I Bought over 10k Furniture in West Elm and Haven't Received Them Yet and It's on Sale. Should I Return and Buy Them Again?

LJames Wong on 05/09/2019 - 22:44
Last edited 06/09/2019 - 16:55 by 1 other user

I bought the furniture on the 8th of August and it will be delivered on the 10th of Sept.
The total item is about 11.6k while I found today instore that they can do all these items 30% off( if you purchase more than 3k items there). Some of my items are under special offer.
I calculate the price, it will be around 2 thousand dollars difference.
So I ask the staff whether they can do price match there? They refused to do so because it is already 14 days after the order placed.
Then I asked, whether I can return these items when I received or you can cancel the delivery? I want to repurchase the same items today and 2000 dollars means a lot to me.

The staff went back and discuss with their "manager" and a young guy came to me said that, if I return these items, there will be a lot of work they need to process. The furniture will be needed to go back to Sydney warehouse. He is staring at me angrily like he will be the guy do the delivery. I said but I am willing to pay for the 200 dollar delivery to save 2000 dollars.

He then told me that he will discuss with his manager tomorrow and give me a call.

I want to ask you guys for suggestions and help. What will you do if this happens to you? I personally cannot refuse a $2000 bargain when items are not arrived and being used at all.

Catch up on this afternoon.

I call customer-service of west elm instead of waiting for a not coming call from the store. I have called the store this morning, they said the manager will be available another TOMORROW, which is exactly what they told me yesterday.

Conclusion:
(1)Even it is not delivered yet if I cancel the order, I will be charged 20% of a restocking fee.
(2)The customer-service phone call representative has an even worse attitude.
(3)They(including the customer-service) keep focusing on how much the company has already being paid for the delivery man (ANC Delivery) and if I cancel the order they will be at loss. (20% off restocking fee???)
(4)They have this kinda sale 2 times annually.

Personal feelings:
(1) Through the spreadsheet, I cost 1.2k more, which sounds more acceptable than 2k, but still a big loss. I can use the money to buy an IPAD PRO and APPLE TV.
(2) I won't buy any stuff at their store if they are not 30% off.
(3) It is an unhappy process and unsuccessful process as expected.

Home & Garden

Related Stores

West Elm
West Elm

Comments

  • kahn on 05/09/2019 - 22:54
    +93

    Trying to save $2000 doesn't seem wong.

    • James Wong on 05/09/2019 - 23:11
      +1

      Thank you for your reply. I will insist on price matching or return the item.

      • Bryanalves on 07/09/2019 - 09:43
        -7

        The shop is correct with your treatment.
        You purchased the furniture at an agreed price and arranged delivery (no different to if you took the furniture away then and there but you purchased a delivery option).

        Been 14 days so can expect they already committed significant progress to the delivery (collected furniture and arranged/sub contract delivery guys).

        The subsequent sale has nothing to do with your purchase with them 2 weeks ago.

        They have a return policy (with 20% restocking fee) so that's your option to take regardless of what the manager says.

        You will get 80% of the money back. Then its up to you to purchase the 30% off stuff or not.

        Not reasonable to get the different refunded since you wouldnt know if you waited 2 weeks all the furniture you purchased will still be available.

        • nicksinternet on 07/09/2019 - 14:24
          +16

          They possibly knew they had a sale coming up when he spent 10k with them.

          Any decent place would honour the sale price given they haven't even shipped his goods yet.

        • sator on 20/06/2020 - 08:56

          Someone clearly works in the industry 😄

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 14:06

      Catch up of this afternoon has been updated in the original post FYI.

      • capslock janitor on 08/09/2019 - 13:22

        Buy the new furniture again with 30% discount, and deal with the old transaction in between. /s

    • Dr Techno on 06/09/2019 - 21:58
      +1

      I see what you did there :P

  • Sunny84 on 05/09/2019 - 22:54
    +15

    You purchased at the wong time, should have done your research first

    • James Wong on 05/09/2019 - 23:02
      +14

      I voted your comment. But they have a return policy for 7 days after it has been delivered and the items hasn't been delivered yet.

