand exchange and various other enviromental products, along with wooden toys, organic slings, san pro stuff.... but mostly nappies.

it can work, but you have to do a LOT of advertising and promotion work as its not the type of shop people will come into off their own accord

bobsmum · 02/10/2007 18:11

There's a fab one in Stirling on an industral estate. They do mainly nappies and laundry accessories - inlcuding Ecover refill service - v handy. They have a few Cut4cloth things too. They have a website, but also do nappy (and duvet) laundering in the unit next door.

Pure Nappies

It's a fab shop - there's a teeny pic of it on the site - lovely, strokeable nappies.....

Flip

1 2 3