| Just two months ago, a group of mothers from three | | | | was something they really wanted for there kid. A |
| generations (Gen Y, Gen X and Baby Boomer | | | | Gen X mom talked about children strollers. She paid |
| demographics) shared their buying habits with retailers | | | | $300 for a stroller because she liked the features. |
| and manufacturers on purchasing childrens bedroom | | | | Then a Gen Y mom said she paid about $200 for a |
| furniture and baby products. This occurred at the fifth | | | | hard-to-find toy that retails normally for about $50. She |
| annual Kids Today conference in Bonita Springs | | | | said she bought the toy not only because her son |
| Florida. | | | | wanted it, but because of the educational value. |
| Author and entrepreneur Maria Bailey, an executive in | | | | Parents are willing to spend more money on |
| the fields of publishing, marketing, and business | | | | educational toys. |
| development, was the keynote speaker at the | | | | All moms stressed importance on bedroom furniture |
| conference and a moderator for the panel. Maria | | | | that would grow with their children. One baby boomer |
| Bailey has worked for numerous companies, including | | | | mom said she was in the process of looking for a bed |
| Automation USA, AutoNation, Discovery Zone, The | | | | that would take her toddler through high school. A Gen |
| Miami Herald, Broward Community College, and | | | | X mom said she would try to redecorate while |
| McDonald's. Her experience as an executive and the | | | | keeping in mind that she wanted the dcor and |
| mother of four young children led her to specialize in | | | | products to not be changed or updates until her |
| assisting mothers in balancing their home and work | | | | daughter was at least 12. |
| lives. Bailey explained the importance of marketing to | | | | I personally feel that this type of survey it tough to |
| mothers of different ages. | | | | gaugenot only should they have to consider the age |
| Even though there were some differences there were | | | | demographics but financial demographics as well. |
| also many similarities. One baby boomer said she | | | | I know that my friends and I are the same age but due |
| found information from other mothers quite useful. She | | | | to financial reasons we all have made very different |
| tried shopping for childrens beds and other bedroom | | | | choices on the bedroom sets, etc. we purchased for |
| sets for her boys baby nursery at a baby boutique or | | | | our kids. Take the changing table for instance. I chose |
| a shop for kid furniture and found it was above her | | | | one of those dressers with a built in changing table. |
| budget. She registered for designer baby bedding at | | | | When your child is older you flip the dresser over and |
| one baby boutique but this particular parent found that | | | | it converts to a normal dresser top (which by the way |
| shopping at a consignment shop for her boys | | | | I planned on using these dressers for a long while since |
| bedroom furniture was the way to go. | | | | I had purchased one of those convertible infant cribs). |
| A Gen Y mom used hand-me-down bedroom | | | | My other friend decided to forego the changing table |
| furniture, rather than shopping at a furniture store for | | | | altogether, she would change her daughter directly on |
| her baby and put the rest of the items that she | | | | her crib mattress by using a waterproof disposable |
| needed on her gift registry. The items she did not | | | | pad. While another friend bought an extremely fancy |
| receive as baby gifts she purchased at Target and | | | | changing table and a bedroom set with armoires, hand |
| Kmart. She did however find a lot of her ideas (such | | | | carved dressers, etc. |
| as themes for luxury baby bedding) at a boutique. She | | | | I am sure someone like Brittney Spears would have |
| said she would purchase only bedroom accessories, | | | | very different buying habits than someone, the same |
| baby bedding, other items that she thought were | | | | age, but on a very modest income. So although I am |
| original at a boutique or baby shops. | | | | sure the retailers and manufacturers were able to |
| Although most of the parents claimed that they mostly | | | | gather some useful information from this conference, |
| shopped at discount stores, they admittedly would | | | | hopefully they are considering all the demographics of |
| make more extravagant purchases like luxury baby | | | | the parents interviewed. |
| bedding or hard-to-find toys at baby boutiques if there | | | | |