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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who's going to build a bear tomorrow?

86 replies

MsHopey · 11/07/2018 08:05

I was wondering who's planning on going to build a bear tomorrow? I want to go, my LO is 11 months old. Thinking it's going to be rammed, which I absolutely hate. I was planning on getting there as soon as it opens. But I was just curious on if other people were planning on going to their local store.

Who's going to build a bear tomorrow?
OP posts:
TrudeauGirl · 12/07/2018 10:30

I'm 27 and have no children. Grin But I would have loved to go to build a bear. Just not pay £27 for one.

TrudeauGirl · 12/07/2018 10:31

Well the event seems to have been a bit of a failure. it's not even 10.30 and they've already had to cancel.

Oh wow. I wonder if they didn't expect it to be so successful. But their prices are high usually so I think the crowds were to be expected.

steff13 · 12/07/2018 10:35

I would like to, but I work until 530 and have anxiety around crowds. You know, you can just buy the bear body and come back and stuff it later. So, at a less crowded time. At least, that's the rule here. Only Pokemon have to be stuffed on the day.

guiltynetter · 12/07/2018 10:36

@MsHopey maybe the store just needed refurbishing?! i’m pretty sure they didn’t close it just because that promotion was coming up. what a ridiculous post!

mumofmunchkin · 12/07/2018 10:37

That doesn't sound like they've cancelled, it sounds like they've got so many people in it's going to take them the rest of the day to get through the people who are already there so they won't let anyone else in.

Apparently our local BAB has a 6 hour queue.

steff13 · 12/07/2018 10:37

Oh my goodness! I just saw that it was cancelled there. Our store doesn't open until 10, so 4.5 hours from now. I'll have to see how it goes.

Happypenguin1 · 12/07/2018 10:42

I went to Trafford centre BAB this morning at 9, And the queue was all the way to the other side of Trafford centre and a 5 hour wait!!

Oysterbabe · 12/07/2018 10:47

I've just seen a video of one of the queues. Fuck that shit.

IceRebel · 12/07/2018 10:53

@steff13 unfortunately you can't buy an unstuffed bear, it says so on their website FAQ

Can I purchase a furry friend unstuffed and come back to stuff it later?

Due to U.K. legal restrictions, U.K. Build-A-Bear Workshop Guests may not purchase a furry friend unstuffed.

It may be the case that they'll let people in who are already queuing but to stop people from joining that queue at 10.30am shows pretty poor planning. I hope it doesn't lead to too much disappointment for those who were hoping to go after school, or those who are in 6 hour long queues and may not even manage to get a toy at the end of it. :(

steff13 · 12/07/2018 10:57

That's interesting. I wonder why.

IceRebel · 12/07/2018 11:08

Hmm interesting build a bear have edited their statement on facebook

Per local authorities, our Meadowhall, Telford and Basingstoke locations will be closed for the remainder of the day due to extreme crowds and safety concerns.Please note: all stores in the U.K. are reporting similar crowds and lines, and they can no longer accept additional Guests for this event. The response to our Pay Your Age Day event has been overwhelming and unprecedented. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding at this time.

They're now stating it's to do with local authority guidelines. Yet it seems from the comments that lots of stores had no systems in place for queues, which is madness considering they had already posted about how the demand for the event was unprecedented.

AudiQ2 · 12/07/2018 11:09

Ah great and I'm broke..... FFS!!! :(

amusedbush · 12/07/2018 11:09

A friend posted a photo of the queues at the Glasgow store a while ago and they were unbelievable. It sounds like the whole thing has been badly planned.

Nemophilist · 12/07/2018 11:18

White rose centre in Leeds just tweeted 3+hours queues. no thank you. Dd will have to do without. Very badly planned imo

GKite · 12/07/2018 12:47

I read somewhere that most of the stores only have 1800 bears for this event, absolutely bad planning on their part

Original poster
MsHopey · 12/07/2018 12:51

I'm surprised they didn't have any security guards or something similar in place. Like someone up thread said, the post was shared 190k times on Facebook and has got loads of responses. And although some people may have already been club members I reckon an awful lot of people have specifically signed up in the last week, so it should have been a hint at how many people were coming.
I'm imagining scenes from jingle all the way!!!

Who's going to build a bear tomorrow?
OP posts:
Slimtimeagain · 12/07/2018 13:02

guiltynetter what are you on about? mshopey didn't say they closed it just because of the promotion!

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 12/07/2018 13:31

I'm sorry but all these pissed off people queuing for hours are pathetic. If you really want a bear that much, go when the promo is done and just buy the thing full price. It's a toy, not bread and milk. God help us if people get this excited about a few quid off a bearHmm

YouBetterWORK · 12/07/2018 13:43

Touchwood in Solihull are giving out vouchers for the offer that last till the 28th July. I also managed to get a voucher for my mate who couldn't come today as well, they seem to be handling it a bit better!

milliemolliemou · 12/07/2018 13:56

Build a Bear get everyone psyched up.
People - especially with small children and babies - are in physical danger from the crowds queueing since Build a Bear don't seem to have provided security or thought of the large crowds.
Build a Bear close stores.
Build a Bear get mega coverage because of the crowds and store closures - a Win Win for Build a Bear! See how popular BaB is! AND they didn't have to match their price promise because they had to close the stores!

Build a Bear is very very clever - unless someone actually got badly injured in which case the publicity might dent their sales for a bit.

guiltynetter · 12/07/2018 14:14

@slimtimeagain she posted ‘But turns out they closed for refurbishment yesterday and won't open until next week. Thanks a lot build a bear!’ as if build a bear has closed on purpose 🙄

Spongblobsparepants · 12/07/2018 14:25

Buy stuff! Buy it now! Get it cheap, wait in queues penned in like sheep. This kind of consumer frenzy for a toy isn't normal is it? Are people really willing to wait 5 hours to inject some stuffing into a fabric carcass? Are they really that eager to pander to the (whinging, knackered, bored) children? Fuck that, the world's gone mad!Hmm

HoomanMoomin · 12/07/2018 14:35

I didn’t wait, but I can understand why some people would. When your wages barely cover essentials and you have 2-3 kids, you’ll jump on the chance to get a usually expensive toy for couple of quid. It’s absolutely understandable. And no, it’s not funny.

DesertSky · 12/07/2018 14:40

People were queuing for 6 hours in our city. Absolute madness. I think they ran out of bears and were giving out vouchers instead but even those soon disappeared! Seriously is it really worth standing around, especially with a young child for that length of time. I think I’d loose the plot! Confused

Figgygal · 12/07/2018 14:45

I'd not stand in a queue like that for half an hour let alone multiple hours
For a cheap bear I wouldn't have bought otherwise let alone all the crap you can buy to go with them which were still full price

No chance

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