Macy's - Home Store Deceptive Sales Practice & Hidden-Fraudulent Delivery Fee Irvine, California

On 08/15/09 at 2:39pm Pacific time, I went online to the Macy web site to review the item (Blair Leather Ottoman in Taupe color) I wished to purchase. I called the phone number (888-822-6229) to discuss availability and shipping. I was told it would cost $80 to deliver the item to my house.  Since the item only cost $299, I asked if they could tell me if it was in stock at a nearby Macys retail store so I could pick up the item myself to avoid paying a delivery charge. I was told that I would have to contact each individual store location directly.

Afterward, I called the Macys Home Store at the Costa Mesa, California (South Coast Plaza) location. I spoke with Sue a Sales person in the furniture department. I asked her if the Blair Leather Ottoman in Taupe color was in stock? and she said that it was in stock.

At approximately 5:50p I went to the Costa Mesa store to purchase and take home the Ottoman. I met with Sue, now known to me as Sue Munro, Furniture Sales Consultant, the very same Salesperson I had spoken with earlier in the day. Now she told me that I would have to pick it the furniture item up at the City of Industry Pickup location. So when she had told me on the phone that the item was in stock, it was not at the store location. In fact they keep no furniture inventory at the retail store location. So she lied to me. Why did I have to make a trip to the Macy store at all? I knew what wanted. She should have taken my order over the phone and saved me a trip. Clearly, she should have told me over the phone that all furniture must be picked up from the City of Industry location as they maintain no inventory at the retail stores.

Now the worst part is that I, not only do I have to make time to travel to the City of Industry which involves additional costs and probably 2 hours of travel time round trip, depending upon traffic conditions, but as the Salesperson processed my purchase, she told me that I had to pay a $25.00 Delivery Fee. Delivery Fee! What delivery fee? They are making me pick up the item myself requiring approximately 2 hours of driving time. I should charge then a time and gas fee.

 So I have to pay a $25 Fee to pick-up my own furniture and  they have the gall to call it a Delivery Fee. The salesperson tried to explain that at the warehouse they have to take it (furniture) down from a pallet. What? This is a Fraudulent Charge and it is insulting that they tried to charge it me.

This Delivery fee was never disclosed to me when I spoke to the Internet Furniture Sales Salesperson. It was never disclosed to me when I called in to the Retail Store and spoke with Sue. There are no signs posted in any prominent manner in the store that all furniture must be picked up by the customer at the City of Industry with a $25 Delivery Fee assessed unless the customer opts for home delivery which involves a different, higher fee schedule.

This is very bad business indeed. Macys should be stopped from imposing a delivery fee when the customer picks up merchandise. They should stop the practice of stating that an item is in stock when in fact, they do not maintain furniture inventory at the retail store locations.