- Report: #569401
Complaint Review: SERTA MATTRESS COMPANY - Hoffman Estates Illinois
Reported By:
David&Tanja -
Zion, Illinois, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
SERTA MATTRESS COMPANY
3 Golf Center #392 Hoffman Estates, 60169 Illinois, United States of America
Phone:
608-365-6266
Web:
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
SERTA MATTRESS COMPANY American Mattress Searched like a scientist so they could void our warranty even though the ridge in the middle was over 2"tall !! Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Report Attachments
My husband and I purchased a complete king-sized mattress set made by Serta through American Mattress Co. located in Gurnee, IL. This purchase was made in Dec. 2007 and carries a 10yr warranty.
Initially, when the set was delivered, it was damaged during the transport and delivery process, so the mattress was exchanged within a couple of weeks without any complications. The new mattress was delivered and life was good.
Fast forward to approximately Spring of '09, when we realized there was an issue with our mattress and both of us were having a hard time sleeping. Both sides of the mattress were dipping and there was a clear cut ridge down the center of the mattress that was visible to the plain eye. When you laid on one side, you practically had to roll up onto the ridge to get over to the other side. This wasn't a good start for the newlyweds married just a year. We did bring this matter to the attention of the store manager and we were told that the warranty wouldn't be honored until there was at least a 1.5 inch difference in height, which would then have to be verified by a third-party inspector assigned by Serta.
So we continued on, with less snuggles as we were tortured by the ridge, until we couldn't stand it any longer. In November of 2009 we once again approached the store manager, Tony, and arranged for an inspector to come out for the warranty inspection. We had to pay $50, since the store claimed it costs $100 for the inspector to come out and they would graciously pay the other half. After waiting for three weeks just to get a phone call to set up an inspection date, we were ecstatic to have someone finally come out mid-December. The inspector physically and visually inspected the mattress for any issues that would have voided the warranty, and found none. He measured the dip and the ridge and we were well within their requirements to have the mattress replaced. The report was processed, American Mattress and Serta were notified and around the first week of January my husband received a phone call from American Mattress, saying we were authorized for an exchange in the amount of around $1700. Serta no longer produces our line of mattress and therefore we were given the monetary amount for an equivalent mattress. Tony, the manager, confirmed the exchange with a phone call, as well, to my husband.
We went to the store mid-January to look at and test mattresses that were within our given price range and equivalent to the quality of our mattress. Tony, the manager, was there the first time and was extremely negative and condescending. He was in no way helpful in telling us which mattresses were available to us or which features they had. He insisted that whoever called us initially about the exchange, was misinformed and in no way authorized to give us a monetary value to go by. The impression he gave us was that he now had to accept what the other salesclerk had told us and really we should have been given less value and a lower quality mattress. I was extremely irritated that evening after listening to him go on about this and we left the store without any decisions having been made. Apparently Tony then checked the information of the inspection report and also with Serta and called my husband back to tell him that we, indeed, were given the correct information initially. Imagine that!
We decided to go back when there was a different sales clerk available, someone that actually had some sales and customer service capabilities and was willing to offer some assistance. That afternoon we went and decided on a new mattress, a king-sized pillow top by Vera Wang which was the equivalent to our original mattress. I had to leave the store for an appointment, but my husband stayed set up the arrangements for delivery. On that note, we both work in the travel industry and coordinating our schedules for these types of things isn't always easy. I was leaving to go out of town for three days that evening. Delivery was set up on Tuesday, 1/26/10, between the hours of 3-6pm. However, due to misinformation on American Mattress' part, the delivery date had to be changed, because Zion is not part of the Tuesday delivery route. We were rescheduled for Monday, 1/25/10 between 3-6pm. My husband had already taken a personal day for Tuesday and was unable to rescind this. Both of us were coming in from flights that afternoon, but his daughter would be home from school by 2.45pm and would be there for the delivery. While my husband had some ground time in Denver that day, before returning to Chicago, he received a call from the driver, saying he was done with his last delivery and if he could come by our house early. He was told 'no' as nobody was scheduled to be there before 3pm. His response then was 'well, I'm going to have to reschedule your delivery then, because I'm not waiting around for 3hrs!'. Well, isn't that a great attitude. Maybe I should say that next time there is a flight delay and I don't feel like waiting around.. I.ll just tell the rest of my crew we can reschedule this flight some other time, because I don't feel like waiting... hmmmmmm..... sorry, on with the story.
Both of us went to the store that evening after coming in from our flights and had some words with the sales person there, Manny, who was very helpful. He called the Regional Manager, who then called the warehouse, who then arranged for a third delivery date, which turned out to be the original one on Tuesday, the 26th from 3-6pm. I was at home when they arrived and they pulled the mattress from the bed into the hallway, where they stopped. The one man told me there was a stain and they couldn't take the mattress. Trying to contain myself, I asked where he saw a stain. It took him a few moments to try and find it, and then with just the right lighting he pointed to a spot that was approx 2cm and the coloration of the dark stitching thread of the design in the material. I can honestly say that this does not look like a stain to me and I tried to explain the spot to the manager of the delivery people, who was contacted by the delivery man on his cellphone. They refused to understand and I was told repeatedly his men had strict instructions not to take anything with a stain, as this voids the warranty. I was also told that I'd have to deal with the store manager, our friend Tony from above, who unfortunately was out of town that day, but would be back on Wednesday, the 27th. After the delivery men replaced the mattress on the box spring and then left, I went back upstairs to tidy the room.. I looked at the mattress and noticed three dark smudge marks on the bottom left-hand corner in the shape of fingers, which I am positive were not there before! These were obviously made by the delivery guys and my husband took pictures of these when he got home that evening. We also called the store that night, and Manny was there. He listened to us rant and rave and told us he didn't understand how the delivery person can void a warranty that had been authorized by the inspector and therefore also by Serta. However, he wasn't able to do anything for us at that point. My husband has requested a copy of the warranty inspection and the delivery notes from the store, but Tony has yet to produce either. We paid for the inspection and feel we have a right to have a copy of this report. My husband also called Serta the next day and spoke the regional Representative, who told him he would have the local rep contact us. To this day, nobody from Serta has contacted us and as far as American Mattress is concerned, there is no exchange to be taken care of at this time.
We have NOT slept on this mattress since the delivery fiasco - we became guests in our guest room. Nobody seems too concerned with a very obviously faulty mattress, but they are definitely concerned about a non-existent stain that would void their warranty! After a lot of phone calls to the Serta rep, Scott Hayes @ 608-365-6266 ext. 4145, we were told that the exchange would finally be honored and a delivery time was set. On February 13th, the drivers showed up and after an inspection that would make NASA proud, they found a small "yellow" mark that they now claim is piss (SORRY, WE DON'T PISS ON OUR BEDDING!!) and now the warranty is again being treated as void.
We had asked repeatedly to just be given a pro-rated refund of the price of the mattress, but were turned down. We are at a standstill with this situation as of right now and not sure if we should proceed to small claims court or where to turn?! Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated! Should we take the mattress, which has been in a bag since the first missed exchange, and deliver it directly to the door of Serta and have Steve Stagner, President of Mattress Firm, parent company of Serta, come out and inspect it? The Serta rep is taking the word of a delivery driver over their 3rd party inspector, which we had to pay for, to void the warranty. If the inspector says it's okay, then how does a truck driver say differently? This is obviously a RIP OFF and a way for them to VOID and DISHONOR their warranties !!!
Report Attachments
