In an industry where the level of customer service ranges between abysmal and appalling, Baby Trend has hit a new low—scolding a customer seeking a solution to a defect in one of their products.
The product: the Diaper Champ.
Reader Alice S. writes in with her frustration: her Diaper Champ wouldn’t work properly (the drum won’t rotate to dispose of the diaper) because a blue ring inside the device keeps popping off.
When she contacts Baby Trend, she gets back this snippy email:
Good afternoon,
Please see the attachment above, I would like to ask you to pay attention to the photos and follow the instructions step by step. If you have any question please give us a call back.
Now, apparently, Baby Trend has receive so many complaints about this, they felt the need to create a 1.3MB MS Word file complete with color pictures to show folks how to "fix" their defective Diaper Champ. Here are the instructions:
Download diaper_champ.doc
Unfortunately, our reader reports that these instructions didn’t work. Baby Trend’s response Alice writes:
Please note that on the bottom of the email the manufacturer indicates that since we did not purchase the product directly from them and need to contact the retail outlet to get this resolved.
Nice, eh? Haul back that stinky diaper pail that you purchased 3 months ago to Target (we’re sure the receipt is long gone)—I’m sure the store will resolve your complaint, no problem!
Come on, guys. If you have a defective product, fess up—apologize, fix the defect and send out replacement products. At no charge to the consumer.
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My funny Diaper Trend problem:
I called and spoke with a nice representative and ordered new gaskets (free of charge). The arrived several days later with postage due! 25 cents that I had to leave for my postman!
My funny Diaper Trend problem:
I called and spoke with a nice representative and ordered new gaskets (free of charge). The arrived several days later with postage due! 25 cents that I had to leave for my postman!
I didn’t realize that the problem was so wide-spread. When it started happening to ours, we took it back to Babies R Us and they let us exchange it without the box or reciept. We had to replace the replacement for the same reason but ended up with a working one. I’m disappointed to hear that our problem wasn’t unique, since I’ve been recommending it.
I didn’t realize that the problem was so wide-spread. When it started happening to ours, we took it back to Babies R Us and they let us exchange it without the box or reciept. We had to replace the replacement for the same reason but ended up with a working one. I’m disappointed to hear that our problem wasn’t unique, since I’ve been recommending it.
I had the same problem with our diaper champ (diaper chump?) after only 2 weeks of use.
I placed a few strips of clear packing tape over the lip of the rotating drum on each side. This keeps the gasket in place. I haven’t had a problem since, and I can barely see the tape.
I’m still happier with my diaper champ than I would have been buying costly refills for the other diaper pail options.
Of course, to the point of this post, this shouldn’t be necessary, and Baby Trend should own up to the defect.
I had the same problem with our diaper champ (diaper chump?) after only 2 weeks of use.
I placed a few strips of clear packing tape over the lip of the rotating drum on each side. This keeps the gasket in place. I haven’t had a problem since, and I can barely see the tape.
I’m still happier with my diaper champ than I would have been buying costly refills for the other diaper pail options.
Of course, to the point of this post, this shouldn’t be necessary, and Baby Trend should own up to the defect.
As a retailer, I can tell you that Baby Trend is equally unhelpful and very difficult to deal with. That’s probably the reason that most specialty stores have dropped the Diaper Champ.
As a retailer, I can tell you that Baby Trend is equally unhelpful and very difficult to deal with. That’s probably the reason that most specialty stores have dropped the Diaper Champ.
This is a very interesting post. We bought our Diaper Champ back in March (or so) 2007 and have had no problems with it. I wonder if a design change is causing the problems?
This is a very interesting post. We bought our Diaper Champ back in March (or so) 2007 and have had no problems with it. I wonder if a design change is causing the problems?
I’m somewhat gratified to hear the difficulty dealing with Baby Trend. We bought an infant car seat by them several years ago when we were living overseas and I’ve had no luck contacting them recently to see if this model is compatible with anything they current sell. My emails go unanswered and they have no one at “customer service” – just an endless loop of recorded messages and holds.
