Balsam Hill, LLC

Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration that the customer has expressed with their order. As stated in the customer’s complaint, they placed an order with Balsam Hill on January 4th 2017 for an artificial BH Balsam Fir Tree.
The customer contacted us on December 3rd 2017 to let us know that they had lights out on their Christmas tree. After completing troubleshooting steps provided by our agent the customer was able to figure out that the issue was the receiver box that came with the tree. We were able to set up a warranty case to have a replacement receiver box sent out to the customer as well as walk the customer through bypassing the receiver so they had a working tree for the holidays while they waited.
The customer contacted us on December 11th 2017 to let us know they had received the warranty replacement receiver box. They called us because the replacement was not working either, so they requested an additional replacement receiver be sent out to them as soon as possible. We created a new warranty case for the customer at this time and advised them that our back office team would review the case and send out the necessary warranty parts. The customer disconnected the call at this time. After reviewing the warranty case our back office team added the customer to our manufacture list to have the receiver manufactured and sent out to the customer as soon as it is ready. We added the customer to this list due to not having any warranty receivers in stock. Our warranty policy is available at [redacted]. According to our warranty policy “Our goal is to service your product under warranty as soon as possible; however, our items are handmade and the time needed to repair or manufacture a replacement may vary during the year. In most cases, if your product is no longer available for sale on our website or has been redesigned, the parts will have to be manufactured.” This means that although we do not like making the customer wait, at certain times it will be necessary while we manufacture the necessary replacement part.
The customer contacted us on January 3rd 2018 to inquire about the status of the warranty case they had filed previously. At this time we let the customer know we were still waiting on our replacement receivers.
The customer reached out to us on February 15th to let us know they were very upset that they had not received their replacement. The customer wanted a date as to when they would be receiving the replacement receiver. At this time the customer let us know that if we could not provide them with an exact date that the receiver would arrive to them they wanted to return the tree and get a full refund. However as per our return policy “If you are not completely satisfied with your Balsam Hill™ purchase, you can return or exchange the product within 30 days of receipt or prior to December 25 (whichever comes first).” This means that no return could be permitted as the customer purchased the product in question on January 4th 2017.
On February 28th the customer contacted us again to check on the status of the receiver they had been waiting to receive. At this point we explained the out of stock process, and let the customer know they would be receiving the replacement small part once it had been manufactured this upcoming fall. At this point the customer let us know that they would be consulting the Revdex.com and disconnected the call.
As the customer is on our manufacture list, we are still honoring our warranty as per our warranty policy. We have no way to send a part that is not currently in stock; therefore we have done our best to assist the customer in fixing their tree. We have assisted the customer with setting the item up to be manufactured and sent out to them, so we feel the issue to be resolved.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service

Dear [redacted]., My client’s issue has not been resolved and I hereby request this matter to be investigated further. Balsam Hill’s 18’ High Rockefeller Pine Indoor/Outdoor Tree (the “product”) was purchased in good faith to serve its advertised purpose of being an indoor/outdoor holiday decoration. My client adhered to Balsam Hill’s Assembly, Use, & Care Instructions Guide when assembling the product and contacted Customer Service when it discovered the pole was in fact “bent or damaged”. Balsam Hill’s accusation of my client neglecting the product is unsubstantiated as it has failed to legitimately explain how my client was supposed to use the product in lieu of assembling the indoor/outdoor product as instructed by its guidelines. Should you have any questions and/or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Best Regards, On Behalf of [redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/11) */
Hello,
We apologize for the frustration the customer has expressed regarding their order. In this complaint the customer is stating they received a current seasonal catalog in the mail on 2010, which is inaccurate as our first catalog was not...

