Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  10/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I ordered a cemetery stone and foundation on December 2, 2022. I paid in full which was $1400. I was told it would be 3 to 12 months. One year later, on December 27, 2023, I contacted the company to ascertain the status of my order. I was told that he was picking up my stone next week. Regarding the foundation he said “I’ll have it done next week or the following week. Yours at the top of my list.” He even asked for information on the location of the stone. I went to the cemetery and marked the location and sent him pictures. Nothing has ever been done. I contacted him for status on March 11, 2024. He said he hadn’t been able to do anything due to rain and temperatures. I contacted him on May 28, 2024 and asked for a refund. That message was ignored. We have had a drought all summer so rain cannot be an excuse. I am seeking your assistance in resolving this issue. I have documentation of all of the above messages. I would like the stone set in the next 30 days or a full refund.

  Customer response

  11/13/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, I have not been contacted by Set In Stone Engraving regarding complaint ID ********.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  07/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We paid for a headstone for our mother and have yet to receive it. It has been over a year since we made the first deposit. It was paid in full on 07/18/23. We were told that it would be ordered when we made the first payment and would do the engraving once it was paid in full. It has now been almost a full year since it was paid in full. We want the product we have paid for.

  Business response

  07/26/2024

  We do not guarantee anything but quality.  We do not stock inventory and monuments are ordered once a deposit has been made or paid in full.  Contract shows what they paid for but does not mention time.  Everyone is told if time is more important then price then a larger dealer is the way to go.  Family was told it COULD BE anywhere from 3-12 months but that it could take longer.  I have attached a screen shot where that is stated and they didn't deny it.  I have also attached a threat made publicly on the business page.  I have also attached a message where someone was seeking a company to set their monument because they too have been waiting over 2 years just to have it set.  Another screen shot shows an individual who also has been waiting My family and I have been waiting since September of 2022.  I treat everyone the same and first come first serve.  Majority of this business is doing cemetery lettering across 6 states for other dealers.  Almost all of them are still behind and yet to catchup since 2020/2021.  Going as quickly as I possibly can.  5 months out of the past year, no monuments were set.  They do not get set unless the ground is dry and temperatures are above 40 degrees.  This is common practice to assure a better foundation and that the monuments seal.  I do expect more complaints and all will be about time. 

  Customer response

  07/26/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  07/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I ordered on behalf of my family a headstone on March 17, 2023 for my late brother. We paid $1,348.12 in full upfront that day. Set in Stone told myself, my older brother and my mother that day it would take 3-6 months but closer to 6 and that the stone color we picked was their favorite and not one that was difficult to get in. It’ll be 16 months July 17 and we still don’t have the stone. The only communication we have had is because I initiated it. Each email was excuse after excuse. The first several emails was the same response, “it’s on the next shipment” Then it was the weather, then it was they are short handed, then I got they still don’t have their own stone for their own family member. We were never told if time was important to go to a bigger company as they state they tell everyone. The email on 2/5 said that my family’s stone and their stone for their own family member was next. The email on 5/5 said they still have 5-6 stones to set then my stone was next and wouldn’t take long as it was a simple stone. They would contact the cemetery to have the footer prepared. It’s June 29, no communication since 5/5, no stone, no footer at the cemetery and they have not heard from or received the necessary funds from Set in Stone in the amount of $180 for them to set the footer. Which by the way Set in Stone said they will only send $160 of that $180 so I had to pay the difference. Which I have done. The cemetery has been extremely helpful and sympathetic in our plight for my brother’s stone. Unfortunately Set in Stone’s policy is all sales are final, so my family and others in the same predicament have no stone and can’t get our money back. We want our stone ASAP or within 30 days. I have all email correspondence, but too many to upload. We are fair people, all we want is my brother’s stone that is a year late and counting based on the time verbally quoted to us on 3/17/23.

  Business response

  07/02/2024

  We only sell monuments. We do not own a rock quarry or freighter ship company. We order we engrave then we set. We stock no monuments. We give estimates on time frames but do not guarantee anything but quality.  Time frames take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2.5 years. This has become common with small time dealers in the monument industry. Grey and black are the hardest to get so didn’t expect other colors to take a year.  Clients who payed first get done first if theirs shows up. With a harsh winter no monuments were set for 5 months. Many have showed up ordered from 2022 and 2023 including my own personal purchase for my family ordered September of 2022. A refund is being mailed out tomorrow and new contract has been created for future clients to avoid future issues with time. 

  Customer response

  07/03/2024

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to my family. We will wait for the business to perform this action, a full refund must be received, and if we receive the full refund, my family will consider this complaint resolved and move on with a more reputable company for my brother’s stone. 

  Regards,

  ****** ********

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid ****** ****** in person, on May 24, 2022 for a tombstone for my mother & brother. Per Justin I understood there would be delays due to COVID. He explained it could take up to a year because of backlog of stone shipment issues related to COVID & the amount of deaths that occurred during COVID. In May 2023 I contacted Justin because I had family coming in from out of state for Memorial Day, I asked if he could have the stone set at grave site by May 29th, he said Yes. The stone wasn't set by end of May 2023. No explanation from Justin. On Sept 6th I contacted Justin and asked, "Since the stone wasn't completed in May, do you have a date when it will be completed"? Justin stated, "It's been done I just haven't got to set it. Its been just me working 5 states. I'll be setting 3 or 4 this month including it". Oct 4 2023 I contacted Justin again explaining that I expected to hear from him in Sept 2023 about the stone setting. This time he told me his rig had been down 3 weeks & was finally repaired. "I'll set it then go back and clean it. Has spots from shipping. Only way to do it quickly." On Sept 6th he told me the stone WAS completed? Justin had already told me it would be set in May, was it flawed then too? Oct 7, 2023 I sent Justin a text, "You told me the gravestone would be set in May 2023. May passes, stone wasn't set & with no explanation from you. Then you told me the gravestone would be set in Sept 2023. Again, Sept passes with no information from you. Sept 6th you told me the stone was completed just needed to be set. Now you're telling me that the stone has spots from shipping? Here's what I want, have the stone set, without any flaws, within 30 days time or refund my payment in full." I haven't received any responses from Justin since October 7, 2023. I haven't received a refund either.

  Business response

  12/14/2023

  Unfortunately just a one man operation covering four states and most the industry is still struggling. The monument has been set.

*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. ↩