My Bumgenius Warranty Experience

Sep 8,2010 / By Maria / 21 Comments

So, for anyone who inevitably says “tl;dr,” (that is, too long; didn’t read…and I don’t blame you if you do!) here’s the cliff notes version: I big puffy heart Cottonbabies customer service.

My first ever cloth diapers were Bumgenius 3.0s. I bought three in October 2009, and bought three more maybe a week or so later. Those 6 diapers have gotten a lot of use, since my strategy was to wash often, saving the money I would have spent on disposables. I used that money to build my stash gradually, and it was several months before I finally had enough to go to every other day washing!

I knew from reviews that Bumgenius aplix didn’t last very long, but after a few months, my diapers started looking like this when they came out of the wash!

These two saw the worst of it. The laundry tabs were pilly, one was rather shrunken, and the closure tabs were curled.

I know that Cottonbabies sells refresher kits, but I don’t have a sewing machine. My Mom has an older one that she would let me use, but it’s kind of awful (sorry Mom!) and would probably make a mess of it. I was thinking I could just buy some white thread and try to do them by hand, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to check first, to see if this would be covered under the 1 year warranty.

I contacted Cottonbabies customer service on Monday, August 23rd and had a response the same day. To my surprise, it indeed would be covered under warranty. On the one hand, a product advertised to take your baby through potty training should last at least a year without needing “refreshing,” but on the other hand, it didn’t seem surprising to have aplix issues after nearly a year of lots of use. I was pleasantly surprised!

I read on, and the other shoe dropped. The email said I would need to include info on how I cared for the diapers, including detergent. Dun dun dunnnnnn! We went back and forth for a few days, since the insinuation was that my warranty would be voided since I used detergents that were not “5 stars” on the “safe” list.

Finally, on August 27th, I received word that it should be OK, and I could go ahead and send them in.

I filled out an easy form online, received an RMA number, and packed the diapers up with a copy of my receipt, info about what was wrong with them, and included the RMA number inside and on the label. For the record, the RMA form did not ask me to include any info about how I cared for them.

Cottonbabies requires that diapers sent back be clean and stink free, and I think mine were. They didn’t say whether or not I need to send along the inserts and doublers, so I went ahead and put them in. I sent them via USPS priority mail, printed online with delivery confirmation, at a cost of $5.05.

I put them in the mail on Saturday, August 28th. I actually felt a little sad saying goodbye to these, since they are two of the three diapers that started me on my cloth diapering journey. Am I weird or what?

On Monday, August 30th, I received an email saying that my exchange was processed, and that I’d be receiving another email when my replacement diapers shipped. #1, hello, that was fast! #2 how awesome that I was kept aware of every step!

On Thursday, September 2nd, I received a shipping notice with a tracking number.

On Tuesday, September 7th, I received two brand new Bumgenius diapers in the mail!! They were in the next town over the weekend, so I know they would have been here even sooner if it weren’t for the holiday.

The surprise was that they are 4.0 diapers! Yay!! So that means I probably won’t have any more problems with the aplix, though I assume replacement diapers don’t come with their own warranty.

I am just beyond thrilled right now. Essentially for $5.05 I have two spanking new diapers, and got 10 1/2 months use out of the original diapers.

Awesome, just awesome! Especially when I think about the trouble I had with my Blueberry aplix after only a month or so, and the “too bad for you” response I received when I contacted them!

I have heard Bumgenius referred to as the “Wal Mart of Cloth Diapers” and while I do think they are a big name in cloth diapering, they didn’t get there with poor business practices. They make an awesome product; I have lots of favorites, but BG are still the ones my husband reaches for (past others) and they have just been all around great for us! This is just icing on the cake for me!

0

Ruby Moon Cloth Wipes & Wipe Solution Bits Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 9/13)

Sep 6,2010 / By Maria / 6 Comments

>

Ruby Moon is a Mom owned company that makes all natural cloth diaper detergent, laundry detergent, pail powder, cloth wipes, wipe bits and wool wash bars. I received wipes and wipes bits to review.

The wipes are flannel and terry cloth, and have color coordinated stitching.

They measure approximately 6″ x 6″.

They are a little smaller than other wipes that I have, and also a bit thicker.

While I do prefer my diaper wipes slightly larger and thinner, the Ruby Moon wipes have been serving as excellent hand and face wipers for my son! Wipes are available in feminine, masculine or gender neutral prints. 6 wipes are $11.95, 12 are $21.50 and 24 are $35.95. Ruby Moon can also make custom wipes to match your nursery, theme or even use fabric you already have.

I also received a sample package of Ruby Moon Natural Wipe Bits. They are made with Shea butter soap, oatmeal and lavender. 2 oz. of wipe bits (and a wipe) sell for $4.50.

I think wipe solution bits are a great deal. I use my solution in a spray bottle, and in about 10 or 11 months, I’ve used a sample pack of one brand, and barely made a dent in a pack of another. Depending on how you use your solution, and how much you use, one pack could last months!

Dissolve 1-2 cubes in a cup of water. I like my solution light, so I use just one. I also prefer to use bottled water since it takes me so long to go through it!

Allow solution to cool, then pour into your spray bottle, Peri bottle, or however you choose to use it.

I found the scent to be very light, like a mild soap. It did the job of getting my son’s tush clean with minimal wiping, and did not irritate his skin!

While supplies last: Mention me when you order, and get a free wipe!

Want to read more about cloth wipes and solutions, including how to fold wipes to pop up in a wipes container? Check out my Cloth Wipes Post on The Village of Moms!

Giveaway time! Ruby Moon is offering a 6-pack of wipes in the winner’s choice of girl, boy or gender neutral, along with a package of wipes bits; a combined retail value of $16.45.

How to enter: All entries go in the form. Entries left in the comments will not be counted. Feel free to leave a comment to remind yourself you entered. I will also be updating the post daily(ish) with the # of entries received, for those of you who like to know their odds!

Mandatory entries include name, email address and your favorite product from The Ruby Moon Online Store. Bonus Entry: “Like” Ruby Moon Laundry Wash on Facebook.

I will accept entries until Monday, September 13th, 2010 at 9 P.M. Eastern. I will select a winner using random.org’s true random number generator and notify him/her by email. View my giveaway rules page for complete details. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

# of entries as of 9/13/10 at 7:30 P.M: 111

https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dFRaQ1lsUEtJS2gxSHdmdFZfUVlvdmc6MQ
FTC Compliance: I was provided samples for review purposes at no charge, and a giveaway winner will receive a free item as well. I was not otherwise compensated for this post; I was not required or requested to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

0

Cloth Diaper Detergent – My Journey and my Opinion

Aug 26,2010 / By Maria / 14 Comments

>This may be long, but it’s very relevant and I want to get my entire story out there.

I’ve mentioned before that detergent is a hot button issue for me because it was the only thing that prevented me from cloth diapering earlier. So, I’ll start from the beginning.

When I chose the diapers I wanted to try, I knew I wanted to start with just a few to see how it went. I also knew that I needed a “safe” detergent. Googling led me to a chart with stars, that rated detergents based on their ingredients. The one I was looking at rated detergents from 1 to 4 red stars. None of the “4 star” detergents were available at any of our grocery stores, Target, Wal Mart, or anywhere else I could think to check.

So, I started looking into ordering some. At the time of my research, there were 4 or 5 detergents that I could order online, that had 4 red stars/thumbs up ratings. I eliminated the detergents that were reported to give babies burns, as well as those with so-so reviews.

Now, keep in mind that I’m ~~cheap~~ frugal, so my maximum price for detergent was $2.99 for a 32 load bottle, and I’d only pay that much if we desperately needed it. My “stock up” price was closer to free, or pennies.

A single bottle of the “thumbs up” detergent was about $12, then add shipping. I could potentially buy a case to bring the price per bottle down a bit, but yikes. All this for 3 diapers I didn’t even know if I’d like? So, that’s where it ended. I gave up on cloth diapering. I couldn’t make 3 diapers a $75 experiment.

When my son’s rashes (clearly caused by disposable diapers since they disappeared when we switched to cloth) were so bad that it hurt to look at, I decided I was going to do this darn it! One way or another.

0

GroVia Cloth Wipes Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 8/31)

Aug 24,2010 / By Maria / 17 Comments

>

GroVia cloth wipes come in white only, and a 12-pack sells for $10.95 (MSRP.) At less than 92 cents per wipe, I figured they were worth a try! P.S. Stay tuned for another cloth wipe review/giveaway on September 6th, as well as a post on The Village of Moms about using cloth wipes!

The wipes are 100% cotton and measure 8×8, which is perfect for folding and putting in a wipes case or warmer.

They are 2 layers thick, soft and squishy. They have held up to use wonderfully, but I was definitely disappointed initially, after the first washing.

There are two rows of stitching around the border of the wipes, and the inner row came loose in most of the wipes. I don’t know if they are purposely designed this way? I suppose it’s possible.

It’s very hard to see since they’re white on white, but the stitching seems very sloppy and overlapped. Really though, at less than a buck a wipe, I didn’t really expect any better. The ugly stitching doesn’t affect the wipes, they are holding up to use, washing and drying great. I don’t even notice the stitching as I’m wiping my son’s tush (ha ha.)

I also ended up with quite a few pulled threads within the wipes, which was entirely my fault. The tag was sewn into the wipes (can’t stand that on clothing too!) and I yanked it instead of cutting. Oops!

The wipes still measure about 8×8 after washing on hot and drying on high.

They’re nice and fluffy stacked up!

They stack nicely with my other wipes too! I’ve been using them for a few weeks now and they’ve worked great and washed up nicely with no stains!

I have another set of 12 wipes, new in their package for one winner!

Here’s how to enter: All entries go in the form below. Entries left in the comments won’t be counted. This is new and if the majority of users don’t like it, we’ll go back to the old way. I like the form, because it’s easy and fast, especially with multiple entry methods. Your email addresses are kept more private, since only I will see them, and I do not share them with anyone.

Mandatory entry: Enter your name and email address in the form and submit!

Bonus entry: Submit a question for “Mailbox Mondays” to maria at change-diapers dot com. Once you’ve done that, you may check the box for the optional entry on the form. Stephanie, Kelly, Ash and Pamela have already submitted their question and may check the box! Please note: My intent is to get a queue of questions for the next several months, so it may be some time before your submission is posted. If you would like me to email my response so you don’t have to wait until your question is posted, let me know!

https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dHNlbTN5OVlQaFhrTFBCd21mT2F3Z0E6MA

# of entries received as of August 30th at 10:20 P.M.: 114

Feel free to leave any comments you like on the blog post, just remember they won’t be counted as entries! Leaving a comment can also serve as a reminder to yourself that you’ve already entered. If you’re ever not sure if you entered, just shoot me an email and I’ll check for you.

I will also be updating this post regularly with the # of entries received for those of you who like to know your odds!

I’ll accept entries until Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 9:00 P.M. Eastern. I’ll select a winner with random.org’s true random number generator and notify him/her by email. The winner has 48 hours to claim his/her prize before it is forfeited and a new winner chosen.

This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only. View my giveaway rules page for all details.

I did not receive any compensation for this post, it is entirely self sponsored, and all opinions are my own.

Please note: This giveaway is not affiliated with nor sponsored, approved or endorsed by GroVia.

0

Cloth Diapers Delamination Warranties

Update on my Rumparooz Issue!

Aug 21,2010 / By Maria / 24 Comments

If you missed my post about my Rumparooz delamination issue, I’ll get you up to speed.

Saturday, July 31st – I noticed that my two Rumparooz (purchased December 2009) were delaminating. Sent an email to customer service late that night.
Sunday August 1st – Received an email acknowledging the issue and asking for receipts, forms & photos, which I sent the same night. Received an auto reply saying that my replacement diapers would be sent within 48 business hours.
Saturday August 7th – Received an email asking for photos of the diapers right side out.
Sunday August 8th – Sent requested photo (claim form didn’t indicate these were needed but I obliged.) Indicated in my email that the photo didn’t have the claim form in it, but I could see if it was still in my recycle bin, or print another if needed. Received auto reply.
Wednesday August 11th – Received perplexing email requesting very similar information to what I was originally asked for. Except, this didn’t include the form, indicated I’d need to mail the diapers back, and had additional info on diapers that should not be sent, including ones with contrast lycra tabs (which one of mine was.) The reason given was that these diapers were not affected, but clearly, mine was. Responded expressing my confusion and was told this was not intended to be sent to me. So it appears that there is a new process for handling these claims now. Not sure why it said none of the lycra tab diapers were affected when mine was.
Wednesday August 11th a few minutes later – Received a reply that the form didn’t need to be in this photo and that they ask for additional photos from time to time.
Tuesday August 17th – Received an email stating that my replacement diapers would be sent out the next day.
Friday August 20th – Two brand new Rumparooz in my hot little hands!

So, certainly not 48 business hours, unless they only work 4 hours per day. But, less than 3 weeks to receive replacements is pretty good in my book. Especially since I didn’t have to incur any expense. I can’t stand when the consumer has to pay shipping to have a defective item replaced!

This was my first time receiving something directly from Rumparooz, so I thought their Eco Enclose packaging was pretty cool! It is 100% compostable/biodegradable, but looks just like other poly mailers.

I knew that they had changed the tabs around the time I purchased the two I have (my snap closure diaper doesn’t have the contrast tabs, and they were purchased within days of each other.) It also looks like they improved the aplix, which is awesome! I really didn’t like it because I felt it was a little too “sticky.” The tabs are slightly different and the laundry tabs appear to be improved as well. edit: Ah yes, the closures and laundry tabs are so much better!

The new diapers also have a patch of fabric reinforcing where the Rumparooz logo is sewn in (this is where my monster print diaper peeled away.) In addition, the TPU (same as PUL only it is bonded by a heat process instead of a chemical process) actually feels different. I’m unclear on when they actually started using TPU vs. PUL, or if they always have, but the old diapers looked and felt like other PUL diapers I have. The new ones definitely look and feel different. So hopefully this will be the end of this saga and I won’t have any other problems!

So there you have it, phew!

0