Complaint Review: Sofa Express

My letter to the CEO (explains everything)

Mr. Peters:

I am contacting you as a courtesy to inform of the expirence I am having with your firm. I have the ability to relay this information to Randy Quinn, however do not have the strong desire to trouble a good friend with this issue to achieve that.

This is the letter I will be using to communicate the details of the last 3 months interacting with your Polaris store manager Pam and district manager Stewart:

I would appreciate your help to communicate the most insulting retail experience I have ever had. The story I have to tell concerning a local furniture sales firm is quite unbelievable, but true.

On new years eve 3 months past I had just moved into my new home and needed to find furniture to furnish it. Having shopped around for about three months prior to this time, I knew the pieces I wanted to purchase. I arrived at Sofa Express located on Polaris Parkway in the afternoon and selected 2 chairs, couch, coffee table, two end tables, two console tables, and a dining room table with 6 chairs. When purchasing these items I was told when it came to the fabrics which I desired to have custom ordered on two pieces would arrive straight away if I did not do so. In the interest of furnishing my home prior to a pre determined house warming party I agreed this was a good idea. The service I received was good. I set up for a six month/same as cash account to be set up with Beneficial (whom has been great and very professional through this whole process) with was a promotion the store was offering at the time.

After ordering I had been notified that the couch, one chair, and the dining table would be delivered the following week. The other items I ordered to obtain quickly were out of stock now and would be delivered as soon as possible. After one month I finally received all the items I purchased. Granted these type of things happen, I was not excited about the way all of this was handled and I did not have all my furniture for the party but no big deal.

The big deal began when I found that Sofa Express had set up two different loan accounts for me. One which I signed up for and the other being completely set up with out permissible purpose. Understandably I was not pleased knowing that until these accounts are at 50% or lower of their respective balances the extra account harmed my credit score. After finding that Sofa Express cannot do anything about this as the loans had been processed, I was now less then pleased with my experience. If this stopped there I would not have reason to contact you, however:

Now I find that the 2 loan amounts total to almost $1,000 more than the price of the combined furniture. I called a representative at this store (Pam - store manager) whom I had been speaking to quite a bit, having to exchange 2 chairs and my dining table due to the fact that they were either damaged or not assembled properly. Pam already had built quite a poor reputation with me so far of not being reliable and needed to constantly be followed up on to ensure my exchanges would actually happen and I would know when they would be delivered (this is where this story may seem a bit far fetched) as she had a tendency to set up deliveries without my knowledge. I informed Pam that I was being overcharged and later that day I called back to check and she ensured me that the issue was corrected. Know that by now Pam makes it no mystery telling in her demeanor that she does not want to deal with me anymore as my issues had become many.

It is mid February and I find that my accounts are still over charged by calling the financial institution handling the loans and confirming after being assured a week ago by Pam this was taken care of. I now have had enough of Pam and have moved on to corporate, my new contact now, district manager Stewart. Stewart got the overcharge taken care of and is quite apologetic and openly frustrated with his employee. We are now also at my 4th dining table. which turns into the 5th, 6th, involving more issues with the lack of responsiveness of the Polaris store, more open frustration on Stewart's part and now is where I come to you for help. Between table 4 and 6 I had still been sent back to the Polaris store to have deliveries set up and received the same treatment as prior, no call backs, having to call the store 2 and 3 days after initially speaking to Pam to inform of the newest defect. It is now to the point that the delivery personnel are finding the issues before even bringing it in my home, presenting them to me, and I confirm and apologies that they had to make so many trips.

Last night I received a call from Pam again stating that they have provided many tables now which they cannot find issue with (note that the delivery staff found the last 2 issues) and want me to travel out to their whorehouse so they can line up 4 or 5 tables to see which one I could be satisfied with. I am now furious, seeing as how I am now seen as someone who is completely unreasonable and cannot be pleased when along this entire trek, any issue I had was confirmed by the delivery team an documented up until the last two which I filled out no paperwork on per the fact the merchandise never made it out of the truck.

In speaking to Stewart about this minutes ago I find that now he simply desires to take the merchandise back and wash his hands of me.

This is an experience which has been appalling damaging, and wasteful.. I need to share my story about this experience to shield potential buyers from the possible frustration this store may cause them. Can you help me?

""I am sad to inform you that your personnel have gone from unreliable and inaccurate to blameful of other departments and direct subordinates. A pure debacle.
Thank you for your time

Shawn
Grove City, Ohio
U.S.A.