Big bitch about toys r us!!

[elaineandmichaelsmommy]

We went out on sunday to get dd her first bike. After doing some price and selection comparison around town we decided on tru. They had a particular bike on sale and wouldn't you know it that's the one dd picked out. The add said it was on sale for $29.99,when we went into the store the tag on the bike said it was 29.99, the sticker below it on the shelf said 29.99. 2 sa said it was 29.99. Also-the bike came preassembled. None of the sale bikes were unassembled. How great for the kids-ride you're brand new bike right out of the store I thought.-We get to checkout and they charge us 39.99 for the freaking bike!! The guy at the checkout insists that there is a 10 dollar assembly fee. EXCUSE ME!! WTF!! NO, all your bike were already put together, I did not choose to use your service-my husband is perfectly capable of putting together a bike. So we're arguing with the checkout clerk, the lines piling up. So we graciously move out of line to talk with the manager and let the other people check out. She comes to us and pulls the tage from the holder on the bike and at the bottom of the tag in tiny print it says something about the fee- FALSE ADVERTISING!!!! first off- the tag was in a plastic holder attached to the bike frame and it was solid plastic-you couldn't see the print unless you took the tag out of the holder- and why would I do that- I can see the price on the slip and It's not an item that I have to pull the tag and take it up front so why would I pull it and read your tiny tiny print at the bottom. I'm never never ever shopping at that awful store again. Then the woman says she'll go back to look at the bikes to see if our claim is substaintiated, we told her that all their bikes were already put together and that this wasn't fair. So after several minutes of waiting she sends back a regular sa to tell us they're unwilling to waive the fee while she hides at her little desk( I could see her!!)
While this sa is talking to us he agrees with us that it's wrong and that we shouldn't be paying this fee for this item, but the manager is unwilling to budge and insists we pay the stupid fee. AARRGGGHHH- So i look down at my 4 year old dd and ask her if she wants this purple bike or the pretty pink one at target- damned if she didn't say the purple bike ( aww,crap!) So we pay the stupid fee and leave never to return. I'm posting this because I told them I'd be posting wherever I could. Dh is writing the letter to corporate and boing boing.
So the next time you go to tru- be aware that you might wind up paying for something you never asked for, or needed or used.

[newmomto3kids]

Like the ten bucks would have killed them...
Sorry that you had that experience, it sucks to feel like companies are actually trying to be deceptive.
Hope your little girl loves her new bike!!

[trumansmom]

Write corporate headquarters. That is inexcusable. Honestly, if she had had the balls to come back and talk to you herself it would have been better.

Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/01 and Eleanor 4/04

[Jenn98]

I hate TRU for so many reasons. Think of the bad karma for being an evil business that deal with toys!

[matthewsmom]

I'm so sorry about your experience with TRU. I've had so many bad experiences also that I no longer go there. I really HATE the store. I'll rather pay more at a mom 'n pops store than go back to them.

[Mommy Of A Little Angel]

Ugh I am so sorry you had to go through that! I would definately write to corporate. That is absolutely ridiculous. I hate TRU and will not shop there anymore. I would rather pay more elsewhere then deal with their lack of care for their customers.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

we just bought a bike at TRU also, and the signs are pretty clear that there is a $10 assembly fee. If you want the bike unassembled, you can buy it that way, but to just take a bike off the floor assembled is $10 more.

[Laurel]

We've actually had the same experience more than once. No unassembled item available, and a $10 charge for assembly.

Both times we got the fee waived, however- due to the fact that there was no item available that was not assembled. I really do think that they try to assemble as many as possible to tack on the extra fee. It seems this issue must come up at TRU constantly. What a silly policy.

[DrSally]

That's not fair if they didn't have any nonassembeled bikes for you to purchase. If they didn't have at least one bike in a box, then the advertised price of 29.99 is not really available. That's a lot of disappointment for your daughter who was ready to walk out with her bike. I understand why you bought it. We once walked into a truck dealership to buy the advertised, stripped down truck. We looked at it, confirmed the price with 2 different SA, and then they draw up the paperwork for $2000 more. We, of course, said "what???", and they acted like it was ridiculous to expect to pay that price for a truck and said they didn't have the advertised one on the lot. Well, we walked out and the manager heard us on the way out and granted the advertised price. Sorry that was so long, but I know how frustrating price bait and switch can be!!

[JTsMom]

That's really ridiculous. I hope you get a good response from corporate. I hate Toys R US. They are getting worse and worse.

[jgriffin]

Thanks for the heads-up, especially as we'll be looking for a trike for E this spring.

Yet another reason to avoid TRU. Boy do I dislike them!

[mom2one]

Add me to the list of people who hate TRU. The manager could care less that I complained. I told him I was contacting corporate, he said go right ahead and walked away. I called corporate, and they would not do anything about it either. TRU is a company that has NO customer service and does not care about the people that shop there. I told the service clerk, the manager and corporate that I would not shop at their stores again, and I mean it. I think WE (the shoppers) of america should put them TRU out of business. I now shop at Targer, walmart, the independent toy store, etc. They don't want my business, fine. I will give it to someone else who does and who cares about me the consumer. Susan

[J_B Mommy]

Thanks for posting this. Losing a customer for $10 is crazy. I think hearing your story and others reafirms many of our decisions to avoid TRU. Not the best business decision for them.


On a happier note -- I hope your daughter enjoys her bike. I remember my first bike, what fun!!

[AddiesMom]

Good luck getting the $10! Don't back down! Their customer service number sucks in my last 2 experiences. I called because I didn't get a BRU flyer in the mail that had a $10 off stroller coupon and they would do nothing for me. I used to work at a home office for a retail chain and I would have had a coupon in the mail that day! It is amazing that something so little would make me a happy customer but instead they would rather tick me off.

One time I did win with them, basically I refused to hang up until I got what I wanted. They advertised the Baby Leap Pad on sale and it came with an additional puzzle in the box, exclusive to TRU. I open the box and there is also a coupon inside for a free carrying case that expired 2 years ago!!! WTF! You advertise this special "exclusive to TRU" product and the coupon inside expired 2 years ago! So how long was this special version of leap pad sitting around your warehouse? It took me about an half and hour of bitching on the phone but eventually I got a carrying case that I could pick up from my local store.