buybuy Baby welcomes new parents with omnichannel initiative

buybuy Baby is expanding resources in stores and online for new parents.

The specialty baby retailer, a subsidiary of Bed Bath & Beyond,  is launching a  new initiative, called welcome to parenthood, that includes educational resources, revamped shopping experiences, a revised registry, new digital offerings and a new marketing campaign.

"For the past 25 years, buybuy Baby has been committed to equipping parents with everything they need to navigate the parenthood journey," said John Hartmann, COO of Bed Bath & Beyond and president of buybuy Baby. "As Bed Bath & Beyond continues its broader transformation, we are eager to invest, build and innovate to further grow the business. 'Welcome to parenthood' is not just a promise of support to our customers as they join the community of parenthood, but the foundation of how we are transforming our business."

The new initiative is part of Bed Bath & Beyond’s wider initiative to transform the business to accelerate its omnichannel transformation and drive sales, margin and cash flow growth. Announced in October 2020, the plan has included the introduction of digital services such as BOPIS and curbside pickup along with an emphasis on private and owned brands.

Specific features of the new program are below.

• Digital concierge services: To be launched on both the buybuy Baby website and mobile app, this virtual concierge service will enable customers to chat directly with registry and product experts to get questions answered on demand by live experts, available seven days a week.
• Livestreaming / on-demand content: buybuyBaby recently launched livestream shopping on its Facebook and Instagram channels. The retailer will further build these digital channels by offering content on topics such as childbirth, infant safe sleep and bedtime routines, designing a safe and soothing nursery, car seat safety, and toddler nutrition.
• Parenting Pros – A curated team of parents who are also professional pediatricians and therapists, will provide guidance and advice on parenting, baby health & wellness, and parent self-care from pregnancy to the first 1,000 days. Topics will include pre-natal and registry planning, day one with a newborn, potty training, and safety tips.
• The Village: A curated group of buybuy Baby customers, The Village will represent a range of different parenting stages and provide personal stories, advice, and content to share support for new parents.
• Virtual education: In partnership with the Mommy Mingle online educational community, buybuy Baby will host a range of online classes and free webinars covering topics like infant and child CPR, babyproofing, breastfeeding, activity ideas, behavioral challenges and pregnancy loss.

The initiative will also include the launch of new exclusive and owned brands.

[Read More: Bed Bath & Beyond launches another private brand]

In January 2021, buybuy Baby added a 3D nursery design tool to its Design Squad suite of nursery design services. The 3D nursery design tool enables customers to create and visualize a custom nursery design in real-time, with the ability to swap furniture and decor such as cribs, dressers, gliders, bedding, rugs, paint color, and wallpaper in and out of a room of their choice to create a personalized space.