When did shopping become tiresome?
Why don't they make summer weight slacks in summery colors for women who don't always want capris?
When is the weather going to stabilize so that the furnace and air conditioner aren't both running within a few days' time?
Why is a social calendar blank for weeks, then 3 parties occur on the same day?
I have plenty more questions, but I doubt there are answers to any of them.
Some are gravely serious questions that we all ponder from time to time, but others just fall in the "what the heck" category where your expression is somewhere between confused and angry. Would you like an example?
Southeast Michigan doesn't have a plethora of furniture stores. I can't say that Art Van has a monopoly, but that chain is the prevalent store in this area. Hubby and I went there last Monday to look at a mattress, box spring and frame for our bedroom at the cottage. The cottage isn't that far from here, but it is on an island. Deliveries to the island aren't scheduled there as frequently (by any store) as they would be to our home in suburbia. We know and understand that.
Our first question was about a possible delivery date. We were hoping to find a store that could deliver the goods by Friday of last week. We were told a delivery wasn't possible until a date later in June. Ok, thank you for your time. But wait! As soon as the salesperson sensed she was losing a possible sale, we could miraculously be squeezed into Friday's schedule.
We tried out a few mattresses. It may have been nice to discuss something privately but the salesperson hovered over us like a 16 year old who anticipates getting the car keys. We liked a mattress that wasn't marked as being on sale. She was sorry about that. Ok, thank you for your time. But wait....she disappeared and quickly returned, assuring us she could give us a sale price on this set. Another miracle!
We began the write up process with me giving her our billing address, the delivery address, a contact number, etc. Hubby stepped out of the store to take a phone call. While he was outside, the saleswoman and I headed to the back of the store to pay for the purchase at a cashier's window. I had my driver's license and credit card out of my wallet, ready to go.
Are you ready for this?
They were going to need hubby there to close the deal. Why? I have my credit card right here. "They" had been doing business with him. Huh? What "they"? It was one salesperson and I gave her all the info! I am normally a quiet person but I'm pretty sure my volume was turned up as I explained that this (holding my card) was MY credit card in MY name and they could charge the purchase to me or rip up all the paperwork.
Lo and behold, the third miracle of the day! They charged the bed to my credit card.
The bed was delivered and assembled in record time Friday afternoon. It is comfortable and we are happy with it. When we returned home this week, there was thank you from our salesperson for the "sleep solution" we purchased. When did a mattress and box spring become a sleep solution? And guess how the thank you was addressed? Yep, it came in hubby's name.
This isn't my first disappointing experience with Art Van, but it is my last. I will fly to Timbuktu and hand carry furniture home before I'll ever step inside any one of their 30+ stores again.
4 comments:
Well I bet you are glad you got that out of your system. I have been waiting for a rug for 10,000 weeks and I am definitely done with this company {although the prices are good}, so I see your reason to be upset.
And pants, forget it. Only capris out there.
XO,
Jane
I'm still in shock over the whole 'Bill has to be here for this transaction' thing. INSANE!!! What is this, the Dark Ages?
As for calendars, I'll trade mine for yours! My problem is that we have several days this summer with overlapping obligations and almost no free days. Of course, it isn't just a social calendar. And most of it isn't for me, but I am the official chauffeur. ;)
Hope you have a wonderful and relaxing weekend. :)
I withdrew over 10,000 dollars from MY bank account one day to change into a bank check to pay for something and the teller had the audacity to hand the paper work and a pen to my husband and tell him "Here, have HER sign it."
I was so livid. MY money. MY transaction [keep in mind I love my husband and he was part of what I was doing, BUT it was my money, my transaction.]
We closed our accounts the next day. Mine and our joint accounts and I will never deal with them again.
The furniture place would have lost my business. You are a heck of a lot more patient then I. That was demeaning and wrong.
I am not crazy about Art Van myself. I did buy a sofa there this year, but only because Lazy Boy closed all of there stores and I love their furniture. It's Art Van that carries the line now. When they delivered the sofa, it was put together and was crooked. When I called the store 18 seconds after the delivery crew left, they tried to set me up for a service call 2 weeks later on an item they put together incorrectly and was unusable. I told them, "don't bother--just pick up the sofa because I'm returning it." Miracle of miracles, the delivery crew made a u turn at the end of the block and returned to fix my sofa.
I did buy my own sleep solution from Gardner White and they were wonderful. Some people have no sense when it comes to salesmanship or service. AV is not the only dog and pony show in town.
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