Gloster Furniture Inc

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.I purchased the set for almost $7,and the warranty was not voided because I purchased the last set I want the company to honor its warranty and to replace the cushions or if they believe that they can clean it better than me, then Gloster should have them professionally cleaned I have tried a few times (with bleach) and it didn't work The cushions are covered in black mold and since they aren't made for the outdoors, they are permanently damaged I have *** pictures of a few cushionsh shows how rampant the mold is throughout all the cushions.The cushions used by Gloster were not made for the outdoors because the set is supposed to resist mold Instead it is covered in black mold within less than months and is hazardous to humans I bought this set under pretenses.Regards,*** ***

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.I purchased the set for almost $7,and the warranty was not voided because I purchased the last set I want the company to honor its warranty and to replace the cushions or if they believe that they can clean it better than me, then Gloster should have them professionally cleaned I have tried a few times (with bleach) and it didn't work The cushions are covered in black mold and since they aren't made for the outdoors, they are permanently damaged I have *** pictures of a few cushionsh shows how rampant the mold is throughout all the cushionsThe cushions used by Gloster were not made for the outdoors because the set is supposed to resist mold Instead it is covered in black mold within less than months and is hazardous to humans I bought this set under pretensesRegards,*** ***

Dear [redacted],We have received this complaint via case number [redacted].  We appreciate that you reached out to us for the rest of the story.  I will start from the beginning with only facts.  All supporting documentation has also been...

[redacted].·        Gloster Standard Cushions carry a 1 year warranty.  ([redacted]: look under Plantation Standard Cushion).  This information is public record printed in every Gloster Price List and available at each Retailer.·        Our direct customer, [redacted], bought the cushions in question on an order dated November 8th, 2012.  (Receipt [redacted])·        [redacted] placed these on their sales floor as selling samples upon receipt.·        After a period of roughly 2 years, [redacted] removed these from their sales floor and placed them in a Clearance Outlet Sale Area to be sold at a discounted price.  All sales in this area are sold as a Final Sale with No Warranty, and this is clearly communicated to consumers. (See customer receipt [redacted])·        [redacted] bought the furniture from this Outlet May 30th, 2015.  (See customer receipt [redacted])Now that [redacted] has his cushions here is a bit of product info…Outdoor cushions, as with anything placed outdoors and exposed to the elements, must be maintained.  The fabric on our standard cushions is made of acrylic yarns and produced by the industry leader in outdoor fabrics, Sunbrella.  These fabrics are not water-proof, but water resistant; they will let water inside the fabric by way of the space between the threads.  Consumers have a personal responsibility to care for outdoor cushions by bringing them indoors when heavy rains are present.  If cushions become saturated, it is imperative that they be set out to drain and dry to prevent mold and mildew growth.  To properly maintain  a wet cushion the customer must unzip the cushion and place this zipper down allowing the water to drain out of the cushion and air to circulate within.  Once dry, which happens pretty quickly in direct sunlight, you then re-zip the cushion and begin using this again.If the water is not drained out of the cushion properly, especially in a hot or humid environment,  an opportune environment for mold growth is created.  Once the mold begins to grow it needs to be cleaned/killed or it will continue to grow and spread. ([redacted]: All relevant cleaning instructions which were sent to [redacted])·        On February 22nd, 2016 [redacted] reached out to Gloster as his cushions had gathered a lot of mold.·        This was reviewed by our Quality Assurance (QA) Team and determined that these were not properly maintained cushions.  It didn’t appear the customer was draining, cleaning or allowing these to dry properly.  After researching the order, it also showed these cushions were now 3 years and several months old.  While this is outside of normal warranty and [redacted] knowingly bought these on a clearance sale where all Sales are Final, this information in no way imparts our stance on this issue.·        This information was relayed to [redacted] by our QA Team.  [redacted] was not satisfied with this resolution.·        So, we reviewed this again.  This time by myself (QA Manager) and Scott Parris (Cushion Department Manager).   Because [redacted] was upset and seeking an additional opinion, we took this a step further and took a conference call with Alan Rampey, Director of QA @ Sunbrella Fabrics.·        Our conclusion was the same as the original QA decision:  Customer was not following the correct procedure to maintain the cushions. They were not being drained properly and hadn’t been cleaned along the way.  Cushions remaining wet and sitting outside in a Florida environment will be very prone to moisture and the result is mold.  Especially the inside of the cushion as it receives little air flow.   (I have [redacted] the emails of our conversations with [redacted] explaining the conclusion of our inspection and also trying to help with his product in the future.)·        Final Action – we explained to [redacted] again our conclusion and offered advice to clean and maintain his cushions moving forward.We have a QA procedure that reviews all claims efficiently and thoroughly to ensure our customers receive proper and expedient customer service.  As with any customer, we try to react and treat each customer in a friendly, accurate, timely and honest manner.  We certainly feel like we did this for Mr. [redacted].Lastly, we stand by our products and have a customer-first mentality but we also have a responsibility as a business to make sound and consistent decisions.  Regarding all the facts in this case, we feel we made the proper decisions handling [redacted].If you need any further information please give me a call either at Gloster [redacted] or on my cell phone [redacted] anytime.Best Regards,[redacted]Gloster Furniture

