Pottery Barn Reviews

Think of every customer who comes thru that eventually gets tired of something they buy and puts in their yardsale or sales in some way at a consignment store. They should ban EVERYONE. We do not get any special pricing and are not tax exempt. just shopping and buying like every other person there standing in line. But we are being discriminated because they say we are buying too much of their stuff so we must be selling it. Their whole decision they said is based on purchase history.. Buy too much you they will add you to their list of peole that cannot shop. Discrimination completely. I should be allowed to shop just like every other customers.

Manager will not give any specifics but said it is a coporate decision. corporate is Williams Sonoma Inc., 3250 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco CA 94109 (415-421-7900). Said I am free to shop in regular store .. just not in their outlet? This is also being done to about 20 other individuals. And we just got word it is also happening now in their TX and PA outlets to another group of people they are picking out to discriminate against.

Thankfully, none of the family members visiting for Thanksgiving were in the room at the time, or somebody would've been seriously injured by the hot wax that covered the room. Severe damage was done to our walls, couches, carpet, lampshades, and pillows in the room. We contacted Pottery Barn about the issue, and after being assured of prompt help and reimbursement, we are still dealing with this issue eight months later. We have been manipulated, lied to, and insulted. After signing a release of liability form explaining the agreement we had reached for reimbursement for damages, we were informed that the agreement was null and void unless even more information was provided.

This situation is a result of Pottery Barn's careless craftmanship, as explained to us by THEIR claims representative, and we feel as though we have been treated unfarily. We also know that we are not alone in this situation. The claims representative informed me that this is not the first case of this nature that he and others at his company have handled. We our beside ourselves about what to do next. In the meantime, we are dealing with over $7,000 worth of damage to a living room that was only seven months old at the time of the incident.

Two couches, wall-to-wall carpeting, one wall, two lampshades, and throw pillows were ruined. The cost to reupholster the couches was estimated at $1600 per couch. It will cost $1600 to replace the carpeting. The votive holder, lampshades, area rug, and wall total approximately $600 in repairs.

I reviewed my invoice which stated that the unit price of the 3pc westport sectional was $2879 and the total price of the secitonal was $2879, the other two items were listed the same way with the unit price being the same amount as the total price, one was $1129(westport chaise) and one was $549 (westport ottoman). Later that evening I went on line to show my husband what I purchased. The 3 pc Westport sectional in canvas fabric was listed as $2499 and next to it in parenthasis was ($125), the Westport chaise was listed $949 ($80) and the ottoman was $469 ($30).

The next morning on 2/27/05, I called Pottery Barn online to inquire why the pieces were more money in the store. I spoke to a On line representative by the name of Danny, who listened, placed me on hold to speak to her supervisor and came back to advise that the prices are not cheaper. She said that I paid $2899 for the unit, even though on-line and in the catalog it shows $2499 ($125), The ($125), being the In home delievery fee,she said they then tack on another 10% for shipping and handling, so the total does come out to be $2879. The same went for the other two items the chaise in the catalog is $949 ($80) , for the in home deliver fee and then the 10% for the shipping and handling, the ottoman is $469 ($30) for the in home deleivery fee and an addL 10% for the shipping and handling. She said when you order in the store that is just how they code it with eveything added on the unit price so this way they know it is a store order, not a catalog or on line order. I then hung up the phone and did the calculations.

Based upon the info from a PB catalog that I had, I then realized that I paid $650 in shipping and handling and in-home delivery fees, 14.4% of my total on the furniture ordered went to these fees.

No one ever mentioned this to me nor did my receipt or invoice reflect any of these numbers. I then, the same morning 2/27/05, e-mailied PB Customer Service with a complaint regarding this matter. I received back the same morning a e-mail thanking me for the feedback and advising that it was getting forwarded onto the appropriate party at corporate for review and someone would get back to me within a few days.

When I did not hear back from anyone I called them on Tuesday 3/1/05, at the number they gave me 800-922-9901 and spoke with a lady by the name of Shiela X2835, who actually began to debate with me saying that it was cheaper to order in the store b/c you have 30 days to return it with a refund in Shipping handling and in home delivery fees, where you are not extended this courtsey of a full refund if you order on line or from the catalog. She was not understanding that my complaint was that no where on anything that I had did it state that I just spent $650 in shipping fees and felt it was unreasonable. She dodged the topic by saying that I must of had a new sales associate, in the store because I was entitled to a 10% discount b/c I ordered 5 or more pieces from the same collection (3 pc sectional, chaise and ottoman).

I gladly accepted that which I was supposably entitled to to begin with and she basically ended the conversation. I was then getting my facts together to decide how to pursue this matter further when I received a e-mail response from a Diane Kori 800-922-9901 X2064, from the Pottery Barn Design Studio, who was responding finally to my e-mail complaint on 2/27/05. She said that she reviewed my complaint and felt that the shipping fees are with in reasonable range with furniture companies. She wrote that it was out of convenience that the shipping costs are not listed on the PB signage in the retail store (who's convenience?) and the costs are for the higher weight of the items and to be shipped across country and set up. Once agian not listening to my complaint, although she brought up a valid point for me, that they are not only, not listed on the signs in the store they are not listed on my invoice, nothing was ever mentioned or discussed and they were added into the unit price so that the consumer really does not know what Pottery Barn charges for these fees. The convinience, is for them....

The website and catalog are very deceiving as well , b/c you think that the price next to the unit is the shipping price and it is only the in house delivery fee and they then add the add'l 10% onto the total order, making the prices to appear more reasonable than they are. They also do not discuss, nor put in writing,what the so called fees and shipping and handling is costing b/c who would spend $650 to have antyhing delivered. Also as a side note I know numerous people who can attest to recently ordering furniture from them and not getting any discount for ordering 5 or more pieces of the same collection. They must have a lot of new Sales Associates. I feel that I should be compensated for some of this shipping, if not all, that they failed to disclose and that their sales practices are deceitful and deceptive to make to prices appear less than they are. I can fax you the invoice, receipts and e-mails I received from Pottery Barn, if you would like to veiw them.

I was mislead into paying $650 in shipping/handling and in home delivery fees. These costs were never mentioned nor listed on anything I have. These are deceitful and deceptive sales tactics and very misleading to the Consumer.

After at least an hour on the phone with them and being transferred no less than 4 times, all they finally said they *might* do for me is to come and take away all the furniture and give me 25% of the purchase price back. This is outrageous to me. I hope it is to you too.

See above. There is virtually nothing I can do about this except let everone know not to buy furnature from Pottery Barn.