Unclaimed
West Elm
Reviews and Complaints
350K
CLAIMED LOSSES
720
TOTAL REVIEWS
190K
PAGE VIEWS
16
ISSUES RESOLVED
West Elm Reviews
New Reviewer
West Elm can't get their furniture delivered to the customer
Update by user Sep 04, 2012
West Elm came through for me. My sofa was finally delivered around August 14th.
I made contact with Williams Sonoma and found a personal contact within customer service at West Elm. They called me and updated me until my sofa was delivered.
Also gave me some store credit for my troubles. So all in all it turned out well.
Original review posted by user Aug 03, 2012
I ordered a Henry sectional in "in-stock" fabric on June 15th 2012. They said it was on backorder until June 29th--OK. It's August 3rd and still no sofa. I have called customer service once a week since June 29th to be told that the order is being filled and will be out soon. I finally called Williams Sonoma as they own WE. They man on the phone called me back with an update and said truck will be loaded August 6th. I'm highly doubtful. If it isn't on it's way next week, I'm canceling the order. If West Elm can't accommodate their orders and customers, they shouldn't offer the products. I think it's quite dishonest on their part. Now I really want to cancel after the poor reviews on the Henry line--ugh what a nightmare! ID
Location
Dallas, Texas
Product
West Elm Sofa
Loss
$2300
West Elm Does not Honor Advertised Prices
In their most recent catalogue West Elm No 7, the company posts a red circle of up to 30% off special on their Montauk Nest Chair. This same item sold 2 years ago for $499 and for unexplained reasons their price jumped $300 to $799!!! Within in the last few months the item has sold for $679. Now in the most recent catalogue they have the old price but appear to offer the chair for additional 30% off. When you call they say, "if you read the red circle we are offering 'up to 30%' off on outdoor furniture but they are really not offering you anything new than was seen in their earlier catalogues. This was escalated to supervisor who was unwilling to honor the apparently advertising price. It is very misleading and they are not willing to stand behind what their advertising would appear to say.
ID
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
Product
West Elm Chair
Loss
$300
New Reviewer
West Elm - defective manufacturing, no recourse
I purchased a West Elm "computer cabinet" from a retailer as part of a "move and redecorate" project. Well, I ended up not moving, not redecorating, and waited 2 years (!) before starting to assemble the thing. Halfway through we found an obvious manufacturing defect and are unable to proceed with assembly. West Elm will not touch it because it was bought somewhere else and they have no record where it's been since it left them. The other retailer will not touch it because it is more than 30 days since it was purchased. So buyer beware: West Elm will not stand behind their manufacturing quality over time. Even when the product was made and branded West Elm.
ID
Location
Suwanee, Georgia
My West Elm order was placed 2 months ago...
I ordered the Tillary couch from the West Elm website during Black Friday. The fabric type and color I chose was supposedly in stock but 2 weeks later I still didn't hear anything from them. I finally called customer service and they said that the couch was still in production! WTF, I specifically chose the in-stock because I wanted extra seating for the holidays. It would take another month for them to ship it to their warehouse. I had to clarify if they were going to contact me to set-up the delivery time as well. The customer service person on the phone told me that UPS was going to deliver my couch to my apartment. The website said it was an in-home delivery. Another WTF. There is no way that UPS would have delivered the couch up the stairs to my apartment. They need to train their operators better about the delivery services because when I talked to customer service a month later to check on the order, they said the couch would be an in-home delivery. *sigh of relief* I had to call customer service a third time after two months had passed and still no couch. Apparently, the Tillary couches were already at the warehouse but no one had called to set-up a delivery. I am annoyed beyond belief at this point. I ask the customer service person to use my other credit card instead of the original one since they didn't charge it yet. She said she couldn't do it which is understandable, I guess. West Elm already screwed me on the couch since I didn't have it in time for the holidays. They couldn't accommodate my one request. I was just fed up with the whole thing so I just cancelled my order. After reading this website, I'm glad I did cancel the couch. I would have been a piece of *** after a couple of months. Sorry, West Elm, your furniture is not worth it. Blah!
