The Kids are Coming…

The entire ballgame changes when you shop with kids. Shopping is no longer a pleasant meandering excursion with a latte in-hand – it’s a plan with a purpose. A mission. Keep ‘em moving and keep ‘em happy.

Stroller? Check. Diaper bag? Check. iPad to keep them momentarily distracted? Check. Snacks to curb the pre- or post-nap meltdown? Check. Filled sippy cups? Check. Check.

It’s synchronized and it’s efficient because it has to be.

I finally thought I had found the solution to the challenge of not wanting to take my kids shopping with me, which was (drum roll please…) avoidance. Sure this would work but it wasn’t exactly realistic. I am now constantly thinking ahead to “where” I can take them: Will I feel comfortable or get death-stares when one of my two twin toddler boys has a meltdown? Are the salespeople sympathetic? Are there activities in the department to keep them engaged? Do my kids feel happy in this environment? Because if they’re happy and content, it is the single most important factor as to whether I open my wallet or run for the car.

I am well aware that what I am asking for isn’t easy; A delicate balance between retailers getting all the factors right. Here are some tips with my “Mom” hat on:

-Think beyond primary colors and puppies: Moma Kid in Hong Kong has a bright pink neon sign that glows with, “Moma is my hero.” Stella McCartney has silhouette cutouts of deer in the walls declaring “Kids Stella!” in a stenciled frenzy. Fantasy and pop-art are trends in retail design and the crossover potential between the adult and kids departments is huge. Bon Ton in Paris has a simple white space with huge red numbers dividing categories of product. Kids love counting the numbers and having fun in an environment that is modern and grown-up but still appeals to their sense of fun and Mom’s modern sensibility as well.

-Make your store a brand: In 2011 Chanel launched Espace Enfants (Children’s Space), which was a site that allowed kids to digitally color-in Chanel product. Not quite e-commerce, but a creative way to engage kids and create customers for life. Lego has My Lego Network, a social network where kids can create profiles enabling them to make creations in or out of the store appealing to both their creativity and egos. This sort of idea could be applied at the store level by painting a wall with a huge #[insert your store name/brand here] with an instant incentive to post to their social networks i.e. more potential customers for you.

-Create an event: Have a toyshop where kids can hang out and “sample” (code for “play with”) the toys. At specific times of the year when there will be more kids in the store, have a plan. On busy Back-To-School-Saturdays Nordstrom hosted special events in their Kid’s departments. They featured bracelet making, cookie decorating and a story time once an hour to keep the kids entertained which also tied product back to the event (“Boo in the City” anyone?) If you don’t have a “kid specific” product to sell, why not set up an area where children can make crafts as presents for their parents? Candy cane reindeers or ornaments can keep them happy and busy for hours.

-Appeal to their tummies: Many times retailers offer adult’s bottled water or coffee while they shop, but why not take this idea a step further and have a “juice-bar” and give out juice boxes to kids? Put together a “kid’s menu” that parents can peruse and decide what the kids can be offered. Fruit leather and raisins are popular alternatives to candy. Hot chocolate and apple cider is cozy for the holidays and a “sippy-cup refill station” would always be welcome.

It’s all in the details: Stickers, balloons, candy and crayons. These oldies-but-goodies still hold true, but the real magic is in the timing. Target strategically hands out stickers to kids in the checkout line, inevitably, as I am saying, “No, we don’t need another monster truck.” Sticker intervention works! (Wink wink)

So have a plan. Kid’s are capable of thinking outside the box and they require a bit more energy, planning and are at times yes, wild cards, but engaging them early could mean the difference between making a loyal customer for life or not. And this Mom will thank you because all I want for pre-Christmas is a latte in hand and an enjoyable shopping experience with my kids.

Faith Bartrug of FBD Studios (Columbus, Ohio) has more than a decade of experience in transforming national brands. Her background includes brand strategy, environmental design and visual merchandising, and she has been able to practice what she preaches with leading design firms and clients such as Neiman Marcus, JCPenney and Mark Pi’s.