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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hamleys demo lady left dd 6 in tears.

617 replies

Bornfreebutinbiscuits · 11/08/2019 10:16

Summer hols day out, theatre and hamleys.

Having fun trying all the toys on display and v small budget to buy a toy.

Older dd goes to lady for hand tattoo. I asked younger if she wanted one she was shy and said no. However once older has one she wants one. So she gets in position and very curtly lady says 'no. Its not a freebie for all children it's a demo. I can't do another child' no smiles, no kindness and she looked as hard as nails as dd face crumpled and starts to cry.

Not a big cry! In the past they have always dine both dc, in hamleys and harrods.
And we have actually brought the set into the past but it's the fun and part of the toy shop experience to have something done there!

Not the experience I expected from hamleys of all places. Or was she right!

OP posts:
steff13 · 11/08/2019 10:43

I think it's a little mean not to do a tattoo for each sibling.

Also, what did you bring into the past?
And we have actually brought the set into the past
That made no sense to me at all.

BlackberryBeret · 11/08/2019 10:44

it's more like little food samples at market of cheese, sausages etc.

Why do you think they do that? It's so you will buy it after tasting it!!

Same for the Hamleys demo - it's not a free tattoo or nails or hair glitter service. The idea is that you and the child see it, test it and then buy it if you like it or don't buy it if you don't.

Child 1 has tested it. That's enough information for you to assess whether you want to buy the product. Buy it if you like it, if you don't move along.

Child 2 isn't wanting to test it, she's just after a freebie. If she'd had a chance and turned it down bad luck.

You seem to fundamentally understand the purpose of these demos. It is to SELL.

Fooferella · 11/08/2019 10:44

YANBU. A hamleys demo guy tried to engage dsis some sort of paddle ball game which ds was very reluctant to do but participated because he's polite. The demo guy didn't let up and it was very uncomfortable. This was in the hamleys which opened in the basement of Jenners in Edinburgh. I'm not surprised they have since shut up shop. The demo people are pushy and phony and their toys are massively overpriced.
If they're going to have demos and actually want to sell toys then they should give the demo to everyone who asks. Maybe the demo lady thought by holding out on your poor DD and upsetting her that you would cave and buy her the kit. That's so shoddy.

Original poster
Bornfreebutinbiscuits · 11/08/2019 10:45

pegasus

We usually go to harrods toy dept but they were in process of moving it last time. I've always felt its better and we were right by hamleys and had time to kill and thought it would be fun.

I've always found it a little tatty in there but staff usually lovely.

OP posts:
Fooferella · 11/08/2019 10:45

*DS in

ddl1 · 11/08/2019 10:45

If she realized that the girls were sisters, then she was not fair. She should not accept one sibling and not the other. However, she may not have realized this and just seen it as 'one more child taking my time from real customers'. In this case, she had a perfect right to refuse, though she could have been a little more polite about it.

Original poster
Bornfreebutinbiscuits · 11/08/2019 10:46

It's also to create a fun and buzzy environment for the dc.
Many people try food without intending to buy it it's part and parcel.
You expect out of ten people who try 1 % might buy.

OP posts:
FuriousVexation · 11/08/2019 10:47

Of course we haven't been there! We're normal, average wage earning plebs

WorraLiberty · 11/08/2019 10:47

Mostly the staff are bubbly and fun and child orientated.

Yes but they're not robots.

This person was 'curt' in your opinion. Perhaps that was literally the only child they were 'curt' to that day?

Let it go. You got one family freebie and that's better than none.

If your child is still upset, explain that these people are actually demonstrating the kits for parents to buy and that it had already been demonstrated on her sister.

WorraLiberty · 11/08/2019 10:50

Just out of interest the people commenting, have you been there and experienced it?

Sorry I forgot to say

Yes, many times.

Sobeyondthehills · 11/08/2019 10:50

And there were no other dc there.

In Hamleys??

Floralnomad · 11/08/2019 10:50

Of course it’s possible to give something to one dc and not the other , they are individuals and that Is a lesson they need to learn .

FuriousVexation · 11/08/2019 10:50

You expect out of ten people who try 1 % might buy.

So... one one hundreth? Out of 100 people you expect ONE might buy? Either your sales pitch is lacking or you are.

jasmine1971 · 11/08/2019 10:50

That's really unusual for Hamleys. I think if you had had a quiet word there and then OP, maybe not with the lady concerned but with another member of staff, they would have bent over backwards to put things right for you and they would have been concerned at your DD crying.

Original poster
Bornfreebutinbiscuits · 11/08/2019 10:51

Ddl1 definitely obvious we were one family as I was coaxing younger dd to have the tat first because I knew she would want one after the other one had one Grin

If I was her and my hands were genuinely tied I would have commiserated with the dp and been kind to the child.... Ie so sorry we are actually not supposed to do same family I'm so sorry...

OP posts:
herculepoirot2 · 11/08/2019 10:51

I think YABU for trying to treat Hamleys like a free day out. It’s not an experiential day, it’s a toy shop. If you don’t want to or can’t afford to buy anything, by all means, have a look round, but don’t complain that they don’t turn it into a theme park with free tickets for your DC.

Original poster
Bornfreebutinbiscuits · 11/08/2019 10:52

Not waiting round her stall no. There were other dc in the store.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bornfreebutinbiscuits · 11/08/2019 10:53

Hercule they do put free things on for dc all the time.

OP posts:
zen1 · 11/08/2019 10:53

Regardless of whether it was a demo or not, part of her job is also being able to talk to children kindly. She could have been more friendly to a six year old in the way she declined to do the tattoo, so on that front YANBU.

ChicCroissant · 11/08/2019 10:53

No DC in Hamleys - hmm, that has never been the case when I have been in. You are coming across as grabby trying to get both your children a freebie OP. Really not worth complaining about not getting a freebie!

WorraLiberty · 11/08/2019 10:54

Why do you keep comparing it to food tasting? Confused

Not everyone likes the same tastes, so it would be perfectly reasonable for everyone in your party to sample food.

This was a kit being demonstrated, so you can stand there and watch how it works before you decide to buy.

Not that you needed it demonstrating at all as you'd already bought the kit in the past.

herculepoirot2 · 11/08/2019 10:54

I know they do, but this wasn’t one of the free things. Like the lady said, it was a demo. You had no intent to buy it. You are being a CF.

marvellousnightforamooncup · 11/08/2019 10:54

Next you'll all be telling me you don't go to Costco and eat all the samples with no intention of buying the products.

Original poster
Bornfreebutinbiscuits · 11/08/2019 10:54

We prefer harrods toy shop but over the the years we have purchased from hamleys. Sometimes a bag of sweets and sometimes considerably more

If I was in charge of training I would be saying... Whatever you do never make dc cry.

OP posts:
limitedperiodonly · 11/08/2019 10:55

Let me see. Woman who works in toyshop makes child cry. Somehow I don't think she's cut out for that line of work.