To NOT return the bloody pushchair?

[QueenRefusenik]

DS's pushchair has broken. I mean REALLY broken - the frame has snapped! I only bought it in February brand new from toysrus and it's covered by a year's warranty. All good, except to return it I have to take it back to the shop, then they'll assess it and decide what to do, all fair enough. But, as we have no car getting to the nearest toysrus involves a bus to the station, then a 40 train ride, all lugging a broken buggy. I estimate if all goes well it will be a 4hr round trip, and I'm honesty wondering if it's worth it.

On the one hand:

• the pushchair cost £190 and shouldn't just bloody break like that, grr!

On the other hand:

• we have a cheap runaround that will do while I scour gumtree for a secondhand replacement.
• DP takes ds out on Saturdays so I could go to toystus, but that's my sole block of 'free' time all week to do my hobby and I'm really reluctant to give it up! Likewise when I have ds on Sunday DP would like HIS time off! Taking ds plus a broken buggy will only work if both me and DP go, then again someone has to give up previous free time.
• what are we actually going to get in return? The lady on the phone couldn't say without seeing the damage: they're not going to refund the full amount, are they? (Which in any case would be £190 minus bus and train fare and also minus time, energy and stress!); they can't replace it directly as they don't sell that model any more; a replacement probably won't be of my choice and won't fit any of the accessories we have for that model (carrycot, car seat - not essential for current ds at 22 months, but we're TTC no 2!).

So (finally!), I guess a WWYD rather than AIBU: take the pushchair back or not bother?!

Why can't your dh take your ds and the pushchair back tomorrow while you do your hobby?

Well that's another one off the list for me to purchase from. Two, actually- mamas and papas and tru.
What part of good customer service goes a long way do these companies not understand? Hearing stories like this, on forums like this, will reduce the customer base.
People like me will see and remember that they give poor customer service when things go wrong and will just go to other companies who provide similar.
Hope you get the result you're after op- I'd not want to waste all that time and money on returning my faulty product either.

Update 2: toysrus are also being incredibly unhelpful and insisting I take the bloody thing back in person to their store. They're flat out refusing to accept photos or anything couriered and basically didn't care when I explained the situation. Clearly they're hoping I won't bother returning it at all. Well this has decided me, it's not about the money at this point, I'm just not dropping it. Me and ds are turning up there on Sunday if it kills me and if I have to set light to the mangled bloody thing in the middle of the store. Aaargh! Deep breath. Ahem, sorry about that. Thanks for advice everyone!

Get on to twitter! Use the power of social media to force them to help you.

Is there anyone nearby with a car that you could beg a favour of to drive you there with it?

Do you have any friends / family who would be willing and able to return it on your behalf if they are going into town (or wherever it is), possibly on a Xmas shopping trip? If that's an option, you could agree this with TRU. Just a suggestion and apologies if it's a non-starter for you.

But then, don't you think they actually want to see the product, to determine if it has faulty in this product or this was just one off faulty product?
Also wanted to ask how it was damaged, so they can make better product in the future?

I can see it's annoying and time consuming, but you will get replacement if you do, in the end?

How did it break? I think it will depend on the reason to see about getting a replacement or a refund. Can you ask family or friend to drive you on Saturday and make a day out of it?

Asda give travel costs for returing faulty items as well.

When I had a similar issue with an airline breaking my pram I just kept bouncing the problem back to them (head office), so asking how they would collect the pram, how would they pay my travel, who should I invoice for lost working time etc etc. After a month or so I added the question of who do I invoice for the replacement pram I've of course had to buy as I have a pram because I need a pram. At that point they just refunded the replacement pram and we both agreed to forget about the damaged pram. Previously they had said we needed to take the damaged pram to a city 5hrs drive away (not in the UK) to get the damage assessed before they could say if we would get any refund.

I'd go that route, as emails don't use up much time and eventually they may just get bored of the conversation and agree to a compromise.

Update 3: managed to find a phone number for toysrus central customer services. They very helpfully have me another number to call that would sort it all out. Guess where this call ended up? Mamas and papas customer services again. In fact, some poor bemused m&p receptionist who had to put me through to customer services. Funnily enough, they weren't any more help this time around. I did get them to admit they could pick it up and look at it... This would cost me £50 and any refund/replacement would still have to be processed by toysrus. FFS. Never buying anything from either of these chancers again! I am SO pitching up at their store on Sunday. There will be LOUD complaints so everyone can hear!

