I just experience racial profiling at Once Upon a Child. I am extremely disappointed by my recent experience at Once Upon a Child, a store I have faithfully supported for the last six years. I came in to purchase clothing for my child after buying a printer for a new sublimation project I'm excited to start. While checking out, I realized I had not transferred enough money into the correct account yet. I politely asked if I could purchase a few sweaters for my child first (around $70-$78 worth) and place the remaining items on hold while I quickly transferred the rest of the funds and came back to complete the purchase. The employee helping me was absolutely wonderful kind, friendly, patient, and engaging. We were chatting about my upcoming business projects, and the interaction was going very well. However, when she asked the manager for assistance, the entire experience changed. From the moment the manager became involved, I felt immediately uncomfortable. Instead of handling the situation with professionalism or basic understanding, I was treated with suspicion and accused of potentially "shorting the company." She repeatedly emphasized not wanting the store to be "shorted $78," despite the fact that I was actively trying to complete the purchase and had already shown proof of previous transactions on my account from today and the day before. I have shopped at this location for years without ever having a single issue. To suddenly be treated as though I was attempting to scam the store was humiliating and deeply upsetting. The interaction left me feeling profiled and discriminated against as one of the very few Black customers in the store at the time. Whether intentional or not, the treatment I received felt rooted in racial bias and harmful assumptions. To make matters worse, I left the store having already paid $78 and without any clothing in hand. I was told to come back once the payment posted to my account and that the purchase would "allegedly" be honored at that point. The entire situation was unnecessary, embarrassing, and handled in a way that made me feel dehumanized rather than valued as a long-term customer. If the owner sees this review, I want you to know that this was my genuine experience at your store. Your manager made me feel as though, based solely on the color of my skin, I was someone who was trying to short or scam the company. Whether you intended to create that kind of environment or not, that is exactly how I was made to feel. As someone who has consistently supported this business and spent hundreds of dollars here over the years for my child, I never expected to be treated this way. Unfortunately, after this experience, I will not be returning, and I feel compelled to warn others especially Black families and customers about how I was treated here. No customer deserves to feel degraded, stereotyped, or racially profiled while simply trying to shop for their child. read more

Found about this place through a friend. This place sells gently used kids clothing and accessories and they also buy gently used kids clothing. Example: clothing - infant to youth size, dancewear, dresswear, sleepwear shoes - rain boots, sneakers, boots toys, books, games, puzzles baby gear - high chairs, strollers, bassinets The place does have a ton of stuff and they look pretty new, washed and cleaned. Entire place is organized by sizes. They have more of the baby clothes such as the onesie than the size 10-12 and youth sizes. They also have free parking which is a bonus. Customer service is a hit or miss, some are unpleasant while others are helpful and friendly. Another thing great about this place is that you can bring in kids items to sell on the spot. They review your items and you get paid in cash, cheque if it's over $50. Note: -there is a line-up of first come, first serve -it does take a while to sort through items (think about an hour for each person) -they don't take all the items, ONLY a select few -items must be clean and in almost new condition -items should be brought into the store in a bin The only thing that would make this place better is the pricing of the items they take. It would be nice to have more transparency on how the pay out for the items are. They just mention its through a computer. Helpful advice: -better to bring more than less as they only take a select few -better to bring items that are needed for that season (ex: rain boots for spring) read more

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The clothing quality is good, and I've found items in good condition at fair prices. However, selling items has become very difficult--they accept almost nothing, even when clothes are clean and in good condition. Customer service is unfriendly, staff seem rushed, and recently I was turned away at 7:30 pm with the excuse of a "busy day." Clear acceptance hours should be posted to avoid wasting customers' time. read more

Once Upon A Child - To do list - Toy Stores Near Me - Coquitlam, British Columbia

I absolutely LOVE this store! I shop there regularly for my teenage daughter and twin toddlers. We've saved so much money, and I've also been able to get great value for my kids' used items. The staff are always friendly and go above and beyond to help. I've been shopping and selling there for over 10 years without any issues. I'm a big fan of the concept and the savings! Not sure why so many people have negative things to say here, but some folks just can't be pleased. read more

I can understand in a tough world we are living in every dollar matters and I feel this is a good store for fairly used items. With respect to their customer service, it is lacking big time. I agree with the other posts. The staff there are never pleasant, apologetic or even understanding. read more

