Something wierd happened to DD at MK

[SeptemberGirl]

Honestly, I think my husband or I would have asked to speak to their manager. That's not an appropriate sales technique, especially with this YOMD going on.

Both you moms handled it perfectly and thanks for the warning!

 

[ZPT1022]

Something similar happened to us on our trip this past winter. It bugged me too...but...

We were sitting on the curb in front of HOP in Liberty Square waiting for Spectro. The CMs came out shortly before the parade and were playing in the street/square with the gathered kids (hula hoops, some ball thing on a string, etc.) and all were having a great time. A CM with a "glowing stuff" cart stations himself across the street (right near the wheelchair viewing area). My son (age 7 with autism) walks a few steps over and starts conversing with the vendor (wow - showing social skills!!!) and walks back to me and says "Look, the man gave me this Stitch." (a glowing, spinning thingie the CM had put into my son's hand) I said "Wow - did you say thank you?" (We had just been YOMD winners the day before - was this more pixie dust?)

My son said "Yes, I did! But I'll do it again!" then he went back over across the street to say "thanks" but returns to me (thing still in his hand) and says "Stitch costs $16 dollars." WHAT?????

I told my son he had to give it back - that he had his own Buzz Lightyear glow spinner (bought at huge clearance prices at the Disney Store before the trip - thanks dis budget board folks) right here in our bag. (Quick, quick grab it and show him...)

Of course, HUGE meltdown...tears...yelling..."but I want Stitch"... My husband went over with my son for the transfer/return - if I had, I might have gone ballistic! To me, this was over the top. Unfortunately, it is pretty obvious to any adult who spends more than ten seconds with him that my son has a neurological disability, and to put him in this situation did not make us happy. We were kind of able to distract him with the games the other CMs were playing and then the parade started...and that was it.

My guess is that this sales technique "works" more often than it fails - many parents will just fork over the dough, rather than have an unhappy child - especially at WDW. I'm just too much of a meanie/cheapskate!

I would expect these sort of tactics from a street vendor or at a carnival or something, but I really expected better of WDW. That's really sad both in this case and the OP's.

I also agree that I would have complained. I don't think that sounds like something WDW would or should condone and they should know about it. If they do condone it, then they need to know how people feel about it

 

[Schmeck]

With so many kids taking things off carts/shelves to just play with the toy, or walking away with the stuff (not just at WDW, at every store I've been to) I don't blame the CMs one bit for expecting a child to pay for something they are handling. I've taught both my girls that if they pick something up/check out a toy at one of the WDW carts, it is expected that they either put it right back or pay for it.

To the PP with the 7 yr old who has autism, you stated that everyone would notice that he has a disorder - so maybe the CM was uncomfortable telling your son that he needed to either pay for the toy or put it back, thinking he might cause your son to have a meltdown? Perhaps telling your son how much he needed to pay was his only way of getting him to either pay for it or put it back?

I think it's rude to let kids fondle all the stuff on the carts - they don't own the stuff until they pay for it, and yet so many kids ruin the stuff there with sticky hands, wear out the batteries, etc.

 

[MSSANDRA]

But I think that in both cases the vendor HANDED the child the toy. That is a big difference. Most children think if your hand them something it is theirs to keep. I think this is just wrong to temp children in this way.

 

[tmarquez]

With so many kids taking things off carts/shelves to just play with the toy, or walking away with the stuff (not just at WDW, at every store I've been to) I don't blame the CMs one bit for expecting a child to pay for something they are handling. I've taught both my girls that if they pick something up/check out a toy at one of the WDW carts, it is expected that they either put it right back or pay for it.

That's just ridiculous. Do you purchase everything in a store that you touch? How do you know what's included in the box without looking at the back? How do you know it will fit? Etc, etc, etc.

DD was doing exactly what you say you have taught your children to do. Picked something up, looked it over, put it right back where it goes. As for the PP with the autistic child, he may very well have been doing the same thing as my DD...don't assume just because he is autistic that he was "fondling everything on the cart".

The reason they have those carts placed where they do is so kids will pick up the stuff and play with it...that's how they sell it.

 

[Princess Stitch]

But I think that in both cases the vendor HANDED the child the toy. That is a big difference. Most children think if your hand them something it is theirs to keep. I think this is just wrong to temp children in this way.

Well maybe in the OPs case. That was just bizarre! In the second case with the little boy since no one was there we can't really asume what happened. The mom said he went over and talked to the CM. Maybe he asked if he could see the toy? The CM could have thought he just wanted to look at it or show it to his parents.

It does feel awful being watched in stores, but there is SO MUCH theft going on that it's hard not to watch people, especially children. I've seen so many parents toss a toy in the stroller with their kids so that they could play with it while they browsed the store. Then either parts go missing or things get broken or the kid will have the nose of a stuffed pluto in his mouth (yes, that actually happened) or parents will just forget and walk out with the toy still.

There are alot of kids/people that are great in stores, but there are also a ton that aren't. Not that it's the fault of the kids, they see something cool and they want it, but it's the CMs jobs to pay attention. It's not anything personal to your child.

 

[Punky's Mama]

Thank you for the warnings. This is something I will definately keep an eye out for. We had something simular happen when we went to see a local production of Beauty and the Beast. A lady asked my daughter if she wanted a light up rose and of course my DD said YES! The lady then turned to me and said that will be $5 dollars. I went ahead and paid for it because I was already planning to buy it for her anyways when I had seen them there, but the point was that she should not have asked my daughter if she wanted in that manner. When dealing with children, anyone selling should let the child know how much it is and tell them to ask their parents first if they can buy it or ??? Of course when you ask a kid if they want something they are going to say YES!

 

[rwrocksme]

Does anyone else think that this is a bit...stalkerish???

 

[DLBDS]

Makes ya kinda wonder what the CM would have done had he not returned to thank him for the Stitch.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

What a cheap sales tactic! Thanks for the warning, but it makes me sad and nervous for my daughters. That would be the end of our day right there! My very overly dramatic 5yo dd would have been devestated. To think you are getting a present, then having to give it back? And I have worked retail for years and that is not anyway to stop theft or make a sale. What did that CM think? That the little 4yo had a purse full of money from long hours at the office? I mean, duh! They need, absolutely MUST confer with the parent first. What a ridiculous ploy. Shame on that CM and I hope they learn some proper selling techniques.

 

[badblackpug]

I can completely see the misunderstanding here. It is a terrible sales tactic. Saying to a 4 year old "Do you want that?" is way different than saying "Do you want to buy that?" Of course they want it. It's a toy. They may not necessarily want to buy it, though. I think that they create this tactic because a lot of parents will just pay for the item rather than risk a meltdown. They know it, that's why they do it.
Taking advantage of toddlers, preschoolers, and handicapped children is really an unethical sales tactic.

 

[mdsouth]

WDW is getting tackier in ways that it never had been before.
Cart vendors, ride exits where you actually come off the ride immediately into one of their merchandise stores, Mickey's Character Lines that start in a store, all of them used to intice the buyers and to use the kids' influence to sell merchandise.

We went in 2005 and this sales tactic was being used by the cart vendors then. They pull up right before the parade and start playing with the toys to get the kids attention. It is deceptive.