Retail in Store for Babystyle

Maternity and baby products cataloger/Web marketer Babystyle is embracing a new channel. The Los Angeles-based company plans to open its first store in November. Babystyle, which includes the Babystyle.com and Kidstyle.com Websites, actually plans to open two stores in southern California by the end of the year, though president/chief operating officer Tom Park says that the exact opening dates and locations have not yet been determined.

Founded as a Website in 1999; Babystyle tested a catalog the next year and rolled it out in summer 2001. The catalog plays a key role in Babystyle's strategy — particularly for customer acquisition. In fact, 50% of the orders from the spring catalog were from new customers.

For 2002, Babystyle will mail 2.5 million catalogs; the four editions include a 40-page summer book and a 60-page fall/holiday book. In the catalogs, Park says, “our apparel comes to life a little more than on the Website; retail will now enable customers to feel the product fabrications, etc.”