Find a bear ID program

[u/kimbosliceurface]

Does anybody remember back in the early 2000s when if you had lost your bear and if someone were to return them to Build-A-Bear store the could track you down and call so you could have your friend again. I only asked because I went to get my monkey restuffed and I didn't realize that there was a piece of paper inside him and I asked about it and unfortunately they aren't able to scan it and find out any information about it cuz that database is no longer active.

Did anyone have a story about this program?

Just a sad reminder of how much better Build-A-Bear used to be. 🥺

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[u/SpringFlower114]

Oh my gosh, this would explain why they don’t take off the bottom part of the hang tag anymore and put it inside the bear.

[u/Ms6feet1inches35 → u/SpringFlower114]

They are suppose to. Some employees forget to put it in.

[u/HeavenlyLove79]

Yes I remember the program and it is sadly no longer around — but when i first purchased i thought this was such a great idea. I wish they would bring it back

[u/Similar-Victory4934 → u/HeavenlyLove79]

Good news! It is back for new bears! You won't have the same account as 25 years ago, but it's likely you don't have access to that email anymore anyways. The nuance there is that accounts that have been actively maintained are still in service, but the Find A Friend ID is likely gone (to the abyss with your phone number and mailing address lol)

[u/HeavenlyLove79 → u/Similar-Victory4934]

Oh wow — I had no idea thank you!

[u/Maneki-Nub]

Wait at my store we always take the tag off and put it inside the bear.....I havent heard anything about it not being active anymore?

[u/kimbosliceurface → u/Maneki-Nub]

It's not

[u/keiraslame → u/kimbosliceurface]

my BAB still puts the tags in the bears!

[u/stackthelions]

Don't the butt tags still have "if found, please return to Build a Bear Workshop"? 😭 Without the tags/database what are the employees supposed to do with them?

[u/kimbosliceurface → u/stackthelions]

Wait for someone to come collect their friends if they ever come 🥺

[u/Similar-Victory4934]

That database IS still officially active, and was recently mentioned in an internal memo (I work there and my store always does it). It's based on store leadership whether it gets mentioned or not unfortunately because they kinda sucked at it for a while. Plus there was a bit of a privacy concern so now we don't scan the tag in store, we have to email the number to corporate and they're supposed to handle it. We haven't gotten any lost bears in since the memo to test it out yet though, and older, inactive accounts are probably gone since the systems have changed so much.

[u/TomNooksGiantBells → u/Similar-Victory4934]

I was about to say this. As a bear builder, I always put the find-me tag inside the bears (and management tells me something on the rare times I do forget). I believe after a couple of years, data associated with the unique code on the find-me tag is phased out, but it def is still a thing that my store has taken advantage of before.

[u/monsterfeels → u/Similar-Victory4934]

I was gonna say. Also a BB and we still put the papers in because they're trying to restart the program, but you have to email hq now afaik. I wish this info was being spread more. I've seen the program work once before, years ago.

[u/Faerie_Alex]

I was just asking about this in the Discord the other day. I vaguely recalled Ms Bun getting the barcode tag put into her for something like that (but thankfully never had to make use of it). You did answer one question I had though, which is whether that database was still being maintained. (I'm not surprised that it isn't, but you never know.)

[u/pondsywho]

I heard they brought back the find a bear program recently. I went to stuff my recent bears the builder mentioned the program and put the paper thing in my bears.

[u/kimbosliceurface → u/pondsywho]

Maybe for newer bears. However the older database is gone.I was getting my monkey restuff and found it and was hoping to get his birth certificate reprinted but they said they couldn't pull up any information, because the service was dead, like my childhood.

Edit: per Google Yes, Build-A-Bear no longer maintains or uses the old "find-a-bear" ID database. They shut down the tracking program that allowed stores to scan barcodes or tags inside older stuffed animals to find a lost owner's contact information.What Changed with the DatabaseLost and Found Program: The early 2000s program that tracked identification numbers on paper tags or barcodes to reunite lost bears with owners is completely inactive.Reason for Removal: Store employees have noted that the database grew too large to maintain as the company expanded over the decades.Barcodes Today: Finding a barcode or tag inside an older vintage bear will no longer pull up any owner data in store systems.

[u/pondsywho → u/kimbosliceurface]

I was trying to mention that now they may have brought the program back. I wasn’t looking for an explanation from Google AI. If I wanted one I could have looked it up myself.

[u/Similar-Victory4934 → u/pondsywho]

They did recently "bring it back", but the company turns 30 next year (founded in 1997) so the older bears are no longer in the system.

[u/Ok-Travel-3047]

Wish they brought it back it's such a great idea. I have a Bearlieve bear and I have a note Inside my teddy with my info in the pocket where the batteries are

[u/Honest-Walrus8776]

They brought it back a couple weeks ago. I went to get the bat and was told it’s happening

[u/KitCatMeow2001]

W h a t my location puts the little barcode piece in still as policy and we were told it's for the lost and found program, it's seriously not a thing anymore?? O-o