[Resolved] Empire Today — steer clear of empire today!

G glosson Review updated: Dec 14, 2019

Empire Today just started doing business in NC, and have started a huge t.v. ad campaign. My wife saw the commercials and we figured we'd give them a try. I called and set up an appointment and they sent someone at my earliest convenience. So far so good.

The estimator shows up and immediately put us off by assuming that my wife and I weren't southerners because we didn't have drawls and proceeded to make fun of southern accents.

He immediately started his salesman schmooze by complimenting my wife, playing with the baby, asking to pet our dog, etc etc. He measured the rooms we wanted carpeted and went back to his van to get samples. He immediately started trying to steer us towards the most expensive carpet he had, and told us to not "make the mistake of buying carpet based on price." Um... yeah. Price is not an object to a salesman, is it?

After measuring he gave me an estimate that was about $2000 over what anyone else gave us. He kept going on about how it included EVERYTHING from padding to moving the furniture, to removing the old carpet and padding, etc etc. I was able to talk him down a measly $200 which he immediately tacked back on with sales tax. We really needed the carpet and in a hurry, so I signed on the dotted line. I asked him for an itemized bill so I could see how it all broke down, and he said, "We don't do things that way. We figure it by the job." Red flags then went off...

After he left, I started thinking about how completely wrong I felt about the transaction. I reviewed the paper work and saw where he failed to mention all of my options as far as padding, moving my own furniture, etc etc.

I called and canceled within 30 minutes of him leaving my house. They asked why I wanted to cancel and I told them the salesman wouldn't give me an itemized bill. The customer service rep asked, "Well if we knock something more off the price, would that help?" I told him it might if he could promise me an itemized bill, but he would NOT do that. He gave me my cancellation notice and said that my $25 deposit would be refunded in 10-14 business days. I told him the salesman required $100 from me and he said, "Um... really?"

So then I called to cancel the credit line that was opened with GE and got a call center in India and they refused to help me cancel the account. Why wasn't I smart enough to trust my gut instinct? I'm still in this mess and I will warn EVERYONE to steer clear of Empire Today. Take your money to a reputable local dealer or a national chain of home improvement stores.

Empire Today's response · May 14, 2014

Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention, Susan. We can assure you that your experience is not what we expect for our customers. We regret that your concerns have not yet been resolved, and we will be contacting you shortly to discuss the situation in more detail. You can also reach us at 888-588-2315 x4195 or [email protected] Thank you. Jeanette Ramey, National Customer Service Manager

Resolution Statement

Customer Service has done everything in their power to resolve the complaint. All attempts to contact the customer have failed. Therefore, the complaint has been annulled and must not be considered where image of the company in question and its services are concerned.

Read 96 comments

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Responses

Em
Empire-Today Nov 22, 2006

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Total customer satisfaction is important to us here at Empire Today. We take customer feedback very seriously and we are always striving to improve the customer’s experience. We have reviewed your posting and are currently researching this matter. You will be contacted within 24 hours to address your concerns in full detail.


0 Votes

Lu
Lumpy Dec 13, 2006

Late summer of 2006 I called empire carpet. Sure as promised in their commercials a salesman came to my home and he recommended his highest quality carpet. I liked the look so I agreed. The carpet was installed in my basement the next day for almost three thousand dollars. About a month later I noticed little loops coming out all over the carpet. After about four months it had gotten so bad that we decided to call empire to see what they can do. Their installers came back and said that they could just cut off the loops which would just reappear soon after but there was nothing they could do to repair it. After calling them several times an inspector was sent to my home a couple of weeks later. He noticed the loops coming apart all over the carpet, he examined my vacuum cleaner and found no problems with the vacuum he then took lots of pictures and left. A week later, I receive a letter from empire telling me that my carpet meets all industry standards and is free of all manufacturing defects. It is obvious to me that although they realize that by their own admission that there is something wrong with the carpet, They are not whiling to do anything about it. So now I am stock with a very expensive carpet that looks like crap and is getting worse by the minute and empire's response is simply: Too bad so sad, we've got your money, tough luck you are on your own. And if you would like your carpet replaced, hand over another three thousand and our salesman will sell you another defective carpet with a smile on his face as he convinces you that you are buying the best quality carpet for the best price in the world.


0 Votes

Lu
Lumpy Dec 15, 2006

About a year ago I contracted with Empire Today to replace the windows in my townhouse. Along with the windows I also bought trim which the sales person assured me included jambs. I contracted to pay $7290 for this job. This cost was after a 20% discount for being a BJ’s member and an additional 20% discount for being a government employee.

They never installed the jambs and did not install the trim on the kitchen window or the upstairs bathroom window. After the sale person got me to sign the contract and make a down payment of $1822.50 for the windows and the trim I never heard from her again.

They installed windows that changed the size of the window openings by installing a frame that is attached to the inside of the original frame. They never took out the appropriate permits for this installation which they say they will do on their "Everything Included System" form.

