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Baby Einstein refund expanded

PHYSICAL: Disney, Baby Einstein offer consumers $15.99 for each DVD

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 10/27/2009

OCT. 27 | PHYSICAL: People who’ve purchased Baby Einstein DVDs are now eligible for a full refund, following complaints made against the toddler series’ earlier claims of educational merit.

In 2006, advocacy group Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and its leader Susan Linn filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission accusing the Baby Einstein series of falsely promoting itself as educational. Aimed at toddlers, the series incorporates puppets and songs to tell stories about shapes, animals, musical instruments, among other subjects.

Distributor Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and partner company The Baby Einstein Company LLC, which produces the DVDs, did apparently drop the educational part of the Baby Einstein marketing strategy.

However, the New York Times, among other publications, says the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood continued to push for stronger action against the Baby Einstein DVDs.

There has long been a satisfaction guaranteed promise tied to the Baby Einstein brand, but generally people must turn in products 60 days after purchase to receive a refund.

On the Baby Einstein site, the Baby Einstein Company. says it stands by its product, while acknowledging that it has extended the time for which people can participate in the money back refund. The company first began offering this extended refund in September.

Between now and March 4, consumers can return the Baby Einstein title by mail for $15.99 in cash, or exchange it for either a Baby Einstein book or CD. Purchasers also can choose to receive a 25% off coupon toward the purchase of one Little Einsteins-branded product. Participants must have bought their Baby Einstein title between June 5, 2004, and Sept. 4, 2009.

“We strongly believe that, unlike Linn, our consumers find value in our product, and rather than continue to fight with her, we decided to leave it up to those consumers,” said Susan McLain, CEO of the Baby Einstein Company. “That is why we extended a refund policy that was already in place. Although she would like to claim otherwise, there is nothing extraordinary about a company’s willingness to stand behind its product. To the contrary, it is the strongest possible show of confidence in it.”

McLain also notes that the FTC has never brought any formal action against the Baby Einstein DVDs.

Disney spokespeople did not immediately respond for comment.

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