Hi, I'm a new and... fiscally minded... parent who doesn't want to buy ALL THE THINGS new because they are not-so-fiscally-minded. More importantly, as a new parent I am now painfully aware of how fast they grow and how.. picky they can be. So while the prices here aren't always amazing and they may not have exactly what you're looking for, it IS worth a shot to pop in and see. Worst case scenario, you'll do what I did and buy a chair your kid will hate, return it and have store credit in your pocket for a while. As an aside, I'm not sure how long this store will be around since there's so many other sources to buy and sell kid shit (Like Facebook Marketplace, Moms Groups, etc.). But it is kinda nice that they exist and you can pop in and go to the Value Village of kid s&#^. read more

I called before going in as I had to drive 48kms to get there. I asked if they are doing cash/check or just store credit... they told me cash unless it's lots then a check or I can choose store credit. I drove to the store to sell to them and this girl came out saying they aren't doing any more cash or checks. literally wasted my time and my gas. no wonder they have an awful rating. staff is rude and unprofessional, especially the girl with the fake lashes. never going to waste my time going there again. read more

Bought great items for my little one. Not sure why all the negative comments here regarding selling your childs clothes. If you don't like what they offer you sell privately. This store is great to save money. We found pieces that are regularly $20 for $1.5. read more

As usual, I plan to give 0 star to terrible business but there's no such an option. sad. They said our clothes (see attached photos) have quality issues and won't be accepted. This makes me mad not because it's not sold but it sounds like the stuff we bought for our little is crap. Take a look at the stuff sold there - baby baskets with obvious stains; clothes with faded colour, stroller with dirty... Terrible business always deserves 0 start and potential kicked out of the market. read more

Once Upon A Child - This is our clothes and they said it have quality issues. lol. good luck with your business - Toy Stores Near Me - Coquitlam, British Columbia

i dont understand I brought clothing in good condition with no stains no pilling. they didn't take a lot of things at all!!! waste of time. it's better to sell things on market place. also they are have several foreigners Working there now. It's not the same environment there anymore. read more

-Good selection of clothes. -Not particularly cheap in that you can find some of these clothing items brand new at clearance or sale price. -Customer service is poor and don't expect much from the staff. They are all too busy behind the counter to help and don't bother looking up to even answer questions. I asked if there were any deals happening and they said "nope" without even looking up. As I shopped around, there were deals! Select sleepwear was on sale, onesies were 10 for $10 and a few other signs were marked with deals. - I also overheard an employee being rude to another customer over using the bathroom and how it would need to be cleaned afterwards and they didn't want them to use it. Whatever the policy is for bathroom use during Covid, it could've been kindly explained. read more

Sorry to say we went there to sell some items, and some of these girls are so unprofessional and kinda of 'liars'. They used our store credit for some other customers. They should be fired. They don't even seem to know about their work....and ugghhh what a rude customer service!!! read more

It is rare these days that you will come to their store to sell anything and get cash back. It's most likely a store credit which for some is quite stupid. If someone is selling you their old stuff it is likely they don't want someone else's old stuff for their own kid to buy so a store credit is almost a slap on the face. Aside from rude employees and poor customer service, they also have the worst pay out. It is not worth going, you are better off selling your stuff on FB as a lot etc. Some people go out of their way just to sell stuff there and they're in for a rude awakening. read more

Gorgeous store, feels highend without the typical warehouse feel like the competitors. Very cozy and warm ambience, like a Westcoast. Not as much selection. Shopped for our munchkin's mattress, these bamboo ones come as advertised. Also tried out a few baby carriers. Finding this place, amongst the commercial area, off the main road. great service too. read more

The Store is very impressive when you first walk in. It appears to be well organized and presented. I liked their attention to detail in how they have displayed their Xmas items. However, I was very disappointed with the customer service. This was my second time in the store and first time I brought items in to be sold. Unknowingly, I didn't bring my items in a bin, and while I understand why they have such a policy, the lady helping me repeatedly told me( 5/6 times) that next time I "must use a bin" to bring in clothes for evaluation. It was quite strange to the point that I suggested I go back home and get my own bin. Ironically, I had 6 or 7 items that were part of suits, all on hangers and well presented. They also appeared to have a dozen or so empty bins that the clothes could have been put in during their inspection time. After half and hour of waiting and even though they agreed they purchased clothes for boys sizes 12-14, they decided the clothes I had ( sized 12-14) were not a size they would sell LOL. Given this business requires product from people like myself and others, you would think that more thought and consideration would go into how they treat and speak to you. The lady I was speaking was also quite defensive about how much money they would pay out for each item. The funny part was I wasn't even concerned as I am aware how consignment works. The whole experience was quite strange and its unlikely I will ever go back. read more