After they finished the first day of the installation they insisted that I sign the Certificate of Completion form with the stipulation that they come back to complete the installation with the exception of the jambs that they said I was not entitled to. I was under a great deal of duress. On the Certificate of Completion it shows the Total Contract Amount $7,290.00, Payments Rec'd: $3,856.25 which I assumed and the contractor that was at my house agreed included my down payment and a refund for not installing the jambs and the trim, Financing: $0.00, Allowance: $0.00, Balance: $3,433.75, COD Amount: $3,433.75 which I paid with my Master Card. They came back two weeks later to finish the items listed in the "still to be completed" area of the form.

In March they said that I owed them another $1,822.50 because there was no refund for the work that I was told would be done that wasn't. Now their agent, Richenbacher Collection Services, is threatening me with a lien on my house, even though the contract says that the contract does not create a mortgage or lien against my property.

Please help me with these problems,the sales person making promises that the company has no intention of keeping and making them stop demanding payment for work that they did not do.

Thank you for your time.

Eileen Joyce

12/14/2006 at 5:55 pm

This is in response to the "Resolution in Progress" posting. As of this time I have NOT heard from Empire Today. There has been no offers. I am the only person that will be making any decisions about this matter!


0 Votes

St
Steven Duke Dec 26, 2006

Very similar experience today. Estimate from salesman worked out at around $60 per yard for some average carpet. He would not give me a per yard cost so I sat down and worked it out after he left. I cancelled immediately and put in a complaint about the rep.

These guys obviously don't care about the damage they are doing to their own brand.


0 Votes

Di
Dirk Mar 06, 2007

Couple things...first of all, realize that Empire is just a bunch of middle men. I'm picturing scummy, self made guys with Rolex's and lots of gold jewelry. They've been working one scam or another since middle school.

They put ads out there looking for people to work as sub contractors. These people, especially the sales people, don't care about anything except for how much your sale is EARNING THEM! Comeon, this should come as no surprise.

You are partially to blame for not saying no.

Grow some you know whats.


0 Votes

Di
Dirk Mar 06, 2007

man, they are quick...I just got the following email:

To: [email protected]
Subject: you win free tile.
From: "vinnytheslug" <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2007 05:56:55 -0800

E-Mail from "vinnytheslug" to "Dirk" at [email protected] on www.complaintsboard.com

this is vinny. we appreciate your comments about us. please come to new york so we can show you some things.

If you think that you recieved this E-mail by mistake, please report it to [email protected], administrator staff.


0 Votes

Gl
glosson Mar 26, 2007

Just FYI, they're comment says they were going to call me within 24 hours. They never called. They're just trying to do damage control on these message boards because they have so many complaints against them.


0 Votes

Ju
Julianne Gentile Apr 01, 2007

We had a terrible experience with Empire Today as well. We had a high-pressure salesman, but despite our better judgment we spent thousands of dollars for flooring throughout our home. They rushed us through so much that we never took the time to investigate or look around because they install the next day.

We ordered both laminate and carpeting. The laminate is fine, but I think we overpaid. However, the carpet is another story. The installers were rude and left heavy furniture in the wrong location. When we called to ask them to please move the furniture back they were "unavailable." The carpet itself was not very attractive and sheds like crazy. The installers left obvious seams in odd places and there are strings sticking up from where they made sloppy cuts on the stairs.

I would warn everyone to do your homework before making a purchase like this.


0 Votes

Jj
J. Jimenez Apr 03, 2007

I am a sales person for empire. Not everyone in the company is bad. The company is very large and there will be some bad seeds. I apologize for your bad experience you had. I personally feel that the sales person is responsible to present the company professionally and help to serve the customer. I can assure you that I always try to do my best for the customer and the client. Is it always possible to make everyone happy, No. But we do try. Empire provides an awesome service for their clients. Who do you know of that can provide you with next day installs, same day estimates, free in home samples and services at your time. It only takes one call to report a service issue, and in NC they respond within 24- 48 hours. They are fast, dependable and the best at what they do. Is that worth something, you bet.


-1 Votes

An
Angelo Arvin Apr 13, 2007

I am in San Diego. We just got a new estimate for laminate wood from Empire Today, VISTA- California. It was fairly good quote provided to us by Empire Salesman. The Sales Person is very knowledgeable, polite and professional.

However, we decided to cancel the installation after reading this email. Why, Empire Salesman did not provide the itemized cost / breakdown of the cost that I don't know and I did not bother to ask the Sales Rep.

I think moving forward, it would be very helpful for any customer to get an itemized / breakdown of cost to understand where this $$$ is coming from. It does not matter whether the cost is high as long it is itemized.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,
LION777


0 Votes

Sh
Shannon Apr 20, 2007

I also advise everyone to steer clear of Empire Today!!! We had a series of mistakes on their part which resulted in half our house not being usable for almost two months. I had to call and call and call to try to get people out to do the job right and they kept ignoring us and stood us up three times. I filed a complaint against them to the Better Business Bureau, but even with that they didn't have the decency to fix the issue. They are just out to take your money and have NO concern for customer service or quality.


