Ann Loynd Burton • Jul 25, 2024

Chance of Showers

Baby gifting opens doors to new customers with big budgets.

Just Hatched – Guilford, CT

For Karen Helburn, owner and founder of Just Hatched in Guilford, CT, creating the perfect baby gift is the heart and soul of her business. Her bestselling Baby Gift Wagons (mini classic Radio Flyers filled with posh toys and layette items) retail anywhere from $100 up to $435 and beyond. “We’ve done some pretty amazing ones over the years,” she remembers. “We sold a $1,500 wagon once…The customer was standing there, asking if we could fit everything in!”

The business began at Helburn’s kitchen table, more than 27 years ago. Now, she operates a luxury baby boutique and online business. Just Hatched focuses on beautifully curated books, apparel, teethers, and accessories — mostly “fun stuff” over practical items.

Still, the market is ripe with opportunities for gift items for parents that are more functional, like online care kit company Hello Postpartum. The Breastfeeding Care Kit, for example, retails for $99 and contains soothing gel packs, nipple pads, breastmilk-boosting tea, nursing pads, nipple spray, pump lubricant, and artful stickers that give mom a pep talk.

Bringing these kinds of products into the mix can capture parents who are shopping for gifts and nurture them down the road, confirms Liza Amlani, principal and co-founder of Retail Strategy Group. “It’s a great idea to have a destination around baby and everything motherhood,” she says. “Think: what is everything that a new mom could use? Once a customer has a retailer that they trust, this is a retailer that’s going to go along with them on their journey through getting pregnant, having a baby, toddler, children, and buying gifts for baby showers. This is where retailers can really thrive.”

Gifting can also lead to future brand exposure. Amanda Hunt, founder and CEO of nursing bra and accessory brand Davin & Adley, reports it’s usually a new mom’s friend or female family member who first contacts them. “We often help Grandma select something for her expecting daughter or a best friend pick out her former favorite pumping cami for the mom-to-be in her size,” she explains. “It’s actually a very thoughtful and appreciated gift when typically everyone loves to shop for the baby instead.”

Whether it’s browsing for cute, plushy things for baby or learning about nipple cream versus spray, experts agree excellent customer service is paramount. “The first thing is, really talking to the customer,” Amlani says. “Whether it’s a mom coming in with her sister or someone expecting, really talk to them and ask them what they’re looking for. Maybe they’re looking for education and training, or maybe they need retail therapy.”

Indeed, going above and beyond has bolstered Helburn’s business throughout the years. After years of curating a dedicated staff, there is almost no turnover. She cites instances of an employee texting with a customer at 8pm to curate a $350-plus gift to pick up the next day. “We do almost no advertising. What I do offer is unbelievable customer service,” she notes. “There’s no ad I could spend money on that’s worth your neighbor telling you about me. What we really have done is created a great shopping experience.”