Vanessa: CARep11@ashleyfurniture.comWe searched a number of stores for a leather couch and found the best price at Furniture Direct and purchased it in August 2007. The sales personnel, including “Tommy C”, who wrote the receipt for $800, told us that the couch was “all leather except for small side panels.”
In June 2008 a small area of a back cushion began peeling, revealing vinyl, which was not even supposed to be there.
If we had wanted a vinyl couch we could have bought one for a fraction of what we paid for this deteriorating Ashley product. We were lied to and defrauded by Ashley agents.
We phoned Furniture Direct. They were no longer in business.
Eventually, as the problem got worse, the Better Business Bureau suggested we contact the main offices, listed above, of Ashley Furniture, since they were the manufacturer and ultimate backer of warranties.
We did so. This is the response we received by email from Vanessa:
Thank you for contacting Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. in Arcadia, WI. I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing problems with your Ashley furniture. Since the store where you purchased your furniture is no longer able to assist you with your claim, please mail or fax us the following information: a complete copy of your original receipt, the model number of the item(s) in question, the serial number off each item, a detailed description of the problem(s), your name, address and daytime phone number. Our fax number is: 608-323-6139. Our mailing address is: Ashley Furniture Corporate Office Attn: Consumer Affairs Department One Ashley Way Arcadia, WI 54612 We will be more than happy to review your information. You can expect a response in ten to fourteen business days. We look forward to hearing from you. Have a great day! Vanessa~ Ashley Internet Communications
So we did that. At first we tried faxing them the information but after 2 days of trying, we concluded their machine was unplugged. So we mailed it to them.
Much later we received a message from Nancy Suchla saying our receipt was illegible (it was not to us or anyone else).
Finally, in November, someone named “Nancy” (we assume Suchla) sent us a letter informing us that our “warranty period has passed” and so we were undeserving of help.
Of course, in this cheesy (It appears Wisconsin Cheeseheads are aptly named -- Suchla being Head Cheesehead) decision of Ashley’s, they totally ignored the fact we had been defrauded to begin with and that we could not report the problem within the time period they demanded, a time period unknown to us, because we did not know what to do when their store shut down.
WANT BAD QUALITY AND WORSE SERVICE? BUY ASHLEY!
The following sites represent a small portion of the thousands of complaints on the web about Ashley Furniture. Note the only state that has proceeded against Ashley legally for fraud is Arizona. Arizona won $400,000 in damages.
http://www.my3cents.com/search.cgi?criteria=ashley+furniture
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/ashley-furniture-c9138.html
http://www.kpho.com/news/15158809/detail.html?rss=pho&psp=news (PHOENIX -- Ashley Furniture Homestore has agreed to pay the state of Arizona $400,000 to resolve consumer complaints about deliveries and allegations of deceptive advertising.)
http://www.complaints.com/Ashley-Furniture-Store-127890/Ashley-Furniture-Store-127890.html
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/176/RipOff0176665.htm
http://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/rrQcejrx-ADG0gjJdD3Fea
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/furniture/ashley.html
http://www.measuredup.com/review/Horrible...worst-service-experience-Ive-ever-had-3880
THE RESOLUTION:
After this complaint was online for several months automatically emailing various Ashley personnel, the aformentioned Nancy Suchla expressed desire to solve the matter with the complainant. Even though the complainant had long since given away the fake leather couch, Ashley proved to be generous in its offer to her. Suchla agreed to give the complainant merchandise equal in retail dollar value to the couch at issue. So the problem then was to find a Sacramento Ashley store to use as a transfer station. So first was visited an Ashley outlet some distance away. That Ashley store proved to be in the hands of liquidators who refused to cooperate.
So then the complainant found Furniture USA on Mack Rd. in Sacramento. They handled Ashley furniture and manager Alan Pember was willing to help find whatever she wanted from Ashley as compensation. Mr. Pember was quite patient, spending in excess of 2 hours trying to help find Ashley products that would fit into the settlement scheme. Apparently neither Mr. Pember nor Furniture USA were being compensated for these efforts. The complainant found some furniture that she wanted but its value came slightly over that proposed by Ashley/Suchla. Nonetheless the transaction was approved by Ashley and the furniture arrived at Furniture USA a couple weeks later and everyone lived happily ever after.
