March 02, 2004

By: Maureen Clark
Website: http://www.1st-in-kids.com

Wedding Frustrations Lead to Online Children’s Clothing Boutique

Marcia Peters, an investment banker and mother, needed to dress her children for her cousin’s wedding. Her shopping alternatives were a local children’s clothing boutique, with limited hours and parking, and the local mall. With little time and not looking forward to shopping while her son ran between the clothing racks, Marcia turned to the Internet.

I was frustrated with the kids clothing sites that I found. Every site claiming to be a fine boutique was offering play clothes or everyday apparel, but no one was offering high quality special occasion clothing for children. There are times when stretch knits and baggy pants are not appropriate. After wasting more precious time searching online, she opted to let her children wear last season’s clothing. They looked O.K. but did not stand out.

Out of this frustration was born FineticaChild.com, an online children’s clothing boutique that focuses on special occasion and holiday apparel. The site also features better everyday wear. As I shared my story with other working parents, I saw a need that the Internet could fulfill, says Marcia. We are not trying to compete with the well known mass merchandisers or the online discounters, all selling the same designer clothing names. Marcia’s strategy is to be an online version of a true fine clothing boutique. Many busy parents do not have the opportunity to shop at better children’s clothing stores, so we provide a convenient alternative. She selects clothing that is high quality, uniquely designed, and not mass-produced. Also she pays attention to what kids like to wear, so the styles please both parents and children. Marcia states, for example, our cargo pants are not baggy, and are made of an excellent quality khaki. They can be worn to Grandma’s 80th birthday party.

In the short time since the November 2000 launch, feedback has been very positive. Every time I speak with a customer, they tell me how impressed they are with our designer collection and the garment quality, says Marcia. To make the shopping experience pleasant, FineticaChild emphasizes customer service and takes special orders. We have a large customer base looking for flower girl dresses in a variety of sizes. We are happy to work with the bride-to-be to make her wedding day special.

About The Author:

Maureen Clark is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-kids.com.  Helping parents find kid-approved clothes, toys, games, books, activities and more.