Mamas & Papas beats rivals at Christmas as personal shoppers soar
Mothercare may have had a weak Christmas but rival Mamas & Papas fared much better. The retailer said this week that sales rose 2.7% in the six weeks to January 13 and that it saw record sales through its stores.
That was driven by 'personal shoppers' who enjoy a visit to one of its stores tailored to their needs. They now account for 18% of total UK store sales, a rise from 10% a year ago.
The company has been spending heavily on its stores with new concept locations in Glasgow Fort and Liverpool Speke and major refurbishments such as the Westfield White City flagship in London.
In-store parent-to-be events including pre and post-birth exercise classes have also boosted footfall, as have collaborations such as the lounge and sleepwear range with Bloom and Blossom.
But online is increasingly important too with web sales up in double-digits as a new website and investment in customer acquisition tech paid off.
The company also said that its Welcome to the World clothing range was among its bestsellers during the period.
Mamas & Papas, which is controlled by Blue Gem Capital partners, said it's looking "forward to the year ahead with cautious optimism."
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