Um. What.

I start playing with the Nauti on display at Walmart (was bored and just killing time) and I tug on the harness adjuster and its "stuck". I was like and then I realized what was wrong. The ends of the harness were looped through the booster belt guides.

I pulled them off because I didn't want anyone to think you can actually use it that way. Who would think that was a good idea in the first place though??

urchin_grey said:

I start playing with the Nauti on display at Walmart (was bored and just killing time) and I tug on the harness adjuster and its "stuck". I was like and then I realized what was wrong. The ends of the harness were looped through the booster belt guides.

I pulled them off because I didn't want anyone to think you can actually use it that way. Who would think that was a good idea in the first place though??

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LOL... Wal-Mart employees are the best. I mean it comes w/ a manual and they are getting paid hourly, you'd think they'd see it as time well spent to actually read how to set it up!

Good for you for fixing it because so many parents do just take a display as the way it's supposed to be. In my dream world every major car seat retailer would staff a CPST for consultation and allow them to check their display seats, be in the store during busy times to advise, and be on call for any questions that arise. The assumptions of uneducated employees who know nothing is so damaging. :thumbsdown:

And OP your siggy makes me smile every time!

My walmart has the black version like that too! The pink one is correct though. If only I was tall enough to fix it... I'll try next time I'm there. That's too weird that walmart has 2 morons who live so far away doing the same stupid thing. haha

The more things like this that I read and the more I think about it, I think Wal Mart should simply not be able to sell car seats :twocents:

* They recommended a Cosco FF only 20-40lb HBB for my coworkers 15lb 8 MONTH OLD. I loaned her my RA immediately- installed it in the parking lot at work RFing in her Focus and took her seat to Wal Mart that night and demanded that they exchange it for a Scenera. After an hour, and me being close to getting kicked out of the store -I wasn't yelling, just refused to take no for an answer... the manager told me to come back the following day when only he was there and not the other manager and he would do it... he had kids and knew how unsafe it was. I understand it was used and they didn't *have* to exchange it but their employee raved about it and said it was the best choice for her baby- obviously far from the truth. Well she's RFing at over 1 yr now in her Scenera :thumbsup:

* They recommended a backless Turbobooster for the 35lb recently turned 2 year old that I nannied (his mom bought it and informed me he didn't *need* a harness anymore ) Obviously I corrected her.

* They told my friend that she didn't need a new seat yet for her huge then 6 month old when I sent her there to check out the MyRide because "she could just turn her seat around" um... it was a 22lb Snugride- truly 2-3lbs from being outgrown and the lady said it can be used FFing. She never even asked for advice, just asked which one was the MyRide and the lady just blurted out how she didn't need another seat :thumbsdown:

So that's off the top of my head... I don't think we should push for them to educate or advise customers because clearly the vast majority of their employees read, write, speak and act like 5th graders I simply think there should be a law against them having any input whatsoever as to what anyone purchases for their child :twocents:

urchin_grey said:

I start playing with the Nauti on display at Walmart (was bored and just killing time) and I tug on the harness adjuster and its "stuck". I was like and then I realized what was wrong. The ends of the harness were looped through the booster belt guides.

I pulled them off because I didn't want anyone to think you can actually use it that way. Who would think that was a good idea in the first place though??

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Wow, that's a new one, though I do see some fairly creative things done to my floor models at BRU :thumbsdown:

I saw the same thing at a Wal-Mart! Pink was fine, black was threaded through the booster belt guides. I fixed them too, lol.

Mags462 said:

In my dream world every major car seat retailer would staff a CPST for consultation and allow them to check their display seats, be in the store during busy times to advise, and be on call for any questions that arise.

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Oh yes...I was dreaming the same thing yesterday!LOL
Maybe not Wal Mart but at least BRU adn other baby specialty stores at a minimum! I also wish car seats came with bulleted checklist attached to the harness so parents would have to look at it! We all know they don't read the manual so maybe a quick do's & don'ts would be nice!

Walmart is sad in every department.

