There is nothing more exciting than preparing for your baby to arrive. From picking names to setting up the nursery and buying your pram, sometimes the pre-game can be more exciting than the main event!
But for expecting parents in 2020, pregnancy has become an entirely new and often daunting experience. Changes to doctors’ appointments, hospital procedures, and the recent closure of retailers throughout Melbourne has left many parents unsure of how they can properly prepare for bubs.
Thankfully at Babybee, we know a thing or two about buying prams online and have compiled our top seven tips for the savvy online shopper!
1. READ REVIEWS
Pre-COVID, most parents would rely on retail staff, relatives, and friends to guide their pram purchases. But with Melbourne retailers closed and catchups with family and friends a no-go, many parents may be unaware of where to turn to for advice. Thankfully, the internet is flooded with verified reviews sites, Facebook groups, and parenting forums which offer a space to chat online with other expecting parents and existing customers to help work out exactly what pram is right for you. Reviews sites like Product Review require all reviews to be from verified customers only, meaning you’ll be hearing directly from existing customers about their honest experiences with the pram and the companies that sell them. Facebook groups and parenting forums such as Bub Hub are also a great way to talk all things prams and pregnancy to not just get advice on buying decisions, but to connect with parents going through the same experiences as you.
2. A GREAT RETURNS POLICY
One of the most common questions asked about buying prams online is how can customers work out if it’s right for them without physically seeing it first. Key to buying online with confidence is knowing that if the pram isn’t right for you, you can easily return it for a full refund – no questions asked. That’s why Babybee offers free, 9-month returns meaning you have 9 full months to set up and test out your pram in the comfort of your home before deciding whether its right for you. If it’s not everything you had hoped and dreamed of, all you need to do is pack it back up and ship it back for a full refund. We even send you the return shipping label! We think this is a far better way of knowing whether the pram is right for you as opposed to touching a pram already set up in a retail outlet.
3. SHIP IT GOOD
Many pram companies have had to quickly adjust to selling prams online, meaning some are struggling to set up an online infrastructure to manage sales, or are struggling to keep up with the growing demand for online pram purchases. Opting for companies that have an already established online marketplace will ensure that shipping timelines are met and are within a reasonable timeframe. You don’t want to be buying a pram with a 2-month lead time if bubs decide to come early!
4. CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT CARES
Nothing is worse than customer service that takes days – or even weeks – to respond. Especially if you have an important query about pram sizes, weights, warranty, and other key pram functionality. Whilst large retailers may have more customer service staff on hand, they are often unable to properly answer your queries and will revert you to a manufacturer's own customer service team, significantly slowing the response time. Going with Australian companies with local customer service teams will ensure your questions are answered as quickly as possible! For an even quicker turnaround, web chat is the best way to get quick queries answered within minutes.
5. SEE IT FOR YOURSELF
Buying online doesn’t mean you can’t see the pram and its capabilities - it just means rather than seeing a product demonstration instore, you are doing so from the comfort of your own home! Many retailers and pram manufacturers are now running Facebook live events or other virtual demonstrations to help make the online buying experience a lot easier to navigate. Babybee runs online virtual product demonstrations every fortnight which allows customers to see the full product demonstration and ask questions in real-time with our pram experts. You can also watch all of our demonstrations as well as FAQ videos here.
6. BUDGET
One of the biggest advantages of buying prams online is the incredible cost savings you will see when purchasing from online-only businesses. Retailers mark up prams anywhere between 50-90%, so you can imagine the cost savings from buying direct from manufacturers. Be clear on your non-negotiables list and then start researching for prams that tick all those boxes and sit within your budget. You’d be amazed at what types of prams you can purchase for under $1000 once you start hunting for prams online!
7. SAFETY STANDARDS
With no geographical concerns when you are buying online, you may start looking at international manufacturers who ship to Australia. But each country has its own set of safety standards and goes through an entirely different set of quality and safety checks. Always buy a pram that adheres to Australian safety standards to ensure your pram follows best practice safety guidelines.