Bed Bath Beyond Complaint LONG

OFF · October 2009

Bed bath and beyond has a policy that requires a wedding registry consultant follow you around the store showing you the departments and essentially doing high pressure sell pitches. At the start we told our shadow what we wanted on our registry only to be ignored. He started off in Kitchenware which we already said we didn’t want. We were given the pitch on expensive pots and knives. Again we explained how we were older and had just combined two homes, didn't cook and thus didn’t want bakeware, pots/pans or knives. He was clearly annoyed when we once again explained what WE WANTED on this registry. We felt he treated us like kids who don’t know what’s best for them, but he does so we should listen to him. BB&B should figure out how to adjust to fit the needs of each registrant if they want help great. If they don’t or know what they want maybe learn to back off. My Pottery Barn experience was much much better!

OFF · October 2009

I'm in Northern VA in Alexandria. We thought it was strange too. We even said we handle this just give us the gun and he's like no I'll walk through with you. Maybe some stores take this policy more seriously than others.

SpceCadet · October 2009

We were followed too. It was FI's first registry experience and he didn't know what to think. I was annoyed that we were "sold" a $200 gel-like kitchen mat. Our kitchen is smaller than our bathroom and there isn't room. On top of that, I'm allergic to latex and the outside cover was a rubberized pattern. After nearly fighting with the sales lady about it, she gave in to my reasons for not wanting it. We only put 15 items on our registry that day. I went back to another location and added a few more. We were like OFF in that we combined to established households and didn't need a new set of x or y and we really would prefer to get the remainder of the knife set we have started purchasing instead of what they carry. I'm curious if there are bonus incentives for the consultants who get people to register for certain items. Crate & Barrel was a wonderful experience with no pressure, good food and a calm environment.

SpceCadet · October 2009

combined two not to - oops.

Leah&Christian09 · October 2009

They didn't do that to us. The woman offered to show us around, and I told her I shopped there and knew where everything was. She told us where she'd be if we needed help. Why do you think it is policy and not just an annoying employee?

OFF · October 2009

He told us it was policy and that he had to just show us the store's key departments. Although I wouldn't discount the fact he was also extremely annoying.

jagore08 · October 2009

We didn't have anyone go with us. They just showed us how to work the gun and off we went. Sorry you had a bad experience but next time just tell them that you would rather do it your self.

robinsanecki · October 2009

No one followed us (in Western NY), and the person registering us was really good about not pressuring us into things we didn't want. It sounds like an issue with the store you were at - personally, I'd complain.

bf43005 · October 2009

I'm sorry you had such a horrible experience. We did have someone come with us (even though we both use the "guns" at work). However, she was super nice, never pushy, and mostly just listened to us discuss what we wanted until we decided on the specific item and then added it. She suggested some things but if we said no she moved right along. I never felt pressured. I think you got a crappy sales person. If you feel that uncomfotable maybe you should register somewhere else, another Bed Bath and Beyond location, or add/remove items on line. Best of luck for future registry experiences!!

duckie1905 · October 2009

No one followed us around. They showed us where stuff was (which was helpful because DH was lost). If you ask me you got a pushy salesperson that was willing to stretch the meaning of the policy. I'm pretty sure that BBB wouldn't make it a policy to annoy their customers or make them uncomfortable.

OFF · October 2009

Well I'm glad to hear that I had an unusal experience. We had told him we could do this by ourselves but he insisted on walking us through the sections. And lord knows we whined enough about pots and pans that you would have thought he would have given us the gun and said have fun. I have sent in a complaint to BB&B about my experience. We did end up deleting a ton of stuff and instead choosing similar items on Crate and Barrel. We thought about deleting the registry but my only other option for products in this category and price range is Target and they have a whole other set of issues.

tmwagner · October 2009

We just registered there last week. The lady was very nice, but it was very annoying being followed and pressured in to selecting things. We told her we only wanted to start with a few simple items and she had us picking out trash cans for a bathroom in a house we don't even own yet! I didn't really have a problem telling her no, but we did select some things basically just to shut her up and then I deleted them online as soon as we got home.

cballiet9 · October 2009

I had a similar experience. The manager gave us a sales pitch on how this was their policy and "excellent customer service". So we had an 18 year old girl following us around and saying "What do you mean you don't need a teapot?". My fiance and I have lived together for 2 years and I had an exact list of what we needed. That was completely ignored. When I said I wanted to come back another time to finish it, she said "well let's just hurry up and finish the last 2 departments"! I expected it to be fun and they made it anything but. Now I'm angry all over again and I'm gonna complain...

OFF · October 2009

Oh BTW I meant to say my Crate & Barrel experience was better in my original post! We haven't registered at PB. The CB events where you can come into the store before it opens are perfect. There is coffee, food and other treats all of course made with the help of things bought at CB. But no one hounded us!! People were placed in various sections to answer questions but no one pressured us and all were friendly but not pushy. We had so much fun! Which why we were surprised that BB&B sucked so incredibly much.

tmwagner · October 2009

We are registering at Potter Barn tonight, moy mom works there and she said you don't get followed haha. Has anyone gone back to BB&B to finish the regisrty and asked not to have a consultant?

tmwagner · October 2009

**Pottery Barn **My mom

duckie1905 · October 2009

My BBB must be awesome. Aside from having to show us the various departments the first time they just gave us the gun and left us alone unless we had questions. Even when going to update, no one ever bothered us. Every single one of my friends that is married/getting married registered at BBB and loved it, I can't really believe that this is anything more than a few pushy salespeople.

panda&squishy · October 2009

I'm sorry this happened to you and I'm glad you complained. This is definitely not the kind of experience we had when we registered there. They helped us coordinate our table settings, silverware, glassware, and place mats with our permission and then they let us free in the store. No one followed us or pressured us into anything. I would suggest complaining directly and in person to the store manager of the location you were at. I think swifter action would be taken against the employee and you might even get something out of it too.

swans alive · October 2009

We were given a scanner then set loose after a quick explanation on how to use it. That really sucks about that consultant. I'd have been mad, too.

