Kiefers.com, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 13, 2016/01/20) */
Re: Complaint by [redacted]
On or about December 14, 2015 [redacted] orders 3 prisms from our www.chandelierparts.com unit. Chandelier Parts is an operating unit of Kiefers.com, Inc.,
a Minnesota Corporation in business since...

1980. Our other operating units have been in business since 1885. We deal with thousands and thousands of customers and orders each year in our various operating units. We get very few complaints and very few returns. We have over 50,000 chandelier parts customers. While most of our customers are repeat customers some are like [redacted] who order once and may not be familiar with the product line.
This customer was advised of our terms and had the option to return the items for a refund. Our return policy is on our FAQ page (#13) and has been unchanged for many, many years. "We have a 30 day return policy on all products. customer may return products, less a 25% restocking fee, up to 30 days after their purchase for a cash refund less S & H". Our minimum order shipping and handling is $9.85 which applies up to $74.99 orders. Orders over $75.00 use a graduated scale
of roughly 10% of the order cost.
In this case the order total was $27.40. The 3 items purchased were $17.55 plus our minimum S & H of $9.85 which equals the $27.40. If the customer elects to return the items, it is at his expense and we will credit him 75% of the $17.55 he paid (credit of $4.35) for a net refund of $13.17. The customer apparently was
unhappy with our terms and wants us to pick the items up at our expense and refund him his full payment amount which we cannot do. We've found in 35 years our prices, terms, return policy all to be extremely fair and standard for the industry.
Chandelier parts are a specialty item that requires special handling and care in shipping. We've learned over the years we cannot just drop crystal prisms in an envelope and hope they arrive undamaged. Our minimum shipping charge reflects the special care we must use. We do not have a "minimum order" and as such find the $9.85 a very fair way to insure proper packing and shipment of small dollar orders such as this order.
We are an "Authorized Swarovski Reseller", one of only four in the North America lighting industry for Swarovski, the worldwide leader. As such our product line is vast and incorporates thousands of styles, sizes and colors of prisms from around the world. Because they are crystal all require special handling and care. While our shipping of $9.85 may seem high for a $17.55 order amount, it is not. The customer could order 4 times that amount for the same price. We have to have a policy and ours has evolved over many years of being in business.
The photo on our website of product #872 is correct. It is a photo of a leaded Asfour Egyptian prism. The 872-76 is the 76 millimeter (3 inch) and the 872-63 is the
same prism but in a 2-1/2" inch. We do not reshoot each item in the different sizes and this item is available in many sizes. As the sizes go up and down the prisms do take on a slightly different appearance in the facets, but the are the same prism. This is industry standard with all manufacturers. Some prisms go from
1-1/2 all the way to 8" inches so you can imagine they take on a different look as sizes increase.
Our return policy is very fair and has stood the test of time with our very unique product line. Mr. [redacted] has made posts on the internet about us being unfair and being bad people to do business with. It seems that Mr. [redacted] is very unfair and wants the rules bent for him. It is not in our best interest to change our
refund policy just for Mr. [redacted], especially when he is in error.
A substantial claim that Mr. [redacted] made was that we didn't send what was photographed. We sent Asfour crystal, which is now laser etched in some cases. This does not change anything regarding the product.
Note .. we have attached a copy of our Terms. Please take note especially of items #1 and #13.
Also, Mr. [redacted] has posted on Facebook untruthful statements. We are reviewing whether or not we have a cause of action against him for spreading incorrect material against us on Facebook. He says some very untrue things that are harmful to us and our reputation.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 15, 2016/01/22) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I reject the response given. This case is very simple . . . The chandelier crystals that are advertised on their website with detailed photos are NOT the crystals I received. Their photos are very clear and match perfectly what I need. The crystals shipped are very different. When a company advertises a certain product (especially with photos) and then sells a different product, that is FALSE ADVERTISING. When I called to inform the company that a mistake had been made I was told that the manufacturer had changed designs. I simply responded that the crystals I received DIDN'T MATCH those on my $5,000.00 chandelier and only requested that they accept the product returned and pay for initial and return shipping (please note: THE TOTAL WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS THAN $50.00). I was told that they would not accommodate me event though the item was advertised incorrectly and that I would have to pay as detailed in their response above. I would like to say that for 35 years I have been in sales and believe that integrity is the basis for a good reputation and happy customers. As a sales person I WOULD NEVER EXPECT MY CUSTOMER TO PAY FOR MY MISTAKE . . . THIS IS CLEARLY NOT THE CASE WITH KIEFERS.COM !!! My position is unchanged. The company advertised falsely, sold me a product that I didn't order, and refused to make good on it. Kiefers approach to customer serivice is severely lacking and is willing to lose customers, and good name, for the sake of a few dollars.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 17, 2016/01/25) */
Our position remains unchanged. The customer is welcomed to return his $17.00 purchase within the terms which he purchased, like all our other customers.
Our shipping policy has been unchanged for 35 years. We are unable to change our entire purchase/returns policies to accommodate one very vocal customer.
We will extend our returns policy beyond our standard 30 days and waive the 25% restocking fee should the customer return them by February 24 (60 days) and they are in the same new condition they were when they were shipped.
Mr. [redacted] perhaps should not order online and is certainly not welcome to order from us again.