Is there a vent section?

Duckieheart

New member
Because I am not happy.

OK, so Ive been trying to decide between the Marathon/ DE/ Blvd. Azgirl71 has been helping me a lot, but I still wanted to see them before I ordered. Yesterday, DH says to me that he thinks this specific store might actually carry all three, and we could go look. I didnt think they did carry them all, but we made the trek out this evening (45minutes) and sure enough, Britax heaven. Of course, my happiness is ruined by the guy who owns the store and acts like a total idiot. These are mildly annoying, but ok.

A.) He tries to push me into the Radian 80 because of the higher weight limit. I wasnt even looking at the Radian 65, so I don't understand that decision at all. When I mentioned the both have the same or almost the same top slots, so I wont really get much more time out of the seat, he shut up.
B.) He looked at me like I was breaking something as I looked at the Blvd. I wanted to try the adjuster knob, see how it looked without the pillow, all normal things, in my opinion. I was not in any way damaging the seat, and I was sure to use one that was already unwrapped.
C.) He tells me that I should buy from him and his wife, because they are both techs, and will answer questions anytime I call, and install the seat for me. Which, fine. Then, I overhear him tell another woman that he will not install/ answer questions about a car seat he didnt sell. Which annoys me. Like they became techs as a selling point. She was wanting a different pattern on her Marathon.

The two that really steamed me though, for real:
D.) They sell after market covers for their car seats, and actually recommend removing (heard him recommend it to other customer) the manufacturers cover and replacing it with a prettier one (umm... no).
E.) He ARGUED with me that you did not have to use HUGS on the Britax at all. I told him that I knew you do if you use it FFing, but its optional RFing. He told me I was wrong. Riiiight. :thumbsdown: I wish I'd gotten out the manual and proved my rightness, but was so angry, I couldn't think.

I was steaming when we left. DH wanted to go ahead and buy the Blvd today, since its what we wanted, and they had the print we wanted. I told him he could be selling it for $15 and we still would buy elsewhere. Ugh.
 
ADS
UUGGHH how rude! I sure wouldnt' buy from him either, why support someone's rudeness to a customer! And why was he looking at you like you were breaking something when testign the seat? Doesn't he have display model seats for the customer to look at. I mean is this a new concept to this dude! Of course you are gonna want to try it out prior to buying it.

And if this dude is a tech, then he knows darn well that you aren't to use any after market product on a carseat. If it didn't come with it, then you don't use it. And he is actually recommending that parents switch the seat covers?? Were these seat covers Britax covers?? Probably not.

*sigh* some ppl!
Beth
 

MomToEliEm

Moderator
I think you should find his e-mail and send him the scanned image from your britax manual (or send him the exact page number and a link to the britax manual) and indicate exactly where it says the hugs are required forward facing. He really needs to be informed about that subject.

In that same e-mail, show him the last page that says Britax warranty is void if a non-britax cover is used. Ask him if he is willing to cover any damages to your seat or your child after an accident when Britax says that they will not help you since you were using the seat incorrectly. I cannot see how any retailer would want to take that risk of a lawsuit against them since they sold an item that voided the liability from the carseat manufacturer and the retailer told you it was okay to do it.
 

Duckieheart

New member
I think you should find his e-mail and send him the scanned image from your britax manual (or send him the exact page number and a link to the britax manual) and indicate exactly where it says the hugs are required forward facing. He really needs to be informed about that subject.

In that same e-mail, show him the last page that says Britax warranty is void if a non-britax cover is used. Ask him if he is willing to cover any damages to your seat or your child after an accident when Britax says that they will not help you since you were using the seat incorrectly. I cannot see how any retailer would want to take that risk of a lawsuit against them since they sold an item that voided the liability from the carseat manufacturer and the retailer told you it was okay to do it.

Thats a great idea. I looked it up online, its page 26 in the Blvd manual. Off to google.
 

