First Choice Medical, Inc., Matthews, NC First Choice Medical Equipment Bait-n-Switch; Unethical Sale's Practices; Over-charging Credit Card Matthews New Carolina

Dear Sir / Madam:

            As a successful and reputable manufacturer of quality home health care products, the selection of a dealer must be fraught with trepidation and grave concerns that the dealer’s ethics and business acumen is, at least equal to, if not superior to your own. It is due to these serious concerns that I contact you concerning your authorized dealer:  First Choice Medical, Inc. , located at 251 North Trade St., Matthews, NC 2105 (704-289-3334; 704-684-1402; firstchoicemedical.com)

            Perhaps it need not be said that most of your customers do not invest in your product as a luxury, but out of a dire medical need. Your customers, the patients and their families who care for them, only hope to obtain some fleeting moments of comfort and security in the waning portion of their lives.  Unfortunately, we are those people.  First Choice Medical, Inc., (Lisa & David) has lost sight of this reality; Compassion, understanding and the desire to assist the terminally ill have been overwhelmed by vile greed and arrogance! They are shameless. They sully your reputation.  

            Compelled by the need to bring her father comfort, my wife sought to purchase a medical / home health care chair. When she discovered your MaxiComfort product with the nanotex fabric, she was exalted at the fact that she had found a medical chair that would meet our needs: It had to recline to 180 degrees, resist microbial growth and be capable of being stored and utilized outside.  

            She purchased the MaxiComfort, Cloud, PR510-SME, nanotex from your dealer. The price tag on the product is clearly marked $1,450 + tax. Today, the chair was delivered. The invoice lists a price of $1,650, delivery included.  (With the purchase of other items the total charge to the debit card was $1,698.) It is clearly a mistake. The skeptic in me fears that this is a classic case of fraudulent Bait-n-Switch! (Unfortunately, dealing with them only confirms my greatest fears.) Before I address my attempts to amicably resolve this disparity, let me comment on their delivery and service.

            Two men delivered the chair. I offered them two options for bringing the chair into the house: the front door or through the back porch. Given the size of the chair, it appeared to me that the back porch was safer and less likely to damage our furniture.  One of the deliverymen (David) complained extensively and irrationally.  They sat the chair in my driveway and refused to deliver it into the house. When I asked the other man to help me move it, David instructed him not to help. My wife observed this shameful behavior. She offered to carry it.  My wife and I brought the chair into the house!

            As their delivery truck fled the scene, I opened the invoice and discovered that they had improperly overcharged for the chair. I immediately called your retail representative and spoke with Lisa. Shockingly and quite boldly, she pronounced: “[I] don’t know how that sticker got on that chair!” “You got a deal, ‘cus that chair goes for $1,750. I took $100 off.” I explained to her that she had improperly overcharged for the chair. Remarkably, Lisa, on behalf of First Choice Medical, offered to pick up the chair and refund the total amount. At that point, all that I wanted was for her to refund the $200 that was improperly (and I came to suspect, was fraudulently) overcharged. She continued to insist that even at $1,650 we had gotten quite a deal! She invited me to “look it up on-line.” I did.  (Read below)

            After briefly discussing this extremely unpleasant experience with my wife, we agreed to accept Lisa’s offer. We do not wish to deal with unethical and dishonest people, particularly at such a difficult time when caring for our loved one.

            Apparently, Lisa displayed enormous compassion when she needed to make a sale. However, her true character arose when tested. Upon my calling to return the chair she quickly and erratically vacillated between different choices and positions:

1. Yes, she was willing to refund the entire amount of the invoice and accept the chair back. However, apparently I was rude to her deliveryman, David.  It seems that hurt feelings trump despicable, dishonest and unethical business tactics! Therefore, I could pound sand.
2. When that was ineffective, she claimed that I had damaged her chair. Remember, I contracted with a company that promised to deliver the product into the house.  They dropped it in my driveway. The chair is not damaged. It is as functional and brand-new as the day you built it!
3. She quickly abandoned that false narrative in lieu of a greedy one! Sure, she would accept the chair --- if, I brought it back to the store and they would extort a 20% restocking fee!

Anything for a buck! The outlandish behavior of this company (your proud authorized dealer) is no longer shocking to me. If they are willing to engage in base, vile bait-n-switch tactics, I shall not be surprised by their unsupportable and desperate claims designed to feed their greed.

It seems that they live by the mantra ‘say anything to make the sale!’ and then fight to keep it at all costs.  Several promises and representations concerning your product were made during the sales-pitch --- these were not true.  I have spoken with your company’s sale’s representative who raised two concerns:

1. Lisa represented that the chair could be stored and utilized on a covered (but, not enclosed) rear porch. Your sale’s rep expressed concern that moisture would harm the motor, electrical components and moving parts. (It is important to note that Lisa was fully aware that the sole purpose of the chair was for our loved-one to enjoy some sunshine and air. Why would she lie?
2. Lisa misrepresented the material and components that create a bacteria resistant fabric. Apparently, she knows the product differently than your employee who wished not to suggest that these were false claims. But, he had never heard of them before!

Anything for a buck!  And a nice, healthy buck, indeed! Please recall that Lisa

proclaimed that we had gotten such a great deal! Sure--- $1,750 with a hundred bucks off! Now, I recognize that as a manufacturer you have limited business influence and legal capacity to control the prices at which your products are sold. Here’s the disparity that evidences the greed of First Choice Medical:

1. This specific model is regularly available on-line for the List Price of $1,525. Free shipping and tax-free. (I admit that this would be drop-shipped to our door, but the thin-skinned, First Choice guys didn’t even leave it at the door!)  
2. On-Sale this product is readily available on-line for $1,270! (Free shipping and tax-free.)

Now, your retort may be that I must compare “apples to apples” and only quote

prices from brick-n-mortar stores. I will, as follows:

1. Nearby, this exact model is available for $934, plus an up-charge of $125 for the nanotex fabric: $1,059. (The actions of First Choice in charging a premium of $600 are simply unconscionable and outright disgusting! Let the buyer beware!) Is this a rouge retailer who offers such a reduced price? No!
2.   Also in town, this product can be had for $1,200!

In conclusion, as a reputable manufacturer of quality products I would hope

you greet my correspondence with equal shock to that which we have tragically experienced. Sadly, my loved-one will not enjoy your chair. It has been safeguarded and stored in order to return it to these despicable and vile people! I have made reasonable attempts to deal respectably with people who are due little respect.

            I seek your intervention; I seek your help.