Preston Trading Post

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: When I called on the 15th I was told it was BACKORDERED, I waited days before calling to see if it had arrived only to find out that it was BACKORDERED and they would not have them in until this Friday the 22ndThis IS what I was told My complaint was that the company did not inform me, a customer, of this backorder and the wait to be longer than expectedHad I known sooner, I would have looked elsewhere Had I not called, only God knows when I would have been informed I consider this common courtesy that should have been extended to the customer and wasn't, especially with the cold weather we have had Sincerely, Martha Stuart

I was away when this consumer complaint was forwarded to usGiven the heavy Columbus Day weekend, this is the first opportunity to interview and fact find the issues Not surprisingly to me, the desired resolution of the complaint: namely the 2"-10" adjustable riser, has already been shipped to the customer as of yesterday 10/14/ I understand that the customer also paid via telephone for the part yesterday as wellThe date of arrival of the part to our store and the order date were as promised I do agree with the consumer that the question for the need for a riser might have been discovered during the sales process On the other hand, it could easily be missed as this type of installation is relatively rare, which is why we don't stock risers although we sell trailer-loads of these appliances every year And the sales process covers many topics because pellet fueled appliances operate in a non-intuitive way, prompting most of the discussion around operation, performance, expected heating area, fuel availability and preferences, warranty and installation venting questions The consumer points out that he felt we didn't careWe are sorry that that was the impression made Apparently we cared enough to order the special part without concern for credit card payment in advance, which prompted the consumer to believe the part wasn't orderedThere was, apparently, an agitated call from the consumer's spouse, who screamed that "we lied to her", although such was not the case [redacted] ***, our stove deptmanager, is a highly respected industry veteran having managed other hearth stores before being tapped to represent the largest Hearth products manufacturer in [redacted] [redacted] has served with distinction in our employ for five years before becoming managerHe is professional and not prone to being impolite, even in confrontational situations Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this consumers concerns We believe in time, this consumer will feel the transaction was one of the best decisions they have ever made [redacted] ***

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: I actually prefer not to wholly reject the business response, acknowledging that I appreciate a response from the *** and his standing by his manager, ***I cannot speak for the conversation between *** and my wife as I was not presentI can only speak of my conversations, which were business like but void, in my opinion, of any "feelings" of what our position was in the process of getting our stove in working orderPerhaps *** was having a bad day, certainly everyone is allowed to have one of thoseThe fact we drove out of our way to the business because of its reputation was really not acknowledged nor appreciatedI am a %disabled veteran, recently a major surgery cancer survivor, and really did not need nor expect to have any aggravation when ordering a pellet stove of all thingsThe fact the kit was ordered without my credit card being debited first is appreciated, along with the *** delivery at no chargeFor this I thank ***Tomorrow I am having *** *** doing the install of the kit and I fervently hope all goes well and the unit looks and works according to manufacturer specsIf asked I would not recommend Preston to anyone who may ask my opinion because of thisThis may have been just a miscommunication issue but was the cause of unneeded aggravation for all concerned, although we were the party who had paid out over four thousand dollarsIf the unit works as promised then this issue thankfully will be closed in our opinion
Sincerely,
*** ***

Dear Revdex.com:I am troubled by the matter alluded to in this complaintFirstly, because I don't know where we have a dog in this fightAs the complainant states, installation and service had been provided by *** ***, a third party installation and service firm that works in the hearth products
installation arena.Complaints about the quality of service, depth of investigation or service fees paid rest between those parties. We would compensate a third party service firm for warranty work per manufacturer's policies but no warranty issue was discovered that would lead to a warranty claimAlso, a number of third party installation/service contractors are offered to our customers (Preston Trading Post does not offer these in home services apart from technical support). At least one of the services provided by *** rested with the complainant's misunderstanding of the thermostat's function being subservient to the main control of the appliance on thermostat being satisfied. We offered a visit by one of our sales techs to go over this but the complainant was satisfied that the unit was operating as intendedPhotographic evidence of the hopper and control areas (provided by ***) do not support that there was a fire outside of the firebox (where there is supposed to be a pellet fire when the unit is operating). Complainant may have had an event where smoke was released to the living environment causing her to be concerned enough to call the FDHowever, cause of that event is unclear.We have been sympathetic and supportive to the complainant when we have been contacted via telephone, and we have made efforts to persuade *** to absorb fees where possible, which he apparently hasBut we do not wish to be dragged into a billing fight between a customer and service provider.Respectfully,*** ***President