0 Votes

El
Ellen Apr 23, 2007

Empire Today is the most non-professional company I have ever worked with. They come in, take your money up front, and could not care less to do a decent job or to finish it as promised. Sure, they may show up in one day, but good luck getting them to finish the job or correct mistakes. Count on have low quality work and NO ONE to help you, despite filing numerous complaints and spending numerous hours trying to get your issues resolved. They have no respect or concern for customers. Do not let this big company suck you in. They are arrogant enough to think that they have enough business that they can treat customers like dirt. They should not be in business.


0 Votes

Re
Rebekah Clerk Apr 24, 2007

Dear Valued Customers,

Thank you for your postings about your experiences with Empire Today. It is the goal of Empire to provide world-class customer service to every customer. We ask that anyone with outstanding issues please contact the Office of the President at [email protected] One of our Resolution Associates will be happy to work with you towards resolution.

Sincerely,

Rebekah Clerk
Manager, Office of the President
Empire Today


-1 Votes

Valerie Apr 26, 2007

I wish I had read all the complaints against Empire Today before I signed away a good chunk of change for them to install my carpet and tiling. They have a high pressure sales tactic, which I didn't like, but I thought the price was fair and figured they would at least be fast. In fact, they were slower than any other contractor I've ever worked with. The tiling work was very sloppy and uneven, so it had to be redone. They had to come back 5 times to finish the job and this took almost two months. During this time, I filed two complaints and tried to reach numerous people for help. This company DOES NOT reply to or care about customer issues. They are all about a fast buck but not about quality and customer care. I was stood up three times by them and had to spend countless hours tracking them down because I was continually ignored by them. Even when I filed a second complaint, I had to call them back 5 days later because they ignored it. Then I tried to escalate it, but still people didn't call me back or follow through. In the end, they didn't resolve the issues to my satisfaction although the carpet and tiling was finally installed. I was horribly disappointed by them and think they are a disgusting example of a company just out for themselves. I noticed they apologized for some of the complaints I've read online. They apologized to me too, but it's their actions that count. Everything they do in dealing with customers makes it crystal clear that they do not care at all about you as a customer or providing quality service. An apology isn't worth a darn thing for all the unprofessionalism, poor quality, and wasted time you'll have to spend to get them to do what you paid them for.


1 Votes

Pe
Per Sonal May 08, 2007

To the Empire reps responding to these comments: contacting the Office of the President is rarely achieved via a generic '[email protected]' email address. Please provide the correct contact details for the head honcho - someone who can actually address and respond to these issues, and also post follow-ups to specific complaints.

I am on the verge of signing away nearly $12,000 to you and wish to make sure any complaints will be addressed promptly and to my satisfaction.


1 Votes

Su
Sue Gallagher May 10, 2007

I agree with everyone here regarding Empire Today, and their "business practices", or lack of. In August of 2005, we called them for information on their bath enclosures. Yes, they were out within a day, and within an hour, we had scheduled them to begin work the next day. As we only have one bathroom, and they were the first to respond to our inquiry, we foolishly went ahead before checking with anyone else. The qoute was over $3,500, which seemed much higher than I heard from other people, but we did it anyway, and scheduled them to come in immediately. The installer was out the next morning, and worked by himself all day. When I got home from work that evening he was just finishing up, and seemed to be in quite a hurry. In fact, he completely forgot to caulk around the tub, the wall sections, the shelves, etc...until my husband brought it to his attention. He then still forgot a few spaces, which again we pointed out, and he had to dig through the garbage bag to get what was left of the caulk he had thrown away. Initially, I was initially very happy with everything, and told everyone I about it, and showed people how great it had turned out. Well this didn't last long. Within a few months, the caulking on the wall sections seemed to be dis-coloring, and small black spots began forming on the caluk around the tub. I called Empire with out success several times in the next couple months. In February of 2006, I finally got a hold of a customer service manager, Mia Walker, who actually did seem concerned and contacted a repair ran to return to our house that week to determine what was going on. When I called him, he didn't even to know what I was talking about, and as someone here mentioned, not even employed by Empire Today, but he agreed to come out within week after 5:30. That DID NOT happen, The first day he was scheduled, I got home in the evening to get a message on our machine that he was there at 9:30AM so I needed to call and re-schedule an appointment. This went on for weeks, and weeks, with NO one every showing up at all. I continued to call Empire Today, e-mail through their web-site, and never once got any resolution. Due to some personal problems, we were unable to waste anymore time on them, so reluctantly I let it go for awhile. Late last year, I decided once again to try to get some resolution on this. I tried calling, e-mailing, but have never received a response back. Our tub now, is worse than ever, and you can feel water underneath the liner, which is getting worse by the day. I was told this enclosure had a "Lifetime" warranty, however, we cannot chance their shabby workmanship much longer without fear of it ruining our bathroom even worse. For the money we paid, and the supposed reputation Empire is supposed to have, this is the most unacceptable job anyone has ever seen. We are now going to have to call out another company to FIX something Empire Today never installed correctly in the first place. I cannot believe that they continue to advertise the Customer Service while knowing that once the job is done and the checks in the bank, you'll never be able to reach them again. Should have known when they said they could not take a personal check as payment. I had to go the bank for a cashiers check for over $3,000 for the final payment, which they had no trouble taking. I will continue to advise anyone and everyone I know to never, ever, contract them for any type of job they may need. I guess we learned a valuable, and costly lesson the hard way.


