LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!!…read more
As I was preparing for my grand baby's 2nd birthday celebration, I was having a difficult time finding the new Little Mermaid party items and decorations. The first store I visited was the Disney Store in the Premium Outlet Mall. I was highly certain that they would have the new Little Mermaid items, since it's Disney and all. Unfortunately, I was totally wrong. They did not have nada, only the old Little Mermaid items. I found that to be a bit strange seeing that the New Little Mermaid, which is an African American, is a part of Disney as well. The next store I tried was Walmart, which was a complete and epic fail. However, I didn't really expect Walmart to have these items, but was hoping they would, so that my search could end, lol. So much for wishful thinking.
Furthermore, I finally conjured up Party City, which should have been my first train of thought since they are in fact a party store. However, my oldest child is 28 years old and my youngest child is 21 years old. I have not shopped for a kid's birthday party in ages, lol. Fortunately, I stumbled upon what I was searching for when I entered the building. The new Little Mermaid party items, played by, African American actress/singer, Halle Bailey were up front and centered on an end cap! I was so shocked and couldn't believe it. Immediately, I grabbed a shopping cart and commenced to fill it up with every new Little Mermaid item I could get my hands on. By the time I checked out, I had spent nearly $300! Geez! I'm so glad my children are all grown up now, lol!
Moreover, on the day of the birthday celebration, I returned to Party City to purchase the balloons. I had already gotten all of the decor and party favors that I needed previously, but I waited for the BIG DAY to purchase the balloons. I arrived 20 minutes before opening hours and decided to wait in my truck since that wasn't too long of a wait. However, ten minutes after opening time, they still had not unlocked the doors for the patiently waiting customers who were gathered outside in front of the door. Finally, at 10:20 am, they finally unlocked the doors and let everyone inside, which was 20 minutes after opening time. I immediately hopped out of my truck, went inside, grabbed the Little Mermaid balloons, and headed for the checkout area. I was the first customer in line, and I just knew I was doing good with time and everything. Unfortunately, they were having technical issues with their registers and were unable to sign on. I was forced to wait for an additional 30 minutes while the workers tried to rectify the situation.
Overall, my shopping experience was a great and pleasant one during the first visit, even though I was not greeted by any of the workers, nor was I offered any assistance. However, the second visit was a flop because of the technical issues they were having with their system. I don't know, but it seems like they should have some sort of backup system for emergencies such as this one. I am giving them three stars based on the items that were in stock that I sooooo desperately needed. Customer service was just okay. They were not friendly or welcoming but rather nonchalant and distant. They do not attempt to connect with the customers and to go above and beyond to assist the customers in finding merchandise. Also, if the store hours are for a certain time then they should honor that, instead of making customers wait in the hot sun for them to open. They didn't even have the decency or the courtesy to apologize for opening the doors 20 minutes late.