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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that MOther care is the crappiest shop in the world and tbh a bit rough?

146 replies

NoahFence · 10/05/2011 15:18

i went in there to look ( indesperation) for a gift for a new mum - was thinking some gear or some clothes. WHat a hell hole. Naff logoed clothes, sterile shopping area, stroppy be-polyestered staff and a general air of tiredness

AIBU to sugggest that Mothercare has Lost its way?

OP posts:
Original poster
NoahFence · 10/05/2011 16:40

"And plug a Glade in somewhere."

lol

agree fewer and more destination not desperation.

liek the day tripping 50 year olds hoofing off to the nearest Lakeland shop.

OP posts:
ILoveDrKarl · 10/05/2011 16:41

Don't generally like their clothes, hate the fact that they NEVER have the sizes you actually need and agree that the shopping "experience" is dire...BUT - they pretty much have the monopoly on really tiny clothes (around here anyway), without having to go online and even for small (but not prem) babies they have a much better range than anywhere else. As a mother of 4, 2 of whom were in "tiny baby" for the first month of their lives and the other 2 of whom were prem so were in "early baby" and then "tiny baby" they were a lifesaver. Once kids were passed about 3/4 months though we've only used them for sleepsuits and PJs.

BelovedCunt · 10/05/2011 16:41

my mother loves lakeland!

Original poster
NoahFence · 10/05/2011 16:42

then they MUST have a tiny baby special area.

OP posts:
Lovecat · 10/05/2011 16:56

BC, do you live near Beckton? Or are there 2 McD's in the world sited opposite sewage works with outside seating areas....?

BelovedCunt · 10/05/2011 16:58

no i don't - it must be a tie in, shit and shit. nice

AuntieMonica · 10/05/2011 17:04

i just wanted to pop in and stick up for a lovely Mothercare store.

It's in Corby (go on, google Corby, it's all that, and more Wink )- the staff there are lovely and helpful. One of the assistants even remembers my DD's name and we only ever go in there for underwear and sunhats!

And it's clean, and tidy. And at the other end of the shopping centre from the Mc Donalds.

As you were Grin

Original poster
NoahFence · 10/05/2011 17:10

lol

OP posts:
misshospitalcorners · 10/05/2011 17:31

Is it not the customers who maketh the store? Perhaps it is just your area, OP Wink

My local Mothercare store is lovely, it's a fair drive from where I live but worth going for their fab Clarks consension. ELC too, which is handy for me.

Can't remember the last time I purchased from MC (so can't comment on their items) but agree that Mary Portas should have a stab at it all the same.

Continuum · 10/05/2011 17:38

They barely stock boys clothes anymore, makes my blood boil!! Though it did (not been in for years) have a lovely feeding room with gliding chairs and a water cooler and carpets and pictures on the wall.

otisdriftwood · 10/05/2011 17:47

The near us is very nice...it's been done up and had an elc and clarks added

DesperateHousewife21 · 10/05/2011 17:50

Oh my local Mothercare is quite nice, always clean and the displays are done well.

Ive bought things in there recently and the quality has been good and staff were very friendly and offered to carry things to my car.

I agree that the clothes are really overpriced though and shop elsewhere for those.

BimboNo5 · 10/05/2011 17:51

Overpriced tat imvho

Firawla · 10/05/2011 17:54

I don't mind mothercare, it's alright to get general baby stuff from and some clothes are okay. Ours is always very busy because its the only specifically baby shop in the highstreet here, there is boots for some things and some shops like m&s which do have baby clothes but for all the other baby stuff then its only mothercare. I never noticed any smell in ours. The big ones with early learning centre in them are nice I think, like wood green has a nice one. There's a lot worse shops, atleast its not like tk maxx how everything is just chucked in a huge pile or shoved on racks in such a disorganised way, its fairly well presented and tidy.
Personally I would be quite surprised if they go out of business, as they are such a well known name, and tend to be busy when you go in. Its still one of the first shops people think of for baby things so if they want to stock up expecting their first baby a lot of people probably go and buy up half of mothercare

AmazingBouncingFerret · 10/05/2011 17:59

I wouldnt say it's the crappiest shop in the world. It's certainly not the swankiest. I've never had a problem in my local one and I work right next door to it. The staff are lovely.

MrsKwazii · 10/05/2011 18:04

I have mixed feelings. I like the fact that they will price-math equipment adn our local store is handy as it also includes ELC (which Mothercare owns) and a Clark's concession. But the children's clothes are very expensive and their maternity range is overpriced and underwhelming. They are also v expensive for 'basics' equipment like bottles etc. which you can get much cheaper at supermarket baby events.

Like someone else has said I think, they're going the way of WH Smith, trucking along with what they do without recognising that there is more choice out there at better quality and with keener pricing.

