Market Research
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
Forum Description: For mums, dads, parents-to-be, grandparents, friends -- you name it! And you name the topic you want to chat about!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4450
Printed Date: 26 September 2025 at 7:12pm
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Topic: Market Research
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Subject: Market Research
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 5:30pm
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OK, I know it was only last week that I was considering being a social worker - but this week it is Entrepreneur!
My friend and I are planning on opening a baby store in Wellington (hopefully Kilbirnie - by the Children's Bookshop) primarily selling cloth nappies as well as other baby bits and pieces. We decided while there are tonnes of people buying cloth nappies online... there aren't many options where you can go, see, and touch modern cloth nappies. As well as those who don't use the internet and don't know about modern cloth. So yeah... as part of market research, consider this a "focus group"! Opinions, ideas, constructive criticism etc, all appreciated 
And just for the record, I am a bit more serious about this career move than I was about the social worker... that was more of a dream... this has its hurdles (such as where the hell we are going to get money to finance it!) but is possible  
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Replies:
Posted By: james
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 6:03pm
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on the money side you coukd try winz they do small loans for small biss type thing ireconk its a great idea and dont no why sommeone didnt come upwith it earyler ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 6:10pm
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Somewhere to check out cloth nappies would be awesome!!! Sounds like a fabulous idea!!
Would have several types...pockets, prefolds, AIO's, fitteds? It would be excellent if you did so people could see the different options. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 6:56pm
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Would you just be agents? becasue you may find that the nappy companies would only want you to stock their brands. If you aren't an agent, I would suggest somehow having an easy pay option, cause that is what convinced me to go cloth. I would also suggest going to the council and seeing what your market is like that way - how many kids kinda thing. Is it a strictly familyt area, and do they expect that to continue.
I also wouldn't rule out having online sales. I buy so much stuff online now, cause Gisborne's shops are somwhat limited. you could even focus on environmentall y friendly products - start with cloth napps and also stock the enviro washing powder and baby products. Plenty of testers. you MUST have a baby area where mums can leave bubs while they shop. Also, and this may be a teensy bit controversial, but are either of you Maori? or Pacific Island? cause you may be able to get start-up funds through iwi affiliation. I know Lewis' iwi have funding for that kinda thing. Do either of you know about accounting? my mum owned a shop and saved a fortune by doing a polytech course and doing her own books. You also need to look at legality, as in would you be partners 50/50? get contracts drawn up and stuff Look into in thoroughly Nikki! But go for it! there are a ton of small business advisory books in the library. Good Luck! |
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 7:10pm
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i was going down the same track as lizzle...if you stock across the board so customer is informed then ultimately you tred on the toes of the companies who are cutting costs and selling online...and then the other end is competing with the big companies such as nappiesonline etc...and a shop only has a small niche market - as in the people who can stop to shop or are local.
All the banks have great small business set up guides, maybe pick up a few of those? |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 7:11pm
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I found some great pocket ones similar to fuzzies at the garden fete last weekend, they come from Nelson, they are called yo yo nappy, www.yoyonappy.com.