    • James Wong on 05/09/2019 - 23:02
      +11

      They have a return policy for 7 days after it has been delivered. But the price match policy count from the date you purchased which is 14 days.

      • garetz on 06/09/2019 - 00:04

        You need to complain, because you received the goods way after the purchase date, so you should be able to make the 14 days from delivery date apply.

      • Flies on 06/09/2019 - 07:47
        +2

        Based on the terms, the worst case is to return the lot. Bring your business somewhere else if you are no longer comfortable dealing with them.

      • Lysander on 08/09/2019 - 14:37
        +2

        If that is the case, why the fuss/problem?
        Wait for delivery, then return, and buy again. If that is their policy, then that is fine.
        Sometimes companies are very stupid and due to the lack of reason have a significant amount of extra work - they deserve it if they cannot compromise and think about logical arguments (rather than return, order new, new delivery they can just give you the price difference but that would presume logical thinking).

    • zoob on 06/09/2019 - 18:26
      +5

      Hi Gerry.

    • BanannaMan on 07/09/2019 - 15:19

      You're on the wrong site

  • AustriaBargain on 05/09/2019 - 22:56
    +4

    just refund it. I bought a Ryzen 2700X from pccasegear and they dropped the price $50 before it arrived. They ignored every single attempt to contact them about refunding the difference, they just don't want to hear it. Refuse delivery to return it all and just buy from somewhere else if you can't afford to rebuy it the same day. That manager practically told you this was your only choice, he's never going to give you a discount.

    • James Wong on 05/09/2019 - 23:04
      -1

      I have thought to go to another store to make the purchase and cancel the other stores order. But I still want to give their manager a chance. Wait their call until tomorrow.

      • AustriaBargain on 05/09/2019 - 23:05
        +3

        Why? You needn't have offered $200 extra, regardless of what you promised the manager today. And unless they specifically billed you for delivery then you don't need to pay for that either. I'm guessing this full time manager needs this $200 less than you do, as a student.

        • James Wong on 05/09/2019 - 23:07
          +1

          You made sense. The delivery fee is actually $167 something. Since the item has already been shipped to Melbourne warehouse, and the attitude they shown me today. I don't think they will let me go with another delivery fee.

          • AustriaBargain on 05/09/2019 - 23:11
            +1

            @James Wong: Yes you might be on the hook for delivery at least, $167 is practically $200.

            • James Wong on 05/09/2019 - 23:15
              +1

              @AustriaBargain: If it saves $400 to pay $200, I won't be this struggling. It's 2k for $200, and I am not rich enough to ignore that. But they are acting like I am not a good guy without considering people are working so hard to delivery if I do so. Cannot convince me not to return items today at store. Hope they can contact me tomorrow.

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 14:06

      Catch up of this afternoon has been updated in the original post FYI.

  • Stewardo on 05/09/2019 - 22:59
    +1

    Must be 40000+ qantas points?

  • mcyike on 05/09/2019 - 23:06
    +21

    Insist on a matching discount, or return it. You don't owe them anything.

    • James Wong on 05/09/2019 - 23:10
      +10

      I am just a little bit too young to be tough. One of the stupidest thing I've done it that ask my Volkswagen dealer if I walk away without buying this car, will you be sad? He said I have been showing you the best price, I will surely be sad. Then I paid 3k more that day. So I don't want this kinda thing happened again.

      • mcyike on 05/09/2019 - 23:24
        +16

        Think of it as an opportunity to grow. After you've done it once, every time after will be a walk in the park.

      • t_c on 06/09/2019 - 06:12
        +16

        Or start to enjoy life as a doormat, cause everyone will walk all over you like one.

      • Seedy seed on 06/09/2019 - 06:34
        +2

        Business is business. Never approach it with sentiment. Im a good guy but if your doing business with me im there to hold you down nd raw dog you rather then you trying it on me.

