*please be warned!* Manduca Carrier, $149 from Baby Expo

[shiokz]

Dear mummies, I recently bought a Manduca Baby Carrier from the Baby Expo held on 28 March 2013 at Singapore Expo.

The store, Baby Superstore, set up a booth for Pre-Orders of the Manduca New Style Carriers at $149.00. Thinking that it's a good deal, I went ahead.

So I just received the carrier and here's how it looks like, and how it compares to the guaranteed authentic ones found in Isetan and from other mummies that bought the authentic ones.

Mummies, make your own judgement on how real this product is from Baby Superstore at Baby Expo.

Some mummy group friends have done similar research and confirmed that it looks VERY SIMILAR to the Manduca sold in Taobao. Please decide for yourself if you still want to purchase it.

I understand that the same deal is going on in May 2014 Baby Expo. On their webpage, Baby Expo 2014 | 9-11 MAY | LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEED!, they are claiming its real. PLEASE BE INFORMED.

Manduca, being one of the leading brands in baby carriers, should not lack such quality control. Dear mummies who have purchased the same product as me, do share your reviews as well.




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1. Overall Box

Colour of title words is different from that in Isetan.

TOP: From Baby Superstore
BOTTOM: From Isetan


2. Bad printing. Words and Logos get cut off.
Poor colour photo print.


The colour of the photos look off in real life.

3. Product comes wrapped in plastic, but I'm aware quite a few mummies say their real ones dont't.


4. Product rained loose black threads all over my bed when I opened it.
Bad stitching. Frayed threads, loose ends.
Red tag logo is lopsided.



5. Tag shown here looks exactly the same as the one in Taobao shop

From Baby Superstore


From Taobao

 

[babysuperstore]

Dear Shiokz,

As spoken with you, the Manduca Baby Carrier that was sold at Baby Superstore was imported sets and authentic. We also sell Philips Avent, FisherPrice, Graco, Bright Starts, Evenflo, Britax etc - from strollers, car seats, bouncers & rockers to playpens.

We import from all over the world. Your review has got no concrete base and is misleading.
Most places in the world is selling @ below $180 except for Singapore distributor selling @ $249.

I think you are the one selling from Made in China goods in Singapore Motherhood Bulk Purchase.
http://singaporemotherhood.com/forum/threads/2014-04-30-sweet-mom-confinement-must-have-tummy-binder-nursing-bra-top.91074/

 

[babysuperstore]

China Goods sold by Shiok in Singapore Motherhood Bulk Purchase

The confinement she sells can get easily @ RMB13.50 (less than Sing$3) & she is selling @ S$12.90

I leave it to mothers to judge this Shiok

 

[babysuperstore]

Shiok, maybe you buy from taobao so you think everyone is like you - buy from taobao then sell in Singapore

 

[shiokz]

Yup I do organize bulk buy under SMH forum yes, these regular no brand maternity and bb socks are bulk sourced from china, yes taobao is one of them, because not every mummy knows how to buy from there.
Feel free to join if keen!

Have also noticed that the sticker says "Manduca Navy" but I bought Black colour. I wonder why.
The sticker is also upside down and not at the sides of the box like I see in other people's boxes too.

 

[babysuperstore]

No wonder no one buys from your bulk purchase yet. Now i know why.

 

[shiokz]

It's okie, thanks a lot for your concern, I love baby products and decided to organize something that's all
I'm here talking as a buyer and mummy-to-be concerned about the quality of your product which left me quite disappointed.

Baby Superstore, maybe you should pay more attention to what you sell to people.
Trying to discredit your customer's honest review won't actually help you and doesn't reflect well on your business.

I think the thread has served it's purpose to inform the readers.

I paid $149 for a product with many dubious things and have to put up with this, already feel very "sian".

Just sharing my experience. Thanks all for reading.

 

[babysuperstore]

Dear Shiok,
we sell everything from Philips Avent, FisherPrice, Graco, Joie, Medela, Ameda, Maxi-Cosi, Britax etc.
All these can also be seen in Taobao.
Just because it can be seen in Taobao, does not mean we bought it from there.
We import containers all over the world.

