Ed
Formerly Of Laurel,#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, October 24, 2003
I am a former Warehouse Manager for Marlo Furniture at their Laurel, Md. facility. Unfortunately, everything you've gone through was experienced by me from being on the other side of the fence. I was responsible for the receipt of all inbound merchandise and for all outbound deliveries to the consumer. What the general public does not know is Marlo Furniture purchases "close out items" from various furniture manufactures. Not only in the U.S. but from overseas manufacturers as well. The merchandise is purchased as a "mass lot" and is put up for sale until the last item is bought. What has happened is you probably purchased this furniture as their supply was just at the point of being depleted. The only reason I'm saying this is because they attempted to redeliver a piece of furniture to you and you fortunately caught it. This usually means that they are entirely out of that particular item and by telling you that it was "backordered" is a way of getting you to back off on your attmepts to have a non damaged item delivered. In other words they don't have it in stock and probably never will have it in stock. Now, what do you do? Entirely bypass the customer service department at this point. You will have to go back to the store where you purchased the furniture and go back with an attitude. If this means causing a scene then by all means do so. The best time to do this would be on a weekend when they are having a sale. Don't go to the sales represenative. He's paid a comission and all he's going to be worried about is a reduction in his next pay check. Go directly to the store manager. (Suggestion-call and find out this indvidual's name beforehand and what his work hours are the days he is physically at the store.) Show him your documentation and explain everything that you've presented here on this web site. Demand that the furniture be picked up and you want to be reimbursed the monies that you paid for the defective merchandise. What they will try to do is have you pick out another furniture set. If this is the case and you're in agreement with this then have them pull the merchandise from their stock so you can physically inspect the items. Once you're satisfied then mark each piece of furniture in an unobtusive way so you can ensure that it was the same item that you previously inspected once it arrives for delivery. If you decide to go this route then also demand a discount on the final price because of the hassel you've had to go through. Most store managers will offer free delivery and refund that amount only. Sometimes they will offer 10% off the final purchase price. If this is unsatisfactory to you then demand a higher percentage off the price. Listen, the markup on furniture is unbelievable. They're still going to make money on what they sell. If it were me I'd push for at least 50% off and probably settle for 30%. Hope this helps. I'd be interested to hear how you made out.
Ed
Formerly Of Laurel,#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, October 24, 2003
I am a former Warehouse Manager for Marlo Furniture at their Laurel, Md. facility. Unfortunately, everything you've gone through was experienced by me from being on the other side of the fence. I was responsible for the receipt of all inbound merchandise and for all outbound deliveries to the consumer. What the general public does not know is Marlo Furniture purchases "close out items" from various furniture manufactures. Not only in the U.S. but from overseas manufacturers as well. The merchandise is purchased as a "mass lot" and is put up for sale until the last item is bought. What has happened is you probably purchased this furniture as their supply was just at the point of being depleted. The only reason I'm saying this is because they attempted to redeliver a piece of furniture to you and you fortunately caught it. This usually means that they are entirely out of that particular item and by telling you that it was "backordered" is a way of getting you to back off on your attmepts to have a non damaged item delivered. In other words they don't have it in stock and probably never will have it in stock. Now, what do you do? Entirely bypass the customer service department at this point. You will have to go back to the store where you purchased the furniture and go back with an attitude. If this means causing a scene then by all means do so. The best time to do this would be on a weekend when they are having a sale. Don't go to the sales represenative. He's paid a comission and all he's going to be worried about is a reduction in his next pay check. Go directly to the store manager. (Suggestion-call and find out this indvidual's name beforehand and what his work hours are the days he is physically at the store.) Show him your documentation and explain everything that you've presented here on this web site. Demand that the furniture be picked up and you want to be reimbursed the monies that you paid for the defective merchandise. What they will try to do is have you pick out another furniture set. If this is the case and you're in agreement with this then have them pull the merchandise from their stock so you can physically inspect the items. Once you're satisfied then mark each piece of furniture in an unobtusive way so you can ensure that it was the same item that you previously inspected once it arrives for delivery. If you decide to go this route then also demand a discount on the final price because of the hassel you've had to go through. Most store managers will offer free delivery and refund that amount only. Sometimes they will offer 10% off the final purchase price. If this is unsatisfactory to you then demand a higher percentage off the price. Listen, the markup on furniture is unbelievable. They're still going to make money on what they sell. If it were me I'd push for at least 50% off and probably settle for 30%. Hope this helps. I'd be interested to hear how you made out.
