I recently purchased a teak storage contained via your web portal "OutdoorFurniture Plus.com". I had researched the item and found the one of the models you offered unique among its peers and reasonably priced and purchased it. Time passed with no word from you regarding delivery or even confirmation of the purchase. I look at my credit card account revealed the funds had been taken by you and I could only assume all was well. More time passed and I sent emails and voicemail messages trying to ascertain information regarding delivery. I heard exactly nothing from you. I even enquired to "Jewels of Java" which is apparently one of your suppliers. The response was the same, none, with the exception that Jewels of Java sent me what appeared to be a wholesale catalogue which, among other things, revealed the wholesale prices you were paying and the associated markups (100% or so). I found this to be a strange way to do business and I still had not received the storage chest I ordered. A few days later it arrived, in tact and completely assembled. This was also a bit odd as most items such as this are shipped flat and require some assembly. I unpacked it and saw immediately that it was reasonably well made, but a couple of things were not as they should be. The hardware which secures the left side door was poorly installed but could be easily corrected. The right door, however was significantly warped and would not close properly. It was functionally and aesthetically unacceptable and difficult to repair. As I am a woodworker with 4 decades of experience at such matters, I felt I should be provided a replacement door that I could easily install. I photographed the door and sent a request for a new door complete with pictures. As was your habit, neither you or Jewels of Java bothered to reply. So I called Jewel of Java and a person actually answered the phone call. She identified herself as Barbara and I am assuming her to be Barbara Simeon, the wife of the founder and an officer of the company. I explained my problem and the odyssey leading up to it and she said that she would locate the email and pictures and call me back. At this point it was clear no one had bothered to open the emails or, if they had, had decided it was a problem not worth bothering with. Strange, I thought. She took my number (despite the fact it was included with all my communications thus far) and promised to call me back shorty. Which she did, and then did one of the more peculiar things I have ever experienced in the course of purchasing something. Her tone was now surly as she began her speech. She made no reference to the email, the photo or the warped door.instead she declared that she would be crediting my account the entire amount paid for the chest, I was to keep the furniture and I was never to darken her door again as my business was no longer welcome at their enterprise. Flummoxed, I hesitated to gather my thoughts. Before I could reply, it was clear she had hung up on me. I have never been treated so rudely and oddly in my life. The response has set my imagination running wild. What can this woman be thinking? A simple door replacement would have left all parties satisfied. I had earlier complimented the build quality of the chest and remarked that things like a warped door happen frequently with wood fabrication as wood is a living thing and tended to be quirky and unpredictable at times. But not as quirky and unpredictable as Ms Simeon. The corporate structure of this business seems thrown together as well. Perhaps the place was coming apart at the seams, or experiencing growing pains or is too much for them to handle suddenly. It is an intriguing story. Or perhaps Ms. Simeon is parting at the seams, or is mad at her husbands infidelity and is exacting her revenge by alienating potential customers. These are expensive items and I am not so sure these folks should be entrusted with credit card information and the like as it would take very little time to do a lot of damage. To whom should this be reported? Should I send the men in the white jackets? I just wanted to store my deck cushions.
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