fighting with fingerhut

[m1ldslide1]

I purchased an Arrow 10x14 shed from Fingerhut late last year. (They're a mail-order and online retailer, for those who don't know) I paid like $800 for it, and they shipped me box #1 out of 2. Box #2 never came. A week or so later my fiance called and was given the run-around, told that they ship separately and it would arrive any time. We got busy with some other projects and left it alone for about a month, at which point we called back and were given more run-around and told that they would ship it to us in the near future. On comes winter, and we were less than motivated to deal with constructing a shed, so it sat a couple of months with no progress.

About two months ago we called again after still no delivery, at which point we were told that we would have to sign an affidavit stating that we only received one box. A couple of weeks later the affidavit comes in the mail, we sign it, and send it back. We're told it will be 2-4 weeks before they respond. Well it's been over 6 weeks, and still no response. The fiance called up again this afternoon and was told that there is no manager available to talk to her, and that they will have one call us back in 24 to 48 hours. (We've heard that before - they don't call).

I'm going to give them a call when I get home and try to chew some ass, but I will need some ammo first.

So what recourse do I have here? I figure I can tell them that I'll contact the BBB, tell everyone I know (and everyone on my popular interweb forum) that they cheated me out of $800 and to never do business with them. Is small claims a viable option for me? If so, what all do I have to go through to get my money back? Do I have any power here, or do I just have to take it??? :|

 

[RKS]

BBB is a useless paper liger

Hopefully you used a CC and can do an easy charge-back.

edit: I know there may be other great CC companies but this is the exact reason I use AMEX. They always take your side and I have never had to pay for a disputed purchase.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

should have done a chargeback 3 months ago...

 

[m1ldslide1]

Oh I left out a crucial piece of info that you both reminded me of: My fiance purchased the thing, and signed up for a fingerhut credit account when she did. It's basically the same deal as bill-me-later on newegg. She's been making $70 monthly payments all along.

So it would technically be possible to just stop paying the payments, but most of it is already paid off. I'm sure that stopping the payments at this point wouldn't do much more than ruin her credit, right?

I realize that I should've been more assertive about this months ago, but in the midst of buying a house, getting engaged, taking a new job, having her take a new job while going to school and on and on it ended up falling off the radar for periods of time. I guess that's why it's a learning experience, but I'm hoping to cut our losses as much as possible at this point.

 

[RKS]

Originally posted by: m1ldslide1
Oh I left out a crucial piece of info that you both reminded me of: My fiance purchased the thing, and signed up for a fingerhut credit account when she did. It's basically the same deal as bill-me-later on newegg. She's been making $70 monthly payments all along.

So it would technically be possible to just stop paying the payments, but most of it is already paid off. I'm sure that stopping the payments at this point wouldn't do much more than ruin her credit, right?

I realize that I should've been more assertive about this months ago, but in the midst of buying a house, getting engaged, taking a new job, having her take a new job while going to school and on and on it ended up falling off the radar for periods of time. I guess that's why it's a learning experience, but I'm hoping to cut our losses as much as possible at this point.

Then I would start calling them every hour until I got a satisfactory resolution.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

how old are you?

 

[BoomerD]

This is what you get when you deal with Fingerhut because you don't have enough credit to buy something from a reputable retailer.

 

[Zedtom]

I think that the BBB is more influential than you might think.

I had a dispute with a local auto dealer's parts department and the BBB was very helpful in solving my problem. I had a huge problem with Andersen Windows and the BBB helped with resolving that fiasco.

Don't be afraid of enlisting help when you have a legitimate grievance.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
This is what you get when you deal with Fingerhut because you don't have enough credit to buy something from a reputable retailer.

word.


Here OP, read this:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/catalog/fingerhut.htm

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Zedtom
I think that the BBB is more influential than you might think.

I had a dispute with a local auto dealer's parts department and the BBB was very helpful in solving my problem. I had a huge problem with Andersen Windows and the BBB helped with resolving that fiasco.

Don't be afraid of enlisting help when you have a legitimate grievance.

BBB is a joke, and totally worthless if a company isn't a member.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Call every hour and escalate.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: Zedtom
I think that the BBB is more influential than you might think.

I had a dispute with a local auto dealer's parts department and the BBB was very helpful in solving my problem. I had a huge problem with Andersen Windows and the BBB helped with resolving that fiasco.

Don't be afraid of enlisting help when you have a legitimate grievance.

The BBB only helps when the company you want to lodge a complaint against is a member. Otherwise they straight up can't do as much as you can.



OP: The easiest way to be heard is to keep talking. As someone else already said, call every hour if you have to. Call every department you can find a number for. Call their finance division and inform them of what is going on.

Remember, nobody on the other end of the phone likes dealing with someone that is being a prick. Don't be a jerk, but be as adamant as you have to in order to get your goods.


They might actually be violating federal mail-order laws and you may want to contact both their state attorney general and your attorney general as well as the FTC.

If they don't want to deal with YOU, give them a whole bunch of other people to deal with.

 

[m1ldslide1]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: BoomerD
This is what you get when you deal with Fingerhut because you don't have enough credit to buy something from a reputable retailer.

word.


Here OP, read this:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/catalog/fingerhut.htm

Holy shit. That's a lot of pissed off consumers...

Thanks for the replies - I'll definitely be taking over and harassing them until they do something for us. I left it primarily up to my fiance all this time - she signed up for the account, ordered the thing, and has been making payments and dealing with them over the phone. I'm going to become a persistent (but congenial) PITA until something happens.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: Zedtom
I think that the BBB is more influential than you might think.

I had a dispute with a local auto dealer's parts department and the BBB was very helpful in solving my problem. I had a huge problem with Andersen Windows and the BBB helped with resolving that fiasco.

Don't be afraid of enlisting help when you have a legitimate grievance.

BBB is a joke, and totally worthless if a company isn't a member.

yip, business PAY to be BBB members. it not a government body and many of you think it is.

as far as the OP. 800 bucks? damn you could have gone down to Lowes and got a rubbermaid shed one for that much. i have one i my backyard and ii paid 799 for it.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: BoomerD
This is what you get when you deal with Fingerhut because you don't have enough credit to buy something from a reputable retailer.

word.


Here OP, read this:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/catalog/fingerhut.htm

hahaha sorry to laugh but those people are idiots. one pay 400 bucks for something she didnt order? hahaha she got what she deserved.

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: BoomerD
This is what you get when you deal with Fingerhut because you don't have enough credit to buy something from a reputable retailer.

word.


Here OP, read this:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/catalog/fingerhut.htm

I gave a cookout on Memorial Day. I purchased a 6pc St. Tropex patio set item #N3625 from Fingerhut on May 7, 2008. I had several of friends at the cookout. Two ladies were sitting at the table of the patio set, when the table top exploded in a million little pieces.

that made me :laugh: