It isn’t only former Toys R Us kids who are disappointed about the retailer’s upcoming shutdown of more than 800 locations.
Parents-to-be are discovering their baby registries are suddenly unreliable.
As Toys R Us and Babies R Us outlets nationwide prepare for clearance sales, people are frantically changing how they request baby gifts from loved ones.
Melissa Orseno of St. Petersburg, Florida, sensed something was amiss with her Babies R Us registry weeks before Toys R Us disclosed its bankruptcy filing.
She spent three hours in the store scanning the items she wanted. But over the subsequent weeks she kept seeing products marked as discontinued.
Then last weekend, soon after Toys R Us announced it would shutter all its stores, Orseno checked her registry again. Every clothing item showed as out of stock. A later check revealed diapers were gone too.
Current Babies R Us registry owners can still access their lists, but an email autoresponder from the company’s press office advised, “We encourage you to save or write down the products on your registry as soon as possible so you will have a list of those products you wanted before the registry is turned off.”
While the retailer said new registries could not be set up, the option to create one remains visible on the company’s homepage.
Orseno said she hasn’t been alerted by Babies R Us about what will happen to her registry. In the interim, she moved everything to Buybuy Baby and told her baby-shower guests — she’s due in June — that she switched her wish list.
New Parents Need to Find Registry Perks Elsewhere
Shopping at Toys R Us and Babies R Us used to come with benefits.
The “R”Us rewards offered one point per dollar spent at Toys R Us and Babies R Us locations. After accumulating 125 points, shoppers got a $5 reward coupon.
The chain’s press office said rewards coupons became invalid as of March 22; members may still see points in their account, but those points carry no value.
Additionally, Babies R Us registry holders could receive 10% back on purchases made through their registries. New parents were sent an electronic gift card roughly 12 weeks after their baby’s expected arrival.
Endless Earnings e-gift cards will be accepted until April 21. Orseno doubts she’ll ever receive the $124 she had already accrued. She said the rewards program, along with item availability, made Babies R Us her top pick.
Stores affected by closures are contacting customers who have layaway items, informing them they have 21 days to either pay the remaining balance or request a refund of their deposits.
“If the customers don’t take any action, the liquidators will have the right to sell the product as part of the liquidation after the 21 day notice period,” the notice read.
Gift cards for both chains will be honored through April 21, but all purchases made during the liquidation starting March 23 are final sale.
Parents have a number of options. Buybuy Baby is offering complimentary pacifiers to those who transfer their registries to the store, which is part of the Bed Bath & Beyond family. The Washington Post also reported that online registry service Babylist is providing a $10 credit to those picking their next destination.
Target, Walmart and Amazon likewise maintain baby registry services.
Orseno noted that although Buybuy Baby’s prices are a bit higher than Babies R Us, its registry is “so much easier to use. It’s fast,” she said, “and it gives you a list for thank-you notes.” She added that deliveries from Babies R Us often took weeks to arrive.
Lisa Rowan is a senior writer at Savinly.
