Updates to Kindershare’s Terms

Updates to Kindershare’s Terms

It has been an amazing 5 years since we launched Kindershare. We have helped thousands of families find baby equipment at a low price, close to where they need it. We’ve also helped hundreds of families make money from their unused baby equipment.

Today we’ve conducted the first update to our terms in a while. Please read below to find out more.

What is staying the same?

The Kindershare guarantee remains untouched. If your items are damaged or lost during a rental, and you have a bond in place worth at least 20% of the replacement value, we will provide up to 75% of the replacement value of your item after our team have had a chance to make an assessment.

We do not charge you to list items, we still check to make sure that your items meet Australian standards before listing them, and we will do our best to make sure you get as many rentals as possible.

What has changed?

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on our lives. It has significantly impacted business. But I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.

What you might not know is that the insurance market has also been significantly impacted by covid. What this has meant is that Kindershare’s insurance policy has changed. Many rental businesses are not able to get insurance cover.

We have been frantically searching to make sure we could continue to offer similar cover, but have not yet been successful.

Until today, Kindershare’s public liability policy covered both Kindershare AND all the owners that transacted on our website. From today, the public liability coverage is limited to Kindershare only. We are continuing our extensive search to find replacement cover that will cover all of the owners, and will update you as soon as we have more information.

What does this mean for you?

As of today, owners on Kindershare do not have public liability cover. We are desperately trying to a replacement policy that covers all owners, but despite hours spent on the phone, we have not yet been able to get cover.

After months of searching, the good news is that we have found a broker who is able to provide cover for our owners individually. We are happy to provide the contact details – just reach out!

Thank you for continuing to support Kindershare – we look forward to hopefully being able to get back to where we were soon.

Vanouhi.

How I made $1,500 from one baby gift

How I made $1,500 from one baby gift

About 7 years ago, when we had our second, we were gifted one of the best travel cots around – the Baby Bjorn Travel Cot.

But, as most parents would know – travel cots are used only a few times a year – late dinners at friends houses, or the occasional trip away when the AirBnB didn’t have a suitable cot.

The Travel Cot was the inspiration for me to launch Kindershare – wanting to make money from things sitting around the house – while still having them available when I needed them.

7 years later, the travel cot still looked quite new, but with a friend recently having had a baby, I passed on the travel cot to her and sat down to check what had gone so well…

Over the 6 years I had the cot listed, the cot was booked over 30 times, with most bookings being for 1 weekend only. Occasionally, the cot was booked for a 2 week period. I had 4 “regular” renters – people who lived locally and didnt want to buy their own travel cot, because they realised renting it at $20 a pop was much cheaper than buying it new for $550… And that’s before you consider the approx 50kg in carbon emissions to make the cot.

What worked Well?

  1. Having a high quality cot meant people understood how easy it was to open and pack away. It avoids the horrors of trying to get the cheaper cots to “work”. As a bonus, it is super easy to pull apart and throw in the washing machine between rentals.
  2. Always having it ready to go – many of my bookings were requested with 1 or 2 days notice. Because it was always washed and packed away after each rental, I could respond immediately and provide the cot.
  3. Offering free local delivery – I’m always out and about, driving 2 minutes out of my way was no big hassle and meant one less worry for the parents or grandparents who were renting it.
  4. Including sheets and a mattress protector so that the cot is ready to go. Again, you are removing a hassle from the renter, which makes them more likely to rent again.
  5. Be reasonable with pricing – I experimented with pricing quite a bit, and found $20 to be the right point for a weekend rental. Longer than that, and people were willing to pay more, but it was unusual that someone would rent it longer than 5 days.

In total I made $1,550 from my Bjorn Travel Cot. Not bad for a gift!!

