This was my first time at a Mothercare Sale which offered an additional 10% on the final total to VIP members.

I needed to pick up a toy and a pair of shoes for my son’s upcoming birthday. I am bored of his toys and books and thought it’s time to add to his collection.

When I arrived at 11 a.m., boy was I in for a surprise! Mothercare BSC had never been that packed with people. And this is one of the larger outlets stacked with ELC and Leap Frog products.

Reflecting on the sale this morning:

• Playtime with Auntie Nadia, a weekly event on Fridays  (10 a.m. to noon), is held around the ELC and Leap Frog toys. It was really difficult for parents and kids to participate without blocking the racks of toys. I managed to grab Leap Frog’s Alphabet Pal which I scouted the day before the sale.
• The payment queue stretched pass the Melissa & Doug toys, the cribs and bassinets, all the way to the strollers. If you are familiar with Mothercare’s layout in BSC, your jaw will drop too. We queued for a good 35 minutes.
• Only two payment counters – did they not anticipate the crowd? Customers spending thousands of dollars lining up with many products – there should be a better way to handle the special 3-day member sale.
• A question of ethics – the lady behind me sent her maid to stand in line while she walked off to shop. Looking at the amount she picked up, it was like she was shopping for an entire orphanage! I felt really bad for the people behind her as she kept handing bags of toys to her maid while she scurried off to get more. Is this fair? If you have not started or finished shopping, should you send someone to stand in line?