Rothman Furniture Stores Inc

I received the above mentioned complaint and am providing this written response and attaching the necessary documents to validate my response. Mr. & Mrs. [redacted] made their original purchase and were delivered on 09/24/14, they did have some manufacturer defects and issues with that set and...

therefore were given credit to reselect.  A credit memo in the amount of $1177.42 was issued on 4/12/15, which allowed the customer to come in to any Rothman Furniture store and reselect new furniture using this credit to pay for it.  The customers did indeed come in to our O'Fallon, Mo store and pick out new furniture totaling $1361.80 and it was delivered to their home on 04/22/17.  Mr. [redacted] called in for the first time with an issue on this new set of furniture on 03/04/2016 stating that the back of the loveseat was flopping to the side, and our customer care rep scheduled a certified technician to come out to correct the issue on 03/18/2017.  The customer called in and cancelled the appointment with our technician stating that he had a friend that was a salesman that fixed the issue so he didn't need the tech to come anymore.  We did not hear anything else from this customer until 07/20/2017 when he called into our customer care department, stating that the back is falling apart.  he was advised that this set is outside of the MFG 1 year warranty as it was delivered on 04/22/2015 but that we would try sending it over to the manufacturer anyway to see if they would cover the cost of corrections.  on 07/22/17 the MFG did respond denying all claims as it was outside of their warranty.  We value every customer that comes into our store and we have tried to help Mr. & Mrs. [redacted] in every way possible, but they are outside of their warranty through both the Manufacturer 1 year warranty and the Rothman Furniture 1 year In-Home warranty.  It is unfortunate that the furniture that they have in their home is not meeting their standards but if they have any issues with quality or defects, their issues are indeed with the Manufacturer, and not with Rothman Furniture. In addition, I have attached copies of all receipts, including the credit given as well as a copy of the work order that was cancelled by the customer and a copy of the additional 5 year protection plan the customer purchased that covers accidental issues and not MFG defects or any normal wear and tear.

We are very sorry for this consumer's frustration in getting an item repaired.  He is correct that this should be a very easy process.  We did receive an email from this consumer on 8/2/16 and we returned the email giving him the phone number to our Customer Care Department, asking him to...

call.  We needed to speak to him in order to set up a ser[redacted]e technician appointment.  We have never heard back from him.  We did have a Chat come into our computer system before hours at 8:15 am on Sunday, 8/14 from a consumer.  Our ser[redacted]e department and stores do not open until noon, so when he chatted in, there was no one here to get his chat message.  He only identified himself as "[redacted]. He gave no address, phone, receipt number or customer code. The purchase is under a woman's name, so when we came in and found the Chat 4 hours later, he of course was no longer at his computer for us to communicate with.  With no identifying information in his message, we had no idea who this customer was or how to contact them to find out why they were so frustrated.  We hoped he would either try again after we opened or, call us.We promise you, we WANT to take care of this consumer's concerns, but, we need him to call us so that we can get more detailed information so that we can come up with a resolution.Please ask the consumer to call us at [redacted] and choose Option 3 from the voice menu to reach our Customer Care Team.  We will be more than happy to assist if they would only call us!  We are open from 8 am until 7 pm, Monday - Saturday and 12 Noon until 5 pm on Sundays.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/02) */
This purchase was made six years ago and it is possible the details of the conversation at the time of the sale have become faint. This manufacturer has a LIMITED lifetime warranty (which is 7 years) against manufacturing defects on the...

mechanism, frame, springs and cores. The warranty covers parts, not labor or transportation. This is also outlined directly above where the customer signed his sales contract. The consumer was additionally provided with the warranty paperwork to review upon receipt of his merchandise.
Rothman is interested in making its customers happy, but without seeing the chair, we cannot say exactly what is wrong with it, if there is truly a warranty-covered manufacturing defect, how this problem occurred or if it is correctable.