created until 2013. Prior to 2013, the product could only be viewed on our website. The customer also states we did not disclose the clearance policy for the tree at any time. However, our policies outline our guidelines for clearance items and are stated clearly on our website. The customer placed an order online, on November 1st, 2010 for a clearance tree with a limited 30 day warranty, which the customer accepted as part of our terms and conditions at the time of purchase.
The customer contacted us by email on January 12, 2011, over 60 days after the order was received. The customers email stated:
"When I took down my tree after Christmas one of the braces on the stand had broken loose, the weld gave way, Is it possible to get another stand?"
We notified the customer by email on January 13, 2011, that a replacement stand was being shipped. We did not hear back from the customer for over a year and nine months regarding any further concerns on their order.
On October 29th, 2012 the customer contacted us to request replacement bulbs to be sent for the tree as they did not receive the initial replacements upon delivery. At this time, the customer also informed us they received a green tree stand in January 2011, instead of a white one. We apologized and reshipped the correct tree stand to the customer. We informed the customer as a final courtesy, we would send replacement bulbs since the tree was a clearance product and no warranty was available on the tree after 30 days of the initial purchase date.
In this complaint the customer also states they contacted us on July 7th, 2014 regarding the foliage of their tree. This information is inaccurate. The customer contacted us on November 7th, 2014 expressing their concern with the foliage on their tree. Since this was the first time the customer had advised us of the concern regarding the foliage, we advised that they could send in pictures of their concern to see if a recommendation could be provided for the customer to resolve on their own as there was no warranty available. At no time did we advise the customer a replacement tree would be sent. Additionally, the customer requested again for replacement bulbs to be sent at no charge under warranty for more burned out bulbs they had on their tree. We advised them that they would need to purchase any replacement bulbs needed. The customer understood this information. We confirmed the replacement bulbs needed and placed the order for the customer. On November 17th, 2014 the customer contacted us to advise the replacement bulbs received were not the right ones. We apologized and resent the correct replacement bulbs to the customer to ensure they received the correct ones.
On June 29th, 2015 the customer contacted us to confirm we received pictures of their tree and requested a warranty resolution. We advised the customer we did not see any pictures and again went over the clearance warranty policy. We advised the customer again that the tree is not under warranty.
As the customer received the courtesy replacement bulbs and the tree stand we feel the matter to be resolved. Furthermore, as the order is already almost five years beyond the return and warranty time-frames, we have already provided the customer more than what we are obligated to do.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/12) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I am somewhat confused as how I got the mailer for the tree, from which I ordered the tree. As to the order being a clearance item, never was this brought up until June of this year. I have a copy of the order and under description is the following: 60Denali White Christmas Tree 7.5' Full 61" MultiXXXXXXXX @329.00. Second line 100 FREE Included Tree Storage Bag(s) to fit your tree. NO WHERE ON THE RECEIPT DOES IT SAY CLEARANCE ITEM! I will gladly provide a copy of this receipt.
My concern is that they lead me to believe they were going to send another tree in February of 2015. I was strung along for almost a year before any action came forth. When I inquired this past June as to the status of the claim, I was told they never got the original email with the requested pictures, reason being "most likely their internet was inactive at the time". Never was the subject of a clearance item (tree) brought up until June 29, 2015. They had a claim number on file, why didn't they attempt to settle and close out the claim?
The company has an obligation to work with the complaint in a timely manner, not wait from November 2014 until June 29, 2015, for a decision.
Balsam Hill Customer Representative [redacted] called me on August 11, 2015, and discusses the catalogue and other mailings with me. I confirmed that I felt I had ordered from a mailer or catalog that I received in the mail. [redacted] then offered me a 10% discount toward the purchase of another tree. Why would I buy another tree under the circumstances that have occurred over this period of time?
Here is the order of telephone conservations regarding the tree claim.
11-20, 2014, via telephone with customer service Rep [redacted], in which he gave me a claim number, requested pictures of the tree. [redacted] informed me the claim would be sent to the warrantee department for disposition.
12- 29, 2014, email sent with pictures as requested.
6-29-2015, via telephone I inquired with customer service Rep [redacted] as the claim? [redacted] informed me they had never received the pictures of the tree; I then resent via email the original email with the pictures. Later in the day I contacted the company Rep [redacted] then informed me the tree was a clearance item and had only a 30 day warrantee.
In reference to the lights & tree stand replacement, it attest to the fact that the company is negligent in due diligence, getting these replaced items in accordance with the original tree order, thus eliminating the need to resend these items. I believe these issues are an example of the why this claim is in the hands of a third party. This claim was set aside for almost a year without any action, as the claim was issued a number on November 2014, thus putting the company on notice.
All the other before mentioned in their response is just fluff to avoid the real issue, the warrantee and replacement of this defected tree.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/08/28) */
Hello,
As stated in our previous response, we apologize for the frustration the customer has expressed regarding their order. The customer placed an order online, on November 1st, 2010 for a clearance tree. At the time the order was placed, the tree came with a limited 30 day warranty, which the customer accepted as part of our terms and conditions at the time of purchase. In this complaint, the customer states we did not disclose the clearance policy for the tree on her invoice. Products are clearly marked as clearance items on our site at the time of purchase, and we do not specify in our invoices whether or not a product was purchased as a clearance item.

