Parents need all the help they can get. Which is why we think BerryClever, a brand new social shopping site for new and expecting parents is great. It aims to make online shopping more fun and interactive by giving parents the power to discover and choose the perfect parenting products by reading and sharing honest advice from the people they can trust the most, their friends. BerryClever has had over 7,000 members joins since it launched 3 months ago.

Online shopping has revolutionised our lives and the range of product choices available to parents for their little ones has never been greater. But with this overwhelming range of choice often comes more questions than answers, especially for first time parents who are under pressure to buy all sorts of baby essentials that they often know nothing about. BerryClever’s research found that an incredible 91% of people surveyed admitted that they had wasted money buying the wrong products for their babies. What’s more 86% of people surveyed wanted their friend’s recommendations when making purchasing decisions. So where do you start when it comes to choosing the right products for your baby? That’s where BerryClever comes in.

BerryClever has created a unique online environment, which allows you to connect with existing friends and new like-minded ones to discover the products they love, regret or simply can’t live without. Kristi Flax and Emma Kafton, who are both mums themselves, recognise that parents in particular prefer recommendations from people they know and trust when it comes to buying products for their babies. Because the reviews on BerryClever are written by friends in your network, you know they have no vested interest in promoting certain products and that they are just sharing their own honest and experienced views. Emma explains that “the idea is to make online shopping for your baby feel intuitive rather than the transactional and anonymous experience you get on many other ecommerce websites. With so much online content being disingenuous, the ability to read information from people you trust is ever more valuable”.

BerryClever’s reviews, known as ‘tips’, are no longer than 150 characters making them quick to write and read on mobile devices and ideal for busy mums on the go. As parents overwhelmingly prefer reviews from people they know, BerryClever’s unique algorithm ranks reviews based on their social profile so they will always be shown the most relevant products reviewed by their friends and the people they are most similar to first.

Users can also upload Pictips – a product photo review, watch recommended videos from the web and create lists of favourite or most wanted products for themselves or to share with others. The ability to explore friends’ lists provides a simple way for experienced parents to help their newly pregnant friends find everything they need for every stage of their birth and child’s development, from weaning and feeding to potty training, playing and learning.

Not only does BerryClever help parents make the important decisions on what to buy, it also quickly and easily links directly through to their Amazon account or the retailer’s website to allow them to make the purchase. There is even a ‘demand a lower price’ feature to help parents, who on average spend £5,000 in the first year of their child’s life alone, save money on expensive items like buggies and car seats. If a lower price can be found, the user will be sent an email within 48 hours confirming an offer which they can choose to either accept or decline, with no hidden small print.

Every feature is intended to make BerryClever a place where shopping can become a fun, social and resourceful experience.

Sign up now and invite your friends to see what they really think of those ‘must-have’ products www.berryclever.com