BillHobbs.com - Blogging about politics and media from Nashville.

Bennett, my three-year-old son, really wanted to be Barney for Halloween. He picked it. He's dead set on it. So we ordered the size 2-4T plush Barney costume, from CharacterStore.com. They emailed us a confirmation. The costume never arrived. Last night, I checked the confirmation email and clicked the link to track the order status and it said the order was cancelled

No explanation. And they sent no email to tell us that our son won't be getting his Barney costume. And although my wife and I have emailed and left voice mail for CharacterStore.com, they have not responded.

Last year for Halloween Bennett was a CareBear who could not have cared less about Halloween. This year is the first year he has grasped the concept of a Halloween costume. and was and remains dead set on being Barney for Halloween - but CharacterStore.com has ruined Halloween for him.

As my husband mentioned,through the fault of CharacterStore.com, my son now not only does not have a Barney costume, but does not have a costume at all.
He has a party at his litte class at 9:00 am on Monday and will be the only one without a costume, much less the one he REALLY wanted. (We've been out there searching, a believe me, the "pickens are slim" in a size 2-4 the Saturday morning before Halloween.
If any of you out there within 4 hours driving time of Nashville has a Barney costume you'd like to sell, I will come and pick it up and will also make a $200.00 donation to the Red Cross (or other hurricane relief charity of your choice) in your name.
I do want my children to realize that there are bigger crisis going on than not being Barney for Halloween, but, at the same time, if he can enjoy Halloween for the first time, that would be nice too!
Thanks!
You can contact me by email at mrshobbs-at-bellsouth.net as late as Sunday night.

Posted by: anna hobbs at October 29, 2005 11:42 AM

I went to call the "Character Store" (how ironic is that name?) and on their site it says they are closed 3 days BEFORE Halloweeen! Here is what it says"
Note:
CharacterStore.Com will be closed on October 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2005. We will open on Nov. 1, 2005.

Please address all customer service related inquiries to:

Character Store
641 Strander Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188 sales@characterstore.com
Tel : 206-407-3723
Fax: 206-859-4299
?Monday-Friday

I'll be calling them Nov 1 and demanding a refund to you and an apology. That being said, that doesn't make up for the immediate problem at hand. We need to get young Mr. Hobbs and costume. There is a store directly across from NES that might have a Barney costume. Also, you might want to check wtih Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and ask them if they have an unused Barney costume and offer to make a donation to the hospital in exhange. Also, you might want to call Targets and Eckards...in passing, I've seen a lot of costumes there.
Sorry. I wish I could be of more help. Tuesday morning(I still can't believe they're closed Monday...and I am going to double check that) they're going to find a way to make this up to you...to you child.
Have you thought about calling any of the TV Stations here to do a feature on this and let them ask this store why they aren't doing what they said, and why they close the day before and the day of Halloween? That's very odd.

Posted by: Sharon at October 29, 2005 3:01 PM

October 28, 2005

CharacterStore.com Ruined My Son's Halloween Plans