Should we pay?

[soapboxqueen]

I was paying for some items at a national chain store, my husband and children were continuing down the little aisle to the exit when there was an almighty crash. A cardboard display stand had fallen forwards which was filled with cups etc.

My dd (7) was upset, assumed from the noise, the staff asked if she was OK. She was and we left. Wasn't until we were some way away that husband said dd had turned around in the exit aisle and knocked the stand with her elbow.

I'm annoyed now because if I'd realised what had happened I'd have offered to help tidy and pay for any damages. I want to go back or email the firm to offer to pay but husband reckons I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill and that they'd stacked the stands to top heavy so they are partly to blame.

So who is BU?

I'd leave it.

Cups - do you mean glass?

The store is U. They should stack their displays better so they aren't so easily knocked down. What if it fell on someone.

I’d leave it too. If they had wanted you to pay they would have asked how it happened etc. If they were happy to let you leave the store I wouldn’t go back now.

If their stand can be knocked over that easily by a seven year old turning round, it's definitely their fault.

If your DD just knocked it with her elbow (not yanked on it or similar), it sounds like it wasn't exactly well put together, and it could have happened to anyone. On that basis, I wouldn't go back.

If a stand can be knocked over by a seven year old girl making a normal movement then they need to make their displays safer and sturdier

It shouldn't be that easy to knock over just by a little girl nudging it with their elbow! It could've hit someone they're lucky no -one was hurt and they're not being sued!

Butchy I mean like ceramic mugs

What psycho said.

I think their display was inherently dangerous if it fell that easily. There's no way a knock from a elbow of a turning child should be able to knock something like that down.

I expect the staff were just incredibly relieved no one was hurt.

I get you feel 'responsible' but DD wasn't being naughty, it really sounds like an accident waiting to happen, it's just unfortunate it was DD that nudged it.

IF it could easily fall being knocked with a child’s elbow it was clearly dangerous, would just leave it I wouldn’t pay. My two year old smashed a glass candle in the chemist yesterday I felt awful so I do know how guilty you feel, a lovely old man felt bad for us so bought my kids a toy each which made me feel worse.

If your daughter was messing around and trying to climb it or something, you would be right to pay for damages. If it was an accidental nudge which toppled the whole thing then it's the fault of whoever designed and built the display.

Assume they're writing off the cost rather than have you get in touch to sue them.

Can understand your impulse to do this, but I’d leave it. It doesn’t sound like a very safe display if it could be brought down that easily. Hope your little girl is ok.

I agree with those who have said that the stand should withstand a knock from a seven year old’s elbow.

Husband says they had put the mugs in the top, with teapots on the next shelf down and pretty much nothing on the bottom so it was very to heavy.

Thank you everyone for your responses.

Husband is happy mumsnet agrees with him

I think I was more cross at husband because I would normally have helped clear up etc but because I didn't know I just walked out like I didn't care. I appreciate that's unfair of me.

*top heavy

The store is lucky that your DD wasn't hurt, the stand was clearly unsafe.

I agree with everyone else. If a stand could be knocked over by a seven year old’s elbow, they were probably just relieved to get you out of the store without you getting very cross.