Thursday, January 7, 2010

Bad vendor alert!

I was going to share with you my plans for the Shining Room today, but some events have transpired that I feel compelled to share with you all immediately. 
Backstory:  A week before my budget-busting discovery, I was shopping for a rug for the dressing room.  I shopped around on my favorite sites and found nothing.  Then I stumbled upon Rugs USA and found a wool rug I thought would look perfect:

The 5x8 was only $295, plus free shipping, free rug pad, free returns.  Then I found a coupon for 20% off, bringing the total down to $236.  I was a happy girl, at first.  I ordered it on Dec 17th and waited.....and waited.....on the site, they claimed that all orders took 2-5 business days to process before shipping.  OK, that means I should have heard something about shipment by Christmas Eve.  By Dec 26th I emailed them, pissed off, and was given this response (typos and all):

Orders, take 8-10 business days before they are shipped out. Also, since it is the holiday season order may take longer to be shipped because the manufactures will be closed from December 23- December 27, 2009. When your order is shipped you will receive an email confirmation with the tracking number. We apologize for inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

Well, 8-10 business days is news to me!  Let me complete the timeline: 

~  December 30th, we found the rug sitting in the snow on the side of our house.  I'd never received an email that it shipped.  The ship date on the label was Dec 24.  
 ~  December 31st, I unrolled it and saw it had pinkish spots on it, and strange red threads running through it.  The threads are maybe just part of the weaving, but I thought they were out of place.  You really can't see the pink in this photo, but Shaun noticed it so you know it's there!


~  December 31 - I call Rugs USA and speak to Daniel who tells me to send him pictures of the 'damage.'  I explain that I'm mostly returning it because I just don't like it, and that the pinkish spots likely won't register very well on photos.  He says do it anyway.  I send it to him, expecting return info in an email. 
~  January 5 - After hearing nothing from them, I call Rugs USA again.  I speak to Jannel who says that Daniel is still waiting for my photos.  I blow up and tell her I will burn their company to the ground if they don't give me a return authorization already!  I complain and resend the email to her and then piss and moan about the whole situation to Shaun all night.
~  January 7 - I get this convoluted email (again with typos):

Please be advised a call tag was issued for this rug ( 158FAL1001-508 - FAL ) for Order WS122859. Kindly have the rug wrapped and ready for UPS to come by and pick it up. Also, please clearly write RA# 18799 outside of the package. If you do not have the original wrapping please provide equivalent protective plastic. Double wrap the rug and tape it at both ends. When your are ready to have this item picked up please contact FedEx to schedule a pick up. Call Tag Tracking Information:  FedEx- 862070910020766

Well, is it UPS or FedEx, you morons!?  I called FedEx this morning and they said they can't come get the rug without a label, I would be charged.  I told them I didn't have a label and then I had to call Rugs USA AGAIN.  I waited on hold for 30 MINUTES...and now I finally have a label to print, and a proper tracking number.  I was also told that it will take a day or two for FedEx to pick up, then shipping time, then 5 to 7 business days after receipt to get my credit card refunded.  How much you wanna bet that it will be February before I am free from this catastrophe?

This company is a joke!  They are cheap for a reason!  I know some of you have ads for Rugs USA on your sites, if you haven't had success with them yourself, I would not advertise them to your readers.  I know that Annie at Bossy Color Blog had the same awful experience, so please think twice about linking to this incompetant company!

If you're still not convinced, here is some info from the Better Business Bureau website:
  • Consumers report to the BBB that RugsUSA accepts payments for orders but does not ship the orders in a timely manner if at all. Consumers also allege a number of different issues regarding pricing. One consumer was informed 1 month after receiving her rug that she needed to pay over $500 more for the rug.
  • BBB Accreditation: This business is not a BBB Accredited Business
  • BBB processed a total of 63 complaint(s) about this business in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period.  16 were regarding delivery issues and 31 were regarding refund or exchange issues.
  • In September 2004, the BBB requested that this firm cease and desist all unauthorized use of the BBB name and/or logo in its advertising. The company has complied with the Bureau's request. This firm is not currently a member of the Better Business Bureau serving Metropolitan New York, the area in which it is headquartered.

    Sorry for the rant, but if I save even one other person from all this trouble, it will be worth it.  Has anyone else used this company?  What was your experience?

20 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for sharing this! I've drooled over a couple of their rugs/prices in the past and will certainly shove them off my radar now. Good luck with your refund!

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  2. How awful! This is one of the reasons why I don't like to deal with online shopping. I definitely won't be buying a rug from them!

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  3. This sounds like my worst nightmare. It's like the Wild, Wild West.

    I hope you get everything worked out.

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  4. That looks a lot like the rug we ordered in gray from CSN rugs... did you try looking there?

    RUGS ARE SUCH A PAIN.
    (I just received my "10'x2.5'" runner from overstock. It's 10.3' long and does not fit in my hallway. FAIL.)

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  5. Ugh what a horrible ordeal! I'm glad you shared though. I've looked at rugs there before and I'm glad I didn't order from them.

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  6. Ugh! That just stinks! The rug looked like it would be cute also. Thanks for letting us know!!

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  7. How awful. As convenient as shopping on line is, it is nice to have an actual store to return things to if necessary.

    Good luck with your refund.

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  8. That's crazy! That's one of my pret peeves ordering online you just nenver know!

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  9. I'm so sorry that you're going through this Sara. Good luck getting your money back and thanks for the heads up.

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  10. You are so patient. I would have been ready to go off over the phone! I like getting my rugs at Marshall's/HomeGoods. Ours has a huge selection and decent prices.

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  11. Where in NY are they? I might know a guy, who knows a guy, who might be willing to pay them a visit.

    Just kidding. What a bunch of losers. I'm sorry you have to deal with them.

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  12. Oh man, that sucks! I cannot stand bad customer service. Thanks for the warning and hope you get your money back soon!!

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  13. Wow, that is SOOOO frustrating! We had a bad online experience a couple of years ago too. You feel like you're beating your head against a brick wall. Thanks for the warning and saving others from this potential headache!

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  14. That's terrible! And such a let down because that rug is so cute! If you find somewhere else that sells it for a reasonable price, please let me know! I might have to copy you!

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  15. what an awful experience, I am so sorry you had to go through this. I hope this gets resolved in a timely manner.

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  16. I am so glad that you blogged about this! I have considered using them in the past! I definitely will not now! I'd be angry if I were you, too.

    Kelly

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  17. The power of the internet I tell ya! Love your choice, hope it works out!

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  18. Thanks for sharing. I assume that you won't pay the charge on your credit card, assuming that the credit isn't there as well. That's the good thing about credit cards. You have to explain why you aren't paying but you don't have to pay it.
    Ann

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  19. Sara, you know I have my own ongoing issue with RugsUSA.com, but the really strange thing is that I ALMOST ORDERED THIS EXACT SAME RUG from them! It's a great one. But not if it's damaged.

    Let's just say I've had a rolled-up rug sitting outside, on my porch, under snow, for 3 weeks waiting to be picked up. And I've stopped AmEx payment on it. So I hope those f&*@*$ never get their money, and that they never get another customer. Harumph.

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Thanks so much for reading....your comments mean a lot to me!
Sara