Annoyed at Pottery Barn

[lessel]

Rambling ahead. Do I even have the right to be annoyed? I'm kind of grumpy at the world this week in general and don't know if this is misdirected rage at Pottery Barn.

We ordered a couch from PB on July 22. I was in the store in the afternoon and took a few fabric samples home to DH so we could choose one. I mentioned to the person helping me I'd probably buy it online that night. She said to call the store back and place or order with them, it helps their store...sure, no problem. I called back at like 5:30 and they said they were too busy to take a phone order and would call me back in 10 minutes. They called me back 10 minutes before they closed about 3+ hrs later. (I was annoyed but whatever.) Order placed. Amex showed pending charge. 

It's been two and a half weeks since order and my order hasn't moved past the 'custom build scheduled' phase on their tracker. So, hasn't even been built yet. (5-8 weeks from order to delivery is the estimation, so this seems not very promising if about 3 weeks in the couch build hasn't even been started yet.) Then I notice the pending charge disappeared from my Amex. While I'm looking at all that online trying to figure it out, I realize the couch I ordered is now $400 cheaper. I called the store to ask about price adjustment since my card hadn't been billed and the couch hadn't been built yet. The lady at the store (original salesperson who I talked to in the store) says she'll ask her manager and call me back the next day. Never heard back from her yesterday. I called today and spoke with the manager and she says there's nothing they can do at the store-level and to call customer service 800#.

So I call them, they say the company ended their price adjustment policy at the end of December. Helpful. Okay, but what if the thing I paid for doesn't even exist yet? He was like, let me see if I can cancel it and replace the order. Okay, sounds good, except I'm not thrilled because that will push back my shipping of this damn couch until the end of September. So he puts me on hold and comes back and says, your cancel request is under review and you should know in 3-5 business days and then you can go ahead and order the couch again. Wait! What?! He didn't mention that part of the process. Explain that shit before you cancel my order! Who knows how long the current price will last! He says I can put a 'draft order' in place now. Still, that now pushes it back another week probably and the puts the couch here like, what, fucking October? 

At this point I might just let sleeping dogs lie and keep the order canceled. But the thought of going to square one on couch research again makes me want to drink.

[Cappy]

I've had nothing but trouble with Pottery Barn. I think their stores are separate from the online division, hence the drama about who you order from. I learned that when I tried to return something in the store that was purchased online (PBK). After weeks they issued a refund that was lower than what they printed off in the store paperwork. Found out they deducted return shipping even though I brought the item to the store myself because they mailed it back to the online division. It was a hot mess. The website is also notorious for showing things in stock in your cart then poof, they disappear when you try to pay.

[Susie]

I've never been all that impressed with Pottery Barn furniture in terms of what you get for the money.  The last furniture I shopped for was bedroom furniture about 6 months ago, and PB's all had veneers and still cost more than the solid cherry furniture I eventually bought (from Kincaid).  As much as it hurts having sunk the time, I think I'd take this as a sign and cancel the order.  It may take a little more looking to find the aesthetic you want, but I'm betting you can find better quality for the money elsewhere.  

[dottyblue]

Oh wow. This was not my experience with PB for my couch and living room chairs at all. There was a bit of a delay up-front with manufacturing, but then it went fast from “building” to shipping. I always assume it will take the longest time possible...

I will say I have been very happy with the quality and my in-store service was amazing. Maybe it’s worth a trip back to the store in person?

[ellipses84]

I’d be so annoyed. I’d probably try to talk to a manager from the online store one more time and explain the whole situation and see if they can help you. Maybe be specific about more of a discount for your troubles and mention you are considering going elsewhere. For furniture that is made to order, when they give you a timeline, it factors in all the orders ahead of you at the factory, so it sounds like that is what caused the up front delay.

[dancingirl21]

My sister in law recently ordered a couch from PB and had nothing but problems, too. It ended up being 3 weeks late, they charged her incorrectly, etc. She spent a lot of time on the phone with customer service.

Do you have a Room & Board in your area? We love our couch from them. And their customer service is phenomenal. Our couch/chair were pilling after 3 years. I called to see if they had any suggestions and they gave me a 100% refund. I picked an entirely different configuration and fabric. I can’t say enough good things about R&B.

[knx9211]

Oh god I bought a bar cabinet from them years ago. They lost it. Couldn’t figure out where it went. Didn’t send a new one. It took like an extra month to get it.

For bigger stores, we go with Crate and barrel now.

[lessel]

I’m going to look at Crate and Barrel or Room and Board now. The goddamn PB couch was a good deal though for a sectional ($2800) for a performance fabric. And it had the exact dimensions that worked in our wonky space. Grumble.

