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take my money, please
By heather | April 24, 2008
Besides the physical pregnancy differences between Baby 1.0 and Baby 2.0, this second time around, there is a certain naiveté that’s been lost.
I’m speaking, of course, about The Shopping. 2 years ago, newly pregnant and bursting with the thought of all the things I would get to buy (or register for and have other people buy them for me! whee!) I pored over anything I could get my hands on. Baby magazines, parenting magazines, online shopping sites, catalogs, and article after article of things I! MUST! HAVE! lest my baby be lagging behind his peers before he even arrived.
When it came to furniture, I researched. I took Baby Bargains with me as we crib shopped. We bought an A-rated crib from a lovely, family owned baby store. The owners fell all over themselves to show us pictures of their grandchildren and talk paint colors with us. We took home the crib in a warm glow and marveled at the fact that everyone in the world was nice to pregnant girls.
With Baby 1.0 we learned that you don’t actually need all those things so the shopping and researching and agonizing is pretty much non-existent this time. Plus the idea of shopping with a toddler is often fraught with anxiety because you know you won’t really be able to actually look at stuff. More likely, you tag something as your toddler runs by it and you lumber after him trying to keep him from getting lost, kidnapped, or tantrum-ing.
It occured to me the other day that at 26 weeks along, I’d best get my act together and rustle up some furniture for Baby 2.0 because sometimes it takes 10 or 12 weeks.
A few weeks ago, I called the same store to order the kit we need to convert Alex’s crib to a full-size bed. I talked to the same grandma who had been so cuddly and sweet, except this time she was lackadaisical and unconcerned and couldn’t answer even basic questions like, “How much will the kit cost?” She would have to call me back. She never did.
I started to look for another store to patronize, not only for the conversion kit but for another crib and more furniture. There is one other store within 150 miles of us that sells the line of furniture we want. To buy from them will cost us five times as much in delivery fees. No they are not willing to deal. Oy. I just can’t unnecessarily spend that much extra just on principle.
Back to Baby Store #1. I talk to the husband instead of the wife, tell them what I want and ask for pricing, even though I KNOW how much because we went undercover and visited last weekend.
He asks me to email him a list of what I want and they’ll get back to me. I email. I wait. I call. Someone else will have to check the email because he can’t access it. He’ll have that person call me in a little while. No call. I call again 5 hours later. No, the email person is not there anymore, he’s left for the day.
I’m essentially trying to throw money at these people and they refuse to catch it.
In the past 2 years since we bought our first crib, they must have realized that they are the only game in town. They no longer give a shit about actually selling things, because if you want anything other than the two or three brands that Babies R Us sells, you have to buy it from them.
A friend of mine who does architecture and interior design tried to get the crib and furniture for us direct from the manufacturer, which would have been SWEET and CHEAP. Nope, she was told. We only sell to baby stores. If you want it, we’ll give you 10% off the price of retail when you order from the local store.
Curses.
I shudder to think what will happen if anything is wrong with this furniture if and when it arrives, if I can even get through the ordering process.
In the business part of my brain, I’m wondering if it can really be THAT HARD to run a baby furniture store. Hell, this place keeps banker’s hours and aren’t even open every day.
Plus, about-to-be-new parents are like junkies (or brides) willing to pay anything for the perfect experience. I know this. I’ve been there.
Could I take down the crack dealer on the corner who’s so big he’s stopped worrying about anyone infringing on his territory? Probably not in the next 6 months, cause ya know I’ll be kind of busy. But next year at this time…look out grandma with your gold teeth. I might be coming for you.
Topics: baby stuff |
April 24th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Geez that’s lousy. Pottery Barn Kids has some cute cribs, have you looked at their catalog? I’ve got a few items from them and they’re very well made.
skiplovey’s last blog post..Out, out and over
April 24th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
How aggravating. Especially after your fuzzy warm nice first experience with them.
The store we bought our crib from (and prepaid!) went out of business before they delivered. That caused a wee bit of stress, but it all worked out in the end. (It’s one of those times when I was grateful to a credit card company…)
I hope you can get your stuff.
alejna’s last blog post..what to expect when you weren’t expecting the Y chromosome
April 25th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Will your store be selling Sew Petit items? I’ve heard they have great stuff for babies
Vicki’s last blog post..Further clothes making adventures
April 27th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Totally aggravating. I read Baby Bargains inside-out with the first too. I bet there’s an online company that can get you the furniture you want at a better deal with generous support/return policy.
It would enrage me to have to deal with that baby store.
KC’s last blog post..Medical Advice Monday: The toilet for what ails you
June 18th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
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