Toy Quest (Manley Toy Quest) Complaint - Faulty Product & Terrible Customer service - Banzai Side Winder

Posted by yoke on 2008-09-02:

There have been alot of complaints about this item.

Posted by Slimjim on 2008-09-02:

That's ridiculous. to have an extended warranty that's unusable because it hasn't even hit the period yet and the manufacturer still won't offer replacement. This site is full of complaints about this thing. Torpedoes away!- Sounds like this thing is a big piece of junk.

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-02:

Consider buying another one at a different location - pay cash. Box up the old one and return it with your new receipt and tell them it was defective right out of the box and you want your money back.

Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:

"Box up the old one and return it with your new receipt". And people wonder why prices keep going up? Yeah, lets start ripping off the retailers now, that sounds like a great plan.

Maybe if the Banzai wasn't such a piece of junk consumers would not have to return the piece of crap all the time.

Posted by Sparticus on 2008-09-03:

How did the product break or fail? We do so a lot of complaints on just this board alone about it. Sounds like your options are to wait it out until 2009, at which time I bet you will be ignored again, or try the return trick to get a new one. But I'm guessing it won't be easy to pack the used one and return it since those type of things are notorious for being nearly impossible to re-pack. Depending on how much they cost, might be worth a shot.

I'd probably try going higher up at Toys R Us. Maybe call headquarters. Persistence may pay off... If you have the time that is.

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-03:

It's a "great plan" if the consumer has no recourse to recover a loss such as this. Lots of products fail and are documented here - it's a complaint site. If this were a complement site, I'd wager you find those who are happy about it. *bing*

Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2008-09-03:

Good insight, hell2pay. When people are powerless to prevail by going through 'accepted' methods, they resort to more extreme measures. Toys R Us sold (and continues to sell) this product. They kept a portion of the sales price for this one. I have no qualms about turning the tables on a retailer who sought to profit by selling me defective stuff. Box the thing up and return it.

Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:

So because Banzai makes a piece of junk Toy's R Us deserves to get taken for it? So every retailer that sells someone else's products deserves to get ripped off when the manufacture puts out a lousy product? That seems like a real ethical and honest way to conduct ones self. I'll stick to honesty is the best policy and force Manley/ToyQuest to do whats right. *Ding*

Posted by Stew on 2008-09-03:

I'm totally with you on this one Superbowl. Same debate I had with Basher not too long ago. Deception is not an option. Two wrongs don't make a right. I understand flying the never shop here again finger to toys R us but you can't compromise your own character to right a wrong. It's dishonest and fraudulent. I mean no offense to anybody (this time) but it's just plain wrong.

Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2008-09-03:

Just exploring our difference of opinion here: Returning a non-defective product after using it (IMHO) is fraudulent and deceptive. But, retailers used to accept returns of defective merchandise and return them to the manufacturer for credit. Today, they hide behind the manufacturer while they continue to rake in profits by selling defective merchandise. If 10% of the items are defective and there is 100% markup on the item, the retailer makes a hefty profit on the 10% defective items...at no risk. On a deeper take of "two wrongs don't make a right"...Is it wrong to lie to a potential murderer as to the whereabouts of his intended victim? After all, lying is 'wrong'. ;-)

Posted by Slimjim on 2008-09-03:

That is horrible advice to offer anyone. Not only is it extremely dishonest and reserved for only those whose make up warrants such, but flawed as well. Wouldn't it be obvious that their systems already would have records of the original sale AND the events of the poster trying to return the first one? Plus, if the poster can't return one after 2 weeks, why is it a slam dunk they can return it after a day? Sounds like a good way to end up buying one TWICE. Big NH there!

Posted by jktshff1 on 2008-09-03:

super, you and I agree a lot on things. While I don't agree with h2p's method, the store selling the lousy product has an obligation to it's customer to see that they are taken care of. If I deliver a defective product to a customer, that's my problem, not my customer's, I should make it right with my customer and deal with the mfg myself up to the point of not selling their product anymore. We have seen this complaint pop up here more than once. You would think Toys would get the hint and quit selling the item.
I am sure we are hearing one side of the stories and it would be interesting to hear from Toys regarding this item.

Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2008-09-03:

"If I deliver a defective product to a customer, that's my problem, not my customer's,..."

Amen!!! Since Toys is not getting the message in polite language, I agree 100% with H2P's proposed solution. It's time to force Toys to take possession of their problem with this product.

Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:

Jkt, excellent point "You would think Toys would get the hint and quit selling the item". In the meantime I belive the manufacturer needs to back their products and do what is right and replace the item. If the customer does not want the product anylonger the manufacturer and the retailer need to work together to refund the purchase.

Manufacturers can't hide behind a retailer and make people do something dishonest and illegal just to get their money back.

Posted by Sparticus on 2008-09-03:

I can go either way. I respect those who try to remain honest. But I don't respect companies that knowingly sell crappy products and then don't allow consumers to return them.

Nor do I respect companies that sell extended warranties that are essentially useless.

I would like to know if the product was abused in any way, as that could change the tone of this story from the consumer being scammed to the consumer being at fault.

Then again, who is to say the product was not already abused by a previous consumer and returned... repackaged and resold to this poor consumer who had no idea they were buying damaged goods. I've seen many stores re-package and re-sell returned goods without checking that everything is in working order. I've been a victim of those mystery boxes before... ;-)

Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:

Spart, I have too. I wish the door knob set folks would blister pack the locks. I have seen guys going thru the boxes looking for parts more than once. Probably looking for a part some clown stole from the box he bought.

Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2008-09-03:

I've also bought 'mystery boxes', Spart. Scout around M3C for complaints about the Banzai slide...they abound. On that, I tend to believe the OP 100%. Returniing a non-defective product is dishonest. For a retailer to put a defective item back on the shelves (a-HEM Wal Mart) is reprehensible. H2P's proposal should not be the standard response unless there is sufficient history to support such an extreme measure. Banzai and Toys are begging for it.

Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2008-09-03:

H2P - Are you saying this site has no statistical value? I tend to believe "Where there's smoke, there's fire". IMHO, the issue here is that Toys continues to sell something many people are dissatisfied with, Toys is unresponsive, and the consumer has no real recourse. That is a bigger problem than a water slide. Yes?

Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:

Ghost, excellent point "the issue here is that Toys continues to sell something many people are dissatisfied with". Toy's R Us needs to rethink the product line if it's junk and make the manufacturer back up the return request. A dishonest sneaky return by the consumer is not the proper solution.

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-03:

Statistically, a complaint site is going to gather and garner far more COMPLAINTS than complements - who takes the time out of their day to post something on a gripe site unless they are angry!? I did see one well written Bonzai review here, though it got trashed by harpies. I'd wager if you googled Dodge complaints, you'd find just as many or MORE - does that make dodge trucks an inferior product or a maliciously and intentionally poorly constructed one? Doubtful. It might point out that every manufacturer has failures and problems when you consider the sheer volume of products sold and lopsided number of people who flock to a COMPLAINT site to point and rant how they were wronged. Be objective, don't be narrow minded and think "if one's bad, they're all bad." How would Henry Ford ever have gotten the automobile on the road? Think outside the box, don't just live in one. "Dishonest and sneaky" like beauty are in the eyes of the beholder. What's dishonest is to trash products that you have no experience with of knowledge of.

Posted by Slimjim on 2008-09-03:

I do have to agree with doc. This slide obviously has a high failure rate or we wouldn't be seeing the vast amount of complaints here. TRU should be prepared to handle this poster's issue for better than they did because I guarantee it isn't the first problem they have encountered with this product.

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-03:

Complaint sites tend to garner COMPLAINTS. Kids down the street have had 2 summers of trouble free fun on theirs - guess I should get them to post something here. *bing*

Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:

Oy-vey!

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-03:

thanks

Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:

For what? You are 100% wrong about this whole issue. Condoning dishonest criminal activities is not something I support. What's with the *bing*? You see that on the web someplace?

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-03:

and yet I've seen one of these things in action and you've only read about them - guess that gives me just a bit more credibility. *bing*

Posted by Slimjim on 2008-09-03:

You are advising someone to do something illegal. Credibility = zero. Bing!

Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2008-09-04:

I'm sure the Corvair and the Edsel had their fans. "New Coke" too. The complaints on M3C about the Banzai product are consistent with regard to their defect. H2P's neighbor may have a good experience with the product. But even a broken watch tells the corect time at least twice a day.

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-04:

If everyone refused to by EVERY product complained about here, we'd all still be huddled in caves rubbing sticks together for fire. Again, complaint sites collect complaints - it's not a leap in logic to see why unhappy folks come here and satisfied customers couldn't be bothered.

Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2008-09-04:

And yet, there are no sites with the Web address "ilovemybanzaislide", "toysRusRocks", "iwantfingernailsinmytea". The sad thing H2P, is that I see a lot of these products in the back yards of working people who gave up a good part of their income in an attempt to make their kids happy. If they regularly fail, it is a huge injustice. But, I am curious. H2P advocated an extreme measure (which I supported, given the circumstances), but now rises to defend the product. That seems to be a leap in logic.

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-04:

"extreme measure" I guess that depends on how one looks at it. I was offering a solution where there didn't seem to be any. I'm a bona fide consumer advocate, I'm a savvy consumer who doesn't take no for an answer. I've no doubt that this product and many other products fail and have problems - every thing fails and is complained about here. I'm just trying to point out that no matter what the product, you'll likely to find it complained about here - that doesn't mean they are all bad.

Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2008-09-04:

As I said before, extreme measures are appropriate when all else fails and the customer has no other recourse. Which is why I supported your initial post. One or two negative posts does not indicate a 'bad product'. But, I am a believer in small sample statistics. Some products have a small market, but 'enjoy' a lot of complaints. OTOH...if a product services a huge population, and there are two complaints...see my point? I think we've beaten this horse past death.

Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-04:

Agreed Doc. Banzai seems to put out a very inferior product. This site is here to warn others to avoid going down the same path and does an excellent job at it. Seems once the issue of doing something illegal was put to rest the issue then changed to "my so and so has such and such", not a solid argument to boost and inferior product. Buyer beware is on the headstone of that dead horse.

Posted by DigitalCommando on 2008-09-04:

If a retail store is aware of the fact that a product that it is selling is defective or unsafe and decides to continue selling that product, I feel that returning the old unit is fair game. I do not agree with returning any product with intent to defraud. This is clearly not in that realm. (Horse revived for a moment and is now going back to sleep, unless it receives any further wake up calls)

Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-04:

Well despite this product or any product reliability, I'm glad I got the point across - one bad apple don't spoil the whole barrel. Thanks.

Posted by D VAN on 2011-07-12:

TALKED TO A SO CALLED WOMAN MANAGER NAMED LAURA. SHE WAS ABRUPT, RUDE, DISRESPECTFUL & TOTALLY UNPROFESSIONAL. SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE A JOB