Rant! Lack of Baby Changing Tables at TJMaxx.

[MichelleVW]

OP, I actually agree with you. I might have done the same thing, although, I may have just gone out to the car.

As for the poor dog, well, I love animals, but I don't think it would be that big of a deal. By the time the bed gets to the consumer's house, it probably has gotten more germs on it from the back room, the floor, the shelves, etc than it did from changing a diaper.

I'm assuming that she didn't get poo on the dog bed. I've changed countless poop-filled diapers. Only a very small handful of times has it yielded poo on the changing pad, and that was usually because of a diaper blow-out.

Having worked in retail, I'd much rather a customer leave a shopping cart of stuff in the store than shove random things that they opt not to get in random places.

Sorry...to change a diaper on ANY kind of merchandise that you are not buying is gross.

Because nobody has a kid that climbs in the dog bed that now has some feces or urine from someone on it? Because it's great to know your dog was walking in or laying in feces or urine and then walking around your house, laying on your rugs and so on? Please. It's not OK because it was a dog bed .

Seriously...it's gross.

You are correct. I did not leave any fecal matter behind. I didn't even know they sold dog beds until the manager suggest it (we don't have a dog). He said he had something that was just like a changing table and to use that, it was some sort of double decker or bunk bed for dogs????


Also why should parents be running to their cars to change diapers when an easy solution is available? What next I should keep a porta potty in the car for myself???

Oh yeah--and I know it's the dis (where everyone is always prepared and perfect) and I know you are all reading past posts I have made so flame away.......cause I have my big girl pants on!!!!!

Not perfect at all...but what you did was gross. Why didn't you go in the dressing room and just use the bench in there? It's not rocket science.

 

[pacrosby]

You are correct. I did not leave any fecal matter behind. I didn't even know they sold dog beds until the manager suggest it (we don't have a dog). He said he had something that was just like a changing table and to use that, it was some sort of double decker or bunk bed for dogs????


Also why should parents be running to their cars to change diapers when an easy solution is available? What next I should keep a porta potty in the car for myself???

Oh yeah--and I know it's the dis (where everyone is always prepared and perfect) and I know you are all reading past posts I have made so flame away.......cause I have my big girl pants on!!!!!

It's not about being ultra prepared and perfect...it's about being resourceful and not making such a big issue of nothing.

And it's only an 'easy' solution if the money isn't coming out of your pocket. It's not a matter of putting a single changing table in a single store...it'd be about fitting every store across the country with one. Will they do it at some point? I would venture at some point they will but in the mean time we just deal with it. That's life.

IDK...perhaps this is your first child. Get used to it girl......if this is your attitude you are in for a heck of a bumpy road

 

[akcire]

I was under the impression that the changing pad went on top of the dog bed, and that the dog bed was just something to make it more comfortable for the child.

You are correct the changing pad when on the dog bed.

 

[Arielle22]

You are correct. I did not leave any fecal matter behind. I didn't even know they sold dog beds until the manager suggest it (we don't have a dog). He said he had something that was just like a changing table and to use that, it was some sort of double decker or bunk bed for dogs????


Also why should parents be running to their cars to change diapers when an easy solution is available? What next I should keep a porta potty in the car for myself???

Oh yeah--and I know it's the dis (where everyone is always prepared and perfect) and I know you are all reading past posts I have made so flame away.......cause I have my big girl pants on!!!!!

If you were abandonning your cart and leaving the store anyway, then why wouldn't you change the diaper in the car? If you were going to another store then use their bathroom.

By the way, the standard rubbermaid changing tables cost around $300 each. A retail store may get a discount if they buy in bulk but no way are they under $100.

Also your baby isn't a customer; you are. A changing table is provided because a store wants to make you happy. The baby's happiness doesn't lead to increased sales, only yours does.

Emailing your rep over such a small incident is laughable. This thread will go down in DIS history along with the canned corn and washing feet in a fountain.

 

[MichelleVW]

It's not about being ultra prepared and perfect...it's about being resourceful and not making such a big issue of nothing.