Your review is biased as it is comparing our product tag against Taobao.

If you even check, there are also overseas spree in SMH selling Manduca @ $179.

We imported Manduca and it is a preorder thus @ $149 special price

We are even the first to launch Philips Avent 2 in 1 Steriliser that is only available in UK now. Singapore Philips has not launch it yet.
So that speaks about our sourcing ability. ancing_tongue:
We work very hard to bring maternity & baby items @ lower prices for mothers.
We work with integrity and it is the first time I met a stalker like Shiok.
But there is always many types of people. It is an eye opener to us ancing_wub:

We will work harder. Thank you Shiokz ancing_sorry:ancing_sorry:ancing_sorry:

 

[christylee]

Dear Shiok,
we sell everything from Philips Avent, FisherPrice, Graco, Joie, Medela, Ameda, Maxi-Cosi, Britax etc.
All these can also be seen in Taobao.
Just because it can be seen in Taobao, does not mean we bought it from there.
We import containers all over the world.

Your review is biased as it is comparing our product tag against Taobao.

If you even check, there are also overseas spree in SMH selling Manduca @ $179.

We imported Manduca and it is a preorder thus @ $149 special price

We are even the first to launch Philips Avent 2 in 1 Steriliser that is only available in UK now. Singapore Philips has not launch it yet.
So that speaks about our sourcing ability. ancing_tongue:
We work very hard to bring maternity & baby items @ lower prices for mothers.
We work with integrity and it is the first time I met a stalker like Shiok.
But there is always many types of people. It is an eye opener to us ancing_wub:

We will work harder. Thank you Shiokz ancing_sorry:ancing_sorry:ancing_sorry:

Hi baby superstore , so you are saying what you are selling is authentic?? I pm Manduca on their facebook and this is their replies to me...
So what you are selling is authentic or not? Why Manduca say they cannot confirm....

 

[rubyfairy86]

Babysuperstore,

if you are so sure your carriers are "authentic" why can't you verify that all your manduca carriers are Authentic?

If they are authentic, why don't you get Manduca to prove to all your customers? Why would you even waste your time doing silly things like digging out items that shiokz sells online? This is just something I guess everyone can't understand.

Shiokz isn't the only one complaining for sure. If your store is so reputable, you will not attempt to scream and hang up on customers when they are demand a full refund since you fail to disclose real facts about the manduca carrier you are selling before evening delivering the item. As you claimed, if so many others are keen to buy your manduca carriers, why can't you do a refund in cash to those who doesn't want it and sell to your so many other happy and satisfied customers?

 

[babysuperstore]

Dear Christy,

1st we are a parallel import. Manduca did not confirm to you but they also did not say we are not selling the authentic carrier right?
Most places are selling at much lower prices than Singapore retail price.

Dear Rubyfairy86, we did not waste time to dig on Shiokz items that she sell online. We did that to return her what she did to spam on our Facebook and postings in mummysg. We want her to know how it is like to be spammed. She is a stalker. Maybe you can ask her where else she stalked us. She started in our postings so we give it back to her.

Just because she gets her stuff from china, she try to discredit us with the Taobao picture.

I believe any rational person would agree that any angry customer who has the time to post her 'honest reviews' on the shop's Facebook and other promotion postings and also send threads on her honest reviews - but have no time to send an email to the shop or wait till Monday to call the shop.

Just what is Shiokz intention that she is so angry but she can't call the company or email them but choose to stalk every post that we send online and Facebook? No normal customer will resort to such measures before calling the company.

And her language with all the bold, capital letters… wow. It's an eye opener to me.

Since she spam us, we realized she is a china goods seller… Maybe that's why she think everyone is china seller like her.

We did not hang up on our customer's call. Recently we did tell a customer that we need to end the conversation with her cos she is getting unreasonable. Are you the customer rubyfairy86?
Cos any shop owner would agree with this.
We accept customer that they do regret their purchase and allow an exchange to another item but that customer insisted cash refund on something pre ordered a month ago….

