Disturbing thing I overheard at BRU and a ?

Today DS and I hung around BRU for awhile, checking out all the new baby gear. I was trying to decide between the Key Fit and Flex Loc, and overheard an employee talking to a couple with an infant about the EFTA- she was showing them how to install it on the display bench. She told them LATCH was much easier, and they should only use LATCH. They were fine with that, apparantly their vehicle is LATCH equipped. Then the dad asked, "Shouldn't we use both the clips AND the seatbelt? Wouldn't that be safer?" The employee said, "No, you don't have to, but you can if it makes you feel better. It's fine either way."

DS had to go potty NOW, so we rushed to the bathroom, and when I got back to the car seats, the couple was gone, so I didn't have a chance to say anything to them.

Would it be appropriate to call the store manager and let him/her know? Honestly, would the management care? I would think it's a huge liability to have employees giving out bad advice, but since she wasn't installing the seat in the person's vehicle, maybe there is no culpability? Hopefully they would care just on the basis that it's dangerous, never mind the liability.

That's a shame, since I believe the little placard with install tips says right on it not to use both the LATCH and the belt.

I think I would call. I would've tried to say something to the manager while there, but I don't have a potty-training/trained kid so he goes where my shopping cart goes.

I think the manager should know that one of their employees is giving installation advice, even if she wasn't installing it for them. Whether the manager chooses to do anything, well, that's another story.

I once witnessed the BRU employee wave down the line of Britax seats saying "You don't want any of these. They're expensive." to a customer!! I marched right up to the manager and informed him. Safety aside, he was basically casting off nearly half their inventory!

Yes - PLEASE call the manager !

I'd call the manager. My DH is a BRU manager and as he says, he doesn't necessarily know that his employees are giving out inaccurate info unless the customers tell him. So yeah, definitely call. Hopefully they'll take you seriously and talk to the employee.

Kashi said:

Yes - PLEASE call the manager !

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Would your manager do anything? Because mine wouldn't. Mine is aware of misinformation being given out and has no desire to do anything about it even when I've offered outright.

I guess if some stores will do something it's worth it. I know that my store doesn't care enough to train people so that they know the minimums to turn a child ff'ing, so it would be nothing but a waste of time.

snowbird25ca said:

Would your manager do anything? Because mine wouldn't. Mine is aware of misinformation being given out and has no desire to do anything about it even when I've offered outright.

I guess if some stores will do something it's worth it. I know that my store doesn't care enough to train people so that they know the minimums to turn a child ff'ing, so it would be nothing but a waste of time.

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I think I would submit those situations to the REGIONAL manager :twocents:

papooses said:

I think I would submit those situations to the REGIONAL manager :twocents:

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I totally agree. I'm actually getting QUITE sick of hearing misinformed BRU employees telling people they can FF newborns, or that babies can go straight from infant seats to boosters

It appears to be wide spread enough that the company REALLY needs to take charge, and DO something about it.. Who knows how many children have been injured because of some bad advice their employees give? I mean you know the average non-car seat obsessed person thinks bru employees are god, and they MUST know everything about car seats.. I mean, they sell them, so they must know everything, correct? It's just so frustrating.

PS-I know there are some people here who do work at BRU, and I'm not talking about you

I don't think my managers would know enough to know that's bad advice. The official training says things like 'an infant seat is outgrown when the feet reach the end' and 'infant seats are good for 5 years, convertibles are good for 7'. BRU is now in some sort of partnership with SafeKids, but nothing's changed yet because of it.

Anyway, if a manager gets dozens of calls it might spur some change, but I think it's going to take the almost completely unlikely event of a child getting hurt/killed and the lawsuit implicating BRU to really get any real meaningful changes. I'm cynical, though

Maybe we should complain to SafeKids that BRU is using their name while promoting improper use...