CONSUMER NEWS RECALLS COMPLAINT FORM SCAM ALERTS
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CONSUMER NEWS RECALLS COMPLAINT FORM SCAM ALERTS |
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Expo Customer Service |
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On 11/8/05, I went to Home Expo in order to purchase a particular tile (a type that I have been unable to find anywhere else, because if I had, past experience would have told me to avoid this place like the plague). I wandered around the tile section for about twenty minutes before a rep asked if he could assist me. I told him the tile I wanted and he got me a sample and then told me that he couldn't do the computer input. He went to get sales rep #2 who said he couldn't assist me because he was talking to another customer. He asked sales rep #3, who happened to be walking through the tile section, to help me and his response was, "why?" and then proceeded to chat with some other staffers for about ten minutes before walking right by me without offering to assist. For 36 square feet of pre-selected tile, I wasted about 1.5 hours of time. However my story is better than the last several months that my parents have had to deal with incorrectly ordered parts and fixtures, incredibly unhelpful employees, and four separate trips to the store to attempt to fix the problems. Anne of Coto de Caza CA writes (1/23/02):
Two days ago I was called that the order had arrived. During the ensuing 6 weeks I had made several inquiries as to the status of the order. The last phone call I was told that someone would call back, but they never did. That was 1 week ago. Yesterday, 1/22/02, I picked up my long awaited lamps, eager to fill the very empty spot that they were purchased to fill. I unpacked the lamps, both of which were packed in the same box with some broken pieces of styrofoam separating them. Both lamps were chipped. And the finials (sp?) on the lamps were different. The store was closed by the time I got home, so I called first thing this morning (1/23/02). The store opens at 11:00 am. I called at 11:05 am. There were no managers that could help me. I left a voice mail message for the Operations Manager and requested that he call me back as soon as possible. After several hours I decided to call him back, again voice mail. I called the operator and requested the number for Expo Corp, and she did not know where it was. I finally called the Expo where I used to live and got it from them. Believe it or not, when I called the Expo Corporate offices I again got voice mail. I am frustrated that I am not important enough for a call back. The second problem that I have with the same Expo Center was with a special ordered rug. When I ordered the rug I requested that it be delivered to my home because of the size and weight. This rug was almost $1500.00 and the order was of course paid before the order would be submitted. The rug was delivered to my house, but it was left on my driveway, in a pouring rain. No one rang the doorbell, no one called to say it was being delivered. It was just left there. I enlisted the help of several neighbors to lift this rug, which probably weighed 100 lbs. When I reported this to the salesman, thinking that this type of practice was something they would want to correct in the future, he laughed as though it were somehow amusing. Unfortunately, I like the products at Expo. I would probably pay more somewhere else to avoid having to go through this again. Just so you know that I am not an unreasonable consumer; I have a background in Accounting, but spent years dealing in retail. When I was managing a rather large nationwide chain I spent most of my time making sure that our customers were happy. I had very few complaints at the location where I was based because I would never tolerate any employee who did make every effort to reasonably satisfy a consumer. I do not think that expecting someone to call back when I have made clear that I am unhappy and frustrated would be considered unreasonable.
In response, Ron of Dana Point CA writes:
I am insulted by the letter from "Anne of Coto de Caza". Her comment that a carpet was delivered to her home and left on the driveway in the rain is an outright lie! How do I know? Because I was the only driver for the Expo Design in Laguna Niguel where the carpet would have been purchased. I NEVER left an item in a driveway without the customer requesting that I would do so and NEVER would an item be left in the rain.
We're not sure what kind of scam it would be to sit around making up complaints but we appreciate Ron's testimony. John of Ft. Lauderdale FL (7/19/02):
Douglas of Stony Point NY (7/11/02):
I finally got the manager on the phone who told me that my order is in the hands of the delivery company. I asked for their number and was told that they couldn't give it to me ... he promised to have them call me. Next day, no call and we start the whole game over again of trying to get hold of someone at the store. This place is a nightmare! Thom of VA (4/21/02):
I was told that there was no way she could help me because the lighting display was constantly being changed. What a crock. Like I said, I have been to both Expo centers in Atlanta and for more than 3 years they have had the same exact chandelier at the original store and now at the newer store. I told her again that I could describe the light and even fax her a picture if that would help and was again told that there was nothing she could do. The lighting section where the chandeliers are located is not that extensive and it would have required very little energy to actually go there and look for the item. Instead I was simply ignored and took my business to a lighting sales center on the Internet that was more than happy to talk to me and answer all my questions and even email me a color photo of the item to insure that I was going to get what I wanted. I spent a few dollars more (about $40.00) but avoided driving the Washington, DC beltway and the item will be shipped directly to my door. I just think that more companies should behave as Nordstrums and give the customer what they want before they know they want it instead of making absolutly no effort to assist them and certainly lose a sale in the process. Mindy of N. Potomac MD writes (1/4/02):
Once I finally receive "service" the clerks/ representatives could not answer simple questions. They do not know simple answers to simple questions. Today, I was told by a clerk he did not even know if I could purchase a gift certificate. The only answer they do know is IF YOU ORDER SOMETHING, YOU CANNOT RETURN IT WITHOUT A 15% RESTOCKING FEE! Thank you for all the help! I have tried going on different days, different times of the day - anything in hopes that I would hit the jackpot and find somebody who actually knows what is going on! All to no avail. When I left today, I vowed to never return. On my ride back to the office, my sister called from Houston. She quickly interrupted my "venting" with numerous personal stories of her own, as well as several of her friends. I have never filed a customer complaint. In fact, I am not sure I have ever voiced a complaint in any business establishment - EVER. However, your store is a joke. Your help is outrageous. Apparently, not just the Bethesda store. I have now been told more stories than I care to. I don't even want to hear another word about your store. Ever! Not one person had a favorable experience to relay to me. Virgina, Texas, Maryland -all the same! I just don't understand. If there IS anybody in charge of your organization, they need to do some serious training and eye-opening. It's a shame such a beautiful store is such a giant disaster. It is actually very sad. Dianne of Torrance CA writes (11/20/01):
I did not see until I had left the store that what they had stamped was "Special Orders are subject to a 15% Restocking Charge". At no time did the person who stamped the receipt tell me the meaning of the stamp. I felt this was crazy as I had not ordered anything special, after all it was not a blue-colored oven, IT WAS THEIR SHOWCASE MODEL!!! So I called the next day, 11/20 to ask a manager about the restocking fee and was told this applied to anything they had to order from the vendor. I do not care how they manage their own warehouse space because I expected it to be there since nowhere on the oven that I selected from the showroom had it said "Special Order". Then still believing that this was the "oven of my dreams", I asked them to verify the delivery of it as 11/26. After some prodding, she called the vendor to learn that the model I selected was discontinued and not even in-stock any more. The vendor suggested a replacement. I told her that I would expect a replacement of the same exact type (self-cleaning, covection, etc.) for the same price since I had already paid for it. She said she could not agree to that, it would have to be the price it was listed as. So here she expects me to possibly pay more for an oven I did not see and pay 15% if I did not like it when it was delivered. I became outraged and stated that she would have to give me the replacement for the same price or less because I have already purchased it. If they could not offer that oven for sale, what were they doing selling me something they did not have or could not get? I still haven't received the oven yet so I cannot tell if I will like it. BEWARE! Don't leave the store until you know you are getting what you paid for. They also failed to honor a coupon that they sent to my house saying that it expired when no Expiration Date was printed on the form. I truly believe someone better inform them about the Truth in Advertising laws, because sometime they will meet someone like me who will not just let them get away with this! Report Your Experience
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