Duckieheart

New member
Well:
Hello,
I have shopped with you often, both when I was pregnant and now that my daughter has arrived. However, I was concerned after visiting your store today. My husband and I are preparing to move our seven month old daughter to a convertible seat. We were looking at a Britax Boulevard. We took the one that was already out of the plastic, and put my daughter into it. I was told by the gentleman in the store (presumably the owner) that the HUGS system is optional. I told him that I was under the impression that the HUGS were optional rear facing, but required for forward facing. He assured me I was mistaken, and that they are optional both forward and rear facing. He also informed me he and his wife were car seat technicians. Still uneasy, I decided to go home and do more research. If you will check page 27 of the Boulevard or Decathalon manuals, it will in fact say "HUGS (Harness Ultra Guard System) pads must be installed for forward facing use. Removal of HUGS for rear facing use is optional". I find it very concerning a car seat tech would be telling people to use their seats incorrectly.
I also noticed several new items in your store. I was thrilled to see that you now carry Peanut Shell pouch slings. My husband and I are avid baby wearers, and are happy to see carriers sold here in Little Rock. In fact, I am in the process of starting a baby wearing group in Central Arkansas, and had just come from our first meeting. Are you planning to include more carriers later?
However, I was very disappointed to see that you now carry after market covers for your car seats. You may have had them before, an dI didn't notice them. As techs, I would think you would understand the safety risk that comes with these items. Does your store properly portray the fact that these items will void your car seat warranty (found specifically on page 36 of the Boulevard manual)? Or that they are not crash tested, therefore there is no way to tell how your seat will function in an accident with these new covers? Not to mention the fact that I did not notice on the package whether or not these covers are fire retardant.
Thank you,
Sarah H
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Hey, you live in Little Rock! We lived there for seven years (well, north of LR, but we went to LLL meetings and an attachment parenting playgroup in LR).

I hope you get a decent reply for your email!
 

Duckieheart

New member
Hey, you live in Little Rock! We lived there for seven years (well, north of LR, but we went to LLL meetings and an attachment parenting playgroup in LR).

I hope you get a decent reply for your email!

Awesome. We're actually north of LR too (military?)
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
Well:
Hello,
I have shopped with you often, both when I was pregnant and now that my daughter has arrived. However, I was concerned after visiting your store today. My husband and I are preparing to move our seven month old daughter to a convertible seat. We were looking at a Britax Boulevard. We took the one that was already out of the plastic, and put my daughter into it. I was told by the gentleman in the store (presumably the owner) that the HUGS system is optional. I told him that I was under the impression that the HUGS were optional rear facing, but required for forward facing. He assured me I was mistaken, and that they are optional both forward and rear facing. He also informed me he and his wife were car seat technicians. Still uneasy, I decided to go home and do more research. If you will check page 27 of the Boulevard or Decathalon manuals, it will in fact say "HUGS (Harness Ultra Guard System) pads must be installed for forward facing use. Removal of HUGS for rear facing use is optional". I find it very concerning a car seat tech would be telling people to use their seats incorrectly.
I also noticed several new items in your store. I was thrilled to see that you now carry Peanut Shell pouch slings. My husband and I are avid baby wearers, and are happy to see carriers sold here in Little Rock. In fact, I am in the process of starting a baby wearing group in Central Arkansas, and had just come from our first meeting. Are you planning to include more carriers later?
However, I was very disappointed to see that you now carry after market covers for your car seats. You may have had them before, an dI didn't notice them. As techs, I would think you would understand the safety risk that comes with these items. Does your store properly portray the fact that these items will void your car seat warranty (found specifically on page 36 of the Boulevard manual)? Or that they are not crash tested, therefore there is no way to tell how your seat will function in an accident with these new covers? Not to mention the fact that I did not notice on the package whether or not these covers are fire retardant.
Thank you,
Sarah H

Great letter! I am glad you let him know how you felt. I'm sorry he acted as he did. I know this process has been hard enogh for you to make a decision on a seat. You certianly did not need him trying to confuse you. I am glad me and the others here were able to educate you enough that you knew he was wrong :D
 

Duckieheart

New member
First I would like to apologize that you believed that I put out bad
information. According the Britax manual the HUGS system must be used
in
the forward facing position, or optional in the rear facing position
page 29
on the Blvd manual. The after market covers are being sold, because
the
consumers are requesting them. As a physics instructor, I know a pad
will
not add to or take away the performance of the seat, Thank you for
bring it
to my attention. Don L




Ummm... yeah... You did put out bad information, I just pointed it out to you. Ugh
 

ZephyrBlue

New member
If you haven't already, I would suggest that you call Britax and let them know exactly what happened. If this guy is an authorized retailer and is misinstructing people on the use of the seat and recommending after market covers for Britax seats, I think Britax would want to know. Unfortunately, it sounds a lot like what happened to me the last time I went to the only local baby boutique here in town to look at seats. The owner told me that there is really no expiration date for Britax seats, if the seats are stored out of direct sunlight, and that the info was per Britax :mad:
 

chelle80

New member
If you don't mind me asking which store was it?

The guy at Pickles and Ice Cream is an idiot to say the least, he wouldn't even let me try Dakota out in the regent because he said there was no way it would fit in my car(impala). HA!!!
 

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