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BTween $1 and Five

Tweens (boys & girls aged 7-14) influence an estimated USD $270 billion in spending per year and will personally spend a total of $38 billion in 2004 in the US alone. Even so, they’re known to be a little tight with their allowance money. They want value, and Dallas-based retailer BTween $1 and Five aims to give it to them. In their own words:”Tweens have learned how to be very cost-conscious. They’re smarter than ever and want to get more bang for their buck.”

Opportunities

Springwise likes to believe traditional generational thinking is dead, as these days age is less important than spirit. However, some segmenting remains useful, and both Yoya and BTween have picked succinct shopper segments that were until now not overly catered to (a miracle in itself, given the hundreds of niche stores these days).Yoya smartly anticipates more and more urban hipsters becoming urban parents, meaning demand for retail outlets, products and services that both appeal to their tastes as trendsetters and address their needs as parents, is steadily increasing. On top of that, young urbanite fathers are also redefining the role of the father in the family unit as they increasingly share or take over duties traditionally performed by the mother.And BTween unashamedly goes after the dozens of billions of dollars in direct and indirect spending power of very young consumers, blending in various online services with a more traditional brick and mortar strategy (which makes sense as the global hobby for these kids is to HYPER-TASK like there’s no tomorrow). May we suggest they team up with Ozon (another tween idea we recently spotted) to make the picture complete?

Update | 11 April 2006

Unfortunately, Between $1 and Five didn’t make it, but a competitor named Five Below is doing very well with the same, straightforward concept: offer kids products that truly interest them and that they can actually afford, priced between one and five dollars. The twist here is the power shift. Instead of having to ask their parents for money to buy a certain product, Below 5 allows youngsters to decide independently on what to buy and how much to spend.The assortment of merchandise includes everything from sporting goods, games, wearables and jewelry, to hobbies and collectibles, bath and body, candy, snacks and beverages, room décor & storage, stationery and school supplies, computer software, books, electronic accessories, novelty and seasonal items. Yes, it’s a long list; like their tagline says: “Whatever you got, will buy a lot.” ;-)Currently, the company has 49 stores throughout the US and will be opening another two by the end of this month.

Yoya Mart: a shop for dads

Mom isn’t the only one who takes the kids shopping anymore, and Yoya knows it. From the husband-and-wife teams that founded NYC’s YoyaShop – the baby-clothing retailer designed to appeal to the hip urban mom’s love of boutique aesthetics – comes hip urban dad-friendly YoyaMart. Designed for fathers by fathers, YoyaMart carries children’s and tweens’ clothing plus funky gadgets for Dad, all set in an environment featuring a stylish male-centric design, big screen TVs, and music (which of course by now reminds you of Dubai’s 1847!). YoyaMart’s focus on urban style is also reflected in the hipster-kid brands they stock, including Diesel, Puma, Ray Ban, and Antik Batik, along with Yoya’s eponymous sportswear line. (Source: WWD.com.)

BTween $1 and Five

Tweens (boys & girls aged 7-14) influence an estimated USD $270 billion in spending per year and will personally spend a total of $38 billion in 2004 in the US alone. Even so, they’re known to be a little tight with their allowance money. They want value, and Dallas-based retailer BTween $1 and Five aims to give it to them. In their own words:”Tweens have learned how to be very cost-conscious. They’re smarter than ever and want to get more bang for their buck.”

Opportunities

Springwise likes to believe traditional generational thinking is dead, as these days age is less important than spirit. However, some segmenting remains useful, and both Yoya and BTween have picked succinct shopper segments that were until now not overly catered to (a miracle in itself, given the hundreds of niche stores these days).Yoya smartly anticipates more and more urban hipsters becoming urban parents, meaning demand for retail outlets, products and services that both appeal to their tastes as trendsetters and address their needs as parents, is steadily increasing. On top of that, young urbanite fathers are also redefining the role of the father in the family unit as they increasingly share or take over duties traditionally performed by the mother.And BTween unashamedly goes after the dozens of billions of dollars in direct and indirect spending power of very young consumers, blending in various online services with a more traditional brick and mortar strategy (which makes sense as the global hobby for these kids is to HYPER-TASK like there’s no tomorrow). May we suggest they team up with Ozon (another tween idea we recently spotted) to make the picture complete?

Update | 11 April 2006

Unfortunately, Between $1 and Five didn’t make it, but a competitor named Five Below is doing very well with the same, straightforward concept: offer kids products that truly interest them and that they can actually afford, priced between one and five dollars. The twist here is the power shift. Instead of having to ask their parents for money to buy a certain product, Below 5 allows youngsters to decide independently on what to buy and how much to spend.The assortment of merchandise includes everything from sporting goods, games, wearables and jewelry, to hobbies and collectibles, bath and body, candy, snacks and beverages, room décor & storage, stationery and school supplies, computer software, books, electronic accessories, novelty and seasonal items. Yes, it’s a long list; like their tagline says: “Whatever you got, will buy a lot.” ;-)Currently, the company has 49 stores throughout the US and will be opening another two by the end of this month.