Also add ons like washable breast pads could be good? ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 8:24pm
Lu - Yep... going to make an appointment tomorrow to see what WINZ offer. I know they offer an allowance while you are starting out as well as a grant. It makes up for the lack of capital I have to invest. (Still working on my parents  )
Gen - Yep... planning on having a few options. Especially to educate myself. While everyone is very helpful with the whole nappy thing (on here and TNN etc) I want people to be able to come to me and ask questions (and then I defer to my lovely forum experts )
Liz - Instead of the easy-pay option, which is great but I don't know how we'd finance it (to start with anyway), I'd like to reiterate to customers that they don't have to purchase the whole lot at once. I brought my nappies in small lots and even using one washable nappy a day saved me $3.50 per week, which 10 weeks of use covered the cost of the nappy. And about the online thing - we've kinda gone the hard way in aiming to set up a brick and mortar shop, but we are being semi-environmental in our mission to provide cloth naps to those that aren't internet inclined. (And to those that are impatient and don't want to wait for shipping!) The distributor of the nappies we will be stocking is an online kid, so may take exception to us stealing her market. And yep about the enivornmental thing too. We are going to try and stock natural products and stuff... but not turn people off with the whole tree-hugging hippy thing. Bombshell - you are right about it being a small local thing. We are still sorting out ways to overcome this. The site we are looking at is by the Children's Bookshop, which is pretty amazing and draws a lot of people in. WELLY LADIES! I thoroughly recommend it! Cheaper than Whitcoulls/Paperplus etc and much cooler. We are going to do stuff like babyshowers and perhaps convince parenting gurus to hold workshops. All inspiration welcome
Annie - thanks! Will look into those naps. And yep, if we can convince someone to supply us with stuff like the breastpads, that'll fit into the whole theme. I'm trying to track down a knitter who will knit funky baby clothes. Anyone got a spare grandma? (I don't trust my own... you should see the delightful things she sends down. Love her really!) Ahhhhhh long post. Sorry! Lots of ideas
OoooOoo and Christchurch City Council is subsidising cloth nappy starter packs... might try and pitch to WCC
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 8:57pm
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Mumandbubs - anonline store - has just opened a bricks and mortar store in christchurch and is selling packs included in the CCC subsidy scheme... so maybe she may be able to give you some ideas - amy is the ladys name and http://www.mumandbubs.co.nz/index.html - here is her site.
also getting into with any WAHM's from that area would be a good idea... http://www.ecobubs.co.nz/ - ecobubs is one that i know of. there are a lot of kiwi made nappies that may like to have a real store to sell their nappies in too like http://www.ecobubs.co.nz/ - joel-eze and http://www.smartepants.co.nz/index.htm - smart e pants and http://www.cutiebums.co.nz/ - cutiebums and http://www.pikobaby.co.nz/ - piko baby to name but a few.... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 9:03pm
| for finance theres tons of funds available that you could try and tap into. i work for palmy city council and i help out the "money witch" at work lol. She deals with all the council's funds that get dished out to people and often I'm writing the letters telling people no sorry you don't match the criteria but try xxxx instead. im not sure what is available in your area but winz is a good start and most council's can tell you other places to try .. worth a shot anyway if you are serious. |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 9:14pm
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Deborah - Amy is where the whole idea came from (stolen from? ). I was going to do marketing stuff for her, then was possibly going to set up a store for her in Welly, now she is going to be my nappy supplier/business mentor She's definitely one of my new idols.
And re: NZ nappies... have you tried those ones? I'd like to look into stocking proven NZ nappies... would love to support other small NZ businesses, especially mamas. And thanks Stacey - I'll mention it to my case manager and/or track down the Wellington City Council 'money witch'
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 9:21pm
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when mentioning it to the council be very selectful about how you word stuff. like if you wrote an application to us and it said something along the lines of that you were aware of a more pressing need for mums to use reuseable nappies because of the amount of refuse dispposables create etc so your idea is setting up a business that stocks all types of modern reuseable nappies etc" that would get our attention because council deals with getting rid of waste so anything that is going to promote zero waste would be very very good lol.
with council's its all political so anything that helps out other areas that they are trying to work towards or helping the community will be more helped out than those that dont |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 9:22pm
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Just looked at the NZ websites... they look great! Will email some of them tomorrow
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 7:59am
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Nikki i've tried all of those except piko baby and i havent brought from ecobubs either. they all have great reviews on the nappy network tho...and you should (if you havent done so already) check them out too, they have lots of info and reviews of products and being a diverse bunch of people have differing opinions.
all the best - i hope next week tho you dont post you are planning on becoming a real estate salesperson instead tho...  ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:14am
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Ick. Real Estate!
I hope I don't either... would really like to follow this one through! (Altho I am continuing to study next year so kinda have to get it off the ground before I go back... or my friend gets lumped with all the hard work!) |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 9:12am
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I could see this being done in Palmy, and getting money from the council. Our Mayor is a green freak so she would be right into it. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 9:29am
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Councils are REALLY hard to convince on a nappy scheme - I know from experience! And Nikki, Charity has tried numerous times with Welly council and had no luck. What about also trying to sell babylegs? I had thought about doing something along these lines as well but obviously in Dannevirke there's not a huge market! I think once word spread, people would travel to look in your shop because unless you get a hire kit (which only seem to be newborn) it isn't easy to look at all the options. Good luck with WINZ - will be interested to hear how you go as we are looking for some start up funds for our latest venture. ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 9:52am
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Thanks for that Amy... maybe with the council we can try to create a rivalry with CHCH?