1 comment
ID
Location
San Francisco, California
New Reviewer
West elm worst cutomer service ever
ordered a sweatere rug five weeks ago and after numerous calls to them and hours of useless (uninormed and lying) service reps told me the rug had been lost twice in shipping and after promising toi send it overnight via air, a week later, they still can't locate the new rug. three times was not a charm. i finally cancelled the order, and the rep still would not put me on with a manager. we were about to place a HUGE order with them, but will now take ALL future business elsewhere and never set foot in there again
ID
Location
Culpeper, Virginia
Service
West Elm Shipping Service
Loss
$500
New Reviewer
West Elm Furniture Is Not Solid Wood
You probably think "solid wood furniture" means it's crafted from solid wood, right? Well, apparently not at West Elm -- it means it is not "hollow wood." Like a hollow closet door. That's right, think of all that hollow furniture you've almost bought in the past - they wanted you to know it wasn't that really cheap stuff. What a relief. Thanks West Elm!!! Even with as a marketer myself, that borders on fraud in my eyes. To me, and probably you too, veneered wood should not be marketed as solid wood. Veneered wood is a very thin layer of solid wood on top of a thick layer of ground up wood chips. If you like veneer for the cost advantage, go ahead and grab some from West Elm. Just know it's anything but solid wood. If it ever gets injured, get ready to buy more. The overall looks at West Elm are good, but questionable sales tactics make me scared to ever buy from them again. Shame on Williams-Sonoma - the parent company.
1 comment
ID
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
New Reviewer
DO NOT ORDER anything large from West Elm in New York .Their delivery service UPS will not deliver to your apartment . West Elm has decided for UPS not to require a signiture and therefore they left it at the bottom of my stairs and I had to carry a 150 pound piece of...
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1 comment
PissedConsumer580989
#580989
Their in-home delivery is almost as inefficient as their customer service. Every customer service person I speak to gives me a different story.
In-home delivery just called me but I couldn't understand the foreign lady on the other line because her accent was so heavy that it was too difficult to figure out what she was saying except that she works for Federal (something) truck delivery in Jersey. Never again, West Elm..!
ID
Location
New York, New York
Loss
$500
Poor customer service and management of delivery
I spent about 30 minutes trying to buy furniture at the West Elm on 18th st in New York. Over that time every sales rep refused to help make the purchase. I gave up and ordered online on back on November 25th. The site said the item would be delivered December 9th. The item did not require any special order for fabric or anything like that. Despite the simplicity of the order, the delivery date passed with no notice from the company. Finally after calling customer service I was told they might delivery it in early January - no guarantees! How could a furniture company be operated this badly?
ID
Location
New York, New York
Service
West Elm Delivery Service
Should have received Sofa, Factory doesn't even have fabric yet
"Special Order" apparently means, total *** I ordered the Henry Sofa a couple of months ago, should have received it a week ago. Kept receiving letters saying it will ship in such and such a date. Dates came and went, no sofa. I finally called customer service and was informed that the factory doesn't have the fabric to make the sofa and they have no idea when they're getting it. And if you go online, you can STILL order the sofa. They don't even have the fabric! They're selling furniture that they DON'T have! This is complete ***.
15 comments
ID
Location
Gainesville, Florida
Product
West Elm Sofa
Loss
$899
New Reviewer
What didn't they do wrong?!
