Build a Bear - con?

[bluejeans]

Anyone else with a DD (or DS) who loves this shop?

They have this thing where the cuddly toys are barcoded and the child has to enter their email address onto a computer so if the teddy is lost it can be traced back to them - oh yeah and they then bombard your DCs account with lots of direct marketing junk emails...

Oh and they are pretty hard sell in the shop, eg (to DD) 'do you want a beating heart/voicebox for your bear?' (at £4 each!) - and 'Don't forget pants for your teddy' - £3 a pair - I don't pay that for mine! You end up feeling quite mean only buying the bear!

Grrr - it's on a par with McDonalds!

[LynetteScavo]

NO - it's not on par with MCDonalds - I ended up paying £70+ for 2 bears. McD's only charges £4 for a couple of happy meals.

[TheOnlyDailyMaleForMeisDH]

How is the teddy traced if it's lost though - as if someone finding it would know to take it to one of their stores and that they'd bother to trace it

If you want to waste spend £35 on a teddy bear Hamleys make some very swish ones. Actually £35 will even get you a nice one from Harrods!

[LilyOfTheMountain]

See my boys adore their build a bears, DS1 is a bit embarassed about it LOL but ds3 in aprticular has a real bond with his and its great (we got them all bears on ds4's first birthday- the sheep saying 'happy birthday DS4 I love you from ds1' is a particular treasure that ds4 loves)

Direct emails to spam

[LilyOfTheMountain]

It does have a label on it saying please taqke me to the store so I can be traced

[bluejeans]

True re the cost!

Yes - I must get organised and cancel the emails!

And I agree re tracing lost bears - wonder if anyone actually has?

Oh - and yes I have club penguin saved to my favs! (by DD...)

[TheOnlyDailyMaleForMeisDH]

As a parent I would be reluctant to take the bear in because the urchins would then want one though.

[LilyOfTheMountain]

Much as I like your name (and I really do) perhaps you need to develop a harsher NO! and a devil look? (or is that just me........)

[frasersmummy]

my local build a bear are really good...

we are always in browsing and when they say can we help we explain that ds only gets to buy here when his sticker chart is full.

The staff are brilliant they dont apply pressure they enourage ds to keep being good and tell him about new exciting ranges that might have come in by the time he has filled the chart

We have a few bears with the barcode and a stuff it card.. and have never had email from them.

[expatinscotland]

I think they're rather cute.

But my teenage nieces also have TONS of Build-a-Bear clothes they pass on to my girls.

I just get only the bears.

DD1 just got a cool looking blue one.

[frasersmummy]

oh and they tell me they have re-united 2 bears .. one of them resulted in happy tears and hugs

[bluejeans]

Poor DD doesn't get many emails (a school friend moved away but doesn't write much, but DD always asks to check hers when I'm checking mine) every time it's all Build a bear! But then that's cos her mum is too daft to stop them. Think I will do it now..............

[TheOnlyDailyMaleForMeisDH]

Actually I'd call the store and say 'I have your bear, it's barcode is leave an envelope stuffed with chocolate on the park bench and the bear will be returned unharmed'

Got to be worth a try.

[bluejeans]

[GRIN]

[bluejeans]

or even

[expatinscotland]

I framed all their birth certificates.

They're so cute!

DD1 always choses the naffest bears, too.

DD2 goes for classic ones.

[bluejeans]

expat you're a nicer mummy than me!

[feedthegoat]

Aww my ds loves his bear Eddie .

He got it ages ago (it was my bad mummy bribe for the final 'no more accidents' potty training push) but he still talks about making him.

They didn't do any hard sell on us at all but it was the school holidays and queues were huge so they probably didn't have time! I also avoided signing up for emails as ds only 3 and not bothered.

He is trying to tap me up for a new outfit for him though Apparently Eddie needs to learn to surf since we got back from our holiday to devon . he saw a little surf outfit in the shop window. I'm holding firm at the moment but it's his 4th birthday in October so might let him have it then.

[expatinscotland]

cheap frames in IKEA.

[expatinscotland]

DD1's got this naff rainbow one she calls Pinky.

[amidaiwish]

DDs got given £20 vouchers each by their aunty for christmas for build a bear.
We went in march and i couldn't beleive the prices. 2 bears plus some outfits was about £60.

I was pretty shocked by the cost at the time and swore never to set foot in there again (and used a fake e-mail address btw, dh is v wary of these things no way were they getting a real one!)

however, they have played with them over and over and over, and now when they have been particularly good we go in for a new outfit or accessory, about £10 each, which considering the amount of play they get seems worth it.

was also shocked at £3 for pants though! DD2 wanted them, no way! staff v good though, lots of interaction and absolutely no hard sell (Kingston store).

[amidaiwish]

oh and now DD1 has a "build a bear" game for the Wii. (i have no idea who bought it for her, not me!) she loves it.

[LilyOfTheMountain]

ds3 gas the game ofr his DS (he's 6, but ahs sn so plays games aimed at much smaller children)

He adores it, makes me want to poke my eyes out with a sharp stick mind. One case where his dislike of sharing is a Good Thing LOL