Dear [redacted],
black; font-family: Cambria, serif;">We have received this complaint via case number [redacted].  We appreciate that you reached out to us for the rest of the story.  I will start from the beginning with only facts.  All supporting documentation has also been [redacted].
·        Gloster Standard Cushions carry a 1 year warranty.  ([redacted]: look under Plantation Standard Cushion).  This information is public record printed in every Gloster Price List and available at each Retailer.
·        Our direct customer, [redacted], bought the cushions in question on an order dated November 8th, 2012.  (Receipt [redacted])
·        [redacted] placed these on their sales floor as selling samples upon receipt.
·        After a period of roughly 2 years, [redacted] removed these from their sales floor and placed them in a Clearance Outlet Sale Area to be sold at a discounted price.  All sales in this area are sold as a Final Sale with No Warranty, and this is clearly communicated to consumers. (See customer receipt [redacted])
·        [redacted] bought the furniture from this Outlet May 30th, 2015.  (See customer receipt [redacted])
Now that [redacted] has his cushions here is a bit of product info…
Outdoor cushions, as with anything placed outdoors and exposed to the elements, must be maintained.  The fabric on our standard cushions is made of acrylic yarns and produced by the industry leader in outdoor fabrics, Sunbrella.  These fabrics are not water-proof, but water resistant; they will let water inside the fabric by way of the space between the threads.  Consumers have a personal responsibility to care for outdoor cushions by bringing them indoors when heavy rains are present.  If cushions become saturated, it is imperative that they be set out to drain and dry to prevent mold and mildew growth.  To properly maintain  a wet cushion the customer must unzip the cushion and place this zipper down allowing the water to drain out of the cushion and air to circulate within.  Once dry, which happens pretty quickly in direct sunlight, you then re-zip the cushion and begin using this again.
If the water is not drained out of the cushion properly, especially in a hot or humid environment,  an opportune environment for mold growth is created.  Once the mold begins to grow it needs to be cleaned/killed or it will continue to grow and spread. ([redacted]: All relevant cleaning instructions which were sent to [redacted])
·        On February 22nd, 2016 [redacted] reached out to Gloster as his cushions had gathered a lot of mold.
·        This was reviewed by our Quality Assurance (QA) Team and determined that these were not properly maintained cushions.  It didn’t appear the customer was draining, cleaning or allowing these to dry properly.  After researching the order, it also showed these cushions were now 3 years and several months old.  While this is outside of normal warranty and [redacted] knowingly bought these on a clearance sale where all Sales are Final, this information in no way imparts our stance on this issue.
·        This information was relayed to [redacted] by our QA Team.  [redacted] was not satisfied with this resolution.
·        So, we reviewed this again.  This time by myself (QA Manager) and Scott Parris (Cushion Department Manager).   Because [redacted] was upset and seeking an additional opinion, we took this a step further and took a conference call with Alan Rampey, Director of QA @ Sunbrella Fabrics.
·        Our conclusion was the same as the original QA decision:  Customer was not following the correct procedure to maintain the cushions. They were not being drained properly and hadn’t been cleaned along the way.  Cushions remaining wet and sitting outside in a Florida environment will be very prone to moisture and the result is mold.  Especially the inside of the cushion as it receives little air flow.   (I have [redacted] the emails of our conversations with [redacted] explaining the conclusion of our inspection and also trying to help with his product in the future.)
·        Final Action – we explained to [redacted] again our conclusion and offered advice to clean and maintain his cushions moving forward.
We have a QA procedure that reviews all claims efficiently and thoroughly to ensure our customers receive proper and expedient customer service.  As with any customer, we try to react and treat each customer in a friendly, accurate, timely and honest manner.  We certainly feel like we did this for Mr. [redacted].
Lastly, we stand by our products and have a customer-first mentality but we also have a responsibility as a business to make sound and consistent decisions.  Regarding all the facts in this case, we feel we made the proper decisions handling [redacted].
If you need any further information please give me a call either at Gloster [redacted] or on my cell phone [redacted] anytime.
Best Regards,
[redacted]
[redacted]
Gloster Furniture