Changes to Kindershare due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Changes to Kindershare due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Hi everyone,
Like you, I’m in a strange sense of disbelief over what is going on at the moment. There is a lot of moving parts and a lot of information out there, so will keep this note specific to Kindershare only.
What’s happened so far on Kindershare
We have seen a huge decline in the number of new bookings coming through – and for the first time in about 12 months, we have had days with zero enquiries – quite a scary position for small business to be in.
We have also received a significant number of cancellation requests as families cancel trips interstate or overseas.
What Kindershare is doing now
It is a tough decision to make, but we have decided to allow cancellations for all bookings on the renter’s (or owner’s) request.
If you or your renter would like to cancel, please get in touch with our support team (here or chat on the screen from 9am – 10pm) and Lorna, Rachel or Vivian can arrange the cancellation directly. This is a ‘no cost’ system, which means that you will not receive any cancellation fees for this period unless the renter has offered to pay.
If you have been ill, please let us know so that we can temporarily shut all of your listings until you have recovered.
Yes, this will hurt us all financially, however I strongly believe it is the right thing to do in the circumstances.
Bookings that are still going ahead
While many of our travel-related bookings are being cancelled, people are still having babies and need baby gear.
We ask that our owners take the following steps for any items being returned / rented out:
  • Ensure all hard surfaces (eg. Pram frames, bassinet frames) are wiped down with alcohol wipes (eg. Dettol wipes, isopropyl, household disinfectant etc)
  • Ensure that all soft fabrics (eg bassinet liners, bouncer fabrics, etc) are washed with Dettol wash or similar.
  • Try to limit contact with the renter during drop-off and pickup
Source: NSW Health
If you have any questions or issues, please reach out and we will do our best to guide you during this time.
Thank you again for your understanding.
Vanouhi Nazarian
Founder, Kindershare
16 March 2020

Travelling with newborn twins – Your how to guide

Travelling with newborn twins – Your how to guide

Travelling with a newborn is hassle enough but imagine travelling with two, that’s double the trouble! But don’t be stressed, it has been done before and you can do it too.

Siobhan, the mother of twin 3 month old babies has survived travelling with her little ones across multiple cities in Australia. So if you need to travel with newborn twins, Siobhan has some great tips to help you make the journey with your little ones easier:

Here are her top 3 tips for how to travel with baby twins:

1. Be calm:

Your babies can sense your stress and it can cause them to be agitated too; so stay calm, everything will be alright.

2. Plan! Plan! Plan! 

Make sure you plan to the very last detail including all arrival times, feeding times, sleeping times, departure times. You can even practice going through the xray at home.

3. Arrive Early

It is always best to arrive early, because things don’t always go according to plan, so leave some time for the unexpected.

Having recently completed an epic 4 flights around Australia – from Melbourne to Adelaide, Adelaide to Darwin, Darwin to Sydney and Sydney to Melbourne – we took the chance to ask Siobhan to show others how to  travel with twin babies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the hardest part of travelling with twin babies?

Definitely security! You have to plan and know exactly what you are carrying and who is responsible for what. We unstrapped the babies from carriers, put the carriers on the Xray belt, then I walked through with the twins while Ari took care of the bags. I waited for him at the other end to then strap them back into the carriers.

If you are travelling solo, ask someone in the security area to hold a baby while you sort it out – people are very willing to help.

What do you pack in your carry on bag?

It evolved as the trips went on. We ended at:

  • Six nappies
  • Two changes of clothes
  • Six bottles of water and formula
  • Extra formula in case something happened
  • Nappy rubbish bags
  • Nappy wipes
  • Changing mat and
  • Swaddles

As the trips went on, more and more left the nappy bag and instead went into my husband’s back pack.

 

How do you manage with nappy changes?

We made the mistake of not changing their nappy after a breastfeed at the airport, thinking that because it was a short flight we would be OK. But, of course, the nappy got too full and leaked – all over my clothes! Lesson learned!

Don’t be afraid to ask the crew for assistance if you are struggling with the nappy change – they will point out which toilets have a change table.

How do you choose an airline and has that changed since having babies?

Having an ‘up front’ seat is advantageous – as it gives us a bit more leg room. Ideally we also have access to a lounge before the flight as well to give us some clear space to get organised. Luggage allowances are also important, and you can check the luggage allowances for domestic airlines here: 

Qantas Virgin Jetstar Tiger 

 

Any hints on seat selection?

When travelling as a couple with lap twins (babies that do not have their own seat) you will not be able to sit next to each other as there are not enough oxygen masks! We now book seats across the aisle from each other so that we can support each other.

