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Belynda
07-09-2001, 03:41 PM
Does anyone have any information on Babee Tenda? The quality of their crib and feeding table, the company, etc? Has anyone purchased the Babee Tenda crib or feeding table? If so, what has been your experience? I appreciate your feed-back!

mom@home
07-10-2001, 12:07 PM
LAST EDITED ON Jul-10-01 AT 11:08AM (Mountain)[p]I got suckered into going to a Babee Tenda "Safety" seminar a few years ago and was disgusted by a very blatant sales pitch for their products. They kept showing very old dangerous baby products that had long since been recalled and redesigned (as in DECADES ago) and telling the parents that if we didn't buy Babee Tenda products, our baby would almost certainly die using "inferior" products. Anyone who has to exagerate and flat-out lie to sell their products isn't getting any money out of me. As far as their products go, the Fields' say in their book that while they don't see anything wrong with their products, other than the fact that they are incredibly ugly, they are grossly over-priced. You could get a ChildCraft crib and a Chicco Mamma highchair for a fraction of the Babee Tenda price. I'd be interested if anyone else suffered through the seminar and what they thought of the sales pitch. Good luck!

Belynda
07-10-2001, 12:35 PM
Thank you for your reply. I'm continuing my research on baby products. Although the Babee Tenda salespitch may be considered "excessive", they do focus on quality and safety - -which are my main concerns. You may be interested in reading the following reply I received from parentingbaby.com.

Dear Belynda,

I have been researching the Babee Tenda products and I absolutely love what I see. They have done their research and there's no doubt in my mind they are about safety first. They have never had a recall in all the years they have been in business and pride themselves in making their furniture out of a hardwood that is made to last. In fact I am looking to sell their furniture from my website.

My only concern is the height cribs are built at. They are a big threat to children when the child starts trying to climb out. To combat this real life danger I recommend strongly from the first time your child is trying to climb out of the crib to graduate him to the toddler bed.

Thank you for contacting ParentingBaby.com. If we can be of any further assistance please let us know.

Information is knowledge.
Knowledge is power.
Power is being in control.

Good luck with your new purchase.

Sincerely,

Renee Rousseaux
www.parentingbaby.com
[email protected]


----- Original Message -----
From: Belynda Quimby
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 7:01 PM
Subject: Babee Tenda crib


What are your opinions on the Baby Tenda crib and feeding table? My husband and I just attended a presentation by this company and now we are doing research on their products. We would appreciate your immediate feedback.


Sincerely,
Belynda

allie
07-13-2001, 09:50 PM
I remembered reading about this company in the Baby Bargains book, and I pulled out my copy. Here's what the Fields had to say about Babee Tenda: "We found their 'safety seminar' to be bogus, their high pressure sales tactics reprehensible, and their products grossly overpriced." Hope that helps!

AmberH
09-10-2001, 11:42 AM
I recently bought a Babee Tenda Crib. I went early in my pregnancy before I comparison shopped for cribs. Looking back, I think the sales pitch (high pressure) and return policy is disgusting (you only get 60% back of purchase cost).

However, I do think the crib is good quality overall. The problem I am having is finding sheets and matress covers that will fit the mattress. Babee Tenda cribs are larger than standard(55"x28". Standard crib mattresses are 52"x28". The fitted sheets that come with the crib seem to be made of a cotton blend and the elastic does not go all the way around. When I called to ask what the thread count and cotton blend was, they said they did not know. I am not entirely comfortable using standard sheets on the bed, so I feel stuck. If I had to do it again I would not have bought it. Any company that has to resort a decieving, high pressure sales pitch and unfair return policy obviously has something to hide.

Gidge
09-16-2001, 05:23 PM
I Just received an invitation to attend the "seminar". I was appalled after I read it. It states that both parents must be present and that the shows are designed for couples.
I ws angry becuase I know many wives whose husband won't go with them, or just don't have someone to go with them.(the other parent).
I left them a tearful message on their reservation line, and proceeded to find their website which seems to no longer be in exisitance. I will continue my search.
After reading what fews things are here, I am glad my emotional instincts are working overtime during this pregnancy. :)

Gidge

laura2001
09-23-2001, 08:09 PM
I too went to the "seminar" offered by Babee Tenda....My friend and I dragged our husbands because we wanted our free gift basket worth $100....after sitting through a 2 1/2 hour lecture, we were finally given the prices for their 2 products: the crib was between $700-$800 and the feeding table was around $450...BUT if you bought TODAY you could buy the crib AND get a FREE Kolcraft stroller for around $550...and the feeding talble with the FREE Kolcraft storller for around $300...

all I could think was---how overpriced is there "regular" price if they can offer it so much cheaper with a FREE stroller (or car seat)????

and the GIFT??? give me a break...the man needs to look up the definition of GIFT BASKET...our $100 gift was a certificate for vacation packages starting at $9.95 a person (and I'm sure once you went on your vacation you would probably have to sit through another sales pitch) needless to say we both left very x( mad!!