There are many people who preorder and willing to wait one month. Thus we allow exchange to another item. I think that is a normal thing any company will do. Cash refund? Cash refund after pre order a month ago? Touch your heart and tell me you make sense dear. :err:

Disclose real facts about the Manduca carriers that we are selling? We displayed the item and customers pre order. No hard selling…
People regret… we said is ok… can change to shopping vouchers…. what is wrong?
Cash refund? May I know what do you do for a living so that I can understand how you think?
Any normal human will tell you this is ridiculous. No one run a company this way.

Also, it is clearly stated in the credit card receipt and delivery order - No refund.

Maybe you can help us by telling us which shops, companies or online store states that they can do a cash refund when their customer regretted their purchase after 1 month?

I think Shiokz think we will be pressurized bu stalking us so that we will extend a refund to her, but sorry no. Not to a stalker who spam people's posting and Facebook. We won't even extend the exchange of shopping voucher to her cos she did not tell us her feedback but got the time to spam our online postings. And also… not to forget, she is a seller herself too...

I do not mind showing to other mothers or parents what kind of customers we have here now.
Because we do have many happy parents who have shopped with us - like their baby arrive earlier than expected and we send them a playpen to use because their baby cot shipment is not here yet…. We also had upgraded a customer purchase of Ameda dual breast pump to Medela Swing Maxi - difference of $200 but no need top up cos customer had given birth and couldn't wait for the Ameda shipment arrival.

We can't please everybody. We can only do things the reasonable ways. :biggrin:

 

[christylee]

Hello Baby superstore, thanks for your reply! I just wanna check what's the definition of parallel import? So it's authentic right? If I order from you during baby fair got the 3 year warranty?cause everyone say authentic one got 3 years warranty... I very confused. So Manduca can't confirm if your Manduca carrier is authentic, can you confirm with us potential mummies who want to buy? Is yours the same quality as the ones that are being sold in Isetan etc.? I think mummies just need to know if yours is authentic then we can make a sound and just decision on our own... Just a simple your carrier sold is the authentic one with no difference from what the other authorized distributor is selling will definitely give confidence to customers

 

[babysuperstore]

Hi Christy,

parallel import but only 6 months warranty against manufacturer's defects. This is what we told customers. Even our car seats, strollers and high chairs come with 6 months warranty against manufacturer's defects. For customers who wanted 1 year warranty, we ask them to buy at other baby stores at retail price. Ours are at a very good price and are freshly imported goods, latest designs… not those 2012 or 2011 designs.

And also no matter what I say, as customers you all make your own judgement. You are free to see our display piece and compare with those you see at departmental stores. And if you feel the delivered item is not the same as the display piece, please call our office or let the delivery person know and we will contact you to know your concern.

Like I said, no normal customers who received something that they don't like - won't call office to complain. But this doesn't come from Shiokz.

In fact, we have been selling since Dec '13 and what happened to those customers? No complaint. We also did preorder for Ameda and we sent earlier than delivery dates and customers are happy.

We are in an open market. Just a simple search, you will be able to access the price of Manduca baby carriers in Korea, UK, Australia. Just don't bother to check Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia cos 'price tightly controlled by distributor'. Why the 3 years warranty? Cos they found a competitor who parallel import. Anyone who want to save their business can say whatever they want. And customers make their own decision.

I am ok for customers that they are tempted with the 3 years warranty and we would gladly let them change to any other items of equivalent value. Like I said, it is ok to regret purchase, we can do exchange of item. :biggrin:

 

[shiokz]

Please get your facts right - I do not sell things for a living, and I do not run an online business for a living.
I have a full time job (nothing to do with baby nor sales) and bulk spree-ing is a hobby.

Stop trying to portray me as a stalker who wants to ruin your business please. Oh gawd, you think I have nothing better to do?
I'm an angered buyer and I want to tell everyone that I bought something dubious.