To Whom It May Concern:
I am aware of this consumer's concerns since I fielded her call on Saturday, March 15th. She placed an order for a [redacted] convection blower for her pellet appliance on March 6th.  She was upset that this part was not...

in yet, was not interested in a discussion, and since the call was on the weekend, I could not offer any additional information apart from what our computer system projected for an arrival date.  For parts that are not in stock, the standard order turn-around time is usually 7-10 business days which is what is stated to customers.   That range has not expired.  The customer threatened to write Revdex.com and post Facebook remarks about our "unethical" behavior.  I believe she owes us an apology and should be very careful about slandering a good business despite her frustration with her situation.
For clarity, a pellet stove is considered a space heater under law and not a primary heat source.  As such there is no responsibility to have every part conceivable in stock at all times.  We stock many spare parts and support the products we sell, but sometimes luck controls the situation.  Furthermore, the manufacturer (the largest in the hearth products industry) has fallen behind in parts supply.  They have also fallen behind with this specific appliances availability due to the abnormally cold and long winter.  A cursory check of other sites for this part all showed back ordered condition with back logs longer than what our system projected.  We called the customer on Sunday and left a message so that we could credit back her charge card since she was adamant that we cancel the sale on Saturday when she spoke with me.
That said, we checked FedEx this morning and a couple of the convection motors are scheduled in today.  One is reserved for this customer.  If she still wants the part, we will attempt to contact her when the part comes in.
Neither I nor Revdex.com should have their time wasted in this manner, as the part is arriving in the time frame that was given when the part was ordered.  As such, there is no basis for the complaint and nothing to resolve.
Sincerely,
Joseph Biber
President

Dear Revdex.com:I am troubled by the matter alluded to in this complaint. Firstly, because I don't know where we have a dog in this fight. As the complainant states, installation and service had been provided by [redacted], a third party installation and service firm that works in...

the hearth products installation arena.Complaints about the quality of service, depth of investigation or service fees paid rest between those parties.  We would compensate a third party service firm for warranty work per manufacturer's policies but no warranty issue was discovered that would lead to a warranty claim. Also, a number of third party installation/service contractors are offered to our customers (Preston Trading Post does not offer these in home services apart from technical support).  At least one of the services provided by [redacted] rested with the complainant's misunderstanding of the thermostat's function being subservient to the main control of the appliance on thermostat being satisfied.  We offered a visit by one of our sales techs to go over this but the complainant was satisfied that the unit was operating as intended. Photographic evidence of the hopper and control areas (provided by [redacted]) do not support that there was a fire outside of the firebox (where there is supposed to be a pellet fire when the unit is operating).  Complainant may have had an event where smoke was released to the living environment causing her to be concerned enough to call the FD. However, cause of that event is unclear.We have been sympathetic and supportive to the complainant when we have been contacted via telephone, and we have made efforts to persuade [redacted] to absorb fees where possible, which he apparently has. But we do not wish to be dragged into a billing fight between a customer and service provider.Respectfully,[redacted]President

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
When I called on the 15th I was told it was BACKORDERED, I waited 9 days before calling to see if it had arrived only to find out that it was BACKORDERED and they would not have them in until this Friday the 22nd. This IS what I was told.     My complaint was that the company did not inform me, a customer, of this backorder and the wait to be longer than expected. Had I known sooner,  I would have looked elsewhere.  Had I not called, only God knows when I would have been informed.    I consider this common courtesy that should have been extended to the customer and wasn't, especially with the cold weather we have had.   
Sincerely,
Martha Stuart

