Seeing as you could describe this as a baby blog, I thought it only appropriate to share the shocking service we've received recently from Mothercare, what was once the go-to place for all things baby and toddler. We certainly won't be shopping there again!
About a year ago, we bought the above Mothercare pushchair - the Mino stroller. We'd only actually been using it for a matter of months when it all started to feel a bit wobbly and wonky, with both handles moving independently from one another. A couple of weeks ago, while pushing Dulcie to nursery, the base partially collapsed, sending the front wheels crashing into one another and very nearly toppling Dulcie out onto the pavement. Upon closer inspection we discovered that one of the metal cross bars underneath had snapped in half. The pushchair still had a whole year left on its guarantee, so we took it back to the shop, confident that the pushchair would be repaired or replaced as stated in the guarantee.
Long story short, Mothercare, upon investigating the problem, have refused to honour the guarantee, claiming that this is not a manufacturing problem and that it has been caused by us not folding the pushchair properly. All this despite the fact the fault occurred while pushing the chair, which has not been folded more than a handful of times in its entire (very short!) life and always in accordance with the provided instructions. Also, reading reviews on Mothercare's website shows that other owners of the Mino pushchair have experienced EXACTLY the same problem. Sounds suspiciously like a manufacturing issue to me!
To add insult to injury, once Mothercare decided they were not honouring the guarantee, they insisted I return the loan pushchair (which came to me covered in crumbs from former loans - yuck!) immediately and without notice, effectively leaving me pramless. I found this completely unreasonable and it seemed a blatant attempt to force me into buying another pushchair from them (this was their suggestion when I explained my predicament) and this something I am definitely not prepared to do. For now, I have refused to return the loan pushchair until the new pram we have ordered (from another retailer) has arrived, but I may yet insist Mothercare come and collect it when we're good and ready to give it back. I feel I need to gain back some ground in this so that I don't feel quite so thoroughly shafted.
Apologies for such a dull post, but hopefully somebody will read this one day and avoid buying the Mothercare Mino stroller, or anything else from Mothercare for that matter. I am beyond disappointed in the "service" they have provided and now have no faith in either them or their products. I'm so mad I have even emailed Watchdog! Look out for me on the sofa with Anne Robinson soon! And I'll be sure to let you know what I think of the new pushchair once it arrives. Surely it can't be worse than what we've experienced already...
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How shocking!
ReplyDeleteSeriously some people care more on stats that customer service. x
It's bad, isn't it? No word back from Anne Robinson yet, but Mothercare haven't heard the last of it, I tells ya! It's been a while since I wrote a serious letter of complaint, but Mothercare's head office shall be hearing from me soon!
DeleteI've not had a problem with Mothercare service as such but their shop in Burnley (no longer there) used to be so crammed with stuff that you couldn't get round it with a normal pushcahir without knocking things over. After complaining a few times (and getting no-where) I would deliberately knock things over! As a kids shop you would expect them to make room for a single buggy. I was even worse when I had a short lived double buggy for both girls! :)
ReplyDeleteHa! The one I'm talking about is disappointingly spacious, otherwise I might consider adopting your approach :)
DeleteOur mino has already been returned twice for not folding properly, today I went to fold it for the first time since we collected it from them, and guess what, it wouldn't fold. we live a minimum 45 minute drive from them and have to fit it around school, old-school times and working day and night shifts.we asked them to collect it. they won't! it's a joke.I now want a refund. very poor. I've done an article on mumsnet, and a review, and a review on the mothercare site.
ReplyDeleteIt's a terrible pushchair and a shockingly bad company, isn't it? Kind of glad to know it's not just me, though in a way it just makes me all the madder. I still haven't returned the loan pushchair despite now having bought a new pushchair of our own. As far as I'm concerned, they should come and get it. Bad enough they won't refund/replace the faulty under-guarantee pushchair without making me pay further bus fares etc. Good on you for spreading the word.
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