C. A. House Music

Review: I have been renting musical instruments for,my daughters band class. My oldest daughter has decided to not participate in band any longer. I have called them 2 times to request the instrument picked up. They have continued to bill my debit card even after the request to stop since shes not using the instrument any longer. I have called several different times & they are very rude. When I asked them why they continue to bill my account they say my account is past due. It shouldn't be past due if they had picked up the instrument when i,instructed.Desired Settlement: I would just like the money back they keep charging onto my account.

Business

Response:

We, at C. A. House Music, received your letter in regards to ID # [redacted]

complaint from our customer [redacted], and I hopefully include all the

information needed to resolve this issue. My name is [redacted] and I am an

employee at C. A. House Music as a collections officer and felt since I have had

most of the correspondence between [redacted] and my company it would be best if I

responded to your letter. I first spoke to [redacted] on 11/15/13 regarding the

past due status of her accounts, which was when she told me that her one child,

[redacted], wouldn’t be continuing with the band program, and would call back in when

she would be returning the instrument. It clearly states in her contract that

she is responsible for the instrument until it is returned to our store. We do

have employees that go to the schools weekly, given the weather and school

schedule, that do routine maintenance on the instruments as well as pick up and

drop off instruments as a courtesy for the customers that have difficulty making

it to one of our stores. [redacted] called in on 12/20/13 to ask that the

instrument be picked up at the school, which at that time, it was added to our

pick up list for the representatives to pick up, as long as they are left in the

care of the band director, next time they are at the school, and given the time

of the month, the students were out on Christmas Break and would not be

returning until after January 1st, 2014. The complaint stems from us

charging [redacted]’s account on 1/22/14 for the payments that were due on

12/19/13. The contract states that the signer gives us permission to charge

their credit card or bank account if the account gets to be over 30 days past

due. I explained this to [redacted] when I called her on 1/23/14, that what we

charged her on 1/22/14 was for the payment due December 19th, 2013.

At that point she told me that she wanted the instrument that her other child

had, [redacted] picked up, which I added to the instrument pick up list along with

her other child’s that was already on there. I have attached a copy of the

billing invoice with time stamped notations from employees as we have handled

each interaction with [redacted] and what actions were taken at that time. Please

understand that the contracts that [redacted] signed clearly state that she is

responsible for the condition of the instruments and monthly installment fees

until the instrument is checked back in at one of our stores, which it still

hasn’t been. If you have any other questions or are requesting any information,

please let me know how I can help. I am sending [redacted] a copy of the contract

she signed as well.

Sincerely,

CA House Music

Review: I purchased a [redacted] drop in acoustic guitar pick-up on 4/9/2012 at CA House Music in [redacted]. I have had several of these similar units fail in the past which I explained to the sales associate at the time. He told me that the [redacted] unit had a 5 year warranty and if the unit failed I could just bring it back and get a new one. In January of 2013 it quit working. I attempted the repair that is in the package instructions and it didn't work. I came back to CA House about Jan 13, they tried to do the repair and it didn't work. I was working with [redacted], Combo Department Manager. He said he would e-mail [redacted] and request a replacement. A day or two later I received a call saying that [redacted] would ship a new pickup to the store and they would call me when it was in and I would exchange it. That was the last I heard from [redacted], so on 3/1/2014 I went to the store in person to inquire. They claimed they had forwarded me a copy of the e-mails which I never received. Then, [redacted] tried to say he would give me the information to contact [redacted], etc. but at this point I think the store should have just exchanged me a new one, and they could obtain the replacement to put back on the shelf in their store. The store manager arrogantly refused to do this. Clearly they do not stand behind the products they sell. I think I am entitled to a replacement product or a monetary refund. I was willing to wait before because I thought the new unit would arrive in about a week, but 6 weeks is excessive and clearly the store did not follow through and the pickup was sold under false pretenses. It cost me $74.50.Desired Settlement: Replacement the unit off the store shelf, getting replacement from [redacted] is their problem, or give me $74.50.

Business

Response:

Mr. [redacted] brought in his defective pickup and packaging on about Jan 13 as stated in his complaint. I asked him if he had registered his warranty with [redacted] as required on the warranty card that came with the product. His response was “no, who really does that?” I told him that [redacted] may not be willing to provide warranty service on a product that was not registered, and that per the warranty agreement, claims were to be handled directly with the manufacturer, not the retailer. The customer acknowledged that this was his oversight, and seemed to accept the situation.

Mr. [redacted] left the counter area and proceeded to the browse in the combo department. I suggested to [redacted] that he might contact [redacted] and explain the situation, and enquire if they might be willing to warrant the product, despite it not having been registered as required. My understanding was that the manufacturer agreed to send a replacement and accept return of the defective item. Upon receipt of the replacement, the defective item was to be returned.

C.A. House Music did not attempt to repair the product.

On 3/1, Mr. [redacted] returned to the store asking if the pickup had yet arrived. I directed him to the combo department to speak with [redacted] explained that it had not come, but that he would follow up with the manufacturer on Monday. The customer suggested that [redacted] provide him a replacement out of store stock. [redacted] asked my opinion; I reminded him that company policy regarding warranty service is to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. The customer then became very irate and combative, and was verbally abusive to [redacted] in the presence of several other customers.

Mr. [redacted] then returned to the counter area making the same demand. I explained to him that it is our policy to honor manufacturers’ warranties per the terms set by each individual manufacturer. I apologized that the product had not yet arrived, and assured him that we would follow up with [redacted] on Monday. I also explained again that the warranty should have been handled directly between him and the manufacturer, and that our effort was a strictly a courtesy on his behalf. Mr. [redacted] then continued a verbal tirade directed at me, but not making eye contact. He continued to yell unintelligibly as he left the store.

A copy of the Manufacturer’s warranty is attached.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

There are inaccuracies in CA Music response to my complaint. I did not become combative as alleged, I simply stated that I would exercise my right as a consumer to choose to do business elsewhere if they would not replace my item out of store stock. It was my oversight to not register the warranty, but they did agree to help me then. If they had told me then, I would have accepted their answer, but they said they were going to be able to get the unit. If [redacted] had agreed to ship a new unit they could have easily replaced my unit out of store stock, and replaced the unit in their inventory when the manufacturer sent a new one. I am appalled that the store manager has lied about my conduct, I never started a verbal tirade, simply gave them a choice, they could replace that day or I would never buy anything there again which is my right as a consumer to make that choice and express it. They never said they would follow up with [redacted] on Monday, [redacted] was trying to get me to contact [redacted], and the store manager never made any attempt to explain anything to me, . just seemed to be more interested in exerting his authority and "winning the day. I have written a letter of complaint to the president of this company as well. It sounds like I will never have a satisfactory resolution to this incident. It is very sad that the store personnel have chosen to engage in lies and character assassination.

Update from consumer 3/6/14: