OP here: Given all the comments, I wanted to update all of you who have taken the time to respond. FWIW - I'm keeping the seat. I still have mixed feelings about it but I think it is the right thing to do in this case. Also - I will NEVER order another thing from diapers.com.
I tried calling the 800 number and got put on hold for what seemed like forever, although I'm sure it wasn't. So I spent that time on hold crafting an email and sent it to customer care. I finally got a human on the phone and my question was - is it typical that I order a car-seat and the DOM is 8 months old, which reduces the amount of time the buyer can use it. The answer was yes.
That answered my question and would have been ok, except the rep went on to tell me that well really car-seats don't expire, like formula or something. Are you even kidding me? I told her that she was giving misinformation. She continued to insist that expiration dates don't mean you can't use them. At that point I was shocked and quite frankly mad. I thanked her and hung up. Probably should have asked to be transferred to a supervisor but I was really too upset to continue the conversation. A little while after that phone call I got an email response which was minimally responsive to my question. I sent a follow-up to the response and got a reply that
"All car seats are good for eight years from the time of manufacture" - Are you even kidding me. I can't believe what I'm reading. I asked for the matter to be escalated to a supervisor so that they could know that the reps are giving bad info and I sent an email to SK to let them know the reps are claiming that I can use the car-seat after the recommended 8 years.
Really, I just wanted to know if the seats from diapers.com will have similar DOM issues if I decide to order from them again - or recommend them to friends and family. I'm all for getting a good deal, but I'd like to know before hand so I can decide if the price reduction is worth and potential DOM age - which would be expected if the model was listed as close-out.
To be clear, I was not (am not) trying to get one over on the company or make the process any more expensive for future customers, just trying to decide if is worth it to me to shop for car-seats on-line (especially from diapers.com) again. Nor am I a car-seat collector, we have 4 seats, one for each child in both parents' car. But I've purchased my fair share of seats as both grandparent have seats in their cars, too.
What really got me mad was the bad information, not once but twice!
On the upside, my little guy loves, loves, loves his new seat and I do too.
Thanks for the opinions and discussion. This forum has really been valuable to me as I've decided which seats are the best for my family, and then how to get them installed in my vehicles.
-Vanessa
Below is the email exchange...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hello,
Thank you for your email. The manufacture and sale of car seats (datewise) are similar to the manufacture and sale of cars. Seats are manufactured for the current year, in the year prior.
According to
www.carseats.org, "Most manufacturers suggest replacing a seat 5 to 8 years after the date of manufacture, because current safety seats may have better safety features than older seats, such as a tether or air bag warnings"
For Diapers.com, most manufacturers produce and send us new carseats when we order the new model. As our stock dwindles, we mark the older seats into a Closeout status and the manufacturer sends us the new model when we place an order for them.
In order to answer your question, it is not typical for a customer to receive a car seat with a manufacturer date that is 9 months past the purchase date. However, the this can vary dependent upon the stock and date of purchase.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us at 1 800 DIAPERS or you can email us at
Customercare@diapers.com.
Take care,
I
Customer Care Team
Diapers.com
From: Clay, Vanessa (HRSA)
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 4:16 PM
To: Diapers.com Customer Care
Subject: PLEASE ESCALATE THIS MATTER TO A SUPERVISOR - RE: Date of Manufacture on recently purchased carseat
This is absolutely not true! Not every car seat is good for eight years. My Britax Marathon seat has a 6 year shelf life. It is true that the Radian has an 8 year shelf life – which was one of the factors which led me to purchase it. Another reason I purchased this seat is that it can be used (weight and height limits) for a long period of time. I plan to use this seat for all EIGHT years. The current child in the seat may outgrow it before the 7y4mo but my plan is to use it for future children as well. My original question remains -
The problem I have is that I ordered the seat in June 2010 and the seat was manufactured 8 months prior in Nov 2009. Is this standard operating procedure for diapers.com?
Also, I will be contacting BritaxUSA and letting them know that representatives from Authorized Dealers are giving misinformation.
Please escalate this matter to a supervisor.
Vanessa R. Clay-McEntire, MSW, MPH
From: Diapers.com Customer Care [mailto:customercare@diapers.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 4:00 PM
To: Clay, Vanessa (HRSA)
Subject: RE: Date of Manufacture on recently purchased carseat
Dear Vanessa,
Thank you for your email.
All car seats are good for eight years from the time of manufacture. Depending on the age of your child, he/she will most likely outgrow the car seat before the seat ages beyond its' use. If you have any further questions, comments, suggestions or concerns, please feel free to contact our friendly Customer Care team by phone (toll-free, 1-800-342-7377) or by email (customercare@diapers.com). We're here to help you out 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Thank you,
Customer Care
Diapers.com
W
Customer Care
From: Clay, Vanessa
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 2:53 PM
To: Diapers.com Customer Care
Subject: RE: Date of Manufacture on recently purchased carseat
L –
Thank you for your reply. I understand they are like cars in the next years model comes out a few months before that calendar year. The problem I have is that I ordered the seat in June 2010 and the seat was manufactured 8 months prior in Nov 2009. Is this standard operating procedure for diapers.com? Because the seat is 8 months into its “shelf-life”, it reduces the amount of time I will be able to use it. I’ve ordered/purchased car-seats from Target, BabiesRUs, BuyBuyBaby and Albeebaby.com and I’ve never received a car-seat that had been manufactured more than 3 months previous.
If I can expect any car-seat that I purchase from diapers.com to be 8 months past the DOM, this will be the last carseat I purchase from diapers.com.
-Vanessa
From: Diapers.com Customer Care [mailto:customercare@diapers.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 2:33 PM
To: Clay, Vanessa (HRSA)
Subject: RE: Date of Manufacture on recently purchased carseat
Good Afternoon Vanessa,
Thank you for contacting Customer Care!
The reason you see November 2009 upon opening your package is because that is the month the manufacturer sent the Sunshine Kids Radian XT SL Convertible Car Seat - Nitro to us. I can assure you that the item you received is in fact the 2010 model but it was manufactured and sent to merchants late 2009.
We appreciate your business and value you as a customer!
We look forward to providing you with excellence service on all of your future orders. If you have any further questions, comments, suggestions or concerns, please feel free to contact our friendly Customer Care team by phone (toll-free, 1-800-342-7377) or by email (CustomerCare@diapers.com). We're now here to help you out 24 hours a day 7 days a week!!
Take care,
L.
Customer Care Representative
From: Clay, Vanessa (HRSA) []
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 1:41 PM
To: Diapers.com Customer Care
Subject: Date of Manufacture on recently purchased carseat
Hello -
I recently purchased a RadianXTSL from diapers.com. When I opened the box, I noticed the date of manufacture was Nov 2009. Is this typical? I wouldn't expect the car seat to be manufactured the same month I purchase it but I think 8 months past the date of manufacture seems a bit much. I’ve purchased several car-seats before this one and they have always been manufactured within 2-3 months of purchase.
-Vanessa