Best shops for buying baby equipment May 2012

Baby equipment and toy shops rated

The UK's biggest survey of shops for baby products and toys reveals the best stores and the ones to avoid for buying baby equipment and toys for your children.

pushchairs taster

The Which? satisfaction table of 15 shops for buying baby products and toys reveals the best and worst in the UK, as part of the Which? shopping satisfaction survey of more than 11,000 people. 

Sign in to see the shops ordered by customer score and to see how customers rated each shop on factors including price, product quality and service. 

Our table includes big high street chains such as Argos, Boots, Early Learning Centre and Mothercare alongside smaller chains. Find out the best and worst places to shop for those vital baby essentials, such as pushchairs, child car seats and high chairs. 

Baby and child stores reviewed
ShopProduct rangeProduct qualityServiceStorePricingAfter sales and returnsCustomer score
ArgosSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
BHSSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
BootsSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
DebenhamsSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Disney StoreSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Early Learning CentreSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
House of FraserSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Independent baby and child storesSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Independent department storesSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
John LewisSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Marks and SpencerSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Mamas & PapasSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
MothercareSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
The Entertainer Toy ShopSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Toys R Us / Babies R UsSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content

How Which? rates baby equipment and toy shops 

The baby and child category, which covers baby equipment and toys, was part of the Which? shops survey - the biggest of its kind in the UK.

For the survey Which? surveyed 11,274 members of the general public online between February and March 2012 about the shops they had visited in the past six months. Shoppers were asked how satisfied they were with the shops they'd bought baby equipment and toys from and how likely they were to recommend those shops. These factors make up the Which? customer score.

Our survey respondents also rated baby equipment and toy shops on 15 factors covering price, service, store environment, product quality, product range and after sales service. These are shown as star ratings in our table of baby equipment and toy shops and are made up of the factors below:

  • Service – staff knowledge about products, staff helpfulness and staff availability
  • Store environment – ease of finding products, tidiness of store, store environment, queuing time and child friendliness
  • Price – price, sales and special offers
  • Product quality – product quality and how well products last
  • Product range – range of products and products being in stock
  • After sales and returns

Other Which? shopping surveys

Take a look at the best and worst shops from the other categories in the Which? shopping survey, as voted for by more than 11,000 shoppers:

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