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Wednesday 15 June 2011

Kiddiebase Review


I have been lucky enough to have won a voucher to spend at Kiddiebase and have been asked to do a review of their website at kiddiebase.co.uk to see what I think about its look, functionality, ease of navigation, the range and pricing.

Kiddiebase aims to bring together some of the best independent stores on the Internet, providing a convenient one stop marketplace for shopping for bumps, babies and children.  The website is divided into departments covering a range of products from Nursery Art to Kids' Clothes to Toys to Travel and Safety. Clicking through one of the department links opens up a page of products with  thumbnail images.  Clicking on the image opens a page containing product information and details of the product and the store it comes from.  You can also shop by store if you know what retailer you are looking for.

Navigation is simple. Details of the product, stockist and pricing are clear.  There is a huge range of products available.  This can feel a bit overwhelming if you are just browsing, however the items are listed in sub-categories within the departments which helps you to find what you are looking for or at least point you in the right direction.  I did struggle when I clicked off one product I was looking at. To find it again I had to back track through several stores, so be sure to keep tabs if you find something you like.

Kiddiebase offers products that are a bit different to the ones you would find in the shops.  It is a collection of hand-picked, innovative retailers collected together on one website.  It gives these brands an online presence and allows shoppers to discover hidden treasures quickly and easily.  Kidz Kobbler, Teething Bling, Gumigems, Bras4Mums, Baby Meko and Hamster Buggy Bags are just a few of the stores you can find at Kiddibase.  Many of the items are bespoke and there are many unique, quirky and original items that would make unique and thoughtful gifts.  Don't expect to find big high street brands on Kiddibase, these are  independent shops often run by Mumpreneurs, being showcased in one place.

I was quite impressed with the personalised gift section.  As someone who has children with names that you will not find on the high street on off the shelf personalised items, I am always glad to see a good range of gifts that can be made to include any personalisation.  Cushions, clothing and clocks are among the lovely things that can be ordered.  Perfect for my own kids Kezia and Freddy!!

As Kiddiebase is a marketplace for individual online sellers, delivery and returns policies vary across the site.  So be sure to check the details when making a purchase.  Postage and packing charges vary and if purchasing from more than one seller you have to pay individual charges where relevant. This can add to your total costs....so be aware of that.  However, the items themselves are competitively priced and you don't pay a premium for the convenience of shopping at Kiddiebase.

With Kiddiebase, you don't have to trawl the internet or search out little high street boutiques looking for products to buy. Everything is available in one place, with Kiddiebase acting as the middleman. As you are dealing with small businesses you often find very unique items from companies who really care about their customers' shopping experience.  The fact that you can purchase from several retailers at once makes it easy to buy everything you need in one shopping basket and then pay the stores individually on checkout using PayPal or a credit card.  You can even "ask the seller a question" with a single click. Kiddiebase customer services is also on hand to help out with any queries.

The website itself benefits from being quite simple in design.  The non-fussy approach really helps with browsing and pages are quick to load.  You could really spend hours exploring the site and you will discover many hidden gems.  You will also be supporting independent retailers who bring an exciting diversity to our online shopping experience!

Kiddiebase are allowing me to make an order to the value of £25, so I can try out the service and delivery and review the product I choose.  So stay tuned for part two of my Kiddiebase write-up.  Coming soon!!

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