Online Boutique Runchkins makes buying kids’ clothes a snap

Sally Meyer, photos by Andrea Paulseth |

My Facebook newsfeed has long been filled with ads for subscription services offering everything from meals to snacks, wine, adult clothing, accessories, beauty products, toys, crafts, and more. If you are looking for a more convenient way to shop and try new products, you’ll likely have no trouble finding it these days. As a mother of two, I am well aware of the time and hassle of shopping for kids clothes, and it’s not uncommon for me to be rifling around in the morning looking for something clean that fits and is weather appropriate to dress my kids in. Enter Runchkins!

It was only a matter of time before a kids clothing subscription service hit the Web, so I was excited to get an email from a longtime friend, John Welch, a UW-Eau Claire grad who recently partnered on the start-up. Welch’s background in technology design and customer experience helped craft this clothing service with a more sustainable approach. Runchkins, which launched earlier this spring, sends you a box of four to five complete outfits for a $10 styling fee. You pay for what you love and decide to keep and send the rest back in a pre-paid shipping bag. You can opt in or out any month that you’d like. However, unlike other clothing services, Runchkins recognizes the temporary nature of kids clothing and gives you the option to sell the items back when your children outgrow them.

I recently had the chance to try out Runchkins, and my boxes were filled with cute outfits for my kids to try on. I filled out a profile and selected colors, patterns, styles, and sizes that would fit them. When the box arrived a few days later, I immediately noticed how nice the clothing was! The outfits ranged from preppy to dressy to casual, and most items were priced between $20 and $40. Each box comes complete with pricing and “buy-back” details, so when your kiddos outgrow the clothing you can receive cash or store credit for the items you no longer need. I loved trying the service and found it to be an easy way to find everyday and special-occasion outfits for my kids that you won’t find in stores around here. If you are interested in trying a convenient and fun way to find children’s clothing, check out runchkins.com.