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Empire Today Over Priced cardboard and Lies Temple Georgia
January 2007 I had a salesperson come to our home to give us an estimate on laminate flooring for our family room, Hallway and Bathroom. Her name is Marcia.
She started out by Showing me the different style of hardwood and laminate flooring telling me that the price was the same for either. Then she began to tell me that type of product used, the quality and warranty. On the laminate flooring, I was told that it is the top of the line, only sold through Empire, scratch resistant, waterproof and resistant, with a 25 year warranty."water can stand on them for up to 5 days". I shouldn't of beleved her but wanted to see what the price whould be for my living room and hallway. She promised she would give me the bottom line price for our products. She pumped up the company's reputation, their superior quality products and service. She proceeded to tell me that they NEVER used sub-contractors or day laborers and could have the floors in the next day.
I loved the look of this sample she had it was 4in wide planks that looked like they came out of an old library in europe somewhere and even had indents in the top as if they had stood the test of time and had scars to prove it. They were a deep dark warm color I picked for the living room and hallway. For the bathroom I picked a square laminate that was a sandy marble look with a hint of lavender to go in my small 5x5 guest bathroom. I told her my concerns about putting the laminate in the bathroom and if it would really hold up. She said jokingly that unless there was a flood the floors would be fine.
She also assured us that when they started the install, if we were unhappy with the product, to call them and they would make it right. That and the scratch resistant, water resistant qualities of the product. I have cats and two children who does spill things. She assured us it would be fine. That was the assurance I needed to agree to the sale.
She then measured the rooms and gave us our quote. $9000,00 for the laminate. I was shocked to say the least!!! The price of the laminate was extremely high, in my opinion. She told me that with labor costs and the carpet removal then they have to move and replace our furniture it is a bit expensive. So I said fine I'll move the furiniture and keep the carpet. She said that would bring it down to $6,700.00. I told her that was out of my price range. However they had the financing options we were looking for, and as my family would be in town next week so them being able to install the product quickly was a benefit. We decided to only go with the laminate for now. We agreed on the pricing, and She checked with the office on the financing.
They came to Install the floor and non of them spoke a word of english and they all spelled bed. But I needed the flooring done ASAP. I had removed all the furiniture the night before and even the toilet and sink. All they had to do was install the floors. It was fast and when they were done I inspected the bathroom. The trim wasn't on the wall behind the sink I pointed and asked why. He they dont have, someone will fix. That was the best english I could get out of him. He told me to sign the papers and that someone would come fix. So i signed then they left. I was already upset that I was spending so much money of floors that wouldnt be done when my family got here. Then I would have to find someone with a truck to help me take the carpet that was now taking up my garage space, to the dump.
As my friend and I was putting the furiniture back in the couch scratched the floor 4 inches of a scratch. Now I was really pissed the floors weren't even an hour old and they got a scratch how would they hold up to my kids. Well a month later the classic glass of water on the dinner table spilled on the floor. I grabed a towel and got it up right away but the trim got wet and started to swell looking like a swollen peice of cardbord with a sticker clinging to it. I went around inspecting the other parts of the floor and sure enough the floor in the bathroom was swelling and the trim was ruined even after all my best efforts of keeping it dry and clean. I followed all the instructions in that manual they gave me with the floors.
I called Empire to see if I was correctly quoted the correct price for the product I recieved. The woman said she didn't know she would have to forwad that question to the area represenatives that did the service. But she could make the appointment to have the floors fixed. A week later a english speaking guy came out to replace the peices of the trim and floor then shook his head saying that the other crew never chalked the bathroom to seal it. I got a call from Jackie due to my concern about the pricing. She said that I was quoted the correct price for the floors and got a good deal.
I asked her if she felt good about them charging me $200 a box for cardbord with pictures of a tree glued on it. She said they used 30 boxes. I then asked her where. Then she asked if there was anything else I needed. I asked to speak to her manager. She said he was sitting behind her and wouldn't talk to me that I was quoted the correct price and I would get no refund on the product. THen I asked what about the warrenty? We can send someone out to fix the floors. So I asked Every 6 months? She said no after a year they fall under a different warrenty.