They've gotta want to minimise waste right?!?! Argh... I'm turning all envirnonmental!! And yep - have emailed the babylegs people
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 10:19am
| I would also in your shop have a tv playing pre-school videoa. I am all for any shop that keeps Jake occupied while I look around. |
Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 10:51am
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The more councils that do it, the more will hopefully follow. If you were thinking of approaching the council, it would be a good idea to talk to Charity and get some tips. I know she has presented to them before so she may have some ideas.
And I know someone already mentioned natural products, but another area is natural/organic mum products that aren't expensive. Oh and the video idea is great! ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 11:29am
I know the feeling!! My hubby wants to know when I get my hippy badge...cloth nappies, cloth wipes, reusable shopping bags, Ecostore products and now my Mama Pads...poor hubby has no idea what's hit him!! Do you reakon you could also have things like Mama Pads (or are they too scary for people yet??) and also ecostore baby products and products for mum? I know they do skin care hair care etc but the shops don't have them! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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nikkiwhyte wrote:Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 12:47pm
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There is an organic store just around the corner which stocks all that stuff so I can divert all the hippies there
I am going to try and get some plant based enviro friendly washing powder/liquid, but might keep it relevant to nappies (and baby products) at this stage. Thinking about mama pads... maybe a discreet display of them? |
Posted By: james
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 1:00pm
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goo nikki about the mama pads maybe you could have leaflets at the conter and if someone asks about them then you could show them ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 7:57pm
| what about those breastmates things! serisouy breast pads cost a bloody fortune and generally are useless. those wool ones are meant to be fab. |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:07pm
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Yep. Done. Emailed her today.
(Well not 'done' but she's on my list )
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Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:16pm
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Just browsing around TNN and they have given heaps of great ideas and advice! I am so excited about this idea for you, maybe a bit jealous too! If you do start up, I am definitely coming down to have a look... ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:31pm
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Plenty of New Zealand for you to make it work Aimee!
Maybe when I'm a seasoned business woman, I can give advice?! And yeah, they were great. Really enthusiastic. And found some women who live REALLY close to me. As in around the corner. Funny who ya find on the net
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 10:04pm
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I think it's a great idea Nikki, when i was buying fuzzis for Jake I wasn't sur what size to get. Actually aseeing one was great to gauge what size I would need. And i love my fuzzis don't get me wrong, but my last order they were low in stock or something, it took 6 weeks to get them! I was pretty annoyed - until they sent me a complimentary bottle of baby massage oil - incidentally the kids love it!.
Oh yeah, back to you, My cousin is in Wellington and I am in the process of convincing her to go cloth, as well, as my sister in law who has just had a bubba, AND another one due in march, who I could send down your way! AND if you set up soon, when I'm down in March I can bring TWO children to put sticky snotty chocolatty fingers all over the stock. lovely! |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 8:44pm
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Yahoooooo! They'd be welcome
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Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 9:14pm
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Been doing lots of thinking for you Nikki! If you get the shop it has a street window right? You could paint it bright and have what you're selling and opening day, to get people talking and anticipating the opening. Letterbox drop... POsters up around Plunkets etc... Is there a TNN person in Wellys who does hire kits? Maybe they could tell their customers about you, or have fliers in the kits? OR if no-one is doing that, you could do hire kits... ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 10:17pm
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I definetly go with the Mama Pads if you can...I got my latest order from GB yesterday and I love them! I think they would catch on for people who are keen to help the environment without being too hippish...
This whole venture sounds really exciting! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 2:57pm
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Ooo you are goooood Aimee!!!
This is a preliminary design for our logo thingy. Excuse the crap quality, I just ripped a small jpeg off the net (a design on a blanket. ha!) Don't know if it's the final name... we are possibly thinking about 'le monde des petits' (Niamh is french and I am a little france-obsessed myself) it's not meant to be pink either but i was doing a quick job! 
