hhgregg Giving us the the runaround and outright lying Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Purchased a Frigidaire model#FGHS2655PF on November 12, 2014 from hhgregg on 9733 Roosevelt Blvd Philadelphia, PA 19114. the sales person was Carol Clark.  During the sales process we specified that we wanted the refrigerator delivered in it’s original packaging ie the box only to be opened in our presence.  We specified that we wanted the appliance delivered in the box, to be opened in our presence. 

The first delivery attempt was on November 13, 2014.  The time frame was 1pm to 5pm the delivery service came with an unboxed item and we refused it.  We called the hhgregg delivery company and spoke with one of the female employees named Kelly who told us told that ALL appliances come to the warehouse unboxed. My mother told the young woman that she had never heard of such nonsense as a reputable company sending their merchandise to any retailer let alone hhgregg without the item being in it's original packaging ie a box but the young woman insisted that was the case with all of their warehouse merchandise.  We told her that we just recently purchased a Maytag washer from Lowes two weeks ago and how that appliance had been delivered in a box.  So why is it that hhgregg can't do the same???

We set up another appointment for a delivery on November 15, 2014.  The delivery window was between 2pm and 4:45pm and once again we specifically asked that the item be delivered in the box.  The guys once again were late arriving and once again the appliance was NOT in a box and we refused delivery again.  Called the warehouse to complain about our instructions not being followed and again spoke with the same female employee Kelly.  We reminded her that we had also purchased our last refrigerator the defective Samsung from hhgregg and that had been delivered in a box.  That was when Kelly decided to change her tune and say that ONLY Frigidaire refrigerators come unboxed.  When my mother called her on that blatant lie and reminded her how she had just the other day said that all refrigerators came to their warehouse unboxed she denied ever saying that.

November 17, 2014

 It’s 9am and Mom called Frigidaire and spoke with a company representative.  She asked if it was true that Frigidaire sent it’s merchandise to retailers without it’s original packaging/box.  The woman told my mother that wasn’t the case but then said “let go ask just to be sure”.  She asked my mother to hold on and went to speak with another company co-worker.  She came back to the phone and told my mother that just as she had said earlier Frigidaire does NOT send their merchandise to any retailer without it’s original packaging/box.

It’s 1:40pm I called hhgregg website and spoke with Sherry.  I explained the situation about how we specified at the time of purchase that we wanted the refrigerator delivered in it’s original packaging and despite that it had been brought the house without the box.  She apologized and said she would try to fix things.  I gave her the invoice number and then she told me she would call the store and talk to one of the managers.  She then came back on the line and said that she would connect me with one of the managers.  I was on hold until 1:46pm when someone named Gianna pick came to the phone and once again I explained the situation.  She said she looked in the system and came back on the line and told me that she would put a note in the system so that the warehouse people as well as the delivery people would deliver the item in the box.

November 18, 2014

Was connected to hhgregg store and put on hold for 20 minutes or more.  Henry picked-up and I asked if he were a manager and was told no he wasn't but he could help me.  I told him politely that I would prefer to speak with a manager.  Steve was the only manager on premises but was helping a customer.  I reminded Henry that I am also a customer in need of help.  He took my number and promised to pass on to Steve.  Steve never called.

It's 3:23pm when Sarah called.  I believe she said she was calling from the corporate office. She is the Lead Operations person. Sarah apologized for the difficulties we’ve been having and said she would see about trying to get things resolved.  She apologized and said she could offer me $100 off the delivery.  I thought that was a little strange but said okay.   Sarah said she would call the distribution center that the delivery is supposed to come from and make sure things are setup correctly. Sarah asked if there was a number she could reach and I told her to call at the same number that she called when she got me the first time.

November 20, 2014

Sarah never called back.  I’m not surprised at this seems to be a theme with the management etc. at hhgregg.  From where I’m standing their motto seems to be “Take the money…and the hell with the customer”.

Delivery people are late mom calls hhgregg and gets John the store manager.  Mom inquires about the delivery and once again we find out it's going to be without the box.  He gives the same spiel about how items have always been delivered without the box.  I remind him that the piece of crap Samsung we had originally purchased from his hhgregg store had come in a box which I know for a fact as I was outside when the guys arrived.  He told me that was an anomaly because hhgregg have always delivered items unboxed. I asked him why he would expect us to accept something that isn't in it's original packaging when there is a possibility that item could be a floor model or some refurbished item.  

He told me that hhgregg is not in the business of cheating customers.   From where I'm standing that's exactly what they are doing to us.  If this was the policy why weren't we made of that fact at the time of purchase???  The sales person Carol Clark was right there at the time and I remember distinctly asking my mother if she had made them aware that we wanted the item delivered in the box.  Ms. Clark NEVER said anything to the effect that it was policy that hhgregg ONLY delivers without the original packaging.  As my mother said if there is a policy that appliances are delivered unboxed then why weren’t we made aware of that policy BEFORE we signed the paperwork???  I’d call that shady business practices 101

I told John that if we continued to have problems with the delivery ie the item NOT being in it’s original packaging, that we would then have to come to the store  and get a full refund.  He tells me his store, the store where we purchased not only the Frigidaire refrigerator but also the piece of crap of Samsung doesn’t do refunds.  That if we wanted a refund we would have to take that up with hhgregg’s corporate headquarters because only corporate has the power to grant refunds.  I have never heard such nonsense in my entire life that the place where you purchase the item can’t grant you a refund that instead you have to contact the corporate office! Unbelievable!!!

Delivery guys finally arrived at 8:10pm, they were supposed to be here at the latest by 6:30pm.  At first my mother was going to refuse the refrigerator but then she relented because it has been over a month since we have had a refrigerator. 

The first thing I noticed was that despite all the things we had heard from warehouse personnel, the refrigerator was neither wrapped in a blanket nor bubbled-wrapped.  Instead it was covered in thin labeled plastic covering that had some kind of invoice label attached and had five barley there pieces of Styrofoam; one in the middle of the two doors, two on each corner of each door and two on each back corner.  There was no PROTECTIVE barrier to prevent denting etc as many of the warehouse personnel had claimed on numerous occasions.

The delivery guy opened the plastic and I noticed quite a few problems.  First there was a VERY noticeable dent on the refrigerator door as well as some various noticeable scratches.  The freezer side also had some smaller dents as well as various scratches.  One of the delivery guys also told me that there was much bigger dent on the side panel of the freezer.  I guess the reason I missed that is because it was dark when they got here which is one hazards of getting deliveries at night.

As you might have guessed we did NOT accept delivery of that beat-up fridge.  If we had wanted a beat-up second hand refrigerator we would have gotten the floor model one that was $750.00  We paid for a new pristine item and that is what we want OR we want our money back!

All in all this has been one of the worst consumer experiences of my life.  One would think that hhgregg would be bending over backwards to accommodate us.  If not for hhgregg selling us that defective piece of crap Samsung model RS22HDHPNSR-AA refrigerator we wouldn’t be in this predicament right now.  The truth of the matter is that if we had known that hhgregg is such an unscrupulous company we would have NEVER done business with them in the first place.

P.S.  hhgregg is STILL selling that same defective Samsung refrigerator.  If you are reading this message tell all your friends and family to steer clear of that item and hhgregg too.