On_Cloud_Nine · October 2009

That really sucks. FI and I had great experiences at both BB&B that we registered at (one in Richmond, VA and one in Waldorf, MD). No one followed us. We had a great time looking through everything! I'd complain to that store about that specific employee.

Oct08b2bee · October 2009

We weren't followed at all (Columbia, MD). Thank goodness. I think I would have punched the poor salesperson in the face. I think it kills the experience and fun of registering if you have someone following you around and salespitching you. BBB should get rid of that policy.

snysilver · October 2009

I also had an annoying first experience at BBB. The guy started by looking up my other registries and putting anything I had registered for at other stores on my registry there, without even asking! Then he took us around and showed us a number of things that he and his wife had in their home, and pressured us into registering for about $350 worth of servingware we didn't even really like because we would get some free gift. After that, I told him that we would be much more comfortable just expolring the store on our own, and he told me that he was required to accompany us. I repeated that we would be happier looking on our own, and after that he pretty much left us to it.When I got home, I went online and removed a bunch of the stuff he scanned for us. Two days later, I got a phone call from the store asking why I took things off my registry!!!!!! Waaaaaay too pushy. That was almost the last straw for me, but we decided to go back one more time. On our second visit, we were pretty much left alone, so it was much more pleasant. I realize that these employees are just following their job descriptions, but it makes me wonder who is the genius that came up with this approach to customer service! I was seriously ready cancel my entire registrations with them after that phone call!

TheCatSaidQuack · October 2009

I also had a similar experience at BB&B - the employee was pushy and told us that 'our guests want to buy us expensive, high quality things'. Qoute. We told him that most the people we were inviting where in no place to buy us 40 dollar towels or a 400 dollar pot and pan set, but he added it to anyways! With the pots and pans, FI specifically told the guy no, and as soon as we started walking away the employee clicked on it! I couldn't believe it. We also told him that we had all of our plates, bowls, etc, that a family member had bought for us an engagement present, but he tried to sell us on 'you need at least 3 sets of dinnerware'. WTF? We don't have a need for even a formal set, much less the space - what are we going to do with 3??Needless to say, FI and I went home and deleted just about everything off of it online. We went back a few weeks later, told them we had to update a few things, and when the lady tried to follow us, we flat out told her 'no'. She got pissy, but oh well.

sbenson419 · October 2009

I am sorry you had such a bad experience at Bed Bath and Beyond, My fiance and I just went this past weekend and had no problem. I told the consultant i had started the registry on line and they gave us the scanner and set us loose we had no hassles Sorry again for your trouble. I wish you all the best for your wedding day!

jenmcg · October 2009

We're in NoVa too, registered at the BB&B in Falls Church and it was a nice experience, not pushy at all. Like PPS said, think it depends on the store/salesperson.

signingjulie · October 2009

That is weird. I registered at BB&B in the Philly suburbs and we had an overall good experience. FI and I were overwhelmed just by the nature of it all. The guy who helped us was really nice and informative without being pushy. He showed us around the different sections but didn't push us into registering for anything. That was back in May. Since then I have gone online and added a whole bunch of stuff. Same with the Macy's one. Sorry you had a bad experience.

charlsie26 · October 2009

go with the flow when you go in, and get home and delete the things off the registry...it's not rocket science. They are in it for the business, I set up a whole registry and really thought things out on what we needed and wanted. We got the most random stuff when it came down to the big day. Take it back and get the things you want. Like I said, a registry isn't rocket science, just deal with it.

ShawnandKris · October 2009

We had the same experience, only she wouldn't let us out of her office until we looked through both luggage and fine china books. We declined both as we have luggage, and were given my Grandparents wedding china. I also felt the high pressure! I finally told the lady that we wanted to be left alone to look and would come to the front if we had any questions. She backed off, checked on us only 2 more times, which was appreciated since we were having an issue with the gun. When I got home though, I noticed that all of the OXO products had been added to our registry after I specifically said NO. I took them all off. I can't complain to much about the registry, it was one of the easist that we had, easy to access on line for us and our guests and they have the 20 percent coupons, so we actually did get more gifts from there.

irshis20 · October 2009

This just gives me another reason not to step food into BB&B. I find that store completely annoying. No matter which store I go into, they always seem to be missing stock, things aren't where they're supposed to be, and the store is filled with all kinds of random as-seen-on-TV things. They do have bedding, but a lot of it is cheap or - no offense intended - ugly.

utdbug · October 2009

That really, really sucks. I think I would have told the employee directly that they ought to hand me the gun and let us handle the registry ourselves or we would be taking our business elsewhere.We had a different experience at our BBB (Dallas, TX). The lady showed us around, asked us what we were interested in registering for, what we needed, etc. She did automatically register us for some things, but it was all done with an attitude of "Feel free to take whatever you don't want or need off later." We had a tour of the store, some recommendations (i.e. which towels weren't very good and which ones were, nothing to do with price), a lesson on how to use the gun, some personal advice, then she gave the gun to us and said to come ask her if we had any questions or needed any help.

justin_nicole · October 2009

It sucks that you had a bad experience. I actually work at a bbb and am going to register there. The consultants dont get anything for what you register for. We are trained to give the best customer service possible. Sorry you consultant came off as pushy.

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