After playing around with the stroller for a while, I want to share my thoughts with you in hopes of answering most of your questions about it. There are several great blog entries about the new Xplory already on the web, so I thought I would focus on answering the most common or popular questions we’ve been receiving from our customers.

If you have the current Xplory in stores now, it IS possible to upgrade to the new one. For $399, Stokke will be offering a stroller seat package which will include the seat, seat fabric, canopy, and under seat bag. So, if you are getting ready for your second child and want to give your existing stroller a face lift, you are in luck!

So, what’s different about the stroller?

If you have an Xplory with serial number greater than 113464 (these have been in stores for months), the chassis will be almost exactly the same. The only differences are:

Chassis (Stroller Seat Frame)

• Brake pedal is now Red, not Cream colored
• There are 2 clips on the frame to hang your Stokke Changing Bag, or any other diaper bag with a strap
• The under seat bag has been completely remodeled. It’s larger, has a zipper closure instead of a drawstring, and fastens to the chassis much easier than the current model.

Bassinet (available with the Stokke Xplory Complete Stroller Only)
The hard plastic shell that makes up the bassinet is exactly the same. The difference are:

• Textile set (fabric inside the bassinet) is completely different. Stokke replaced the current fabric with a new micro-fiber material. It’s designed to create a softer and smoother look and feel. It will also take moisture away from your child more efficiently, to keep them dry and cool. It’s also water resistant.
• The Canopy now has a visor (2 inch lip on the edge of the canopy). You can extend it or leave it tucked in. When extended, it gives your child more shade from harmful sun rays.
• There is a great mesh window on part of the canopy, designed for better ventilation. It can be opened and closed easily and securely.

  

Stroller Seat
This is where most of the changes are, such as;

• Increased comfort with upgraded textiles (same as the Bassinet).
• Deeper seat for increased comfort and support
• The back of the seat (previously exposed plastic) is now coated with the same color seat fabric for a sharper, sleek look.
• Tighter seat rail fabric padding with easy on/off capabilities.
• The footrest features a one-handed adjustment, as opposed to the current model which features 2 clips.
• The canopy is the same as the bassinet description above, complete with visor and mesh ventilation
• The under seat bag is larger and zips up for added security and convenience

Accessories
So, what works and what doesn’t from the current to new model? The short answer is that all current accessories will fit the new Xplory. Here are the details;

• The new parasol does not need the clip/adapter piece anymore. It plugs right in. However, the current parasol WILL fit the new model
• The Sleeping bag is now only offered in one color, cream. It had been completely redesigned and will match any color stroller. The current sleeping bags WILL fit the new model
• The new Footmuff is softer, and has a drawstring to create a snug cocoon-like fit around your child. It’s also a bit larger. The current footmuff WILL fit the new model
• Car seat adapter have not changed at all and WILL fit the new model
• The changing bag has been completely remodeled. The current bag WILL fit the new stroller
• Also to come, Stokke is planning to add a summer kit (only to fit the New Xplory) and a sheepskin insert.

New Items
Stokke came out with a new Blanket that they refer to as the “Celebrity Blanket”. It’s soft and cuddly, but can also be used as a shield from the sun and wind. With 2 convenient snaps, it clips around the stroller canopy securely so that it won’t fly off. As a parent, I definitely appreciate that feature.

The Stokke Xplory Rider was introduced early this month. Please read our blog entry about it. Make sure to check your stroller’s serial number because it WILL NOT fit all xplory models.

Colors:
The new Stokke 2010 Xplory Stroller will be offered in 6 colors; Red, Purple, Green, Dark Navy, Blue, and Beige.

Price:
The Price will be increasing slightly. The Stokke Xplory Complete Stroller will retail for $1259.99. the Basic (without bassinet) will be $1059.99

Pre-Order Schedule
The New 2010 Stokke Xplory Stroller will be available for pre-order in June for delivery during the first week of July. The dates may change, but this is what it is looking like at this point in time.

PRE-ORDER NOW:  Click Here

In the meantime, if you have any other questions, feel free to contact us anytime.

Pampered Tot has successfully shipped all customer pre-orders dating from January through March. All new orders placed in April will be shipping on or around May 15th. The great news is that there is a very high demand for Orbit Baby strollers right now. However, that means that retailers will not have “on the shelf” stock for months. Our store, like so many others, keeps on pre-selling the goods. By the time we receive our shipments from Orbit Baby, the stock is 100% committed and pre-sold. So, my advise to all of you Orbit Baby fanatics is to find a reputable retailer that you are comfortable buying from and pre-ordering your G2 product right away! 

By the way, the product is outstanding! The improvements are incredible. Although it has been a long and frustrating wait, it’s worth it! (based on the customer feedback that we have been receiving over the past 3 weeks).

