Complaint Review: Bob's Furniture - Bellingham Massachusetts

In April of 2014 my wife Linda and I were shopping for a new sofa set to replace one in our living-room.  My wife and I enjoy supporting local businesses and drove to Bob's Furniture in Bellingham Mass.  I had heard negative things about Bob's but felt they deserved an opportunity.   When you arrived your greeted by several sales people eager to assist you.  I later learned that commissions on sale play an important part.  A female associate, very nice showed my wife and I several different sectionals in leather.  I did voice my concerns about what I had been told about Bob's but was reinsured that their protection plan was the best in the business.  We settled on a leather sectional and opt for the interest free monthly payments for one year which totaled over $2,000.00 thousand dollars.  The sectional was delivered a week later and the wiring including the plastic power boxes controlling the recliners placed under the couch.  Several months ago the recliners stopped working properly.  This continued for months which be believed was a faulty control switch.   I checked under the sectional a few months later and noticed that two of the plastic power boxes were crushed from the chair reclining.  The power boxes were never mounted to the furniture and apparently moved when reclining the chairs causing the damages and had to be taped by me.  Additionally, the left side recliner cracked one evening when my wife was reclining the foot rest.  Further examination verified that the wood both under the seating area of the chair and the foot rest cracked.  Additionally,  the back section of another recliner was no longer returning to the full upward position providing support.  I called Bob's Furniture the week of November 15th and received an appointment on November 25th to examine the sectional.  

On November 25th, the technician arrived at 12:30 in his own personal vehicle.  He entered my home with no tools, no equipment, and unable to speak English enough to hold a proper conversation and attempted to question me regarding the couch.  He flipped the couches over and verified that two of the three power boxes had been damaged from the recliners, and also verified that the left hand recliner was in fact totally damaged with the wood cracked both in the seating area and foot rest.  While conducting his so called investigation, we never spoke about what caused the cracking in the recliner because of the language barrier preventing any proper formal inquiry.  After providing a flashlight which he did not have, he asked to use my cell phone to call the office amazing me, no phone.  After speaking with someone for several minutes I was given the phone while he left and the investigation concluded.  I then spoke with Customer Service, just another great experience.  I was told that the damages were NOT FROM NORMAL WEAR and that the technician could do nothing to repair or address the matter.  Something I realized when he originally arrived with no tools, no light, no phone, and unable to speak English preventing any conversations.  I was told that I would need to contact GOOF PROOF, an insurance we paid for when originally purchasing the sectional for an additional $200.00 dollars covering all problems.  I became very upset and questioned how a determination could be made that the damages were not from normal wear instead of a defective recliner considering the other three were not cracking.  My wife and I are 55 plus with no young children living at home jumping on our furniture.  After calling Goof Proof, the insurance we paid for as directed by customer service explaining the situation, we were told that coverage could not be provided based on the report provided from they're so called earlier investigation at my home.  An investigation never properly conducted due to the reasons above or any consideration that the left recliner was defective when delivered.  We called the store one more time and were asked to provided pictures of the sectional and its condition.  I also asked how a determination could be made favoring the store and insurance provider when no supporting evidence (damaged leather, tears, rips, etc) existing.  It's logical that intentional abuse is visibly obvious but in this case does not exist.

In closing my wife and I are strongly warning anyone considering a purchase from Bob's Furniture to RUN-RUN- RUN and shop elsewhere.  This company obviously sells defective, shoddy, and lower quality products  with no consideration to customer service or care.  Additionally, they strongly suggest insurance from Goof Proof which you pay an additional fee in our case $200.00 dollars ensuring coverage, protection, and security of your purchase in the event of damage including children and animals.  Sounds real good until you need to file a claim.  Goof Proof will based your claim and replacement on the report submitted by who, that's right, the technician who comes to your home working for Bob's Furniture and never conducts a proper investigation not having  tools,  a flashlight,  and unable to speak English allowing a proper investigation involving questions and answers.  Right now my wife and I asked the same question and have yet to receive an answer, what facts were used to determine NOT NORMAL WEAR considering the sectional is immaculate other than the issues resulting from defective products used to make the left side recliner.  Having been in the investigative filed for more than 30 years, I'm appalled that anyone including my wife and I could received this type of treatment.  The stories of poor customer service, shoddy products, and lack of customer care are true.  Remember that our decision to shop at Bob's Furniture has cost us over $3,000.00 dollars and garbage furniture.  Something to think about and a large price to pay when they offer you free coffee, candy, and ice cream while you wait.  Linda and I will be forwarding a complaint to the Mass Attorney Generals Office Consumer Protection regarding this matter.  Happy holidays and be safe, STAY AWAY FROM BOB'S FURNITURE .