Caroline
H. of Charlotte, North Carolina shares her experience with Babies R Us and her
attempt to buy a Graco car seat:

Dear
Babies ?R? Us Customer Service,

I am writing to tell you about my recent
experience with your stores, associates, web site, and customer service
representatives in the hope you can understand how challenging your organization
has been to work with recently. As an expectant mother, it is challenging to
understand how you expect to retain customers by providing this type of terrible
customer service.

My neighbor and I
registered for our recent baby showers with your store earlier this year and one
of the items included the Graco Snugride Car Seat in Windsor.

On numerous occasions in February, I
attempted to purchase this item from your stores here in Charlotte, NC (there is
one in Concord, NC and one on South Boulevard in Pineville, NC). The item was
out of stock at both stores. Associates at that time were helpful in searching
shelves on my behalf for this item.

On
February 27th, I visited your store in Concord, NC and the sales
associate referenced the in store computer system that told her 5 of these car
seats were in stock and available (but not one could be found on the store
shelves).
On February 28th, I
visited your store in Pineville, NC and the sales associate referenced the in
store computer system that told her 3 of these car seats were in stock and
available (but not one could be found on the store shelves).

I was told by
both
locations that large shipments of these items
were expected imminently and to check back soon to get this
item.

On Wednesday, March 7th,
I again visited the Pineville, NC store. This car seat was not on the shelf. I
went to customer service and asked for a help. A store associate came by to help
me and took me over to the in store computer. This time, she told me
specifically
that a large shipment of these car seats is expected sometime between March
11th ? March 17th. I was told to come back
then.

On Monday, March 12th, I
called the Pineville store again and asked if they had received the shipment.
This time, the associate told me that they don?t expect these car seats in
for at least 3 to 4 more weeks. However, she would be happy to call around to
other stores in the Southeast and find a store that has this item in stock. That
store will then ship the item to me.
She
returned my call within the hour. I was told the Sarasota, FL store has this car
seat and one is being held for me. I am to call the store and talk to
Matt.
I call Matt and let him know I am ready
to have the item shipped to me.
Matt tells me I
have to pay for shipping. This I don?t understand, but ask him how much
shipping will cost (at this point, it?s worth it). Matt is unable to tell
me. He puts me on hold to ask his manager.

Matt?s manager gets on the phone. She
informs me that they do not ship items from the store.
(What??)
I ask the manager why I would have
been told by the Pineville, NC associate that this was possible and why Matt
would lead me to believe this was possible and then be met with this
information. She cannot explain. She suggests calling the 888.babyrus number to
place this order by phone.

The afternoon
of Monday, March 12th, I call 888.babyrus. I speak to Customer
Service.
I explain all of my above experience
to her. She explains that it is each individual store?s discretion whether
or not to ship the item from their stores. It is not something that is
controlled corporate-wide. She suggests trying to get the item online or else
calling her back and she?ll find a store in which this is available and
then I can call that store and see if they?ll be kind enough to ship
it.

I spend the afternoon trying to get
the item online. I sign up for a notification email from your site to tell me
when the item is back in stock.
On Wednesday,
March 14th, I get an email that the item is back in stock on your
site. I go to your site, find the item displayed as available, so I put the item
in my shopping cart and hit ?checkout?. I get a message that this
item is out of stock and would I like to be notified when it is back in stock??
(What??)

I call customer service back. I
speak to a different representative. I explain all of the above and that I am
calling to have customer service please locate this car seat in a store that I
can then call and have them ship the item to
me.
This representative informs me that they do
not ship items from stores. (What??)
I explain
to her that the representative I spoke with last time suggested I follow this
course of action and work with the individual store to see if they will ship it
to me. This representative tells me this is not an
option.

I give up. I complain to my
neighbor, who had also registered for this Graco Snugride Car Seat in Windsor.
She spends the next week awaiting the item to come back into stock online. She
orders two of the car seats by placing two separate orders. She receives email
order confirmations for both car seats. These orders are placed on Tuesday,
March 13th. We declare victory. Until, on Wednesday, March
14th, she receives notification that one of the orders has been
cancelled. The item is out of stock, the message says. She speaks with customer
service. She explains her situation and the representative is able to send her
another car seat and (hurrah!) offers her free shipping. We?re told these
car seats are due to arrive in the next week. We?re not holding our
breath.

I hope the above gives you some
insight into what it is like to be a customer of your store. This is my first
child but definitely the last time I recommend your stores, web site, or
registry to any other new or expecting moms.

Sincerely,
Caroline
H.