Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  03/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  On January 8th 2024 I purchased an outdoor sauna from Formulated LLC for $8,915.53 I gave them a down payment of $4847.81 Via PayPal. I kept in touch of the next few weeks while it was being built all seemed well. There was an original delivery date of January 22. As I said I kept in contact with *********************** the owner of Formulated LLC and it became more and more evident they were delaying more and more for random reasons that did not make sense (i have all the messages I can provide them if needed) I eventually started pushing a little harder as we were now 3 weeks late on delivery. ************ called me and said due to the cold he could not put the finish on it, I responded that's fine I will take it unfinished. Then there was excuses about how they couldnt get a driver to deliver it, I responded I will come pick it up. Then later i get a message that ******* was able to get a coat of finish on it and they hoped i liked it I finally saw the product on February 20th and the picture they sent me looked absolutely nothing like the advertisement they put out. I said this is not going to work they offered to build a new one or refund my deposit I asked for my deposit back a week or so goes by and i start messaging them to find out where my refund is and i get an extremely unprofessional response and a threat to *** me for wasting their time I firmly believe they absolutely had no intention of filling my order I believe this is fraud and theft

  Business response

  04/09/2024

  1. PayPal had a hold on the funds until 1/13. The funds were finally processed and released by PayPal, allowing the deposit process to initiate on 1/13. See picture below.

  
  

  2. PayPal deposited the funds into the companys account on 1/16. See picture below. This was the earliest possible opportunity to begin the ordering process for parts necessary to build the product. 

  
  

  3. ******** **, the location in which said product was being built, experienced a recorded polar vortex from 1/14-1/17. Temperatures reached -34F due to wind, temperatures in absence of wind were still reaching -16. See picture below.

  
  

  4. While the polar vortex was considered over, temperatures remained below 0 until around 1/23. See picture of historical temperature graph for ********, ** below. 

  
  

  5. This weather delayed certain orders that were placed previously, by 1-2 weeks. In regards to orders that werent delayed and did arrive on time, nothing could be done with them as it is extremely unsafe to be outside at those temperatures. 

  
  

  6. During this time, we were in close contact with the customer. We kept him informed that orders were delayed. While frustrating for all parties, the weather and its affects are out of our control

  
  

  7. The second to last step in building the product is cinching all the routed cedar boards together. During this process, it was noted the boards werent fitting snug enough into the coves. A barrel sauna requires the boards be tight to ensure its sealed and create a seamless appearance on the outside. We informed the customer, and asked his permission for more time to dissemble the boards and create bigger coves so the boards would cinch snuggly together. He approved. 

  
  

  8. The last step in building the product is applying a protective coating called polyurethane. This can be done in colder weather, but delays the dry time greatly. It is recommended it be applied in temperatures higher than 55F. Customer was informed and appeared to understand this delay as his response was What is the new delivery date?.

  
  

  9. On more than one occasion, the customer offered to pick up the product as we only had certain days and times we were able to deliver it. When we gave him the new delivery date, he said he would come pick it up. When asked if he would be bringing the equipment necessary to load the product, he said no. We then told him the earliest time and day we could have equipment delivered to load the product. See pictures below. 

  
  

  10. During this process, customer was sent pictures of the product to show the progress. See pictures below. Customer did not comment his dislike for the product while he had more than one opportunity to do so. See pictures below.

  
  

  11. Customer then changed his mind on the whole order after final payment was brought up, saying he didnt like the color. We offered the customer a rebuild and he declined saying he was kinda over it. See picture below.

  
  

  
  

  The customer was kept informed and updated on valid reasons for the delays. They were not random. Customer was also sent photo updates throughout the process. Up until the day the final payment was to be made and the product was to be picked up, the customer was agreeable and did not express any issues he had. At the last minute, the customer changes his mind after the final payment was discussed. There were over 560 hours put into making this product, the companies time was stolen as the deposit goes to building materials. The company also lost potential profits as other customers wanted to place orders during this build. We feel that the customer had no intention of paying the rest of the deposit, and was going to pick up the product and never pay. This is because when final payment was brought up, suddenly he doesnt like the color, even though he had seen the product previously. 

  
  

  Thank you,

  Formulated LLC

  
  

  Customer response

  04/10/2024

   
  Complaint: 21383413
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I am rejecting this response because:
  Part of what Formulated LLC response is correct, but they cherry picked facts and conveniently left out others to not give you the whole picture.  I was very understanding about delays and the fact that their company was small and did not have an organized business plan for constructing products and shipping them regardless of weather.   I could deal with all of that I even offered to come down and pick it up because their ***** with a skid loader was not available.  When ************ called me on the phone (i don't have the date but if needed i could dig through my phone records) He explained about the polar vortex and the fact he could not put polyurethane on in the cold.  I respond by saying don't put it on I will do that myself, I do it all the time just deduct the sealing cost from the total and lets be done with this.   All of this is stuff I can deal with, I am a multiple business owner and I know how things can come up 
  Here is where we get to what i believe is fraud.  After all of the delays and excuses they finally sent me a picture of what they had built.  Its was nothing even close to the original advertisement posted on ******** marketplace (photo of ad provided in attachment) I responded immediately by saying this is nothing like what was advertised.  I was offered a refund and that is what I wanted.  I was very nice about it, I said I would not leave any negative feedback we could just be done with all of this.  That's when Formulated and ************ specifically became hostile and rude and threating (photos attached).  To me this seems like a classic bait and switch scam.  Offer one thing that they obviously don't have the skills to build, take the deposit, then offer the customer something completely different.
  I also think its important to note that I am not so much looking for the BBB's help to get my money back. I am more interested in helping make sure that no one else is swindled by these thieves 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Snapper *******
  
  

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