We are sorry that the customer feels their concern was not answered in a timely manner. As the tree was not under warranty, we offered the customer the option to send pictures for us to review as a courtesy in the hope that we might be able to identify what was wrong. Our hope was that we could provide information to the customer that would allow them to fix the problem themselves, but unfortunately we were unable to determine the source of the problem. The claim number that was issued to the customer in November was not regarding this problem. We sent the customer some replacement lights in November, 2012, and the customer told us when they contacted us in November, 2014 that we had sent them the wrong lights. Although two years had passed [redacted] they reported this problem, we shipped them additional lights, also as a courtesy as the tree is not under warranty.
Furthermore, on August 11th, 2015 we contacted the customer to discuss their concerns. At this time, we offered the customer the option of buying another tree with a discount of 10% as an additional courtesy, since they were unhappy that they had purchased a clearance item. The customer refused this option. As the order is already almost five years beyond the return and warranty time-frames, we have already done all that we can for the customer and more than we are obligated to do.If the customer were to change their mind we can still offer a new tree at a 10% discount, but beyond that there is nothing further we can do to assist this customer.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2015/09/03) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
As is evidence per my receipt submitted it does not indicate a clearance item. This business can submit all the fluff they can conjure up, but the bottom line is they sold me a tree that does not meet their standard advertised warrantee. I purchased this tree in good faith and the record shows there were problems from the onset. Any delay on my part for warrantee assistance was due to the seasonal nature of the trees use. My request is that the tree be replaced or refund would be acceptable,

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/21) */
Case #XXXXXXXX/[redacted]
Hello,
We are sorry for the frustrations the customer has expressed in regards to the tree they ordered. The customer ordered their tree in December of 2014. We did not hear from the customer until November...

of 2015 when they contacted us to request return information as they wanted to return the tree from their order. We advised the customer they were outside of the 30 day return time frame, as stated in the return policy. Our policies, which are a part of our terms and conditions agreed to at the time of sale, outline this.
In this complaint, the customer has now expressed dissatisfaction with the appearance of their tree, claiming that the tree was not as full as they expected and was not as pictured on our website. All of the pictures of our trees are authentic photos that have not been altered in any way. When a tree is new and out of the box, it does take time and effort to extend the branches and shape them. If you do not spend the time doing this, the tree will not look as full as it can be shaped to look. As the tree is covered under a foliage warranty we are happy to submit the photos that the customer has to our warranty department for review, however the customer is unable to return the tree at this time as they are outside of the Return Policy.

We have taken note of this complaint and will have a supervisor contact the customer in regards to the matter.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/12/23) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
We followed the instructions exactly as the manufacturer specified. Despite our laborious efforts, the tree is gap-ridden! It is a poor representation of what the company allegedly stands forquality products! We did not put up the tree last year because it arrived after Xmas and since we believed in the authenticity of the photos we saw on their website, why would we doubt the quality pf our tree? Please do have a representative contact us as we would like to discuss this matter further! We are heartsick that our tree resembles a Walmart special!
Complaint Response Date bumped because: Holiday

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/04) */
Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration that the customer has expressed with their order. As stated in the customer's complaint, they purchased an artificial Christmas tree online on November 3rd, 2012. The item purchased came with a...

3-year light warranty and a 10-year foliage warranty. On November 23rd, 2015, the customer contacted us in regards to a lighting issue within a section of their tree. When there is an issue with a tree, we go through a troubleshooting process to verify the stated issue. The reason we do this is because often times a stated issue is nothing more than a fluffing issue or something else minor which is easily adjusted to resolve an issue, and is not an actual defect. Our policies, which are a part of our terms and conditions agreed to at the time of sale, outline this.
After completing the troubleshooting it was determined that a replacement section was needed. As the customer was outside of their light warranty by date, we offered to send them replacement light strands as a courtesy or advised the customer that they could purchase a new section for $150. The customer elected to purchase a new section and a request was submitted that day to see if we had the needed part available in inventory.
On November 27th, 2015, the customer contacted us back to let us know that they were now having multiple issues with lights in all sections of their tree and requested to return their tree for a refund. We advised the customer that they were outside of the 30-day return time frame and instead offered to troubleshoot the customer's concern, but the customer declined any further troubleshooting. On November 28th, 2015, we followed up with the customer to let them know that we did not have the original section requested in stock and advised them that they could still purchase the part and we would have it manufactured for them in our off-season. The customer declined having the section made for them and again requested to return their tree. We went over the return policy with the customer, which states that if you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it within 30 days of receipt or prior to December 25th (whichever comes first). We advised the customer again that since they had purchased the tree in 2012 that they were no longer eligible for a return.
On December 17th, 2015, the customer reached out to us again in regards to their warranty as they had seen a commercial on TV advertising a 10 year warranty. We confirmed that the customer does have a 10-year foliage warranty, but as their original issue was with lighting, they did not qualify for a replacement under the light warranty that had expired. The customer stated that they were also having issues with needles falling off the tree and not just their lights. We apologized for everything that had happened with the customer's tree and under the foliage warranty, offered to replace the tree in full. The customer declined the replacement.

