Children And Luxury Goods

An article every shop keeper in the world should read in today's New York Post. Stores in New York are hosting events for children and, guess what?, the parents come back again.

Before we had children, my husband's literary magazine, Zembla, would host readings for children in the Paul Smith shop in Westbourne Grove. They were early morning (to us anyway, though I guess it was 10am) so it got people into the store at a quiet time. Face painters and a balloon man outside meant that everyone walked away -- and through the streets of posh Notting Hill -- with a souvenir that every other kid on the street wanted. Hence, more shoppers to Paul Smith. (I always thought the face painters should do Paul Smith stripes on the kids, but my husband thinks me crass). It seemed just win, win, win for everyone involved.

By the time my kids were old enough for readings, the readings were no more and the first time I took my daughter shopping in Notting Hill, I thought it would be a disaster. She's not the type to sit quietly in a pram. She marched into Matches, sat down on the floor, took off her shoes, and started putting on all of the samples. (Her favorite? Marc Jacob's mouse flats). Instead of giving us dirty looks and removing the shoes, the staff loved it. They helped her try shoes while I was given time to look around by myself. She got juice, and I think there were even some toys about. It's like a shop-cum-creche and now it is the first place I go when I've got kids in tow.

It might seem like the staff are wasting time, but if the kids are occupied then mom can shop longer making her much more likely to buy something. In fact it makes so much sense that I think stores should hire childcare specialsts for the weekend.

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