Dive Brief:
- Amid increased interest in baby goods, Etsy has introduced a baby registry tool on its platform, the company announced on Aug 9.
- With the registry, current and expecting parents can list the personalized infant, children and nursery items they desire from Etsy’s international artisans, the company said.
- The company unveiled the service after discovering that shoppers on its website have searched for a baby item every second for the past six months, according to its announcement.
Dive Insight:
As Etsy enters the baby market, other brick-and-mortar retailers are vying for parents’ dollars. In January, Babies R Us announced plans to open a flagship store in the American Dream Mall in Bergen County, New Jersey, designed to be a “one-stop-shop all things baby.” The store opening follows WHP Global’s acquisition of the Babies R Us and Toys R Us brands two years ago.
BuyBuy Baby, a Bed Bath & Beyond subsidiary, attracted interest from another firm amid the bankruptcy proceedings. Dream on Me, one of its former vendors, bought the BuyBuy Baby trademark and digital assets for $15.5 million in July. Later that month, the company successfully bid for 11 BuyBuy Baby store leases for $1.17 million, according to court records.
The launch of Etsy’s baby registry follows the unveiling of its wedding registry in May. Couples can now register for vintage, handmade or customized items for their wedding gifts. The company also enlisted TV personality Tony Porowski and his fiance Kevin Harrington to promote the wedding registry feature by curating their wedding gift registry with Etsy items.
