DISCUSSION

Will Walmart's Baby Savings Day grow up to be a big retailing deal?

February 26, 2019Written by RetailWire Staff

Source: Walmart.com

Earlier in February, Walmart quietly launched a new retail holiday that's being described by some as a Prime Day for babies. The chain announced that February 23rd would be its inaugural Baby Savings Day, featuring discounts on cribs, formula, car seats and other baby-related supplies lasting from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in most of the chain's stores, according to The Motley Fool. Walmart has also announced additional deals on baby goods online throughout the entire month of February. The timing of Walmart's Baby Savings Day may be significant, as it coincides with a month-long discount on baby gear at Amazon that was widely publicized throughout the parenting blogsophere earlier in the month. At least one report about the first Baby Savings Day indicated that the chain had not made good on its promise to parents. Shoppers were greeted with only limited signage and promotion outside — some balloons and a demo table — according to Fox 10 Phoenix. Visitors complained of few if any deals, little more than a reusable Walmart bag containing some coupons. Some said better deals were available on Amazon. It is not clear, though, how much the efforts varied from store to store, given the large number of locations participating. With more than a million Millennials entering motherhood each year, according to Pew Research, babies are big business. And recent shakeups in the baby products space, including the closure of Babies "R" Us alongside its parent chain Toys "R" Us, have led to a couple of big-name retailers besides Walmart beefing up their assortment of binkies and buggies to build a baby base. Earlier this year, for instance, Target launched about 30 new private label baby essentials, with most of the brands being priced below $10, according to CNBC. This pricing puts the products 30 to 40 percent cheaper than the national average. And even before Babies "R" Us went belly up, retailers were looking at ways to become baby supply destinations. Discount grocer Aldi, for instance, launched a line of private label baby products in 2016, which it promoted with a 12-date tour offering sample products at parent-friendly street festivals throughout the U.S.

Discussion Thread0