I find it interesting that a customer that came to Carolina Farmhouse a mere short time after they opened (within a couple of months) and experienced the issues that some of us are experiencing because of the “growth spurt”. And, even back then the furniture was flawed!! You know what else I find fascinating? That Kelly Utt-Grubb offered up a piece of furniture to the same customer to write a good review for them on Houzz.com, asking the customer to do several things for a piece of their furniture. So, how many good reviews & hundreds of happy customers do you really have, or did they simply receive a piece of furniture in trade?
I have been contacted by Carolina Farmhouse saying they want to issue us a store credit. Funny! How can you issue you us a store credit when you haven’t even started the furniture we originally ordered? Just doesn’t really make sense to me honestly! What good does a store credit do for me? So I sit and wait another 6 months when I can have my table from another furniture maker in 2 - 3 weeks?
Another Carolina Farmhouse customer and I were in contact. The day after we were offered the store credit, they too were offered store credit. They had originally been told they would be getting a refund, and now all of sudden Carolina Farmhouse changed their mind. Why did they all of sudden re-engage with the customer. This customers story goes back more than a year.
This is the reason we need to keep getting the story out there. This has been going on longer than the “6 months ago, when we had a sudden growth spurt”. Had I read the complaints, I wouldn’t be here today. I tend to believe there are many people out there that would say the same.
According to Kelly Utt-Grubb blog post on March 27, she stated that they’ve had bad press, Yelp's flawed review filter system, and an analysis of Better Business Bureau policies that result in misleading grades and reports. You said “check out the twisted hit piece Monica Laliberte and Jenn Sorber Smith of WRAL did on us”. Far from twisted…I am sitting here in the same situation! I say if both of YELP and BBB alone are skewed, flawed or misleading grades…then I am living in some fantasy world. See we are a part of both of those and our story is accurate – I have email back up proof. Furthermore, every person that I have been in contact with…their stories are similar to ours.
Kelly Utt-Grubb also stated “We're not going out of business. We're not going away. We're not hiding, because we have nothing to hide. And we won't tolerate disrespectful treatment, no matter the circumstances. If our business is not the right choice for you for whatever reason, then by all means, move along. We have beautiful, sturdy, handcrafted products that have made a lot of customers very happy. ” Not going out of business… Not hiding? Then why are so many emails/phone calls go unresponsive. You won’t tolerate disrespectful treatment? But, you don’t mind treating others in that manner. Arrogance, hateful, and bullying have all been terms to describe the treatment people have felt.
“If our business is not the right choice for you for whatever reason, then by all means, move along.” We are all trying to move along, but you have our money that we all worked hard for that you don’t seem to think you should have to give back despite the fact that you haven’t provided the things we’ve paid for. Plus there are several customers that received furniture that is poor quality (warped boards, rough tops, uneven color, wrong size), promised pieces for customers trouble that were never received.
“We have beautiful, sturdy, handcrafted products that have made a lot of customers very happy. “ Based on people that I’ve been in contact with, the ones that did receive their furniture have received poor, unsightly furniture. Oh and let's not forget that Kelly Utt-Grubb tried to get someone to post a good review in return for a piece of furniture.
I have said it before… There are a ton of people out there afraid to stand up & speak up. WHY? Well according to a few customers they were bullied & intimidated. I have an email from a customer (actually he also posted a comment on my blog) that he & his wife were bullied by Carolina Farmhouse. So, then they threatened with a lawsuit against this customer.
So – my question is… Are you still not going anywhere? Are you not going out of business? Why is it so hard for you to just simply write us a check if you have our money? Where did our money go & what did you do with it?
Keep the stories coming customers of Carolina Farmhouse. Keep filing with the Attorney General’s office, keep filing complaints with the BBB, and keep up with posting your reviews.
Fight for what belongs to you.
~Lynn
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