The baby’s corner is taking big steps in online retail thanks to Combell hosting

Over the past 20 years, the baby’s corner has grown into a comprehensive concept for mums, babies and children. Today, young parents and their friends are spending more time online than ever before. The step towards an attractive, diverse and extensive online range is therefore self-evident and ambitious at the same time. Since 2015, Combell has been helping to achieve the digital transformation of a classic retail concept.

For the perfect baby registry, you can stop by the baby’s corner. After all, everything that babies and their parents (or grandparents) need and personal advice go hand in hand. Future parents are sometimes bombarded with all kinds of good advice. Because parents, friends and acquaintances love to share their wisdom, which is something they always do with the best of intentions, and sometimes even with more conviction than professionals. This is why the baby's corner strongly values personal advice and quality products, both offline and online.

The baby’s corner employs mums

The team at the baby's corner is mainly made up of mothers, i.e. highly knowledgeable experts in the field. In addition to the wide range of products, you can also turn to them for very personal advice, and they will take all the time and effort needed for that! Stopping by the baby's corner is like coming to visit, being welcomed with open arms and receiving answers to all your questions. Because this lovely shop is like a permanent exhibition with everything for babies, children and mothers.

Here, you will find everything you need for children from 0 to 16 years of age under one roof: no less than 60 clothing brands, more than 25 brands of strollers, the widest choice of safe, functional and trendy baby items, clothing for mums, babies and children, toys and schoolbags. And all this on 2,500 m² of shopping fun, where 20 specialists will assist you with a big smile.

“Just come and visit us, because our shop is truly an experience in itself. And we are not just saying that! My super team strives to make a difference every day by taking the time for you, your children or your grandchildren. You will be able to take a relaxing break, while searching for what you really need, in the colour you like, so that you can purchase a product that will make your life easier, more beautiful or more enjoyable”, says Managing Director Sonia Pypaert.

A very wide range of products available online

In 2014, with the sub-brands the mum's corner and the kid's corner, the baby's corner decided to offer its shopping experience and its range of products online – no matter whether customers are looking for a gift, a baby registry or clothing for future mums, babies and children.

“After the rebranding in 2014, we decided to put all our efforts into the digital transformation of our store concept. We always refer to it as one shop, as online and offline are inextricably linked. We currently have 3 sales channels: the brick and mortar shop, the baby registries and the web store. And all channels are reinforcing each other. The website cannot be just a showcase displaying a few special offers. Customers want to have a variety of options and also need the presentation to be attractive. Parents use smartphones and desktop computers to refine their choice. The range of products on offer in the web store must therefore be as extensive as in the brick and mortar shop.”

“Our online store is always open. We therefore decided to partner with an ICT company that is also available at any time.” - Sonia Pypaert, founder & managing director

“The investment in a central ERP (enterprise resources planning) system laid the foundation for our omni-channel approach. The implementation allowed us to significantly improve our business operations, and we are now starting to reap the benefits. By using one system for all business processes, such as product database management, stock management, prices and special offers, etc., we are now able to develop the shop to its full potential. The customer journey can start anywhere, and the web store is the backbone of our communication strategy. There, customers can find inspiration and valuable tips in the children's blog, pick gifts all year round, create a baby registry and present it to friends and family, etc.”

Check out Combell’s ERP & CRM hosting

Open day and night thanks to Combell

“Baby registries are an important part of our income. We want to be top of mind in this business. That is why we are building our reputation through our brands, our wide choice of products and our expertise, but also by being available and reachable day and night. This requires a smooth workflow and flawless ICT systems, which we have found at Combell.”

“Our online store is always open. After all, our target group does not always live, sleep, work and surf the Internet at the same time. We therefore decided to partner with an ICT company that is also available at any time. Combell's reachability is excellent, even on holidays.”

“We have one point of contact in the event of a problem. In practice, the reliability is outstanding, and that is how it should always be.”

“All our ICT systems are hosted by Combell, including our website, our domain names and our ERP system. This way, we have one point of contact in the event of a problem. In practice, the reliability is outstanding, and that is how it should always be. I want to help my customers and focus my attention on that aspect. Young parents are digital natives. They are busy, demanding and sensitive to details. They want a good service, so I expect the same from my suppliers.”

A growth scenario in a shrinking market

In the autumn of 2018, the technical capacity of the web store was significantly expanded in order to accommodate continued growth. “Growth is a challenge to your customer experience. Growing online requires a permanent focus on customer service, which implies optimal reachability and availability. Thanks to Combell, we have been able to respond quickly to this situation. We first got a temporary upgrade, and then jointly decided to move from two to four processors.”

“Growth is a challenge to your customer experience. When you sell online, your success should not become an obstacle.”

“The figures speak for themselves. In 2018, the sales generated by the web store increased tenfold, and our overall sales also increased, which was definitely not in line with the general trend in the retail sector. In November 2018, we added new products to our portfolio, which our customers appreciated a lot. We have made our own selection, choosing exclusive brands, without deterring the general public. We also went for sustainable and eco-friendly products. Launching an online store currently requires a substantial investment, but it is also an investment in our future. If the baby's corner keeps up this momentum, our web store may even become a separate, fully fledged business.”

Find out more about e-commerce hosting at Combell