0 Votes

Lu
Lucia May 25, 2007

Wow! I'm glad to have read this stuff now. We were thinking of going ahead and getting carpet from Empire but now I think I'll tell my husband we should go with someone else. We had a salesman come out a few days ago. He seemed pretty nice and fairly knowledgeable and we were tempted by the quick turnaround time. But, we decided to compare with Home Depot. The flooring guy there was much more knowledgeable and helpful and willing to discuss details. Details were missing from the Empire salesman. All the carpets at HD have wear or performance ratings and "face weights" and I was told that all carpet should have these comparable numbers (industry standard). I just talked to the Empire salesman who claims these are made up numbers from HD and they don't have anything comparable - this doesn't sound right to me. I told him I am trying to compare carpet quality and he just says well, this is high quality and has a 10 year warranty. He stresses how great their customer service is and that they've won the golden torch award from the BBB 2 years in a row and this is some big deal. I just looked at the BBB website and don't see what he's talking about. Another sales pitch we got was that all installers are employees, not subcontractors and therefore we would be more secure with them in our home and the company would stand behind any problems. It doesn't sound like their installers are employees from reading some of this stuff and I don't know that it really matters one way or the other anyway. And, finally, the estimate from Empire is quite a bit higher than the estimate from HD - the HD estimate also includes higher quality padding sealed in plastic (good for spills or animal accidents), and I feel that there is more information about the carpet quality. Oh, and also, when I called to make the Empire appt., I asked first, are you a company that gives one price if the decision is made on the spot and I was told, no, they don't operate that way - I said good because I'm not interested in that type of sales pitch. Well, we were told if you do this in a few days it will be at least "a couple" of hundred dollars cheaper. Specifics are lacking though - and no written estimate was given.


1 Votes

Ja
Jared McAnally Jun 04, 2007

You have no excuse for getting ripped off. With all the technology available, and the internet, which you must know how to use since you found this site, you have no excuse for being an uninformed victim. Further, don't blame empire today as a company for a lame salesman, it's not their fault he doesn't know anything about being professional or educated. Bottom line is... I don't feel sorry for you, get a brain.


0 Votes

Dt
DTarsia Jun 07, 2007

In January 2005 I had a carpet installed in my house. The first day, after scheduling and confirming early morning installation they showed up at 5pm. The installation was then rescheduled for following day, they showed up in a timely manner this time but when moving furniture they broke my entertainment center(which I was compensated for) After almost completing the job, my wife walked in and found they were installing the wrong color carpet. So after much debate and 2 salesman (the first one conveniently didn't have that sample in his kit) They Finally arranged to have the correct carpet installed. So about 2 weeks later installation was commencing and all was done except for approx 1.5 along livingroom wall, when the installer stated he must stop as the rest of the carpet was from a "different dye lot" and would need to order in new carpet again. Approx one week later I took another day off work , the installers showed up opened the back door of the truck , I was called over and he stated they gave him wrong carpet again. So again they reordered the carpet and again I waited. A few days later I was called and told the carpet had arrived and installation was scheduled for a letr date. and FINALLY a carpet was permanently installed in my house(almost without incident) They damaged my china closet , but I didn't report it as even I would not believe me at that point and at this point quite honestly I wanted nothing more to do with this company.

After approx 3 months I noticed an area of the carpet had risen and was getting frayed in a traffic area by the steps to the only bathroom in the house. I called and reported it and they schedule an "independent inspector"to look at area, this Gentleman stated the area was delaminated by pet urine and no service would be provided. He was using a moisture gauge which showed twice the allowed moisture , I knew pet urine was not an issue so I contested this ruling and another inspector was sent who used the proper tool (a blacklight) to inspect the area, he stated to me clearly that pet urine was not the cause that the seam was installed in a traffic area and that it was installation error. So empire ONCE AGAIN was forced to replace my carpet, however my carpet was no longer available and it cost me an additional $250.00 to upgrade my carpet. But installation was scheduled and AGAIN I moved all my furniture out so the carpet could be replaced again. When the installers left it was noticed they had not stretched, they had had miscut an area on the stairs and just plugged in carpet which came up first vacuuming and did an unacceptable job around the banister. so they scheduled their repair tech "mike" and he stretched the living room but stated the stairs had to be handled by the original installer. he stated that I would be contacted within a week. After a few days I started calling asking when the repair would be completed.

