Haverty's Furniture False representation, Pushy sales, Rude, Poor Customer Service Arlington Texas

As a previous Haverty's Customer I entered this store on 1 July 2004 looking for a new Living Room set for my new home. I was approached within 3 seconds by an elderly woman with silver hair who seemed much too eager to show me around even after I explained to her that I wanted her to check my credit before I began. She insisted I look at merchandise first because they rate it based on what is purchased not on a specific amount. This did not make sense to me but I followed her lead anyway.

After a 12 minute discussion on styles and makes, I came across a nice Sofa and Love seat combination that sparked my interest, immediately she went to work on the credit application, in about 5 minutes she showed me a document with an account number and a monthly payment figure on it and said, "You're Ok, if you don't put anything down this ($188.00) will be your monthly payment with no interest for one year. I said "great" I will come back tomorrow with my wife and let her see it so we can take it home. This is where it all began.

Being a salesman myself I quickly picked up on her tricks, it started like this. "Well, you'll have to sign this form so we can process it for you", I asked her what she had spent the last 10 minutes doing then, she said "it's standard, it's how we do business" then her friend at the credit desk immediately intervened and said "it's our boss's policy to make everyone sign this document"

Keep in mind this document clearly stated that I was entering into a LEGAL agreement to pay them $188.00 per month for XX number of months.

When I asked what if my wife dislikes it and doesn't want it? They said "Then you can pick something she likes."

Clearly I knew it was the good old "fall in love with it" scheme, notice she did not suggest "You can cancel the order" until I said I wouldn't sign anything until I was ready to purchase the next day.

Both sales ladies immediately started trying to explain what their boss's policy was (they were talking over each other).

I interrupted both and asked them (nicely) to speak one person at a time so I could understand. I think this upset them because I immediately noticed a firm look on both their faces.

To sum up, I knew the chances of me qualifying for credit were about 1%, however, I wanted to try.

The issue here is the misleading ways in which the sales personnel behave and how the want to trick you into signing, their acts are immoral and very unprofessional.

Needless to say I waited for the "Reply" the said was to be coming from their Credit Dpt. before I signed anything and sure enough it came back "Credit Denied", no surprise to me, but believe it or not they still wanted me to sign.

I chuckled and said "there is no need for me to sign if I am neither qualified nor interested" they looked at each other while the credit clerk said "I guess I'll write CUSTOMER REFUSED TO SIGN on it" which was fine with me, because my intent from the begining (which I stated to the sales lady within 30 seconds of walking in) was to check not to buy.

I urge potential buyers to question everything and not be led on by a persuasive sales person, this involves everything, and what ever you do if you DO purchase, DO NOT ACCEPT DELIVERY UNTIL YOUR CREDIT HAS BEEN APPROVED (You will know within a week because they will NOT call you asking you for an alternate payment method)

Educate yourself, Check your credit often and let your instinct guide you... If it sounds to good to be true, at Haverty's it definetly is.

John
WACO, Texas
U.S.A.