As recent parents certainly can attest, it can be absolutely mind-numbing attempting to find the best value on baby products like cribs, strollers, car seats and play pens. I know in our family, we’ve spent hundreds of shopping hours trying to track down the best and most durable kids’ products. (The best of which being a high chair I found for free in front of a neighbor’s house!)
Now, Decide.com — the Seattle startup best known for offering “buy” and “wait” recommendations on consumer electronics gadgets — is getting into the mix. Today, the company, led by former Farecast execs Mike Fridgen and Oren Etzioni, is launching its new consumer-based analysis tool for a host of kid and baby products.
The goal? Tell consumers whether they are getting a deal on that new stroller or car seat? Of course, Decide.com also shows consumers whether they should buy now or wait — something that’s not always an option in a time-sensitive purchase like baby gear. Nonetheless, the company is making it easier for parents or would-be parents to track certain products, also announcing today push notifications for mobile devices that tell consumers whether a price has dropped on a certain product.
Decide.com’s analysis indicates that 20 percent of the products that it tracks show at least one price fluctuation per day.
The expansion into baby and kids gear follows Decide.com’s $8 million venture capital round in March, and it marks one of the biggest product expansion efforts in the company’s short history. With the new category, Decide now has over three million products that it analyzes.
And get ready for more announcements in the coming weeks. Decide.com’s Shauna Causey tells us that they are on a path to reach 100 million products by this holiday season. (Can you say autos?)
As we’ve noted in the past, Decide.com is taking direct aim at Consumer Reports. In addition to kids gear, the company recently launched its analysis service for home & garden products and appliances.
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