Shop assistant rant!

Since Josiah will be 18 months old when Xavier is born, Nat and I know we are going to need to get a new pushchair... we took the oppertunity of being in Tauranga where there actually are baby shops to go around a few and start figuring out the different types and prices etc... Kiya had spent the night at my parents place, so we made the most of the chance to browse without her!

We went to Baby City, and talked to one of the shop assistants. She was great! Showed us the different umbrella-style side-by-side strollers, discussed whether or not a buggy and toddler seat would be appropriate, and demonstrated the Phil and Ted system (which I was already biased towards wanting ) which Nat promptly fell for! All in all, she spent about 15 minutes with us, then let us browse and push buggies around. We wandered around the store for a while, as well.

After that, we went to Baby Factory... what a comparison! I asked one of the assistants for help, giving her the same information I had given in BC. She said "These are the double pushchairs we have, and those ones over there are the ones that can have a toddler seat attached." She started to walk off! I asked what the maximum weight of the toddler seats were, so she looked at the info listed on the back of the price ticket and read it off there. After 2 minutes, she left us to browse and push buggies around. 2 minutes later, we left the store and Nat said to me "I don't think I'll ever buy anything from that branch after that experience".

Both Nat and I felt that the BF lady knew nothing about the products, and wasn't inclined to help.

Doesn't that make you mad- the ignorance of some people and then the immaturity level and then the lack of experience or knowledge of the products they are selling. GRRRRR!

Yeah, I've had really good experiences in BF Hamilton, so it was probably just her... honestly, we wouldn't have minded if she'd said "Here's our range of buggies, feel free to browse and I'll just go and find someone who can answer any questions"... as long as someone instore knows what they are talking about for any given product, then it can be worked out!

I think we'll get a Phil and Ted double buggy system... neither Nat or myself want a side-by-side double, Josiah will be too young for a toddler seat, as none of them support a sleeping child very well, and no one is stocking front-and-back doubles anymore. We also both like the flexablility of the PnT system, and they last really well, which is good as we aren't finished having kids yet! Don't know if we'll end up buying new or getting a second-hand one, but Nat's talking about using our Parental Tax Credit payout to buy new. No rush.

there are some reallky shocking assistants out there ey!!!
When I went to baby city this assistant starting talking about the effects of impacts on some car seats and the different safety standards and really she went way over the top - talk about scare factor - needless to say in her opinion the only safe one was the $600 one!!! WHile I wanted to know the facts her whole description of what happens to the baby on impact was too much for me and I just couldnt go back there - she was saying tings like "now imagine if this was your baby and blah blah happens..." - I dont WANT to imagine my baby in a crash thank you!!!! - she just went too far...

It was a lady with short blonde hair

Ohhh... might have to have a look at babyuniverse.co.nz!

Maybe she dyed her hair,..or maybe they are all fabulous!! Hee hee!
Even with the discount they have at BC at the mo- the buggy for $600, the toddler seat is not on sale, so it still works out slightly cheaper on babyuniverse including delivery, plus the major bonus that you dont have to go back to the shop! We have already played with that buggy about 3 times now so are sure its the one!

We found baby city really great here in palmy but then our baby factory is wonderful as well - (helps that our new neighbour works there!) And for wanting a phil and teds - try looking on trade me - that's where my MIL got ours from - was a single buggy and she got a single chade cover, single rain cover with it, then she just went and ordered the second seat through baby city and got us a double raincover... so we got the whole package for the price it would have cost for just the buggy plus the extra seat! ours is not the e3 model but the version before that so the seat zips in and out of the front toddler position (the one that's on top of the baby lying down position) where as the new ones have hinges that the seat clips onto. but otherwise it's all good. so i'd say definately try there and you can still order extra seats for any buggy in the pnt range - even the old school ones, through baby city. also - have al ook in your bounty book - i dunno if they still them in them this year but last year they had a 10% off voucher for baby city in them - which if MIL had bought new would have meant we got the double rain cover free.

wooohooo my ploy is working lots more PnT addicts.

Edited by mum2paris

Yeah, Janine, I've noticed some PnT buggies in really good condition on TradeMe... now that we're back home, with broadband, I'm going to do some serious research ... gee, what a hard life I have - my husband is telling me I have to spend a couple of weeks looking at baby gear on TradeMe!

We're not in any rush... we've just finished paying off a major debt to IRD, so now we'll have an extra $100 a pay (YAY!!!) which we are going to save towards whatever buggy we buy, and also for a cradle. If Xavier comes before we've actually got the buggy he'll go in the frontpack and Josiah will be in the single pushchair we have now.

I must be a freak for choosing the Bertini Jet instead!!!  Everyone's raving about Phil and Ted's, and while price was a consideration, the buggy was a gift and my MIL kept saying "just choose the one you want... don't worry about that" (awww, lovely MIL!).  But Bertini just appealed!

I decided against the phil and Ted I personally don't like the way the new born lies so low in the buggy, and we could not afford a new buggy so we have got a second hand duble moutain with a bassanet on oneside.
And as for rude shop assiasnts I totally know what you mean Andi about the Farmer's ladies funny thing i know them all reasonably well as my Dad use to work there. The bf ladies here in NP are wonderful all ways been very helpful for us.

Edited by Mummy22