I frequently shop and consign at Once Upon A Child Coquitlam and can honestly say I have never enjoyed my experiences there. Every staff member acts as though they hate their job and their customers and aren't afraid to show it. I understand the staff are busy with the consignment but they don't even bother to say hi or look at you until you stand there for a uncomfortably long time with your boxes at the counter. For a store centered around children's wear you'd think they would be more pleasant. They also seem completely annoyed when you ask them how long it will take to review your items since their wait times vary from 20 mins to 3 hours. They will usually vaguely wave at some boxes and say "you're after all that" which is not a unit of time. Do better. read more

Went to sell a bunch of baby clothes and while they only took half of what I had, the pricing was exceptional and I didn't feel ripped off. My toddler loved playing in the book section while we waited for the sorting of the clothes and I loved browsing what they planned on selling (they are in the process of opening). Very good clothes are being sold here.... I can't wait to come back and drop some cash on some adorable baby girl clothes! read more

Horrible Once Upon A Child store. These stores are independently owned and this Coquitlam location is the only one that is close to Vancouver and it is absolutely horrible. I came in after calling them to ask about dropping off 3 bins of kids stuff, they have a potential issue with their window breaking (wind gusts) and they told me they don't want anyone in their store, even though they were taking stuff from the lady ahead of me. I'm standing near the entrance at the till and the almost broke window is at the back. And they said we aren't helping anyone else after this lady even though we got there at the same time but she happened to be first in the store, so let me ask - if I had shoved myself ahead of her, would I have been helped or told to leave? Absolutely ridiculous! Plus, very bad customer service, you could tell they just didn't give a damn about the inconvenience, they don't care. No sorry or have a nice day or anything other than "come back tomorrow" which I won't be doing because gas is too costly to waste coming back to this store!! Traveling from Vancouver to Coquitlam takes time and money and it wouldn't make the trip worth taking especially with the side of horrible customer service, I'd rather donate everything to some families in need. Maybe I'll just do the other parents and myself a favour and open my own franchise near Vancouver! :) read more

Terrible internal communication, customer service and just an overall terrible experience. My wife and I brought in some of our daughters old stuff today. We were told to leave the items with them and call them in an hour or so to check in as they were busy with other people's stuff. This was a bit annoying, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt as they are a new business and their taking in lots of items at this time in preparation for opening. We called back an hour later and we asked if we could come in the next day. The staff member told us this would be okay. We were then called by another staff member a couple hours later who quite aggressively (basically a threat) told us that they will consider our stuff a donation if we don't come back in by end of day. I spoke with the Assistant Manager who simply referenced their policies of same day pick-up with zero flexibility or empathy. The fact one of her staff said it would be okay to pick-up the next day didn't seem to matter to her, she stuck to her guns and continued to quote policy. In my experience it's never a good idea to do business with inflexible people. This is why I'm writing this review to caution others to stay away from this place. Bad customer service will always rear its ugly head when you deal with inflexible people. read more

You better sell your children's things on Craigslist rather than here. I was trying to sell 5 pairs of shoes, new toy, 3 excellent condition jackets. They priced them all for $13 dollars. Wow. And when they sell them, their prices are quite steep too. You can get cheaper clothes from Children's Place or Joe Fresh when they go on sale and at least they are brand new. read more

The first time I went there the staff didn't even great me. They were older people you would think they would have good costumer service. And before their clothes had no stains and now they do. No thanks never again. read more

I'm Brazilian and I recently came to live in Canada, I had great experiences with thrift stores but I did not think I would find one here and with enough variety it's great value. Surely I will come back for new purchases and indicate my friends. read more

This is the worst ever store I ever visited. Customer service is horrible! Today I visited with my husband and 2 small kids, we wanted to drop some items for sale. This girl at the counter was so pathetic really! Not even a smile, she was rude and not helpful at all when we said we didn't bring boxes. She was unwilling to help or advise. We finally found empty box which was lying in the middle of the store, and stuffed all our selling items in there!!! Good Gracious! This person was staring at us as if she has seen aliens!!! Just can't imagine what we experienced there!!! Thanks for all those kilometres driving there, in addition to waiting for 2 hours!!! And wow!!! Getting only $7 for what we sold! This place needs to be closed! read more

