Daisy was supremely patient, informative, and knowledgeable…read more
The noise of Walmart was distracting. I wish there were a sound booth to record the personal greeting, or that the recording area was slightly barricaded off and insulated better. Hearing the outside noise from the store isn't great. Some practical ways to improve the noise situation could be using portable sound barriers or screens around the recording area. That way, customers could have a more private and high-quality recording experience. However, it's still a great service, and the employees are very friendly and helpful. Very accommodating.
I wanted some niche items like a hiking backpack and a fishing pole. I know Build-A-Bear is catered towards children, so they don't have certain clothing options, but a dedicated sports section would be great. To help target the most-wanted accessories, my top suggestions would be: a hiking backpack, a fishing pole, and a karate gi. These would be fun for both kids and adults, and I think customers would really enjoy having more variety in themes and activities for their bears.
It's great that they offer scents that say they last up to 10 months, and the personal voice notes are supposed to last for 10k clicks, and you can return to the store to have the batteries changed when a recording no longer plays.
It was a great experience. I love the little ad for the YouTube channel, and it feels like a great experience for kids and adults. They had a few bears under $20. I saw a $14 birthday bear with happy birthday on the underside of its feet and a $16 bear. During my visit, they had a buy one get one for $15 sale. They also had a buy a $10 gift card for $5 with any purchase.
I was happy, curious, and satisfied. I would compare it to a quarter of the feeling I get when I go to Disneyland. It was a very pleasant experience.
There were several new things, like the voice recordings: magnetic vs the old one, and there was no name on the birth certificate, but you can write it in at home. I prefer the old way because it looks better aesthetically. If someone has a super long bear name or a nsfw name or something that's private, then yes, maybe having the option of writing it at home is better, but for regular cute bear names, having the option to add the name at the store would be great.
The bear housing is no longer included with the purchase of a bear. It is called a "condo," and it is $1, whereas a Build-A-Bear paper bag is now included in the purchase of a bear. I love the exterior of both, as I've always wanted to color them. They're basically a coloring book.
Overall, I'm happy with the products and the experience. I feel the products are of good quality. My family was happy to receive the bears and did not mention the external noise in their recording. They were happy to hear my voice. I'm glad the gifts were well received, but I still think the recording situation can be a bit clearer.