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:12/18/2023
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.
On the 4 th of Dec, i ordered a bear, from build a bear for Christmas. after completing the order, including the personal message. I was sent a tracking number, on Dec 6th. stating the item would be delivered between Thurs the 14th and sat the 16th. I ve checked the tracking number several times, and item still hasn't shipped on the 18 th. so, i made a phone call on the 14 th and the 18th. about this item. And basically, just getting the run around. So, 83,77 is in limbo. I dont see the bear making it by Christmas.
Business Response
Date: 12/26/2023
********* order was delivered on 12/21/23. Thank you!
Initial Complaint
Date:12/11/2023
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 2 stuffed animals with personalized voice recordings in them. I received an email with a phone number to call into and make the recordings. I was given 20 secs for each recording but no way of knowing which animal went with which recording so I called and was told. Made the recordings and once I received the animals, the recording were wrong and one of the recordings cut off the first word. So after several phone calls (several being hung up in it “dropped” I was told there would be a replacement of the animals sent with the proper recordings. I was told I would receive an email confirmation of this within a few minutes. Never received an email and when I called again, the customer service person put me on an extended hold and then the called disconnected. Attached are the phone calls I’ve made, or including the 2 I’ve made today and the screen shots of the email with the correct animal noted that I was told when I called on Nov 30th.Business Response
Date: 12/26/2023
***** replacement order was delivered on 12/14/23. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:12/06/2023
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.
Hello ********* BBB staff,
I ordered a bear for $67 CAD on Friday, September 22 from Build-a-bear to be shipped to ********.
They lost my shipment & even lost the tracking #. I waited 2 months for them to tell me that they had no idea where my order was.
How is that possible in today's age? Their logistics are miserable.I've called them a dozen times in the past 2 months. No knew, including a handful of supervisors what was going on with my order.
I just looked in my credit card account this morning and a refund of $67 CAD came in from them.
They have a YELP rating of 1. This is the worst company I have ever had to deal with.
They still should be notified by BBB how poorly run this company is.
Thank you for your help.Chow
*****"OCD: NOOO JOKE" is my new book available in the Spring of **** on Amazon.
It is a memoir about me as a former Torontonian living in 7 countries, moving 89 times, with chronic/severe OCD for the past 6 decades.
To read a draft of my Introduction and Chapter 1 click on my book preview at *************************
My Skype contact: ***.fathomCheck out: www.Skype.comSkype Tel: ************* or *************Business Response
Date: 12/26/2023
******* full refund was processed on 12/7/23. Thank you!Customer Answer
Date: 12/26/2023
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.It took 2 1/2 months for me to get finally get my $67 back.
Build-A-Bear is inefficient company.
I would not recommend doing business with them.
Sincerely,
***************Initial Complaint
Date:12/02/2023
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: 12/26/2023
A $20 gift card was issued to ***** as a goodwill gesture for the delay in receiving her gift card. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:11/21/2023
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.Thank you for your help and understanding.
Sincerely,
***************************Business Response
Date: 02/23/2024
We replaced ********'s voucher with a gift card as a goodwill gesture and apology so she can select a different furry friend, since the original one her daughter wanted was not available. Thank you!Initial Complaint
Date:11/18/2023
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.
In July 2023, I purchased the Stag Patronus, build a bear (Sku ******). from the Birmingham Alabama store. I am a huge collector of the ***** ****** series and have several of them and have never experienced any issues with them. With the Stag I started having issues with the glow within a month of having it, but unfortunately live approx. 2 hours from the closest build a bear store and was unable to return it and exchange it. I finally got to a store to get it exchanged and they no longer sale the Stag in the store locations. I was told by the store employee, no problem there is a life time warranty on the bear and for me to call the 1800 number and they would replace it with no issues. I understand that it is just a stuffed bear, but its very expensive and I want it to work correctly. When I reached out to the call center they told me that they couldn't help me that I didn't have any options. I simply want them to replace the broken item that I have been trying to get fix or replaced since August. I have no problem shipping the broken one back when i receive the new one. The supervisor at the call center refused to talk to me, just kept telling the person receiving the call, to tell me that its outside of the 90 day return policy. SO there is come huge confusion between the store and the 1800 number. The store is saying that the light is covered and the call center is saying its not.Business Response
Date: 12/26/2023
******** replacement order was delivered on 12/18/23. Thank you!BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
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