I ordered an original hand-blown Azerbijan Art Glass pitcher from this vendor.
The Art Glass piece was described in detail and pictured on the dealer's Web site — http://www.muranoglassusa.com/
The item was paid for in full by me, by credit card, including shipping to my address. When the item arrived it was NOT the item that I ordered. The one I received was of a similar style, but 3 inches shorter than the one described online and completely different in coloration. It also was flawed and of inferior quality.
The vendor said that since his items were hand-blown I should expect them to vary. However, it is clear to me that the vendor advertised and described ONE high-quality item, only to SWITCH it for another, INFERIOR item, upon shipping.
The vendor and I exchanged several e-mail communications where I registered my complaint. The vendor INITIALLY offered a refund or store credit, but only if I would pay all shipping costs (including return of his shipment, which was sent in error) and insurance on the item (approximately $30 in total extra cost).
I suggested a compromise — that he offer a 20% discount on another item in the Art Glass catalogue. He agreed, but when I went to order the NEW piece, the vendor jacked-up the shipping price by an amount that exceeded the discount he was offering on the original sale. This was a second deceit and manipulation, and another effort to avoid making compensation for sending the wrong piece. The vendor claimed that he should have charged me more for shipping the first time, as well.
This merchant will not provide a pre-paid return shipping label for the piece that I received and did not order, and that he sent in error. And, he stands firm that he will NOT provide a refund unless I cover all shipping and insurance costs to return the item.
DC Booth at Murano Glass USA has lied twice already, regarding this "sale", so there is no guarantee that I will receive a refund even after the return of the item.
I should not be responsible for shipping and related costs for this Art Glass piece, since it is NOT the one I ordered.
The vendor admitted that he does NOT have a piece that looks like the one I ordered and that was pictured and described on his Web site.in an e-mail, he said he could NOT send me the one I ordered according to the specifications and colors described.
This vendor is engaging in Bait-and-Switch Tactics to dispose of his unwanted inventory.
I am seeking to charge-back the full purchase and shipping costs of the Art Glass piece through my credit card company.
This Art Glass piece was ordered from Murano Glass USA, but it was shipped from another source, in another city —Ely's Glass Art, in Houston, Texas, who says on their Web site http://www.elysglassart.netfirms.com/retail. Shtml that they do NOT sell directly to the public, since they have relationships with retail stores that they don't want to infringe upon.
The Murano Glass USA outlet which performed the Bait-and-Switch substitution of my Art Glass order is an associate of Ely's Art Glass.
Murano Glass USA provides Ely's Art Glass with a way around their exclusivity agreements or non-competition agreements with their retailers. The relationship also seems to be a way to dump the product they don't want to keep in their inventory, regardless of what the customer orders.
Murano Glass USA says on their Web site that no two pieces of Art Glass are alike; but they do NOT stipulate that the piece you see pictured and described is NOT the one you will be shipped. They, instead, ship according to their whim.
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