I urge you NOT to order from West Elm. Save yourself the trouble and the headache. The only reason I gave this one star is because I couldn't put zero stars. I have NEVER dealt with a less professional business than West Elm. I purchased a king size bed frame and head frame. UPS delivered the headboard about a week and a half later. The bed frame was routed to the wrong address and it was only discovered when they called to try to deliver to the wrong state (yes, as in US State). I spent the next 33 days trying to get it re-routed, all the while watching stock dwindle. I called countless times and spent countless hours on the phone about every other day. On the 33rd day I finally got someone willing to do their job and it was finally re-routed. A week later my bed was delivered. As the delivery crew assembled what should be my king size bed I noticed a number of problems, the biggest being it was not a king size bed, but a full. On top of that they did not have any slats and the cross brace looked to be from a twin and did not cover the width of even the full bed. I called customer service and was told they no longer have that bed in stock and basically I was out of luck. The bed frame went back with the delivery drivers. On top that, the bed that they did put together looked like it would buckle under 10 pounds, the quality simply was NOT there. I then explained to them that I needed to get a headboard back to them since I did not and would not be getting a bed to attach it to. Had I actually got someone to do their job a month and a half ago this probably would not be a problem. Since I was expecting a bed to attach this headboard to I had discarded the box. In hindsight, my mistake was assuming I was dealing with competent people. I was told they cannot send someone to get this and I would have to find a box to put it in and ship it back to them. Where exactly am I going to find a box to fit a king size headboard?! Not likely... So basically, for over a month and a half of my time trying to get someone to do their job, more frustration than I thought possible, and most likely money out of my pocket for a huge box to ship this back, I got NOTHING! And it's not even over. I am still waiting on my refund for the frame, and unless I can figure out how to get a box for the headboard I am out of luck... great way to do business. I urge you NOT to order from West Elm. Save yourself the trouble and the headache.
ID
Location
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Service
West Elm Delivery Service
Loss
$800
West Elm sold faulty outdoor table cover; ruined table
I purchased a West Elm outdoor wood-slat dining table and six chairs from a friend, all in perfect condition. I ordered a West Elm outdoor table cover to protect them from rain. The cover leaked in a rainstorm and ruined my table. West Elm refused to compensate me for the ruined table, despite the fact that their faulty cover had caused the damage (of which I have before and after photos), because I had not purchased the table directly from West Elm. This, however, is not a warranty issue; it is an issue of damage caused by their faulty product.
ID
Location
Newark, New Jersey
Product
West Elm Table
New Reviewer
I ordered the Elton settee couch in Jan quoted as shipping in 8-10 weeks and it still hasn't shipped from the distributor in mid-April with no idea when it will ship from the distributor. West Elm told me in mid-March it would be shipping, and then again in April. It...
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5 comments
PissedConsumer461997
#461997
My settee was ordered Nov 27. Just got it Monday April 2.
Legs also installed wrong. What a piece of *** this company is.
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ID
Location
Dallas, Texas
New Reviewer
West Elm: false advertising; no remorse
Update by user Mar 31, 2011
Note:
1) Despite the fact that I have repeatedly drawn this pivotal discrepancy in dimensioning to West Elm\'s and William Sonoma\'s attention, the online page advertising the sale of this \"narrow-leg twin bedframe\" product STILL, TODAY, lists mattresses for sale to accompany this product THAT WILL NOT FIT WITHIN THE FRAME.
2) My complaint does not even address the lack of candor that I encountered
3) I now know it is NOT A COINCIDENCE that West Elm HAS NO CONSUMER REVIEWS OF ITS PRODUCTS.
This a shame. In every sense of the word.
