Kitchen cabinets?
Question:I have some older friends who dont have a lot of money to spend. When they wanted to buy new cabinets for their kitchen, they shopped carefully for prices. Decided on a store that advertises low price, about 200 miles away.
They drove out there, got the cabinets. Store wouldnt deliver so far away.
Countertop for one section did not get loaded into their truck. They had to make a special trip back, to pick it up, at their own expense. Store said it was their fault for not noticing it wasnt loaded on truck.
Now this piece is inches too short. They need another one. Store insists they have to pay for both. That it was their own mistake to have taken the first countertop out of the store without noticing it was cut to wrong size.
What kind of recourse do they have? Remember, they don't have much money.
Answers:
I don't like this. It gives the whole industry a bad name, and most cabinet dealers are very reputable. These people are obviously taking advantage. It also shows you get what you pay for.
I suggest your friends contact the Better Business Bureaus in both the town where the business is located and their own town.
They could also contact the manufacturer who supplied them with the countertops and complain (there may be a label on the back).
I would then take it one step further and complain to their state's business licensing bureau. You may be able to find the department on line and download a form for them.
There are also places to complain on line, but I would hold off on that until they are sure they will never get satisfaction.
If they don't then shout it to the rooftops. Write letters to the editor anywhere they are advertising, and make as much fuss to damage their business as possible without doing anything illegal.
Make sure you can document their claims before setting out on this campaign. Items such as a stamped PAID sales order showing the countertop included on the original order in the correct size.
If they have documentation they should be able to get satisfaction and redress. They could even win an award for their expenses in small claims court. Certainly the threat of having to appear in court would make these business owners sit up and take notice. Judges are notoriously on the side of the innocent consumer in such matters.
I would suggest they get copies of all of the work orders. If the error is on the the ones who fabricated the top then you could sue for the cost in small claims court. Companies send out orders to others to do the work- they simply could have written down the wrong # and that's why the first one wasn't with the first section and loaded the first trip. The entire thing sounds suspicious.
If it is a NATIONAL company they can always contact the administrative offices and file a complaint. Make sure they do it in writing and do not send the original work orders. This company should stand by their work.
They can try to have someone fabricate an entire new counter top. Piecing and patching probably won't work.
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