It’s been quite a long ride, 19 years to be precise. How it began. Almost twenty years ago I (Carol) decided that there just weren’t the right things for my new baby and like many new mums I was very concerned about what the planet would be like if we continued to waste extravagant resources plus creating mountains of rubbish, in particular the disposable nappies which are not biodegradable. Similar to many of the entrepreneurs in the nursery industry I decided to open my own baby shop. On a visit to New York I was impressed by the new, reusable nappies coming to the market in response to mothers wanting environmental products. Gung ho I bought two containers of Kushies nappies and launched them at the nursery industry trade show. However, the nursery trade laughed and said they would never sell. Admittedly I was a bit ahead of my time but determined to show them, I then began a small campaign from the kitchen table informing Mums of the new cloth nappies and leafleting health professionals.
The leaflet grew and word spread and the first shaped reusable nappies were in the marketplace. Consequently I found that the new mums I met were very exciting and although I was working in another business I so enjoyed working in the nursery industry that I asked Jane to join me and I closed my other business. This became a great partnership with each of us having complimentary talents whilst sharing enormous enthusiasm and ambition to be ‘big, huge, enormous’, the best in the marketplace.
I concentrate on the sourcing and developing of unique and different products for our mums and Jane in turn in is in charge of selling and marketing.
Today, The Baby Catalogue is known for the range of innovative and unique products, which the team constantly seek, to make a mother’s life easier and in turn more enjoyable. The latest Widgey® nursing pillow is a good example of this and now is available in many of the major stores.
About 3 years ago we moved to our current warehouse and offices in Chiswick. Nestled between two railway tracks we have every operation under one roof including the call centre and our own warehouse. Our team now numbers 25 and they are from every corner of the world.
Doing everything in house has enormous benefits as our call centre girls know the products and if there is any doubt can always pop out into the warehouse to check some detail. The warehouse team in turn recognise regular customers and often put a personal note in their parcel with well wishes. Orders come in from all over the world and it’s fun to think of their baby in the different countries.
Today’s email ordering and our web site has changed the style of the business but enough customers meet us at either the baby shows or at the popular warehouse sale days. We love seeing the bump’ then meeting the new baby and finally seeing the toddler trotting around.
We are often asked to do products for bigger children in the 3+ ranges but it is a different market and we prefer to specialise in baby range.
Being based in Chiswick also means we see a lot of the local mums and often recruit them for the photo shoots.
We never forget how lucky we are to have such customers as new mums who have lovely new babies to spoil and adore and every now and then let us share in the world too.
Thanks
Carol & Jane
Owners Perfectly Happy People
