
Lisa of Dover, MA on Sept. 11, 2009
I had used 1800Mattress a long time ago, and it went well. So we called them to get some information about buying a mattress for my son. I ordered a mattress after discussing what we were looking for with the salesperson. She was really helpful and suggested a Simmons Eurotop mattress (a pillow top sewn into the mattress rather than sitting on top, she explained) that happened to be on sale from $850 or so to $450. I asked if there was a warranty, and she said that it had a 10-year warranty.
When it arrived 2 days later, it was very thin (5" thick!), and I asked the delivery guys to wait while I went to look at the description she had given me. I asked them if I had a few days to return it once I talked to the sales rep, and they had no idea what the policy was. They left (They seemed like they were in a hurry). And I immediately called the salesperson back to describe the mattress that arrived and let her know that it only had a 1-year warranty (not 10 years as she had said).
She was surprised and upset that the mattress was not what was described to her on the computer, and she told me I should switch it. At that point, I assumed it was just a mix-up; and I would exchange it for the right mattress. She gave me a few alternatives (both were more than what I had agreed to spend on the mattress I ordered) and told me to call the customer service department and that she couldn't help me with the exchange.
After waiting about 40 minutes for customer service to answer, I told the customer service rep what had happened and that I had a few suggestions from my sales rep. But I needed to know how much I would owe if I chose a specific model. He told me he didn't have that information, so I asked him for some more info about the mattress she had suggested. He said he didn't have any information about the mattresses and that I'd have to talk to sales about that or he could put me on hold and see if he could get the information.
He put me on hold for another 10 plus minutes and came back saying that someone would have to call me back. He mentioned out of the blue that the mattress could not be returned, just exchanged. At that point, I hadn't ever considered returning it. I was figuring I would exchange it for the mattress I was originally looking for. But I told him that no one had mentioned that there were no returns. How can you have an over-the-phone mattress business and not accept returns and never mention it during the sales process? He said, "It's on the back of the paper you signed when they dropped off the mattress." Oh, interesting.
I asked for his supervisor, who also was very nice. She proceeded to find the info I was looking for but quote me over $100 more than what the sales rep quoted me for the same mattress--a total of $230 more than what I had agreed to pay when I ordered my mattress! When I asked her about the price difference, she said she looked at my notes and there was nothing mentioned about the lower price. Sure, we'll fix it for you, if you'll pay us $230 more than you planned! It seems like a scam to me. Deliver a significantly substandard mattress and then suggest a mattress over 50% more than what was purchased to get the customer what they thought they were getting.
The supervisor was supposed to have my sales rep call me about the price and more info about the mattress that night or the next day, but she never called. I immediately called my credit card company and told them I want to dispute the charges, return the merchandise, and go elsewhere to get my mattress.
I got a call the next day (2 days after I had spoken with the customer service supervisor) from someone in customer service confirming that I was switching from the Simmons to the Sealy and asking what time on Friday would be good for delivery. Huh? I was waiting for a call from someone who could help me figure out an appropriate swap for what I thought I was getting but didn't, how much it would cost me, and whether that would work for me. She was very nice (they all were) and heard me out and told me that she agreed totally and that for some reason, that particular mattress that we were looking at had no warranty information available. She said she'd give the info to the head of customer service and that he'd call me within 24 hours. No call.
I called my sales rep back 2 days later (Otherwise, I would have sat on hold for another 30 minutes, waiting for customer service to answer!), and she was upset. It hadn't been resolved and told me she would tape a paper to his window so that he'd see it and call me the next time he was in his office. He called me the next morning, as I was getting ready for work, and within 2 minutes, he had me wanting to hang up the phone.
Ironic that everyone else in the company was able to understand what the problem was and want to fix it, and the head of the department was close-minded and difficult to talk to! I asked him if he knew my story, so I didn't repeat my self again (for the 4th time) if I didn't need to (I had spent close to 3 hours on the phone with 1800Mattress reps up to this point--totally pleasant conversations--and had felt like they were willing to help me get this straightened out). He said, "Yeah, you are trying to decide between a Simmons and a Sealy, and you want a 10-year warranty." Not exactly my situation at all!
I told him what had happened and that the mattress that was delivered was not the mattress described. I told him that my husband happened to go into a mattress store to get a frame and saw a similar mattress to the one that was delivered, and it was over $100 cheaper than what I paid. He said, "You can't judge a mattress by looking at the outside; it's the inside that determines the difference." It's a 5-inch mattress!
I have owned quite a few mattresses over the years, and none of them have been less than 7" thick (not on purpose). I never knew they had them that thin! The point was that the mattress I ordered was not what I received. Whether it was because of how the sales rep described it or what she was given as information, it was not what I wanted. I didn't change my mind or decide on a different size or softness.
He was not interested in my situation. He told me that I could have refused it when it was delivered. I would have, but the delivery guys had one foot out the door and I didn't have time to call and talk to the sales rep before they left! He said that he could honor the 10-year warranty on the mattress we received and that he'd send that to me in writing. I told him it won't last a year with my 13-year-old son who's about to almost double in size over the next 5 years!
So I get a 10-year warranty on a 1-year warranty mattress and have to deal with that in a year or two? He said I got what I ordered and asked if I want something different. I asked him if I could please speak with his manager. He told me he was the Associate Director of Customer Service. I asked for the director. He told me he's the highest person I can speak within the department, except for the executive group. I said that I'm fine speaking with the executive group, and he said, "You can write them a letter." I told him that I had to go.
That for the first time in all of the conversations with 1800Mattress, I was really upset; and I needed to call him back after work. He told me he'd be there until 4 (Thursday night) and then not again until Tuesday afternoon. Nice hours by the way for the man in charge of customer service of a telephone sales organization.
I called my sales rep the next day, hoping to talk to whoever covers for him while he's gone, but there was no one. She said that she was coming in on Saturday (her day off, but coming in for some reason anyway) and that he'd be there then and she'd talk to him and call me back on Saturday. No call. So now, it's Friday, 2 weeks after the delivery and initial calls to 1800Mattress to get the mattress I was expecting to receive; and I am gearing up for yet another call to try to resolve this issue.
I cannot believe that a company that claims on its website that it has "award=winning customer service" and a "free return guarantee" is really this poor in taking care of customer concerns. I am still hoping to resolve the issue and get the mattress that we want.