Dwight Adams|IndyStar
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It wasan idea stuffed with potential.
Build-a-Bear, the popular retailer that lets kids maketheir own toy bears and comfy critters, announced a first-time-ever "Pay Your Age Day" on July 12. It allowed a child to choose any make-your-own furry friend and do as the name suggests: pay the price of the child's age.
But there was a problem: Thousands of eager parents and children resulted in long lines in malls across the U.S., Canada and Great Britain.
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Build-a-Bear posted an"urgent notice" on Facebook twice Thursday — at first warning about "significantly longer than expected lines and large crowds" due to the "unprecedented response" to the "Pay Your Age Day" event.
Build-A-Bear closes lines due to safety concerns
At around 11 a.m. Thursday, Build-a-Bear published a Facebook post saying lines have been closed at its U.S. and Canada stores and it could no longer accept additional customers"due to crowds and safety concerns."
"We understand some guests are disappointed and we will reach out directly as soon as possible," Build-a-Bear Workshop said in its post.
It makes youwonder: Hadn'tthey heard of the Cabbage Patch Kids phenomenon back in the early '80s and the crush of mall crowds— and stories of parents fighting in the aisles — that followed?
What was the "Pay Your Age Day" deal?
To take part in the promotion, parents or guardians over the age of 18 must first enroll in the free Build-a-Bear Bonus Club rewards program or provide an email address and name so that a guest, who is present at the time of the purchase, can pay his or her age for a furry friend.
"Pay Your Age Day" was actuallya great idea— considering such stuffed animals can cost $20 or morewhen you add in accessories your kid is sure to want. Imaginepaying just $3 for a stuffed bear foryour son or daughter of that age?
You can still get the age deal (sort of) with birthday month program
If you weren't able to buy a bear for your kid Thursday, don't lose hope. You can still participate in Build-a-Bear's "Count Your Candles" promotion.
Bring your favorite boy or girl into a store to count their candles on any day during their birthday month and they canbuild aBirthday Treat Bear — normal cost$14 — by just payingtheir age.
Company'sresponse and a discount voucher
On Thursday, Build-a-Bear offered an apology to its customers — and a voucher to help soothe the hurt.
At some stores, customers handed out $15 off discount vouchersto customers turned away when lines were cut off during "Pay Your Age Day," or to parents who were not willing to continue waiting in the long lines. Vouchers were also made available to Bonus Club members in the U.S. and Canada who logged into their accounts before midnight on Sunday, July 15.
Vouchers related to the event will be honored through Aug. 31, Build-a-Bear said.
The company released a news release later Thursday acknowledging that its "Pay Your Age Day" promotion"generated an overwhelming response, resulting in long lines, extensive waits and disappointed guests."
"We feel it is important to share that, based on the information available to us before the day began, we could not have predicted this reaction to our Pay Your Age Day event. We understand that many guests were turned away as, due to safety concerns created by the crowds, authorities in certain locations closed Build-A-Bear stores and, in other locations, we were forced to limit the line. Unfortunately, given these circ*mstances, we were unable to serve all of our guests for the Pay Your Age Day event."
Build-a-Bear also used the apology/explanationas an opportunity to tout the $15 off vouchers as well as its Count Your Candles promotion.
The company's CEO apologized Friday morning on The Today Show, saying the demand for the sale could not have been predicted.
Call IndyStar digital producer Dwight Adams at 317-444-6532. Follow him on Twitter: @hdwightadams.
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