Thin Air?

At the most recent baby gear show in September, we noticed that Baby Bjorn was debuting their newest carrier. The enormous replica hanging from the ceiling was a clue. Big change from May, when we were ushered through a hidden door for a sneak preview of this mesh wonder; though both tactics seem to support the idea that our friends at Baby Bjorn are pretty excited about this product.

Truth be told, I don’t really get it. And neither, apparently, do my customers. After one month on our shelves, we haven’t sold a single one. So I’m asking myself, why would a company like Baby Bjorn, with a proven track record for excellence, invest in a product that would flop? Either I’m missing something, or they’ve made a big mistake.

For the purposes of this exercise, we’ll assume I’m the dummy. I did some research tonight to try and figure out what’s so special about the new Air Carrier, and actually I learned a few things.

Based on feedback that wearing a Baby Bjorn can get HOT (been there, done that), they built the carrier out of a specially designed mesh material that promotes air flow and keeps both the baby and the wearer cool. OK, great for the warmer climates, but Massachusetts in October? Not so much.

Although… I also discovered that, thanks to the flexibility of the lightweight mesh, the Air Carrier can also be smushed up into an attached pouch, making it the most portable Baby Bjorn on the market. Now this is a good benefit, for anyone, anywhere.

When I first encountered the Air Carrier, back in that little secret room, I didn’t really understand why they hadn’t included the lumbar support feature from the popular Active Carrier. Clearly this was a sporty model designed for long-term wear, so why not make it as comfortable as possible? But perhaps the key to this model (at least in our neck of the woods) is the portability factor.

So who should buy the Air Carrier? Here’s how I would break it down.

The Original Baby Bjorn
Ideal for people who plan to use the carrier intermittantly and prefer the more traditional look.

The Baby Bjorn Active Carrier
Ideal for people who will use the carrier often and for prolonged periods of time, or for people who have back and shoulder problems.

The Baby Bjorn Air Carrier
Ideal for people who will either wear the carrier in a warm climate and/or plan to use the carrier intermittantly and would appreciate the ability to stuff it into a diaper bag. It would also work well for someone with no back or shoulder problems who would like to do fitness walking.

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