Complaint Rating:

In June I purchased an attic exhaust fan Dayton 7F67 from Air-n-Water, 17335 Mt. Wynne Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. On June 6 Air-n-Water sent me instead attic exhaust fan, model Dayton C713. Although Air-n-Water’s added packing slip showed the model number I had ordered, the manufacturer’s model number on the box and on the fan itself was different. The two different model numbers coincided with descriptions and photographs of two different models on Air-n-Water’s own web site. The one that I had received lacked the features and size I desired and ordered. When I called to complain and ask for redress, however, Customer Service immediately argued that I had actually received the right fan (or as good as) and that the company had made no error, despite the clear evidence to the contrary. This approach was not a fluke but a considered one, because different employees took this same tack each time I called. When I insisted on sending this incorrect item back, I learned that I had mistakenly been content to accept their boast on their introductory website that they were “fanatic” about customer satisfaction and promised a “fair and friendly” acceptance of returns. Instead I learned from Customer Service that it was company policy never to issue refunds for either initial or return shipping even in the case of company error, and to charge a 15% restocking fee on any return whatsoever. Nevertheless I followed their instructions for obtaining a Return Merchandise Authorization. Although their website promised to give me the required authorization within two days I heard nothing for nearly a week. Finally I called again. This time I managed to persuade a clearly reluctant Customer Service to grant me the authorization but only after being left on hold for half an hour and having a Customer Service representative hang up on me without warning. Instead of apologizing or attempting to be gracious Customer Service was rude and arrogant throughout. Clearly the policy of Air-n-Water is that the customer is always wrong. When the refund finally came I learned that I had lost over $86 in shipping and restocking fees because of their company’s error. I would never again deal with this company under any circumstances.