Smyth's free lego

[Machiavellian]

AIBU to think it's unfair to display free Lego on a table alongside full price, extremely expensive Lego? Cue one upset and confused child that couldn't understand why they couldn't have the displayed full price pieces for free.

Oh my god you actually emailed in to complain about marketing 🤣🤣
This gets more bizarre every time you post.
OP, I strongly advise you and you son don’t venture out into the big wide world again. There’s just too much for you to be offended by

Imagine putting free Lego out and getting complaints.

I think the complaint was in the hope of Smyths actually giving out the large Lego set for free or some other compensation.

I've seen these offers before and Smyths clearly state what the free item is, so there is no misleading marketing.

The child basically had the attitude of "if I'm not getting the big set I'm getting nothing" and then refused the free set.

In what way was it mean? It was factual. OP herself has demonstrated through each of her posts that she believes her completely unjustifiable argument is justified. Her child rejected a free toy because they couldn't have a more elaborate one I can hand on heart say my own child of the same age would never behave that way because I've parented them to be respectful and show gratitude for what they're given.

They’ve placated you rather than told you you’re being ridiculous. Standard customer service response.

Here is the advert. It's very clear what were the free sets.

It even says in capitals free MINI giveaway.

It's not About ME. It's about how it looked to my son to see a bunch of assembled models amongst the assembled minis who then mistakenly thought some of the bigger models were free. In that moment, they got upset. I complained because it shouldn't have been displayed in such a misleading way. End of.

‘those ones aren’t included darling, why don’t you choose one of these little ones, and we can put the other set on your Christmas list’

Not difficult.

The fact she’s emailed to complain shows that despite 95% of people answering her question with “yes, you’re unreasonable” and everyone explaining marketing shows she’s got nothing from this at all. I bet they all had a right good laugh at the email, and of course, only apologise cause it’s easier for them that way!

If it even happened.

Imagine a OP being called Machiavellian and this being something a machiavellian would do.

Lol that’s what I said😂

Yeah I called it out earlier in thread, I'd imagine OP picked it out as being trendy.

I think so. Oh the irony. Haha

Sure.

This thread is hilarious.@MachiavellianI do hope you look back on it one day (sooner rather than later) and cringe yourself inside out. I can't believe you really emailed the shop. How embarrassing. Though I imagine their response means absolutely nothing. It reads like business-speak for "We plan to ignore your ridiculous complaint."

I'm surprised your child refused the free Lego. In your shoes I might be inclined to teach him the expression "cutting off your nose to spite your face."

The other perspective is why didn't you just buy him the Lego set he wanted? Yes it might have been a misunderstanding through the displays which was free and which wasn't, but at the end of the day he's a little boy who really wanted a toy. Legos are educational, fun, encourage creativity and last for generations. Most sets aren't hugely expensive and there are always reasonably priced options within the same series.

Instead of wasting so much time writing angry emails at a toy store's marketing department and starting threads on MN, you could have just bought your son the Lego set, created a happy childhood memory, and that's the end of the story.

Reading the OPs posts again, it doesn’t appear she ever takes her child to Smyths with the intention of treating him to a purchase 🤣 she only goes when they’re giving away free mini legos, she’s done it before-only this time, she’s pissed that Smyths employed traditional marketing tactics and advertised to her son that LEGO do much better sets than the little free bits she gives him 🤣

OP it might be nice for your son if you ask family to buy him some Smyths vouchers for Christmas so he can go there and chose something nice to buy. My son was absolutely made up when he could do this.

what's "retail services?"
I would be seriously impressed if Smyths customer service actually emailed you back within a few hours of you making your complaint, on a saturday. That's an incredible response rate.

You’re right 🤣 I call BS. I don’t doubt she emailed a complaint-she sounds that sort of person. But I highly doubt she got a response. And on a Saturday too 🤣

Oh OP I agree
It's like when shops display cheap food next to expensive food. It so unfair. All the expensive food should be banished to one end of the store...

Or, alternatively, it's a lesson for your son that things have different prices and you miss out if you throw a tantrum

I was going to say, I think OP is misrepresenting the event to be honest, it's not advertised as a free Lego treat, it's called the 'lego event' and the free set is part of all the promotions including money off bigger sets and demos.
If reduced sets were assembled next to free ones on the table for demonstration purposes I don't see an issue with that at all.

Customer services are saying the free sets should have been in a big cardboard box but OP said they were- it's just the demo sets that were out next to other promotional items.

Yes maybe I'm just sticking the boot in some more but as frustrating as the situation may have been for you OP it was in no way, shape or form the fault of Smyths.

OP I think you've had an unnecessarily hard time here. I can just imagine his wee face, being told he's going to get free Lego, seeing the really cool Lego and thinking "wow, that's the free stuff" then being instead told that no, it's the little crappy one that's free.

I get disappointed when I realise I've been manipulated by offers like that, and I'm a grown-up! It's the memory of that moment where you thought that just for once something genuinely wasn't too good to be true.