Barnes Furniture ripped me off. After doing a search on them, I uncovered at least five other consumer complaintss. I'm adding my story so that the complete picture on them can start to unravel.
My wife and I purchased furniture from their Springfield branch store on August 23. I went through their financing (— bad move) and at the time I signed the dotted line, I was told that several items would be delivered in 6-8 weeks. That was the first time I heard that the furniture might not be ready right away, but because I had kids screaming, it was pouring rain, and dinner time had almost come and gone (because it took their sales people an impossibly long time to get the paperwork together), I agreed to delivery in 6-8 weeks of four items: a cabinet and a three piece living room set (console table, cocktail table, and end table).
Needless to say, 6-8 weeks came and went, with no phone call from Barnes. Somewhere around the 9th week, we called to inquire about the furniture and were told by someone at the Springfield store that there was a slight delay but that we could expect to have delivery in two weeks. At that point I asked about the possibility of some kind of discount and was told that it was not their policy, they didn't have the authority, etc. I asked to speak to a manager and was politely rebuffed (the manager was not available). The manager, it became clear, would never be available.
Two weeks went by. Then a third. I called again. [As I write this, I'm a little foggy on the details of how this all went down. My wife probably remembers the timing of the events better than I do.] This time, someone at the store (John?) informed me that the line had been discontinued and that the furniture had to be tracked down somewhere in China and shipped to us. We could expect delivery some time in January. I cried foul and asked what he was prepared to do to make it right to us, since by now we could have had and enjoyed furniture from another store for several months. He told me that it was out of his hands, and that he couldn't offer us any kind of discount or anything, but that he would speak to the manager and get back to me.
We played phone tag for the next few days (by which I mean, I called and no one returned my call). Finally, I got through to the store and was told that two of the items were ready to be shipped before the Christmas holidays, but that the other two items (the cocktail table and the end table) wouldn't be ready until early January. I explained that that was unacceptable, that we had a contract for delivery within 6-8 weeks, and that I felt that contract had been violated.
Up until this point, mind you, I have not heard anything that could be considered an apology by Barnes, and there was no real customer service going on at all.in the end, we negotiated for a 10% discount on the two items that would be delivered in January. At that time, I told the store's representative that we would expect delivery in January, or else the deal would be off.
Barnes quickly called me to work out the details of the 10% discount, and I think that they did credit my account. (we're talking about roughly $40.00 here)
The two items were delivered in December as promised, and there was nothing visibly wrong with them.
The other two items, however, did not show up until January 21. Keep in mind that they were ordered in August at which time we were told 6-8 weeks.By January, my wife and I couldn't even remember what they looked like.
The delivery men were *very* courteous. Truly, they were the one bright spot in dealing with Barnes (although I understand that these two guys are an exception to the general rule). They brought the end table in first, then hoisted the cocktail table up one flight of stairs to our living room. One of the men, Don, showed us a large gouge in the top of the table. He said that it must have been there before the table was placed on his truck, because the damage didn't appear to be the kind that would ordinarily be caused by driving, especially considering the way it was secured.
He was very nice and sincere, and he explained that he had many years of experience as a furniture maker himself, and that he could tell us right away that it was not something that could be repaired. I told him to place both items back on the truck and take them back, because we didn't want to be stuck with nonconforming tender.
By this time, I had read several consumer complaintss about Barnes online and had seen that the pattern was to drop off damaged goods and then never do anything about them. I'm also an attorney, and I know that I have a right to reject the entire shipment upon delivery.
Don's supervisor at the warehouse tried to coax me into keeping the tables, saying that they just needed to leave them there for a day or two while they arranged for replacement with another table (lo and behold, even though the furniture line had apparently been discontinued, they now had another table right there in the warehouse!). I told him no way. He also suggested that I at least hold on to the end table. I told him that I had no guarantee that they were going to come back with another cocktail table, so I didn't want to compromise my right to reject the whole shipment by accepting one of the tables.
After some resistance (and some help from Don), we got the tables back on the truck and away. I immediately called Barnes's customer service representative, Gale Kramer, and left her a voicemail message about our entire experience. I asked her to call me back to discuss. She never did. The warehouse never called to arrange shipment of the undamaged table, and no one from the store contacted us.
The following week, I called the store (John? Again) and told him that if we didn't receive delivery of the two tables, without damage, by the end of January, that I would consider Barnes in material breach of our contract. He said he understood that that was my position, and we left it at that (no further promises to deliver, no apologies of any kind). I also called Gale Kramer and got voicemail again. I left her a message to the same effect.
On January 28, I called Gale Kramer and left another voicemail message that if we didn't receive the tables by January 31 that we were going to cancel the contract and demand our money back. I also advised her that we were considering legal action against the company.