I’m somewhat gratified to hear the difficulty dealing with Baby Trend. We bought an infant car seat by them several years ago when we were living overseas and I’ve had no luck contacting them recently to see if this model is compatible with anything they current sell. My emails go unanswered and they have no one at “customer service” – just an endless loop of recorded messages and holds.
Thanks for the information about taping the blue rings down. I thought about doing this before, but thought the tape might get stuck too. I was SO annoyed that the blue rings kept coming off!! Seems to me they could have made it differently somehow to where a part like that couldn’t come off so easily. So silly. Anyway, thanks my diaper chump is now a diaper champ again.
~Heather
Thanks for the information about taping the blue rings down. I thought about doing this before, but thought the tape might get stuck too. I was SO annoyed that the blue rings kept coming off!! Seems to me they could have made it differently somehow to where a part like that couldn’t come off so easily. So silly. Anyway, thanks my diaper chump is now a diaper champ again.
~Heather
We had the same difficulties, got the same doc from Baby Trend(with too MANY typos), followed the pictures and guidelines but it didn’t help, and emailed back stating that we followed all directions and it still wasn’t fixed and we wanted a replacement. They sent us a replacement drum, with a different design, within a few days at no expense to us and it works. We had gotten the champ as a gift (from Target) but were sent the replacement anyway.
We had the same difficulties, got the same doc from Baby Trend(with too MANY typos), followed the pictures and guidelines but it didn’t help, and emailed back stating that we followed all directions and it still wasn’t fixed and we wanted a replacement. They sent us a replacement drum, with a different design, within a few days at no expense to us and it works. We had gotten the champ as a gift (from Target) but were sent the replacement anyway.
I was given one of their strollers and needed to get some parts but quickly found you CAN NOT order parts on the website! You have to go through the company directly and I’ll tell you it is a HORRIBLE customer service program that this company has! Don’t even bother “registering” on their website- you can NOT order PARTS over the web. You must call them at 1-800-328-7363 and then hope you can get through to their “customer service” dept. Took me 18 minutes on one of my calls, going through the phone tree over and over. You need to have the model and maufacturing info off the sticker on your stroller or they won’t help you – took me 4 calls to get my stuff ordered.
Then you 1) order the parts, 2) send them a check or money order (NO CREDIT CARDS!!) and 3) wait 7-10 days AFTER they get the payment for the check to clear before they will ship anything to you!!! I am on day 14 since I mailed the check (and a letter expressing my frustration over their antiquated phone sales system) and (after they just told me I am looking at 3-5 more days before the check clears and they’ll get around to shipping.
My suggestion- don’t bother owning anything Baby Trend after its warranty period. This company touts on its website that it has been around for 25 YEARS and they STILL can’t sell stuff to folks with credit cards?!?!?!
Good luck!
I was given one of their strollers and needed to get some parts but quickly found you CAN NOT order parts on the website! You have to go through the company directly and I’ll tell you it is a HORRIBLE customer service program that this company has! Don’t even bother “registering” on their website- you can NOT order PARTS over the web. You must call them at 1-800-328-7363 and then hope you can get through to their “customer service” dept. Took me 18 minutes on one of my calls, going through the phone tree over and over. You need to have the model and maufacturing info off the sticker on your stroller or they won’t help you – took me 4 calls to get my stuff ordered.
Then you 1) order the parts, 2) send them a check or money order (NO CREDIT CARDS!!) and 3) wait 7-10 days AFTER they get the payment for the check to clear before they will ship anything to you!!! I am on day 14 since I mailed the check (and a letter expressing my frustration over their antiquated phone sales system) and (after they just told me I am looking at 3-5 more days before the check clears and they’ll get around to shipping.
My suggestion- don’t bother owning anything Baby Trend after its warranty period. This company touts on its website that it has been around for 25 YEARS and they STILL can’t sell stuff to folks with credit cards?!?!?!
Good luck!