Kelowna baby store owners using video chat to meet with customers, iNFOnews

A Kelowna baby store owner has created a unique way for parents to stay connected and shop for their babies.Don Blevens, co-owner of Baby & Me, decided that he, along with his wife Nicole, would shut down the retail floor and send staff home for safety reasons over the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they're still serving customers online by chatting with them using apps like FaceTime, WeChat and more. “We’re trying to figure out how to help these people. In our industry. our customers really count on that personal service,” he said. View this post on Instagram We are here to help. Let us know what we can do for you!A post shared by Baby & Me (@babyandmedotca) onMar 18, 2020 at 4:42pm PDTThe store is taking website orders as well as through online chat services and will deliver orders free of charge. Items can also be picked up at the store’s location at 2061 Harvey Ave.It’s taken some adjustments for Blevens to get used to speaking with customers through a video chat.“I have a really big nose on camera,” he said, adding that clients have been happy with the video chat so far.“It’s working well,” he said.Yesterday was the store’s 11th anniversary, and with all the “craziness,” Blevens said he didn’t even notice it.He’s been too preoccupied with closing the store’s retail floor, he said.The Blevens family will still install car seats at this time, but they won’t be giving parents a guide on installations until the pandemic is over, he said.“It’s weird to have hand sanitizer in your pocket,” he said.Find baby items online here.B.C. stores, restaurants and event organizers have been ordered by the provincial government to limit gatherings to less than 50 people to prevent further spread of COVID-19.B.C.'s K to Grade 12 school system has also been suspended at this time and the decision of how to return will be made at a later date in conjunction with school districts around the province, Premier John Horgan, Minister of Finance Carole James and Minister of Education Rob Fleming said in a press conference, March 17.To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.