ComplaintsforWells Home Furnishings Inc

• Initial Complaint

  01/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am reaching out for help in resolving an issue with a local furniture company in Charleston, WV. 18 months ago, my husband and I purchased several pieces of upholstered furniture from Wells, including four kitchen counter chairs. We selected a high-performance fabric, referred to as cryptonite; we were told this fabric would resist stains and perform well in our kitchen. Because of this, we selected a light cream color. According to our sales person, this would work well because of the said fabric's features. Our home has three adults, one who is now in college. During the time of ownership, we have been in the pandemic. Therefore, hands are washed when we enter the house. The fabric sustained a spill on the seat during a meal. I called the store to gain proper cleaning instructions, was told how to clean it and followed as directed. The cleaning left a mark that has darkened over time. I also am noticing other places that need cleaned, including what seems to be dye from my husband's jeans where he has sat during the pandemic to work at his computer. I called the store and two service men came to take pictures. The sales person was asked to call me to instruct that ********* (the supplier) and Wells (the local company) recommended I have it professional cleaned and that possibly. This answer made no sense based upon the selling point of the fabric being stain resistant and easily cleaned. I see in the BBB complaints that it seems another purchaser has had the same issue with her sofa from the store. After talking with the sales person, same as the one who sold it to us and agreed she told us it was stain resistant, I asked to speak to the owner and was told by him that "it was holding up great and performing as designed. I need help to resolve this matter. The four chairs were near $900 each with tax, and are less than 2 year and have discoloration from hands pulling the chairs out to sit in, a few other places that need cleaned and the significant spot.

  Business response

  02/01/2022

  This is our response to our customer who ordered Crypton Home fabric on her bar stools. This is a performance fabric that gives better everyday use over

  Non performance fabrics. Our customer spilled something on her stool and isn't happy with the water mark that was left from her cleaning it.

  We suggested that it can still be cleaned and the water mark should come out since it is a Crypton fabric. There is a lot of information on the Crypton Home

  Website on how to clean the fabric and it also addresses dye coming off blue Jeans. There is not any sort of warranty for stains. There never has been. There are not any stain warranties 

  On any fabrics. We're very sorry it didn't clean up like she wanted it to. We suggest to clean it again, Possibly with a Bleach solution that is described on the Crypton Home Website. Or we suggested get it professionally cleaned. We also told her we are more than happy to pay 50% of the charge to clean her stool.

  The stool manufacture has indicated this fabric has been recently discontinued and, as a courtesy to us and our customer, the manufacture is happy to send two yards of the fabric to her. We told them to please send her the two yards.

  Thank you

  **** *****

  Wells Home Furnishings

  Customer response

  02/01/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint I* ********* *nd have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I understand from the response that the owner of the company has instructed the supplier to send to me fabric and has suggested that I hire a professional cleaner to attempt to remove the water stain. Both are unacceptable. I did not purchase chairs for this area that could not sustain everyday use in a kitchen area. (Is the fabric coming with a someone to repair it for me. Seriously, that should not have even been offered as a solution to an issue that could be caused by a mishap during the manufacturing of the fabric. No one knows.) What I do know is that according to the Crypton website, the fabric's repellency rate:

  Oil Drop (AATCC 118, 6 out of 6 max)
  

  Water / IPA Drop (6 out of 6 max)
  

  Spray Rating (AATCC 22, 80-100 of 100 max) 

  
  

  I am concerned to treat it with any product/home-treatment method, etc., for fear the fabric has a quality issue. I treated as instructed by the store when contacted to ask for proper cleaning instructions. Although I cannot recall what the food item was, it was food. Had I know this issue would arise, I would have recorded all details.

  
  

  What I do recall is that when I was sold the fabric as the covering for the stools/high chairs, it was sold to my husband and me as a high-performance fabric that would work well at my kitchen counter and be easily cleaned. The designer even confirmed this when she called to tell me how to managed the problem before the owner and I spoke. I also can explain that I purchased an off-white fabric because of the specifics shared about its features. The designer knew it was being purchased for a kitchen and every-day use. I then coordinated with the help of the same designer at the store two overstuffed chairs. I would never have selected a fabric that was not appropriate for this specific use. 

  
  

  My concern is that there is an issue with the fabric. I just want the problem address. I do not feel as if I received what I was told I was getting with regard to the fabric's care. It has been less than 2 years, and the fabric is marketed on its website/brochure as having a 2-year warranty. 

  
  

  
  Regards,
  
  **** *****

  Business response

  02/02/2022

  Our response today is the same response as yesterday's.

  Thank You

  **** *****

  Wells Home Furnishings

  Customer response

  02/02/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 16******* and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  If the supplier is comfortable with the cleaning instructions they are providing, I invite them to pick up the four pieces, take them to their store and clean them to ensure the process works. My concern is that the process they provided did not work and MAYBE there could be a problem with the fabric. Unfortunately, I am uncomfortable since I followed said store's instruction myself and that is what left the mark. The chairs need cleaned further to remove finger prints, blue dye and a few marks on the back. I love the chairs. Unfortunately, they are not holding up as indicated by the store and as sold to us during the purchasing process. If the cleaning process works, I am more than happy to take the chairs back, thank the store for correcting the problem and say they took care of it. I'm just asking for help in correcting a problem that has arisen that I was told would not. Referring back to the testing of Crypton, the water, oil, etc., resistance was 6 of 6. 

  I have had them less than two years, that seems to be a reasonable request at this point. We live less than three miles from the store's front door. I cannot understand why this seems to be so complicated. If you sell something as such, you should stand behind the product. Pretty simple stuff. An almost $4K investment...
  
  
  Regards,
  
  **** *****

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