Complaint Review: Gerhard's Appliances Glenside PA

Gerry Gerhard
Gerhard's Appliance's
290 Keswick Avenue
Glenside, PA 19038
(215) 884-8650

February 19, 2009
To Whom it May Concern:
I am writing this as a complaint letter that I am sending to only you at this point. Please read it keeping in mind that our professional relationship has unfortunately been compromised for any future transactions together. I would like final resolution in this matter and don't want to negatively impact your business, yet desperately need the compensation that I am due now, after waiting one year at this point for you to follow through with your promises to me of Gerhard's Appliances reimbursing me for the defective refrigerator that you sold me.

I am writing to get satisfaction from Gerhard's Appliances first and foremost. If not properly resolved, I will share this letter to inform potential customers about Gerhard's Appliances located in Glenside, PA to consider that they might be better off passing this store by and seek a different retailer. Good-paying patrons expect a good experience and in this case, I'd have to advise to go somewhere else!! I was misled, my trust in their product and word was unfounded and I went through too much aggravation, still unsettled because I invested in them for a large kitchen appliance. I did business with this store based solely on their reputation and I want to be glad that I did.

In my personal dealings with Gerhard's Appliances, I received a defective refrigerator, below par customer service, and complete dishonesty and lack of follow-through. I was lied to and given the run around by the owner- Gerry Gerhard. He made repeated promises to me that he didn't keep and on one phone call, yelled and became verbally abusive toward me on the phone. It really shook me up. I've never had that experience before and it was totally unacceptable. Over the course of the several months it took to receive the proper refrigerator, I was assured by Gerhard's Appliances repeatedly that Gerry felt responsible for the inordinate amount of time and inconvenience it took to finally replace the refrigerator, as well as all of the money I needed to spend to replace food going bad daily, weekly and to replace perishables and ruined food in the freezer. Gerry assured me that he would make sure that I would be reimbursed for the cost of all of my ruined food caused by his not selling/repairing in a timely manner. Gerhard's Appliances lied to me for 3 months and now refuse to pay anything or stand by their professional word and it's been one year.

I have written letters that have gone unanswered and waited over one year now to get the money that I was verbally assured by Gerry Gerhard dozen's of times. He told me that he would take care of it, would contact the manufacturer and would get me money back to me. As a single mother, I was forced to borrow money and went into debt, unable to pay some of my bills (and had to make payment arrangements in order to handle our household bills) in order to eat thus, covering the exorbitant costs (over $5000.00) of replacing perishable and frozen foods every day for 9 weeks. They sent over 4 repair people, took all of my complaints and ceased to correct the problem in an even close to timely fashion. I felt disbelieved and the problem was both diagnosed by each of the 4 repair people, yet no action was taken to remedy the defective refrigerator that they installed in my home initially. In addition to buying much more food on a daily basis and spending much more than usual weekly, I also had to buy prepared food and eat out with my family during that time. I know many home owners and local consumers who would like my honest recommendation or not to deal regarding doing business with these people.

In my opinion, they are dishonest, unreliable and rude. You can get a home appliance elsewhere/anywhere -- but when you shop in a local store you expect customer service, honesty and integrity and that reputation counts for something. I don't think you'll find it at Gerhard's Appliances. They practice business practices with their customers, using myself as an example, with unacceptable treatment.

After purchasing a defective refrigerator from Gerhard's Appliances, it not only took me a total of 10 weeks (9 weeks plus one additional week of the wrong replacement refrigerator that was delivered to my home) to receive the correct refrigerator that I'd originally bought; it cost me thousand's of dollars worth of spoiled food, loaned monies and this unresolved payback caused me to go into debt, increasing my stress and pressure, all because of Gerhard's Appliances never reimbursing me for food losses and Gerry keeping his word.

As a single mother and selective consumer I place my trust in the companies that I do business with, including Gerhard's Appliances. With Gerhard's I found a lack of my being treated in a professional, courteous and ethical manner. I was referred to Gerhard's by my best friend and her entire family and I am thoroughly disgusted with how I've been treated as a good customer, who paid up front and who deserves proper treatment from a company.

I've called numerous times, written letters, conversed and been assured by Gerry Gerhard on many occasions that I would be receiving fair compensation. I was told to follow-up and that he was following-up on my behalf over several months. After repeated conversations and letters sent I'd had enough of this mistreatment. One day I physically came into the store to try and resolve the matter in person, with my best friend. I was treated terribly overtly ignored and received dirty looks by the entire staff within the store. It made me feel very uncomfortable and it was very rude.

On one phone call, I was verbally abused, yelled at by Gerry on one of the phone calls which was very scary and distressing to me to listen to that by anyone, let alone a so-called professional company owner. I need Gerry Gerhard to resolve the issue, do the right thing and issue me proper food loss reimbursement. I paid my money and ended up paying for a nightmare, instead of customer satisfaction and peace of mind.

The monies and inconveniences as a result of this improper resolution of a defective major appliance warrant attention! The stress coupled with the financial loss that Gerhard's has cost me significantly; both financially and emotionally must be resolved.

Gerhard's Appliances of Glenside, PA is responsible for both inconveniencing and putting me and my family into financial debt, was flat-out lied to, ignored and put-off by Gerhard's. In my opinion, at this point, I'd have to warn prospective buyers from coming here. I have not been treated like a human being and customer who deserves what they are owed. I have been treated with negligence and hostility. Period. I was seduced into thinking that I was welcome to call Gerry at all kinds of specific times and days, and that he would take care of my concerns only to find that this was the opposite of the truth. I was delivered a defective, bogus refrigerator and then long-standing accompanying bogus customer service. I am a good, polite and appreciative consumer.

My experience with Gerhard's Appliances feels like I was dealing with a bad company and equally bad people. I was told to stay in touch, then was slammed with disrespect and unreturned phone calls and letters that never resolved this matter. I was told that they would cover the cost of thousand's (food costs over $300.00 each week for 10 weeks equaling over $5000.00) of which Gerhard's has paid me nothing up to date at this point. I have offered to resolve this issue by agreeing to take a pay loss and still have gotten no cooperation from Gerhard's.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Gerhard's via return, receipt-requested via regular mail. I will also forward a copy of this letter to The Consumerist and The Ripoff Report, The Better Business Bureau and PA Consumer Protection Bureau if I have not gotten my reimbursement by March 12, 2009. Gerry Gerhard needs to make good on this payback to me and respond on or before March 12, 2009 in receipt of this letter. My intention is to be paid back what I am owed; fair and square. I know that Gerhard's wants to maintain a decent reputation in this current marketplace. I know many people who are homeowners and would love to learn about the business practices that I've experienced with Gerhard's if need be. I always conducted myself with professionalism and courtesy with Gerry Gerhard. I trusted him and his word as a business owner who I was doing business with as an honest, paying, trusting customer. I certainly didn't want this matter to come to this, yet my patience has run out and I only want what's fair to me as an earnest-paying customer, buying a large kitchen appliance in good faith. I expect a positive resolution quickly and one that stops this process here and for the benefit of all.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Anonymous
Maple Glen, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.