Comments (101)

By Elisa, November 13, 2009 4:38 pm

Warning:  Before your next visit to Babies R Us – beware of their return policy.  Or shall I say, their “Refusal to Accept Returns” policy. 

Babies R Us does NOT accept returns without a gift receipt. ( This is why they give you a gift receipt even if you are purchasing an item as small as a pack of gum). This is a fine policy – for a store that is not based solely around registries as Babies R Us is.  For those of us who received baby shower gifts, this policy makes it impossible to return items we received as gifts but were never given a gift receipt.

But note:  they also don’t accept returns even if you do have a receipt.

I recently attempted to return 2 baby outfits I received after my son was born.  I was never given a gift receipt for either.  The clothes still had the Babies R Us tags on them.  When I tried to return the clothes for store credit, the cashier refused to accept them.  I pointed out the Babies R Us tags still attached to the clothes, but the cashier insisted that a gift receipt was necessary.

I then tried to return a bottle warmer I was given.  The gift receipt was still attached to the box.  The cashier also refused to accept this item as well.  She stated that the item was purchased over 90 days ago and they do not accept returns on items over 90 days old.  Trying to explain why I did not have the chance to visit their store sooner with a newborn was fruitless. 

A friend of mine also tried to return a package of onesies she had recently purchased at Babies R Us.  Once she returned home she realized she had bought the wrong size.  When she went back to the store (with receipt in hand) several days later, she was told they would not accept the onesies since they had “just discontinued selling that style”.  The store would not issue my friend store credit.

I went to the Babies R Us website to file a complaint on their return policy but (shockingly) could not find where to contact the store with complaints.  I finally called their 1-800 number and spoke to a Customer Representative.  She offered little sympathy for my plight and pretty much reiterated their policy of 1) needing a gift receipt 2) all returns must be made within 45-90 days.  She did say she was sending my complaint to corporate – which is probably code for “paper shredder”.

So whenever you purchase items, or receive a gift, from Babies R Us – beware of their insanely strict return policy.  Because they were  unable to accommodate my situation twice (after I have spent hundreds of dollars at their store) I am now refusing to shop there.

Comments (161)

By admin, July 6, 2009 8:43 am

It’s that time of year (actually for me, ice cream is consumed in mass quantities year-round).  Trips and last-minute detours to get some ice cream happen regularly in the warm months. 

Pregnancy Cautions

If you are pregnant, you are already watching your diet and avoiding foods that carry a higher risk of foodborne bacteria.  We are told frequently to avoid soft, unpasteurized cheeses, undercooked eggs, deli meats, and certain salad dressings, etc., but warnings about our ice cream habits are sometimes unmentioned.

Soft Serve Ice Cream Risk

Soft-serve ice cream and soft-serve yogurt may also pose a risk for pregnant women.   It isn’t the ice cream itself that is risky, but the machines used to dispense the ice cream that could create a problem.  These machines need to be cleaned and sterilized on a regular basis to guarantee that no bacteria is present.  These machines are not easy to clean and if ice cream is left to sit in the machine, bacteria can grow and present a risk to you and your baby.   Proper temperatures must also be maintained, and often these machines are not monitored properly.

Stick with the Scoop

If you are pregnant, you may choose to avoid all soft-serve ice cream just to be safe.  You may also want to make sure your ice cream drinks, like milkshakes, malts, floats, ice cream sodas and even some coffee drinks don’t contain soft-serve ice cream.  You can ask for the soft-serve to be replaced with regular, hard packed ice cream, which is the much safer choice. 

So, if you have the pickles and ice cream craving, it’s ok to indulge, just think about avoiding the soft-serve!

Comments (142)

By admin, June 22, 2009 10:33 am

Pregnancy:

• “You’re how many weeks?  That’s how far along I was when I miscarried”
• “Aren’t you telling people too soon?”
• “I thought you might be pregnant.  You look fuller”
• “Don’t get too excited yet. It’s still early”
• “You’re how far along?  Goodness! I was that big at 9 months!”
• “Are you sure there’s only one in there?”
• “If you didn’t want to feel sick then you shouldn’t have gotten pregnant”
• “Really, morning sickness is all mind over matter.  If you tell yourself you won’t get sick, then you won’t”
• “Eating again?”
• “How are you feeling? Well, everyone is tired when they’re pregnant”
• “I wish I had thrown-up.  You’re lucky! Then I would have felt better”
• “This is what you wanted”
• “You certainly registered for a lot.  When I had my baby we didn’t need all of these things“
• “You must be having a boy/girl.  I can tell by how big your thighs and butt have gotten”
• “Should you really be eating that since you’re pregnant?”
• “I only gained 17 pounds when I was pregnant”
• “I thought you were eating for two, not four!”