Buybuy Baby is reconsidering its strategy less than a year after returning to both physical and online retail.
By the end of this year, the former Bed Bath & Beyond subsidiary intends to shut down its ten physical locations. It will instead become a “digital-first brand,” as stated in a website announcement.
The company stated in the letter that customer and business partner input led to the “difficult” choice to become an online-only retailer.
“We acknowledge that you may be disappointed by this news, and we want you to know that we didn’t make this decision lightly,” Buybuy Baby stated.
At its chain of stores in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Connecticut, closing discounts began on October 18.
All sales are final, and in-store inventory is discounted by up to 30%. The chain also stated that the “buy online, pick up in-store” option was no longer available.
Customers can continue to shop online and the buybuy Baby website will continue to function normally.
When asked what the future holds for the staff of the store, a Buybuy Baby media representative did not answer right away.
Second Round
This is the second time in roughly a year that Buybuy Baby’s outlets have closed. Following Bed Bath & Beyond’s bankruptcy in April 2023, the brand’s 115 stores first closed.
After Somerset-based baby care company Dream on Me paid $15.5 million in June 2023 to purchase the chain’s domain, trademark, mobile platform, and business data, Buybuy Baby was resurrected. In addition, the established Buybuy Baby seller spent $1.17 million to acquire 11 physical stores on the East Coast.
CEO Pete Daleiden and Chief Stores Officer Glen Cary, two former Bed Bath & Beyond executives who are acquainted with Buybuy Baby, run the business separately from Dream On Me.
When buybuy Baby was first introduced in 1996 by the sons of Bed Bath & Beyond co-founder Leonard Feinstein, it was regarded as the company’s most valuable brand. Ten establishments have had their lights turned back on by the corporation since last fall. The new model of Buybuy Baby’s revival was more centered on community-focused events and experiential retail. It also featured a redesigned registry and a new website.
Growing pains
Cary told NJBIZ earlier this year that Buybuy Baby hoped to open over 100 physical stores around the country in the next three to five years.
Cary noted that because of the importance of Buybuy Baby’s brand, the team needed to act fast to keep people aware of it.
We launched before everyone was lined up and prepared to go, which was a really calculated move. We began and kept refining after we thought we had enough important categories in place, he said. “You may either be the first or wait for perfection. In my opinion, we must be there for our clients, re-engage the communities, begin providing for them, and make these changes gradually.
It hasn’t been simple to regain its position as the go-to place for all things baby.
Buybuy Baby started making a resurgence after the chain liquidated and shut down its physical stores and online store last summer. In addition to creating a better online and in-store experience, it has been working hard to reestablish connections with suppliers, carry out marketing campaigns, and meticulously plan for growth.
Operating as a startup is considerably different from operating as a subsidiary of a large organization, and it’s a huge lift. Therefore, we are reimagining everything and are genuinely a startup from the ground up. Additionally, Cary stated that there was a strong predisposition toward reviving the company, opening for business, and then steadily improving over time.