I was away when this consumer complaint was forwarded to us. Given the heavy Columbus Day weekend, this is the first opportunity to interview and fact find the issues.  Not surprisingly to me, the desired resolution of the complaint: namely the 2"-10" adjustable riser, has already been shipped...

to the customer as of yesterday 10/14/2014.  I understand that the customer also paid via telephone for the part yesterday as well. The date of arrival of the part to our store and the order date were as promised.
I do agree with the consumer that the question for the need for a riser might have been discovered during the sales process.  On the other hand, it could easily be missed as this type of installation is relatively rare, which is why we don't stock risers although we sell trailer-loads of these appliances every year.  And the sales process covers many topics because pellet fueled appliances operate in a non-intuitive way, prompting most of the discussion around operation, performance, expected heating area, fuel availability and preferences, warranty and installation venting questions.
The consumer points out that he felt we didn't care. We are sorry that that was the impression made.  Apparently we cared enough to order the special part without concern for credit card payment in advance, which prompted the consumer to believe the part wasn't ordered. There was, apparently, an agitated call from the consumer's spouse, who screamed that "we lied to her", although such was not the case.  [redacted], our stove dept. manager, is a highly respected industry veteran having managed other hearth stores before being tapped to represent the largest Hearth products manufacturer in [redacted].  [redacted] has served with distinction in our employ for five years before becoming manager. He is professional and not prone to being impolite, even in confrontational situations.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this consumers concerns.  We believe in time, this consumer will feel the transaction was one of the best decisions they have ever made.
[redacted]

Review: The end of September of this year my wife and I traveled to Preston Trading Post to look for a wood pellet stove. We had heard from neighbors the store was very reputable and had many in stock, therefore we decided to go out of our way traveling to ** rather than purchase from the ** company we had used previously (2008) when a wood burning insert was installed in our fireplace. The salesperson at Preston was very nice and I informed him we already had a wood insert in our house at present. We decided on a model and placed an order. The salesman recommended an installer, [redacted], to do the installation of the unit. The unit was delivered on the 30th of September and installed on the 2nd of October, although not to our satisfaction because, apparently, an "stove riser kit" was required to properly position the stove in the opening of the fireplace.

The stove is presently held up by three pieces of scrap 2x4 wood, with nails and staples protruding from the wood, very unsightly and unprofessional looking to say the least. I immediately contacted [redacted] and his staff informed me the Preston salesman should have asked more questions regarding dimensions of the existing fireplace etc., which he did not. I telephoned Preston and was informed that [redacted] or one of his associates should have come out to survey the job prior to installation. As you can see we were clearly in the middle of this, now having spent over four thousand dollars to have a unit that is unsightly and not working. I was advised to contact "[redacted], " the manager at Preston, who would solve the situation due to his experience with Preston.

Unfortunately, this has not been the case. I spoke with [redacted] this Monday the 6th and was told "It's not a big deal," that he would order the kit, almost three hundred dollars, and it would be in by Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. Yesterday afternoon I decided to check my credit card information and was surprised to fine no debit was stated for the kit. I immediately called Preston and spoke to one of the receptionists, who upon looking up my order stated "The kit would have to be ordered, and should arrive by next Thursday, the 14th." I explained I had spoken with [redacted] on Monday and that he also said the unit would be mailed directly to my home address, to which she said it could not be, having to be delivered to Preston. She would speak with [redacted] and call me back for further clarification.

This morning (9th) my wife telephoned [redacted] and the conversation did not go well at all according to her. He never exhibited any sense of wanting to satisfy us as customers, and when my wife said she was very displeased with the service, especially since we went out of our way to shop at their store, he gave the impression he could care less. When my wife said if this is not rectified soon she would contact the Revdex.com, he said "Go ahead!"

