Update on Build-A-Bear’s “Pay Your Age Day” Promotion.
Anyone in Build-a-Bear’s corporate division that wasn’t expecting massive amounts of people to turn out for this event really needs to reconsider their job choices. Anyone in marketing HAD to know that this would be big and if not properly planned for, would be a fiasco.
Alas, it indeed WAS a fiasco. Keep reading to find out how you can still save on a Build-A-Bear if you weren’t able to get one today (although, the consolation isn’t as good as today’s promotion was).
Here is Build-A-Bear’s official announcement as of about noon today:
Build-A-Bear Workshop’s Pay Your Age Day event generated an overwhelming response, resulting in long lines, extensive waits and disappointed Guests. We feel it is important to share that, based on the information available to us before the day began, we could not have predicted this unprecedented reaction to our Pay Your Age Day event. We understand that many Guests were turned away as, due to safety concerns created by the crowds, authorities in certain locations closed Build-A-Bear stores and, in other locations, we were forced to limit the line. Unfortunately, given these circumstances, we were unable to serve all of our Guests for the Pay Your Age Day event, as planned
In response, we distributed vouchers to Guests, who were present in lines, to be redeemed for a future purchase. We are now making vouchers available to our U.S. and Canada Build-A-Bear Bonus Club members, who log into their account by midnight CST on Sunday, July 15, 2018. Vouchers related to this event will be honored through August 31, 2018.
So if you didn’t get a “pay your age” bear today you have two more options for savings:
Option #1: Log in to your Build-A-Bear Bonus Club Account BY MIDNIGHT CST on 7/15 to print your voucher.
So I logged into my Build-a-Bear Bonus Club account and indeed, there was a $15 off voucher.
Most of their furry friends are $35 so you’re still looking at $20 for the bear.
It doesn’t SAY so, but if you were NOT a Bonus Club member before this announcement, I have a feeling you will NOT be issued a voucher in your account.
Option #2: Get the new Birthday Bear for your child’s age during their birthday month.
When I saw that BAB was announcing “pay your age” during your birthday month, I thought, “Way to go! Way to turn this around!” But then after further research – the birthday month offer is ONLY for the Birthday Treat Bear whereas the “pay your age” day today was ANY Furry Friend.
This is a good option if you have a little one that just wants a bear. I’d gladly pay $2, $3, $5 for this cute little bear (and the BAB experience) for my toddler/preschooler. But my 9 year old does not want this bear.
Now everyone simmer down just a minute.
This is total #firstworldproblems, I know. Trust me, we are bummed too. My son was going to take his own money to buy one because he knows 1) Mama won’t pay $35 for a stuffed animal and 2) I don’t care how much money he earns on his own, we try to make good money choices in this household so I won’t let him spend $35 of HIS money on a stuffed animal.
So when I told him a couple days ago about this offer, he decided $9 was a good price and he would be willing to part with $9 of his own money to get a stuffed animal he wanted.
But I hadn’t even gotten breakfast on the table this morning when I started seeing the MADNESS sweeping the internet. So I said, “Dude, we’re not even going to try.” Our mall started turning people away an hour before the store even opened. If we had jumped in the car as soon as they started reporting lines at the stores (a full 2 hours before it opened) we still would’ve been turned away because it’s a 45 minute drive to get there. So we didn’t even chance it. G was bummed, but not devastated. I showed him a video of the crazy line at the mall and he was flabbergasted. Then I said, “Hey, let’s take our breakfast back to bed and watch a movie.” That was probably more fun than a new stuffed animal anyway.
Yes, Build-A-Bear screwed up MASSIVELY. Yes, their “consolation” offers are pittance compared to the advertised offer. And guess what, people have a right express their displeasure in a company offering something they couldn’t back up. And most people do that on Facebook. I believe that you should be respectful and courteous when lodging a complaint but you have a right to your complaint. I commented on their page about how poorly the whole thing was handled and how silly it was of them not to expect a crowd when offering such a massive discount for one day only. But just remember, this is a #firstworldproblem. Got it? Your kid didn’t get a teddy bear today. Disappointing, I know. But some kids didn’t get food today. So chill. Disappointment is a good lesson for our first world kids. I hope the lesson they learned (by watching the way you handled the situation) was “we don’t always get everything we want in life” and not “the world owes you this and we’re going to pitch a fit because we didn’t get it.”
Did you go to Build-A-Bear today? Did you get one? If not, are you going to use the voucher at a later date or pick up the Birthday Treat Bear? I’d love to hear from you! Don’t forget, you can share pictures on the Facebook page!
On July 12th only, head into Build-A-Bear Workshop where Bonus Club members (free to join) can enjoy a Pay Your Age Promotion* where you can pick out any Furry Friend for the price of your kiddos age (minimum $1)!
*Offer valid for Bonus Club members. Offer valid in stores only. Limit one per Guest, must be present for offer. Some exclusions apply. Cannot be combined with any other offer. While supplies last. Outfits and accessories sold separately. Minimum price $1. See an associate for details.
It sounds too good to be true, right? Well it’s not!
Pay the age of any and all children who are with you in the store. This offer is valid for one furry friend per Guest who is present in the store on July 12, and who is accompanying a Bonus Club member or adult over the age of 18 who signs up to become a Bonus Club member.
This offer is available in all U.S., Canada and U.K. Build-A-Bear Workshop stores. Valid on any Make-Your-Own furry friend that is in stock in the Workshop on July 12.
Older than the price of a Furry Friend? No worries!! On July 12 only, no U.S./Canada in-store Guests will be a day over 29 years old—meaning that no matter their age, Guests will pay no more than $29 USD / $29 CAD (plus tax) for any furry friend in stock in the store.
The minimum price for this offer is $1 USD / £1 GBP / $1 CAD. A Guest may not pay less than this price for any furry friend, regardless of the Guest’s age or his/her child’s age.
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