The first babies of the pandemic are just being born. The baby boom and the baby bust theories have delivered valuable points in proving their own credibility. Needless to say, many of those newborns will have been born without the new parents throwing a traditional baby shower or them receiving tangible baby gifts.
Plenty of people are still unable to see friends and families for months because of the appropriate regulations of social distancing being put in place for everyone’s safety. To answer this growing need, the social media giants and local creative groups and individuals in the event organizing industry have come up with ways to fill this gap by utilizing the vast expanse of the virtual world and the social media platforms.
There have been many occasions, including birthdays and christenings, that have been streamed live so that loved ones from across long distances could take part in the gathering. The pandemic, indeed, has changed normal life as we know it, and it is hard to tell when life will ever go back to normal.
The demand and the rush for the necessities
When you have a newborn or you are pregnant, you have a lot of things to consider. More so, it has become tougher for many to cope with the pressures of being a new parent. Among others besides the necessary nutrition and safety, one of your primary concerns is having a ready stock of clothes and supplies for your baby. However, with the pandemic scenario being as it is, shopping for clothes and supplies is not like it used to be. There isn’t hope in the near future for any bargain on aisle nine of the baby section that you can rush into. The restrictions still being in place in many areas have warranted a lot of adjustments.
Changing with this new normal has become a necessity. Consumers are not the only ones who have felt the change in the commercial market. Picky buyers have shown to have increased dramatically. In a report by The Guardian, the shopping habits of consumers have changed since the events of the pandemic. An increasing number of consumers are no longer concerned with fast fashion. It has instead been reported that buying habits have been drawn towards thriftiness and practicality.
In their own way, the retailers and manufacturers responded to this trend to keep their businesses afloat. There has been a resurgence of shops now making many of their products available via online platforms to practice safe shopping protocols. This is the answer to the new definition of picky buyers as health and safety conscious. This rise in the consumer market’s mass awareness has also deemed the demand for trendy clothes to shift, thus lowering most prices of clothes in general.
The noticeable elasticity of non-essential commodities
The World Bank has noted that prices dropped as early as the first quarter of 2020 in response to the depression of demand and the erratic probability of supply. Notice how at the start of the quarantine that there has been a drastic drop in gas prices in more than a dozen states, with reports at USA Today of selling a gallon for under $1. Similar frequencies have been felt in the energy and metal manufacturing sectors, as reflected by the World Bank projections, with construction works seeing a decline and even to a halt.
Compare those with the agricultural market seeing a sky-rocketing chart projection. In all its intentions and values of providing food straight from the yard, the rave about home gardening has left its mark. Crazier scenarios come with the ethics of gouging the price of face masks during the start of the quarantines. The website Wired narrates how Amazon tries to control the seemingly questionable practice.
So where does the child-caring in all this come in? There are plenty of ways to take advantage of this fluid change of prices. The common question goes: if newborn babies grow out of their clothes pretty fast, would it still be considered practical to purchase new clothes for them? The wise answer is a maybe. The case-to-case scenario goes that if it stays longer and the slash in the price is quite tempting, then go ahead.
Just be careful not to get lured in by that tiny tuxedo that will last for probably around four months. The items you would be comfortable in going for may include cotton-made products, which could stretch as the infant grows. There are also types of polyester-made products that could warrant consideration.
Thriftiness and safety amidst the splurge
It has been said that there might be a good buy worth looking into for baby clothes on more than one occasion. Remember that metaphorical sale at aisle nine that has been mentioned before? Well, be sure to keep things in perspective as you go discount-hunting.
Secondhand selling was recently popularized to commit to the universal spirit of saving. In its purity, it is considered well-intent, but the hindsight repercussions might sometimes be forgotten. Secondhand materials that are likely prodded by scrutinizing prospective buyers are often loosely packaged and likely less disinfected than newer, unused products. The somewhat thin line in this decision-making is hard to draw. It is in this manner that there should also be second thoughts in buying secondhand.
Naturally, you all want what’s best for your growing children. There is but a horizon of bright opportunities you dream that await for them on the horizon. Though harder the tribulations may be, may the warmth of your embrace be felt as deep as in the fabric that wraps around their loved beings.