I unfortunately need this kit to complete the installation of the stove. At this point I feel [redacted] may or may not order it for us, thereby delaying even further the use of it. There has never been any tone of helpfulness or even apology for the miscommunication from the start, and certainly no offer of even lowering the price of the kit to accommodate us for our trouble, something at least [redacted] said he would do regarding his installation of the kit. I feel I may have to make the drive to the store, again, but this time it may be confrontational because of his attitude. Very unprofessional, very disappointing for a business that supposedly has such a good reputation.Desired Settlement: I would hope the kit has been ordered so we can complete the installation of the stove before the colder weather arrives. I still have to coordinate the installation of the kit with [redacted] but cannot do much until I know when the kit arrives at Preston Trading Post. At this point I have serious doubts that [redacted] will follow through based on the confrontational tone taken with my wife this morning over the telephone.

Also, I do not have [redacted]'s last name, but he is the manager of the store.

Business

Response:

I was away when this consumer complaint was forwarded to us. Given the heavy Columbus Day weekend, this is the first opportunity to interview and fact find the issues. Not surprisingly to me, the desired resolution of the complaint: namely the 2"-10" adjustable riser, has already been shipped to the customer as of yesterday 10/14/2014. I understand that the customer also paid via telephone for the part yesterday as well. The date of arrival of the part to our store and the order date were as promised.

I do agree with the consumer that the question for the need for a riser might have been discovered during the sales process. On the other hand, it could easily be missed as this type of installation is relatively rare, which is why we don't stock risers although we sell trailer-loads of these appliances every year. And the sales process covers many topics because pellet fueled appliances operate in a non-intuitive way, prompting most of the discussion around operation, performance, expected heating area, fuel availability and preferences, warranty and installation venting questions.

The consumer points out that he felt we didn't care. We are sorry that that was the impression made. Apparently we cared enough to order the special part without concern for credit card payment in advance, which prompted the consumer to believe the part wasn't ordered. There was, apparently, an agitated call from the consumer's spouse, who screamed that "we lied to her", although such was not the case. [redacted], our stove dept. manager, is a highly respected industry veteran having managed other hearth stores before being tapped to represent the largest Hearth products manufacturer in [redacted] has served with distinction in our employ for five years before becoming manager. He is professional and not prone to being impolite, even in confrontational situations.

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this consumers concerns. We believe in time, this consumer will feel the transaction was one of the best decisions they have ever made.

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: I actually prefer not to wholly reject the business response, acknowledging that I appreciate a response from the [redacted] and his standing by his manager, [redacted]. I cannot speak for the conversation between [redacted] and my wife as I was not present. I can only speak of my conversations, which were business like but void, in my opinion, of any "feelings" of what our position was in the process of getting our stove in working order. Perhaps [redacted] was having a bad day, certainly everyone is allowed to have one of those. The fact we drove out of our way to the business because of its reputation was really not acknowledged nor appreciated. I am a %100 disabled veteran, recently a major surgery cancer survivor, and really did not need nor expect to have any aggravation when ordering a pellet stove of all things. The fact the kit was ordered without my credit card being debited first is appreciated, along with the [redacted] delivery at no charge. For this I thank [redacted]. Tomorrow I am having [redacted] doing the install of the kit and I fervently hope all goes well and the unit looks and works according to manufacturer specs. If asked I would not recommend Preston to anyone who may ask my opinion because of this. This may have been just a miscommunication issue but was the cause of unneeded aggravation for all concerned, although we were the party who had paid out over four thousand dollars. If the unit works as promised then this issue thankfully will be closed in our opinion.

