Hasbro Bait and Switch - The Non Response

So, here's the response I got when I wrote to the PR department at Hasbro about their plastic Tinker Toys.

If you read my post of a few days ago you know I'm a bit perturbed about some garishly colored, all plastic Tinker Toys my son received, in what I consider a very poorly marked package.

So, I called them to whine, then I wrote them to whine. Then finally I got this response.

FW: Plastic tinkertoys

Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your taking the time to share your feedback with us regarding our plastic TinkerToys.

Please be assured we have forwarded your concerns to our management team so that they are also aware of your views.

Please be advised, the product does not have a manufacturer's defect and our packaging states plastic TinkerToy set on the label.

If you do not wish to return your product to us, you may return it to Toys R Us. We want to assure you that we are dedicated to maintaining quality products and service.

We hope you and your family will continue to enjoy our products for many years to come.

Pretty exciting no? this was after I had called customer service who informed me I could take them back to Toys R Us - always a pleasure without a receipt!

Or I could mail them back to Hasbro, at my expense and receive an item of similar value. I don't want an item of similar value, I want my wooden Tinker Toys!

Anyway, pretty pro active PR department, don't you think. Right on the ball there. I even mentioned in my letter to them that I was a Mommy Blogger. I even mentioned that I would be blogging about this. I even offered to tell their side of the story...so I have... here it is.

Guess, mommy bloggers just aren't very important to them.. Read more!

Hasbro Bait and Switch

Look at this barrel of Tinker Toys. Can you tell that this contains not one wooden TinkerToy, but rather a collection of plastic pieces? Plastic rods, plastic discs..plastic, plastic, plastic.

Neither could I, neither could my friend Juice who generously bought this barrel of Tinker Toys for my son as a holiday present.

When he eagerly opened it, both of our jaws dropped. While my son began happily building various structures, Juice immediately grabbed a few stray wooden pieces from sets we already had and tried to fit them into the plastic pieces from the new set. They fit...sort of. That is some of them fit, some slid out.

That's not why she purchased them, to be used separately.


As a marketer with 20 plus years of experience in various corporations, I looked closely at the container. Yes, it actually did say that the pieces were plastic, but, was it obvious to the consumer. Apparently not as both of us missed it when we first looked at the package.

Even when we closely examined it - it wasn't obvious.


I'm wondering if the size of the letters indicating that this is a plastic product is legal? I'm wondering if the fact that it so similar to the wooden version is cause for concern. I rather think that it is.

As a green mom, I want my child to play with natural toys as much as possible. As they grow older, this becomes more difficult. Though the plastic Tinker Toys bear the CE mark indicating they meet the higher, EU standards (which means the no BPA or phthalates) ...that's not really the point. for me anyway.

So I ask you...what do you think?
Did you enjoy this post…or at least found it interesting?

Enter your Email for delivery direct to your mailbox





Powered by FeedBlitz

Follow me on Twitter




Read more!