Luxury baby product retailer Justkidding reports strong sales

Ahead 17.2% compared to the same period last year, Justkidding's commercial forecast is upbeat, despite apparent global economic slowdown.

"Of course we too were somewhat conservative in our initial forecasts for the first half of 2009, however, looking at our overall sales performance year to date, things do look very positive indeed,"

says Patrick de Groot, the group's Chief Financial Officer.

The focus of JustKidding's marketing and promotion mix has shifted more towards the local Emirati and Arab expatriate market. New promotion channels have been used to get the messages out in the market place, and word-of-mouth continues to be a strong business driver to its flagship store in Al Quoz.

"Babies that are born today were already "in the making" well before the credit crunch hit media headlines last year", Annemarie Retera, JustKidding's General Manager points out. "And we are confident that parents will continue to want the very best for their babies".

In anticipation to purses being a little tighter in January, JustKidding did launch its Crazy Weeks promotion around the middle of January, focusing every week on a different product category in its store.

"This has surely brought additional customers through our doors", adds Retera, "but interestingly enough, typical consumer behaviour does not seem to have changed too much. Credit crisis or not, we still want safety, comfort and quality for our babies". The Crazy Weeks promotion has been extended to the end of March.

Having just launched a fully-fledged online version of the store, JustKidding is casting its nets wider this year, hoping to attract customers from around the GCC and Middle East market with its wide selection of hip, innovative product for baby and children. In addition, JustKidding anticipates the opening of new franchise stores in the region, further expanding consumer access to the JustKidding formula.

JustKidding is a trademark of Dubai-based JustKidding General Trading (LLC). Fresh, unusual and captivating, JustKidding is a new retail store concept fro modern, predominantly first-time parents. It introduces a comprehensive range of internationally acclaimed, high quality, high-end products for young children and pregnant mothers.

The products range from furniture and interior design elements to tech smart, stylish strollers and ultra safe car seats and from hip fashion labels to the ultimate in baby care. JustKidding is supported by a team of skilled sales consultants and expert parents. All colleagues have detailed product and practical knowledge. JustKidding prides itself in being the parenting expert in its community.