Company information:
Towne Square Blvd
Roanoke, Virginia
United States
Caveat Emptor
Caveat Emptor, two words I wish that I had remembered from my High School Latin class! In December I purchased bedding from Mattress Warehouse on Towne Square Blvd. With limited opportunity to test the bedding in the store we were very concerned that it would be satisfactory. I discussed my concerns with the salesperson who assured me that we would find the bedding to be satisfactory. When I noticed that the receipt was clearly stamped "no refunds", no "exchanges" the salesperson told me "not to worry about it" that "Mattress Warehouse always stands behind their products". Caveat Emptor.
The very first night we tried the bedding we noticed that it was in fact satisfactory, for about 30 minutes! After that time the mattress began to sink and it felt like we were sleeping in a hole. I called the store the next morning and was directed to file with the "Mattress Marshals (MM)" (the warranty division). We did not use the mattress, slept in the guest room, filled a claim with the MM (twice) and we waited. And we waited. As we waited, we continued to be in contact with the store weekly and with the District Manager. Nine weeks later we still hadn't heard from the MM!
Finally losing patience I called the store and told them I was bringing the bedding back. A new salesperson (the old one was gone) told me to bring it in the back door. I brought in the box springs and I tried to move in the mattress. I was met by a very angry Manager (he is also no longer with the store) who pushed me in the chest and told me that he was not letting me in the store. He threatened to call the police and told me that I could not bring the mattress in. Why he wouldn't let me in I had no idea and even less of an idea why he felt it was ok to push me? But, in any case, I followed his directions. I stayed out of the store and left the mattress outside by the back door.
Later I called the Manager trying to see if he had calmed down and to determine what the next course of action was. He was still mad, told me that "he didn't give a damn what I said", "didn't work for me" and "was doing what his District Manager told him to do". I asked him about the disposition of the bedding and whether the MM had finally been able to see it. He told me that he had removed it from store and it had been "stolen".
I did pursue this issue by filling a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. This complaint is still unresolved and will probably remain so. Mattress Warehouse's solution was to admit the box springs had been removed from the store, offer no compensation, refund, or exchange and to suggest that "since this item had been stolen" I should file a complaint with Roanoke City Police!
These items are on my credit card and I do not have the merchandise. Unfortunately, due to the time delay, there is no remedy through the credit card. I can't help but wonder if this delay for the MM was part of Mattress Warehouse's overall strategy?
As a small business owner in the Valley I cannot believe this attitude. There appears to be no thought of customer satisfaction or of reoccurring sales. I personally find this attitude both short sighted and offensive.
Caveat Emptor (buyer beware) at least when dealing with Mattress Warehouse.
