Toys R Us - mixed feelings (toysrus.co.uk)

Member Name: dibuzz

Product:	toysrus.co.uk
Date:	24/08/01 (1181 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: a child friendly shop, can try before you buy, everything on display

Disadvantages: some parents treat it as an unsupervised playground, in my opinion parts are often missing

I have spent thousands of pounds over the years at Toys R Us on anything from prams to computers to toys large and small.

I love the shop as my kids can feel free to play and use the display items without fear of a telling off. However I feel a bit more parental control is often necessary. My daughter wanted to try a particular bike but a little girl who was on her own would not get off it. After about ten minutes her mother returned to the bike area and I explained that my little girl wanted to try this bike with a view to buying it. Her mother just ignored me and walked away leaving the girl still on the bike. I ended up having to ask a member of staff who told the girl she would have to get off. This resulted in her running screaming to her mother. Many kids get lots of toys off the shelves and just leave them lying on the floor. Problems like this arise because some people leave their kids to play unsupervised while they wander around the shop themselves.

I have also noticed that the same kids are always on the computer games whenever I go. Staff have told me they come on their own and they find it difficult to stop them. Maybe a ban on unaccompanied minors would help? But of course this would be unfair on any genuine young shoppers.

I have bought a total of 12 bikes from toys r us and only two of them have been OK. Three had a broken part and the others had bits missing. Although I have had them replaced with no problems I resent the fact that I always end up driving back to the store which is 15 miles away.

Apart from this though the bikes are excellent value, often on special offer. You can have them put together if you like or take them home as a flat pack which will fit in the car more easily. I would advise having them checked over at a bike shop if you are unsure about putting it together.

One familiar sight at toys r us is the family who have just filled their car with large toys and can't fit the kids in.
Quite often I have passed a woman waiting outside with the kids while hubby takes the toys home and comes back for her (couldn't trust mine to come back!)

The best thing about toys r us for me is when they extend their opening hours for Christmas. Last year I got all the toys when the shop was quiet and the kids were in bed.

They also have a loyalty card which earns you money off vouchers but only from particular toys.

Sometime a toy may be a little cheaper in another store such as argos or index but it is a much more child friendly shop which is important to me.

I would definitely recommend this shop but I think it could be improved in a few areas like the unaccompanied kids and poor quality control.

I have also used the website and had toys delivered but was badly let down over my son's main present which, after phonong as I had waited two weeks, was promised to arrive by 5pm Christmas Eve. It didn't and the money was eventually refunded onto my card as they couldn't trace the parcel but this spoiled our Christmas and I felt they could have handled it better.

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