Sincerely,

Review: With regards to health involved in this issue I selected, "yes" only because we are presently in the winter season with temperatures below normal.My pellet stove which I bought from Preston Trading Post in 2007 broke down two weeks ago. March 4th I ordered the necessary part needed to fix it from Preston Trading Post. They said it would take 7-10 days to come in. Today I was hoping it would be in and was planning on driving out there to get it. I called first only to find out it was back ordered and not to be in until the 21st! I am usually a nice person on the phone, however, I let them know that, in the winter people don't order parts to have on hand and, they could have at least notified me of the back order. We have been going there for items since 1988. Evidently, they are too big to care more about individuals and rather more the profit. I let them know their actions were unethical and unprofessional. I have a 37 year old special needs daughter who has been sleeping on the couch with me to keep warm. Had they kindly let me know that the part was back ordered I could have gone somewhere else, OR they could have called around to find a similar part to sell me. I am sadly upset and troubled by this and now I still don't have heat. I recently found out that my electric baseboard unit is unreliable so I can't even use that.Desired Settlement: I would like future evidence of them being more accountable to their customers when orders arrive and when orders are back ordered,to let them know, if not by phone, by text or email. Supporting documentation to support my claim would be the recorded phone calls purchasing the item and finding out it was back ordered.

Business

Response:

To Whom It May Concern:

I am aware of this consumer's concerns since I fielded her call on Saturday, March 15th. She placed an order for a [redacted] convection blower for her pellet appliance on March 6th. She was upset that this part was not in yet, was not interested in a discussion, and since the call was on the weekend, I could not offer any additional information apart from what our computer system projected for an arrival date. For parts that are not in stock, the standard order turn-around time is usually 7-10 business days which is what is stated to customers. That range has not expired. The customer threatened to write Revdex.com and post Facebook remarks about our "unethical" behavior. I believe she owes us an apology and should be very careful about slandering a good business despite her frustration with her situation.

For clarity, a pellet stove is considered a space heater under law and not a primary heat source. As such there is no responsibility to have every part conceivable in stock at all times. We stock many spare parts and support the products we sell, but sometimes luck controls the situation. Furthermore, the manufacturer (the largest in the hearth products industry) has fallen behind in parts supply. They have also fallen behind with this specific appliances availability due to the abnormally cold and long winter. A cursory check of other sites for this part all showed back ordered condition with back logs longer than what our system projected. We called the customer on Sunday and left a message so that we could credit back her charge card since she was adamant that we cancel the sale on Saturday when she spoke with me.

That said, we checked FedEx this morning and a couple of the convection motors are scheduled in today. One is reserved for this customer. If she still wants the part, we will attempt to contact her when the part comes in.

Neither I nor Revdex.com should have their time wasted in this manner, as the part is arriving in the time frame that was given when the part was ordered. As such, there is no basis for the complaint and nothing to resolve.

Sincerely,

Joseph Biber

President

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

When I called on the 15th I was told it was BACKORDERED, I waited 9 days before calling to see if it had arrived only to find out that it was BACKORDERED and they would not have them in until this Friday the 22nd. This IS what I was told. My complaint was that the company did not inform me, a customer, of this backorder and the wait to be longer than expected. Had I known sooner, I would have looked elsewhere. Had I not called, only God knows when I would have been informed. I consider this common courtesy that should have been extended to the customer and wasn't, especially with the cold weather we have had.