I doubt I will buy their products...I, unfortunately, had a miscarriage several weeks ago...but I did not like sitting there having someone make me feel bad if I didn't buy their products...

soontobee
10-19-2001, 05:38 PM
My wife & I went to a Baby Tenda sales pitch a few weeks back as well.

Interestingly enough they keep saying in their seminar how they never have had a recall. I really wonder about this claim....In the same repsect, they never say that they meet any government regulations either (are they JPMA certified? It doesn't say anywhere on their website that they meet any safety regulations). I have a feeling that they never had any recalls becacuse they don't have to be regulated since they are not sold in regular stores...They also love to claim that there are NO warning stickers or labels on their products....I'm pretty sure there are no warning stickers on their products becuase they don't HAVE to put any there....

Another strange thing is that our salesman was showing us how dangerous high chairs were...Yet he brought along "HIS" perego pappa high chair that he said he bought a little over a year ago for $150..and then went on to talk about the recall made on the high chair...Yet he still used this highchair for his little one...Guess the babeetenda he wanted us to buy for $450 was not good enough for him...

To me their products look like they are made in someone's garage with spare parts someone had sitting around. In terms of materials, there is really nothing that is placed in their products that would warrant such a high price...No "Hardwood" construction...The crib is made out of laminated particle board (just like a kitchen countertop). And they like to boast that their crib is "super" strong by having the salesman (a 230# guy) stand in the middle of the crib. Now it's not too hard to put several brackets under the steel frame to hold the mattress up...but come on...who cares if the frame will hold up 200+ lbs...the most loading my crib will ever see would be 30-50#...All that does is make the crib super heavy...If my baby weighed 200 lbs we'd have a real problem...

Basically these guys like to prey on worried uninformed new parents who (rightfully so) want the best for their baby. If their products were SO wonderful and safe, they would be sold in stores or even shown on TV shows and magazines...Yet I never EVER heard of these products until we got suckered into going to one of their shows...Overall, their products are way too expensive for what little quality you get. I think that the false state of piece of mind a parent might get by buying their products would be greatly overweighed by the HUGE buyer's remorse they would experience when they did a little more shopping & became more informed.

Only positive point taken away from the show = $120+ for a perego or a chicco high chair ISN'T SO BAD!! ;)

Have a great day! :)

triplets
11-03-2001, 07:20 PM
The wife and I are expecting triplets in 4 months, our first three children at that. Knowing that most everything we get needs to be done in triplicate has us a bit concerned about prices.

A few weeks ago we took a trip to Babies-R-Us to check out the scene with plans to return later for the "Registration" process. My wife heard no end of my complaints about the poor quality of products for the price when we looked at Cribs, High-Chairs, Automated Swings, etc... $129.00 for a piece of cheap plastic molded into a high-chair isn't my personal opinion of quality. The price for cribs ranged considerably and if you were looking for a conversion bed then you can be looking at some significant price hikes.

A week ago the wife and I received the Safety Seminar invitation. The invitation had gimmick written all over it and the answering service to accept the invitation provided additional warnings on what to expect at the seminar. We attended the seminar last evening from 7p-10:30p.

Like other commentary I have found today in regards to other seminars our salesperson talked statistics, mentioned the concern about tipping high-chairs, bouncy cribs, and other sales tripe. Anyone with any common sense knows that statistics are virtualy useless, perhaps only valid for giving insurance companies reasons to raise rates. The wife and I already had fresh in our minds our disappointment in the quality of all of the cribs and high-chairs we have seen for one reason or another. The crib was on par price with other conversion cribs but the high-chair was significantly higher. In examination the quality was higher on both products. Unfortunately we also expected a very high price since it was made in America. Our minimum wage is a tad higher than those countries we import products from.