Original review posted by user Mar 31, 2011
I stage houses for sale. Because we are in an ongoing, difficult, slow market -- especially for the southern resort houses that are my specialty -- my professional reputation (and future work) depends entirely on quickly and efficiently accomplishing the staging of a house, cottage or condo done so that it may be shown to advantage, asap .... within an extremely limited peak selling season that runs from the beginning of January through April. Yet. Today is April 1st. So, FOUR MONTHS after placing an order with West Elm for (2) twin and (1) queen-sized "narrow-leg bed frames" (guaranteed by customer service for delivery within two weeks -- before Christmas -- but actually delivered only in mid-March) the twin frames -- though finally delivered two weeks ago -- are still a MAJOR problem. Why? Because West Elm shamelessly advertises these twin frames as those that the savvy consumer might enhance by ordering one of three twin mattresses that are shilled on the SAME ONLINE PAGE as the "twin" bedframes. Only trouble is.... a standard twin mattress is 39" wide -- as are ALL THREE of the mattresses West Elm hawks on the same page as the narrow-leg bed frames. Which would lead the normal person to believe that if West Elm is promoting these products in tandem, the products actually fit together. Actually? NOT. In fact, the interior measurement of the West Elm "twin" bedframes is only 38" wide -- which means that NO STANDARD TWIN MATTRESS of 39"W can be fitted into the frame -- not even an inflatable one, the base of which is rigid. Rather, the consumer may only resort to bunk bed mattresses that are 38" wide, though they are far less diverse and pleasing in both their height and variety of density. Most bunk bed mattresses are only 8" high, rather than the 11" height; few to none are available in memory foam. With the clock ticking well towards the end of the resort island selling season, I brought these sequential problems of false advertising, delay and communications "confusion" to West Elm's attention. WEst Elm's response? Perfectly nice people in customer service offered to rebate surcharge and/or shipping charges. BUT NO ONE addressed the essential issues -- that: a) my professional standing was going south in a limited sales season due to their nonchalant malfeasance; and, b) West Elm was knowingly advertising 39"W mattresses for sale with the narrow-leg bed frame .... while knowing that the interior measurement of the bed frame was, in fact, only 38"W ... which might as well be a mile. And, to add insult to injury, that the inferior 38"W mattress available was SUBSTANTIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE as it was part of a niche, bunk bed market. Through sequential levels of seniority, I eventually spoke to a public relations attorney in West Elm's parent company, William Sonoma. She offered minimal money off my order as recompense -- HA! Better than nothing, but not even close to recognizing the ACTUAL PROBLEM that needed to be resolved. I'll spare you the rest. But know this: I demanded that West Elm correct its online catalog page to make it clear that the "twin" bed frame was actually not 39'W. THREE WEEKS LATER, the online page STILL touts the additional purchase of three pricy mattresses THAT WILL NOT FIT IN THE FRAME. CAVEAT EMPTOR, my friends
4 comments
ID
Location
Columbia, South Carolina
Service
West Elm Shipping Service
New Reviewer
West Elm Store Harrassing for non justified late fees
Retailers, like West Elm Store, are more evil that those banks charging exorbitant fees. Congress has noticed the banks. It's time to take a look at retailer practices. I bought five pillows at a West Elm Store. Stupidly, I let the clerk talk me into getting a special card so I'd collect points good for future purchases. It turned out to be their credit card – he wasn't exactly up front. When the credit card bill came I sent off a check and paid in full – on time. Well, apparently my payment was not received on time. So, the next month I received a bill with only a late fee and interest on the late fee – the late fee was $20. I wrote a note, explained that I did not think I should have to pay this, and thought that was that. No, no. The bills keep coming – every month. And each month they add another late fee (for $20 bucks) and accumulated interest. I wrote another note. It's up to < $100 bucks now. West Elm Store started harassing me for the late fees immediately. They call seven days a week, starting around 8:30 a.m. The number is usually 303-255-**** or unknown. An internet search revealed that there are tons of consumer complaints about the harassment associated with this number. They call at least four or five times a day and when I don't answer the phone (duh?) they call my business line. I tried explaining my position to them, got ignored and now just suffer the harassment of the endless calls. They called Sunday morning at 830. I had my volume off. Keep calling West Elm Store. No one's home to take your call. Oh, and you might want to spend your time going after real delinquent accounts.
1 comment
ID
Location
Plano, Texas
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Ordered a table that hasn't arrived and customer service tells me is on back-order although the website did not show it as a back-order item. Customer service at West Elm is awful, you get different stories depending on who you talk to.
In-home delivery is even worse, a foreign lady leaving us messages that we can't figure out from the heavy accent. I'm going back to Crate and Barrel who really excels in customer service and satisfaction!