Product: *****
Customer Service: ***
Update: customer service has now resolved the issue by offering a refund for the overpaid amount and original pricing was honoured. I am happy with the resolution, albeit it was quite an effort to come to an agreeable solution. As such, I would purchase their products again.
The product itself is amazing - it looks beautiful, has a great weight to it, is easy to install, and comes with additional hardware that is not usually included at your big box stores.
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We’d been looking for high quality knurled handles, and after having read the reviews, decided to purchase the London model from Explore Hardware. At the time, the handles were 30% off with a website banner that stated an additional 25% off total price (no fine print included). The items at the time were not listed under the “Sale” drop-down section. After proceeding to check-out, applying the additional discount which populated the final total, I began to input the shipping and banking information. Just before submitting payment, I decided to research if they gave contractor pricing. After realizing they did, I immediately emailed their team with my business information, assuming the pricing would be better than what was available online. I took a screen shot of the original cart/pricing for my own purposes.
I was sent a quote a few hundred over what I had seen online, and after informing them the pricing was higher. I was told that the quote was the best they could do and that discounts could not be stacked.
I informed them that I was able to get the lower pricing the night before, and that I was unsure if it was a glitch in the system, but I could send them the screenshot as proof.
They took a few hours to get back to me, and by the time they did, the website had been updated to reflect their standpoint. The item was added to the Sales products drop-down, and the additional 25% off was no longer applicable.
When they emailed me, they informed me that the shopping cart would not have allowed me to apply the discount, and would not have allowed me to check out. After going on their website again to check, I was unable to apply the additional 25% off again. This is what leads me to assume it was fixed by IT prior to emailing me back.
I yet again reiterated that I was able to the night before, and that the only reason I did not proceed was to obtain contractor pricing (which I assumed would be cheaper but ended up being a few hundred dollars more). I provided them with the screen shot as proof, to no avail.
I asked to speak to a manager, and was told they would contact me the next day, which they did not. I reached out again a few days later, and the same individual told me management was busy but she had spoken with a few people who told her I couldn’t receive the pricing as per my screenshot.
I felt professionally dismissed and find it quite disheartening that they are a company that does not honour mistakes that may happen on their system for their clients, especially given there was proof and thorough explanation. Had I proceeded to check out the night before and had not inquired about contractor pricing, I would have saved hundreds of dollars.
We did end up purchasing the handles for the client and they are great quality. However, as a business owner who understands the value in honouring your word, I would refrain from offering my business to them in the future.
After having written this review, I was contacted by the team who verified it had been a system glitch that was fixed within 24 hrs, though it had been denied at the time of the original communications. I was offered 40% off of regularly priced items on my “next purchase” (5% more than what is offered for normal contractor pricing). As such, I still do not believe the situation was handled appropriately, as communications were not only misleading prior to the review, but now having verified my experience, the original pricing available should be honoured. Unfortunately in their lack of resolution they have lost a future customer.