Left many voicemails but got no return calls. So after approx 1 month I contacted the credit card company Ge Capitol to file a dispute and stop their payments. The dispute was cancelled though because Empire stated that I had never contacted them with a problem, Voicemails were Left with Cynthia as well as Chris Arnold at the Cinainson Nj location(the local market as they call it) Phone number 856-303-2300 or toll free 888-588-2320 and never got a return call, so I file a second dispute was filed and again this one just disapeared , I called Chris Arnold again last week and was told he would not help as I am "out of waranty"and he was never informed I had a problem , the call was then abruptly ended.

I then called Corporate again and lodged a complaint with e office of the president Ranisha Odem (not sure of spelling) who refered my complaint to Tim Sherman the regional manager, he did return my cakk Friday 4th and basically called me a liar about my repeated calls and attempt to correct the problem stating that he had no record of my calls. I know between my cell phone and home phone I have called over 20 times (27 to be exact) but he stated if I could prove 1 he would arrange repair, well as of Saturday I have proved 6 and am waiting for phone records from cell phone company and Left Mr Sherwin a message at 888-588-2315 ext 7813 and no return call has occurred. I did tell mr Sherwin that if he didn't respond quickly I would be contacting channel 6 and was told go ahead I have them handled "did I ever notice that no report has ever been done on us"

It is obvious that this company thinks they are above that which most would call good business practices and they certainly think they are more powerful than channel 6 and since I know better I would love to give you guys a shot at them.

Today I spoke with Tim Sherwin, he stated that he received my proof of my making phone calls and is still not willing to help me. He stated that I have been paid 60% of cost. This was reimbursed for time lost from work and the entertainment center they broke.

Thank you for taking the time to read this


-1 Votes

Gm
G. Macdonald Jun 10, 2007

My husband and I are about to close on a house, and it very badly needs new carpet and some new tiling throughout. We saw the Empire commercial today, and as I was in the process of looking into them, came across both their website, which I read first and made me very suspicious, and then this one. We WON'T be calling them. It sounds like they need to be investigated for poor business practices and for fraud in every state they do business in. I hope everyone who has been ripped off and treated badly by this company files a complaint with both the BBB and their state's Justice Department or State's Attorney General, whichever the case may be. This kind of thing should not be allowed to continue. It isn't fair that just because working people want the best quality product for the best price should not make them into prey for such unscrupulous companies like this one. IMO, Somebody needs to shut them down... NOW.


0 Votes

Re
Regina K. Jun 13, 2007

The best way to find out if a product or service is up-to-par is to read customers' experiences. Doing home projects are always considered investments in upgrading your home value. When prestigious companies claim to be "all that" and turn out to be lacking in ethics and professionalism, then word of mouth is the best way to conquer poor service and bad business.

Before making any large financial deals with businesses, contact the BBB at http://search.bbb.org/

It couldn't hurt.


0 Votes

Em
Empire-Today Jul 10, 2007

We do understand that we may not be able to satisfy each customer that we work with. Empire Today LLC schedule thousands of appointments and installations daily and the percentage of unsatisfied customers are well below the industry standards. We still work with every customer and offer the best solutions as well as listen to theirs resolution so that we can do what is best for our customers.


0 Votes

Jo
john wilson Jul 20, 2007

I hope this does not get on 60 minutes as I work for Empire Today in Raleigh and never knew there was anything wrong with their installations.


0 Votes

Jt
J.T. Shim Jul 25, 2007

COLOR: My wife ordered Eggshell (a light color). I stayed home to be the older-than-18-year-old to help with the installation. My wife came home and claims WRONG COLOR. The manager called back to confirm that there is more than a dye-lot difference... my wife is right!

SPEED: The salesperson said it would take 3 days to install. But when the installers showed up they said day or two with 1.5 being realistic. So we did all but the master bedroom and closet in the first day. Wife complains--too fast, not ready.

QUESTION: The color difference doesn't warrant rework and replacement in my opinion. What is a UCR discount? (UCR=Usual, Customary and Reasonable).


0 Votes

Ro
Robin Martin Aug 06, 2007

I'm glad I saw your email. We are in Florida and Empire is really burning up the commercial air time down here. We were in the mall this weekend and they even have a kiosk in place. I thought I'd do some research before we considered giving them a call. Thanks so much for the warning. I think we would do better to deal with a local vendor.


0 Votes

Jm
J. Michaels Aug 09, 2007

Please call the Better Business Bureau if you have any questions regarding the validity and customer approval/satisfaction of Empire Today. Keep in mind Empire Today is America's #1 in home carpet/flooring company and installs hundreds of jobs a day throughout the country. Empire Today's complaints (which they always address, and do so in a timely fashion) are a very minimal fraction compared to the total number of satisfied customers they have accumulated through the years. My family and I are very happy with their products, their service, and will continue to use their company for years to come. Thank you Empire Today!


