Catalogers look to kids

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 6/23/2003 12:00:00 AM

New York — The never-ending quest for higher-margin incremental sales growth has an increasing number of catalogers fixated on extending their brands to kids — the juvenile market, where soccer moms seem routinely willing to make better-quality, higher-priced purchases.

It seems like the perfect marketing opportunity. Selling to the kids market has at least mirrored adult domestics in terms of upgraded quality, many retailers said.

"Companies are looking for opportunities for growth in the catalog industry, and the children's market is a natural for that," said Amy Blankenship, director, Shop-At-Home Information Center, Direct Marketing Association.

The juvenile category may be an ideal segue for catalogers since they've often already captured the parents. "They are already dealing with people that traditionally make the purchases for the home" and who often have children or grandchildren, said Blankenship.

"Many of these consumers are already shopping flagship catalogs," she said, citing such examples as Pottery Barn and The Company Store. "It's another opportunity for catalog companies to find and serve a niche."