Expat launches e-store for hard-to-find children's goods

The trampoline in Luanna Bicknell's garden has become a spectacle in her Budapest neighborhood. The 30-year-old Briton has opened her back yard to intrigued parents whose children want to have a "hop" on her trampoline, a source of amusement and exercise that was once hard to find in Hungary.

With the recent launch of Bicknell's online children's store, Hoppi.eu, trampolines are now available for purchase from Ft 50,000 (€ 200), along with a collection of other specialty children's goods that Bicknell said were previously unavailable in Budapest.

"They are unique products that I haven't been able to find here," she said.

Bicknell, a mother of five whose husband's job brought her family to Budapest from Spain in June 2006, launched the site Friday. There are currently products on offer from four manufacturers: trampolines, in three different sizes with the option to buy an accompanying safety net; two styles of Gucio shoes with a variety of color options; Blick wall stickers in 13 different patterns; and Tut & To "Age T-shirts" for children ages 1 to 5.

Bicknell said more products will be introduced by the end of the year, including organic children's clothing, her own line of Hoppi-brand clothing, international educational books and waterproof name labels.

"I chose the things that I thought would be popular and interesting as a first launch," she said. "I have a huge list of products I will be adding slowly and surely."

Bicknell said she has developed her taste in unique children's products through her travels in America, Asia and Europe. Her vision is to bring these products to Hungarian families and expat families living in Hungary. While the site is currently only in English, a Hungarian version should launch soon, she said. The site was built by Budapest's Artamax Creative Design Studio (artamax.com).

Bicknell also hopes families in neighboring countries will shop at Hoppi.eu, and has plans to market the site at international schools in Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia.

"The word's spreading," she said. "I've had lots of telephone calls, lots of emails. Lots of people are interested."

Customers at the online store can pay for the purchase using PayPal.com, and Bicknell said she will be expanding payment options soon, including the option to pay by cash or check. Delivery to Hungary and the rest of Europe costs Ft 1,500 (€ 6) and is free for orders over Ft 5,000 (€ 20). Bicknell is initially hand-delivering the goods from her home for local orders, and in the future will rely on Magyar Posta and a private courier.

"Using the internet for shopping seems to be a new encounter in Hungary," she said. "I need to build my customers confidence in shopping with Hoppi. By delivering orders personally I think it gives people that trust to order again."

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