Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Thanks for your help in advance. Greatly appreciate it. I have no other choice but to file a complaint with the BBB since the company is not helpful.This is a BBB complaint for American Rattan and Wicker, in ** & the owner **********************On 4/26/2023, I purchased a Pubset on the company's website. The actual advertisement headline says it's a Pubset. In the description it also says it's a Pubset. When I add the PUBSET to my cart it forces me to select Bar Height Stool or Counter Height Stool proving this is a Pubset with stools. This was on Clearance for $389.00.Today, 4/27/2023 I called the company to confirm my order. While on the phone I was told that this advertisement was only for a table & that I would be charged an additional $900 per chair that I wanted. This was full bate & switch & false advertisement. I stayed professional with the female staff on the phone while she tried to manipulate me into paying an additioanl $1800 (2 chairs at $900 each). Of course I said no & I asked for the clearance sale I purchases. She said that the website was "simple & not sophisticated". I told her that has nothing to do with it, that this is clearly false advertisement. I asked her to forward my info to a supervisor, she said ********* up on me. I tried calling back no answer, left voicemail same day 4/27/23.Sent email requesting a call back via their website same day on 4/27/23.Noticed a "Chat" feature on their website, started chat 4/27/23 around 10am PST. Was able to get the owner ********************* on the chat. **** said here was an ********** changed the advertisement while I was waiting on hold chatting with him. The owner would not offer the price I paid for previous day on the ad for the full pubset. He wanted more money. He became rude, just like his female staff member did when I asked for the advertised price. He said I'm wasting my time. So here I am filing a BBB complaint for false advertisement & attempted bait & switch. Please help me?Receipt says *********.

  

  Business response

  04/28/2023

  The customer placed an order for a Balboa Pub Table on our website that was on clearance for $389.00. The description stated Balboa Pub Table with 31 Inch Glass top and the product page photo also showed a single pub table with glass top. The model number/sku number was wrong and included the word pubset. It was a mistake in the sku and not the description. After the customer submitted his order online he called our ***** number and spoke to one of our reps. ** called because he wanted to make sure we were shipping a 3 ****** Set and not just a pub table. So he knew already what he was ordering but was now ready to demand a 3 Piece Pub Set. Our rep looked up his order and explained to him that the order was for the pub table and not a pub set with tables and stools. This angered the customer and because he didnt get the answer he wanted he called our rep rude and unprofessional. She explained to him she was just providing the information he was asking about whether he ordered a pub table or a 3 ****** set. Our rep explained the situation to me and since per our terms we can cancel and refund any order for any reason I issued the customer a refund and cancelled his order. The customer received his refund and cancellation notice and still very angry accessed our online chat. ** demanded that we ship him a 3 ****** set with 2 bar stools, pub table, and glass top for the $389 sale price. I was very professional and polite and explained to him that his order was for a pub table with a glass top and that I had already issued him a refund in full and cancelled his order. ** made more accusations and threats and I told him goodbye and to have a nice day. We have over **** products on our website at americanrattan.com and if somebody purposely scoured all the products looking for one small mistake they could catch us on they could probably find a small inconsistency somewhere and use it to try to use it against **. Thats why we instituted the section 8 of our terms long ago that states when there is a conflict on a product description we reserve the right to cancel the order and issue a refund as we did in this case. I have attached the original online order showing the description to be a Balboa Pub Table with 31 Inch Glass top. I have also attached the receipt showing the customers refund. I have attached a copy of Section 8 of our shipping-terms page showing our policy for issuing a refund in case of a disagreement like this one. I have attached the photo from product page on our website that shows the Balboa Pub Table photo and description. I have also attached the description of the product page for a 3 Piece Balboa Pub Set that we shared with the customer so he could order it if he wished. I have always ran my business with honor and integrity and would never intentionally mislead a customer on any products like a bait and switch tactic as the customer is accusing ** in this case. I started the business 21 years ago in **** after honorably retiring from the **** Air Force and I attribute our longevity with always being truthful, honest, and fair in all of our dealings. So with that said if the customer wants the 3 ****** Set with Pub Table, Glass Top, and 2 Barstools, I will offer another 12% OFF the already discounted clearance price of $1289.00. Shipping to ********** for orders under $1400 would still apply.

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 12, 2021, I ordered a furniture set from American Rattan and Wicker. The set includes 7 items. At the time of order, we were told that it would be approximately 8-10 weeks before delivery. On June 20, 2021, I asked for an updated ETA for delivery. On June 22, 2021 I was told that it would be another 8 weeks before delivery. On July 31, 2021 I followed to get an updated ETA. I was told it would be another 3-4 weeks before the order is completed. I followed up again on September 28, 2021. A response was given on October 26, 2021 that I would be contacted by the transport company for delivery in 14-21 days. At this point, 4 months after the promised delivery, I asked to cancel the order. American Rattan said that if I canceled the order, I would be charged a 20% restocking fee! There is no mention of a restocking charge on their paperwork. I didn't know what to do so I waited. The delivery company did finally contact me and the furniture was brought to my house on November 23, 2021. However, the sofa was damaged and I refused to accept the delivery. They pressured me to accept the non-damaged pieces but given my experience I wasn't sure when I would get the damaged piece fixed and returned. So I held firm and refused delivery of the remaining furniture. It is now over 1 year after the original purchase and I still don't have the furniture set. I had filed a complaint with my credit card company and they have credited me the original purchase amount. At this point, I no longer need the furniture and I want to be relieved of any potential charges due to restocking or any such penalties. I feel that I have been more than patient and understanding of delays. There are so many failed promises. A response may be forthcoming that that it's outside of their control or that it's just a few days/weeks from delivery. Resolution: Cancel my order with no penalties/restocking fee.

  

  Business response

  05/25/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2022/05/10) */ First of all I apologize to the customer for the delays incurred and then the damages that occurred. Per our "agreed to" policy when an order is shipped and then cancelled for return there is a re-stocking fee applied to the refund. The manufacturers charge us the same re-stocking fee so its not that we want to make extra money but it is a policy in-place for our survival as a business. In this case the customer was refunded in full by his credit card company and the order is cancelled with no re-stocking fee so there is no worries for the customer on his cancelled order. Additional Background: As owner and founder Ive been in this business since 2002. With all of the supply chain problems caused by the pandemic the last 6 months of 2021 were the most diffiult years of operation by far. Being an online company we take orders and then we coordinate between manufacturers and shippers. Customers want their furniture as quickly as possible and we do our best to press the manufacturer to complete the orders and then press the shippers to deliver the orders. And during this time period both manufacturing and shipping were a broken disaster and caused us so much pain we almost didnt survive this period of time. Sheer grit helped us push through it. Now in 2022 its gotten better but there are still lingering supply chain and shipper issues.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