Coffee table/Ashley Furniture rant, am I wrong?

[murphy55d]

So we bought a new coffee table/end table set at Ashley Furniture a few weeks ago to replace our old ones, during a store closing sale. Fast forward to last night, my wife and I were watching TV and her cup of water was knocked over, spilled onto the coffee table. Cleaned it up, watched some more TV, went to bed. No big deal, right?

Got up this morning, came downstairs, the entire front edge of the table is warped, and cracked. Un freaking real. We haven't even had this thing for a month. Our store here is now closed, so I can't talk to anyone there. So i call the 800 customer service number, talked to someone who was going to send out a "craftsman" to inspect and repair the furniture. Not sure how he's going to repair it but whatever, I said ok, and asked if he can't fix this, what my next option was. She put me on hold, transferred me to Andrew in "Customer Affairs", who proceeded to tell me they would do nothing, because I should not have had a drink on my coffee table. WTF

He told me that they don't recommend putting drinks on your coffee table ,and any damage was my own fault. Sure, it was an accident, and yes it got wet, which admittedly was not their fault. I asked him though what kind of coffee table do they sell that once it gets wet, is ruined? It isn't like I took it swimming, I spilled some water, cleaned it up, and expected that to be the end. He pretty much got snotty with me and said there's nothing to be done, and he's the only one there today so that's it. Got his manager's number and will call monday, but I'm pretty upset at all this. Especially after not having it even a month.

I don't understand how any furniture store/company can sell you a coffee table and then not back it up by saying "we don't recommend putting drinks on it". It's a freaking coffee table.

Anyone have any suggestions? Could we dispute this on our credit card? We put it on our Slate card. Or am I really wrong here and SOL?

Thanks

 

[Jumpem]

I'm not sure there's much you can do aside from not giving them any future business.

 

[Jadow]

Just FYI, Ashley Furniture is #1 because it's cheap.

Sometimes you get luck and get something decent, other times you get a total piece of crap.

 

[Modular]

Makes me glad my wife and I didn't buy couches from them a few months ago. Other than that, them saying you shouldn't have a drink on a coffee table is absurd...

 

[Malak]

Honestly I think you are hosed. No reason for them to really do anything, they aren't responsible for spills. Wood sucks to work with when it comes to customer service, people will complain about the color of natural wood.

 

[SilverThief]

Fu*k Ashley Furniture. I had a terrible customer service encounter with them once, and told them I would be spending my money elsewhere.

 

[KK]

yeah, ashley is crap. We looked at them when buying bedroom furniture, pretty much could tell just by looking at anything in that store was made by koreans.

 

[murphy55d]

Well i'm definitely not buying anything from them again (and will make sure Andrews manager is well aware of this) but I just cannot believe any company would either sell or stand behind any coffee table that you can't get wet.

 

[postmortemIA]

Ashley is made in china. USA made furniture is very expensive, when compared to chines one. And with our mentality "why pay 2-3x more for same thing", you will buy 2-3 Chinese tables because they break so easily.

 

[olds]

Unless Ahsley spilled the water I don't see them doing anything.

 

[nanette1985]

My mother-in-law would go nuts if you put a drink on her furniture. She also had plastic covers on her sofa.

What did you spend on the table?

 

[Iron Woode]

When I go looking for furniture, I check out used first. Why? Because good used furniture is usually older and made better. Stuff from Estate sales is also very reasonable.

Of course it all depends on what look you are after and how much you want to spend.

 

[MarkXIX]

That'll teach you to spill water on a coffee table. Should have spilled coffee, you might be okay now.

 

[SandEagle]

ashley is a rip off. check out dfw furniture inPA. they carry a lot of the same furniture for hundreds less

 

[lxskllr]

Is the table wood, or glued sawdust? I'm not familiar with the brand, but generally you don't get wood wet. It's a delicate product, and paradoxically, expensive furniture will ruin quicker than cheaper furniture. They generally have finer, more delicate finishes.

I'd say it isn't their fault at all, and I'd question your diligence in cleaning up the spill. Even raw wood takes awhile to crack and warp due to being wet. It sounds like you may have left some of it wet.

 

[Bignate603]

I'd say it isn't their fault at all, and I'd question your diligence in cleaning up the spill. Even raw wood takes awhile to crack and warp due to being wet. It sounds like you may have left some of it wet.

I'd have to agree. Unless it's completely untreated crap wood that sucked up water like a sponge you shouldn't be able to get the wood to swell because a few minutes of water from a spill.

 

[Engineer]

Offshored furniture for the win. You wanted cheaper stuff...you got it.

/Thanks from the millions of laid off manufacturing workers of America.

 

[Lifted]

TTIWWP

I've never read a thread that deserved this more.

 

[ShawnD1]

My mother-in-law would go nuts if you put a drink on her furniture. She also had plastic covers on her sofa.

What did you spend on the table?

I love when people put plastic on the sofa. I squirm around lots just because I like that crinkling noise.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Short of flood damage, I think there's no excuse for a coffee table warping and cracking from one spill whether it was cleaned up or not. Of course, I'm talking about real wood furniture as opposed to compressed wood products. Spilled water can definitely ruin a finish but never the structure.

 

[Vette73]

Can you post several pictures.

I do woodworking and may be able to tell you want you can do to maybe save it.

 

[bruceb]

You pay for cheap stuff, you get cheap quality. I only buy solid wood furniture. Yes, it does cost more, but it will last forever. My coffee and end tables are solid Oak. My office desk is from just before 1900, still has the maker ID marked into one of the drawers. 6' Wide, 3' Deep, 3' High all solid wood. File cabinets custom made by a shop in Washington State, all solid Oak. Bookcases, also solid Oak from Newyorkfirst.com in upstate NY

 

[ShawnD1]

You pay for cheap stuff, you get cheap quality. I only buy solid wood furniture. Yes, it does cost more, but it will last forever. My coffee and end tables are solid Oak. My office desk is from just before 1900, still has the maker ID marked into one of the drawers. 6' Wide, 3' Deep, 3' High all solid wood. File cabinets custom made by a shop in Washington State, all solid Oak. Bookcases, also solid Oak from Newyorkfirst.com in upstate NY

Either get top quality wood or get bottom quality plastic. I'm still using a dresser from 30 years ago. It's cheap particle board garbage but it has plastic glued to the surfaces. There are some parts where the plastic is coming off, but it's mostly still in tact. Even after 30 years it still works perfect

 

[Bignate603]

Offshored furniture for the win. You wanted cheaper stuff...you got it.

/Thanks from the millions of laid off manufacturing workers of America.

I agree, we've decided to save up and buy nicer stuff one piece at a time to replace the cheaper stuff we got when we were just starting out together. We really like the stuff that Stickley puts out and it's made here in the US. Good wood furniture will last our lifetimes so why not spend the extra and get something that is well made and what we really want?

 

[Rage187]

For bedroom sets, their frames and headboards are very decent. The end tables are garbage though.