Where to buy a Baby Travel System buggy/car

Hey everyone

My first baby is on the way and I'm looking for a buggy and car seat for an ok price. I've been around all my local baby shops and buggies and car seats can be prety pricey.

I was in Sendai with my wife and we noticed one or two strange buggies beig pushed around. It turns out that the are the new thing of having a baby car seat that can just be lifted and put straight onto the buggy frame. The idea is that it's more hastle free and you don't disturb your baby as much moving them. I grew up with three younger brothers, so I know the hastle with car seats.

I tried asking a Japanese couple who had one but they were so secretive and all I could get out of them was that they got it online. So I'm guessing that this is the new fashion for the Japanese elite. I was pretty annoyed that they wouldn't tell where they bought it as it is a useful device and you can save a bit of money istead of buying a car seat and buggy separately.

I did find one online shop through one of the makers, Silver Cross. They have a deal on where if you buy their buggy, you get the car seat for free! I followed their links to their Japanese distributers in Osaka and not only did the Japanese site not have the Company offer but they had tripled the retail price!

So, I'm looking to buy a buggy/car seat travel system online and have it shipped to me in Japan. My trouble is finding online stores that are willing to ship to Japan. Amazon is out before you all go rushing to that site, due to the weight of the device.

I have found a site (Meijer.com) that will ship to Japan. Their prices are excellent but their shipping courrier wants nearly double the items worth in shipping fees taxes and duties to get it to me. At their total estimate, they would just be slightly cheaper than buyin a separate buggy and car seat in Japan.

So does anyone know of an online store that can ship baby stoller travel systems to Japan?

Thanks in advance.

Adam

There is a New Zealand site called Winkalotts- they will ship to Japan- depending on what you want to buy may be worth you having a look at?

Also Toys r Us that I have been to in Tokyo and Osaka, that have the baby section, have a lot of choice regarding travel systems.

There is more than just Silver Cross that have this set up- I am in Australia and it's not a new idea down here.

There are even adapters you can get for some prams so that different branded carseats and prams can work together.

Good luck in your hunt.

Jo

Just to add on the NZ site you're looking for the "buggies" tag on the side then "travel systems"

Travel systems have been around for years - but not so popular in Japan.
Generally, pushchairs made made for foreign markets are more sturdy than the Japanese ones - even those made in Japan (e.g. US and Australian Combi products). Similarly, standards for car seats differ. However, buying import versions in Japan can be considerably expensive, you might find good prices on previous years models on Rakuten. Another option is the US version of Amazon - most of the products that are supplied directly by amazon can be shipped directly to Japan for really reasonable prices (import duties kick in over 10,000 yen - but is only a few percent).

Silver Cross make some excellent pushchair/strollers and really really good full size prams - but their car seats aren't great. The maxi-cosi seats are good and you can get adapters to fit to a number of different stroller brands (you can find them in Japan http://search.rakuten.co.jp/search/mall/maxi+cosi/-/) and that would give you more choice of the type of pushchair that suits your needs or Combi USA do a system that is good if you want a lightweight umbrella-type system. There is useful reviews on Amazon one the advantages/disadvantages - but I would consult Mum blogs in Japan/your own country and then work on a way of getting the model you want in Japan/shipped to Japan. It may even work out cheapest to use a shipping forwarder/consolidator (US, Europe, Australian ones available) and take advantage of cheaper foreign prices + strong yen.

Note that travel systems great for quick transfers to the car when baby is sleeping - but I wouldn't recommend long periods in a car seat on top of a buggy for young babies; great for popping to the shops etc, but putting into a proper comfortable buggy is better on longer walks/trips, especially when awake.