Baby strollers are “means of transport” suitable for infants. They need to be manually carried out and can assist one or more infants to travel. It first emerged in developed countries in Europe and the United States. Later, labor costs in Europe and the United States increased continuously, and traditional manufacturing industries declined, and many industries were transferred to Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Further due to the decline of manufacturing industry in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, population decline, industrial transformation, China’s reform and opening up and other factors, many foreign or Taiwan-funded enterprises began to invest in the mainland, open stroller factories and explore the Chinese market. It was not until 1989 that Goodbaby launched its first multi-functional cradle stroller that the baby stroller industry began to develop steadily in China.
2. Development of baby stroller industry in China
China’s baby stroller industry has experienced the initial stage, slow development stage, diversified development stage, standardization stage. In the late 1970s, the early years were dominated by OEM. Although Goodbaby launched domestic brands in 1989, the domestic industry was still in chaos, with foreign brands monopolizing and independent brands exploring and growing. Different baby travel supplies were gradually launched on the market, which promoted the continuous expansion of the baby stroller industry.
With the emergence and rise of domestic online channels, China’s industrial supporting system is perfect, driving the rapid development of the industry. In 2006, the state launched the Implementation Rules for Mandatory Certification of Toy Products (Buggy Products) to promote the healthy and orderly development of the baby stroller industry.
The diversified development of the industry brought by diversified sales channels brings more opportunities to different brands. In 2016, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the State issued the “Standards for the Implementation of Quality Supervision and Random Inspection of Buggy Products”, which specified the scope and inspection items of quality supervision and random inspection of buggy products in detail, and strengthened the random inspection of buggy products to promote the standardized development of the industry.
3. Current situation of domestic baby stroller brand market
Since 2000, China has occupied more than 50% of the global production and manufacturing of baby strollers. Most of the foreign brands are manufactured in China, such as Combe, Aprika, Stokke, Silver Cross, etc. Large factories are basically located in Shandong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Hebei and other places. In 2010, the market share of domestic brands in China has far exceeded that of foreign brands. In addition to the traditional brand Goodbaby, there are also many emerging brands, such as Abel, Quintus, Yiluto, Tiger Bell, playkids, etc. At present, domestic brands can occupy more than 90% of the market share in China, while the market share of foreign brands has been relatively small.
Stroller product types are also constantly advancing and rich: the earliest Chinese baby strollers imitate Europe and the United States, mainly to the high landscape car, while the need to take into account comfort, shock absorption, the cart light requirements are not so high; After domestic continuous absorption and improvement, most of the current domestic popular baby stroller products at the same time give consideration to comfort, convenience, durability. Then from the development of high landscape car to three fold car, and in recent years popular walking baby artifact.
The reason for this change is not only that the brand has become rich, but also that the main force of baby stroller consumption is no longer the 70,80, 90, 95 parents. Their ideas are more open, more extensive contact, cultural confidence and acceptance are high, and the consumption concept has changed from blind brand belief to the product itself and its own needs. And in the future for a long time, domestic brands will always dominate the market.
4. Prospects of domestic brands
The development of the Internet industry in China has led to the transformation of many enterprises. At present, many brands like I believe, Quintus, Tiger Bell, Yilertu and so on are mainly channel and e-commerce brands, which have captured the wave of sales through the Internet. Therefore, whether it is the promotion of Little Red Book, celebrity endorsement, or seeking more resources cooperation on Tmall Alibaba, or online operation ability and solutions are relatively strong. But these fresh Internet brands may also need to dig deep into the cart manufacturing port, because manufacturing requires a long experience accumulation or heavy investment in assets.
At the same time, the cart industry, there are also many traditional specialized export factories, they are not willing to push their own brand, or do not have the ability to develop the Internet, more is willing to accept OEM orders, an order can be thousands of units, continue to go to the more traditional manufacturing industry.
Goodbaby is the world’s largest manufacturer of baby travel products. It has both online and offline channels. Domestic similar enterprises integrating production, research and marketing, such as Playkids, which has developed rapidly in recent years, actually transform and upgrade the original traditional baby strollers and invent a baby walking device. Because the traditional baby strollers are generally relatively heavy and inconvenient to operate, although they are more comfortable and spacious for newborns, they are not easy to use for a long time and are relatively large in the trunk of the car. Although it does not have good shock-absorbing and wrapping properties, its portability is very good, and it also meets some other functional requirements. Meanwhile, it is also working on brand concepts, including IP building, Internet celebrity promotion, brand strategy consulting, etc. In the future, it can seize part of the brand market. It is estimated that the annual sales in China will reach about 800 million.
With the continuous change of user portrait and consumption concept, parents’ demand has also developed from the baby’s own demand to social, lightweight, safety and parents’ self-comfort and other diversified demands, and the expectation of product innovation technology has also been continuously increased. Baby stroller products in the domestic market have been following this change constantly do product upgrade, from the original single type to now multi-functional, such as portable high landscape, can be boarded high landscape, all-purpose high landscape, 360 degree rotation, twin car, 4 wheel universal. Basic portability, functionality, comfort have been equipped, homogenization is becoming increasingly serious, future product development direction or more intelligent, safety, aesthetic, such as automatic ventilation heating, automatic braking, etc.
Similar to Goodbaby’s own traffic brand continuous deep cultivation, Internet brand development brand value; Production and research integrated products to build a brand concept, in the domestic newborn birth rate declining year after year, the country continues to encourage birth, the first and second tier markets gradually saturated under the background, the latter to expand the sinking market, third, fourth and fifth tier cities will also be an important home of the new brand.
Post time: May-04-2023