MONTVALE, N.J. — Kroger and A&P are among the retailers building awareness of private-label baby products with dedicated websites that feature editorial content for new parents.
A&P’s site, livebetterbaby.net, showcases the retailer’s America’s Choice line of baby products, including diapers, cotton swabs, infant formula, baby wash and laundry detergent. Parents who join the Live Better Baby Club can receive store coupons and discounts. Visitors to the site can also download coupons for Beech-Nut, a national brand of baby food.
Under the “Community” section, visitors find a blog featuring articles written by mothers on topics such as making bath time for children more enjoyable, dealing with diaper rash and childproofing the home as well as favorable reviews of America’s Choice diapers and Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. A separate nutrition blog features articles on healthy pregnancy, morning sickness relief, restaurant dining advice, breastfeeding and homemade baby food.
“A&P’s LiveBetterBaby.net website was launched to provide parents with resources, such as information about baby nutrition, healthy pregnancy shopping lists, featured baby products, and helpful parenting tips from real moms,” said Suzanne Cecchi, A&P’s marketing director. “LiveBetterBaby.net drives awareness of our America’s Choice baby products, which provide customers with national brand quality at a great, low price.”
Kroger’s Comfortsforbaby.com site features a similar mix of product information and general advice for new mothers. The site highlights the Comforts brand, which includes several varieties of formula, diapers and training pants, bibs, lotions, cups, snacks, pacifiers and teethers. Another link highlights Touch of Nature diapers, which are chlorine-free and made from plant-based products. On the same page, a separate article offers tips on cleaning without chemicals.
Visitors to the site can sign up for e-coupons which can be loaded on to loyalty cards for Kroger’s stores.
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Much of the content evolves around saving money. The site includes articles on at-home spa treatments, money-saving spring cleaning tips and affordable birthday parties. There is also advice on taking the scariness out of Halloween for little ones.
The comfortsforbaby.com site is available in Spanish, with content aimed at the needs and interests of Latina moms. Kroger declined to comment.
Parents with young children are highly coveted by food retailers, so making the effort to capture them early could pay off in the long run, said Jim Hertel, managing partner at Willard Bishop.
Young parents are also receptive to child-rearing advice so sponsoring websites that offer relevant advice with money-saving tips could help retailers hit their target audience.
Households with young children “tend to spend a lot,” Hertel said. “Retailers are eager to develop the baby shopper, or that baby household.
“To their credit, retailers are making a long-term bet,” he said. “They’re saying ‘if we invest in this household today, we could form a relationship that could span years, not just to the next shopping trip.’ They’re trying to build shopper loyalty just like brand marketers are trying to build brand loyalty.”