As of December 17th, 2015, we have not heard back from the customer in regards to their concern. We are still willing to send out a full tree replacement to the customer under the foliage warranty, but a full refund is not an option at this time. In order to take advantage of the full tree replacement, the customer will need to contact our Customer Care center during regular business hours to have the claim process started for them.

Regards,

Balsam Hill Customer Service

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/12/08) */
Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed with their order. On November 2nd, 2015 the customer placed an order online for a tree. The tree was shipped out the following day and was delivered on November 4th, 2015...

according to the tracking information. The customer contacted us on November 11th, 2015 to check on the status of their order. We provided the customer with the tracking information and advised that we were showing that the item was delivered. The customer stated that they had checked everywhere and were still unable to locate their order.
On November 13th, 2015, we started a trace with FedEx to locate the missing package. When speaking with FedEx, it was determined that the package was sent to the incorrect address. We scheduled a call tag with FedEx to have the item picked up from the incorrect location and forwarded to the address provided to us by the customer. On November 17th, 2015 FedEx attempted to pick up the item at the incorrect location but were unable to do so, stating that the item was lost. The customer contacted us again on November 20th, 2015 to let us know that they still had not received their order and requested an update. We informed the customer that the item had been lost and we would be sending out a replacement. On November 21st, 2015 a new order was placed for the customer and two-day shipping was included to ensure that the customer received their tree before Thanksgiving.
On November 25th, 2015 we reached out to the customer to confirm that their replacement order was delivered. As the customer has confirmed that they have received their replacement, we feel this matter to be resolved.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 10, 2015/12/10) */
Hello,
I have received the product from Balsam Hill. No further action is needed.
Thank you,
[redacted]

Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed with their order. As stated in our initial responses, we are unable to offer the item at the same price the customer originally purchased the item at. This is due to system limitations and the fact that products can undergo design changes and/or technology upgrades. We have issued a full refund for the out of stock order and have offered the customer 10% off of a future order due to the inconvenience. We sincerely apologize for any issues this situation has caused. At this time, we remain willing to provide the customer with a 10% discount off of a future order but we are unable to honor the pricing due to limitations.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/08) */
Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed in regards to their orders. On November 14th, 2015 the customer placed an order online. The customer contacted our Customer Care center on November 18th, 2015 due to the fact...

that they had received two of everything they ordered and were charged twice. We confirmed that the customer had placed one order online for an artificial Christmas tree and a few décor items, followed by another order for the same items three minutes later. As both orders were for the same items and were only a few minutes apart, we agreed to honor the customer's request and provided them with no charge return labels to return the duplicate order. On December 8th, 2015 we issued a refund for the customer's duplicate order and mistakenly charged the customer a $10 exchange fee. As of December 26th, 2015, the customer has also been provided an additional refund of $10 back to their account for the exchange fee that was charged in error.
On November 20th, 2015, the customer contacted us to initiate an exchange for the tree that they had kept, stating that they were wanting a smaller tree. We had the customer place a third order upfront as per our exchange policy and advised them that there would be a $10 exchange fee. Our policies, which are a part of the terms and conditions accepted at the point of the sale, outline this information. On December 22nd, 2015 we confirmed that the original tree had been returned to us and a refund in the amount of $919.00 was issued back to the customer's account used for the purchase. At this time, as the customer has received a full refund for the duplicate order, and has received a refund for the tree that they exchanged, we feel this matter to be resolved.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2016/01/11) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The response is not complete. As to the duplicate order, Balsam Hill recognized that its own website glitch caused the duplication, yet I had to incur the inconvenience of returning the duplicate order. Additionally, per Balsam Hill's website, "your order will be credited within 48 hours of being received back at our warehouse." My order was credited a full month after the items were received in BH's warehouse, in direct violation of BH's own policy. Finally, BH credited me $919. The tree cost $999. I used an $80 discount code on my order, and it appears that BH simply deducted that discount code from the part of my order that I exchanged (returned). A reputable company would not have done that. If Balsam Hill wishes to issue me an $80 credit - the full cost of the tree - I will accept it as a small courtesy for the inconvenience that BH caused me in having to carry a balance for its mistake and against its own credit policy, and for having to complain to the Revdex.com to get this matter resolved.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2016/01/25) */
Hello,
As stated in our previous response, we are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed with their orders. In the customer's complaint they state that the refund is not accurate since the full coupon amount should not have been deducted from the amount of the refund. When the customer placed their original order, they applied a coupon code for $80 off of an order $999.00 or more. With the return of their tree, the amount on the order was reduced to $222.00 for the remaining items that the customer did not return. As the total of the order no longer met the requirements for the coupon value, the order was adjusted and the coupon was removed. At this time, the customer has received a refund in the amount of $919.00 for the cost of their returned tree, so we consider this matter to be resolved.

Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 11, 2016/01/26) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I do not agree with Balsam Hill's position. It violated its own policy of accomplishing a refund within 48 hours of receiving the merchandise by not crediting my account for 30 days. Furthermore, its customer service representatives provided inconsistent and inaccurate information. Yet, Balsam Hill has made no effort to address the financial and time impositions that its poor business practices created for me. I am wholly dissatisfied with this company and its failure to adequately address my concerns, but at this time, I am unwilling to pursue this matter any further. I will not do business with this company again.

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: for the same reasons I initially stated; I am suppose to accept a promise of a fix in the Fall of 2017, I trusted the promise when I purchased the tree for $1300+ and it lasted one year, under warranty, but no parts available?   the idea that sending us a string of 60 LED lights is somehow suppose to replace the 400 is ludicrous and insulting, as stated before, provide a return shipping package and I will gladly return the string of lights. I do not trust the company to fulfill their pledge.
Sincerely,[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/22) */
Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed with their order. While we can appreciate the frustration the customer has in regards to this order, this complaint is not an accurate representation of what has...

happened. The customer made an error while placing the order online and everything that has ensued on this order is the direct outcome of this error made by the customer.
On November 26th, 2015, the customer placed an order online. After receiving the confirmation email, the customer responded to let us know that the shipping information and the billing information had been mixed up. When an order is placed online, the billing and shipping information are not edited unless the customer contacts us and requests that it be changed. The only possible way for the shipping and billing information to be "flipped" is if the customer entered it that way. We only have thirty minutes after an order is placed to make any changes before the order has been processed by our warehouse. Our policies, which are a part of our terms and conditions agreed to at the time of sale, outline this. As we were closed for Thanksgiving on November 26th, 2015 we did not receive the customer's request until the next business day.
On November 27th, 2015 we responded to the customer's email and advised them that we were unable to make any changes as the order had already been processed. As we were unable to update the information in our systems we waited until we had tracking information and contacted our shipping partner to update the address. On December 1st, 2015 we spoke with our shipping partner and confirmed that the item would be rerouted to the correct address. We sent an email back to the customer informing them of this and included the case ID provided to us by our shipper. We asked that they confirm whether or not they had received the item. On December 3rd, 2015, the customer responded via email to let us know that they still had yet to receive their item.
We attempted to follow up with the customer by phone on December 7th, 2015 in order to see if they had received their item as the tracking information that we had been provided was showing the order had been delivered. Unfortunately we were unable to reach them. At this time, we still have yet to hear back from the customer in regards to whether or not they have received their order.
Ultimately the customer has filed a chargeback with their financial institution and we are awaiting the outcome.

Regards,

Balsam Hill Customer Service
Complaint Response Date bumped because: Holiday

This is a nightmare. I ordered a tree. After being told for four days that it was out for delivery it arrived. The box was damaged and all the tape was so old it was hand\ging off. I have tried over and over to contact the company. First during th the four day delivery debacle telling them I would not accept delivery. Then only to be told accept delivery because we will charge you 75.00 if you refuse delivery. Now I am being charged 25.00 for a return label but cannot get any response telling me what the actual return charges will be. Totally unprofessional and scam like. I would not recommend this company.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/23) */
Hi,
First, we would like to apologize for the slow response. We were not previously aware of this complaint and it was not our intention to ignore the customer. We have just now become aware of this complaint and as such are...

responding.

