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?!

I would try a visit to the store first if you can manage without your pram until you get there hold off buying another and if you do buy another don’t use toys r us.

I hope you can get a refund and not a replacement - doesn't sound like a good pushchair.

Good luck for the weekend.

I would WHOLEHEARTEDLY urge you OP to get onto Twitter and FB and post on there that you're having highly unreasonable demands placed on you to evidence that your pram is irreperably broken in a major way - you'd be surprised, but it's often the only way to resolve things when you keep coming up against the same trotted out 'we can't help' type responses that are the way of customer service teams who have poor management, poor training etc. Before you head off on this journey from hell, get onto their social media. This even worked for me with iTailor who are based in China - in their case (which wouldn't be the same in this case - or at least I'd hope not), it took a week or two of going back and forth and repeatedly returning to derisory open social media comments until they finally responded as I wanted them to.

Also, it IS the store's job to put it right.

I can totally see how you don't want to actually go there OP!

Hope you don't mind but I have tweeted them your thread. Their service boils my piss, no wonder they are going under. Happy to delete if you prefer

And as Rebecca says - do NOT get the same make! Do your research now on what would be a suitable alternative and check out reviews for reliability before you decide.

Good luck, retail warrior!

Wingbin!!!!!!!!!!!!! [shocked]

As you bought the item from toys r is your contract is with them so manufacturers generally will not got involved. You really do need to return it to the shop for inspection. Once they’ve looked at it and seemed it faulty (as opposed to accidental/deliberate damage...not saying that’s the case here but having spent years in retail it does happen) they have to reimburse you all your costs; Transport/parking costs/time taken off work if necessary.

Good luck but I would say you have zero chance those companies.

Toys r us is a huge superstore pushing big volumes. All they want to do is sell stuff, after sales is almost non existent in my experience. I had a problem when my ds was little they could not have cared less, I didn't get any sort of refund and eventually I said to the very rude assistant "I give up, here just keep the item" and went away with no refund, no item.

M&P produce pretty items that seduce new parents. They are slightly different to Toys r us because they seem to market their stuff as "premium". I had something dangerously unfit for purpose and again, they could not have cared less. I got a £20 voucher in place of something that had cost approx £120 and that I had to re buy from another store.

I wouldn't go to a Toys r us on a weekend in the run up to Christmas. I would honestly put the buggy in the tip and move on with life. They will not care.

they may give you a credit, you can spend some of it on Xmas presents ?

Ooh should I not have done that?

Sorry

For your next pushchair try amazon. I bought mine from there and it broke just after a year. I messaged them saying I would expect a pushchair to last at least until the child is actually walking and they messaged back saying a new one had been dispatched and their courier would take the old one away when it was delivered. Not helpful for this time but if you get another one it might help

I'm surprised to hear how unhelpful mamas and papas have been; completely the opposite to my own experiences with them.

I had a buggy on which the clip that keeps in folded out broke. The buggy was less than a year old (and £200 new) so I thought it was worth asking them to fix it. I contacted them by email, they called me back. They sent me out a whole new frame for my pushchair immediately by courier without any charge or fuss. I originally bought it instore but was not asked to return it.

More recently I ordered something via their website to collect in store. It didn't come in when it was supposed to causing me a wasted trip. It was irritating but not the end of the world, I didn't complain. However I did mention it when filling out a 'how did we do' form later and the manager of the store in question called me to apologise and offer me a 20% off voucher for my next purchase.

I mean the clip that keeps it folded when not in use. It didn't actually affect the function.

When you bought it originally did you purchase it from the store or online?

If you tweet share on here - sure the MN Army will retweet for you.

I had a m&p 3 wheeler that snapped like that on the foot rest. Then got a second hand one as I liked it and it did the same thing after 6 months. The first one was 2 years plus old.

Sorry I mean to say the front wheel snapped off. M&p are rubbish imo.

Credit card company won't do anything as the shop has told you to return it to them for a refund/replacement (which on the face of it sounds reasonable).
An argument for shopping locally.

Can you try mamas and papas Facebook page? I had an issue with a pram (not mamas and papa's, but this company were also useless on the phone) and after leaving a very public, scornful comment they soon got back to me with a solution. It's worth a try.

FWIW Many years ago by pushchair from John Lewis broke at less than a year old. I took it in and the assistant replaced it but told me that they only guarantee for 9 months.

Lol @ winging just steaming in there - people power!

We had the opposite experience with M&P - they did mess up a wee bit with courier collection date for the broken Armadillo buggy but that was rectified quickly. They sent us a Kato2 to ferry DD around in on a temporary basis and it was really good.

When they realised they’d sent someone to collect the broken pram without having sent the replacement in the first place they were so apologetic and sent a £50 voucher re the inconvenience.

Shocked for you Op.

I used to sell pushchairs- try talking to the manufacturer as some will collect and deliver to your home. Not all though.

I got bus fare and taxi fare back from BHS once. I bought a crockery set and one cup was chipped. I took the cup back next time I was in town and they said they needed the whole set. I thought that was ridiculous and told them I couldn't manage 2 babies, a double buggy and the crockery set on the bus.
They stood their ground, I stood mine, so they agreed to pay taxi fare for when I brought the whole set back and bus fare for the day I'd turned up with a chipped cup!
It's worth pushing them for some expenses.

Did you buy it by credit card? If so google consumer credit act as credit card company are as liable as the retailer and you can get them to refund you direct. They then pursue the retailer and have a bit more clout to get their money back.

I'd try posting a few pictures with a complaint on social media on the manufacturer and toys r us page.