So I told her to make the appointment to come pick up the floors I dont want them and to get them out of my house. She said she could do that but I would get no refund. So I called the # on the tv asking for a number to the district office. Brian said that there isn't one and that if there was a problem with the floors that I would have to talk to the local people that put them in. I told him I wanted to speak to the person above him that I felt I was being lied to and I was rippoffed about the floors. He said he could not help me.
We all need to get together about this and START a class action Lawsuit about Empire Today. This is crazy that they can charge what ever they want for a crapy product then threten us to keep it. Email me lets get this taken care of.
Miranda mother of two
Temple, Georgia
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Miranda mother of two
Temple,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Done with their Games
#4Author of original report
Sat, February 28, 2009
After writing the first rip off report I was contacted by Empire today to try to resolve this matter. They will not remove the floors, they will not refund me the money or check to make sure I was quoted a resonable price even after I got quoted a better price from OFFICE DEPOT for real wood. Empire Today did however want me to alow one of their flooring inspecters to examine the floors. I agreed. The flooring inspecter named Wesley Holly contacted me and gave me a day that would be good for us both but it was 2 weeks in advance. Then I get out of work and he is on my voice mail wanting to come by the next morning. That wouldn't work for me so we agreed to keep the original date. Then on the date he was suppose to inspect the floor I waited all day untill I had to go to work and no phone call or anything. When I get out of work there was a message that he needed directions to my house for our meeting tomorrow. I checked the calendar and he clearly put it on the wrong date. So I called him back in the morning and he had already been in my area and wasn't comming back that day. So we made another appointment I gave him directions and told him what sub division I was in. I had someone here waiting here for him while I went to work. I refuse to loose money over a flaky flooring inspecter hired by a fraudulent company. He never showed. When I got out of work there were rude messages on my voice mail on how he couldn't find my house and didn't know why I wasn't answering the phone and how he can't keep driving all over for addresses that are not in his Garmin. This is just one more fine example of what hell Empire puts you through after they get you for all your money and give you crap product. Then refuse to take responsibility or honor their promises. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM!!
Empire
Northlake,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Company Response
#4UPDATE Employee
Tue, February 10, 2009
Thank you for bringing your carpet experience to our attention. We apologize for any inconvenience, and our team would like to work with you to explore a resolution. Please contact us at webcustomerservice@empiretoday.com so that we may be able to assist. You can also visit our online customer center at http://www.empiretoday.com/Customer-Service.
Sincerely,
Consumer Advocate Team
Empire Today, LLC
Miranda mother of two
Temple,Georgia,
U.S.A.
UPDATE
#4Author of original report
Thu, January 15, 2009
I was called today by Felecia at the corporate office reguarding this ripoff report. She said she is sorry that I am having problems with my product and they can have someone come out and inspect it. I told her the only thing I am interested in is getting this crap product out of my house so I can have real flooring put in. I am tired of being lied to and given the run around about keeping this crappy flooring and I have no intention in keeping it. She said she would have the customer service person call me. I told her I have talked to a customer service person and all I get is the same run around about 3 day install and how I am stuck with the crappy flooring and they can not honor anything the sales person told me. She said he would be calling from the corporate offices and would get in contact with me me in the next few days.
So he calls me an hour after I get off the phone with her and tells me that they were already paid for the flooring and I am stuck with them reguardless and they will not pick them up but they will come out and inspect them to make sure it is a warenty issue. I asked him when is my warrenty up and he couldn't answer me. I asked him twice. He said he was going to call the area people here and have an inspection done sometime next week. So they would be calling me to set up an appointment. Another run around yet again!!! Anyone who has this problem in GA go to www.ga.gov and get ahold of the BBB, consumer report commission, and a great consumer protection attorney. This company is nothing but liers and give you crap then tell you your stuck with it and give you a runaround until the warenty is up then say there is nothing that can be done. I have been trying since Sepetember to get this crap out of my house.