Total retail sales of baby durables totaled $9.1 billion at current prices in 2014, up 1.2% versus 2013. This growth is forecasted to continue at an average rate of about 2% annually through 2019 to reach $10.1 billion. High levels of consumer confidence as well as relatively stabilizing birthrates and population growth trends among women, particularly Hispanic women, will support sales. While the majority of baby durables are purchased new in-store, online and alternative channels are increasingly being used to shop for these items.

This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Baby Durables—US, September 2013, February 2012, and March 2011. It focuses on baby durables, offers sales trends, profiles of major players in the US market, as well as a detailed exploration of consumers’ attitudes, usage, and shopping behaviors in this category.

For the purposes of this report, Mintel defines baby durables as follows:

• baby mobility—eg car seats, strollers, systems, baby carriers, etc.

• baby furniture—eg cribs, bassinets, dressers, changing tables, rockers and gliders, etc. (excludes linens and accessories)

• baby care items—eg bouncers/infant positioners, gyms, stationary entertainers, walkers/jumpers, swings, play yards, bath tubs, diaper disposal systems, high chairs, potties, gates, monitors, thermometers, humidifiers/vaporizers, bottle/food warmers and sterilizers, breast pump/nursing pillows, etc.

Baby durables are products made specifically for baby care. Excluded are baby items that are disposable, clothes, toys (without added functionality), and items directly related to feeding, such as food/formula.

Value figures throughout this report are at retail selling prices (rsp) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated.

Market Size and Forecast: Total retail sales based on US Census Bureau's 2012 Economic Census; trend data based on Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey; forecast developed by Mintel.

The market size seen in the Market Size and Forecast section including Segment breakout, differs from previous reports because of additional information available from the 2012 Economic Census (EC) conducted by the Census Bureau. Previously, the market size was based on the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. The CE Survey tends to underestimate expenditures for items that are infrequently purchased or purchased by a small number of households in a given year. The Economic Census, which is conducted every five years, collects sales information from retailers, providing better coverage of the market. Although the central data point is the 2012 EC, Mintel has estimated earlier and more recent years based on annual percent changes in the CE Survey. To smooth out volatility, a three-year rolling average of CE Survey data was used.

Note: the Economic Census includes furniture for infants, infant/booster car seats, and other baby goods. Some of the products included in “other baby goods” may be outside of the scope of this report. Baby clothing, diapers and other personal care items and toys are excluded from the market size.

For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore the attitudes and shopping behaviors of baby durables shoppers. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted December 30, 2014-January 9, 2015, among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents so that they are proportionally balanced to the entire US adult population based on the key demographics of gender, age, household income, and region. Mintel also slightly oversamples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or Black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in the survey results. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in the survey results.

While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.

In addition to quantitative consumer research, Mintel also conducted an online discussion group among a demographically mixed group of adults aged 18+. This discussion group was asynchronous (ie not run in real time), functioning like a blog or bulletin board, with questions remaining posted for a predetermined period of time. This method allows participants to respond reflectively, at their leisure, or to log off to think about any issues raised, and return later to respond. Participants were recruited from GMI’s online consumer panel. All quotes are included verbatim, and as such, include typos and other grammatical errors as they originally appeared.

All estimated mail volume data and consumer direct mail marketing creatives are provided by Mintel Comperemedia.

Mintel Comperemedia is a searchable competitive database tracking direct mail, print, and online advertising in the US and Canada, as well as email in the US. Comperemedia tracks information across eight sectors: Banking, Credit Card, Investments, Insurance, Mortgage and Loan, Telecom, Travel and Leisure, Retail and Automotive.

For more information, please contact Account Services Management at 1.312.450.6353 or www.mintel.com.

The following is a list of abbreviations used in this report:

Showrooming is mentioned in the report and refers to the act of browsing products in brick-and-mortar stores, but then purchasing them online, often at lower prices.

Generations are discussed within this report, and they are defined as:

* also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers.

In order to provide an inflation-adjusted price value for markets, Mintel uses the CPI to deflate current prices. The CPI is defined as follows: