Women's fashion platforms are targeting the kids' market by expanding into toys, baby utensils, and bedding. This strategy aims to retain existing customers whose purchasing habits change after marriage and childbirth. The approach of curating brands based on customer preferences, previously applied to women's clothing, is now being adapted for children's products.
According to industry reports on November 9, W Concept's transaction volume in the kids' category, which includes clothing and products, increased by 85% from January to October this year compared to the same period last year. The number of items sold during this time rose by 15.5%. Notably, the transaction volume for kids' products, including toys and baby utensils, grew twelvefold compared to the previous year, showing a steeper increase than clothing as the product range expanded.
W Concept targets young couples and women with nieces and nephews as its primary customers. The company aims to provide products that cater to the needs of 2030 women as they become parents or choose gifts for their nieces and nephews, increasing its offerings of mid- to high-end toy brands such as Ollie & Carol and Pavel Lab. Plans are in place to expand the range of products needed at various stages of a child's growth from early infancy. A W Concept representative stated that they will enhance convenience by allowing customers to purchase clothing, accessories, and products all in one place, thereby broadening their product selection to encourage continued patronage.
Alongside product offerings, purchasing channels are also evolving. 29CM, operated by Musinsa, opened its second kids' specialty store, 'Igukids Seoul Forest,' in May this year, following the launch of 'Igukids Seongsu' last year. In the second half of this year, the mobile app introduced a kids' tab to make it easier for its primary demographic of women aged 25 to 39 to find kids' brands and products as their interests shift from fashion to home and kids.
According to the company, purchases of winter clothing and warm products have surged, with kids' fleece sales increasing by 206% and sleep vests by 42% from the previous month during the period from November 1 to 28. A 29CM representative remarked, "We will discover brands that align with the tastes and lifestyles of parent customers and expand opportunities for domestic kids' brands to connect with a wider audience."
The market for children's and infant products sees annual transactions worth trillions of won online. According to the National Data Agency's quarterly figures released on November 2, the transaction volume from January to September this year reached 4.33 trillion won, marking an approximate 8.0% increase compared to the same period last year. The third quarter also saw a preliminary transaction volume of 1.42 trillion won, up 7.3% from the previous year.
Clothing brands are shifting from seasonal limited sales of kids' products to year-round operations. Musinsa Standard has transitioned its kids' items from the 'City Leisure' collection to year-round sales, expanding its kids' product offerings. From January to September this year, Musinsa Standard Kids' sales increased by 45% compared to the same period last year.
An industry insider noted, "Utilizing the experience of selecting products based on existing customers' preferences for the kids' market allows us to extend the duration and scope of transactions with customers as their needs change after marriage and childbirth."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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