About a third of the class stayed to purchase one product or the other. While waiting we met a couple who recommended the "Baby Bargains" book that we had never heard of. We all examined the high-chair and it was very sturdy. They purchased a high-chair for their new son to be. We placed an order for 3 of each. The salesperson told us that he's going to give us a better deal and made a call at 10:15pm to give us a special discount. We didn't even ask for a deal, we figured the price was fixed times 3. We purchased with layaway for options to cancel if this was a hoax or a rip-off and only be out $100. We can also cancel by Tuesday by contract with no penalty. They make it seem like they're doing you a favor but its a state law in texas to give you 3 business days to cancel orders of this type.

Today, the next day, I have been researching what I can about the Babee Tenda products. Quite frankly the only real negatives I have truly found are on the high price of the high-chair, how difficult it is to clean at times, and how crib sheets are difficult to get for their non-standard size mattress. Most folks appear to really enjoy and are satisfied with their purchase.

I also purchased the "Baby Bargains" 4th edition book today and read the page 281 commentary on Babee Tenda. It did more to discredit the book than it did Babee Tenda. I was hoping to receive an unbiased review of the Babee Tenda products, this commentary was extraordinarily opinionated, and grossly over exaggerated, and we were very disappointed in the books authors for allowing this poor image of themselves to be printed. At least as it related to our seminar.

The "Baby Bargains" book never mentions that you aren't just getting a crib and a high chair with these products. Both are intended to have multiple features and benefits. Granted you, and your child, may not use those benefits.

Please point me to a true evaluation of the Babee Tenda products. I would like to know how the product itself compares to other products of it's kind.

Please direct me to another high chair with similar features as the babee tenda high-chair that is not made of cheap ugly plastic.

Please direct me to another conversion bed that is of the same quality as the babee tenda crib and at a significantly lower price.

walda
11-05-2001, 04:48 PM
Cheap plastic? Well, the babee tenda is made out of laminated particle board... I certainly don't think that's much better than plastic. Sorry. Babee tenda is WAY overpriced and they just scream SCAM and RIPOFF to me. There are safe, quality products out there. Save your money for your child's education.

alandenisefields
11-13-2001, 11:57 AM
For the record: we stand by our criticism of Babee Trenda. We believe their sales pitch is shameful and deceptive; the products are overpriced and of dubious value. Search these message boards for other parents comments; you'll note most agree with that assessment.

Best wishes,
Alan & Denise Fields, Authors
BABY BARGAINS

ndewell
01-10-2002, 04:55 PM
Dear Sir,
With all due respect, do you work for Babee Tenda? I ask because I can not imagine anyone buying three cribs who would actually fall for their snakeoil salespitch. I agree with Denise and Alan Fields: high pressure sales pitches at nervous parents, wanting only the best for their child, are shameful, disgraceful and exploitative. I have read Denise's and Alan's prior books, never met or have spoken to them but trust them and profoundly appreciate their opinions. Their books are not Consumer Reports-they are funny, entertaining and make a sometimes overwhelming period in one's life just a little more humorous with their candid opinions.
If you've lost respect for them, well you are entitled to feel however you'd like. As for the rest of us, I appreciate their attempts to protect us from scams, especially when I am at a time when I am so much more vulnerable and would believe almost anything, in an attempt to ensure safe surroundings for my child.
In addition, I live in Vail, Colorado, about 2 hours from the closest baby store and one of these seminars. If I had received one of these invitations, taken 2 hours to drive down & 2 hours to drive back (possibly through some awful mountain weather and passes), I can't tell you how angry I would have been. Denise and Alan spared me that frustration for which I am grateful. They also reminded me that scam artists will prey on anyone at anytime and that even though I am pregnant, I shouldn't let down my guard. I applaud their honesty.
I hope your wife's deliveries go well and will keep you in our prayers, as you raise three children at once.
With best intentions,
Nicole
First time mom at 33 in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado

babyretailer
01-28-2002, 01:42 AM
Back in the 1960's, before infomercials and television shopping channels; several companies marketed their products via direct sales. This was referred to as "Door to Door" and most of the baby care contraptions were sold this way. The four majors were: Stroll-O-Chair, Wonda-Chair, Baby Tenda & Baby Butler. Back then, everything was made here in the USA and the quality was excellent. They offered innovative safety features and multiuse functions. Over the years, they all fell victim to a variety of troubles and one by one, they went out of business. All that is except you're favorite, Baby Tenda. Operating in sleazy hotel rooms, this company's distributors are today's snake oil merchants. These carnival barkers prey on young vulnerable first time parents and use tactics even a vinal siding salesman wouldn't employ. A call to your local better business bureau or states attorneys general office should give you all the information you need about the company and their long list of dissatisfied customers.