      • lvagg59 on 06/09/2019 - 07:57
        +2

        Can you take someone with you that is more outspoken to advocate for you. My daughter used to have the same problem and after having someone assist her a few times she now is able to get the best price/deal for herself. Just reading your story is enough to stop me from ever shopping at a business that would treat their customers like that.

        • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 10:17
          +1

          Thank you all for the advice. I have wrote to their customer service last night and to make sure that there is a record of my request for refund and price match. If they don’t call me this morning. I will call them in the afternoon.

      • drose1 on 06/09/2019 - 10:12
        +3

        LMAO

  • Almost Banned on 05/09/2019 - 23:26
    +26

    Buddy $2,000 is real money.
    Its their own stupid policy - so you are perfectly entitled to take advantage.
    I would.

    • James Wong on 05/09/2019 - 23:38

      Yes, even the first kind lady from there store said 2000 is a lot for everyone.

    • capslock janitor on 08/09/2019 - 13:24
      -2

      Xi Jinping money

  • [Deactivated] on 05/09/2019 - 23:48

    What's your deposit?

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 16:52

      200 dollars available for now LOL

  • barozgain on 05/09/2019 - 23:51
    +44

    mate, an ozbargainer leaves their dignity and care behind when it comes to legally saving $2000

    • TrendyTim on 06/09/2019 - 14:57
      +21

      A large number of ozbargainers leave their dignity and care behind when it comes to saving $20 (legal or not) let alone $2000 (hell some do it for $2)

      • idonotknowwhy on 06/09/2019 - 15:03
        +3

        I may have fished ATM receipts out of the bin at 7/11 to get the $2 coffee for $1, back before I had no atm fees with ING.
        (now I can just do a balance enquiry and ING pays the $2.50 for me).

        • djprima on 06/09/2019 - 15:22

          wait what? how to do the balance enquiry? I'm still splitting my first purchase every month into 5 payments to get that ING bonus

          • idonotknowwhy on 06/09/2019 - 17:33
            +5

            @djprima: The balance enquiry doesn't count towards the 5 transactions.

            Sometimes 7/11 has a promo where if you use their ATM and print a receipt, you get $2 coffee for $1.
            So I just go in, use the ATM to check my balance, get charged the ATM fee, and print a receipt.
            ING then reimburses the ATM fee, and I use the receipt to get 50% off my coffee.

            Prior to having an ING account, I used to grab someone else's ATM receipt from the bin, and use that for 50% off coffee.

            I just figured it was worth mentioning in the context of leaving dignity behind to save money.

            • djprima on 06/09/2019 - 17:41

              @idonotknowwhy: Ah gotcha, I thought you found another easier way to get that 5 transactions

              • ATangk on 07/09/2019 - 17:38

                @djprima: The easiest way to get 5 transactions is to hunt ozb. When buying from Chinese websites pay in USD and do multiple transactions if you want multiple things.

                • dheywood on 08/09/2019 - 10:59

                  @ATangk: Or you know, just use your card to pay for your $1 coffee after doing you free atm balance check.
                  I really don't get why people make such a big deal about making the 5 transactions in a month. How do you not go a month without paying for 5 things with eftpos???

                  • ATangk on 08/09/2019 - 11:40

                    @dheywood: I think people want to use their regular credit card for everything perhaps for qff or other bonus. I on the other hand finished all my transactions whilst still overseas, stacking those rebates.

    • freakatronic on 07/09/2019 - 14:01

      Dignity never bought me nothing.

  • ssquid on 05/09/2019 - 23:54
    +54

    "Student" can afford to spend $11.6K on furniture… I don't think you're really gonna miss that $2K.

  • Starlight8 on 06/09/2019 - 00:10
    +3

    2K is a lot of money.. id definitely return it.

    Like a comment above, you dont owe them!

    • capslock janitor on 08/09/2019 - 13:26

      Actually he bought and signed, he would owe them? Debt collector will be 'round

  • subywagon on 06/09/2019 - 00:59
    +1

    Return it for sure. I do it all the time. I just re-ordered items through eBay Plus for the discount and will be returning the items paid for previously to save like $50. I wouldn't think twice about saving $2k!