Great place to buy kids clothing, toys, books and more! I find the prices a little high at this location..,used to shop at one in Calgary and they seemed less expensive (many times could find onesies and sleepers for $2-3 but at this location no less than $4.99 usually). Not a great place to consign your gently used items. Find they are overstocked so not taking as many items and if they do they offer very little (took in very gently used bassinet and jolly jumper stand...paid over $150 new and they would only offer $20!). Before they opened they took a lot more. Now they usually give excuses that don't even make sense...too much piling or stained (which I know for a fact were not as some had not even been worn before (0-3 months). They should just be honest and say they are overstocked. Will definitely go back to shop for deals but will likely forgo taking items in to consign unless absolutely necessary, might as well try Craigslist. read more

It was a waste of time to go there with a car full of toys and get $8. Staff asked us get everything on the phone, but after their "processing" they had excuses of overstocked items, unsold items, stained items even though they were gently used. Felt very ripped off and frustrated with the whole experience. Concept is good but execution of it was bad. I probably spent more in reaching the store rather than dropping off things in the local donation box. Will not do it again. read more

I've only been once, and I'll never go back. The manager was rude and condescending when I had a question about why my items were being passed on. When I went to purchase something, they called on the girl at a table at the back in an incredibly rude and demanding tone, rather than just checking me out themselves. When I tried to explain how my swing worked, the manager repeatedly talked over me and said that it was a pass. She spoke to the other employees trying to help me as if they were children, all while smiling at me like they were the problem. The poor girls have to ask so many questions of the older employees because it's clear they don't get enough training, and when it comes to selling it's obvious that what they do and do not buy in changes every single day, so the girls at the counter that have to explain the passes to you have no idea why the items have been passed on. It's incredibly rude to put your young employees on the spot like that, without giving them clear guidelines. Also the clearly uncomfortable young woman I asked about my items told me that the manager had taken items out of the bin after she sorted it and put them in the passes, so she had no idea why they were being passed on. When she asked the manager, the woman rolled her eyes and said "they're overloved" and walked away. It's clear the communication is not there, and it's a shame that the managers don't know how to better treat their employees. The man that came in when I went to pick up my items was attempting to sell his own items, and when he said he didn't have a bin but it was his first time there, the rather annoyed older lady at the counter told him "well you have to buy one" as if that's a reasonable request. When she spoke to the woman behind that man, she asked if she wanted store credit, the woman said I would prefer cash, and the older woman simply said "come back tomorrow" and walked away. No explanation, no kind words, just a simple dismissal. They barely gave me anything for my items, and with all the problematic and rude managerial treatment going on, the pathetic amount of money I got back for my items was NOT worth the effort and time wasted on coming in. Treat your employees like human beings, and treat your customers less like inconveniences. The few young girls I spoke with were warm and kind and clearly trying their best in a bad situation, but the customer service and staff treatment from the managing staff was absolutely appalling. NEVER going back. read more

I went to this store to sell my gently used baby clothes and they didn't even take one thing. i had new stuff that she never wore and they were all brand names like tommy hilfiger,baby gap oshkosh etc ... they told me that they didn't take onesie and overalls.. I think they should have a list of what they do take. this was a waste of time and gas cause I went all the way from Vancouver and they told me to be back in about an hour and I got there 2 hours after and they didn't had the clothes ready. i did got $15 for teenage jeans (levis) they were bran new and a pair of all stars ... but for sure is better to call and ask what they are taking so you don't waste your time going there. read more

Phoned to ask if they had child's ballet slippers. She said "yes they had a few pairs." When I asked if she minded checking for the specific sizes she abruptly said "no she could not and hung up." Crap customer service and just plain rude. read more

I have brought a few bins of my daughter's clothes here in the past month. The store is pretty neatly organized and they do have some good stuff, but the young teenagers they have working there obviously are not parents and do not know what some of the brands are worth i.e. Baby Gap, TOMS, Nike, Puma etc. as they offer you basically pennies compared to what you could sell it for on Craigslist. The owner of this company needs to seriously educate their employees. Seems that all they are trained for is how to look for stains on the clothing. And just like another customer who wrote a review on here, I was shocked that they refused some of my items after I saw what they have hanging on their racks. Not sure what the logic is there. Would only recommend if you are just wanting to make a few bucks for some clothes you want to get rid of. I would sell more valuable brands on Craigslist though... read more

Love the store once upon a child. How you are able to sell your used GOOD condition clothes, book, toys etc. this location is huge! Well compared to the Langley one. And the clothes here are so organized. Very easy to find things you want. But this location I always feel very uncomfortable. There is this one lady who works there. She not very helpful, has a very rude vibe that comes off her. She took 1 second to look at the item I wanted to sell and said oh no its so damage we won't accept that. And then 5 mins after I asked another young lady and she said that it's a little scratch, it's no problem. But that's my only complaint that I have for this store. Like the other lady said they always seem to overstocked on 0-12 month old baby clothes. So If you go there with baby clothes just be prepared that they might accept most of them. read more

