OT kinda sorta but not really-Toys R Us

I recieved this nice email today and thought I'd share. I know I'm having a hard time buying toys this year with all the recalls going on. It's nice to know that a large retailer isn't just brushing this aside.




November 16, 2007
Dear Valued Guest,
As we prepare to kick off the holiday shopping season, we know that the important issue of toy safety is on the minds of many parents. I wanted to take a moment today to reiterate to you our uncompromising commitment to the safety of the children and families we serve and to share with you some of the steps Toys"R"Us has taken in recent months to enhance our already high safety standards:
• While we have always mandated that our manufacturers extensively test products for a variety of hazards, earlier this year, Toys"R"Us engaged Bureau Veritas, a respected world leader in independent testing, to re-test products right off our store shelves. We have alerted our manufacturers that we will report any safety violations we may find to the proper authorities. In addition, we have advised our manufacturers that they must now increase the frequency of testing for each shipment of toys sent to Toys"R"Us stores. Our message is clear: there is simply no place for unsafe toys on our store shelves. Failure to meet our safety requirements has consequences - up to and including termination of our business relationship
• We believe that when a product is recalled, the most important thing is to get that product out of children’s hands. To that end, we have instituted a "no quibble" policy when it comes to toy recalls. This means Toys"R"Us will take back recalled product whether it was purchased at Toys"R"Us or not - with or without a receipt.
• We are working in partnership with federal legislators to advocate for more funding and staffing for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the government regulator responsible for toys. We are also advocating for the introduction of production code stamping of products, so retailers and consumers can easily identify specific items should they be recalled.
As the toy authority, Toys"R"Us carries the broadest assortment of toys from 30 countries, including the United States. Whatever your gift needs this holiday season, our toy-trained staff can help you find the best gift for the child on your list. I encourage you to visit our Safety website, www.Toysrus.com/Safety, which we have updated to include helpful tips for safe toy shopping during the holiday season
As a company committed to children and families, we understand the trust you place in us to make sure the toys on our store shelves are safe. And, as a parent myself, I want you to know that our entire organization continues to work vigilantly on your behalf to ensure this is the safest of holiday seasons.
With Best Wishes to You and Your Loved Ones on behalf of the Toys"R"Us, Inc. Family,
Sincerely,

Gerald L. Storch
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Toys"R"Us, Inc.

I received that too and thought it was a nice gesture on their part. Good business decision on their part, made me feel like they actually care about what they sell and their customers! :)

Agreed. I got the e-mail as well and was impressed. Our local Learning Express gave my MIL a hard time about returning Aquadots she had bought the day before the recall, even though they were unopened and she had the receipt from the previous day. They refused to take them and told her to mail them to the manufacturer. I told her to go back and insist - Target took mine back without my receipt, which I couldn't find although I had bought them at Target. Target said they were taking Aquadots back no matter where they came from - opened or unopened. Stores need to retain customers with good customer service - there are too many places to spend money to spend it at a store that doesn't treat you well.

Kudos to Toys R Us for their approach.