Review: I purchased an outdoor sectional set from Gloster for almost $7000 in June 2015. The set was outside for approximately 4 months when I noticed black spots on the fabric. When I removed the pillow's cover, I was shocked to find the cushion's core was completely covered in black mold. In fact all of the pillows were engulfed in black mold. I went to the retailer and they suggested I clean it with bleach and if that didn't work then I should contact the manufacturer. It didn't work, so I contacted the manufacturer. Gloster asked me to clean it with bleach. I did (again) and the mold did not disappear. This set was a defect because I have other outdoor furniture which has no issues with black mold. If you saw the pictures, you would clearly see this set was not made for the outdoors. Black mold is dangerous to humans and this set is no longer fit for human usage. I paid for an outdoor set, which should have been treated to resist black mold. It hasn't and now no one will sit on it because of the rampant black mold.Desired Settlement: Since the set is not fit for human use, I would like all the pillows replaced or a complete refund.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],We have received this complaint via case number [redacted]. We appreciate that you reached out to us for the rest of the story. I will start from the beginning with only facts. All supporting documentation has also been [redacted].· Gloster Standard Cushions carry a 1 year warranty. ([redacted]: look under Plantation Standard Cushion). This information is public record printed in every Gloster Price List and available at each Retailer.· Our direct customer, [redacted], bought the cushions in question on an order dated November 8th, 2012. (Receipt [redacted])· [redacted] placed these on their sales floor as selling samples upon receipt.· After a period of roughly 2 years, [redacted] removed these from their sales floor and placed them in a Clearance Outlet Sale Area to be sold at a discounted price. All sales in this area are sold as a Final Sale with No Warranty, and this is clearly communicated to consumers. (See customer receipt [redacted])· [redacted] bought the furniture from this Outlet May 30th, 2015. (See customer receipt [redacted])Now that [redacted] has his cushions here is a bit of product info…Outdoor cushions, as with anything placed outdoors and exposed to the elements, must be maintained. The fabric on our standard cushions is made of acrylic yarns and produced by the industry leader in outdoor fabrics, Sunbrella. These fabrics are not water-proof, but water resistant; they will let water inside the fabric by way of the space between the threads. Consumers have a personal responsibility to care for outdoor cushions by bringing them indoors when heavy rains are present. If cushions become saturated, it is imperative that they be set out to drain and dry to prevent mold and mildew growth. To properly maintain a wet cushion the customer must unzip the cushion and place this zipper down allowing the water to drain out of the cushion and air to circulate within. Once dry, which happens pretty quickly in direct sunlight, you then re-zip the cushion and begin using this again.If the water is not drained out of the cushion properly, especially in a hot or humid environment, an opportune environment for mold growth is created. Once the mold begins to grow it needs to be cleaned/killed or it will continue to grow and spread. ([redacted]: All relevant cleaning instructions which were sent to [redacted])· On February 22nd, 2016 [redacted] reached out to Gloster as his cushions had gathered a lot of mold.· This was reviewed by our Quality Assurance (QA) Team and determined that these were not properly maintained cushions. It didn’t appear the customer was draining, cleaning or allowing these to dry properly. After researching the order, it also showed these cushions were now 3 years and several months old. While this is outside of normal warranty and [redacted] knowingly bought these on a clearance sale where all Sales are Final, this information in no way imparts our stance on this issue.· This information was relayed to [redacted] by our QA Team. [redacted] was not satisfied with this resolution.· So, we reviewed this again. This time by myself (QA Manager) and Scott Parris (Cushion Department Manager). Because [redacted] was upset and seeking an additional opinion, we took this a step further and took a conference call with Alan Rampey, Director of QA @ Sunbrella Fabrics.· Our conclusion was the same as the original QA decision: Customer was not following the correct procedure to maintain the cushions. They were not being drained properly and hadn’t been cleaned along the way. Cushions remaining wet and sitting outside in a Florida environment will be very prone to moisture and the result is mold. Especially the inside of the cushion as it receives little air flow. (I have [redacted] the emails of our conversations with [redacted] explaining the conclusion of our inspection and also trying to help with his product in the future.)· Final Action – we explained to [redacted] again our conclusion and offered advice to clean and maintain his cushions moving forward.We have a QA procedure that reviews all claims efficiently and thoroughly to ensure our customers receive proper and expedient customer service. As with any customer, we try to react and treat each customer in a friendly, accurate, timely and honest manner. We certainly feel like we did this for Mr. [redacted].Lastly, we stand by our products and have a customer-first mentality but we also have a responsibility as a business to make sound and consistent decisions. Regarding all the facts in this case, we feel we made the proper decisions handling [redacted].If you need any further information please give me a call either at Gloster [redacted] or on my cell phone [redacted] anytime.Best Regards,[redacted]Gloster Furniture

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the offer and/or 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.I purchased the set for almost $7,000 and the warranty was not voided because I purchased the last set. I want the company to honor its warranty and to replace the cushions or if they believe that they can clean it better than me, then Gloster should have them professionally cleaned. I have tried a few times (with bleach) and it didn't work. The cushions are covered in black mold and since they aren't made for the outdoors, they are permanently damaged. I have [redacted] pictures of a few cushionsh shows how rampant the mold is throughout all the cushions.The cushions used by Gloster were not made for the outdoors because the set is supposed to resist mold. Instead it is covered in black mold within less than 6 months and is hazardous to humans. I bought this set under false pretenses.Regards,[redacted]