Splash Toy Shop — Local services in Richmond

The owner is awful. She truly should not have a toy shop/store geared for children if she expects kids not to touch things… especially toys! Every time I’ve gone into this shop when she’s been there, I’ve either witnessed her being rude to someone’s child, or she has been rude to my own child. Most recently, we were in and my 4.5 year old was browsing the aisles as she does. The office door in the shop was wide open and as a curious child would do, she poked her head in - she did not walk in, she did not touch anything, she simply looked.

Immediately, the owner - who was behind the counter gossiping to one of her employees about another employees inability to use their POS system correctly - snapped at my child and said “oh yeah, nope that’s our office, you don’t go in there.”

My feeling as a parent and customer is, if you don’t want people walking into your office, close the door. Children do not know better, they are learning and exploring. To snap and speak to my child that way was enough for me to just buy the overpriced whoopie cushion my child begged for, and leave.

If you own a shop that is tailored to kids, then kindness and respect to kids should be your number one priority.

Pro-tip, don’t leave doors open if you don’t want people looking inside the room that lies behind, don’t leave toys that kids are meant to put in their mouth’s (like your instruments) on low shelves if you don’t want children trying them out. Don’t leave ‘demo’ toys for kids to try out with nowhere to try them out except the floor, if you don’t want them going on the floor - invest in a toy table for demo toys, and most importantly, learn proper etiquette when you are selling insanely overpriced stuff we could easily buy at the dollar store or on Amazon, to parents and their children that makes us want to continue to support small local businesses.

Every single bad review on here, you’ve (owner) taken “false accountability.” The “sorry this was your experience” followed by an attack on the writer or an excuse for poor business practice is the very thing wrong with your business model. I can’t support that, and will be advising my friends to no longer support a business who treats their customers so poorly. We work hard for our money, and can easily save a few dollars and overall peace of mind shopping elsewhere.

I’d have no problem spending the extra cash to support your business if you were a kind human who could humbly own yours and your...

I called prior to coming to pick up a order for jelly cats I was told that it would be a special order but that they would be able to sell it to me but once I arrived they said that they wouldn’t be able and that it’s stored elsewhere. They could’ve easily called me while I was driving for 40 mins to clear this up and I would’ve happily gone else where but they seem to not care about their customers when things are busy. I understand things happen being a business owner myself but if I was to make a mistake like this I would’ve happily gone do everything in my power to make sure the customer is take care of but this store doesn’t care about their customers

edit: i can not believe the response from the owner of the store this should show any potential customer what type of person you will be dealing with when it takes them 4 days to make up a false story and not once did any management or the owner say sorry a simple apolgy in person and some genuine remorse and I would have never posted the review. The young sales employee told me on the phone I would be able to pick it up that same day. and further you have my complete permission to release any video footage of my "bullying" when all I did was wait in line ask for what I ordered was told that I you dont have it here and then all i said was you couldve told me on the phone before I drove 40 mins here and i wouldve went to any of the many other stores. this is word for word what i said and then i walked out if you consider this bullying i dont know what to tell you but if you feel the need to lie to make your self and you poorly ran business feel...

I had a very terrible experience in this store today. My 3 year old son and I decided we wanted to go all the way across Richmond by transit to visit Splash Toys in Steveston village. I told him we were going on a special adventure to get a brand new car. Once we arrived at the store he picked out his favourite car from their mediocre collection. As we continued to look around and as he held his car, the sales associate approached us and told us those cars are delicate and not to be touched. She literally told us to PUT IT BACK!! In my head I was like “wtf... don’t you want to sell things?” I told her I intended to buy this toy and she just kept going on about how they had more “outdoorsy type cars”... and showed me something else. I put back the original car because now I’m offended that she told us we can’t touch them. When I asked another sales associate for a manager she told me there was not one present and that they were doing some training... I did end up buying my son a different “delicate” car he chose out since I felt bad I told him he’s getting one. That will be the last time I ever shop in this store, and best believe I’m going to be telling everyone else not to! He’s been bashing the car around all day and it’s pretty durable thank you very much! Would give ZERO STARS if I could. Terrible customer service. I believe she was discriminating me because I am a young mother and she assumed I had no money....