If anything else, you are the one stalking me, because my personal matters has seriously nothing to do with you.

If your customer has a big problem with you, the correct thing the company should do is to address the concerns, and not to launch a war blasting online. That solves nothing yeah and reflects real bad on your company. It also does nothing to prove your item is authentic, even though it's a parallel import as u claim.

 

[shiokz]

Hi all,


Managed to get hold of a authentic Manduca locally with the real warranty cards and tags and here are the picture comparisons.


It looks very different from the one from Baby Superstore and this one feels a lot better! No defects too.


Do see the pictures below.

Left: Real
Right: Baby Superstore


Stitching is different, wordings and quality look different.
Right one shows off centred stitching.
-------------------------------------------

Top: Real
Bottom: Baby Superstore


Bottom one shows a label with poor alignment. Font size different


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Top: Real
Bottom: Baby Superstore


Very obvious:
Stitching shape is different, real one do not have signs of poor stitching.


You can also spot some very bad stitches for the bottom one


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Top: Real
Bottom: Baby Superstore


Spot the difference? Bottom one has a slightly off stitching for the little worm. The registered trademark looks very off as well.


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Left: Real
Right: Fake


Left picture is the real YKK zipper which feels solid and smooth. You can see 'YKK' even on the zipper end.
The right picture is thinner and doesn't feel as smooth.


-------------------------------------------

Top: Real
Bottom: Baby Superstore


Different buckle.


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Top: Real
Bottom: Baby Superstore


Tried and tested for myself, real one buckle is SOLID and STRONG. Bottom one is soft and flimsy. For this reason, it is unsafe as the buckle carries the load.


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Top: Real
Bottom: Baby Superstore


Bottom one got broken wordings, sticker in wrong position


-------------------------------------------

Bottom: Real
Top: Baby Superstore


Colour different.


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Top: Real
Bottom: Baby Superstore


Colour different. Logos are chopped off.


Most importantly, real one states that Manduca New Style is Made In China which is correct.
Bottom states Made in Deutschland or Germany, which is incorrect! It is supposed to be China.
Manduca is never made in Germany anyway. It is made in Czech Republic (for the Blackline and Limited edition series) but it is a German brand.


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Picture of warranty card from Manduca Asia. The one from Baby superstore does not have warranty.


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Picture of Manduca Tag. The one from Baby Superstore does not have such a tag.

 

[babysuperstore]

Hi Shiokz, I need to leave you to entertain yourself in this thread.

Even Isetan display piece is different from what you bought - Cos Isetan display pc is another batch.

 

[Cool Summer]

Dear Mummies & Daddies,

Be very careful of cyber liar. Yvonne Lee posted online at our Facebook, on her's and other Facebook pages that

She bought a stroller & car seat from us - Quinny & Graco and had mechanism problems.

BUT THAT's FAKE!!!!

WHY?

WE DID NOT SELL ANY GRACO CAR SEAT & STROLLER
Also EVIDENCE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
Attached are messages to her to call her a liar and wanted her details to sue her for smearing our good reputation.
But she did not reply at all after more than 3 days.

If she's real customer, why didn't she call us for servicing or reply?
Bcos she's a FAKE!
PRODUCE RECEIPT / DELIVERY ORDER - THERE ISNT COS SHE'S FAKE

We sold so many 2014 car seats from reputable brands like Britax, Maxi-Cosi. Ferrari, Nania, Fisher-Price etc - AFTER 6 YEARS IN BIZ, ALSO NO CUSTOMER CALL ME FOR SERVICING
NEITHER HAS THIS SHIOK CONTACT US AT ALL - ALL ARE CYBER LIARS

We have been servicing parents since 2009 and have a very good reputation.

BEWARE OF CYBER LIAR - YVONNE LEE

And to other CYBER LIAR & SPY FROM OTHER BABY FAIRS OR OVER PRICED DISTRIBUTORS & RETAILERS, WE WILL NOT HESTITATE TO EXPOSE YOU ONLINE!​