Ed
Formerly Of Laurel,#4UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, October 24, 2003
I am a former Warehouse Manager for Marlo Furniture at their Laurel, Md. facility. Unfortunately, everything you've gone through was experienced by me from being on the other side of the fence. I was responsible for the receipt of all inbound merchandise and for all outbound deliveries to the consumer. What the general public does not know is Marlo Furniture purchases "close out items" from various furniture manufactures. Not only in the U.S. but from overseas manufacturers as well. The merchandise is purchased as a "mass lot" and is put up for sale until the last item is bought. What has happened is you probably purchased this furniture as their supply was just at the point of being depleted. The only reason I'm saying this is because they attempted to redeliver a piece of furniture to you and you fortunately caught it. This usually means that they are entirely out of that particular item and by telling you that it was "backordered" is a way of getting you to back off on your attmepts to have a non damaged item delivered. In other words they don't have it in stock and probably never will have it in stock. Now, what do you do? Entirely bypass the customer service department at this point. You will have to go back to the store where you purchased the furniture and go back with an attitude. If this means causing a scene then by all means do so. The best time to do this would be on a weekend when they are having a sale. Don't go to the sales represenative. He's paid a comission and all he's going to be worried about is a reduction in his next pay check. Go directly to the store manager. (Suggestion-call and find out this indvidual's name beforehand and what his work hours are the days he is physically at the store.) Show him your documentation and explain everything that you've presented here on this web site. Demand that the furniture be picked up and you want to be reimbursed the monies that you paid for the defective merchandise. What they will try to do is have you pick out another furniture set. If this is the case and you're in agreement with this then have them pull the merchandise from their stock so you can physically inspect the items. Once you're satisfied then mark each piece of furniture in an unobtusive way so you can ensure that it was the same item that you previously inspected once it arrives for delivery. If you decide to go this route then also demand a discount on the final price because of the hassel you've had to go through. Most store managers will offer free delivery and refund that amount only. Sometimes they will offer 10% off the final purchase price. If this is unsatisfactory to you then demand a higher percentage off the price. Listen, the markup on furniture is unbelievable. They're still going to make money on what they sell. If it were me I'd push for at least 50% off and probably settle for 30%. Hope this helps. I'd be interested to hear how you made out.
Ed
Formerly Of Laurel,#5UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, October 24, 2003
I am a former Warehouse Manager for Marlo Furniture at their Laurel, Md. facility. Unfortunately, everything you've gone through was experienced by me from being on the other side of the fence. I was responsible for the receipt of all inbound merchandise and for all outbound deliveries to the consumer. What the general public does not know is Marlo Furniture purchases "close out items" from various furniture manufactures. Not only in the U.S. but from overseas manufacturers as well. The merchandise is purchased as a "mass lot" and is put up for sale until the last item is bought. What has happened is you probably purchased this furniture as their supply was just at the point of being depleted. The only reason I'm saying this is because they attempted to redeliver a piece of furniture to you and you fortunately caught it. This usually means that they are entirely out of that particular item and by telling you that it was "backordered" is a way of getting you to back off on your attmepts to have a non damaged item delivered. In other words they don't have it in stock and probably never will have it in stock. Now, what do you do? Entirely bypass the customer service department at this point. You will have to go back to the store where you purchased the furniture and go back with an attitude. If this means causing a scene then by all means do so. The best time to do this would be on a weekend when they are having a sale. Don't go to the sales represenative. He's paid a comission and all he's going to be worried about is a reduction in his next pay check. Go directly to the store manager. (Suggestion-call and find out this indvidual's name beforehand and what his work hours are the days he is physically at the store.) Show him your documentation and explain everything that you've presented here on this web site. Demand that the furniture be picked up and you want to be reimbursed the monies that you paid for the defective merchandise. What they will try to do is have you pick out another furniture set. If this is the case and you're in agreement with this then have them pull the merchandise from their stock so you can physically inspect the items. Once you're satisfied then mark each piece of furniture in an unobtusive way so you can ensure that it was the same item that you previously inspected once it arrives for delivery. If you decide to go this route then also demand a discount on the final price because of the hassel you've had to go through. Most store managers will offer free delivery and refund that amount only. Sometimes they will offer 10% off the final purchase price. If this is unsatisfactory to you then demand a higher percentage off the price. Listen, the markup on furniture is unbelievable. They're still going to make money on what they sell. If it were me I'd push for at least 50% off and probably settle for 30%. Hope this helps. I'd be interested to hear how you made out.