Disney to refund Baby Einstein DVDs

[getmail99]

For sure my child is not an Einstein. Well, I borrowed from the library or did not pay the "full price" for the Dvds :cheesygri anyway.

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/newsfeatures/article/716216--disney-to-refund-baby-einstein-dvds-in-canada


Disney to refund Baby Einstein DVDs in Canada
October 26, 2009

Jesse McLean
STAFF REPORTER

The Walt Disney Company is offering a refund for all the Baby Einstein DVDs that didn't turn children into pint-sized brainiacs.

The company has agreed to reimburse Canadian and U.S. parents $15.99 per video through an extended return policy.

The move comes after years of campaigning by parents and education groups who denounced the videos' claims that they could improve the cognitive development of toddlers.

"The videos aren't education. Babies under the age of two don't gain anything from television," said Josh Golin, spokesperson for the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

Baby Einstein, founded in 1997, quickly became a major player in the electronic media market for babies and young children. Disney acquired the company in 2001.

The refund offer covers all videos purchased between June 5, 2004 and Sept. 4, 2009. The offer expires March 4.

In May 2006, the campaign complained to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, arguing that educational claims made by Disney in its packaging and on its website went against scientific research.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says no children under the age of two should watch any television.

As a result, Disney dropped the word "educational" from the product's marketing.

However, the campaign pushed the issue further, and last year, lawyers threatened a class-action lawsuit for deceptive practices unless Disney agreed to reimburse the full purchase.

According to the lawyers' letter, Baby Einstein's sold about $200 million (U.S.) worth of products a year.

"This is a huge victory," Golin said. "It's important that parents understand the best thing they can do for their baby is to interact with them. Get on the ground and play with them."

[tkl]

Wow, better dig up my receipts.

[D-Roc]

What if you can not find the receipts? After all is has been several years.

And what if you bought them before 2004?

[dmdsoftware2]

Wow, better dig up my receipts.

Curious what you need the receipt for? Recalls/Rebates like this never require a receipt.

Particulars for the USA version of the rebate:

http://www.babyeinstein.com/parentsguide/satisfaction/upgrade_us.html

[D-Roc]

I could see a run on people buying these at yard sales and then sending them in for a refund.

[Hangar18]

I have the whole set but kept no receipts. Why would I keep them for so long...?

[thelefteyeguy]

max four dvd returns...but there's prob a way around it...

is there a way around boot legged stuff? :lol:

[getmail99]

What if your baby is another Einstein and you ask for refund? Will they check? :lol:

[bltman]

This refund/rebate assumes everyone purchased them based on and will absolutely want to return them based on misleading advertising (i.e. they believe their kid is going to be smarter). Babies may not learn anything from these DVDs but sometimes putting one on can buy you 20 mins to eat dinner.

[JuNGleR72]

Where do we find the refund form for us Canadians??

All I could find was the US form here:
http://www.babyeinstein.com/parentsguide/satisfaction/upgrade_us.aspx


Edit: Nevermind ... Found it here: http://www.babyeinstein.com/(S(ra1wsf55eapggg55vvgat445))/parentsguide/satisfaction/satisfaction_ca.html

You will need a receipt....

[jory29]

To participate, you must have purchased a Baby Einstein DVD. If you are not satisfied with the DVD, you may return it within 60 days of its purchase, and we will refund the purchase price, up to $24.99.

?This is from the form that JuNGleR72 posted (CAD link)? Might need a different form?

[jrross]

no one has bought these in 60 days, they have been debunked for over a year now!!!

Hopefully there is another form that speaks to the same terms as the US one.

[S U]

I called the 1-800 number on the back of my dvd's today to find out a little bit more about this.
I was told that in Canada you definitely need a receipt to send them back. However, the rep also stated that they are in the process of updating the website, so who knows if that may change.
She confirmed that in the USA you can return the videos and if you don't have a receipt, you can give them a an estimate of how much you paid and they'll send that to you (up to $15.99 per video).
I told her that I have relatives in the USA and I could have the cheque sent to them and then they would forward it to me.
She stated that she could not recommend that, but that they would send the cheque to the address I put on the form.:confused:

[kasm]

Fine Print "Offer good in U.S. only."

[Kasakato]

Fine Print "Offer good in U.S. only."

Large title "Disney to refund Baby Einstein DVDs in Canada"

[D-Roc]

Who keeps receipts for DVD's from 5 years ago?

[dmdsoftware2]

Who keeps receipts for DVD's from 5 years ago?

That's why the whole thing is screwed up. The original post on that site got things so messed up. They assumed the Canadian program would be an adaption of the USA one (same eligibility period, same value, same process), whereas, as someone pointed out, there is a clause that the DVD had to have been purchased in the last 60 days. So the point about having a receipt from 5 years ago is mute, for now, until the process is revised.

[raymondly]

Babies may not learn anything from these DVDs but sometimes putting one on can buy you 20 mins to eat dinner.

+ 1
That's all I wanted out of them and they more than served the purpose.

[S U]

I didn't purchase these DVD's in the last 60 days - it was longer than that. To boot, I don't have any receipts.
Do you think that if I send the DVD's back to the USA address and have them send the cheque to a relative in Boston (who can then forward it to me), it would work?

[quanvon]

original receipts? bogus! I got a set for my baby shower back in March 2004 (so not within the eligibility period although how would they know)? I also purchased a bunch, but who keeps receipts for 5 years?

May try sending it out from the US and getting the cheque mailed to a friend. I've got no used for the dvd's a my son's not interested in them anyhow.

What if your baby is another Einstein and you ask for refund? Will they check? :lol:

ha ha haa....hopefully they won't check, my daughter's a genius, but not from watching those videos! :D

[quanvon]

actually, after reading the candian offer, it's The Baby Einstein™ DVD Guarantee (http://www.babyeinstein.com/(S(ra1wsf55eapggg55vvgat445))/parentsguide/satisfaction/satisfaction_ca.html) and it's totally different from the US offer, whereas it's a guarantee for any current purchases w/in 60 days. And only 1 per household per calendar year. There's no Mar 2010 deadline like the US one. Guess they're separating this from the US class action lawsuit. Highly doubt they're going to change this, so if you want to refund you'll need to have it sent to a US address.

[inntents]

That's why the whole thing is screwed up. The original post on that site got things so messed up. They assumed the Canadian program would be an adaption of the USA one (same eligibility period, same value, same process), whereas, as someone pointed out, there is a clause that the DVD had to have been purchased in the last 60 days. So the point about having a receipt from 5 years ago is mute, for now, until the process is revised.

I guess SOMEbody did not have the advantage of Baby Einstein videos growing up...........:lol:

Just kidding!

[hagbard]

If I had bought any of these, I'd be too embarrassed to admit it. ;)