-1 Votes

Jo
Joe Xu Aug 26, 2007

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Our factory was established in 1998, we mainly manufacture and export laminate flooring to America, Europe and etc...

Our products ability is at least 250 containers each month.
We have more that 200 colors for you choose...

you can visit ou web site www.ETingChina.com
to know more about us

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if you need any thing pls feel free call me, my call No. +86 13776864989


-1 Votes

Jl
J. Larkin Aug 28, 2007

I just want to say that anyone reading this really does need to steer clear of Empire... I am going through the same issue, as a matter of fact, while I am typing this I am still on hold (30 minutes later) on my 4th or 5th call this week... still waiting for the guy to show up from Friday night who was supposed to come and look at where my hardwood floors are buckling... I will let ya know how that works out for me :-/


0 Votes

Li
Linda Stevens Oct 19, 2007

We just had Empire Today carpet our whole house and put laminate in the kitchen. They did a great job! I had a couple of little concern, so I called the company and they sent a man out to take care of it the NEXT day. The price we were given was very competitive. They did exactly what they said they would do.

I have one complaint. We ordered our carpet in April and wanted it put in Oct/15(I have severe asthma and needed to get past allergy season. The contracts were drawn up and we waited. Several weeks later we began getting our deposits back. I thought it was strange so I called the 1-800 number. I was told that it had been over 90 days and it was their policy to cancel after 90 days. I read the contracts over and over again and there was no mention of a 90 day rule. I called the company again. They wanted to send a salesman out to remeasure and rebid our order. I said "no way". I called the headquarters and got every thing straightened out. Now, I'm no fool. Oil was selling for 60.00 in April and is now selling for about 90.00. So, they wanted to charge me more to make up for the cost of making the carpet.


0 Votes

Ja
Jan Brown Oct 24, 2007

Okay, my question is what difference does it make that there is no itemization?? The bottom line price is what really matters, isn't it? I have had 3 installations in my home, and I can tell you that Empire Today is the most experienced, customer oriented company that I have ever done business with. Instead of getting upset about issues just CALL them and they will always take care of you quickly and professionally. They have been in business for a long time, and I hardly think that they would jeopardize their reputation by trying to swindle their customers. No company can do what they do, and no company honors warranties the way that they do either. They are a complete package, and I will continue to do business with them and only them for any home improvements.


0 Votes

Js
J.Sanborn Feb 04, 2008

I am not going to say that I had the same experience as many of the previous messages convey. I am going to tell you that I am totally discusted with the response from the Corporate Offices. My expereinces takes place in Orlando. I am from Chicage and actually did business with Empire many, many years ago. I grew up with the jingle as did many of my generation. when I wanted to do some flooring in one room, I called them.

I have no complaints with the sales rep. Maybe it was because I knew what I wanted and what prices were comparable. I knew about all of the costs and actually he did break up the carpet cost, installation rug removal, etc. The final cost was slightly higher than I had gotten from others - BUT I could have this the next day. All the others gave 2 weeks or more because of being busy (this really is normal for here). I paid up front and cash.

Many things happened that caused us to keep changing the installation date - all were by my needs.
This is where the problem comes in. I finally had to cancel and asked for a refund. I actually got it about 19 days later. Great right? WRONG! I deposited the check waited for the bank's out of state hold to be lifted and paid some bills. Five days, 26 days after the check was cut, IT BOUNCED!!!!!. My checking account was adjusted and unfortunately, I got several charges. I called immediately upon notification from my bank. I only had the general "advertised nunber". The rep. was polite, information and,of course, apologized. He noted the account, and tried to connect me with someone at the Corporate Office who would handle this. He had to leave a message. I was told I would be called in 24 hours and my account was marked priority.

Now the story begins to sound like everyone else's. I wasn't contacted. I called, again got great service on the phone from someone who could do little but try to get me to someone who could help. AGAIN NO person was available and yet another voice mail left. He gave me another number. I now started to leave voice mails myself. I called the corporate office and asked to speak to someone who could help me. I was again given the same name as a contact and she still NEVER called. 6 days later and many messages left, I finally got ahold of a real person who could help me. It looks as if my issue will be resolved. I am amazed that a company of this size is unable to make an electronic transfer to my bank. I will still have to wait for 10 days from deposit because of the BOUNCED check. My account will incur some additional fees, but my bank is helping. I always thought it was illegal to issue a check that will bounce. It wasn't even that big compared to what I read above. The fact that they did not even know a check had been returned is still unsettling.

This has caused me to have little confidence in their business techeniques. The installers I had seen in Chicago all had on Empire uniforms. None of the ones I see down here have. It appears that the main company does not screen/check out who they are subcontracting. Big mistake on their part. What is happeneing to Empire is not uncommon for companies expanded if they do not stay informed about who is representing them. I would have to say that the initial contacts I made with phone representatives was excellent However the best CS Department can not make up for the lousy imprerssion left by those in administration or contractors. Will I get a good check, will I receive some restitution? I don't know.

