I was recently pointed in the direction of Online4Baby, a family business which started selling baby products on eBay in 2004 and grew to become eBay’s best-rated UK seller for nursery products. They have been selling directly on their own website for about 4 years, and this is what I checked out – coincidentally around the same time a friend had asked me for recommendations for a child booster seats.
A quick note on delivery
A lot of online stores are let down by their couriers, fortunately Online4Baby use DPD who I’ve always found to be reliable, and you can get next working day delivery for orders before 4pm. DPD text you in advance of the delivery and give you a 1 hour time slot, and allow you to reschedule without incurring fees. However it’s important to note that this isn’t like a supermarket delivery, and while you can choose the day you can’t choose which 1 hour slot you want (although you can pay extra to ensure a morning delivery). Another option if you live in the northwest is to visit Online4Baby’s showroom in Oldham which is open weekdays.
Child booster seats
Moving onto the car seats, it has always been a struggle to get kids to take care of their car seats. Their range of superhero boosters make this a bit easier, if you can get a character that they care about!
The group 1,2,3 boosters are available as Spongebob, Leonardo (from the Ninja Turtles), Dora the Explorer, and Batman. The Batman one has a cape! It’s worth noting that the group 1,2,3 boosters feature two cup holders – handy for my son as well as the person fortunate enough to sit next to him! The group 2 & 3 boosters are great value – either on par or better priced that the equivalent plain version from Argos or Tesco – and also feature a cup holder. Useful if your child insists on sitting in the middle so they can see the road ahead – not all cars have a cup holder to hand for those sat there.
I also noted that they also have a good selection from GALT Toys, including the classic play nests – the farm and the car one, which our sons have had and loved as babies – as well as a number of great activity toys, including a couple from the Dr Miriam Stoppard range.
A note on interest-free finance
You’ll note that the site offers Pay4Later’s finance to spread large purchases over 6 months interest-free, but start to charge if you opt to spread payments over a longer period. Before you consider this, MoneySavingExpert notes that you can get credit cards offering over 2 years’ interest-free spending, and balance transfer cards offering an even longer interest-free period. As some of these cards offer instant acceptance, you might not need to delay a purchase for more than a few days.
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.