Discontinued Furniture, No Refund Brings Woman To Five On Your Side

Last November, Karen Simmons ordered a chair, sofa, and ottoman from High Point-based NC Furniture Buy Direct online company.

The cost of the furniture, $1,450, was debited from Simmons' bank account, and her order was confirmed. She expected delivery in mid-February.

"I was like, 'Man, I had got my order.' I had talked to my family and co-workers telling them I finally found the furniture that I wanted," she said.

Simmons called to check the status in January. She was told everything was on schedule. But two weeks later she found out the manufacturer never got the order.

"I was upset. I was upset," she said.

The representative agreed to "push" the order, but then Simmons learned the furniture was discontinued.

She was told then that she would to have to write a letter and wait two more weeks for her account to be credited.

"I told her that was unacceptable," she said.

So Simmons went "up the chain" until she was told that if she faxed her cancellation, she would get the credit within three days, which did not happen.

After more calls, she got an e-mail saying it would be "eight to ten business days." She said she still got the runaround.

"[I'm] angry, very angry and I'm thinking why am I being put off?" she said.

After more calls and no refund, Simmons called Five on Your Side.

"I needed my money. You know, it was my money," she said.

Five On Your Side called NC Furniture Buy Direct. Vice President of Operations Gary Tramell told Five On Your Side the refund request was on his desk just waiting to run through the system. He promised to do it right away.

Three days later, Simmons' account was credited. The money helped pay for her new furniture.

Tramell said NC Furniture Direct brought him in to fix problems like the one Simmons had. He said furniture is discontinued all the time and he put new policies in place to make sure customers are notified right away so similar situations do not happen in the future.

The Better Business Bureau received 235 complaints against NC Furniture Buy Direct closed in the last three years. 216 of those are from the last year. For specifics on those complaints go to:

http://www.greensboro.bbb.org/commonreport.html?bid=4008436