I have blinds that don't fit. Now what?
January 1, 2009 1:14 PM Subscribe
Consumer Filter: I purchased custom made blinds from Home Depot, and they don't fit. Now what?
I went to the home decor dept. at Home Depot. When I arrived no one was there to assist me. A manager saw me, told me to wait - he would have someone there as soon. He said the regular staff were all out that day. (I will explain why I am telling you this below.)
So after 20 minutes of waiting, a sales rep shows up and starts helping me. This sales rep the manager sent over had a very rudimentary understanding of the blinds dept apparently, but she helped out nonetheless. I gave her the width of my window and after double checking with me that this is the right width, she places the order on the computer.
Yesterday the blinds arrive. They are too wide. But they are the size I ordered. Now I would chalk this up to my fault, but yesterday I spoke with another manager, who told me that bc my building is old, the windows should have been measured in 6 different places, as the walls are not as even over time. Furthermore, she said I should have been asked if I wanted them professionally measured and installed. I would have done this if I knew this was an option. At this point she wants to contact the manufacturer on Monday.
Frankly, I would say this is my own fault, until I was told what I explained above. Furthermore, I feel this has nothing to do with the manufacturer. Home Depot should have given me a capable sales associate who should have explained that I needed 5 other measurements, and they can offer professional installation. The manager tried pinning this on me, saying that if I felt the sales associate was not competent, I should have spoke to the manager. I disagree. How am I supposed to know what I don't know about installing window blinds?... Afterall, this why I needed a sales associate. And remember this sales associate one the manager brought over himself.
So here I am, with useless $400 blinds and reeling over this matter. What is the best strategy to get Home Depot to supply me with blinds that fit, at no or little cost to me?
I went to the home decor dept. at Home Depot. When I arrived no one was there to assist me. A manager saw me, told me to wait - he would have someone there as soon. He said the regular staff were all out that day. (I will explain why I am telling you this below.)
So after 20 minutes of waiting, a sales rep shows up and starts helping me. This sales rep the manager sent over had a very rudimentary understanding of the blinds dept apparently, but she helped out nonetheless. I gave her the width of my window and after double checking with me that this is the right width, she places the order on the computer.
Yesterday the blinds arrive. They are too wide. But they are the size I ordered. Now I would chalk this up to my fault, but yesterday I spoke with another manager, who told me that bc my building is old, the windows should have been measured in 6 different places, as the walls are not as even over time. Furthermore, she said I should have been asked if I wanted them professionally measured and installed. I would have done this if I knew this was an option. At this point she wants to contact the manufacturer on Monday.
Frankly, I would say this is my own fault, until I was told what I explained above. Furthermore, I feel this has nothing to do with the manufacturer. Home Depot should have given me a capable sales associate who should have explained that I needed 5 other measurements, and they can offer professional installation. The manager tried pinning this on me, saying that if I felt the sales associate was not competent, I should have spoke to the manager. I disagree. How am I supposed to know what I don't know about installing window blinds?... Afterall, this why I needed a sales associate. And remember this sales associate one the manager brought over himself.
So here I am, with useless $400 blinds and reeling over this matter. What is the best strategy to get Home Depot to supply me with blinds that fit, at no or little cost to me?
If they are too big measure again and have Home depot trim them to the proper size. They were too small you'd be screwed. Being too big it should be possible to cut them again. (I'm assuming these are mini blinds or something that is cut to size from larger stock).
posted by COD at 1:31 PM on January 1, 2009
posted by COD at 1:31 PM on January 1, 2009
I'm confused--were there two different managers, one who said it was your own fault and another who said the Home Depot sales associate screwed up? If so, contact the nicer/more reasonable one and explain the whole situation, especially the bad customer service part where the unreasonable manager said it was your fault. If I were you, I'd say that to resolve the situation I wanted to pay for professional measurement but receive replacement custom-order blinds free of charge. If that doesn't work, I'd go to the store manager.
posted by Meg_Murry at 1:32 PM on January 1, 2009
posted by Meg_Murry at 1:32 PM on January 1, 2009
I would suggest contacting the corporate offices.
Marvin Ellison is executive vice president, U.S. stores. I'm having trouble finding the address and/or phone numbers for their corporate offices, though.
You can also call customer service: 1-800-553-3199 -- they might be your first choice, with Ellison as your second. They can also probably provide you with the address to which you should send a letter if you decide to do so.
And don't let anyone blame you for the sales associate's incompetence. That's ridiculous. You might mention this to customer service.
posted by brina at 1:32 PM on January 1, 2009
Marvin Ellison is executive vice president, U.S. stores. I'm having trouble finding the address and/or phone numbers for their corporate offices, though.
You can also call customer service: 1-800-553-3199 -- they might be your first choice, with Ellison as your second. They can also probably provide you with the address to which you should send a letter if you decide to do so.