How did you decide what to rent at your destination vs what to take with you?

For us, the pram was an easy choice. When you compare the cost of getting 2 taxis to the airport so that we have something big enough to fit all 4 of us plus our pram and all of our luggage, it was a no brainer. We spent $150 hiring prams at our 3 destinations across the month – much cheaper than a second return taxi to the airport or airport parking.

We also didn’t want to carry 2 travel cots with us as it would have been too hard to manage through the airport, and so hired these, or found accommodation with cots available.

Finally, our girls are at an age where bouncers are essential, so it was handy to pick up one at each destination to put one baby in while the other needed to be fed. 

Any hints on car hire at your destinations?

You need to be very specific with the car rental companies when hiring a car – Ensure you state the seats are for “infants” and then triple check. At one location we were given one rear facing and one forward facing car seat because when you say “two car seats” they automatically think they are children of a different age.

How do you chose accommodation?

Air conditioning is a non-negotiable, especially in Darwin! Space is also really important – a studio room doesn’t work as we want to be able to watch some TV at night while they are asleep. We also prefer a serviced location to make our lives a touch easier while we are away.

Flying holiday vs driving holidays?

We prefer flying! There’s a toilet, a change table, and lots of help from the crew if you need it. If you are in a car and they start crying, you have no control – you can’t stop the car, you can’t jiggle them to calm them down.

 

Some other important things consider when travelling with babies:

Baby wipes are super helpful to clean up all kinds of messes – you can never have too many. Don’t forget to also take disinfectant wipes onto the plane to sterilise the surrounding area of where you are seated with your children (kill those foreign germs before those foreign germs kill your holiday).

Breastfeeding twins in an aeroplane is a difficult endeavour, but it is one of the best ways to alleviate pressure in the babies’ ears. The sucking and swallowing motion helps relieve the pressure build up and any pain it causes to the newborn ears. However, if breastfeeding twins is not an option for you, give the twins their bottles or their dummies to suck on.

Another helpful tip for when you’re flying with twins (or flying with a baby) is to board the plane last (especially if you’re in for a long flight to go overseas). Usually, parents with young children are given first priority to board the flight but remember that once you’re inside, you are stuck in the plane for the next several hours. Make sure you change nappies and enjoy the freedom of walking around with your babies before you get on the plane. Also, let your twins play in the airport (if they’re old enough to move around and play) so that they don’t get too restless on the flight.

How can Kindershare help?

 

Travelling with twin babies can also be pretty expensive as you’d have to buy double of everything. This is where Kindershare can be of big help: Instead of buying two of everything, you can hire instead. You can significantly reduce your travelling costs when you choose to rent baby gear that you’ll only use for a short period of time.

Kindershare is the perfect way to hire top quality baby equipment for very reasonable prices. Rent items such as plane cushions, travel cots and bassinets, travel prams and travel booster seats from the best brands such as Bugaboo, Babyzen, Plane Pal, Baby Jogger and BabyBjorn; and save money while you’re doing so.

Kindershare featured on A Current Affair

Kindershare featured on A Current Affair

Kindershare was featured on A Current Affair this week!

The wonderful Hazel explained how easy it was to earn money from items she would otherwise have stored in the garage, even earning back the original purchase price.

Together with other Sharing Economy companies like Spacer, Mad Paws, The Volte and Wrappli, you could be earning a couple of thousand dollars a month with very little effort!

Check out the clip below!

Travelling with a Carry-On Stroller?

Travelling with a Carry-On Stroller?

Check out these new rules for carry-on sized luggage for Australian domestic carriers

When we took our first flight with a baby, the smallest pram available was a Bugaboo Bee – I struggled to find a bag to pack it in, and then had to worry about where to store it in our tiny hotel room.

I make no secret of my love for my Babyzen Yoyo – which was the first compact pram to market. Since then, some wonderful prams like the Mountain Buggy Nano, Redsbaby Skip, GB Pockit, Baby Jogger Tour and countless others have come out great carry-on sized prams which have made traveling with young children super easy.

But now the rules have changed!

With the news this week that both Qantas and Virgin Australia are going to start weighing and measuring all domestic carry-on luggage, it is important to know which carry-on prams you can take with you. These rules are applying to domestic flights only, and at this stage international travel seems to not be impacted.

So what are the rules? 

Each airline has specific rules that must be followed – not only for the size of each suitcase, but also allowances for infants or children. A carry-on sized pram counts towards your luggage allowance, so in some cases, if you have a Yoyo pram with you, you will only be allowed to take an additional 1kg of carry-on luggage with you for the flight!

It is really important to check your ticket, however here are some summary rules:

Jetstar

On most fares, you are restricted to a 7kg maximum per person. Jetstar does allow you to buy an additional 3kg of carry-on luggage, which may be enough to get you over the line. You can also take an approved car seat on board with you for any child with their own seat.  Jetstar does not provide for any additional carry-on luggage for infants, so if you are travelling solo with a lap baby, you will have a total of 7kgs carry-on for you and your baby!

Your carry on pram must be placed within its bag, and collapse smaller than 56 x 23 x 36 cms (115cms)

Virgin Australia

On most fares, you are restricted to 7kg maximum per person. You can also take an approved car seat on board with you for any child with their own seat. If you are travelling with an infant, you will have an additional 7kg allowance for “baby items”, which is great news if you’re trying to get a carry-on stroller on board as well!

Your carry-on pram must be placed within its bag, and collapse smaller than 48 x 34 x 23 cms and smaller than 105cms

Qantas 

On most fares, you are restricted to 2 x 7kg bags per person. Once again, approved car seats are allowed on Qantas. While infants do not have any baggage allowances, you can take nappies and food in addition to the adult’s carry-on luggage limit.

Your carry-on pram does not need to be in its bag, but must be smaller than 115cms  – provided your other carry-on is a ‘soft’ bag (like a backpack or nappy bag).

Tiger Air

On most fares, you are restricted to a total of 7kgs of carry-on per person. There is no specific additional allowance for travel with infants.

Your carry-on pram should be in its bag, but must be smaller than 115cms. You can take an additional bag, but your total carry-on must weigh less than 7kgs.

Regional planes

Any of the regional planes (generally with propellors) have much smaller carry-on allowances, which generally means that if you have a carry-on sized pram, you will need to leave it at the foot on the aircraft to be placed under the plane during the flight. Generally, car seats are not allowed on board.  Please check your individual airline for further details.

Which pram can I take? 

We’ve prepared this handy chart to help you navigate the various airline options. This is not to say the pram won’t be allowed, however the airline does have the right to refuse you to take it onboard. Please check the chart carefully before flying this Christmas season!

What do I do if my pram is too big? 

While the rules have just been announced, there are inconsistent reports of enforcement around Australia. This means that you could be OK taking your usual stroller, but as the Scouts say – you should Be Prepared.

We recommend packing your bag into a specialist pram bag to help protect it through luggage services. Kindershare have a range to rent here. You can also have a look at renting a smaller pram to take with you, or a full  full-sized pram once you arrive here.

For more information, check out the details on each airline’s page: Jetstar – https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/flights/family-travel Virgin – https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/plan/specific-needs-assistance/children/ Qantas – https://www.qantas.com/au/en/travel-info/baggage.html

How to check the date of manufacture of a car seat

How to check the date of manufacture of a car seat

Trying to add a car seat to Kindershare? Here is how you can check the date of manufacture of your car seat.

There are  2 ways to check the date of manufacture – stickers or stamps.

 

Using the sticker method

Most car seats will have a sticker attached towards the base of the seat – find this and you should easily be able to see the date of manufacture. Here’s an example

Using the stamp method

If the sticker is not easily visible, then have a look for the ‘stamps’ on the car seat – they often look like clocks. You can see in the picture below that the date of manufacture is July 2015.

The 10 year rule

In Australia, It is recommended not to use a car seat for more than 10 years. If you have the original receipt which has the date of purchase showing, then you can use the car seat for 10 years from the date of purchase. If you do not have the original receipt, car seats should only be used for 10 years from the date of manufacture.