On February 1 (still no tables), I called fincance company (703-461-3101) and demanded that they stop payment to Barnes. The woman I spoke to was very patronizing and unhelpful (I realize now that they must get these kinds of calls all the time — in fact, I think she even said that to me at one point). She told me that I had to call Barnes directly and convince them to cancel the contract, because doesn't operate like a credit card company and they won't take any action based on a customer's allegations alone. She gave me a number to call: 703-647-1500, ext. 105.
I called that number and got someone named Ryan (finally, contact with an actual human being). Ryan was very nice and polite, but he deflected my complaint to another person because, as he said, he had no authority to discuss cancellation of the contract with me. He transferred me to Lisa Robinson, ext. 111, who also never answers her phone and never returns phone calls. I politely informed Ms. Robinson (over voicemail) that I would like to cancel the contract and get a refund for the two items that I do not have (we're talking about somewhere in the neighborhood of $400). She never returned my call, or any of the several subsequent messages I left on her machine.
That was the last chapter in the saga until yesterday. Here is a quick and dirty write-up of the latest attempt by Barnes to blow me off:
I received a call today from Gale Kramer at Barnes Customer Service (9:07 A.M.). She told me that she knew nothing about our situation and that she had never received a phone call from me or my wife. Of course, we've left her messages repeatedly. I called her minutes after rejecting the delivery on January 21, and I have called her at LEAST 5 or 6 times since then (including at least once yesterday).in each instance, I get her voicemail and leave her a message. She understood that I had called the store. I might have called the store once or twice, but otherwise I have only called her or the branch office (703) 647-1500 (where I spoke to Ryan and was redirected to Lisa Robinson).
I told Gale that the furniture was delivered with a large gouge in the cocktail table and that the delivery man (who has worked as a furniture maker for many years) told me it could not be repaired. She laughed and said that those guys are only paid to deliver the furniture and he didn't know what he was talking about. I told her that it didn't matter that he didn't know what he was talking about, because I didn't pay good money for a damaged table, and that I had every right to reject it.
She acted surprised at that and asked if I had rejected the end table, too. I told her that I had. She said that they had another cocktail table ready that could be delivered soon. I interrupted her and explained that I didn't want the table anymore, that the contract was for 6-8 weeks, that we had agreed to modify the agreement for delivery in January, and that since January 31 had come and gone, they were in breach and I was exercising my right to cancel the contract.
I told her that I wanted my money back or I would sue, it was that simple. She said, fine, that's your prerogative. I said, you bet it is. That's the beauty of it. She hemmed and hawed a little, and I said that I knew about other customers who had similar complaints — that I had read about them on the internet — and that I was considering the possibility of bringing a class action. She said whatever, I don't know what you're talking about. I said, I think you do. It's company policy to handle customers in this way, and it's well documented. I told her, I don't know how many years this has been going on, but I'm sure a lawsuit would uncover that.
She started in again in a very patronizing tone about how she couldn't give me my money back and that there was a provision in our contract at paragraph 3 on the back and that they were allowed to operate according to the terms and conditions of their contract. I told her that I understood contracts, and that it didn't matter what it says in paragraph 3 on the back, that our contract was for delivery within 6-8 weeks (she said, I never said that, to which I replied, your sales people told me that, the store told me that), and that we still have not received our furniture six months later. I said, it's not about whether the table can be delivered now. You've breached the contract, and I want my money back right now. And if I don't get my money back, I'm going to sue. That's it. That's the end of the story. She said fine and hung up on me.
After I got off the phone I called my wife, who had spoken with Gale only a few minutes before I had. The substance of their conversation was pretty similar, although apparently Gale was even more patronizing with her, and Gale also hung up on her.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is what Barnes Furniture considers "customer service."
I left a voicemail for Lisa Robinson again this morning. She is the VP of something-something at Barnes's headquarters for the DC metro area (703-647-1500, ext. 111). I have probably called her three or four times now. She never ever picks up her phone, as far as I can tell. This time it didn't even ring — straight to voicemail. I left her a message explaining that I had left her several messages, that she still had not called me back, that I had spoken with Gale (who gave new meaning to the term "customer service") and that I wanted my money back. I was putting her on notice, I explained, that if I didn't get my money back right away, she would be facing a lawsuit, and that she would likely be named in the Complaint. I gave her my office number, explained that it is a law firm and that I am a lawyer, so she should consider the threat of suit very real, and that I would be taking action very soon.
It is now 7:00 P.M. I have not heard back from Barnes. I do not feel compelled to try politeness or diplomacy with them any more. I have done my best to register my complaint with their customer service department, which is a joke. I have tried contacting their business offices and have been snubbed.
I am posting this report (all of which is TRUE, despite what a subsequent rebuttal might say) to warn other customers of the dangers of dealing with Barnes, and to give them some idea of what they might experience in the event that anything goes wrong with their purchase (which seems pretty likely given the other published reports I have seen).
I welcome Barnes to reply to this report. I also welcome other customers with complaints about Barnes to post their own threads. I do plan to initiate suit against them, and if you are interested in joining in the lawsuit, please indicate that in your post.
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