Zulily Hosts ‘Blankie Backup Bundle’ to Address Common Vacation Stressor & Save Moms Time & Money

SEATTLE – Over 103 million families are planning to travel together this summer, but pre-travel checklists are growing as moms, who are responsible for most purchase decisions, are looking for ways to save as high inflation continues to squeeze household budgets. Losing a child’s lovey or favorite baby blanket while traveling is stressful and all too common, which is why today, online retailer Zulily introduced its first-ever Blankie Backup Bundle as part of its bi-annual Welcome Baby shopping event to help moms save time and money and reduce stress, for both them and their children, ahead of the start of travel season. From April 12 through April 28, Zulily will offer a sale on bundles of kids’ stuffed animals, plush toys, baby lovies and blankets, so moms can prepare a backup plan by stocking-up on multiples of the same item.

According to Transportation Security Administration (TSA), nearly one million items are left each year¹, with children’s toys being one of the most common items² – and moms can attest. Zulily’s latest survey shows that more than half (54%) of moms have lost a child’s favorite item while on vacation, whether it falls out of a bag or stroller (29%), gets left behind in a rental or hotel room (27%), or gets lost in transit (18%).

Furthermore, 87% of moms feel stressed when their child’s lovey goes missing; they know their child will be upset and that replacing the item with limited time feels like an impossible – and expensive – chore. In fact, half of moms expect to spend between $51-$200 replacing lost items, while 15% expect to spend more than $300 in replacements each year.

“We know that planning a family vacation can be stressful, especially for moms with younger children who seek comfort from their lovey, whether it’s a baby blanket or beloved stuffed animal, in new environments,” said Erica Williams, Zulily’s Kids Merchandise Manager. “We wanted to help moms plan for the inevitable moment when their child’s favorite item is lost and acquire an extra creature comfort, without the additional stress, cost, or time to purchase a new one while on vacation – so they can spend less time worrying and more time making memories with their families.”

Overall, family vacations have become a lot more expensive. The average vacation for a family of four is close to $5,000 with roller coaster gas, airfare, and hotel room prices on the rise, on top of the increasing inflationary costs of goods for dining, entertainment, and more. Nevertheless, it’s where 85% of moms will spend their discretionary funds and make tradeoffs on other purchases, meaning it’s increasingly important for moms to find ways to maximize their budgets ahead of summer travel.

Zulily’s Blankie Backup Bundle will run from April 12 through April 28, and will be hosted within the company’s bi-annual Welcome Baby shopping event where expecting and new moms can discover up to 65% off top brands for themselves, their baby, and their home, including Burt’s Bees Baby, Carter’s, Honest Baby Clothing, Little Millie, and more – all curated around on-trend themes to make moms’ shopping experience easy and fun.

For more information on Zulily’s Blankie Backup Bundle, visit Zulily’s The Find, or shop the sale at www.zulily.com.

Methodology

Findings are based on a Pollfish survey of 600 U.S. based moms between the ages of 25-44 that are expecting or have a child under 12 years old. The survey was fielded in March 2023.

1) Source: Transportation Security Administration. “FAQ: How many lost and found items are found by TSA annually?“.

2) Source: Your Mileage May Vary. “The items most often left on planes and what to do if it happens to you” (2020).