If the consumer would like to bring the chair in for us to review, we would be happy to do so, so that we can determine the cause and determine possible resolutions for this consumer.
If he would like us to look at the chair, please have him call XXX-XXX-XXXX and choose option #3 for our Customer Care Department. They will be happy to make these arrangements for him to bring in the chair for review.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/10/28) */
Please close this report as invalid, as the sofa the customer ordered only comes with two back cushions. It is not made any other way.
Even though she did not like the sofa after we delivered it, Rothman is giving her a complete refund...

including her delivery fee and the usual restocking fee is not being withheld.
There is no basis for this complaint.

As per our sales contract, all warranties are those granted by the manufacturer, not Rothman.  We certainly do understand the consumer's plight and have been working with the factory to get this righted.  The factory originally denied the return. Rothman filed an Appeal for that decision...

and has already escalated the Appeal to higher authorities at the factory for the consumer.  We are awaiting their reply which should arrive within the next few days.  This process does take some time and we apologize that the process is not moving faster, but for now we are at the mercy of the manufacturer, waiting for them to authorize the return.  We will contact the customer as soon as we hear back from them.

We are not sure if this consumer has filed a complaint regarding the correct company.  The only record we can find of this customer after searching by name, address or either phone number is a Price Hold ticket (not a firm sales contract) that was voided and cancelled back n 2011 at...

Rothman.  The merchandise was never paid for, not was it delivered.  Is it possible that she made the purchase at another furniture retailer?  The Rothman Ticket/Order # was [redacted], which was created and cancelled at our O'Fallon, MO location.Please request that the customer provide her sales receipt so that we can try to further assist.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/25) */
Rothman is very sorry that the consumer is unhappy with the repair progress. When the technician was originally at the home, the technician ordered seat cores and fill as those items would have corrected the initial problems with the furniture....

When the technician went to the home to install them, the technician found additional problems with the merchandise. The consumer had moved to a new address. Both mechanisms were now bent and the vibrator units had moved/dislodged from their original position in the seats. These problems were not existent during the original inspection and could have been incurred during the move of the furniture to the new address.
The consumer was provided with warranty information at time of delivery and also signed a sales contract at the time of the sale directly below an advisement that all merchandise is warranted by the Manufacturer. The Warranty calls for repair of merchandise found to have manufacturing defects. The warranty does not provide for Return or Replacement Items.
Rothman is providing the services provided for under the Manufacturer's Warranty and in the Sales Contract. The additional parts have been ordered from the Manufacturer and we will send a technician to complete the repairs once the parts arrive. We expect them to be here in approximately 2-3 weeks.

We have been working with the factory to try to get this issue resolved, but unfortunately after several attempts to correct the chair there is still a problem. We spoke with this customer on 3/1/17 and offered to take the chair back. We discussed making an exchange or having it replaced with...

a completely different chair and the customer said she wanted to come in to see if there was another chair that would work for her.  At this time we are waiting for her to come in to try to reselect.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/02/25) */
We are sorry that this consumer is not aware that it is normal practice for all furniture retailers to display some merchandise for sale that is not in stock. Due to the size of furniture items and the vast variety offered, as well as the...

unknown rate of sale at any given time, it is simply not possible for any furniture retailer to keep every single item in stock at all times. We do try our best!
The consumer was aware at the time of purchase that all the items she was buying were not in stock. There is a large banner on the very top of her sales contract that states that Arrival Dates on out of stock items are estimates only and Rothman can not be responsible for production or shipping dates by manufacturer.
We are truly sorry for this delay, but we cannot control the factory production lines or shipping by the factory or carriers. We are as unhappy at the delay as the consumer.
The consumer listed some of the things Rothman has tried to offer to her even though this situation is beyond our control. Additionally, if the consumer would like a full refund for the items she has not received yet, she need only call the Store Manager back to receive it. She could also try to re-select to other items that we do currently have in stock.
Again, we just have no way of getting this furniture to her any faster than the factory can make it and ship it.
If she wishes to keep her order in tact, we will call her the very day it arrives to arrange another delivery.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2016/03/01) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
This has never happened with any purchases I've ever made at Rothman. At the time of purchase, as always, salesperson checks to see if anything is out of stock and told me the only thing out of stock at time was bedroom dresser. Public should know not to take them at their word when they tell you nothing is out of stock and should be in in couple weeks. This is a very bad way to do business and I will NOT patronize them again.

