The 2 strollers in my home - why their price are so much different

There are 2 strollers in my home. The left-hand-side one is a Sweet Cherry, cost RM150 (after 50% discount), and the right-hand-side one is Combi Super Mechacal DX, cost RM7xx (after 35% discount).



They have similar parts and functionalities, such as:

• Reversible handle
• Foldable
• Double wheel with suspension on each side
• Front swivel wheels with lock
• 3-points seat belt
• With canopy
• Removable front guard
• With storage basket
• 3 levels of reclination
• Footrest for toddler

But the Combi stroller is about 5 times the price of the Sweet Cherry. What make the different then? Here are the features of the Combi stroller that justify its higher price:

• It is very light weight. The metal material is different.
• The fabric material is different too. The baby can stay in it for hours without feeling hot or unconfortable. My son used to sleep in it during daytime.
• The seat cushion is more soft and comfortable.
• The seat cushion is fully removeable and washable.
• The suspension is pretty good. It is not so bumpy when going through uneven lands.
• It is more compact when folded.
• Its seat belt can hold the baby better and more comfortable.
• Its front guard is soft. Not made by hard plastic.
• It comes with shoulder strap for convenient carrying when folded.
• Its canopy has sufficient ventilation windows, and can fully cover until the front guard.

All in all, I find the Combi Super Mechacal DX well worth for its price. If you plan to buy a stroller for your baby/toddler, although price is a major consideration, convenience (to you) and comfortability (to the baby/toddler) are also important considerations that should not be neglected.

How to choose a stroller for your baby/toddler

Basically, there are 4 major kinds of strollers available - made locally, made in Japan, made in China, made in Western countries. I found their differences, in general, are as follow:

• Locally made and China made stollers are generally much cheaper than other imported one. They might have similar parts and functions with their counterparts, but the quality might be different.
• Japan made strollers are generally smaller in size than Western made. This might probably because the body size of Asian people is smaller. They are also easier and simpler to operate, practical in functionalities.
• Western made strollers are generally bigger in size, and more complicated to operate. I remembered the shopkeeper shown me a few times how to open and fold the McLaren, Peg Perego, Graco, etc. but I still can't figure out the way. Same to reclining the seat. Basically, more steps are involved, not as straightforward as the Combi.

The following are some considerations when choosing for stroller:

• Light weight - convenient to carry.
• Foldable - so that you can put in your car and bring it to shopping complex and other places. It should be compact when folded so that not taking too much space in your car.
• Durability and maximum weight support - you might want to choose one that can be used from new born until 3-4 years old.
• Quality of fabric material - your baby should feel comfortable, feel cool, not easily sweating within short period of time.
• Seat cushion fully removeable and washable - the stroller can gets dirty and need frequent clean up, especially if you seat your baby in it while feeding food.
• With canopy - to protect your baby from sun and sudden rain.
• Reversible handle - so that your baby can face forward (to enjoy the scene) or backward (to get your attention).
• Multilevel reclination - to adjust the position accordingly. Infant cannot sit too upright.
• Wheels with suspension - so that it won't be too bumpy.
• Easy to operate - especially when your baby is taken care by older people such as your mother.
• Availability of spare parts - especially the rubber-made wheels which are subjected to wear and tear.
• Basket - for your convenience to carry along some diapers, baby wipe, baby food, etc.
• Safety design - the stroller should not be easily overturned. It should have emergency brakes and other safety features too.

Last but not least, your baby must like it. It is advisible for your baby to actually sit in it and "test drive" for a while, make sure he/she like it before bringing it home from the store.

New Giant-Citibank VISA credit card

When I accessed to the Citibank's website today, I'm attracted by a new banner that Citibank has come out with new co-branded VISA credit card with Giant.

Holders of this new credit card are entitled for up to 10% rebate on their first spending with Giant if the card is applied before 15 July 2008 and the first spending is done before 31 August 2008. The rebate will be given in the form of cash voucher delivered together with the monthly credit card statement, and maximum rebate for the month is RM50 only.

Beside that, the card will enjoy a 2% rebate on all purchases made at Giant stores nationwide, and up to 1% rebate on other purchases outside Giant.

It will also enjoy benefits in purchase-with-purchase programs and members-only priced items in Giant.

1st year annual fee is waived. After that, annual fee will be RM90.

Person who apply for this credit card can also get an Olympus FE-330 8.0MP Digital Camera for RM349 (usual price RM829), with a delivery charge of RM50.

Click here for more detail about this Giant-Citibank VISA card.