K's managers know he knows more than the average Joe about carseats. Apparently one of the CSMs was asked for seat advice the other day, so she paged K from the parking lot.
K had to explain to this hardly English speaking woman that no, her eight month old shouldn't use the turbo booster.
Now, its great K could help out (and obviously listens when I ramble), but the CSM truly couldn't figure that one out?

Some of our biggest issue I think is a language barrier.
This town has a huge non-English speaking Russian population while towns bordering us have non-English speaking Hispanics/Latinos and Asians.
It is not uncommon to see newborns in forward facing table boosters.

In my experience, Wal-mart's employees know just as much as the retail staff at many other stores that sell baby equipment.

We aren't lucky enough to have any "Joolses" or "Judis" at my local BRU and Baby Depot, so I have gotten some very interesting "advice" at those stores as well. Target is the same.

I don't think it is fair to generalize that all employees of a certain store have limited language, limited ability, etc. Some stores have FABULOUS employees who know their stuff (Jools and Judi being two of those!), while other employees know little or nothing. I am sure that there are some knowledgable people who work at K-Mart, Wal-mart, and Target.

Why is it considered negative to make the very commonsense observation that retail employees aren't given special training to become experts in car seats? Or camping equipment or small appliances, or whatever department they are working that day? This is not insulting to the employees, or retail workers, or anyone!

I've gotten negative responses before when making this point in similar threads... having been a Wal-Mart employee myself, I know that I was in no way qualified to make the recommendations that I was constantly asked for. Fortunately, I never worked the baby department and so never caused harm to any babies!

So many parents have been/are retail workers that I truly don't get why so many ask for advice in the car seat aisle. It IS damaging, and the presence of a very few CPSTs and/or self educated parents scattered across thousands of stores who can give good advice doesn't make it a good idea in general.

IMO there should be contact info for CPST and/or seat check schedules posted in the car seat aisle of all high volume retailers.

Patriot201 said:

In my experience, Wal-mart's employees know just as much as the retail staff at many other stores that sell baby equipment.

We aren't lucky enough to have any "Joolses" or "Judis" at my local BRU and Baby Depot, so I have gotten some very interesting "advice" at those stores as well. Target is the same.

I don't think it is fair to generalize that all employees of a certain store have limited language, limited ability, etc. Some stores have FABULOUS employees who know their stuff (Jools and Judi being two of those!), while other employees know little or nothing. I am sure that there are some knowledgable people who work at K-Mart, Wal-mart, and Target.

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I actually said that the "majority" were clueless- which is evident. I am well aware that there are a few decent ones I know one or two sweet and intelligent older women who work at my store and I respect them just for being able to tolerate some of the people they have to work with! I do often wonder where they find some of their employees though! it's as if they go out of their way *not* to hire remotely intelligent people Oh- and I watched 6 of them break dance and rap in the center of an isle with box cutters at 1am the onther night Maybe Wal Mart should become a talent agency?

jeminijad said:

Why is it considered negative to make the very commonsense observation that retail employees aren't given special training to become experts in car seats? Or camping equipment or small appliances, or whatever department they are working that day? This is not insulting to the employees, or retail workers, or anyone!

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I don't think it is offensive to say that some employees are not given the training they need to have adequate knowledge regarding the products in their department. However, we have had members here who work in retail establishments and who do have the training they need to work in a specific department. I don't think it is offensive to make an observation about an employee or a small group of employees. It is when generalizations are made that offense can easily be taken.

I've gotten negative responses before when making this point in similar threads...

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I'm sorry that you have had negative responses. I don't think that there is a negative response in this thread, though, is there?

Yikes! Our Walmart's carseat aisle is always deserted. I've never seen or heard of any of them giving carseat advice. Not at Target either (usually, I'm the one giving advice at Target).

I really rather hope not anyway, because any time I've ever called Target to inquire about a seat on sale, they have no idea what I'm talking about. One girl that had went to look for a Roundabout for me came back to the phone a few minutes later and said "okay, you said it was called the 'Braxton Round Around?". :doh: