The Brick

We bought a microwave May 26, 2018. For the second time in less than a year it completely lost power - no lights, fan, nothing. It comes back on intermittently. The person at the manufacturer Whirlpool/Maytag ('Raj' I think) was totally useless; couldn't even find the records for the purchase. I called back to talk to someone else, but she brushed me off, telling me I am "out of warranty". I specifically purchased a 5 year extended warranty because it was a floor model. I called the store but they tell me to call the manufacturer. I spoke to someone at the store's Customer Service who identified herself as "Erica". She was abrupt and unfriendly, didn't care in the slightest that giving me a date for a service call that left us without the use of microwave and exhaust fan for a full week away was a major problem. Couldn't tell me if it would be am or pm, just sometime between 8am and 4:30pm. Wouldn't let me know who the service company I would be dealing with was.
I bought a lousy product (Maytag) from a lousy store (The Brick).

I wrote twice to the Western Canada head office in Edmonton, Alberta and have never received any response.

In April of this year (2010) I made a significant purchase of furniture from the Brick – Victoria Langford. I made this purchase in good faith after being advised that any dissatisfaction I may have with the order would be handled efficiently and I could be confident that the Brick would replace any damaged items and, if I was unhappy with the merchandise, I would be able to return such merchandise without difficulty.

This ultimately turned out to be untruthful and I am writing to you requesting a refund of $1441.32 for the merchandise listed below:
Samsung Plasma 50” TV

I had paid for Platinum delivery ($100) and it was my understanding that meant that the delivery personnel would unpack and inspect the items at delivery as well as assist me in the setup. On the date of delivery, two males arrived and did nothing to assist in the unwrapping, inspection or setup. My friend was with me at the time of the delivery and we were surprised that the items were basically just dumped into the apartment but, being generous and expecting everything would be undamaged and in good condition, I gave each delivery person a tip and they left. My friend and I both thought that these two young men seemed very anxious to be gone and put that down to a possible heavy delivery schedule. I am 72 years old and my friend is 62. We began the long and arduous process of unpacking and setting up the delivered items leaving the television to the very last as we had to erect the wall unit purchased to house the television. We are both seniors and this process takes us longer than it did at one time but doing it bit by bit over the next several days, we did accomplish the final setup and placement. We then went to unpack the television which, as you may be aware, is a very large screen and is also of a significant weight.

Upon removing the packaging, we noticed significant cracking in the screen and realized that this television was very damaged and would have to have fallen on something to be in the condition it was in at this time. We also began to realize that the nervousness exhibited by the delivery personnel may be linked to this damage occurring during the original loading, during transport or at the time of unloading to my address.

Naturally very upset about this development, I contacted the sales staff at the Brick in Langford, BC. This experience was not a pleasant one I was confronted with accusations that I must have damaged that television myself and the assertion that it was unacceptable that I had not notified the Brick sooner and therefore I would receive no replacement or refund and since it was asserted that I had caused this damage, the warranty on the television would not be honoured as well. I decided to go to the store in person hoping that the sales staff would be more receptive but it was a wasted trip as I received no consideration whatever and, in fact, I was treated very rudely and definitely not in the way that any person would expect customer service from such a large company.

I contacted the Samsung repair facility and explained the situation to a service person who then took the time to contact the Brick to ask about the warranty. I did appreciate very much the effort put in by that Samsung service person but he, too, was ignored and again the Brick refused to honour the warranty. The service person advised me that the repair of this television would be far more than buying another new one; and he came out to my home to see the actual television. After inspecting the set, he confirmed that the damage done was excessive and could only have been done prior to or in delivery.

Discouraged by all this, I made the decision to allow the Samsung service person to take the set away realizing that it made no sense to pay to have it repaired.

I received the bill for this merchandise (dated: 05/06/2010). It totalled $4116.24. I was away on vacation at this time but I paid this full amount by cheque on June 1, 2010.

I have filed with the BBB and there has been no resolution. Apparently, because I signed the delivery slip without checking the television.