Meeks
BUYER BEWARE, WHAT YOU SEE IS NOT WHAT YOU GET
I bought a Vaughan-Bassett bedroom set in February 2023 online from FurniturePick. The finish, color and texture of the bedroom set slapped down on my curb is grossly different from the stock photos FurniturePick used to sell it, which were the same stock photos at Vaughan-Bassett's website at that time. In addition to the finish being different, it had several other damage issues. From that time through June 19 I went back and forth with both Vaughan-Bassett and FurniturePick with regard to my issues with the finish, color and texture looking NOTHING AT ALL like the stock photos used to sell it. Please note that while I bought the bedroom set through FurniturePick, it was packed and shipped directly from the Vaughan-Bassett warehouse. Vaughan-Bassett's policy is that they do not deal directly with the customer, it is the duty of the retailers they contract with. So per Vaughan-Bassett's instructions, I initially filed the complaint with FurniturePick. Upon FurniturePick closing out the complaint I opened with them (they pretended they would help me in the beginning and instead did absolutely nothing to address the finish and damage issues), FurniturePick told me to contact Vaughan-Bassett directly, and I did from that point on. FurniturePick and Vaughan-Bassett teamed up to tell me that what I received looked like the stock photos of the discontinued version and I had no case for a complaint. And, I came to find out, they were right. According to the fine print in a customer's bill of sale, Vaughan-Bassett can send out ANYTHING they please with regard to the finish, color and texture of the furniture they advertise using deceptive photos. The customer has two choices upon receipt. Keep it, or pay a 25% restocking fee, in addition to return shipping fees, to return it. I have a presentation on YouTube titled "Vaughan-Bassett Uses Deceptive Stock Photos to Sell Low Quality Furniture" that delves into the nitty gritty detail of my experience, along with the stock photos of the discontinued style my purchase was based off, the new stock photos of the "new version" of the bedroom set that match mine (FurniturePick updated theirs 5/23/23 and Vaughan-Bassett updated theirs 6/20/23 - keep in mind this is MONTHS after they were aware of my situation and the devastation it was causing me), and photos of the bedroom set I received. I'd bet a million to one that both Vaughan-Bassett and FurniturePick would still be using the old stock photos if I had not ridden them for nearly half a year to right the situation. I accepted an offer from Vaughan-Bassett giving me a $850 credit on my purchase on June 19. I DID NOT find this a fair settlement, but it was crystal clear Vaughan-Bassett had zero intention of doing anything more. I absolutely abhor the furniture, but I am stuck with it because there is no way in hell I would break even selling it on Craigslist, and I do not have the funds to replace it. It was a huge splurge for me. I plan to file a complaint with the Virginia Attorney General (Vaughan-Bassett manufactures in Virginia) and pursue legal action. I find it hard to believe that there is no threshold for deceptive advertisement at the caliber Vaughan-Bassett and their retail partners engage, and if there isn't, my case reflects a solid justification for setting a threshold to protect buyers. Coming out of this wretched experience, I will leave it at this: Vaughan-Bassett and their retail partners are snakes that deserve one another. Their fine print policies give them complete immunity from any blow back with regard to their fake stock photos. My eyes are wide open with regard to the FRAUDULENT ADVERTISING and SKETCHY FINE PRINT POLICIES they use to deceive customers. I am going to warn every person under the sun about my Vaughan-Bassett furniture buying experience so that customers innocently shopping furniture on the internet are aware of Bassett's fine print policies. When I learned the truth about what I believed to be a renown and trusted brand, it blew me out of the water. I had never heard of FurniturePick, but any questions I had about their selling venue went up in smoke when I saw they were selling the Bassett brand. I looked at the beautiful stock photos at both websites for MONTHS prior to my purchase. And now I am reminded of just how wrong I was every time I catch a glimpse of my hideous bedroom set. Don't let this happen to you. The photos of the furniture in my YouTube presentation are all you need to understand that what you see is not what you get.