And it's only an 'easy' solution if the money isn't coming out of your pocket. It's not a matter of putting a single changing table in a single store...it'd be about fitting every store across the country with one. Will they do it at some point? I would venture at some point they will but in the mean time we just deal with it. That's life.

IDK...perhaps this is your first child. Get used to it girl......if this is your attitude you are in for a heck of a bumpy road

I'm so glad I was a "go with the flow" parent of infants. We traveled A LOT when my girls were babies and the places we changed them were so varied and there were almost never changing places for them in bathrooms. But I always found somewhere discrete to change them...not in the middle of a store on merchandise that I wasn't buying. That is just crazy.

 

[Planogirl]

The manager tried to help and you still abandoned your cart? All that did is keep some employee busy putting up you stuff.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

And, also, you left your cart behind and some poor person making minimum wage had to put all that stuff away during the height of the Christmas shopping season.

Once again, you didn't punish the retailer-just some poor person working in retail trying to get through the Christmas season.

I totally agree about the dog bed. We bought a stroller that reclines flat because I hate using changing tables for little ones.

Anyway--I don't fault her for abandoning merchandise. It isn't like she went pretend shopping just to create more work for staff. The store did not have a means to accommodate her needs and she decided to not complete her purchase. If the store was more family friendly, she would not have done that.

And I am sure even if she opted to not use the dog bed, her response would have been similar. But after reading her update, I would think twice about ever buying anything that even resembles a surface to change a baby on if managers are suggesting their use as such.

 

[ols386]

There are clean-ish ways to change a diaper. When I change diapers, my child's butt doesn't touch the changing pad. It's not that difficult. Unless there is poo on the outside of the diaper, I don't see the problem.

That's fine, but I don't want a dog bed that had a child's dirty diaper changed on it, changing pad or not. That's just me, I guess.

Also why should parents be running to their cars to change diapers when an easy solution is available? What next I should keep a porta potty in the car for myself???

Oh yeah--and I know it's the dis (where everyone is always prepared and perfect) and I know you are all reading past posts I have made so flame away.......cause I have my big girl pants on!!!!!

You should only keep a porta potty in your car for youself, if you feel the need to, but you're an adult, I presume you are more than capable of finding a public restroom if need be.

To be honest, I don't ever remember reading any of your past posts..or if I did, I wasn't paying any attention to who the specific poster name was.

I did send an email to my state rep. Also at the suggestion of the manager. He said, he as asked the company to provide the changing tables and as part of their remodeling they are only providing them if they are required by law.

I asked my state representative to have their staff explore legislation requiring retailers that already had a bathroom available for their cusomters and also sold children's merchandise to be required to provide a changing table. That is the only way a change will be made.

Not saying a new law will be passed or that anything will come of the email, but I figured I may as well attempt to make a change--rather than just complain on the internet.

I'm pretty sure it won't be passed, but I do agree that rather than just complaining about it, why not take some sort of positive action as a result of your experience.

 

[akcire]

Sorry...to change a diaper on ANY kind of merchandise that you are not buying is gross.

Not perfect at all...but what you did was gross. Why didn't you go in the dressing room and just use the bench in there? It's not rocket science.

I should have changed her diaper on a bench in a changing area. A place people sit and also place merchandise. That's a better solution??

 

[MSLRAC]

I did send an email to my state rep. Also at the suggestion of the manager. He said, he as asked the company to provide the changing tables and as part of their remodeling they are only providing them if they are required by law.

I asked my state representative to have their staff explore legislation requiring retailers that already had a bathroom available for their cusomters and also sold children's merchandise to be required to provide a changing table. That is the only way a change will be made.

Not saying a new law will be passed or that anything will come of the email, but I figured I may as well attempt to make a change--rather than just complain on the internet.

WOW, just wow! All that is wrong with this country and this is your concern?!? Seriously?!? This is not the change that Obama was talking about!

 

[BadgerGirl84]

UGH...just what we need for our economy and small businesses...more government regulations telling them what to do.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I totally agree about the dog bed. We bought a stroller that reclines flat because I hate using changing tables for little ones.