We are unsure as to why this complaint has been sent to us again as we have already responded? A technician has inspected the mattress and there is no defect.  The customer simply does not like the model that they purchased.  They signed a sales contract which states that the bedding is not returnable for any reason.Rothman is willing to make the customer a great deal if they would like to purchase a different model, but the factory will not take the mattress back, issue a refund or a replacement when there is not a defect.

The customer's original complaint to us was that the furniture was peeling.  She then told us that it had scratches and was peeling and was upset that the extended warranty company would not cover these types of problems.  We obtained pictures of the affected areas which were reviewed...

by Quality Control Specialists at the Manufacturer.  They said the problem was Pet Damage, not a manufacturing defect. We are sorry if this customer is unhappy with the Extended Warranty Coverage.  If she would like, she can call the warranty company at [redacted] and they will give her a pro-rated refund for the years not used on the warranty. She can let them know she wishes to cancel her extended warranty.The customer claims that she was told the extended warranty covered everything, including Pet Damage.  Of course Rothman nor the customer can prove the content of a verbal conversation that happened years ago between herself and a salesperson.  We do know that the person who sold her the furniture has been an Assistant Manager for more than 10 years and has never received a single complaint regarding the integrity or the content of his sales techniques.  The consumer was given a copy of the Warranty and could have immediately cancelled the extended warranty if she found that the coverage she would have were in any way different than what the salesperson indicated to her.The customer has stated to us that she was not given a copy of this document, however, our computer records are time stamped that the consumer was issued an Agreement Number for the warranty, meaning, that the customer was issued a Warranty Certificate which outlines the exact coverages and exclusions from the Warranty.  The customer also signed a time stamped Receipt Document indicating they were given a copy of the warranty at time of delivery.    The item is out of manufacturer's warranty (and would not cover Pet Damage even if still in effect), so Rothman would not be able to assist her in that regard.  If the customer would like to pay for repairs, we can certainly see if parts are still available and estimate the cost of parts and labor if she would want to bring the item in for service.  If she would like to pursue this avenue, she can call back in to our Customer Service Department for further assistance.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
After calling and leaving messages for the people in charge at the O’Fallon location. I never received a call back. The customer service is horrible. I still have yet to hear back from any of the people I talked to or the owner whom I asked to speak with multiple times. This is unacceptable. There was nothing scratched off because we were not shown anything until after we paid. I was told to sign BEFORE she filled out all the information and after when we paid we did ask about the cost and the lady did not know. We were in a rush and left. I would have rejected the order but was waiting for a call to know what needed to be done. I tried getting this matter sorted out before they were delivered but for some reason no one ever got back to m. How is it that the managers of the store never received the message to contact me when I had talked to the people at the store multiple times asking to contact the manager. When I finally talked to him I was told josh would call me back never got that callback either. If nothing wrong was done, why did no one call me back before the beds were delivered or since then?  I am VERY dissatisfied with the way the company responded to this issue as well as going behind my back to write down a different price. Is this the type of business y’all always practice? Trick your customers and then when they try to get it figured out delay delay delay and never return phone calls so that the order can not be fixed. How was I to know what needed to be done or what could be done when I was never contacted back? 
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
This is not good customer service as this is thousands of dollars I spent in you store and received bad product. I have no way to get the sectional to your store. 
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:The sample on the floor most certainly did NOT have a tag on it stating that the material inside is filled with is down/feathers.  I asked the sales associate to check for me and she stated that it was not down.  Other than a verbal conversation I had with the sale associate and calling Rothman a few weeks after I got the chairs (when I noticed the feathers coming out) how would there be proof? Just because you don't have "proof" doesn't mean you shouldn't try to resolve this with the customer who at the time is still willing to spend the $1,400 in your store but physically CAN'T own the chairs with feathers inside. You are correct, there is no proof of a verbal conversation, it's my word against the sales associate.  But, when the customer calls just weeks after getting the new chairs and explains that she can't sit on these chairs due to her allergy I feel the business should do something about it.  I actually have a picture I took of the chair to send to my husband to see it and there's no tag on it...please show me what tag you are referring to.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

