Right Start

Not sure why this place has bad reviews! I guess it’s to each it’s own… My experience was great! Susie, the young lady on the clock, made me feel welcome and comfortable the minute my husband and I walked in. She gave us just enough attention. Not like one of those overbearing employees that follows the customer around the store and come on so strong you want to leave and spend your cash elsewhere. She was attentive to us and ensured our questions were answered. We came to The Right Start specifically to order the Babyletto Modo Crib. However, I left out with a few extra goodies for my unborn baby girl. They had some clearance items and 15% off all medela products. The store is small but It’s also clean and organized. I like that they carried a decent selection of quality strollers, layette clothing, toiletries, toys… etc. I will definitely be back to shop for my baby.

Very practical store. Got strollers and car seats but I was looking for new born baby clothes and toys. Not the store for high energy and spirited fun. It gives me a baby is a lot of work feel. Good vibration is very important for the right start for a baby.

We received a gift of baby clothing from this store but needed to return/​exchange it because it did not fit our 6 month old son. We visited the store on a Saturday and encountered such a poor attitude and lack of helpfulness from the saleswoman that we decided to donate the clothing to someone else and to never shop at this store. It’s a shame that they didn’t use the opportunity of a gift exchange/​return to earn a new customer.

I am a first time mom, and could not have had a better experience when I went there today. The store manger helped me and was very patient explaining all the pros and cons of various products. She was very knowledgable and offered great guidance. The store had all the strollers I wanted to look at, and appeared to be one of the only stores I could find with such a variety in store. The prices were competitive with other large retail stores, and the customer service and variety was incomparable. Overall a wonderful experience which made me decide to register there.

I’ve been a customer of this location for about a year — picking up odds and ends for my infant twins. I never really experienced the beauty of this store until today.
I went in to look at convertible car seats with my mother in law. I assumed that I would probably have to make more than one visit. For sure I thought I would be sweating and huffing and puffing trying to figure out how to fit two car seats in my Prius. Ummm… nope.
April, who is the manager and a certified car seat technician, very quickly narrowed down the car seats that would be the best fit. I pulled my car up to the steps and we tried each of the three. I ended up preferring a different one than I would have bought if I purchased online.
After we completed the transaction inside, she and another associate brought the seats outside. April installed the car seat using both the seat belt and then the LATCH — teaching me how to do it so I would know. Too me this is soooo much better than a youtube video or a manual. She helped me adjust the drivers and passenger seat so adults would be as comfortable as possible. I drove away with that task completed and no boxes to dispose of, etc. I was in and out in 30 – 45 minutes. Phew.
Their prices on car seats are competitive, but if you end up spending $ 20 more, I promise the service is worth it!

I’ve never used Unilocal before but signing up to write about this store is absolutely worth it!!! This store is the perfect little friendly neighborhood store for baby goodies. I cannot believe how much Nancy and April (mgr) go out of their ways to help customers. I had a major issue with a furniture manufacturer for a crib I had purchased from Right Start online and piece came with defect which the manufacturer did not help with. April stepped in immediately — even though I hadn’t even purchased at store — and resolved a long ongoing dispute between manufacturer and I by going above and beyond her duties. That is only a simple example from the other countless thoughtful things that I’ve come across during my shopping pregnant (hard enough as it is) and now with a newborn. In a perfect world all neighborhood stores would do the same *sigh*, but they rarely ever do and that is why I will always shop at Right Start Santa Monica as my first choice in baby stores!

We love the right start and the staff is knowledgeable and they know the products they are selling very well. I have personally taken a few of my friends to register there for their baby showers I have registered there for my baby shower. Once you really go through the entire store while doing a registry you realize they have every single thing you’ll need for your newborn-​infant-​toddler and child. Special shout out to April and Susie they both are amazing and so
helpful.
They also wrap presents for birthdays and if you tell them the age of the child you were looking for they pick something really good. In today’s society to find a place where people like April and Susie actually care to help you is really great.

I bought an item from here that was for tummy time. The item was fine but I just found a better item. When I tried to return the item, I came to the store at 6 pm on the dot and they told me they couldn’t help me. I know they have their policies but stretch just a little.

I walked in here today to look at the carseats in person before ordering one online, the staff here was very helpful and knew their carseats. I ended up just buying them here. I bought 2 and got them installed on the spot by a certified person. This is by far the best customer service I have recieved in any baby store. I’m glad I gave my business to them I definitely recommend them.

Hubs and I love Right Start. Everyone here has been very attentive and helpful, even calling around to other locations to find us a particular stroller.
Eclectic selection and decent prices!

Arrived with a million questions, hoping to get our transition to a toddler stroller and car seat perfect! I left informed but more distraught at my multiple options. I plan to return when I’ve had at least a snack. I was not of sound mind, due to hunger! Everyone was helpful in the store and tolerated my indecisiveness, besides I’m months ahead of my transition. Nonetheless, grabbed lots of great small goodies, which required no concentration. Just grab!

