Top sites for baby equipment deals Top tips when buying online

Buying online can be a convenient alternative to traipsing around the shops, but, like anything, it has its pros and cons. In this guide we give you the low-down on loyalty schemes and parents' forums, both of which are likely to come in handy when shopping for baby equipment online. We also help you to compare prices before you buy and to know your rights when buying online.

Loyalty schemes

As an added attraction to shop with them, some stores offer loyalty schemes applicable to shopping both in store and online. If you're in the market for nursery items, below is a list of the loyalty schemes you're likely to encounter and what they offer. All are free to join. Essentially, you give the shop some personal details (to a greater or lesser extent) in exchange for some perks. It's up to you to decide what you are comfortable with and if you feel the return is good. 

If you want to know more about loyalty schemes and how to understand if they are good value, see our guide to cashback sites.

Babies R Us

Joining the Babies R Us Mother and Baby club means you'll receive mailings of useful product information and helpful hints and tips, as well as money-off coupons.

Boots

The Boots Parenting Club offers 10 points for every £1 spent on baby products within the baby area at Boots, free glossy magazines and a chance to receive free gifts if you regularly buy baby products at Boots.

Ikea

Ikea Family offers discounts on selected Ikea products, email updates and reductions at its restaurant.

Variations on loyalty schemes include receiving regular updates from a shop (for example the Argos customer scheme will email you updates on latest sales, deals and offers and a heads up about new products) or benefits from paying with a card attached to where you're shopping from (for example, Tesco operates a 'buy now, pay later' scheme for certain purchases made with a Tesco credit card).

Parents' forums

If you don't know any parents who can suggest good products to try, why not consult the wider community of parents out there using a parents' forum online? These sites are places where parents meet to exchange views and respond to queries posted and can be a source of buying advice, with spec info, buying guides and even user reviews of many of the most popular products on the market. However, be aware that unlike Which?, they won't have tested all of the products they discuss for safety and performance.

Babycentre

Babycentre contains a wealth of advice for mums-to-be, focusing on the needs of babies at different stages of their development.

Bounty

Bounty is best known for its Bounty packs - free bundles of coupons and samples given to expectant and new parents, usually by a midwife.

Gurgle.com

Gurgle.com is Mothercare's social networking site.

Mumsnet

Mumsnet has ongoing discussions and tips and tricks from other parents. You can also search the site for suggested retailers or post your own query about where to buy.

The National Childbirth Trust (NCT)

The National Childbirth Trust encourages parents to share their experiences of pregnancy, birth and your child's early years in a variety of groups focusing on different topics, some are open to all, others are members-only.

Netmums

Netmums is a social network that offers advice and information for your local area.

Tesco baby and toddler club

Tesco baby and toddler club - the name says it all for this supermarket social network.

Comparing prices

Our product reviews give a typical price for each product we test. Use this price as a guide to what you should pay, and with a bit of research you can generally expect to pay less online. If you want help comparing prices online, you can use comparison sites like Price Runner and Kelkoo. Both include any delivery charges as part of the total price they quote.

Your rights when buying online

You'll be glad to hear that if you buy online from a UK or EU-based company you have even more rights than if you'd bought from a high-street shop. If your purchase is faulty or not fit for purpose, then you have the same rights to a refund as you would do if you bought it on the high street. However, when you buy online, regulations mean that you also have the right to a refund if you change your mind or simply decide you don’t want a product.

The rules are called the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000, and state that a consumer can cancel their order anytime from placing it up to seven working days from the day after they receive it.

You don’t have to return the product within this period, you just have to notify the shop in writing that you intend to cancel your order within this timeframe. If you then return the product within the timeframe set out by the regulations, you are entitled to a refund of the full cost of the order, including delivery charges. However, you may have to pay for the cost of returning the goods.

For more on you rights when shopping online see our handy guides to shopping safely online and online shopping problems.