This is all so incredibly tragic. I think what's most disheartening about my situation is that I've worked for many years in several environments, be it healthcare or retail, where positive and professional CUSTOMER SERVICE is crucial.
To be a first-time buyer of a big purchase such as furniture where one deserves and expects impeccable CUSTOMER SERVICE and a quality PRODUCT, but doesn't receive it, one wonders and becomes quite concerned about how the company involved can stay in business.
Quite frankly, I honestly feel they stay in business by deceptively, luring unsuspecting, hardworking, eager buyers who are not expecting to get RIPPED OFF! Unfortunately, I was one of those buyers.
My story starts out with me visiting Jennifer Convertibles in Colma, CA to look at a leather, livingroom furniture set with my brother. I've been to one of JC's showrooms before and the sales associates were very pleasant. However, on this particular ocassion the sales manager started saying very disturbing things regarding race. Being a person of color I began to get very offended and told my brother that I wanted to leave.
I was quite upset because I had been wanting that particular style of leather furniture and I was wanting to purchase it through JC. So a few days later I decided to go back and complain about what happen, and to see if I'd receive a proper apology so that I could begin my process of purchasing through JC.
When I walked through the door there stood a new manager. For some unknown reason the old manager had been replaced. I informed the new manager of the racial incident and stated that I was glad to see that there was someone new in the store.
That day I decided to purchase from Jennifer Convertibles. I paid half on my $3,000 set. I was to pay the other half later — either upon arrival or before. When my furniture arrived in the warehouse I was notified by the manager.
However, I didn't expect that I would only get to choose certain days of the week to have them deliver. Here I had paid a considerable amount for delivery and they were telling me that I didn't get my pick of days to have them deliver. I felt that was something they should have informed me of during the time of purchase.
It was hard for me to schedule a delivery date because of work and prior committments. So I was constantly going back and forth with the manager about the date of delivery. During several of our conversations he kept telling me that no one had to be present during the delivery just as long as the outstanding balance was paid in full. Seeing the poor product that they delivered to me clearly reflects how important it is for the buyer to be present during the delivery.
Finding the scheduling of the furniture and the manager's unrelenting attempts to convince me to agree to have the men deliver while I'm away began to become quite frustrated, and I started to rethink my decision. I wanted to cancel my order, but was told that I would have to lose 30% of the total.
I demanded to speak with the district or regional and was finally contacted after a long period of telephone conversations with the store manager. When I received a call from the regional manager I basically told I didn't have a right to a refund and that there was nothing he would do for me to make me feel better about the situation. He also made some disparaging remarks with regards to race. I asked him for a corporate contact and info. And was told that he knew the owner or CEO of the company wouldn't help me either.
I didn't want to lose all that money and honestly felt that I shouldn't be responsible for the 30% because the matter concerning the delivery was never mentioned at the point of sale, nor was it indicated on the bill of sale.initially I was just informed that I would be able to pick my day of delivery — any delivery day.
Because I was received so much opposition from the managers and horrible customer care I opted to just deal with it and never do business with JC again.
Before my furniture's arrival I made sure I had all the measurements and that the furniture would fit. I went as far as calling the manager to double-check. I gave the manager the measurements of my home and told him what pieces I'd be having delivered. He reassured me that it would all easily fit.
On the delivery day I had a friend stay at my home while I went and paid off the remaining balance. They delivered the loveseat and chair. I was told that the couch would fit and that I would have to pay an addition 179.00 to have them breakdown the furniture and re-deliver it. I couldn't believe it. There I was eating the cost for a purchase that I didn't want, being verbally assulted by the managers, and now having to pay more to have them re-deliver. I couldn't believe it. I was being ripped off!
The furniture that they did deliver was appauling. There are staples falling out of the leather of the chair. My loveseat looks like it was bought from a swap meet. It has a huge hole in the middle of it, right between the two seat cushions. I called the manager and was told that I would have to call another number to get service on the couch. At that time I hadn't had the furniture for a week, even a day and I had to have it serviced?
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