EAST AURORA, N.Y. — Citing lagging sales, Fisher-Price is ending production of children's car seats.
Millions of dollars spent on research and designing the company's highly praised car seats didn't translate into market demand, Neil Friedman, president of Fisher-Price Brands, told the Buffalo News.
Friedman said the decision will not result in any job losses at the company's East Aurora headquarters, located 15 miles southeast of Buffalo. He added that all seats still on retailers' shelves will continue to carry full warranties.
The company gave retailers the news in late spring, when it shipped out all the remaining seats.
"When those are gone, that's it. There will be no more," said company spokeswoman Laurie Oravec. Shoppers can probably find the seats through the fall, she added.
After introducing the Safe Embrace car seat in 1997, Fisher-Price unveiled the mirrored Stay-in-View, followed by the groundbreaking "tetherless" Futura 20/60, two years later. The latest, Grow-With-Me, first went out to retailers in January.
Because many parents failed to install car seats properly, Fisher-Price's new system was hailed for its innovation and safety performance. The high-end products cost between $70 and $160, according to the company's Web site.
The company, however, has remained stuck as the nation's No. 5 seller of car seats in what has become a highly competitive and price-sensitive market.
"Ours are premium priced. We took the position of very high quality," Oravec said.
This is the second time in seven years Fisher-Price has pulled out of car seat manufacturing. In 1994, car seats were the company's top-selling product but were discontinued due to their lack of profitability.
The company will refocus its spending on developing a new line of Baby Gear equipment.
"Our talent's being redirected," Oravec said. She expects the new products, including high chairs, playpens and nursery monitors, to appear on retailers' shelves in December.