We would love to be able to assist this customer with the issues she is having with her furniture, and we have made attempts to resolve this issue with her.  The problem that we have is that she lives out of our service area, so we aren't able to send a technician out to her...

home.  This customer was made aware that she was buying this furniture with an "Out Of The Area, No In Home Service" policy as she is OUT of our service area, and she was also offered the extra protection plan for her furniture, in which she declined at the time of purchase.  I have attached the copies of her sales ticket which clearly state that this is an "out of the area, NO in home service" sale, as well as stating that the customer did decline the protection plan.  If the customer is able to bring the furniture into the closest Rothman's store we would have a transfer truck bring it in to the service center to be assessed by a technician.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:As of 6/14/2016 I still have not received the check they are claiming they sent.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

We are very sorry to hear that Mrs. [redacted] is unhappy with the $500 gift card that was offered and accepted by her husband for any inconvenience.  Again, their furniture was delivered to their home on 04/22/15 and as it clearly states on the bottom of the sales ticket it came with a 1 year manufacturer warranty and a 1 year Rothman in home service warranty.  Mr. [redacted] initialed and signed at the bottom of his sales ticket that he was made aware of this policy.  The $500 gift card was just something that we offered to show our loyalty to our customers, that even though they were more than a year outside of their warranty we wanted to offer something to them.  The issue that they are experiencing with their furniture is an issue between themselves and the manufacturer, not Rothman Furniture. We have honored every single thing that we were required to honor. Again, we regret the fact that Mrs. [redacted] isn't happy with the quality or durability of her furniture but I did provide her with all of the manufacturer contact information so that she may reach out to them directly.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/10/29) */
We are sorry that this consumer hears squeaking in three different items sent to her.
Our technician found a very faint noise in the first sectional and corrected it, but reported that he felt her flooring was making some type of sound when...

heavy weight was placed in that area. But the consumer claimed this was not true and continued to hear something in the sectional piece, so we promptly exchanged it. I have spoken personally with this consumer a couple of times, the last being when she decided to re-select to a sofa and loveseat instead of a sectional. I have not received any messages to call this consumer or that she was continuing to hear problems in a third, completely different set. I apologize if she thinks I will not call her back, but I have not received any messages or calls from her.
The third set is completely different make, model, etc., and so it does not stand to reason that she would be continuing to hear squeaking.
If the consumer would like to return the sofa and loveseat for a full refund, we will be happy to do so within the next 14 days. She can call our Customer Service Manager, [redacted] or myself or any of our Customer Service Representatives to set up an appointment to pick the items up and arrange full refund.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/10/29) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
No its not my floor making the noise. And yes I have left messages with the employees there for her to call me. I would like to have a phone call about this. You don't go out and spend money on furniture it have it squeak this is worse than a squeak by all means send somebody out but don't rip the sofa apart like he did the last time. I have to live with this and if [redacted] would like to call me over this please do. I have spoken to [redacted] in the past and told her to come out and check it out it is making a horrible sound. I would like for somebody to come out and look at it but not rip open my loveseat and do something about it that is all I'm asking. You just don't spend money on something and expect this

I spoke with Ms. [redacted] today and apologized for any inconvenience she may have experienced.  I did explain our Lay-a-way policy and assured her that her refund was already processed and sent out in the mail to her on 4/6/2017.  I also offered her a discount on a future purchase. ...

Notes were put into her account to assure that this happens.  [redacted] Director of Customer Care[redacted]

We are so very sorry for this consumer's disappointment, but there was a typographical error on our website.During the check-out process, the customer did electronically sign and agree to Rothman's Terms and Conditions while placing her order.  A picture of the Terms and Conditions she signed...

are attached.  These Terms and Conditions specifically state:  "Pricing:  Rothmans works to keep the price of all our products online current and up-to-date.  However, we reserve the right to cancel any order if we feel an error has been made."The Terms go on to discuss that the consumer's card will be charged, but if an error is found, an immediate refund will be made back to the card.Please see attached.One of our Store Managers did try to give this consumer a discounted price on the item they wanted to try to make up for their disappointment.