We got a Creative Playthings Playset from Fitness Superstore in Albuquerque, NM. Price of the playset was to include delivery and installation by "qualified personal" that "do this all the time" and "should be able to set this up in a day". This was a $5500 wooden playset, that was to include a 10ft slide, 2 swings and a glider, along with a "crow's nest".
This playset was supposed to be delivered on a Monday morning. A young teenager and 1 other employee showed up in the late afternoon to begin set up on our playset. The one employee then proceeded to leave the teenager alone to set up our playset. We left as we had other committments (and they were hours late) and when we returned our playset was only 1/4 of the way put together and all other parts were strewn about our yard and patio. They then returned the next day again hours later then told.
When My husband looked at the partially put together playset he noticed that a good chunk (3/4 of the actual beam) missing out of a piece of the wood. This piece they ACTUALLY used to be one of the main support beams of our playset tower. It was also noted that they broke the slats between the crows nest and the main tower so there was no ladder between the 2 elevations, in turn leaving a big gap that any child could fall through. The slide could also be easily moved by my 2 year old. When my husband confronted the "new Crew" about the broken playset, they admitted that the teenager should never have been left alone to put together the playset. The new crew also admitted that they really messed up and needed to call a supervisor to help them put this playset together.
When we contacted the store the next day we got the run around. Even though THEIR crew broke our playset, (ie the pieces were intact and not broken before their crew touched it) all they could do according to them was order a new support beam and they would "keep fixing it" until they got it right. But we were still required to pay the full instillation price even though they were the ones that broke our playset.
I proceeded to go back to the store in person and talk with Dean the store manager. He was very rude and claimed ignorance that he had even been told about the situation. I procceded to enlighten him and he suddenly remembered. I asked him why and unsafe playset was allowed to be set up, with a main support beam being affected. He proceeded to tell me that it was probably safe and that a new part was being ordered. Well Probably safe isn't good enough for me. I told him that it was there crew's fault that my playset was broken and when I paid instillation that I paid to have it done correctly. He it will be installed correctly, just after they take it apart to put it back together again. I was then told he would talk to the "owner" to see about comping me instillation to make me happy.
For the next week I did not hear from Dean, and when I called back he again claiimed that I was never told that he would talk to the owner. It was at that point that I told him to come pick his unsafe play set up and I was returning it. He claimed again that he would talk to the manager and get back to me.
After another week with no contact, all the "owner" would offer us was a wooden picnic table that wasnt even equivalent in price to what we paid in installation. That and the fact that the supposed "beam" that was to be replaced was still not in.
This store and staff had no explanation why an unsafe playset was even ALLOWED to be put together in the first place. All they could say was that it was "good enough" and that they would fix it until it was right, on MY DIME!
I am now out a 15% restocking fee along with an additional $400 so they could come take it apart to return it. So I am out $1100 because of their screw up and my refusal to chance my childrens safety on a playset that is supposed to just that SAFE.
Do not use this store!!! You will be screwed as they only care about themselves and not the customers they are dealing with.
If you have a problem they will not return calls, and will blame someone else. Even the guys who came to pick up my playset admitted that this all was because of one salesmen's screw up. That teenager and other crew member were not supposed to be out there by themselves. And the sad part is we were not the first family that they had to "fix" a play set for. Pathetic when you're talking about kids.
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