I would also like to take this moment to apologize for the lengthy delay. Although it’s out of our control, we still feel terrible that it has taken this long to get you strolling again in your new G2 stroller and/or accessories. So, thank you for sticking with us, and for sticking with the Orbit Baby brand. Should you guys have any questions about your orders, delivery times, or product information, please contact us anytime. As always, with a toll-free number, instant chat, and email, we are available 7-days a week from 8am to 10pm PST.

The Bugaboo Cameleon and the Bugaboo Frog strollers have many similarities, more so than differences. So, what does the Cameleon have that the Frog does not? (or shall we say, why should I pay $220 more for the Cameleon…).

The Cameleon has these added features:

• The Stroller Seat is 2 inches longer
• The Handlebar is adjustable
• The underseat bag is larger
• The front wheels have spring-loaded shocks
• The color options

So, after reading through the list of Cameleon extras, what should you do? Well, that depends on you. If you are tall and want to make sure your feet don’t constantly hit the stroller when you walk, the handlebar extension is a great feature. If you plan to use the stroller until your child grows out of it, the extra 2 inches in length on the stroller seat will ensure longer use. If you have a girl and want pink, then have a boy for your second child and need to switch your stroller to blue, a $99 Tailored Fabric Set will essentially change the look of your stroller and adapt to your needs (the Cameleon is made up of a base color and your choice of 13 tailored fabrics. So, changing the look is easy, fast, and relatively inexpensive).

You can’t go wrong with either stroller. They are both excellent products that will last longer than you need them to. Our Cameleon is 5 years old, and is just as functional and great looking for our second child as it was when we bought it. If you need more guidance or assistance with your purchase, please let us know.

I have to say that it’s, by far, the best stroller-branded board we’ve seen. It’s sleek, easy to put on, and extremely easy to use. It took a long while, but now Stokke Xplory Stroller users can finally hitch 2 kids on this totally awesome ride!

The setup is simple. Take it out of the box, the clip the 2 ends of the board into the clips alredy provided on your current Strokke Xplory Stroller chassis. PLEASE NOTE: This new Rider Board is only compatible with Stokke Xplory Strollers with serial number 113464 or higher. 

The use is just awesome. Unlike many wheeled rider board, Stokke’s version requires absolutely no hardware or dangling cords. When in use, it glides smoothly under the seat handle. When you’re done with it, just kick it up. It fastens completely out of the way and onto the stroller chassis with an ultra strong magnet. There no need to tie it to anything. Once it’s up, it will not get in the way of your walking stride at all. I was really amazed.

So, for all you Stokke fans waiting for the Rider, it’s now available for $119.99. For fans of other competing luxury strollers, you know have a reason to take another look at the ever popular Stokke Xplory Stroller again…

We also received the New Maxi-Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat Adapter, so the New 2010 Bugaboo Bee is now compatible with this car seat. Please also note that the New 2010 Bugaboo Bee Breezy Sun Canopy is available and combines both a sun canopy and sunshade in one!

If you have any questions, please contact us anytime via online chat, email, or toll-free at 1-866-271-5437. Happy Shopping!

It’s been a little while since our last entry. I sincerely apologize for that. I know that so many of you rely on our reviews and general baby news. We have been fortunate enough to have started 2010 with the same feverish growth pace as we ended with in 2009. Thus the reason for our little hiatus…

There are many exciting new things happening at Pampered Tot and with many of the brands we carry. With the launch of the new Bugaboo Bee coming in May, Stokke’s new Xplory coming in June, BOB’s new Revolution in the Summer, and Orbit Baby’s G2 launch this week, there is alot to get excited about in the world of baby strollers. We will be reviewing the BOB Revolution and Stokke Xplory shortly. The Orbit Baby and Bugaboo Bee strollers have already been covered in earlier blog entries.

We also started carrying Britax Car Seats this year, to compliment our incredible selection.

In mid-summer, Pampered Tot will be opening a new retail storefront! Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Overall, we are thrilled with 2010 so far, and are excited about all the fantastic new product developments to come later this season. Thanks again for your loyalty and continued interest. We look forward to communicating with you on a more frequent basis from now on! 

The New 2010 Bugaboo Bee Stroller

The new Bugaboo Bee Stroller will be coming soon. The official date has not been announced, but it will be sometime in the Spring of 2010. Our best guest is sometime between May and July. We are all anxiously awaiting its’ release.

The new 2010 Bugaboo Bee Stroller will look very similar to its’ predecessor, however, there have been a few significant changes to improve the overall performance of the stroller. It looks like the designer, Jaap Der Boer, and the development team at Bugaboo listened to what customers had to say about the old Bugaboo Bee and worked hard to improve the already popular stroller. The seat is much larger and more aerodynamic and the knobs are easier to adjust and turn.

Some of the noteable changes are:

New Backrest
The new Bugaboo Bee features a height-adjustable backrest that simultaneously adjusts with the sun canopy and 5-point harness to four different height positions; a ground-breaking feature that has not yet been seen on any stroller in the market. This feature extends the height of the seat from 20 to 23.2 inches.

