Daughter injured by free magazine toy

[sar011279]

Hi, about a month ago I bought my 6 year old daughter a magazine which had a free toy set on the front. The toy set included 4 crocodile clips amoungst other things. When we returned home she opened the packet straight away and went to put one of the clips in her hair - next thing I know she's hysterically screaming with the clip stuck to her finger. I had to pull the clip out and there was a lot of blood but nothing worse than a few tears and a sore thumb thereafter. Basically the clips have a coiled piece of metal to help them retract when pushed and the metal on this clip (not on the others) had been left long and so when she pressed the clip it embedded into her thumb.

Now i'm not one of these to run down the sue sue sue route but I was angry and so decided to ring up the publishers to give them a swift telling off. There was no address in the magazine just a publishers name and postcode - i looked them up on google but couldn't find them, I then searched for publishers with that postcode and found another company name so rang them.

Turns out they are the same company who took my details and said they'd get someone to ring me back, a week later and nothing so I called them again, again took my details but still heard nothing. I'm getting realled annoyed at this point and decide to contact them and ask for the name of the person who would deal with the complaint so that I can write to them. This is a brief transcript of my conversation...

Me : hello is that xxxxx publishing

Them: why?

Me: because i'd like a contact name and address to send a letter to please

Them: oh right it is us then but i don't know our address

Me:Pardon?? you don't know you're address? how ever to you manage to get to work! Is your manager there?

Them: No

Me: Ok when will they be back?

Them: don't know

Me: Can I take their name?

Them: no

and hang up!!!!!

Now initially I just wanted to give them a piece of my mind but am livid that they've not even apologised and are so blatantly rude! I have contacted TS who are 'looking into it' but I just don't know what to do now. Any ideas welcome!!

[papasmurf1cx]

Have you still got the free gift and packet? What exactly is the injury and is there any scarring? What is it you want to achieve now that you are angry with them for thew way they have treated you?

[papasmurf1cx]

Don't have much trust in TS unfortunately. I had a similar problem with a toy for my son 14 - 15 years ago when he was about 6 too.

[sar011279]

Hi

I've still got the gift but not the packaging although we do still have the magazine. The damage was minimal and has completely healed now. I'm not really looking for anything other than an apology for my daughter - i don't know maybe a free magazine as a goodwill gesture or something. I'm not looking for compensation just really really pee'd off with their response!

[Conniff]

What is the name of the publisher ? By pm if you don't want to put it on the forum.

[sar011279]

No worries - name and shame!!

 

Prestige Publishing of Exeter

[buzby]

TS is your only effective route to complain, unless you plan to take htem to court (and you might lose). TS has the responsibility to ensure items supplied conform to minimum standards and can have the power to permit sezure of the item(s) concerned.