This is a great place to find kids clothing, shoes & toys that are in great condition. You can get like-new clothes for about 50-70% cheaper than what you'd pay in stores. They carry all brands from low-high end and only take in merchandise without pilling or staining. If you sign up for their emails you will find they have quite a few promotions on throughout the year which makes shopping there an even better deal. If you can buy at the end of the season for the next year that is where you'll find the best deals as they try to clear out these items at 40-70% off their prices. That said, it can be difficult to predict your child's sizing a year in advance. Now based on buying only I'd give this store 4.5 stars (would be 5 if some of the staff were friendlier) but my experience in selling to them would get one star (less if that were an option) so I've given them an overall 3. Let me explain...They say they pay on the spot on their website but this location does not. Instead they request that you leave the items so they can sort through them and come back later to pick them up. We were told this could take a couple of hours. Also we were told not to bring items in a bag next time & that we must have them folded flat in a bin. We thought we'd receive a phone call once they had gone through our items but heard nothing until 11:20am the next day warning us that if we weren't there by noon (in 40 minutes) our items would be donated (to their store of course - for them to re-sell!!). So moms - be warned!!! I was wondering how these guys turn a profit - now I know! Needless to say, I will not be attempting to sell/donate items to them again. That said, I will continue to buy from them. There just isn't anywhere else in my area that has deals this good. (Side note: The Langley store is much easier to deal with & their staff are actually quite friendly and helpful!) read more

Lots of good second hand items! I took a bunch of my daughter's stuff there to sell and they have me a fair price ! All and all id recommend it to moms if they want baby items without having to spend a fortune! read more

What a giant waste of time!! I meticulously went through all my items, all had no stains and were in great "gently" used condition. The store passed on items that were "pilling" or stained and I put nothing of the sort in my bins. Not to mention the lady who helped me couldn't help but mention how busy and overwhelmed they were. She seemed like she was just trying to get rid of me!! I feel like they didn't even go through all my items as they passed on Calvin Klein and Nike but took a children's place onesie instead?? Everything was in excellent shape, I will not be returning, and will be using craigslist and kijiji instead. I did notice the store re-sells on Craigslist. My advice is to buy directly from sellers, as I feel like they buy from you at a ridiculously discounted rate and resell on Craigslist. read more

So rude if you're selling things. Me and my father came in a few months ago to drop off some old toys that were in very good shape. We had put them in plastic shopping bags from the grocery store. The old hag of a woman serving us VERY rudely told us that she shouldn't be excepting the items because they weren't in a Rubbermaid plastic bin. Who gives a damn what the items are in, they're still stock for your store which pays your wages. And how were we supposed to know that the items had to be in bins? There are no signs on the building. They should implement a flashing neon sign on the front of the building if it's that important read more

Unfortunately two sales experience with them was a ripped off. Would do much better with craigslist or swap meet or donate to charity. Waste of time and gas. read more

I went to this new location with high hopes, and I was greatly disappointed. The service was terrible. I was so appalled by the treatment of the customers. They were very unclear on the definition of "gently used." The wait time is outrageous. Many of the items are over priced. I would never recommend any of my friends to visit this store and I myself will never return to this location again. read more

The service is so bad here, stuff so bad! day 1 I drop off my stuff and told back in one hour, then I back in 4 hour said is not ready.And told will phone me day 2, day 2 phone mr at the end of the day yell at me if don't back to pick up before 12 at day 3, will sent to donation,explain to what happened but said it was my bad. they won't take my stuff anymore, what a bad service, will not go anymore!wast my gas and time! read more

Horrible customer service. Today I bought some stuff from this store and forgot to apply 25% coupon what they sent me for the Mother Day. So they said they couldn't fix it - fine, but when I ask them to return it, the answer was, "you can return but we wouldn't let you buy it again, we will remember you". My question was, "is it jail or store", do they even know what IS CUSTOMER SERVICE IS. Unacceptable!!! read more

awesome place and fair trade in deals , really helps out with deals like this being a single father full time ...

Went to try to sell some items - after getting there by mid morning I was told I might only get a store credit; they weren't sure if cash option would be available that day. Website needs to be updated - state specifically what you offer, since step four states - you'll be on your way with some extra cash it seems that there is a choice available to the seller read more