While we can appreciate the frustration the customer has in regards to this order, this complaint is not an accurate representation of what has happened. Key points have been left out by the customer, and everything that has ensued on this order is the direct outcome of actions taken by the customer that directly conflicted with what we advised them to do.
The customer first contacted us on 9/04/2014 unhappy that the color coded stickers wore off the connections to set up his lights on the tree, which he purchased from Balsam Hill in December of 2006. The customer requested to send the tree back for service repair to have the color coded markers for the lighting assembly painted or marked on for him since they had worn off. We advised the customer, as we are an online company, we do not have a service program to send the tree back to us. We offered to assist over the phone to determine where each connection plugs in to each outlet on the tree pole and at that point he could then paint them different colors for future reference. The customer refused this option. The customer then requested to trade in the tree he has and trade up for a new one. We advised the customer, unfortunately at this time, we do not have a program that allows this option. The customer refused to accept any resolution we provided and stated he would just throw away the tree.
The customer contacted us again thru email on 09/04/14, which was not referenced in his complaint. In the email the customer references the call he had with us where he claimed to have been advised to "throw away the tree and buy a new one due to the short life cycle". We did not tell the customer there was nothing that could be done nor to throw out the tree, as stated in the email complaint. We can provide a recording of this call to verify this is accurate. The customer requested to be contacted with a better resolution.

On 09/04/14 we contacted the customer in regards to the email request for other resolution options. At this time the resolution offered to the customer was the same as what had previously been offered, which was to help the customer determine the connections and he could paint them different colors and provide a schematic of his tree to assist in the set-up of the lights. As the customer has been outside of the warranty policy on his tree since December of 2011 this is the only resolution we can offer to the customer. We also advised the customer he can purchase replacement bulbs or strands for his tree whenever he needed them. The customer again refused any resolutions we offered and said he would throw away his tree. We can provide a recording of this call to verify this is accurate.
Again, we regret the problems the customer has had with their light connections on the tree but it is not a Fire Hazard due to Electrical Malfunctions as they stated in the complaint. This would merely be a reverse lighting effect of the color + clear function we off where the different lights can be turned on or off with the remote, if plugged in correctly. The customer can place the connections into any outlets on the tree and they would run, it would just be an inverted effect where the lights might run at the same time instead of running as only clear or color or both as they choose utilizing the remote. We do not believe we have ever laughed at this customer (as stated in their complaint), or engaged in any type of unfair business practices. We did our best to work with the customer, but each attempt was met with warnings that he would throw away the tree.

Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/09/25) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The response from Balsam Hill is objectively speaking incorrect. I contacted Balsam Hill already in 2012 because of the technical malfunctions described. Then as now the inquiry was ignored.
Balsam Hill was advised in writing on 9/4 of the name of the employee who suggested me to throw away the $ 1,000 Christmas tree because Balsam Hill does not repair and/or exchange. I find the "he said/she said" response from Balsam Hill tacky. They confirmed in their response to the Revdex.com that they really do NOT repair and/or exchange defective products (which they should). So the only alternative for me is to throw away their $ 1,000 Christmas tree to avoid an apartment fire due to the mentioned electrical defects.
Indeed, the electric problems may indeed have something to do with the cheap way the color coding is applied from Balsam Hill in form of thin red/yellow paper tissue dot which rub off after 1st use. For $ 1,000 I would have expected a much better product - insofar, the advertising of "good quality and workmanship" is wishful thinking.
Balsam Hill prides itself to be the "Mercedes" under the "realistic" Christmas Tree manufacturers. Mercedes Benz (or any other manufacturer of vacuum cleaners or kitchen equipment) would never tell their customers to toss a car when there is a problem. They would want to help to fix the problem to stand by their product. Balsam Hill does not. Balsam Hill obviously does not care as soon as the product is out the door.
I offered Balsam Hill in writing that I would be prepared to pay for a repair/fix of the problem. Alternatively, I offered to buy a new tree with credit for the return of the defective one. Balsam Hill would not hear of it. The fact that Balsam Hill now spends more time defending their "unusual approach to customer service" sadly speaks for itself.