And don't let anyone blame you for the sales associate's incompetence. That's ridiculous. You might mention this to customer service.
posted by brina at 1:32 PM on January 1, 2009
My family has a blind business and yes the sales associate absolutely was negligent or ignorant in taking your single measurement and ordering custom blinds off of that. No-one does that- custom window treatments are always measured, fit and installed professionally.
posted by fshgrl at 1:33 PM on January 1, 2009
posted by fshgrl at 1:33 PM on January 1, 2009
When you were measuring, did you follow their instructions (or did they tell you to follow their instructions) that are online? It says to measure in 3 places. Or, did they give you the planning worksheet to complete?
I think this will be useful to you if they did not suggest you follow their measurement advice, or tell you that they had instructions online, or give you their planning worksheet to fill out that has this advice.
If they are too big for your window, maybe they can cut the parts that are too big? But, they are usually quite clear that they are not responsible if you measure incorrectly, and will only accept returns for defects, not wrong measurements. Like most of their stuff -- they sell to do-it-yourselfers, but it's up to you to know how to do it yourself. The staff receive training, but I always think their advice is a useful bonus, but not something they are liable for if they get it wrong.
posted by Houstonian at 1:33 PM on January 1, 2009
I think this will be useful to you if they did not suggest you follow their measurement advice, or tell you that they had instructions online, or give you their planning worksheet to fill out that has this advice.
If they are too big for your window, maybe they can cut the parts that are too big? But, they are usually quite clear that they are not responsible if you measure incorrectly, and will only accept returns for defects, not wrong measurements. Like most of their stuff -- they sell to do-it-yourselfers, but it's up to you to know how to do it yourself. The staff receive training, but I always think their advice is a useful bonus, but not something they are liable for if they get it wrong.
posted by Houstonian at 1:33 PM on January 1, 2009
Offer to pay for the professional installation and measurement, if HD will cover the cost of replacing the blinds.
I can't believe you made it out of Home Depot without them pimping their installation service. They seem to push it on me with every single product I buy. It's a big part of the reason I shop at my neighborhood hardware store instead of the big chains.
posted by 26.2 at 1:34 PM on January 1, 2009
I can't believe you made it out of Home Depot without them pimping their installation service. They seem to push it on me with every single product I buy. It's a big part of the reason I shop at my neighborhood hardware store instead of the big chains.
posted by 26.2 at 1:34 PM on January 1, 2009
Response by poster: Meg_Murry: Yes, apparently they have more than one manager for the dept. And what's even funnier is the one that explained the additional info to me is the one who also felt I should have complained to the manager in that day about getting more reliable service.
Houstonian, COD: These blinds were a custom order, unfortunately the manager I spoke to said they can't just cut them.
posted by helios410 at 1:47 PM on January 1, 2009
Houstonian, COD: These blinds were a custom order, unfortunately the manager I spoke to said they can't just cut them.
posted by helios410 at 1:47 PM on January 1, 2009
Response by poster: Houtonian: Additionally, I did not have Home Depot's instructions for measuring, nor did I know there were specific instructions for measuring. I just measured vertically and horizontally, and assumed HD could help with the rest.
posted by helios410 at 1:53 PM on January 1, 2009
posted by helios410 at 1:53 PM on January 1, 2009
My SO did this at Home Depot and had to suck it up. YMMV.
posted by k8t at 2:18 PM on January 1, 2009
posted by k8t at 2:18 PM on January 1, 2009
I agree with Houstonian. I would've waited until I felt that I was being helped competently instead of depending on them. Most of Home Depot's merchandise are for do-it-yourselfers Also, if this was a project I was taking on myself, I would've done more research on the measurements I needed.
posted by ThirstyEar2 at 5:10 PM on January 1, 2009
posted by ThirstyEar2 at 5:10 PM on January 1, 2009
My family has a blind business and yes the sales associate absolutely was negligent or ignorant in taking your single measurement and ordering custom blinds off of that. No-one does that- custom window treatments are always measured, fit and installed professionally.
At the Depot, though? I've ordered custom blinds there 3 times and I've always brought them ONE measurement, gave it to them, picked up blinds a week later, end of story.
If you tell the general manager of the HD you went to what you told us, I'm positive they'll work with you on a solution that works for you.
posted by tristeza at 5:24 PM on January 1, 2009
At the Depot, though? I've ordered custom blinds there 3 times and I've always brought them ONE measurement, gave it to them, picked up blinds a week later, end of story.
If you tell the general manager of the HD you went to what you told us, I'm positive they'll work with you on a solution that works for you.
posted by tristeza at 5:24 PM on January 1, 2009
We don't use HD for our rentals, but a local big box, Menards. I do this once a year on average. (I fuck up once every fourth time, too. Inside measurements? Outside? are those 48" or 60" windows? Etc.) There's a big sign in the miniblind department that tells you to be sure of your measurements, as they are not responsible for miscuts.
posted by dhartung at 8:33 PM on January 1, 2009
posted by dhartung at 8:33 PM on January 1, 2009
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posted by patnok at 1:29 PM on January 1, 2009