Important information
- Customer Complaint:Build-A-Bear Workshop complaints generally pertain to damaged merchandise, shipping problems, difficulty obtaining a refund, and difficulty reaching a representative of the company. The company has addressed all complaints brought to its attention.
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 98 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 28 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:12/06/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***********************would remedy this, but repeated emails stated no intention to fix it. This is mis-leading customers. Additionally, I was told I needed to finish my account to get any type of remediation and to receive emails (ironically, already receiving emails as noted by getting the coupons in the first place), but I went in and verified all of the checkboxes and account info were done as requested and supplied screenshots. They repeatedly said it wasn't updating on their side and that I needed to call them during work hours to get this fixed. My main concern here is the mis-leading of customers by either through lack of technical aptitude, or just plain desire to mislead, their coupon generating system does not ensure that the info being sent out is accurate and a 3 month delay between when coupons are used and emails going out about the coupon is not acceptable. I am sure I'm not the only one and for all future customers, they deserve to know accurate coupon info within a reasonable timeframe.
Business Response
Date: 01/17/2023
We contacted ***** and would be happy to assist with the Build-A-Bear account. We also sent a gift card as a goodwill gesture. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:12/05/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***********************************Business Response
Date: 01/16/2023
******'s order was delivered on 12/11/22. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:12/05/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Purchased November 26th online for buy onilne and pickup in-store. Made several trips to the store, which is an hour away, only for them to be closed. I checked the store hours ahead of time and it said they were open, when I arrived at the store they technically should have been open but no one was there and the store was closed (as seen in the photos). I spoke to someone online and asked that they ship it instead. They said they could not do that and I would have to cancel and place the order again. I agreed to have them cancel the order and place a new one, problem was when I placed my original order my items were on sale. They refuse to honor. the price I paid because they don't do price adjustments, but in this case I'm not placing the order again just because I wanted to, it's literally because I cannot get the item from the store in which I ordered it, since they never seem to be open when they are supposed to be. I have spoken with two different customer service reps and tried to call their phone system, which ironically also said it was closed even though it was supposed to be open until 5:00 pm CST and I called at 4:00 pm.Business Response
Date: 01/17/2023
We contacted ******* and are happy to assist with placing a new order and honoring her original discount and free shipping. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:10/26/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Better Business Bureau:
I find that this works just fine. Thank you.
e but this is just not right). Im trying to be as understanding as I can of anything that *** have happened, but I am starting to doubt Ill even receive this gift card. Im just very disappointed as of now, but I am somewhat hopeful that a solution *** be found.Business Response
Date: 11/02/2022
**********'s lost physical gift cards were replaced with two $50 egift cards. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:10/17/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because: rather those certificates were issued in error or not they were still issued to me. They should remain active until the expiration date listed on them. No one in the fine print do they say if they are issued in error they will be revoked and canceled.Additionally through out the multiple interactions I had with the company over the phone and email they repeatedly lied to me and were incredibly rude. They claimed they had included points earned through in store purchases when I asked multiple times. The supervisor later confirmed that was false and they had not. They also sent me an email detailing my purchases showing the total number of point I earned to be 78 yet claimed the 66 points I had received was correct. There own documentation showed it was not yet they denied this and would not respond to emails showing they were incorrect.They also counted not how certificates I had been issued but how many I had redeemed. The certificates are good for 6 months. Having redeemed certificates does not show they were rewarded and issued within that time frame. Yet the company continued to only count certificates redeemed not issued. They have not told me how many were issued and don't seem to be able to.Furthermore since this complaint was filed they fraudulently charged me for shipping I did not agree to pay. I called to demand a refund which I was rewarded but the money was gone from my account for multiple days while this issue was resolved. Money I needed and never agreed to pay to someone I know could not access because of this fraud. Over the phone they stated this was a known issue they had received multiple complaints of. Yet they were still running their site fraudulently over charging people. They only were even aware it was an issue that occurred on my account because I called. Had I not, they would have not returned my money.
Sincerely,
**** ******Business Response
Date: 11/02/2022
The Reward Certificates issued to **** were issued in error and not earned through purchases. When the error was discovered, the Certificates were cancelled. We have had several detailed interactions with **** regarding her account. After a thorough review, 52 additional points were added to ****** account and a listing of all of her transactions was provided to **** on 10/25/22. The account totals are completely correct and the account is in good-standing and functioning correctly. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:10/14/2022
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased a cow stuffed animal from build a bear in the ********* ******* ******** ******* two days ago. Two hours after the purchase, once I got to my cottage, i opened the box in which the cow was in and noticed immediately there was a hole in the neck stitch , the right arm stitch, the left leg stitch (big enough to put a finger in). I haven't event had the bear for 48hours yet and it already ruined before I even took it out of the box for the first time. The fact that it's not exchangeable or refundable is crazy considering the fact that this toy cost me 42$ and came damaged. This cow stuffed animal has sentimental value which is why I just want a new one, no refund.Business Response
Date: 11/02/2022
In working with *********, we discovered with her receipt that the purchase was made in another store, not Build-A-Bear, and was not a Build-A-Bear product. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:10/03/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Complaint: 18163123
I am rejecting this response because: Although I did receive a prompt email response from the company, and a promise of a new, properly-printed birth certificate for my bear, I have not as yet received either the certificate (which I expect to arive flat, uncreased/unbent, etc), nor any tracking number for that item.I will hold open this complaint until the matter is truly resolved, at which time i will make appropriate comments here also.
to management, and so were rude to me. I would like my birth certificate for my bear that I paid for properly and completely reprinted, and sent to me FLAT, without being folded.
Sincerely,
***************************Business Response
Date: 10/06/2022
A new birth certificate is being sent to ******** for her bear. Thank you!Customer Answer
Date: 10/18/2022
The company finally sent me a birth certificate for my bear via regular mail, and also in a plain large envelope that was not reinforced, and did not have "Do Not Bend" written on it. It was only by providence that it was not damaged in transit. Also, the new birth certificate did not match the design of the one I got at the workshop despite my sending an actual photo of it to the company as part of the information they requested. This disappointed me because my original (but defective) birth certificate for my bear was a "25th Anniversary" special edition print!
Nevertheless, I consider the issue resolved. I do hope when I go back to the build-a-bear in *************, that the quality of printing and customer service will be improved!
Initial Complaint
Date:10/02/2022
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
*********************me that the spot that was having trouble is a hard spot to fix. When I contacted customer service, they refused to help. They said it was past 90 days so I couldn't exchange, even though I had been in multiple times within 90 days and had been told they didn't do exchanges by the store. They refuse to do anything about my daughter's faulty stuffed bear, and she won't play with it because she's afraid it will fall apart again. After months of not responding to my emails, they finally responded that they were going to offer me a $10 voucher, but that doesn't cover the cost of the bear my daughter won't play with. That doesn't cover the time and money going back and forth to their store for repairs that never held. That doesn't cover the lies of in-store employees telling us that they didn't do exchanges and pushing us off until we were outside of the window where we actually could have. That doesn't cover 6 months of my daughter not being able to use the bear she was so excited for.Business Response
Date: 10/04/2022
We forwarded a gift card to **** to replace the damaged bear. Thank you!
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