Learn and Groove Activity Station LeapFrog

I normally don't write reviews but my recent experience with LeapFrog was so bad I felt I needed to warn others against this company.
In a nutshell, the station is ok-ish, my baby has tried it at a friend's place and it is a good way to keep them safe and entertained whilst you need your hands free to do something else. It would be good if the station had a few more tunes or things to do, it is actually quite limited. BUT if you are going to buy it, I strongly suggest you don't use LeapFrog directly as in my experience:
• There is no clear communication on when the product will arrive, how long it will take, etc.
• There is no pick up service if there are problems - you will have to carry it to a postoffice
• The staff at the service desk don't seem to know the product very well in terms of understanding how it is assembled and what possible problems could be
• The company has shown very poor customer service throughout - only one person in the 8 times I called apologised, they seemed disinterested, they only responded to my online complaint after I queried them about it on the phone, and the response was a very poorly worded e-mail full spelling mistakes and again no apologies.
• The left hand clearly doesn't know what the right hand is doing....

If you still decide to go with them directly, all I can say is "good luck";!

I ordered the Learn & Groove activity station in mid February directly from LeapFrog. Although there had been no confirmation of when the station would arrive, it did come a few days later. So far so good, at least I thought...
After struggling to assemble the station I noticed it was not working properly. The station is supposed to come with two music modes - "learn"; and "Groove"; but mine didn't switch between the modes and was forever stuck in the ABC... I called the help desk and at first they suggested replacing the Jukebox. Ten days and a couple of phone calls on my part later, the replacement part arrived. Replacing it was not so easy though. When assembling the activity station, several attachments(microphone, jukebox, discoball) need to be slotted into the top. Once in, it is almost impossible to take them out again. It finally took me and my husband, a lot of strong language and a couple of broken nails to do the swap. Sadly, the problem persisted and I called the helpdesk again. This time they suggested I'd send the item back so they could have a look at it and find out what the problem is. This presented the next problem. Even though the item was ordered online and delivered to my home, LeapFrog does not have a pick-up service and I was required to carry the item to the post office to use their Freepost solution. Granted, it didn't cost me anything to send it back but given the size of the package and the fact that most people who order this item will have a baby in tow, it is very inconvenient. Not a one person job ...
I sent the item back and entered a period of waiting again. At no point did the company show any pro-activeness in letting me know they received the station, how long it would take, whether a new one was on its way, etc. I called several times and a couple of weeks later, the new station finally arrived. You would have thought that given the previous problems, LeapFrog would have taken extra care to ensure the station was in full working order. Unfortunately, this did not seem to be the case as this time the spring in one of the legs was missing, making it quite dangerous for my baby to sit in it as it was at an angle and didn't "bounce"; properly. Another call to the service desk saw them promise to solve the issue - a couple of days later a replacement leg arrived. Unfortunately, the spring is not in the leg, but in the top of the station, where the leg slots into. By now I was losing my patience. It had been 6 weeks since I originally ordered the station and my baby was starting to grow out of it before even having had the chance to enjoy it! The service desk did not show a lot of service attitude. No apologies were made and it felt very much like I was a nuisance for having "very unusual part"; missing. I gave them until the end of the week to solve it or give me a refund. The end of the week came and went with no communication. Feeling generous, I extended the deadline with a couple of days and posted a complaint on their website. Again no response so I decided to call and demand a refund and give them a piece of my mind around the fact that they again have not been in contact, not let me know when the part would arrive and not responded to my complaint. This time I was encountered with a bizarre questioning of where I had purchased the station. "On the LeapFrog website"; I said. "Yes but which website, there are many websites that sell LeapFrog products";. "I understand that, but it was your own, LeapFrog website"; I said again. "We will need to have more information I'm afraid, otherwise we can't process it";. "Can you run me through your sites then so I can remember";? "Oh no, there are so many that sell our productrs";. "I know, but it was your OWN website!!!";. Never mind, a bit of digging through my files, ah there it is, "www.LeapFrog.com"; I say. "No that isn't possible, we don't sell products through that site"; is the response. Aaarggh - there is a button on this website to buy goods but it actually takes you through to another site, leapfrogstore.co.uk. I mention this site and finally we are getting somewhere - although still no apologies. I get another PO box number (no Freepost this time so beware!) to send it back. By now I am so disillusioned by my experience with this company that I am very wary of sending it back before getting my refund but in the end I do send it back (another wait until the weekend so my husband can help with another awkward trip to the post office).
A week or so later I do get a full refund which almost placates me enough to let it go without writing the review I promised them in the heat of the moment. That is until a couple of days ago when the doorbell rings and a box from leapfrog arrives with something that looks suspiciously like a new Learn & Groove station. Perhaps the company has finally grasped the essence of customer service? Alas, it was not so. It was another attempt to replace the missing spring, this time with the whole bottom section. Never mind we are 3 months on and this would still not have solved the problem (it is a spring in the top bit that is missing, don't you people know your own product??!!) but what does it say about the company's internal processes that they send this part 3 weeks after the refund has already been processed! I give up.....

i have used this product for two of my children who both loved it although it was expensive its been one of the best baby toys that i have bought and will be using it for child number three x

Great for babies that want to see everything and feel like they are standing up. Seat turns 360 degrees and lots of toys to keep them occupied

when i saw this product i thought it was great... like other mums some of the functions gave up quickly, and its very expensive. but still my l.o loved it.

Great fun for baby but not very durable. My son loved this when played on a friends - was overwhelmed with excitement. We loved the DJ booth function. But everyone I know has found one of the functions giving up fairly quickly. For two of my friends it was the microphone. For us it was the scratchy record - the best bit!

Very catchy 'sing it baby' tune! Lots of things to fiddle with. Comfy seat. Can turn round, but not on wheels so its safe. And a reasonably good resale value,

Very catchy 'sing it baby' tune! Lots of things to fiddle with. Comfy seat. Can turn round, but not on wheels so its safe. And a reasonably good resale value,

I love this as does my little girl.
She got it for christmas when she was just starting to cruise. However this can be used from 6 months as the legs are removable so can be used for floor play.
It makes a great support and encourages little ones to move around the table with all the activities on there. It is small enough not to take up too much room in the house too!
It has lights and music. It has a little box that you can 'open and close' which my daughter loves and it says the phrases se you do it.
It has a book in the middle which turns it into a musical table or a verbal table.
It teaches colours , alphabet , shapes etc. It has lots of flashing lights too.
Very sturdy and well made.
All in a good toy for a relatively cheap price which will get a good year or two play!

I agree that this is one of the best toy purchases you can make for young babies. This has kept my two girls occupied for hours- easy to slide into another room when you are doing jobs. Lots to keep them entertained and explore.

my little un loves this, specially the microphone to chew on and the way he can turn round in the seat!!
there are 2 settings for volume but it can still be a little noisy.
although it folds down a bit, if you live in a small house like me it still takes up a fair bit of room.
i recorded some of the sounds and songs to my phone and play them when we are out and about if bab gets upset- works a treat!!

DD (9m) loves this and is really upset that she is now to big for it (she is very tall for her age and can now push herself out of it!) However we have taken the base off and she now sits on the floor and plays with it. I have found the 2 volume settings handy.

This is one of the best purchases I made. It is one of the few toys which occupied my clingy girls when I leave the room (for short periods) and I could get on with doing things knowing they were safe. Only disadvantages are the price and there is no volume control.