Customer Rewards Program

While updating the system at the new store, Lauri flipped a magical switch that is allowing us to now track your purchases.  What does this mean?  Well, besides being able to find that pesky receipt that you may have lost or find out when you purchased Country Save soap last, we now can track your rewards!

For every $100 you spend at Little Padded Seats, you will receive $5 off your next purchase.  This $5 credit expires 30 days after you obtain it.

I (Bianca) am super excited over this program because it helps to justify all my purchases! :)

If you have shopped at Little Padded Seats before, you should already be in the system.  When you check-out, every employee should check that you are or you can mention it as well.  If you are not in our system, make sure you get in there!  We will ask you 3 easy questions: First Name, Last Name, and Zip Code.  All you need to do is mention you would like to be enrolled in the Customer Rewards Program.  Pretty simple!

Are you one of our online shoppers?  No problem!  It still works the same and you will still be eligible for our rewards program.  You may need to mention this in the comments section during check-out.

Now head off to Little Padded Seats and start earning those rewards!

(Side note: This program does not allow us to go back on your previous purchases.  It is only valid on purchases after electing to opt in to our tracking rewards program.)

Car Seat Safety

This is Bianca here.

I promise that I won't be preaching with many of my blog postings but I do find this subject to be EXTREMELY important.  It is a topic that some parents may not know much about: car seat safety & winter coats.

With the winter months already in progress in Iowa, many parents want their children to be warm in the car.  Please, please, make sure that you DO NOT buckle them into the seat with their puffy coat on.  My daughter knows the minute she gets in the seat, she is to take it off.  If you leave their coat on, it leaves a lot of wiggle room in the event of an accident.

Here is a great image to see the difference of having a coat on or off in the car seat -

We always throw her coat on backwards or she throws a blanket over her lap.  It isn't an issue (minus those times that she thinks she needs to be very independent taking off her coat when it's cold out!  Haha).  I know some parents layer on fleece long sleeve shirts, which is okay too!  We also have car seat covers that go over the infant car seat that can help protect a baby from the winter elements in the store as well.

If you have been keeping their coats on, please take them off!

Okay, my PSA is done!  :)

New Places, New Faces.

As mentioned previously, the Des Moines Register did a little mention about Little Padded Seats and their new move.

Here is a copy/paste version of the article by Patt Johnson:

Little Padded Seats, a cloth diaper and natural parenting shop, has moved to Valley West Mall in West Des Moines into a space on the lower level near the children’s play area.

Owners Lauri and Tommy Ericson sell reusable cloth diapers, diapering accessories, baby carriers, BPA-free plastic bottles, breast-feeding products, cotton clothes for infants, toys made from sustainable wood and educational products.

Lauri Ericson started Little Padded Seats as an online business in April 2008. The couple opened a tiny shop on Elm Street in Valley Junction in West Des Moines and soon outgrew that space. They located to a larger store in 2009 at 130 Fifth St. in Valley Junction.

Ericson said the move to the mall will help them reach a more mainstream audience because of the shopping center’s foot traffic.

The Ericson’s have created a community room at the back of the store where they offer classes on baby wearing (carrying a baby in a sling or other carrier), using cloth diapers, attachment parenting, baby sign language and other natural parenting techniques.

The store also has an expanded toy department and new product lines.

Call 557-0947 or see www.LittlePaddedSeats.com.

Source: http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/12/10/cloth-diaper-shop-moves-to-valley-west-mall/viewart
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(From left to right: Lauri, Tommy, Pam, Stacy, Robyn, Bianca)

CHANGES!

At Little Padded Seats, there have been a lot of changes going on!

The biggest change is our LOCATION!  We have moved from the Valley Junction area and we can now be found at Valley West Mall.  We are on the lower level, right next to Younkers and the kid's play area.  The move has been super exciting and our goal is to reach a more mainstream audience.  So far, we couldn't be happier with the move.  We are seeing a lot of new faces (and old!) stopping into the store.

Here are a few pictures of the new store -

The move has also increased our business hours so we are now open 7 days a week.  That's great news in case you need that NoseFrida at the last minute or are out of Charlie's Soap on your Sunday laundry days.

Following the holidays, will we be open:

Monday-Saturday: 10am to 9pm
Sunday: 11am to 6pm

Another change brought on by the move is additional faces at the store!  In addition to Tommy, Lauri, Robyn, and Bianca; we have brought on Pam and Stacy.  Pam and Stacy are fantastic additions to the store so if you have a chance to stop by, make sure you say "Hi!"  (The Des Moines Register recently posted an article on the new move so we'll get that posted soon.)

The last major change is NEW and MORE products!  We are loving the new space at the store which is allowing us to bring in more products and new lines.  Bianca is working hard on updating the website to reflect what is in store.  Some of the recent products that have come in are beautiful nursing gowns, more baby carrier brands, new prints in wetbags and diapers, Rock-A-Bye Baby CD's, plus lots more!  We can't wait to get everything in.  Plus, if you have any suggestions on what you would like to see, leave a comment.  We'd love to know what people would like to see in the store.

Well, that's the last of the biggest news.  Our goal is to get the Blog and newsletter up and out on a regular basis so you can look forward to seeing more from us.