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 14:06

      Catch up of this afternoon has been updated in the original post FYI.

  • Changskies on 06/09/2019 - 01:02
    +3

    Whats there to lose? politely but firmly press your point - you can simply return as per policy or manager can try to save you 2k. heck, do 1.8k since you got 200 delivery fee. When I was a uni student (left home, zero support, while paying international student fee, working full time…etc), I literally slept on the carpet with a large towel because after bond and 2 weeks rent I had 50 bucks left over. that feeling of buying furniture / scavenging gumtree with mates weekly basis - those were the time.

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 14:08

      Catch up of this afternoon has been updated in the original post FYI.

  • spal on 06/09/2019 - 05:19
    +1

    You did the right thing by offering them to come to the party. Issue partly would be commissions paid for sales in August, which will now come out of staff’s pocket. Still, they should have dealt with you respectfully. What you are asking is reasonable. If you were to follow their policy, it would cost them more.

    Mind you today is Friday, if you don’t hear from them in the morning get on the phone and do what you need to do. Otherwise they will deliver it, even possibly on an earlier date. I hope they don’t have any restocking fees for change of mind returns.

    • Marty131 on 07/09/2019 - 02:50

      Wouldn’t commissions only be paid after full payment from customer?

  • whooah1979 on 06/09/2019 - 05:47
    -2

    They should allow you to cancel the order and change a 20% restocking fee.

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 09:10
      -1

      Isn’t restocking fee for unpacked items which has been used and opened? It is not even delivered.

  • whooah1979 on 06/09/2019 - 05:53
    +18

    11.6k
    I am still a student.

    A student on a government allowance isn’t struggling if they can buy $11k worth of brand new furniture.

    • wekimekigugudan on 06/09/2019 - 05:57
      +6

      and owns a Volkswagen?

    • Thatbargainhunter on 06/09/2019 - 06:07
      +2

      West elm is hardly where students get furniture either

      • freakatronic on 07/09/2019 - 14:03

        Dude I been working full time nearly two decades. Still try to get all my furniture secondhand.

        • Thatbargainhunter on 07/09/2019 - 20:37

          I am finally buying my nice furniture at 33.

          But it's still clearance stuff and still some Kmart and Big W stuff amomgst it.

    • onetwothreefour on 06/09/2019 - 08:44
      +5

      And buys TV's for $3799!!!

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/481211

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 09:22
      +1

      Hi dude, I am an elder student than you thing maybe and my wife has a job.

      • nafe on 06/09/2019 - 09:50
        +13

        Saying you are "still a student" implies you haven't gone into the workforce yet. It's not an unreasonable assumption by the commenters above.

        • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 10:23

          Well, I re-edited that. Causing lots of doubts here.

        • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2019 - 12:12
          +2

          Yep. Still a virgin implies you didn't lapse inbetween.

      • ssquid on 06/09/2019 - 12:43
        +4

        Maybe let your wife make the purchases.

      • ripesashimi on 07/09/2019 - 00:08

        Can you adopt me? I'm also a student and can promise I won't shit the bed like those other kids.

  • Fier2 on 06/09/2019 - 06:15
    +3

    If you can return it without losing any money, you should do it. I know someone who is manager at a furniture store and they can definetly match the price if they are willing too. But doing that means that they will loose the incensitive they got on the sale. So basically the sales person is getting a percent from the sale. If you pay 10k and the person is supposed to get 5% or more of the sale then it means less money for them. Also store have a budget to reach each week. If you canceled the sale, they will be on minus. Return all the items if it just mean $167( i m even surprise you pay it as you already pay all your items at least 3 times what it s worth already).
    Tips for next time: most of furniture have a List of how much they can sale the products that can vary from 1% to almost 40% off. Even the product on sale. Make sure you negotiate and ask for a discount.