I also hate the way they have everything in pink for girls and blue for boys - colours are colours people! Emailed Mothercare head office once to complain about the proliferation of pink in the ELC range and got a fob off cut-and-paste response. They also mark their dressing-up clothes in Mothercare as for girls and boys - not just dressing-up.

Actually, I don't have mixed feelings now. They're a shockingly complacent set-up that needs to pull their finger out and offer customers something better. Grin

zukiecat · 10/05/2011 18:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Cursingtheboobytum · 10/05/2011 18:07

Been into a few on the highstreet, such as in Canterbury and Weymouth and couldn't get the buggy through the gaps in the clothing. My buggy is a dinky M&P prammette so it does seem really poorly thought out - here come and buy some clothes if you can get to them...
When we were buggy shopping we walked out of MC after the staff member mumbled at us incoherently for ten minutes and we were none the wiser. We'd had to wait ages for someone to even acknowledge/speak to us in the first place.

Original poster
NoahFence · 10/05/2011 18:17

agree they were DIRE for maternity wear - gap mat wear is always a lot nicer and H and M

OP posts:
choceyes · 10/05/2011 18:17

The big one in Manchester is not too bad, although I hardly buy any clothes from there I had some gift vouchers to spend so got a couple of nice dresses for DD.
There is a massive ELC upstairs too and lots of toys out, so DS loves it, has to be dragged away from there.

WorzselMaamage · 10/05/2011 18:24

We have a massive one just up the road and I learned not to go there when DC one was about 3 months old.. it coincided with them stocking black leatherette puffer jackets for newborns by Mylene has no Class.

Snorbs · 10/05/2011 18:45

You know how supermarkets waft the smell of freshly baked bread through the store to make you feel hungry and buy more stuff? I think some manager from Mother Care saw that and had a brain wave - hence the ubiquitous smell of shitty nappies in MC stores. They think it's going to trigger your subconscious into buying more nappies and wetwipes.

Actually, it's been years since I've been in a Mother Care but when I did (the big one in Watford) it was a wretched experience. We wanted to buy a cot. We saw the cot we wanted. It was on sale, so the price was merely extortionate rather than eye-watering. Could we get any bugger to at least come and talk to us, let alone condescend to actually let us buy the sodding thing? Could we bollocks. I eventually had to hunt around the place to find and herd a resentful and unhelpful assistant back to where we could point to what we wanted and ask, in short words and helpful sign language, if we could buy the thing. I think the whole process took well over an hour. I've bought an entire motorbike in less time than that and that's including the test ride.

And why, for the love of all that is holy, does a shop that is squarely aimed at parents of tiny children have aisles that are too fucking small to get a pram through? What brain donor thought that one up?

MayDayChild · 10/05/2011 18:59

I wanted a new buggy recently. I rang our local SUPERSTORE and they didn't stock any of the buggies!
A bugaboo
A maclaren
A loola
Wtf?
The only good thing they sell is knickers. The best on the high St for girls.
But mat clothes? Forget it.
I've seen a dozen posts on here about their terrible bra fitting service.
Agree about the 17 yr old gum chewers. I went in for a refund an she asked for my address. I said I'm declining to give you that information. She practically swore at me that I had to. Over comes manager and corrects girl that I don't have to give it! Its voluntary information.
The said 17 yr old began slagging me off before I'd got 10 paces.
Never going there again.
Until DD needs new knickers. Grrrrrr

ImChangingMyNameToDaddy · 10/05/2011 19:03

When i was pregnant with DS1 we went to mothercare with MIL for maternity clothes, cot bedding (got ex display with more than half the original price off)

As i was pregnant i was at the loo every 15 mins. But not in this store..ohhhh nooo....ALL toilets were OUT OF ORDER Angry

I did go to Mamas & Papas in Birstall when we first found out i was pregnant and that was lovely, very tidy, clean, well presented, helpful smiley staff - just over priced products.

maighdlin · 10/05/2011 19:16

i went mad in mothercare when pregnant. I was mad and didn't know what else to do. I have since learnt the errors of my ways. The only good things I got in mothercare were nursing bras. never forgot them after some (apologies but) cunt made me shake with rage. I was in looking at car seats. wanted one for my mum to have for my 9mo. was quite shocked at prices of them and asked a guy for help. I said i didn't want a super duper iso fix £200 job, i wanted one for my mother to have that she would use to drive to her sisters and possibly the supermarket, also skint. he said "well if you aren't willing to pay for a good seat you're not concerned with safety." i went mental and stormed out of the shop. i couldn't believe it. Had a brilliant come back but only when i had calmed down "well why is mothercare selling substandard seats then, if its only the X that is safe?" was furious and wrote a letter of complaint. is that some tactic they use to scare scared first time mums into buying the most expensive thing in the shop? it was only one member of staff in one shop but i will never be back in any of them.

(eventually did get a car seat for my mum, it was 12.50 in ASDA and conformed to all standards required Grin)

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