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 2:59pm
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Coolies!!!! ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 3:00pm
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We are going to have three babies for our logo (to alternate... although they will all be on the shop window) as Niamh has two children and I have one.
One will be crawling like the previous design, one will be sitting, and one standing. Oooo actually I have the sitting one done.. it's a pic of Hannah. Bit distorted tho as I'm not too great with design and my computer is crap. (We'll get Niamh's partner to do the final designs... he's actually good at it! hehe) |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 3:07pm
Sorry, just had to group layers and upload. Frigging computer. |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 3:10pm
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And as far as a letterbox drop goes... we are seriously hoping to get magnets printed... they seem the least likely thing to be discarded.
Altho that relies upon having money. Which we don't. So maybe that can happen a bit further down the track. And hrmmm about the hire kit lady. Might give that a go when we are a bit further along. Brilliant idea! |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 3:21pm
This is one that Niamh's partner just made quickly.
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 4:27pm
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sounds like you are really getting into it now...
re your name so far - i would go with a "kiwi" name for your shop. unless someone speaks french or already knows what the shop is about you wont get them into it. well thats my opinion anyway ... and as a nappy fan myself i know if a shop called that opened in my area i would be inclined to not visit. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 4:36pm
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mmmm yeah... we tried to do french that most people would recognise.
i'll talk to niamh about it again...
the advertising we would do would have a lot more information than just the name.. specifying that it is a shop that specialises in modern cloth. do you think that'd compensate??? i don't want people to think we are too posh a shop to come and browse too!!! (not that our shop would look posh... but a french name has that feel about it..?) ETA: and yeah! really into it! have got prices for most of the stock we'd carry to start out... just waiting for frigging WINZ to get back to me so we can start accumulating stock. yay! some businesses have offered to provide us with stock for the first order and we'd buy the next lot (so very generous of them!)
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 4:43pm
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a french name does have that feel to it ... it also says to me EXPENSIVE and EXCLUSIVE.
but that is just me and i dont live in wellington. but then again a lot can hinge on a name... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 7:20pm
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I'm inclined to agree with gsmum....it is a neat name but I don't think it is right for the type of shop you are wanting to have...something kiwi and/or green would be ideal. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 7:37pm
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Me three, it is a great name, and I love the babies, but it sounds a little like a posh tots frock shop? hhhmmm... ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 7:43pm
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I agree with the name it is nice but very posh sounding i would probably avoid it just purely coz of the name but in saying that your gonna have fuzzis there ill be coming to you then Ill need to see whats good for ella she has skinny little legs etc lol
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Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 8:28pm
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Hrmmm on the fuzzi front. They apparently have a long waiting list of retailers and lots already in Welly. So we are going to put our names down for the waiting list... but good news!!! Lots of other nappies, and I for one wouldn't put fuzzis out there to be the top performer... just the most well-known.
One we are set up, I'd be more than happy to show you the selection Jess And by then we'll have trialled more of them on the 'test baby' (Niamh's daughter )
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Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 8:29pm
| And on the name front... I do agree with you all... but it's a name which reflects us as much as anything else. I'll talk to Niamh tho and see what she thinks. |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 8:39pm
| Awesome Nikki im game hehe spesh if they are cheaper to lol Well cory would be even more game for cheaper nappies hehe |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 8:40pm
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How do you say Niamh? Magnets are actually quite cheap - get the magnet printer paper and print them on your home computer.
What abouta loyalty card? you know, buy ten nappies get your 11th one half price or something like that? Could you advertise in that parent/child magazine that they have in wellington? |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 9:39pm
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Liz, yep a mum on the nappy network suggested a loyalty card - i really like the idea. don't know if we can justify it to start with, but certainly a bit down the track.
and we are planning on making our own little cotton bags (wth our name and stuff sewn on) which you get if you spend over a certain amount. and yeah, hoping to get into little wellington mags and newspapers. |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 November 2006 at 9:40pm
| ooo and you says Niamh's name as "nieve" - it's Gaelic. Her family is Irish. Definitely a round the world kid... born in Ireland, grew up in Paris, eloped to NZ. hehe |