Mamas and Papas warning!

[CarosBean]

I've got to the stage where my normal jeans,even with the hair band extension, are just too uncomfortable so after scouring the internet for over the bump jeans, I plumped for Mamas and Papas.
After waiting for over 2 weeks and a second call to their so called 'Customer Services', I've just been told that although the web site and their information states otherwise, the jeans are actually out of stock until December. It was only with me contacting them and asking what they can do about pushing through the order that this came to light. They'd already taken my money of course!
My main gripe is that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing and the girl I spoke to managed to turn my complaint around and made me feel like it was my fault that their system doesn't work! At the end of the day it a pair of jeans, no big deal, but what if I'd ordered my entire nursery/pram/other baby bumph with them?
Then on ringing them (after being on hold for 45 minutes I'll add-why not?!!) they said 'Oh, it says on the system we are waiting for the dispatch driver to pick it up, oh actually, no, its not available now until 4 months after the baby arrives?!' You wouldn't be best pleased would you?
I think for a company that prides itself on providing the service they do, this was a shocker... My first -and only now! - experience was really poor,the customer service was appauling and if I was you I'd think twice about using Mamas and Papas at all. I told the girl on the phone that I wouldn't be shopping with them in the future after this experience and she said she was going to offer me a good will gesture of a gift card but seeing as I wasn't going to shop with them from now on that she didn't think she would after all! So much for the customer always being right!
With all the other companies offering the same service out there trying their hardest for us to spend our hard earned cash with them, I'll be heading off elsewhere.
You're kids will be at school before they get their moses basket!
Sorry for the rant but thought you should be warned!

[goatinacoat]

I think shopping in Mamas and Papas is the sort of con we all only fall for first time round. They absolutely know how to tap into the PFB instincts but are so overpriced. If I were having any more I'd do it all second hand, you use the stuff for so short a time. I must have spent hundreds in that place getting everything to match

The gift card thing is a shocker though, I don't know how these people get jobs in Customer Services. I'd be writing a strongly worded letter to their Customer Services Director.

[limetrees]

There are warnings about M&P all over mumsnet. goatinacoat is totally right re M&P being the sort of con we all fall for first time round.

I bought lots of stuff there when I was pg with DS. Bought absolutely nothing from them when pg with DD.

I don't know how they stay in business TBH. Their service and delivery is exceptionally poor and their products are almost always overpriced and very often totally impractical. I don't have a single thing in my house remaining from M&P, I hate the place so much.

If they give you a gift card, sell it on eBay. Don't shop there ever again and if you have receipts for stuff you already have, take it back. They are a total disgrace and they rip of thousands of first time parents.

[Pootles2010]

They're appalling. My friend worked for them, she says no one who works there actually knows what the returns policy is, so each different person will tell you different thing.

So true about their stuff being impractical - what's with rear fastening baby gros? I mean honestly

[limetrees]

I actually wrote to them about the rear fastening babygros 5 years ago Pootles. Did they listen??!?!?!? No, they are just pissing off more new mothers with the same difficulty. I told them FGS! It just makes me hate them all the more - not only do they produce bad products, they don't listen when people inform them of it!

[MadStaringEyes]

My first pram was from there, cost my poor dparents a small fortune.

It was delivered late, and it was faulty, they decided to replace one bit at a time, starting with the ripped pram cover. 4 replacements and all were ripped, we asked for our money back. We were told no, we could have an ex-display pram . We took it to head office, who requested photo's of all the faults, sent them, and lo and behold, their softwear can't accept photo's.

After pestering them for months, and taking it to an obscure director, they eventually agreed to refund us, 'just to get rid' of us and gave us a complimentary high chair, which was a crock of shit too.

Hate them. Very rude staff, and poor quality produce.

[MadStaringEyes]

I quite liked the rear closing babygrows. They meant I could do them up whilst ds's leant against my chest.

[Pootles2010]

But but but how do you get him into them before putting him on your chest? Sooo much easier to lay baby gro out on mat, then plonk ds on top. And and and, the prestuds stick into the back of my poor delicate pfb ds.

[whojimmyflip]

I went to their shop being out later than expected and needing to feed my newly weaned baby. They had run out of frigging baby food! (obv I was massively underprepared but still)

[CarosBean]

Thanks for your messages! They have definately made me feel better and won't be going anywhere near M&P any time soon! If anyone has got suggestions for jeans that don't fall down whilst your waiting for the bump to grow enough to fill the pouch it would be much appreciated!

[misdee]

new look do over the bump jeans. they are a pregnancy must for me (5 kids)

[wheelshavefallenoffthebus]

I've been living in some over the bump next jeans. V comfortable

[stressheaderic]

M&P = shocker of a company. The stores are just giant dolls houses full of pretty frilly useless things to look at but never use. I swear not one person in their creative team has ever looked after a real life baby.
Load of shite.

[partyhats]

Their clothes are not designed for human babies.
Stay away.

[Gastonladybird]

Rear fastening mystifyingly popular in France - is there something I missed as they were pita.

Gap jeans (and maternity wear) great and delivery super slick

[AlwaysRocking]

I also got my over the bump jeans from new look, they fit well and were really cheap when I got them. Actually wearing them right now 4 m after dd was born as I can't part with the comfort

[louby86]

I also got my over the bump jeans from new look. They're so comfy I'm going to get a couple more pairs! They were only £15.99 I think too

[Christobel51]

Braces.... its the only way!!! Or maternity leggings.

[KittyBump]

I had a pair of mamas & papas jeans, the first time I wore them they split right down the crotch displaying my pants to the garden centre :) you may have had a lucky escape! But I didn't have any issues with returning them

[ddrmum]

I had maternity jeans from Next & Gap - both were great and really comfy. Agree with all the above about M&P!!

[MadStaringEyes]

I would lay him down and pop his arms in, then lift him against me and do up the back. Or I undid the top popper and sliped it over his head.

[MissVerinder]

My friend has just today put something on FB about the crap customer service from M&P.

I think they are generally shite.

[bethelbeth]

I quite liked their furniture- as it's solid and not veneer.

Cue spending round about 5k on nursery furniture. Eeek

It took about a month to get to us and it was bloody flatpacked!

For that kind of money I fully expect someone to come and install it/cart it upstairs. I was vaaaastly pregnant and not going to do it on my own.

Couple of pieces were already marked etc.

Never again.

[DownyEmerald]

I am that I did fall for the M&P thing when pregnant with PFB dd. And DPs parents coughed up for furniture for dd's room, which was very lovely of them, but I can't believe now I included a cover thing for the changing mat. WTF is what I think now, but I honestly had no idea about babies at all and M&P totally pander to that.

Furniture good actually and still in use, and blokes did come and put it together for us, but I do wish I'd asked them to spend a lot less.

Also bought one of their moses baskets for £80! - which dd barely used of course. Lent it to a friend (congratulated myself for getting rid of it) and it lasted her precisely 6 weeks. Can't give it away now and it still looks brand new!

[wolfnipplechips]

Hate M&P, fell for it all with PFB had a pram that lasted approx 8 months when i took it back they told me i'd have to pay for it to be fixed . Went for a bugaboo the second time only then realised just how shit M&P customer service was.

My friend had a (expensive) baby chair that broke with her fairly new baby in it, she didn't get so much as a no apology from them and was told it must of been because her baby was too heavy she was about 6 weeks.

Won't be darkening their doorsteps this time.

[sprinkles77]

yeah. over priced shit. crap customer service. Ugly clothes.