Affordable Mattress Direct has a deceptive return policy & unethical practices. Highland, New York
I had an unpleasant experience with the on-line retailer, Affordable Mattress Direct, and I am writing this review to save others from a similar experience. I bought a Simmons "Breakers" mattress from AMD for $1,200 ($1,100 + $100 shipping) with a 30 day money-back guarantee.
It was too firm for me and I tried to return it. It turned out that in order to do this I had to arrange for the mattress to be shipped from CA to NY. While AMD, a company with contracts with shipping companies, can ship mattresses across the country cheaply, I, a private individual, cannot.
The people at AMD refused to help me arrange for shipping -- as I wanted a refund -- but they told me they would pay the shipping costs if I chose to make an exchange. I felt that I had been deceived, and I chose to pay the shipping cost rather than give them my business. I spent roughly $500 to return the mattress.
When I complained that I had not been told up-front that returning the mattress would be prohibitively expensive, the people at AMD actually advised me to *misdeclare* the weight of the mattress to lower the shipping cost! Even after I had returned the mattress, I had to call AMD ~10 times and remind them to reverse the charge on my credit card. The business practices of Affordable Mattress Discounters, if not illegal, are certainly unethical.
The Ulster County Consumer Fraud Bureau (845- 340-3260) can provide other testimonies to this effect.
Greg
San Diego, California
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Kristi
midlothian,Virginia,
I hate to tell you but the owner is right
#3Consumer Comment
Sat, September 21, 2002
I work for neither the company reported or listed in any of the articles, however I do work for a mail order company and we do have a 30 day $ back garentee on our products as well.
If a customer is dissatisfied unless there are special circumstances they pay to return the product. that is normal policy as a company cannot logically pay for you the consumer to try the product, there is no way to run a bussiness and no income if we were to not only let the customer return (especially a mattress which normally cannot be resold) then to also pay the return shipping.
Secondly think about the way most companies work, I am sure that he is not the simmons warehouse himself, in which case if he were to want his $ refunded on a now used mattress he (the owner of AMD) is also going to have to pay to ship the mattress back to simmons himself.
Use common sense here. No one gives something for nothing, and a successful business cannot stay that way paying your way. And in my experience there should also be a rip off report here for the company that charged you 500.00, and I am quite sure you can find another one much cheaper which is also not his fault
Frank
Highland,New York,
There is nothing deceptive or unethical about our return policy
#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, April 26, 2002
The only thing that is unethical about this whole situation is the way this customer is trying to slander our company. We have done nothing wrong here. The customer was told that the mattress came with a 30-day return policy, and that they would be responsible for the return shipping costs.
Also do to insurance issues we are prohibited from allowing customers to ship product using our account number. This was also explained to the customer.
There are many freight companies that could have been used and I am positive that this customer could have gotten a mush better price to ship this bed back if only they would have taken a little time and searched a little harder.
Everyone out there should keep in mind that when ever you purchase a product though the mail, from a TV ad like QVC, over the telephone, from a catalog or from the internet, you are always responsible for return shipping should you decide to return it.
Here is an example, last year I ordered a computer from QVC, which for those of you who are not familiar is a very popular television-shopping network.
Shortly after I received the computer I had seen another system that was more suitable to the needs of my family.
I then called QVC within my 30-day trial and asked if I could return it. The operator at QVC said yes I could and proceeded to tell me how.
She told me to use the original boxes, make sure they are taped well and she also gave me the return address. I then asked her how I should ship it and at whoms cost. She told me it did not matter what service I use as long as it gets there. FedEx, UPS, US Mail it did not matter, however I was responsible for the shipping cost. This is very common and I think most intelligent people already know that.
It is really not fair for someone to post unrightfully claims against a company that has done nothing wrong. Affordable Mattress is a fair company that offers a great product at a great price. This customer failed to mention how she got this bed for $600. Less then the retail price.
I will close with this note: This customer is simply just bitter person who has to mush time on her hands and expects to get something for nothing.