I woke up in a bad mood and then discovered that the grad forum event that I am in charge of planning for tomorrow seems to be unraveling at lightening speed because the university email system arbitrarily eats emails. Since I didn't know what kind of mood my advisor was in and didn't think I could handle getting in trouble for anything, I sat on the couch and sobbed for a good 15 minutes while contemplating career changes.
Rather than deal with university drama, I decided that hunting down the car seat we were looking for would give me a sense of accomplishment.** Long story short, I called Target. They were rude. I asked to speak to someone else who suggested that I was overreacting and that the car seat was scheduled to be back in stock by June 1 which shouldn't be a problem since first babies are usually late.***
By the time, I wrote the weekly update for the baby blog, I had moved from overwhelmed to pissed and instead of talking about the baby's development this week, I basically vented about Target's incompetence. When I went to check my Google Reader a little while ago, this is what I saw. Please note the sponsor of today's blog post...
*Actually, I think it is about being responsible. Do I really need to spend $300 on an Eddie Bauer car seat. Wouldn't an investment in a college fund be a much more beneficial use of the money?**Because Google can find anything right? Wrong there are some things that Google cannot make appear in stock and I do know that you aren't supposed to buy used car seats, so Ebay is out. BTW if any of you happen to see a Graco Stylus Morocco Travel System, will you please buy it. I will send you a check.
***I'll give him that I probably overreacted to the email situation this morning, but considering that I'm due May 24th (probably about to be a week sooner), I don't think it's really unreasonable to want a car seat before I have the baby, especially considering that I can't leave the hospital with the baby is we don't have one. As much fun as it would be to send Rakicy or M to the store to find one on the excitement plan, I don't think that trying to avoid that situation makes me unreasonable or irrational.
6 comments:
The Better Business Bureau should institute Darwin Awards as a category below "F" in their new system. In my book, Target deserves the award for the response you were given!
I'm sure others will beat them in the level of stuoidity before too long. Noentheless this was an unconscionable response.--rg
After having both an infant carrier and a convertible carseat, I can say that you can get away with having just the convertible. While the carrier is infinitely handy, its not necessary. If you have a sling or a front pack you will be fine without it. Plus, Cady got too big for me to carry her in it quickly.
Cady has a Britax Marathon now. We used it rear facing until recently. It was just a safe feeling as her carrier seat. Get one of those seat inserts and you will be good.
I have long hated Target for their detestable customer service. We actually have not shopped there since 2004. Except for the time we went during the ice storm because we lived literally in their backyard and could get there without driving and needed stuff to, you know, survive in our freezing apartment.
The thing that sucks about not shopping at Target is that their products are often designed well (i.e. modern or just with some panache) and are also cheap. But good customer service is more important to me, so I'm voting with my dollars.
Is Target the only place that sells that Graco? Could you contact the manufacturer or use their website to find other distributors? Could you ask family/good friends in other cities to please check their Target?
@rg I should have mentioned that this particular suggestion came from a male customer service rep who I'm fairly certain doesn't have children. Not that being male and being stupid or not having children and being stupid are mutually exclusive, but clearly working in the baby registry dept shouldn't be his career.
@cadycupcake Good to know. I was wondering how long I would actually be able to use it as a carrier. I'm really leaning toward just the convertible since I will be the one with the car seat on most days.
@Linden I know. I actually wanted to register somewhere else, but when we took into consideration baby shower locations and proximity to stores it was our best bet. I did actually call Graco this afternoon. The car seats are backordered at all retailers and they are an online only product. I should add that Graco, however, has excellent customer service and checked the store inventories of all retailers they work with.
I'm really sorry things were like this.
@ J. Campbell Thanks! It got better. Thanks for all you did in helping out with grad forum today.
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