[cuadrado]

Aug 10, 2019 18:25:16 GMT -5 lessel said:

I’m going to look at Crate and Barrel or Room and Board now. The goddamn PB couch was a good deal though for a sectional ($2800) for a performance fabric. And it had the exact dimensions that worked in our wonky space. Grumble.

We looked at ordering a couch from Pottery Barn and the store associate was also insistent that we order from the store instead of online. Just dealing with the ordering process of entering the couch into the computer seemed like a nightmare. We had a really bad feeling about it and ended up backing out of the purchase. We ended up buying the Lounge II couch from Crate and Barrel. I like the Pottery Barn fabric options better but the lounge couch has been great. We used a 15% off moving coupon when we purchased it, and it was delivered on time. I’m so sorry you’re having issues. It’s really annoying when you experience poor service for such a large purchase.

[dr.girlfriend]

Aug 10, 2019 20:13:58 GMT -5 cuadrado said:

Aug 10, 2019 18:25:16 GMT -5 lessel said:

I’m going to look at Crate and Barrel or Room and Board now. The goddamn PB couch was a good deal though for a sectional ($2800) for a performance fabric. And it had the exact dimensions that worked in our wonky space. Grumble.

We looked at ordering a couch from Pottery Barn and the store associate was also insistent that we order from the store instead of online. Just dealing with the ordering process of entering the couch into the computer seemed like a nightmare. We had a really bad feeling about it and ended up backing out of the purchase. We ended up buying the Lounge II couch from Crate and Barrel. I like the Pottery Barn fabric options better but the lounge couch has been great. We used a 15% off moving coupon when we purchased it, and it was delivered on time. I’m so sorry you’re having issues. It’s really annoying when you experience poor service for such a large purchase.

cuadrado Can you tell me about this moving coupon from Room and Board?  I saw they don't have sales, and we are looking to buy a hugely expensive sectional from them.

[cuadrado]

Aug 11, 2019 18:23:31 GMT -5 dr.girlfriend said:

Aug 10, 2019 20:13:58 GMT -5 cuadrado said:

We looked at ordering a couch from Pottery Barn and the store associate was also insistent that we order from the store instead of online. Just dealing with the ordering process of entering the couch into the computer seemed like a nightmare. We had a really bad feeling about it and ended up backing out of the purchase. We ended up buying the Lounge II couch from Crate and Barrel. I like the Pottery Barn fabric options better but the lounge couch has been great. We used a 15% off moving coupon when we purchased it, and it was delivered on time. I’m so sorry you’re having issues. It’s really annoying when you experience poor service for such a large purchase.

cuadrado Can you tell me about this moving coupon from Room and Board?  I saw they don't have sales, and we are looking to buy a hugely expensive sectional from them.

It was crate and barrel but it came in the mail after we moved and changed our address with the post office.

[badgergrl]

I have had a ton of problems with pottery barn. Stuff comes jacked up or broken then somehow I get two replacements. Or a month goes by I get nothing, I call them they ship me two. It’s sort of become a joke in our house.

[lessel]

I tried to explain the situation in a very not bitchy and detailed email and got autogenerated customer service chopped together paragraphs that basically says your order is still on track for delivery on time! It says that the 'custom build' started on 7/31 when their product tracker online still only says 'custom build scheduled.' I reiterated the situation and told them to elevate my case to a manager. So it's gonna be super fun when I ultimately have to refuse delivery of this fucking couch and dispute the charge with Amex.

I just want something to sit on. I seriously looked for inflatable sofas on Amazon last night. Our family room currently has four plastic kids chairs for seating.

[sm12]

C&B is having an upholstery sale event now (online), 15-20% off.

We got the C&B move discount when we were ordering furniture at the store - we mentioned it to the associate, and she said she's keep it open for us indefinitely. (yay)

I swear, once a custom order is in progress, it seems unstoppable. We ordered an upholstered chair (C&B); I wanted to change the fabric, and they wouldn't help me at all - even though it was also "in progress" and weeks away from being due. I should've pushed harder - really dislike the fabric we got.

[simpsongal]

Aug 11, 2019 23:05:10 GMT -5 badgergrl said:

I have had a ton of problems with pottery barn. Stuff comes jacked up or broken then somehow I get two replacements. Or a month goes by I get nothing, I call them they ship me two. It’s sort of become a joke in our house.

+1

We had a mark on 1 of 2 chairs we ordered.  After lots of back and forth we got another and the mark was on the new chair but worse (it's like an indent in the velvet-like fabric).  Eh, I like the chairs so I gave up (it's not too noticeable).

