Complaint Review: Humble Abode

After doing much online research, I purchased an iron bed ("Dexter Bed") from Humble Abode for $417.05.  The website described the bed in glowing language, described it as durable and designed to last for many years.  The website included photographs of the bed, specifications, and separate diagrams of the headboard and the footboard, including the dimensions of each piece.  It said the bed came with a 10-year warranty.  The website said satisfaction was guaranteed, and if we were not satisfied, the bed could be returned.  When the bed arrived, we opened the box, and took out one piece.  Its quality was terrible.  The bed was so thin it felt like sheet metal and it looked like the bed's "hammered brown" color had actually been spray-painted on. 

We immediately contacted Humble Abode and reported that the bed was substandard quality.  We asked what we needed to do to return it.  The customer service rep said she was sorry we were dissatisfied and would send us instructions for returning the bed.  We received an email confirming what she had said, but we heard nothing for several days.  I contacted Humble Abode again, and received an email telling me that in order to return the bed, we would have to pay a restocking fee of $104.27 plus sales tax, plus $148.51 in return frieght charges, and would receive an "estimated refund" of $164.27--only 39% of what we had paid for the bed.  We were outraged.  

That night, we decided to try the bed to see if there was any way to use it, as there was effectively no way to return it.  I took each piece out of the box and carried it upstairs.  I was stunned to see that there was no headboard, but were instead two footboards.  I checked the website to make sure I had read the dimensions correctly.  No doubt about it--there was supposed to be a headboard that was much higher than the footboard. I tried to call Humble Abode, but learned that customer serviced had closed for the night. 

The following day, I called and explained that we had received two footboards instead of a complete bed, and it was obviously defective and we needed to return it at no charge.  The rep said, "Well, did you try the 'leg extenders?'"  I asked what he meant and he said sometimes a headboard and footboard might be the same exact size, and in that event "leg extenders" would be included in the box, so the headboard could be lengthened so it was bigger than the footboard.  The "leg extenders" were nothing more than tubes that could be stuck onto the bottom of one of the footboards.  I was stunned, and said, "You've got to be kidding me!"  I explained that I had studied the website in detail and it said nothing about the fact that the headboard was actually a footboard and the dimensions in the diagram of the headboard could only be achieved by sticking tubes on the bottom of one of the footboards to make it higher. Truly unbelievable.  When I told him the website had misrepresented the size and quality of the bed, his only response was, "I'm sorry you feel that way, but if you want to return it, you'll have to pay the restocking fee plus tax plus return freight."  I asked to speak with his manager, and was told he was the only person I could speak to.

I waited till the next day and called the first customer sales rep I had spoken with.  I explained the problem again, and she said she would see what she could do.  I received another email that said the same thing--We would have to pay the restocking fee plus tax plus freight charges, and would receive a refund of only $164.27. 

I would not pay a dime to Humble Abode for anything.  The company's "refund policy" is obviously not a refund policy, but a gimmick.