Right now, I would highly recommend that other choices be made for those looking for carpet and tile. Empire, as a whole, is not reliable. The two weeks wait for nstallation is worth it!


-1 Votes

Cu
Curtis Smith Feb 18, 2008

Thank you for your posting, I am closing on a house in 2 days and it also needs new carpet, as well as the hardwood floors being replaced. I figured Empire could give me a good price for a package deal. I had called them today to schedule an appointment for 27th. After reading these blogs I will be calling them back to cancel. The shody work spoke of in here as well as the total lack of disregard for customer satisfaction speaks volumes to me, and one main phrase "go to someone reputable"!


1 Votes

Ca
carroll Feb 23, 2008

I had a free in-home estimate done on February 13th. On February 14th, I cancelled my order and was told by an Empire customer service rep that my deposit check would be mailed back to me.
I received a cancellation confirmation number on February 14th.
On February 15th, Empire deposited my check, despite the cancellation of the order. Now they tell me I have to wait 15 days for a refund for a check that they had no right to cash. I should have placed a hold on the check but when they told me the check would not be cashed and that it would be mailed back to me, unfortunately, I believed them. The deposit check was in the amount of $741.
I will never do business with this company again and I would advise anyone, thinking of engaging their services, to think again. Shop around for a more ethical company.


1 Votes

Em
empire installer Mar 13, 2008

INSTALLERS BEWARE! EMPIRE TODAY DOES NOT PAY WHAT THEY SAY. THEY ONLY WORK CONTRACTORS THAT ARE EASY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.


2 Votes

Pa
Paul Moran Mar 20, 2008

I used empire for recarpeting my 3 bedrooms. My spouse was home when the sales person came to our house...I was at work at the time. The estimate was higher than I thought it was going to be, but she signed the paperwork and the salesperson left. When I got home, I noticed that the work order was not itemized which I thought was weird. So when I broke down the price based on square footage, I realized that I was not getting a very good deal on the carpet. We called the salesperson, and he knocked $500 off of the price and faxed me an itemized work order. The carpet was installed a few days later since we could not be home the next couple of days. Everything went smoothly and the carpet is great.


-1 Votes

De
Denise VanTassell Mar 31, 2008

Well here goes I just got off the phone with the Ocean Count New Jersey District Attorney office. I will be bringing charges against Empire Carpet. On Friday evening I had avery nice salesman come to my Dads house We just lost our Mom June 14 2007. My dad bought her house with an FHA loan. We needed to have the carpet installed by Saturday, the next day. I am sure this is how Empire works, the desperate will pay anything. They put my Dads credit check through, and stated he is only eligible for $500.00. If we wanted the carpet right away we would heave to come up with the balance of $1, 024.00 before the carpet was insatlled. I agreed to pay with my debit card. They installed the carpet that Saturday morning. I signed authorization for $1, 024.00. Sunday mrning I called my bank to check my balance and they withdrew $1, 524.00, which caused my mortgage to bounce. I got on the phone and was told it was Sunday, they can not do anything. it is now Monday morning and have been given the runaround for the past 3 hours. They have yet to even give me a phone call. They stole $500.00 from my account and I can not let them get away with it. What would stop them from going into your account next time STAY AWAY FROM EMPIRE CARPET. I AM SUING


1 Votes

Ja
Jana Marx Apr 06, 2008

I do agree with all of the comlaints about Empire. I'm currently an employee for the company that's been experimenting four years of hell. Not only Empire has bad instalation, the company has been hiring illegal immigrants especially ones that don't speak English. The management at my branch at Empire DO NOT treat employees with respect at all and I was told by three former employees that Empire is beeing investigated by the U.S Attorney general for discrimination, falsifying information from customers and much more. And last I've experienced sexual harrasement from a sales rep that used to work at my branch. He then went to work for Empire in another state and I'm in the process now on seeking some extreme revenge out on him.


0 Votes

Ma
Mark Apr 17, 2008

from MD -- So far, so good. Saleman was polite, not overdone (although British accents come off snooty sometimes). Crew arrived this morning, on time and are in the midst of installing. Our neighbors used Empire two years ago and had no problems, as did a co-worker and no problems. Each person had either laminate or carpet.

We are having laminate and porcelain installed for kitchen and bathroom. Cost was a little higher than the hardware store chain's prices ($2750 vs. $3300), but Empire could be there next day and the hardware store was booked for a while.

Friends of a friend had their Credit Card stolen from an Empire Today rep about 3 years ago, but we didn't hear about that until after install had begun. I did not use a credit card, but signed up for the 12 month free interest/no payments. It is the same GE bank I have used previously from electronics chain stores for similar bargains.

I don't like what I read in these postings, but I had friends experiences that backed up Empire. I will re-post after today, when all should be good.


