Dispute with Furniture land south.

[JM-NC]

Jurisdiction

North Carolina

We purchased furniture from Furnitureland South for our new home.

Some of the items we received were not what we ordered. Two custom chairs arrived with the wrong fabric colors, and three bed frames came in the wrong sizes: two California Kings and one Queen from the same manufacturer.

The bed frames for the California Kings are 10 inches longer and 8 inches wider than standard California King mattresses. Similarly, the Queen bed frame is larger than standard size, and not all its parts were delivered.

We have repeatedly contacted Furnitureland South over the past month but have only received the response, "We're working on it," with no resolution.

We paid for the furniture using American Express and opened a dispute. American Express refunded the money to our account but informed us that if Furnitureland South provides a reasonable explanation, the funds could be charged back to our account. They also indicated that there is no time limit for this resolution, meaning the charge could reappear even one or two years from now.

How can I secure these funds to ensure I can purchase new furniture without the risk of losing the money later?

 

[adjusterjack]

How can I secure these funds to ensure I can purchase new furniture without the risk of losing the money later?

You can't.

It's a common (and colossal) mistake thinking that a chargeback absolves you of the debt.

You still owe the money to the furniture store and they can sue to recover it.

If Amex reverses the chargeback, you'll owe Amex and Amex can sue to recover the money or send you to collections while trashing your credit.

I suggest you visit the store and deal face to face with at least the manager and then escalate to the owner if necessary.

Meantime, write up your story on Yelp so local people can see it. That usually gets a business owner's attention.

BTW, when you bought the furniture did you measure the items at the store and then specify the dimensions in your order? What, exactly, did you put on your order?

 

[JM-NC]

You can't.

It's a common (and colossal) mistake thinking that a chargeback absolves you of the debt.

You still owe the money to the furniture store and they can sue to recover it.

If Amex reverses the chargeback, you'll owe Amex and Amex can sue to recover the money or send you to collections while trashing your credit.

I suggest you visit the store and deal face to face with at least the manager and then escalate to the owner if necessary.

Meantime, write up your story on Yelp so local people can see it. That usually gets a business owner's attention.

BTW, when you bought the furniture did you measure the items at the store and then specify the dimensions in your order? What, exactly, did you put on your order?

Thank you.
We ordered a king size bed and mattress. The items in the showroom were the correct size.

 

[adjusterjack]

OK.

 

[welkin]

How can I secure these funds to ensure I can purchase new furniture without the risk of losing the money later?

A very simple solution. You make arrangements with the vender to return the unwanted furniture and settle the debt for what you keep. You are then free to buy whatever you choose.

You don't get to keep what you didn't pay for period. If Amex gave you the full order charge back, then you own none of the furniture you bought in this timeframe.

What is Furnitureland South's return policy?