I can ask a friend if she can drive me, but even if sue doesn't already have plans, who wants to spend a big chunk of their weekend driving a friend to toysrus? Maybe I can sway her with the Xmas shopping argument... God, I HATE being THAT friend who's always begging car-related favours. Grr. Off to tweet disgruntled tweets to my tiny handful of followers. Quake, oh ye mighty corporation. Queen's curious tweeting might reach at least 5 people. Gah.

For £190 I would definitely go to the hassle of returning it

Do you not have a friend with a car who could help you? You could give petrol money and buy lunch?

I was just pondering buying a M&P buggy definitely won't bother now.

Hope you get it resolved op

I used to work in a shop that sold pushchairs. We had to go on a special training course that dealt solely with pushchair returns as it was one of the most returned items we had (even though it wasn’t the the main thing we sold).

So many people take the piss with them. You get people trying to return them because the baby is older, because they forgot to fetch them on a day out so bought one for a day, used it then want a refund even though there’s nothing up with it etc.

They will probably want to see it in person to see if you’ve been hanging bags of shopping off the handles. This is one the main reasons that pushchairs break and if you have, they may not repair it. I think shops are getting wise to the many ways people abuse their pushchairs and just take the piss in general.

(Not saying this is you, btw OP. But you’re bearing the brunt of the culmination of it all).

tag in toys r us and mamas and papas and the store twitter if they have one. Id be bloody furious.

I just don't understand all this drama to be honest. If you want replacement, you just need to do what they ask, when convenient for you. If you think about it, you maybe able to see why they have some sort of procedures for replacement/ refund. Otherwise, it will be too easy for someone to claim it after using it for while and breaking it on purpose , or battering it just to get refund. Yes, it is really annoying for genuine people, but unless everybody lives a graceful life, it cannot be helped, imo.

OP, that's awful!

Bollocks to the four hour round trip - their product is faulty, not your problem (well it is, but it's not your responsibility for sure!)

I'd contact the manufacturer directly, failing that I'd take it to social media, tweet them and ask why they won't replace the evidently broken pushchair.

I bet they'll be far more accommodating after that!

Does DH have a car? If so he should drive you to return it.
If not, is it just the base part that is broken not the seat? Can you not just take the base back to the shop with DS in his other pushchair and the base either hooked on the back of his pushchair or make a handle with string/rope so you can sling it over your shoulder. I would take it back even if I had to make a big effort because it isn't fit for purpose.

"Bollocks to the four hour round trip - their product is faulty, not your problem"

But the thing is, they don't know until they see the product.

I'd also contact the manufacturer directly - they will probably be far more helpful - take photos and send them by email if they want proof. They may just replace it if it's that bad. Definitely either do online chat if available, or ring them first. Not the same thing, but my phone was playing up and still in contract with Virgin - they said if they repaired they would probably charge me. I did online chat with samsung who went through all sorts of tests remotely and then told me to take in shop - they replaced charger port, gave me new charger and messed about with software for nothing and I hadn't even bought it from them. Definitely worth a try ... also tell manufacturers how unhelpful Toys R Us are being

Did you buy it on a Credit Card?
If so, the Credit Card company are jointly liable for the warranty as the item was over £100. May be worth a phone call.

I do get why they have procedures, absolutely - I'd be quite happy to courier and even pay for that up-front if they would agree to refund if it is assessed as a genuine problem.

The issue is that the metal 'stalk' (highly technical term there) to which the front wheel attaches has sheared clear off the metal frame of the pushchair. I think it happened as I came down from a bus (not sure but that seems likely - it was a bit funny to push after that but the wheel didn't snap off completely till a little later). No hanging bags off the handles, honest! Not having a car we've certainly covered some fair mileage in the thing, I grant you that, but I think that's fair wear and tear. Surely that's what a pushchair is designed for?

Gah. I wasn't even that worked up about it earlier. Now everyone's being so obstructive I've become bloody furious and also really upset. I just need to get a grip. Maybe I'll just buy a new one and go and burn this one ceremonially in the store carpark. Dancing around it, cackling. DS would think that a great day out....!

For a couple of hours of your time and £190 I’d definitely go otherwise you’r writing off £190!

As Toyrus are about to hit the wall, I doubt that you'll get anything back from them anyway.