Backrest Shape
The new ergonomically shaped backrest has been redesigned to mirror the natural shape of a child’s back making the new Bugaboo Bee more comfortable for the child.Reversible Seat
The reversible seat has been re engineered with a circular joint system that allows the seat to be easily reversed so the child can either face the parent or the world.Wheels and Suspension
New rubber material and signature Bugaboo open star wheel design combine with less rigid, shorter springs for better driving Brakes
Optimized brake system. The way the brake works is the same, but the mechanism has been optimized to keep the brakes secure at all timesAccessories
The new Bugaboo Bee will now be compatible with the Maxi-Cosi Mico and Graco Snugride car seats. There will also be a new breathable seat liner, designed to whisk moisture away from your child keeping them dry and comfortable all year long. With a few improvements, Bugaboo kept the popular sun canopy and footmuff as well. Realizing that many Bugaboo customers have a Bee and a Bugaboo Cameleon or Bugaboo Frog, they decided to make a universal footmuff to fit all Bugaboo Strollers. With all the changes planned for this new 2010 Bugaboo Bee Stroller, this should be a great upgrade to an already popular stroller. It will retail for $649.

Trying toe find the right baby stroller?

This is always a difficult question to answer, and usually ends with 2 stroller purchases rather than one. These days, one stroller doesn’t seem to do the trick anymore. We are spoiled and used to the conveniences that are out there nowadays. Parents are looking for a lightweight, compact, full featured, all-terrain do-it-all stroller. While many strollers succeed in providing most of the functionality you need, you still might want a backup. After all, a jogging stroller is never a top choice when wheeling your kids onto the plane…Conversely, you wouldn’t want to jog with a lightweight compact stroller with wheels the size of your palm.

So, when selecting a stroller that’s right for you, try not to make it a brand-driven decision. Ask yourself what you’d like it to do for you, and make your choice around your lifestyle. Your stroller will be with you for a while. So, if it doesn’t work for you, it will be a frustrating and expensive mistake that you will be reminded of every day for the next 4 years.

The most important question you should ask yourself is “What am I going to use it for?”. If you are a jogger, and enjoy the outdoors, you may want a stroller built specifically for that. Then opt for a “family” stroller as your backup. If you are constantly in and out of the car, go for something more lightweight, compact, and easy to fold. Your back will be thanking you later…

Whether you choose a Bugaboo, BOB, Stokke Xplory, Quinny, Maclaren, Peg Perego or an Orbit Baby, it’s going to set you back a few bucks. So, before shrugging your shoulders and turning away from the $200 to $1200 strollers, try to look at the purchase as a long term investment. No, you won’t be able to sell it for more than you paid for it, but it is the single most used piece of baby equipment that you are going to buy. If it costs you an extra $200 to get the one that’s right for you, just do it. You won’t regret it, trust me.

If you need some help choosing a stroller that is right for you, let us know and we would be happy to help!

I wanted to take a moment to thank our customers and our vendors for another incredible year at Pampered Tot. We surpassed our sales growth goals again this year, despite the worst economic disaster since the 20’s. 

We did it with extremely loyal customers and their big mouths (40% of our business in 2009 came from word-of-mouth referrals), a huge commitment to customer service, incredible vendors, and innovative and thoughtful campaigns such as our Clean Air Program.

Thanks to our 10/10 service guarantee, where emails and voicemails are responded to within 10 minutes, we continued our tradition of astounding customers with ridiculously speedy service and thoughtful and knowledgeable guidance.

We continue to add incredible brands and work to strengthen vendor relationships to ensure that we always have the best products on the market for our valued customers.

So, thanks for being part of the Pampered Tot experience. We look forward to another great year in 2010 by staying true to our mission of providing the best possible shopping experience for expectant parents, grand-parents, friends, and family.

Buggy Baggs Shopping Cart Cover

I love the Buggy Bagg – so convenient.  My son hates the infant car seat, and I always had to carry him around the grocery store in a baby carrier, which works, but can be cumbersome when reaching for heavy items.  I always felt like something would fall on him.  Now that he is 6 months and can sit up on his own, I decided to try the Buggy Bagg Shopping Cart Cover.  I had always heard great thing about it and thought I would put it to the test myself.

I have used it twice in two days and I love it.  First of all, you can position the Buggy Bagg shopping cart cover into the shopping cart using only one hand if necessary – which always comes in handy when holding a baby or extra large coffee.  The Buggy Bagg unfolds into the cart with the release of one large and very smooth zipper.  Once opened, it is like a little padded oasis for your baby.  I have the jungle pattern which is very bright and colorful (but it is available in more subdued prints).  There is a storage compartment which hangs behind the “seat” of the shopping cart – which can be used for wipes, toys or snacks.  Also, the Buggy Bagg extends over the handle of the shopping cart, which creates a resting place for a child’s toys or snacks.  The Buggy Bagg is extremely convenient, hygienic and fun.  I recommend it for anyone who regularly shops with an infant or toddler.