1 Votes

Ra
Rawada Abraham Apr 18, 2008

IF I NEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW I WOULD NEVER HAVE CALLED EMPIRE TODAY, THE REASON I CALLED EMPIRE TODAY IS I FIGURED THEY WOULD BE MORE RELIABLE THEN YOUR AVERAGE CONTRACTOR, I NEEDED MY BALCONY TILED SO I CALLED EMPIRE THEY SENT OUT THEIR SALES PERSON NEXT DAY HE GAVE ME A QUOTE OF $2900.00 NO PAYMENT NO INTEREST FOR A YEAR I SIGNED AND GAVE A DEPOSIT FEW DAYS LATER THEIR INSTALERS CAME OUT IT TOOK TWO DAYS IT WAS ALMOST DONE BUT I NOTICED THEY HAD TO GROUT TWICE I TOLED MY SON I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING, BUT WHO AM I TO SAY SOMETHING I HIGERED EXPERTS
THEN COMES THE RAIN, UNDER THE BALCONY IS MY SON'S ROOM SO EVERY TIME IT RAINS OUT SIDE IT RAINS IN THE ROOM, SO I TRIED TO CALL EMPIRE AND THE MESSAGE I GOT WAS ( THEIR IS NO CUSTOMER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH) I COULD NOT TALK TO ANY ONE FOR THREE MONTHS, SO I SENT A COMPLAINT TO EMPIRES WEBSITE AND THEY CONTACTED ME, SENT OUT INSPECTOR AFTER INSPECTOR AND THE VERDICT WAS ITS NOT EMPIRES FAULT ITS THEIR INSTALLER FAULT AND EMPIRE REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND, I HAVE AN ATTORNEY WORKING ON THIS BUT ITS TAKING FOR EVER AND HE DOS NOT WANT TO GO TO COURT HE SAID ITS COSTLY. I AM SO ANGRY AND SO UPSET THAT EMPIRE TODAY CAN ROB PEOPLE AND WE CANT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, I THINK SOME HOW IF WE ALL GOT TOGETHER AND AND CONTACTING GOOD MORNING AMERICA OR THE TODAYS SHOW MAYBE THAT COULD GET THEIR ATTENTION.

SO THANK YOU AND HOPE SOME ONE HELP FIX THIS BIG PROBLEM
I AM NOT GIVING UP


-1 Votes

Bi
Bill Walsh May 17, 2008

I had Empire Today install multiple flooring -- in one day. In summary, it was unprofessional, lacked any craftsmanship and frustrating due to the lack of their ability to speak English. Unfortunately my attempts to correct any of the multitude of discrepancies were ignored. What I found funny about the entire matter was that Empire Today (i.e., a representative named Natalie) actually sent out a “crew” within a few days of my initial complaint. They arrived after 6:30 PM, were almost two hours late and unapologetic. They had no idea of the extent of the work required and I showed them all the discrepancies (e.g., hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, punctured heating system, trash, etc.). The head of the crew was actually embarrassed, took pictures of all the discrepancies, stated they were unprepared to undertake the extensive repairs and said he would inform the “local office” to have them reschedule. I asked when I would hear from someone and he said tomorrow. Needless to say I heard from no one. After another week I called Al Rivera, a sales manager, at the “local office” and explained what happened. He stated that he would “look into it and call right back.” He never called back. After another week I spoke with Natalie again and she promised to “look into it and call right back.” She never called back. After surfing the internet and reading the complaints, I realized I was taken by Empire Today and they were just another “high-pitch-sales and no service” company. I gave up on any expectation of Empire Today making things right. Since I’m a disabled military veteran existing on disability and had to pay someone else to fix all these unexpected and unwarranted flooring issues. I paid for my mistake with the selection of Empire Today. However, I felt compelled to follow-up with a testimonial on the Empire Today web page. As expected it wasn’t a positive endorsement. Within hours I was called by the “corporate office” (i.e., a representative named Helen). She told me she would ask about recompense. The next day she called me and said the “regional office” was “looking into it.” Helen called back the next day and stated that Empire Today would only pay for the trash removal and not the flooring discrepancies – since I paid cash and had no “paperwork”. I requested that she have the “regional office” manager call me and explain why Empire Today did nothing to correct THEIR mistakes for over six weeks. She said she would pass on the request. Within hours Tim Sherwin, the “regional office” manager called back. Our first conversation wasn’t positive – he attacked my integrity, was condescending, attempted to belittle me and was certainly uninformed. He kept referring to my “alleged” discrepancies and I told him to look at the pictures “his” crew took before he said “alleged” again. Tim Sherwin called back the next day and his attitude was even worse. I found it odd because he still hadn’t looked at the pictures his own company took. I found him arrogant as well as uninformed and told him so. He said he would “look into it and call sometime next week.” I told him I was very disappointed with the way I was treated and being treated by Empire Today and was going to inform his endorsers, sponsors and potential buyers of my experience. His response, “do whatever you want to do.” MY ADVISE – DON’T USE EMPIRE TODAY.


1 Votes

[Resolved] Empire Today — steer clear of empire today!

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