I sent a Question on ordering through the Balsam hill web site, I clearly stated I Have a FPO address but I have a re-shipper, I stated that the web site ordering system is down and ask if there is any other way to order.
I get an e-mail back stating that they do not service FPO addresses, they did not answer nary a question they did not even read my e-mail.

the customer service section of this company sucks.
they are unhelpful was it because I have a military Address?
or is this an normal Operating Procedure for the company.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/01/22) */
Hello,
We are sorry for the frustrations the customer has expressed in regards to the tree they ordered. On January 3rd, 2015 the customer contacted us to express dissatisfaction with the appearance of their tree, claiming that the...

tree was not as pictured on our website and to request return information. All of the pictures of our trees are authentic photos that have not been altered in any way.
The customer requested that we pick up the tree at no charge. We advised the customer they could return following the standard return policy which is as follows: If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it within 30 days of receipt or prior to December 25th (whichever comes first). Please note that you are responsible for all return shipping charges.
After further discussion with the customer we agreed to meet the customer halfway on the cost of the return label and only charge $25 per label, which the customer accepted. On January 4th, 2015 we emailed the customer the return label. The tree was returned to our warehouse on January 9th, 2015 and on January 12th, 2015 a refund in the amount of $469.00 was issued to the customer's card used for the purchase. Since the item has been returned and a refund has been issued we feel this matter to be resolved.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service

We purchased an 8 ft. regular light tree. The bulbs constantly burnt out then after 3 years when the warranty ran out some of the white strands died and some of the color strands died so we would have had to tear all the light off and start over. About a $350 cost. So we instead bought a smaller tree with led lights being told they would still light if just a bulb burnt out. Our second year using the tree and after we decorated it a whole strand went out. We were first told it was a fuse. No luck there. Then told change out every light, would have been great if they included all the colors with our tree but they only gave us red and orange. We checked every light messing up the whole tree breaking a $25 ornament, and that didn't help. Then we were told the strand went bad, but they had told us when we ordered it that wouldn't happen. We are told tear your tree apart and we will send you a new strand. Just wonderful. I will not waist my money again with a balsam hill tree. They may be beautiful but they don't last. For the price I spent on this tree I can buy a new tree every year and not worry about the lights. Balsam hill will not get any more money from me.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/12/26) */
Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed in regards to placing their order online. While we can appreciate the frustration the customer has in regards to this order, this complaint is not an accurate...

representation of what has happened. Key points have been left out by the customer, and everything that has ensued on this order is the direct outcome of actions taken by the customer when the order was placed online.
The customer placed the order online on November 19th, 2014 and we shipped the order on November 21st, 2014 with the method selected at the time of sale, to the address the customer specified for delivery. We were not aware the customer had not received the items until they contacted us on December 6th, 2014. In reviewing the tracking information for the address the customer provided, the package was showing incorrect address -unable to deliver. As we verified with the customer their address was showing correct on the order we advised the customer we are unsure as to why it was not delivered correctly by FedEx other than it was handed to the United States Postal Service in their area. The customer stated they had a Post Office Box for postal service, as they are in a rural area. We advised the customer we had two options to resolve the matter: they could either contact their local post office to see if an arrangement could be made to obtain the package or once the items were actually returned to our warehouse we could reship the order. On December 10th, 2014 the customer contacted us by email to request their order to be reshipped once it was returned to the warehouse. On December 21st, 2014 we emailed the customer to inform them that a new order had been placed and would be shipping with FedEx 2 day to ensure the customer received before Christmas. The replacement order shipped on December 22nd, 2014 and the customer received it on December 24th, 2014. At this time the customer has received the merchandise and we feel the matter to be resolved.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/01/02) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The site said that their shipping would be by FedEx, thus they requested a home address which I entered. When my purchase didn't arrive, when I did a live chat, I was told that small home goods were sent to local post offices. The site only said that P.O. Boxes could not be used, yet the company never said that local post offices could be used for delivery so I didn't include my P.O. box number.
I was not just told to contact the PO, but to call FedEx to arrange delivery or call UPS for delivery. I expressed my distain by saying that it wa not my error but theirs. I thought it was unreasonable for them to place the onus on me to make my own arrangements!
I have received my purchase though I asked for a refund. I will keep the products but made another purchase through another retailer which arrived in 4 days.
I will not shop, nor recommend anyone else to shop Balsam Hill. This could have been avoided if the company (through chat) would have simply said, "I'm sorry for your trouble, let's see how we can resolve this."
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/01/20) */
Hello,
As stated in our prior response, we are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed in regards to their order. The customer placed their order online on November 19th, 2014. On December 6th, 2014 the customer contacted us via chat to check on the status of her order. We advised the customer that there was a delivery exception and that the items were being returned to us. As it was currently with the USPS we suggested that the customer reach out to them to see if she could make arrangements with them for delivery or, once the items were delivered back to us, we could reship them to the customer.
We received an email from the customer on December 10th, 2014 requesting that we reship the items once we received them back. On December 21st, 2014 we emailed the customer stating that we had placed a new order for the items with FedEx 2-Day air to make sure that they were received before Christmas. The new order shipped out on December 22nd, 2014 and was delivered on December 24th, 2014. At this point in time, since the customer has received the products and indicates that she is going to be keeping the items, a refund will not be issued. We apologize again for the difficulties the customer had, appreciate their feedback, and will issue the customer a 10% Customer Care credit due to the situation. At this time we feel the matter to be resolved.

Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service

I was a first time customer of Balsam Hill and now, no longer a customer of Balsam Hill. The tree I ordered was received promptly; however, it was defective. Both the remote receiver unit connected to the light strings, and the color light string did not work. I called customer service and talked to a gentleman who help me diagnose the problems and said he would get approval to send out a replacement tree immediately. I didn't hear anything for a couple of days so I called customer service again and was able to talk with a very nice lady after waiting about 30 minutes for a call back. She indicated they could not replace the tree now as it was sold out but she would be very happy to provide me with a similar tree for an additional $300. Hmmm...seems they are happy to make more money off a defective product rather than create a satisfied customer. I kindly thanked her but said no. The product itself was in their "most realistic" line and looked beautiful when set up. Set up itself was very easy. Interestingly, when I called the shipper to arrange pickup for the return, they indicated that I was one of many customers returning trees to Balsam Hill. I would say they are having a problem they don't want to make public or deal with regarding their products. I certainly won't buy from them again. First and last time.

I contacted Balsam Hills ([redacted]) to let them know there website wasn't working. I got the excuse that site always did that with high volume use. Was told I'd have to call my order in. My issue: Balsam Hills like so many sellers now days seem to think they are doing me a favor by providing products and if I have to go to extra trouble to order, thats AOK. Other high traffic sites do fine. Balsam Hills charges extremely high prices for their trees but obviously isnt using any of that money to have a reliable website, make excuses when made aware of. Well, it cost them $550 in a tree sale today. Too many other sellers copying the realistic trees now to not give top notch service. Balsam Hills dismissal of a non functioning website is a red flag to me that they only care about the sale of a tree, not a positive experience so they're obviously not concerned with a happy (returning) customer. Saw trees in stores locally this year just as realistic looking for $249. Save your money, have a good experience buying elsewhere.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2015/02/05) */
Hello,
We are sorry for the frustrations the customer has expressed with their tree. The customer contacted us by email on December 12th, 2014 regarding their tree leaning. When there is an issue with a tree, we go through a...

troubleshooting process to verify the stated issue. The reason we do this is because often times a stated issue is nothing more than a fluffing issue or something else minor which is easily adjusted to resolve an issue, and is not an actual defect. Our policies, which are a part of our terms and conditions agreed to at the time of sale, outline this. After reviewing the documentation that the customer provided to us, it was determined that a replacement stand was needed to resolve the issue.
On January 12th, 2015, the customer contacted us by email again and requested that we review the information once more as the replacement tree stand they were provided did not resolve the issue of the tree leaning. After further review of the customer's warranty claim we requested that the customer donate their tree and provide us with a copy of the donation receipt at which point we would replace the product in full. As the customer expressed concern in receiving a tree with the same issue we did advise them that they could select a different item and have the amount they paid as a credit towards the cost of the new item. The customer declined this option and requested to return the tree.
As of February 2nd, 2015, the customer's request to return the tree has been approved. Once the item has been returned to our warehouse a full refund [redacted] be issued to the customer's account used for the purchase. At this time, as we have honored the customer's request to return their item, we feel this matter to be resolved.
Regards,
Balsam Hill Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 11, 2015/02/20) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Thank you - this is the outcome that I would expect from a company like Balsam Hill. The tree has been shipped back using their shipping label. As of February 20, 2015, I have yet to receive the credit to my account. I [redacted] contact them to confirm if there is any problem with the credit.

We purchased a 15' tree from Balsam Hill, the tree fell apart quickly. We called customer service and filed a case, we did this 3 times before someone called us back. They proimised to send replacement parts asap. The parts never showed up, and after many calls we found out that they didnt actually have the parts and never sent them, of course nobody let us know. We called customer service again, they lost our case and asked us to refile a new case, which we did. This time they promised to talk to a manager about replacing our tree since they didnt have replacement parts, they promised to call us the next day. They never called back, so we called them again, again our case was lost and they asked us to file a new case! This has been a month now, and Xmas is right around the corner! I have never seen or dealt with such a terrible customer service program. Buyers Beware! Products are faulty and no customer service to back them!