Quick Toy Survey

[MrSandman]

You or your child is playing with a toy that you really find alot of fun to play with. You or your child accidentally drop it on the floor and a component of the toy breaks. The toy is still functional for the most part but one feature of the toy is now hampered. The toy has about 15 features to it. What would you do next?

[dogfacepuffer]

I would have all intentions of calling customer service, but I'd never get around to it. And waiting in the return line at the store is my least favorite thing to do. So, I'd just keep playing with it.

[cecilturtle]

Sorry but that's a somewhat vague question. If the toy was intended for a younger child then I would be ****ed as they should be made somewhat more durable. As you get to the ages of 10 and up I think there is a different expectation in toys in that the more complex they become the less durable they usually are. There are always exceptions .... even though price is not always a factor of good quality and design, it's generally understood that it is.

[sammystingray]

It depends on the break.....if I think the thing was made so crappily that it's a joke that it broke, then I would take it back, and get my money back....that's just me. If it was good quality, and it got broke because of extreme use, I would probably just keep it. Any toy that breaks the first day when given to a child of the advertised age would get me mad

Honestly, we have kids around us all the time, and we have a dedicated "play room" full of toys just for them to go play in while the adults talk and whatnot, and the toy makers haven't let me down yet. Playdough could be a little easier to get out of carpet, but that's not their fault.:D

Most of the things I played with as a child have been banned now as dangerous!:D :D I never choked on a lite-brite peg, but whatever.:D

[MrSandman]

Good points...for all intents and purposes, let's assume that the toy is around 15-20 dollars and is age graded for 7+. If the toy is played with in a normal fashion it will not break. It was dropped on the floor. FWIW, any toy that is age graded for an infant/toddler HAD BETTER NOT break after a simple drop.

Just need as many opinions as possible. :)

[griss]

If it was my or my child's fault the toy broke, due to our negligence or mishandling of the toy, I would not blame the retailer or the manufacturer. I would take full responsibility.

Depending on the severity of the breakage, I would either keep the toy as is or buy a new one.

George

[cecilturtle]

I'm with Griss on this one although I still cannot see a toy for age 7 breaking that easily. I'm thinking Legos, GI Joes, Hot Wheels, K-Nex, etc. I realize you are a toy tester but can you give us a similar example of the toy? If it's electronic like Leap Pad or along those lines, I expect those toys to be more fragile.

[robertnb64]

Hey Ramon,

Like above if it was made cheaply and should not be expected to break I would exchange it or return it.

OTOH if it was made good and still worked we would deal with it as it was our fault.

PS If you need 11 year old girl toys tested let my twins know :)

[MrSandman]

I didn't want to get too specific since i just wanted a general response. Lets assume that it is a small dollhouse belonging to a "famous" female. :D It is expected to either be played with on a table or on the floor. It does have some electronics such as sounds and lights.

Physical construction is a catch 22 situation. If it was made well, then it shouldn't break...right? If that was the case, then this survey wouldn't exist. Then again....things do happen and even the best built toy can break. For this case, lets assume that it was well made but it was dropped on accident and it broke.

Basically i was just wondering what everyone's expectations are in regards to a toy that is not intended to be carried or moved around alot, but breaks when dropped accidentally off a table.

[Jamesurq]

Ok - heres my take...> Call it dishonest or whatever other label - but if it's a high ticket item I'd take it back and exchange it as a defective item. A cheaper toy I'd chalk up to "oh well".

[emilye2]

It sounds like an "oh sh!t" situation to me. You drop it and that's the first thing out of your mouth. (hopefully not the same case for your kid!!) I think I would feel really bummed that it broke but realize that it wasn't meant to withstand dropping. However, if I dropped a toy like that and nothing broke, I would be very impressed with it's durability. Also if a child were to drop it while carrying it from a table or such, i would be a little miffed that a drop from three-four feet would cause such damage. But still chalk it up to bad luck.

[Niven]

I'd PM you and tell you to keep playing with toys until you found one that was a suitable replacement, then buy that. That way you'd still have your hobby...umm...job and I'd have a better toy! We'd all be happy.

[BlAcK_PeRcUlA]

I've broken my fair share of toys (especially cheapo ones). I just kept playing with it cause I was too scared to call the guy with the company.

Lets assume that it is a small dollhouse belonging to a "famous" female.

Britney Spears' mansion?

[pnosko]

Originally posted by MrSandman
Lets assume that it is a small dollhouse belonging to a "famous" female.Did you rollover your Barbie again and crash into her house? :strooper:

[cecilturtle]

Sandman,

In this regard I would not take the item back for exchange or return. I definitely would never blame my child for dropping a toy but I would in some way reprimand him/her if he/she purposefully destroyed the toy.

Aside from this, if I still felt the toy offered play value and quality but was broken by mishap, then I would not hesitate to buy it again. HTH