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Original poster

Mamas and Papas warning!

34 replies

CarosBean · 09/09/2011 13:00

I've got to the stage where my normal jeans,even with the hair band extension, are just too uncomfortable so after scouring the internet for over the bump jeans, I plumped for Mamas and Papas.
After waiting for over 2 weeks and a second call to their so called 'Customer Services', I've just been told that although the web site and their information states otherwise, the jeans are actually out of stock until December. It was only with me contacting them and asking what they can do about pushing through the order that this came to light. They'd already taken my money of course!
My main gripe is that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing and the girl I spoke to managed to turn my complaint around and made me feel like it was my fault that their system doesn't work! At the end of the day it a pair of jeans, no big deal, but what if I'd ordered my entire nursery/pram/other baby bumph with them?
Then on ringing them (after being on hold for 45 minutes I'll add-why not?!!) they said 'Oh, it says on the system we are waiting for the dispatch driver to pick it up, oh actually, no, its not available now until 4 months after the baby arrives?!' You wouldn't be best pleased would you?

I think for a company that prides itself on providing the service they do, this was a shocker... My first -and only now! - experience was really poor,the customer service was appauling and if I was you I'd think twice about using Mamas and Papas at all. I told the girl on the phone that I wouldn't be shopping with them in the future after this experience and she said she was going to offer me a good will gesture of a gift card but seeing as I wasn't going to shop with them from now on that she didn't think she would after all! So much for the customer always being right!

With all the other companies offering the same service out there trying their hardest for us to spend our hard earned cash with them, I'll be heading off elsewhere.

You're kids will be at school before they get their moses basket!
Sorry for the rant but thought you should be warned!

OP posts:
PottyRefusnik · 10/09/2011 14:50

Have you posted this in the Pregnancy topic? It might be very useful to some who are thinking of buying all their baby stuff there.

{sorry if you already have!}

limetrees · 10/09/2011 16:29

This should be moved to pregnancy to warn people.

chocolateteabag · 10/09/2011 19:29

Just had to take a book back to M&P - it's "Old Macdonald had a farm" with a button to play the tune, except the tune was "The wheels on the bus".

Picture me explaining to the slack jawed nitwit that "yes it plays a tune" but "the tune is the WRONG one!" All I wanted was to swap the book over for one with the right tune - I'm sure she suspected DS had pooed in the pages and I was trying a fast one!

I look in M&P and then go elsewhere to find it (waaaayyyyy) cheaper. And their baby clothes are overpriced and naff (IMO)

phew rant over for me too :)

FoofFighters · 10/09/2011 20:02

Their stuff is over-priced, cutesy crap. Spend £30 on an outfit DC will wear for a month or so? £60 for a blanket that'll no doubt be chewed, spewed and peed on? No thanks Hmm

Next do great over-the-bump boot cut maternity jeans. I also got some fab skinny over-the-bump jeans from Asda!

llandb · 10/09/2011 20:37

We looked in M&P when I was pregnant with DC1 and we didn't have a clue what we were supposed to buy.

DP's remark: 'Everything is beige!'. And that's as far as we got. So I didn't know about the shite service or products.

Slightly OT, but WRT to poppers up the back and it being popular in France - we inherited a whole lot of babygros like that from a Belgian friend. Some of them had poppers across, as in, side-to-side, as well (so that you can open up a flap on the back to peek into the nappy).

I'm sure that when I was a child in the 80s, I always saw mothers opening up flaps like that to check the nappies of their crawling babies, so I suppose it's a bit of a retro thing.

And as for generic poppers up the back, I'd assumed that it was a retro thing that must have harked from the days when the advice was to put babies to sleep on their fronts. If that was the reason, then, I've wondered, is that still the advice in Belgium? But I didn't know M&P did it!

acatcalledfelix · 10/09/2011 20:58

I agree with the "everything's beige" comment. I remember a friend of mine asking for M&P vouchers for their first DS and having a lovely, matching, very beige nursery!

I have H&M over bump jeans, v cheap and are now seeing me through my second pg. It may be something to do with "specialist" shops as I find Mothercare clothes pretty crappy and overpriced too.

goatinacoat · 11/09/2011 21:04

I had a beautiful beige nursery for PFB too! Millie and Boris, I think it was..
Cost an arm and a leg. Everything had to match. I had everything - the nappy stacker, the works. Pregnancy hormones have a lot to answer for!!!

wompoopigeon · 11/09/2011 21:22

I once met someone who worked reasonably high up in M&P. He told me that they target PFB parents seeking prestige products, not experienced parents.
Says it all really.

Pootles2010 · 12/09/2011 10:02

Yeah makes sense really wom. Lots of money and no idea! Am so grateful DP steered me away from m&p buggy and towards BJCM.

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