    Good luck

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 09:37

      Thank you for you advice. I actually at first I only want to buy some specific on sale items in there store. Then they said they can give me a 10%off for full priced item. Which is a coupon you can also get online. So I agreed in store with the price. And I also asked return policy and price match policy in store. So I know that I can return these items. But to save their time to process, I am asking for a price match.

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 14:06

      Catch up of this afternoon has been updated in the original post FYI.

      • Fier2 on 06/09/2019 - 16:38

        I don't know with which furniture store you are dealing right now but definetly sound like one to stay away from . I can't believe that despite you spend so much they are not willing to help you out. What you can do is returning back the item to the store. There shouldn't be any restocking fee if the item is as delivered, not faulty or broken. And make sure you inspect all your furnitures upon delivery as it look like the store you went just care about how much they sale but not following up with after. What is really sad.

  • onetwothreefour on 06/09/2019 - 06:22
    +1

    I recently bought some flooring on clearance from bunnings, it was marked down to $30 per pack. I went back the next day and the flooring was marked down to $20 per pack. So I just went home got my receipt and asked them to refund me $10 per pack, so overall I got $180 back. It really depends on the person you speak to, it might be hard work from them to offer you a refund and charge you the new amount but they could lose a big sale over this.

    Also, a student spending 11k on furniture doesn't seem right, what happened to sitting on the floor and eating 2 minute noodles?

    • Seedy seed on 06/09/2019 - 06:41
      +2

      Who sits on the floor? Milk crates for chairs, 2 for a table with thin vaneer wood for flatness. 2 for tv stand. Bessar bricks with wood on top and stacked for shelves. Whole loungeroom for under $30

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 09:23
      -1

      Hi dude, I am an elder student than you thing maybe and my wife has a job

      • Seedy seed on 07/09/2019 - 09:08
        +1

        How dare you mooch off a hard working lady. Off to the coal mines with you! 😂

  • pantsparty on 06/09/2019 - 06:31
    +6

    If you are a student why the hell are you spending $11k on furniture?!

    • bazza1980 on 06/09/2019 - 07:23
      +4

      Mummy and daddies money…

      • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2019 - 09:04

        And a sticky taped ransom video.

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 09:24

      Hi dude, I am an elder student than you thing maybe and my wife has a job.

      I start with buying iKea and for the living area we wan to go for a solid brand but not coco republic

      • bazza1980 on 06/09/2019 - 18:24
        -1

        I am an elder student than you thing maybe and my wife has a job.

        Ah sorry, let me correct my original post:

        Mummy and daddies Wifey's money…

        • dcep on 07/09/2019 - 01:02

          it takes skill to land a sugarmom

  • apsilon on 06/09/2019 - 07:01

    What does the T&C of the purchase say? I'd do it if I could but you mention some of the items are special order. These types of items often have conditions attached to them such as restocking fee, non refundable for change of mind etc etc. If none of that is in the T&C and it's within their policy then go for it.

    • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 09:13

      Special offered items are 30% off and there are no difference for these part.

      • apsilon on 06/09/2019 - 09:22

        I mean the purchase you already made. What were the T&C of that transaction, especially the special order items. If you have to pay a 20% restocking fee on them, plus delivery you'll likely lose most if not all of the $2k you can now save.

        • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 09:29

          Isn’t restocking fee for unpacked items which has been used and opened? It is not even delivered

        • James Wong on 06/09/2019 - 09:33
          +1

          CHANGE OF MIND

          With items purchased online or at our stores, within 7 days of furniture delivered to your home, or within 30 days of purchase of all other products, you may return your items for a refund of the merchandise value. Returns of furniture purchases are subject to a 20% restocking fee. Price adjustments are granted within 14 days of purchase.

          I am not sure if 20% of restocking fee is a must.

          • apsilon on 06/09/2019 - 10:04

            @James Wong: Never had to deal with restocking fee myself. I believe it's on any return, not just open and used.

            Any more details on that "Price adjustments are granted within 14 days of purchase." That sounds like it could be some promise to refund differences in price if they change within 14 days which could be exactly what you're after.

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