Anyway--I don't fault her for abandoning merchandise. It isn't like she went pretend shopping just to create more work for staff. The store did not have a means to accommodate her needs and she decided to not complete her purchase. If the store was more family friendly, she would not have done that.

And I am sure even if she opted to not use the dog bed, her response would have been similar. But after reading her update, I would think twice about ever buying anything that even resembles a surface to change a baby on if managers are suggesting their use as such.

But that's just it. The manager was apparently helpful. Giving her suggestions to use the dog bed, and even going so far as to explain why they didn't have one! However, the OP still chose to throw a tantrum.

Did she want the manager to break down a skid from the warehouse and build a changing table right then and there?

 

[mjkacmom]

Commercial changing tables for bathrooms cost less than $100. If a retailer does not want to make a $100 investment in their smallest customer; but wants to continue to sell high margin baby/children's product I think it speaks volumes.
.

Um, this isn't Nordstroms (they always have a lovely changing area in the bathrooms...). Our Marshall's doesn't even have a public bathroom, but they will allow patrons to use the employee bathroom (they have to lead you to it).

 

[MichelleVW]

I should have changed her diaper on a bench in a changing area. A place people sit and also place merchandise. That's a better solution??

Yes.....a way better solution. What you did was gross...but you'll never see it.

 

[crashbb]

Anyway--I don't fault her for abandoning merchandise. It isn't like she went pretend shopping just to create more work for staff. The store did not have a means to accommodate her needs and she decided to not complete her purchase. If the store was more family friendly, she would not have done that.

But she was able to change her baby. At that point, there was no reason to abandon her shopping - it isn't like she needed to leave because the baby had a dirty diaper. She was accommodated (though many would disagree with how she close to be accommodated). The only reason to leave the cart was to punish the store. Stupid, really, because the people being punished had nothing to do with the lack of a baby changing table.

 

[MichelleVW]

WOW, just wow! All that is wrong with this country and this is your concern?!? Seriously?!? This is not the change that Obama was talking about!

Seriously...all her rant would do is make me want to get rid of the public bathrooms altogether. I know many small businesses that don't have them because of the hassle to keep them in regulation.

 

[RitaE]

Oh yeah--and I know it's the dis (where everyone is always prepared and perfect) and I know you are all reading past posts I have made so flame away.......cause I have my big girl pants on!!!!!

Fine, since I have your permission.

I've done 3 babies. Been there, done that. I've dealt with my share of baby poop and I'm not interested in your sharing your baby's poop. Have some class or at least some decency.

Plop the changing pad on the bathroom sink or down on the floor and change the kid's diaper. Take the kid out to the car and change the diaper on your car seat - it really isn't that cold in Chicago right now. Far from instant frostbite levels. Pants down, diaper off, diaper on, pants up. 30 freakin' seconds.

Either deal with it or keep your little precious at home.

For God's sake. What in the heck are you thinking?

 

[Mkrop]

Okay people, now that evey one has yelled at me.

First I always have a changing pad in my diaper bag, because public changing tables are disgusting. I did not lay her down directly on any merchandise. Nor do I ever lay her down directly on any surfaces without her changing pad. **Also we don't use a stroller except for trips with vast amounts of walking, so that was not an option.

Second, I properly disposed of her diaper in a garbage can. Now the only garbage can available was tiny and outside of the bathroom (can't figure out why in the heck a retailers bathroom didn't have a trash can--but I digress) and next to a water foutain, but I placed it inside of a plastic bag (yes I carry those too). Not sure how/where someone got the idea that I left it behind in an inappropriate place.

Finally, as for changing my daughter on the dog bed. That was the suggestion of the manager. It came out of his mouth easily, so I am certain it is not the first time he suggested that option. Yes folks, this is the idea of customer service from a retailer I have always loved. To not provide the correct facilities, and then offer up their merchandise as the solution.
Commercial changing tables for bathrooms cost less than $100. If a retailer does not want to make a $100 investment in their smallest customer; but wants to continue to sell high margin baby/children's product I think it speaks volumes.

