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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think soft play centre is wrong to hold 18 month old dd's shoes to ransom

83 replies

Bambiraptor · 05/04/2007 20:04

This happened a few weeks a go but I have been wondering whether I was in the right since it happened.
A while ago I took my 2 dc's to a local soft play area which we have been going to for years. When it was time to collect my dc's shoes I couldn't find the shoe ticket so the lady behind the counter showed me the shoes on each shelf and asked me to tell her when she had my dd's. I did this, put the shoes on my dc's and went home.
A few weeks later we went back to the same place. Whilst paying, the same lady immediatley informed me that last time I had been there I had taken the wrong shoes. It turned out that the someone else had exactly the same shoes as dd, except hers were a size 3 and my dd's were a size 3.5. I had not noticed at all as they fitted my dd and looked exactly the same.
Anyway the owner of the other shoes had insisted that the manager reimburse them for their dd's shoes.
The manager then informed me because I had taken the wrong shoes (implying it was my fault) that I could not have my dd's shoes back as she considered them her property.
I was shocked and said I didn't want the wrong shoes I had mistakenly identified as they are the wrong size and I would like to have my dd's shoes back. She said no. So I gave her back the other pair and said I would not be returning to the establishment.

So they now have both pairs of identical shoes and have lost a customer.
I can't decide who is right.

OP posts:

KatyTheProcrastinator · 05/04/2007 20:06

You are. They are completely overreacting - they asked you to point out the shoes in the first place! If they'd said "no shoes without a ticket" that would have been one thing but now they're just being petty.

anniebear · 05/04/2007 20:17

Thats so awful! They have stolen them in my eyes!

I would be furious and demand them back

Campagneforlunch · 05/04/2007 20:17

What are they planning on doing with the other pair of shoes??
They should just have let it go, I would have been very annoyed too.

FrannyandZooey · 05/04/2007 20:18

OMG

how odd

I would consider phoning the police - they have your dd's shoes fgs!

anniebear · 05/04/2007 20:20

I was thinking that also!

If they are Clarkes they could have cost around £25

I would go and threaten them with the police

lulumama · 05/04/2007 20:20

FGS!! they have stolen your child;s shoes becasue you made a mistake, a genuine mistake, and they have wilfully taken your property....

blardy hell!

i;d write to the local paper, name and shame !

Original poster

Bambiraptor · 05/04/2007 20:21

I can't imagine what they are doing with the shoes. Probably they have thrown them away as they are of no use to anyone else.
I nearly accused them of theft but I really was not sure if it was. I am so glad you think they are out of order. I am never going back there again anyway so they have lost alot more than the cost of a pair of shoes.

OP posts:

FlossALump · 05/04/2007 20:22

I'll try and find out what DP thinks on this either later on or over the weekend.

Plibble · 05/04/2007 20:22

Agree with Lulu - this is one for the local paper.

lulumama · 05/04/2007 20:23

but you are out of pocket now, and that is soooo unfair !

Original poster

Bambiraptor · 05/04/2007 20:26

They were clarks. It is very spiteful behaviour. I very nearly took it further but then I didn't want the hassel over a pair of shoes. I think they were annoyed that they had to fork out for the other shoes. It is not my fault that their shoe procedure is flawed.

OP posts:

macwoozy · 05/04/2007 20:33

I'd be so shocked with that. Does that mean your dd had to go home with no shoes or have I not read this right?

snowleopard · 05/04/2007 20:33

Um if they have both pairs, why did they not returm each pair to its rightful owner instead of paying? I'm totally confused and they sound bonkers.

I would go back in and say right you have taken my daughter's shoes so now I would like to be reimbursed, £25 please, or the shoes back. If not, tell them you know you are within your rights to go to the police. Shoes or cash now please or I am going to the police right now, followed by the local paper. Or would their prefer to stop being so ridiculous and hang on to their customers.

Weirdos!

Original poster

Bambiraptor · 05/04/2007 20:39

Snowleopard I had accidently taken the shoes when the original owners wanted them back. It was only when I went back a few weeks later that I gave the shoes back. They still had my dds shoes from the earlier time.
It is a crazy confusing story.
DD was only 18 months so it didn't matter about her having no shoes on as I carried her.
I am not going to do anything about it now but am glad I was right to be furious.

OP posts:

MrsDanvers · 05/04/2007 21:04

Definately name and shame- that's outrageous! very bad management by the company.

maisym · 05/04/2007 21:07

ask for the shoes back or you take them to court.

PinkTulips · 05/04/2007 21:13

omg i would have called the police tbh, it was their mistake as they should have a system in place that works.

i mean, what an odd shoe policy! the soft play we go to writes the childs name and entry time and shoe ticket number in a logbook so even if we lose the ticket (which we always do) they just need to check her name on the list to see which slot her shoes are in

Chandra · 05/04/2007 21:18

What sort of idiot is managing this place???

Besides, if they want to exercise justice by doing that they are not right people to do so...

Having said that, recovering the shoes or the 25 pounds is not worth the effort of dealing with such people again.

Original poster

Bambiraptor · 05/04/2007 21:19

I thought it was bad management and totally their responsibility to have a shoe policy that works. I really wish I had made a big fuss now. I shouldn't have doubted myself.

OP posts:

bozza · 05/04/2007 21:20

Hmm it does seem odd, although I can see why they were peeved at being £25 out of pocket. And also their shoe policy was only flawed by you not following the system properly (ie not looking after your ticket). But unreasonable not to let you have the shoes. So I am on the fence.

What shoe policy do you think they should have? BTW all the soft play places I go to, shoes are just left with the parent. And my DD's shoes all have her initials in. So I deduce that you are a SAHM or use a childminder because us nursery wallers are wise to this issue.

Gobbledigook · 05/04/2007 21:20

Id' call the police too! Numbskulls!

Gobbledigook · 05/04/2007 21:21

Name and shame the establishment please. We are enjoying it todya

RustyBear · 05/04/2007 21:21

But actually, they haven't paid for your DD's shoes, they paid for the other ones - so they would be within their rights to hold on to those, but not yours. They should give you yours back, then contact the other mum & offer her her shoes back in return for the money she paid. (Though I don't know that she'dbe obliged to take them, but that's not your problem)

maisym · 05/04/2007 21:21

go back & demand the shoes back - if they say no (it wasn't your error) then call the police as it's theft from you.

bozza · 05/04/2007 21:26

But it was partly her error because she lost the ticket and she said the shoes were her DDs when they were not.

The other mum will be unlikely to have gone several weeks without replacing the shoes and so will not be willing to return the money, I imagine.

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