4 Tips for When You’re Shopping for Baby Products

Buying products for your baby can be stressful for so many reasons. They can be expensive, and you want them to last, but most importantly, you want to make sure that they’re safe for your little one. 

Commercial products are all full of chemicals and other potential dangers – all our food, beauty products, cleaning products, and even our clothes and furniture. With a baby’s immune system that’s still building and strengthening, you want to do everything you can to keep them safe from potential harm.

Here are some tips to help you navigate the shopping process and understand what to buy. 

Understand Toxins and Dangers

First of all, before you scare yourself silly and panic about nothing, make sure you do a little research to really understand what is considered a toxin, or what might be dangerous for your baby. There are certain ingredients or fabrics you might want to avoid, but that doesn’t mean you need to be fearful of every product. 

When it comes to clothing, rather opt for organic cotton baby bodysuits instead of cheap fabrics. Be aware of ingredients in formulas and early baby food, and try to choose gentle, baby-safe bath products and cleaning formulas for your home. 

Talk to Your Paediatrician

If you’re concerned about certain products or items, you should feel free and comfortable talking to your paediatrician about them. Their professional opinion is valuable, and they will be able to tell you whether or not a product is worth worrying about. 

They will also probably have recommendations for safer alternatives that you could use in the case that you have brought up something that they advise against. 

Ask Other Moms

Of course, one of the most comforting things to do is to get advice from another mom who feels the same way you do. 

If none of your friends or close family members are parenting babies or young kids right now, you might feel a little alone in your journey. Joining a moms group is a great way to find people to relate to, ask for advice and share your struggles with.

Try to find like-minded people who share your values and ideals when it comes to parenting. You’ll be more likely to feel comfortable using something if you know it’s a product trusted by someone who feels the same way you do about certain issues. 

Use Trial and Error and Trust Your Gut

Even with all the advice in the world, everyone is different. Every mom is different and every baby is different too, which means that just because a product is recommended to you, doesn’t mean that you or your little one will love it.

After all the research is done and advice given, it’s up to you to buy what you think is right for you and your baby and decide for yourself whether or not you like how it feels and works. When you become a mom, your gut instincts about your baby will be your best way of knowing what’s right or wrong. 

4 Reasons Small Businesses Should Accept Card Payments

Photo by energepic.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-payment-terminal-2988232/

When you own a small business, you want to make it as easy as possible for customers to pay you. You don’t have time for complicated billing systems. If you own a small business and don’t have the resources or desire to install an on-site POS system, then card payments are right up your alley. Card payments are convenient and secure, making them the perfect solution for small businesses. Even if you don’t feel like you have the time or cash to invest in new equipment, it might be worth your while to take a look at accepting card payments as a form of payment from customers. Let’s look at why this is so beneficial for your business…

Increased Credibility

Accepting card payments at your business increases the convenience of your customers, but it also gives your business a boost in credibility. While customers may not immediately realize what accepting card payments does for your business, they will see it as a sign that you are a legitimate business owner who knows what they’re doing. Plus, you’ll be able to accept payments from customers who prefer not to use cash, which can be a big selling point for some shoppers. When someone pays with a card, they are less likely to try to take the business to court over a bad transaction. There’s just less to fight over. If a customer uses a credit card and their transaction is disputed, they could lose between $50 and $200, depending on their card type.

Increased Sales

Studies show that customers who pay with debit or credit cards are more likely to purchase from you than those who pay with cash. This boils down to people being less likely to put extra money into your business. If a customer has $20 on them and wants to get something for $40, they might walk away because they don’t have the cash to put in your hands. With cards, this isn’t an issue. With card payments, customers are more likely to spend more. You can even see this with online shopping. Customers who pay with debit or credit cards are more likely to spend more than those who pay with cash. This can be a good thing if you want to sell more products or services. You’ll make more money from your customers with card payments, which can be great for your business.

Convenience

It is easier to have a card on you to pay for items than cash these days. In fact, with the rise of Apple Pay and Google Pay, more and more people are paying with their devices and don’t carry their cards or cash anymore. If you don’t have a card reader that can accept these payments, you are missing out. Customers like convenience, and taking different payment methods is more convenient for them.

Increased Competitiveness

If you want to remain competitive in the current climate, you need to be keeping up with the competition. With over 60% of small businesses closing within the first three years of business, not accepting card payments can put you at a severe disadvantage. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes… if two businesses offer the same thing at relatively similar prices, but one takes cards, and the other is a cash-only business, and you rarely have cash on you, where you are going to shop? Using this logic, you can easily see that your competitor has the upper hand, and this is where you will struggle to keep up.