Sincerely,

Martha Stuart

Review: Prior to April 5th I contacted Preston Trading Post, where I bought my propane fireplace, because it stopped working. They explained how to reset the fireplace manually with no success and it was determined there was a shortage on a module underneath. On April 5th 2013 a Contracted Man named [redacted] came to exchange the module out. [redacted] explained that he doesn't work for Preston Trading Post, but he does work for them on the side. I was with [redacted] the whole time he worked on my fireplace. HE exchanged a module out. He also told me he switched the new remote I had with another new one. He didn't know how to sync the remote so he called Preston Trading Post and they walked him through it. [redacted] finished up and I asked what I owe. [redacted] said $50.00 and I wrote him a check. The next day the fireplace stopped working. On Monday 4/8/13 I called Preston Trading Post to speak with [redacted] again, as that was the man [redacted] spoke with. He wasn't in, not the next day, on Wednesday the 10th I left a message and received no return call back. On 4/9/13 I called again and spoke with [redacted], stating my fireplace didn't work after service. HE gave instruction to fix and this worked. On 4/1713 my significant other received a call stating they needed $276.00. My significant other stated he would like a bill and they stated they don't do that. I called myself and spoke to [redacted] stated that I owe this money for the parts [redacted] serviced the fireplace. I explained that I would like an itemized bill and do not feel comfortable handing my credit card over the phone without knowing what I am paying for. [redacted] stated that he is not sending anything without payment. I took the information down. I called back in the afternoon and spoke to [redacted] again. I stated that it wasn't sitting well with me that I am paying for services/part that I can't see a bill on. HE stated that it's my boyfriends fault for not telling me payment is due upfront. I stated that I was on the phone and this was never said. ( no room left

Desired Settlement: DesiredSettlementID: Other (requires explanation)

I do not thing it's ethical to demand payment over the phone without knowing this trasaction is honorable. I feel like a victim. I will pay my bill, but the remote wasn't necessary to replace as ours was new from them already. What can I do not to be a victim of this? They stated that they did us a favor, but I am not sure how. IS this legal???? We want to return the remote uncharged and not needed.

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2013/04/19) */

We work hard to see the consumer's point of view when handling any issue. In this case, the consumer has no basis for the complaint.

The gas fireplace was purchased in September, 2010, and the electrical components for this unit are out of the warranty period for more than a year. Mr. [redacted], who heads our technical department referred the issue to a third party licensed professional ([redacted]) to service the product. As the consumer could not know what parts were needed, [redacted] picked up parts (primarily the module) at our store to bring with him. While [redacted] was apparently paid for the service visit, the parts were not. After the service visit, the consumer had several conversations with our technicians (over a period of about a week) where the consumer was confused about the operational sequences of the unit.Once it was established that everything was working well, we asked to be paid for the parts that were used. (The consumer incorrectly assumed that the parts left in a box were unused. Those parts were the removed parts). When the consumer requested an invoice, she was told that she needed to pay for the parts that were supplied and an invoice would be provided. (According to [redacted] all the parts that went out were used in the repair). As of yesterday, 4/18/13. the consumer paid for the parts, received a receipt and copy of the invoice, and returned the remote for which they were never charged.

I'm sure the consumer's complaint was hasty, ill-advised and should be withdrawn. Getting professional post-warranty service, and begrudging that parts needed be paid for, should not be cause for someone to claim that they are a victim.

We hope and trust this consumer is once again enjoying the use of their fireplace.

Review: I am submitting the identical complaint for Preston Trading Post as they sold the [redacted] stove and [redacted] did the servicing. The after-fire inspection as well as warranty service for my [redacted] Pellet stove was mismanaged by [redacted] and Preston Trading Post.

I would like to take this opportunity to detail the problems with my [redacted] Pellet Stove I purchased on January 15, 2015 at Preston Trading Post and which [redacted] installed on 1/28/2015.

I am very disappointed in the service and response to my warranty calls. Below please find an account of the history:

1/15/15 Purchased pellet stove at Preston Trading Post



1/28/15 [redacted] installed the pellet stove



1/28/15 - 4/30/15 I used pellet stove; we used a total of 15 40lbs pellet bags for the season



5/12/15 [redacted] cleaned pellet stove for summer shut down. I paid $144.53

Beginning of October 2015 I started pellet stove back up for colder weather; filled hopper with one 40lbs bag of pellets; ran stove only in evenings for a couple of hours; used 1/3 of the pellet bag



10/19/15 Fire in pellet stove with excessive smoke. I called Mystic fire department; called [redacted] and told the office that there had been a fire and I needed the stove inspected; also indicated that the stove is still under warranty.