I will say, their performance velvet fabric is so stain resistant!! 

[wanderingback]

Aug 12, 2019 6:17:31 GMT -5 lessel said:

I tried to explain the situation in a very not bitchy and detailed email and got autogenerated customer service chopped together paragraphs that basically says your order is still on track for delivery on time! It says that the 'custom build' started on 7/31 when their product tracker online still only says 'custom build scheduled.' I reiterated the situation and told them to elevate my case to a manager. So it's gonna be super fun when I ultimately have to refuse delivery of this fucking couch and dispute the charge with Amex.

I just want something to sit on. I seriously looked for inflatable sofas on Amazon last night. Our family room currently has four plastic kids chairs for seating.

I never paid attention to the tracker. I don't think it ever changed for me. I assumed it wasn't accurate. Did they give you a date of anticipated delivery?
They gave us a date range for anticipated delivery and about 1 week before I got an email saying my order would be available for delivery starting on that 1st date of the range they had originally given me. So that was highly accurate. Couch and chair just came a few days ago and no problems with delivery. 

But yes if you want to cancel the order then that's a completely different story and I would probably talk to the people in person to find out what you need to do to cancel. 

[boiler717]

Totally par for the course at pottery barn. I did get the direct, personal email of the SVP over retail and emailed her and that’s the only way my problem was addressed. This was years ago and I have no idea if it’s the same person!

[boiler717]

Also, my favorite PB story. I wanted a charging station for phones and went to buy in store. I asked the associate if they carried them and she said “this is pottery barn, we don’t sell things like that. Maybe try Lowe’s?” And I opened the catalogue I had in my person to the page. She then told me it was her first day LOL.

[huskymom]

Aug 13, 2019 16:13:03 GMT -5 boiler717 said:

Also, my favorite PB story. I wanted a charging station for phones and went to buy in store. I asked the associate if they carried them and she said “this is pottery barn, we don’t sell things like that. Maybe try Lowe’s?” And I opened the catalogue I had in my person to the page. She then told me it was her first day LOL.

But does Lowe’s even carry those? Lol

We have a Pearce sectional in the performance tweed and it’s held up really well for over 2 years, but I remember some issue where they charged me incorrectly and it took about 5 phone calls and 2 months of getting the wrong credits to get it all fixed. I also wouldn’t buy wood furniture from them again.

[lessel]

After exchanging several emails with various PB employees, here is the update. Even though the online tracker still only says "custom build scheduled" they say the "custom build is in progress" and the order cannot be cancelled. They say the couch will be delivered in the originally stated delivery window. They are agreeing to split the $400 difference with me in the form of a $200 PB gift card.

So, we'll see how this goes.

I honestly don't have the time or energy to go couch shopping again, so I'm hoping this works out.

[moolarkey]

My daughter had a terrible experience with PB and ended up canceling about 1/2 of a 25k order. Her BF had had a great experience with them. I can't remember everything they screwed up but it ranged from not ordering any of the 8 dining room chairs, table in the wrong finish and then it was going to be months to get right one(that is one thing that got cancelled), 2 sofas that weren't right. stuff not coming in until months after she ordered it. Just one thing after another. She will never shop there again.

[lessel]

Update: Since this got bumped a bit, I'll give an update. I got the gift card from PB for $202.40, exactly half of the price difference. Lol. But still no couch! It's allegedly coming next week. Fingers crossed! We're taking advantage of an empty family room to paint some super 80s wood paneling. Hopefully by next Friday I will be able to put my butt on something other than my kid's Nugget for the first time since we moved in early July, and in a freshly painted room.

[jelley]

Hi lessel, What ended up happening with the couch? I am in a similar situation at the moment. Today is the anticipated delivery date and Pottery Barn customer service is practically nonexistent.

[moolarkey]

I wish I could remember all the details but my DD worked with a PB designer to furnish their new house, total order was over 25k. It was one mess after another, wrong stuff ordered, stuff not ordered, items delayed months. She ended up cancelling everything she could and going with another local store. They would have gotten 25k out of them, the ended up with only about 3k in sales because they screwed up so much stuff.  She ordered over 6 months before completion date of their house so everything would be ready to move in when they closed. At closing they had one living room chair, the stools for the island and that is literally all they had. None of the couches, tables, chairs, end tables, coffee tables, rugs, lamps, nothing. Getting a hold of someone to get updates, explanations was futile. Either she couldn't reach someone or they gave her the run-around. She chose them because another of her friends had used them a year before and it really worked out well. This was fiasco and none of us will ever shop there for anything again.