I can not make TJMaxx change their policy, although I did fire off an email to our state reprepentative, but I can voice my opinion with my dollars. So yes I abandon a cartfull of merchandise the week of Christmas, and yes some employee did have to return that merchandise to the floor. That is part of their job. I know, I had jobs like that for years. You should be more concerned about the lost sales tax revenue and overall impact on the economy than an extra cart of merchandise to reshop.

Ultimately here is my point. Retailers provide bathrooms as a courtsey to their customers. If they provide a bathroom, (by law) they then need to provide a wheelchair accessable bathroom. That all sounds right and fair. Why should they also not need to provide a facility for changing a diaper, if they both offer bathrooms for their customers and sell merchandise for children? There are two ways retailers could address this install changing tables or close all bathrooms to the public. As an indepedent business they would have the choice.

You did not have to listen to the manager, you do realize that right

And currently there is no law that they have the changing table, so in the meantime it is still GROSS to use merchandise.

You are correct. I did not leave any fecal matter behind. I didn't even know they sold dog beds until the manager suggest it (we don't have a dog). He said he had something that was just like a changing table and to use that, it was some sort of double decker or bunk bed for dogs????


Also why should parents be running to their cars to change diapers when an easy solution is available? What next I should keep a porta potty in the car for myself???
Oh yeah--and I know it's the dis (where everyone is always prepared and perfect) and I know you are all reading past posts I have made so flame away.......cause I have my big girl pants on!!!!!

There are plenty of places that you frequent that dont have public bathroom access, so you plan accordingly. You go to another store etc. So if they dont have changing tables you do the same, you venture somewhere else, and the car is a viable option for diaper changing.

No one here is claiming to be perfect but many of us have been there done that with kids and have come across this situation before and I can say that I have NEVER in 14 years of having kids, had to resort to using merchandise to change my children. I would have said thanks but no thanks to the manager's suggestion and gone to my car or to another store.

 

[akcire]

If you were abandonning your cart and leaving the store anyway, then why wouldn't you change the diaper in the car? If you were going to another store then use their bathroom.

It was after the manager suggested the dog bed (because the corporation will not provide changing tables) and she was changed, that we decided not to complete our purchase. It was not some grand gesture. We just walked away from the cart and went home. Had the plan been to leave the merchandise--I would have changed her in the car. Ironically the only other store we were going to stop at was Marshalls (owned by the same company). We did not stop.

By the way, the standard rubbermaid changing tables cost around $300 each. A retail store may get a discount if they buy in bulk but no way are they under $100.

I can't be certain, but my husband did a quick internet search and found someone selling them individually for $150 with bulk discounts. Now of course you have to add installation.

Also your baby isn't a customer; you are. A changing table is provided because a store wants to make you happy. The baby's happiness doesn't lead to increased sales, only yours does.

That is the thing. Personally I would pay more to shop someone that is accomidating to me and my child. Also the happier she is the longer I can shop anywhere.

Emailing your rep over such a small incident is laughable. This thread will go down in DIS history along with the canned corn and washing feet in a fountain.

I tried to respond in blue...hope this works

 

[goofy!]

I did send an email to my state rep. Also at the suggestion of the manager. He said, he as asked the company to provide the changing tables and as part of their remodeling they are only providing them if they are required by law.

I asked my state representative to have their staff explore legislation requiring retailers that already had a bathroom available for their cusomters and also sold children's merchandise to be required to provide a changing table. That is the only way a change will be made.

Not saying a new law will be passed or that anything will come of the email, but I figured I may as well attempt to make a change--rather than just complain on thet internet.

If this manager was ever so helpful, providing a plush double decker dog bed to change your precious baby on and made suggestions on how to write your state representative, why did you punish him by leaving the merchandise behind? Or did he suggest that too?

Something smells here. Oh, and speaking of smells, did the manager also suggest you change the baby in the pet aisle to allow the Eau de Fecal to waft across the store to entice other Christmas shoppers to stay and shop? Or did he continue his outstanding customer service by moving the doggie bed into the bathroom for you

I do have to give you major props. This is one of the best examples of back peddling I have seen here in a long time