10/23/15 FIRST service after fire call to [redacted] to inspect stove; technician did not open up the back of the pellet stove for a thorough "after a fire" inspection. I paid $132.94

11/16/15 SECOND service call to [redacted] as stove made clunking noises; technician opened up back of stove and found that the fire had melted the rubber bushing holding auger motor; technician added rubber bushing. I paid $132.94

11/21/15 THIRD service call after fire to [redacted]; technician determined remote/receiver error; probably fire melted electronics



November 2015 Spoke with Preston Trading Post staff several times to make them aware of the problem with the stove, fire and warranty issues



12/18/15 FIRST time I actually spoke to [redacted] personally on the phone. His office staff had started to avoid my phone calls.



12/18/15 [redacted] picked up stove; after bench time in the shop, only the emote/receiver problem was discovered; no further problems were found by the technician. I paid $132.94

1/8/16 Scheduled re-installation of the stove



I used the stove for a couple of months not even running it "full-time." The pellet stove is essentially new. I paid for an after-the season inspection and had a fire in the stove shortly after I started the stove back up.

[redacted] is the ONLY company that has serviced/inspected the less than one year old pellet stove. The service to inspect the pellet stove after the FIRE was inadequate and mismanaged. I do not see why [redacted] did not perform a thorough AFTER FIRE INSPECTION on the first service call to discover ALL problems. Instead I ended up paying for a piecemeal approach ($398.82 for THREE service calls). In addition, I could not use the pellet stove for an extended period of time as weeks elapsed between service calls.

I have been charged for services that were incomplete and unresolved. I request to be refunded $398.82 plus $144.53 for a total of $543.35 for the three after the fire service calls as well as the faulty 5/12/15 after the season inspection. In addition, I expect no other additional charges for the bench time and re-installation of the pellet stove.

I believed Preston Trading Post and [redacted] to be reputable companies with a high standard of excellence striving for customer satisfaction, but now I question your practices. I have lost all confidence in [redacted] to provide quality and safe service inspections as well as Preston Trading Post in recommending [redacted] for installations and inspections. Even after the bench time in [redacted]'s shop, I am not confident that my pellet stove is fully safe.Desired Settlement: I would like [redacted] and [redacted] to accept responsibility.

[redacted] did not answer to my 2nd and 3rd letter and has not offered a solution. As the owner of Preston Trading Post, he is expected to back his products. Either the pellet stove sold to me was defective or [redacted] did not service the stove properly.

Since two companies are involved, I feel that blame was passed back and forth between them and neither accepted responsibility.

Rather than pass on the blame on to the customer, I would expect Joe and [redacted] to come up with a mutually satisfactory solution for the customer.

Business

Response:

Dear Revdex.com:I am troubled by the matter alluded to in this complaint. Firstly, because I don't know where we have a dog in this fight. As the complainant states, installation and service had been provided by [redacted], a third party installation and service firm that works in the hearth products installation arena.Complaints about the quality of service, depth of investigation or service fees paid rest between those parties. We would compensate a third party service firm for warranty work per manufacturer's policies but no warranty issue was discovered that would lead to a warranty claim. Also, a number of third party installation/service contractors are offered to our customers (Preston Trading Post does not offer these in home services apart from technical support). At least one of the services provided by [redacted] rested with the complainant's misunderstanding of the thermostat's function being subservient to the main control of the appliance on thermostat being satisfied. We offered a visit by one of our sales techs to go over this but the complainant was satisfied that the unit was operating as intended. Photographic evidence of the hopper and control areas (provided by [redacted]) do not support that there was a fire outside of the firebox (where there is supposed to be a pellet fire when the unit is operating). Complainant may have had an event where smoke was released to the living environment causing her to be concerned enough to call the FD. However, cause of that event is unclear.We have been sympathetic and supportive to the complainant when we have been contacted via telephone, and we have made efforts to persuade [redacted] to absorb fees where possible, which he apparently has. But we do not wish to be dragged into a billing fight between a customer and service provider.Respectfully,[redacted]President