Have to say they have great stuff here. My only problem is the people who work there and their ridiculous policies. I purchased a very expensive baby bouncer and after a week of using it we found our baby did not like it. Upon returning we were told that they would not take it back. They accused us of it being dirty, cutting tags and even mentioned that we should bring our newborn baby into the store to try it out before buying. Really?! You want me to bring a newborn baby into a store and place it into a display unit. Here exact words, «we are not a resale store. The resale store is down the street.» Again… Really? My wife sells high end furniture and they take back anything, this is the way most purchases work. The lady in this story almost brought my wife to tears and finally gave us back drastically less than what we paid. In the end we gave in and took the loss. From now on we will go elsewhere to purchase our baby supplies and toys. This is a something that can be bought at Target and any other baby store with no problems and returned as easily.

I’ve been here plenty of times and finally decided to write a review. I heard about this store through a friend and every time I shop here I get great service! it’s a very boutique feeling store but the prices are very competitive and unlike other places, I always get all the help I need and everything I’m looking for is always in stock. all the sales associates I have encountered are very professional, knowledgable and helpful. I definitely would recommend this place because I haven’t been to another store like it!

I was impressed by the selection of high quality items at this store. I was terrified by the prices, this store made me VERY thankful for all of the amazing hand-​me-​downs we have received! I had not yet purchased any baby toys etc so I was surprised by their costs. I had a gift card to spend. I was helped by a wonderful and knowledgeable sales person who helped me find something appropriate for my baby that was on sale which was awesome. I spent less than 2 bucks more than my gift card which was perfect. If their prices are competitive I will be back when we need our next carseat.

Great Selection!
Helpful and knowledgeable sales people unlike BRU! I was shopping for a Car seat and the sales lady help take each seat out to my car to find which seat fit best. I ended up purchasing a Recaro and we are very happy.

Terrible rude service, lazy salespeople and not at all knowledgeable. No interest in selling a car seat. You lost a sale today. I should have listened to the reviews and saved myself a trip.

Decided to check this place out and see what they had to offer. There’s quite a bit you can get here… anything from books and toys to strollers. The employees were nice. I didn’t have any questions so not sure how knowledgeable they are and I didn’t end up purchasing anything, but it’s good to know what they have there.
Metered street parking available.

I have NEVER left a one star review for anything.
I came here with my 6 month old and my mother who was helping me purchase a new car seat and stroller for my little guy. The attendants were flat out rude. Irritated that we had questions and could not have cared less. I asked to put my son in the car seat to test it out. The lady said okay. He was a little on the fussy side this particular afternoon so I was careful to make this brief. As I put him in, he tried to suck her shirt sleeve and she flipped.
HELLO, YOU WORK IN A BABY STORE.
I am a new mom and have not yet experienced that mother BEAR reaction or I hadn’t until this incident.
So regardless of all this nonsense, we spent about $ 500 and walked out. The ONE single star is for the fact that she carried the car seat to the car for us. Thank you for that exceptional bit of customer service.
Now, today, we had to go back in because I’d purchased the car seat with the wrong fabric. When we came back in to exchange the car seat for the proper color/​fabric AND purchase another ridiculously priced item, ie. umbrella stroller, we were the ONLY customers in the store. The lady that helped us yesterday was on the phone and the other girl just walked around NOT making eye contact. I finally said excuse me and she said, «oh I can’t help you, I’m new.» Her attitude was EVEN WORSE than the girl from the day prior.
I honestly DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS. I am a business owner and I am still upset that I spent my money at this establishment. I literally had no choice as I needed these items asap and had to do everything in a 3 hour time frame, however I wish I could contact the owner and tell them that for $ 800 (by the end of it all) I EXPECT MORE.
I will never be back.

I usually leave Unilocal reviews after a great experience or a very poor one. This was the latter.
This is the first time we are pregnant, and we went into the store to get the advertised «right start» help on picking a stroller and a car seat.
The store was almost empty when we went in an the attendants did not seem too busy.
Strollers:
There are many types of strollers and brands, and each one has their own mechanism for locking and folding. One of the attendants was somewhat mocking my wife since she couldn’t figure out how to fold one of their high end strollers. At times, it seemed like she didn’t want to show or sells us the strollers we were asking about. She said things like, «Why would you choose that one?, it’s twice as much and heavier then some other one». My wife had a question on a specific stroller and the attendant’s response was «Do you walk with your eyes closed in the street ?» before showing her how to unlock the stroller. It seems that according to her, we should figure out how each brand works by just looking at strollers on the street (BTW, my wife and I have graduate degrees in Engineering and Computer Science, so we are not as dumb as she believed)
She said things like, «ohh you don’t want to choose that one, I only sell it to people that travel» What was her assumptions? In fact we do travel a lot, but that’s not the point.
We kept on looking at strollers, I kept on trying to figure out by myself how to fold the different strollers while the two attendants were laughing at the cashier.
This store advertises that it’s the «right way to start» your baby shopping but the experience could not have been worse. I will never even buy a pacifier from them !

I have been there 5 times. The store sort of looks like a small boutique, and I think a lot of Unilocal reviewers were expecting boutique service and didn’t get it. The prices are not boutiquey though — they slightly higher than babies-​r-​us or amazon.
Benefits over Amazon:
They helped my figure out a good car-​seat-​stoller (that i can fold and lift) and also how to use a Baby Bjorn (so many straps!) that i was given as a gift off amazon. They also knew a lot about teething rings.
You do have to ASK for service — You could wait around for a while for someone to ask if they can help you.
4 stars for good selection, good prices, and pretty good staff knowledgability. If you know exactly what you need and how to use it, get it online — otherwise this is a good place to check out.