Abc Distributing ripoff, dishonest mailing & billing system Deerfield Illinois

I have been a customer of abc distributing for over 20 years through various companies I have worked for or owned. Generally I have been satisfied with their service but have had occasion to question their packaging and shipping charges for certain purchases. In April of 2006 I ordered two lounge chairs that cost approximately $12 each. Abc sent me a piece of correspondence that said they couldn't complete the order until I submitted a check for $25.90. They have never ask me for a prepayment before. I always pay for my orders upon receipt so I sent a check for $25.90. The two chairs came in in separate packages, both rather worn and torn. When I opened the boxes I discovered that both chairs had suffered damage in shipping but made the decision not to return either of them. It has been my experience in the past that, number one, the company is not easy to reach, putting you on hold for lengthy periods of time, and number two, returns are not always handled expeditiously with this company. I felt the damage was minor and could be handled with duck tape, something that shouldn't have to be done with new product.

In July I received a bill for $7.09 referencing this order. The bill was for postage and I paid the bill immediately. This was the only bill I received regarding this shipment. In August I received a correspondence stating that my account was $7.09 overdue. I sent abd a copy of the cancelled check and told them I had paid the billed $7.09. In September I received another correspondence, same as the first, stating that my account was $7.09 overdue. I called them and was put on hold for an hour before Customer Service responded.

The explanation the Customer Service representative gave me was that the total initial cost of the two chairs was $25.90. Since the two chairs were sent in two separate boxes there was an additional charge of $7.09 per chair for shipping. I was never told this and was never billed for two separate $7.09 amounts, only one. Two chairs that I ordered because of the pricing factor turned out costing me over $20 each when I could have gone down the street to the local Target and bought similar chairs for under $15. My complaint is that this company seems to have rather large shipping costs which leads one to believe maybe they're making money that way as well as through product sells. Also, the costly packaging isn't effective as over the years I've ordered from abc it's been a hit and miss whether or not my items would arrive unbroken. I've continued to order from them because their items are cheaper than other companies but now, factoring in the shipping, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Janice
Hollister, California
U.S.A.