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Original poster

To think smiggle is rubbish??

146 replies

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 05/09/2017 20:28

My DD needs a pencil case this year, going into year 2. All summer she has been asking to get the stuff from Smiggle. She's a terrible sleeper and we did a reward chart, with the reward being that she could get one and fill it from there.

She earned it, so yesterday we went and she got a pencil case, water bottle, keyring, pencils that smell like strawberries, toppers, ruler, scissors, rubbers like lollipops, colours, a pen with a Pom Pom on it and a few other things. (£90!!!! Almost had a heart attack)

We left the shop and she wanted to look at her stuff... picked up the pen and the Pom Pom fell off.

Then she tried the soap band ruler, and it had a big scratch in the design all on the inside Confused

So as I was two minutes out, I went back to the shop and showed them that the items were faulty. They refused to give me a refund and said they only do gift vouchers. I'm pretty sure that's not right, said so, and was refused, so got the gift voucher and left.

Today we were getting her stuff ready for school, putting her stuff in the pencil case, and the zip broke. Totally broke off. Ffs.

Also the metal part of the sharpener is not in right so it doesn't sharpen properly.

Now she has to go to school tomorrow without her little pencil case she's been so excited about. Which I know isn't a big deal... but it is to her.

I'm so annoyed. If you're going to charge £5 a pen and ££££ a pencil case, surely you have to make them with a bit of care so they last more than three seconds.

I'm so pissed off.

OP posts:
Iloveanimals · 05/09/2017 21:04

I can't believe it's £90 either. Shock
I'm jealous though, I wish I could spend all that on stationary.

Leavingonajet · 05/09/2017 21:06

The prices are tiny and often nowhere near the items in question, I started getting the staff to check the price for me but the shops I have been in are often very busy so that can be hard to do.

Original poster
MaryPoppinsPenguins · 05/09/2017 21:07

I can't... I need a new boiler... I probably can't get one now. We'll have to burn strawberry pencils for heat instead 😂

OP posts:
buckeejit · 05/09/2017 21:08

That's horrendous. I'd take the whole bloody lot back after that & make a formal complaint to boot.

There's a nice budget place called sostrene green that is good for wee bits

BarbaraofSevillle · 05/09/2017 21:09

My son wanted some, i showed him how much stuff he could get for the same money (his birthday money) in WHSmiths and he went for it

Bloody hell, it must be expensive, if it makes WH Smith look cheap Shock.

Ginorchoc · 05/09/2017 21:10

The quality is really poor, and yes they should have refunded you! Facebook or Twitter them this post.

OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 05/09/2017 21:10

Tiger is much more fun and I think for 90 quid you could buy the whole shop.

Circumlocutor · 05/09/2017 21:11

£90 and you could buy a 5% share in Tiger.

Aeroflotgirl · 05/09/2017 21:13

My D's got a football lunch bag as a gift from Smiggle, and he's had it for a few years, its still going. In have had my carton pencil case for a couple of years. But the stationary sounds crap.

SoftSheen · 05/09/2017 21:14

^^I agree, Tiger is great and incredibly cheap for stationary, lunch boxes etc , however they don't have the sparkles, sequins and pink crap that seem to attract my six year old DD and many others of her age.

plantsitter · 05/09/2017 21:14

It's not as bad as Claire's though, which gives me the rage every time I go in it.

Not being as bad as Claire's is not a reccommendation though...

plantsitter · 05/09/2017 21:15

*recommendation

londonista · 05/09/2017 21:15

My nieces are like crack-addicts around Smiggle, and they've infected my sons with the disease.

It is absolute rubbish I agree. My boys have the backpacks which they love, so far so good but am not expecting them to last.

That refusal to give refund is not just immoral is it not also illegal? Honestly that alone is enough for me not to go back there.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 05/09/2017 21:15

Does your local paper have a consumer rights/Mr Justice/stop rip-offs page? If so contact them and get smuggle as much bad publicity as you can.

You and your DD may be asked to pose for a "sad face" photo, with your child bravely biting back the tears as she points plaintively to her crappy pencil case and pom-pom-less pencil, but that is the price you pay for fame Grin.

I think that sort of quality and customer service is shocking and shameful - I'm pleased ny kids are well past that age.

mommybunny · 05/09/2017 21:17

Tiger simply isn't fluffy enough for those who need like such things.

londonista · 05/09/2017 21:17

Plantsitter, the disturbing thing abut Claire's is them doing full make up ranges in characters from Frozen, minions etc. Eye shadows etc. Marketed to 4 year olds 😳

DrMadelineMaxwell · 05/09/2017 21:17

Smiggle is terrible. I've not got much experience with their HUGE pencil cases, but they are extremely popular in my primary.

Unfortunately, the squishy water bottles are popular too. Who designs a super easily squeezable water bottle? They open it and it all streams out the top!

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 05/09/2017 21:17

londonista, to give you some hope, loads of the kids at my DDs' school have smiggle bags that get a lot of use. DD1's backpack is starting to look a bit shabby now but that is after nearly 18 months of use as a school bag.

londonista · 05/09/2017 21:19

TooStressy I'm really hopeful, they are perfect size good pockets etc and a chest strap to help them stay on.

Fingers crossed!

How long before they just want everything black with a Nike logo?!! Will we look back on the Smiggle days wistfully?

AJPTaylor · 05/09/2017 21:21

It is overpriced nonsense. Everything is twice a sensible price for any item. It makes Disney look reasonable.

plantsitter · 05/09/2017 21:22

Yeah the bags seem to be the things that last ok.

I hadn't really even noticed that about Claire's; another reason to hate it.

It was when the sales assistant 'upsold' a crappy box for a vomitous best friend locket to my 7 year old by making her think it was included in the price that decided me. That and the plastic waste from 1983 with googly eyes stuck on it attached to a key ring they charge £8.50 for...

Aeroflotgirl · 05/09/2017 21:22

I,be just looked at Wilko and they have fantastic, Crayola,Bid and Sharpie stationary for a fraction of the price.

otterlynutty · 05/09/2017 21:22

Circumlocutor

I bet she was stationary when she saw it cost £90

Boom boom!

I love you 😂

Stickerrocks · 05/09/2017 21:23

I feel your pain. I don't check prices either. Yesterday DD (15) threw a bottle of toner in my basket in M&S. It cost £18!!!!

FramptonRose · 05/09/2017 21:23

I would definitly complain about them refusing you a refund. That is terrible customer service.

My DDs are 8 and 6 so well into Smiggle. It is all overpriced, I buy all of their stuff in the online sales. I recently got them packed lunch boxes, the was only one option in the sales but it worked out at £7.40, cheaper than the supermarket ones.

The first time you go in there it is so easy to overspend! Honestly put it down to lesson learned, she has some bits that she wanted, send an email and complain about the faulty items, hopefully, you will get your money back x

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