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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

to be absolutely furious with ******* mothercare??

145 replies

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 19:56

i am so angry and disapointed with mothercare. i bought a phil and teds vibe just over 8 months ago (has only been used for 6 months) and this is the third time i have had to take it back for it to be 'repaired'! both times previously these 'repairs' have each taken 28 days, so in total it has only been used for 4 months :(

in total with all accesories i paid close to £1000 for this pram. within the first two months of using it the front wheel went wonky at the front and it became impossible to push. i returned it to the store and they tried to imply that maybe i had exceeded the weight limit for the pram. hilarious that, as my dcs were 14months and 2 months!! they sent it off for repair leaving me without a buggy for 28 days, as they had no spare double. i had to buy a cheap secondhand one.

a month later the same thing happens again, yet this time i was visiting friends by train and alone, without the car, with my two dc and with a pram impossible to push. it was a nightmare. i had to phone dh to come and get us, which cost more money in petrol and wasted train tickets, plus lots of stress. also the bumper bar jammed and would not come off, so the doubles kit could no longer attach to the front of the chasis. again returned to mothercare and sent off for repair.arrived back 25 days later.

two weeks later (today) i am in town with the 2 dc and yet again the wheel buckles and the pram becomes impossible to push. i somehow manage to drag it into mothercare and ask for the manager. i explain yet again the pram has failed and all of the above. i said that i am not happy for it to be sent off for repair and i would eitherlike a refund or new pram. she said as my pram was over 6 months old all she could offer was a repair. i then asked to speak to someone at head office and she said it was closed as its the weekend. Angry

so yet again i have no pram and am absolutely fuming. AIBU?

OP posts:
lowrib · 06/10/2010 09:51

Tempting though it is to speak to someone who actually might give a stuff, unfortunately contacting the manufacturer direct isn't the right thing to do.

When you buy something, your contract is with the shop you bought it from, and it's their responsibility to sort it out if something goes wrong, not the manufacturer.

QuickLookBusy · 06/10/2010 10:40

Contact Trading Standards. 08454 040506

They are really helpful and give you lots of advise. They will even tell you what to put in letters, which laws to quote etc.

DinahRod · 06/10/2010 10:42

Got an excellent deal on my Maclaren pram and car seat from Mothercare that Kiddicare couldn't touch and fast delivery too but agree their customer service across stores is erratic. My nearest is poor, my brother's Tamworth one is staffed by very nice people.

Hope they're sorting you out Lacyleggins.

mumofthreesweeties · 06/10/2010 11:35

LL, your pram is not fit for the purpose it was intended for if it keeps falling apart. AFAIK, there is no real time limit for claiming something is not fit for the purpose if you have paid a considerable amount of money for it. You should demand a full refund because the other bits and pieces you bought were specifically for you to use with the P&T pushchair so they will be useless if you no longer have the push chair. This is under the SOGA 1979 as well. Wish you luck

Fimbo · 06/10/2010 11:38

Maybe Mothercare have gagged LL.

cumfy · 06/10/2010 12:43

Fimbo, that's terribly cynical. :o

Marchpane · 06/10/2010 13:04
Alibabaandthe40nappies · 06/10/2010 13:12

I hate Mothercare. Unfortunately there is one incredibly close to my house so they have had a lot of default business from us.
These days I make an effort to go elsewhere because the customer service is so awful, and the quality of especially the boys clothes is shocking.

I cannot believe the arrogance to contact MNHQ to have the thread title changed and still not have dealt with the complaint that the post is about!

Blatherskite · 06/10/2010 14:34

I would guess MNHQ changed the thread title themselves - they have said they don't like the C word many times in the past.

Doesn't necessarily mean that Mothercare have seen the thread or asked for it to be changed. You are jumping to conclusions.

misdee · 06/10/2010 14:37

blatherskit, mn have said on another thread mothercare asked them to change the title

Blatherskite · 06/10/2010 14:52

Ah, OK. I stand corrected. As you were :)

DinahRod · 06/10/2010 14:54

Apparently 'Mothercare' in search came up with Cunting Mothercare Grin

DinahRod · 06/10/2010 14:54

oops

misdee · 06/10/2010 14:59

did u just say cunting mothercare Grin

Summerhols · 06/10/2010 15:18

Now that is people power, one way to piss off a company.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 06/10/2010 15:22

You would think they would be keener to solve customer problems, especially when a Google search brings up article after article about what dreadful figures they have reported so far this year.

cumfy · 06/10/2010 18:00

Maybe Mothercare have gagged LL.

I'm starting to wonder if that may be the case Fimbo. :(

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 06/10/2010 19:38

cumfy - surely they wouldn't be so stupid? Let's hope that she's just busy and will be able to come back and update at some point.

cumfy · 06/10/2010 20:22

Alibaba

Why would it necessarily be stupid ?

readinginsteadnow · 06/10/2010 20:38

All this has made me a bit nostalgic for the time I had a small enough child to be able to complain about Mothercare Grin

Best moment instore: took buggy with faulty brake back, after it popped out and buggy rolled off down bus before I regained control. Mothercare manager gave me a very loud very derisory talking down about how I was at fault because I didnt know how to use the brake correctly Hmm. Then proceeded to show me. Then went red and quietly admitted it was a fault... this time...

mumbar · 06/10/2010 20:44

YANBU - and the 'weight' argument was used with me too. I had the stroller - just cheap £320 ish (sale) bought when DS was 2 and we moved back home. After 4 weeks the tyres on the back wheels were worn out. Tried to claim overloaded. I said up to 15kg was recommendation and whe said no 35 lbs. I said its the same thing Grin she told me it must be as my raincover bag (sold separetly for this model)and on the back of buggy at the time Hmm. I did complain by email to HO and got a voucher for £40 the retail price so I would urge you to send an email and outline exactly what the problem is, the costs you've occured and what YOU want now.

Best of luck.

mumbar · 06/10/2010 20:47

Sorry £20 ish - not £320 Grin and Blush

JjandtheBeanlovesUnicorns · 06/10/2010 22:47

Dinahrod if you take proof of price of something kiddicare sell cheaper elsewhere theyll price match and take a further 10% off!

we brought our baby monitor then saw it cheaper went back and mentioned it and they refunded the different, i heart kiddicare

JjandtheBeanlovesUnicorns · 06/10/2010 22:49

*difference

HelenMumsnet · 07/10/2010 12:09

Hi all: just to let you know we have been in touch with Mothercare and are just waiting for them to come back to us with a response to this...