From the pool table to the bar to the TV area, Troy Greenwald has a room used for relaxation, but he said it is time to replace a loveseat with a sofa. He found what he wanted online at NC Furniture Buy Direct.
"The price was very good. It was probably $100 to $200 cheaper than anything we saw at the stores like it," he said.
In November, Greenwald paid about $600 for one particular sofa. He expected delivery within 12 weeks.
"The 11th week I called to make sure everything was OK, and that's when they told me the manufacturer never received my order," he said.
A representative told him it would take another eight weeks to 12 weeks. That was OK with Greenwald until a month later when he got an e-mail saying it would be another eight to 12 weeks. It also gave him the option to cancel.
Greenwald decided to cancel his order, but getting the refund was another matter. He said he left repeated phone and e-mail messages that were not returned.
"It was just frustrating. No one was returning my calls," he said.
Greenwald saw the story Five On Your Side did with
Karen Simmons
. She, too, ordered furniture from NC Furniture Buy Direct. And just before her expected delivery, she too was told the manufacturer didn't get the order. She was promised a $1,450 refund within a few days, but she did not get it.
"I needed my money. You know, it was my money," Simmons said.
"I was just floored when I saw it was the same company," Greenwald said.
So far, six people have contacted Five On Your Side with complaints about NC Furniture Buy Direct. The North Carolina Attorney General's Office has 124 complaints.
Company Vice President of Operations Gary Tramell said he was brought in to fix problems and promised to resolve any issues Five On Your Side brought to his attention. After calls from Five On Your Side, Simmons got her $1,450, and Greenwald got a check for $598. Now, he's ready to look for another replacement sofa.
Another customer who complained to Five On Your Side got a $576 refund. Tramell also promised to pay back more than $2,000 to other complainants, saying he got a bank loan to take care of them and any others who are due refunds. So altogether, NC Buy Direct customers who complained to Five On Your Side are getting about $5,000 in refunds.
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