The Spa Depot Inc

Our process for handling returns is to remove the returned product from the box it was shipped in, inspect the item, document the damage if any with pictures, and inform the customer of the findingsOur return policy stated on the website, and in the email sent to Mr*** is as follows; If you need to return an eligible item, you must provide proof-of-purchase (receipt or order number) and obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) numberNon-Returnable Items: Spas Spa Covers & Spa Cover Lifters Umbrellas Heaters, Spa Packs, Controls, Circuit Boards, Electrical Parts Spa Pumps Special Order Items Non-returnable items may be covered by the Manufacturer's warrantyConditions: All returns require Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA)We must receive your return within days of purchaseCustom made and built-to-order and other items noted above are non-returnableMerchandise must be in original, salable condition without cosmetic or other damageOriginal shipping & handling charges are not refundableCustomer is responsible for safe return shipping and insurance. TO REQUEST AN RMA: Provide your name and contact information, order number, date of purchase, and reason for return requestUse the Support Request Form anytime (fastest way - no waiting on hold) Call Customer Service: (800) 823-6am - 5pm Pacific Time, Monday-FridayYou are responsible for safe return shippingAfter obtaining an RMA, please make sure that your return is adequately packed and insured, and that the RMA number provided is clearly noted on the packageReturns without an RMA cannot and will not be acceptedThe Spa Depot has no way of knowing the age, disability, or ethnic background of its customers, and even if we did it would play no part in the decision for creditThe Spa Depot handles thousands of returns a year for many reasons, and the return policy shown above is the only factor used when determining credit The pictures of the returns are to document the condition of the item being returnedThe pictures are close up to show the damage caused by installing the pump into the spaIt is clear from the pictures that there were bolts installed into the foot plate of this pumpWe can no longer sell this pump as new as it has been installed, and is no longer in new unused condition as stated in the return policy aboveUnder conditions it states; “Merchandise must be in original, salable condition without cosmetic or other damage.” The Spa Depot does not state anywhere on our site that this pump is made in the USAThe Spa Depot receives its inventory from our vendor in the same condition that it is shipped to the customerThe origin of the product has nothing to do with the condition in which the item was received back from the customerThe Spa Depot is not trying to keep Mr*** moneyThe pump that was received was not in new salable condition so we cannot issue creditWe will send the pump back to Mr*** to install in his tub and help him with the wiring to connect this pump to his hot tub

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because:
I have submitted reviews, and none have been posted by the spa depot The first reviee was lengthy & contained many facts & conerns After it never showed up, I thought "well, perhaps the company is finding a policy violation." So, I submitted a simpler & less offensive version, but I was careful to stay within their guidelines & after the 2nd review never showed up, I created a 3rd very simple reviee that was clearly within their guidelines That one never showed up either
If spa drpot was sincere about their review publishing practice, then they should be proactive about contacting the reviewer & telling them why a particular review is rejected Instead, it is ip to me to check back on their website to ser if my review is published This results in their inappropriate representation that they are publishing all reviews that meet this criteria
I relied on their published reviews before buying a hot tub & I now believe that I wasn't presented all of their reviews
My 3rd review is clearly within their guidelines It is not right for them to say "write another one." However, I will now write a 4th review & test, once again, if it is published.
This is a clear case of misrepresenting their reviews & constitutes advertising. Sincerely,*** ***

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because: Their statement is true but I am keeping the unit not because I feel this is resolved but because it is not worth the hassle of dealing with this issueI accept that this was a bad investment, that I was mislead, and will accept the loss rather than put further effort into this issue. Sincerely,*** ***

Hi ***,As long as your review meets the guidelines below it willcertainly be posted. Please feel free topost your comments accordingly. Thanksagain for your business! Customer Product ReviewGuidelinesFollowing these guidelines will help ensure your product review is
posted:Focus solely on the product you are reviewing, and youractual experience using it.Reviews should not address shipping or purchasemattersPlease contact Customer Care regarding these issues.Provide specific details about what you did or didn'tlike about the product.The purpose of a product review is to provide insightfor others considering purchasing the product.Keep in mind that all submitted product reviews aresubject to the terms set forth in our Terms of Use.Reviews must meet internal guidelines and be written inEnglish.Reviews will not be posted if the reviewer does nothave experience using the product.We reserve the right not to post any product review or thosecontaining any of the following:Any information not related to the actual merchandise.Obscenities, defamatory language, or other content notsuitable for a public forum.Prices, advertisements, spam content,or references to other products, offers, websites, or competitors.Email addresses, phone numbers, links to websites,physical addresses or other forms of contact information.Critical comments about other product reviews or theirreviewers.We check and post most product reviewsmeeting guidelines within five days of submissionThe Spa Depot thanks you fortaking time to share your opinions with others!Thank you,***Customer Care Manager***www.SpaDepot.com

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:I have a damaged spa, I payed for new ,Not damaged or repaired, and no monies have been credited back onto my credit card,Nothing has been fixed or repaired! Best option at this point would be total refund and spa depot to pick up the spa where it is, Spa depot will not comply with my request!!! They need to come and get this tub at their expense, ASAP,I do need a days notice in advance to drain and unhook electrical of spa!
Sincerely,
*** ***

7/30/2015 Dear Valued Customer,Because customer service is the upmost importance atSpaDepot.com, on 7/we sent you a flow switch kit at no charge (normally$55.56) in an effort to solve your issue. Mark our technical supervisor has made several attempts to reach out toyou to confirm that
your equipment is now functioning correctly, but he has notreceived a responseWe are to assume at this point all is well and are happyyour spa is now up and running. Thanksagain for your business! Thank you,RandyCustomer Care Manager***www.SpaDepot.com

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because:this filter never left my kitchen counter.I recieved it measured it it was the wrong size which means IT WOULD NO FIT MY SPA TOO BIG there for could not get wet or dirty from me trying to put in my spai read your return policy and am honest enough to not bother returning it if it were dirty in any wayor would not have bothered to contact spa depot or the Revdex.com about a return if you looked at the one I returned compared to the one I ordered afterwords you could see the size differencei am dissabled and liv on a fixed income and not trying to get over on spa depot $to me is like a to everybody else just wont the write thing done which there seems to be little of in this world.Sincerely,*** ***

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
Dustan stated the spa would be fixed in place and money would be taken off , However to date no money was credited back to my credit card, and nuvision the place dustan contacted to fix spa ,A lady by name of Jennifer said tech would look at spa, Never said spa would be fixed! Hard to take Dustin seriously when no money is credited back to credit card, that can be done immediately and has not been done,this is one big run around game by spa depot and im not happy!!!! I want spa depot to pick up spa and issue me a full refund ASAP!!!
Sincerely,
[redacted]

The return policy and the RMA email that is sent clearly says;
 **Please Note**: Any products returned that are not in original resalable condition will be discarded and no credit will be issued. Here is a link to our return policy for your convenience.
The filters were returned dirty so we...

could not grant credit in this case. This includes wet filters that have been dried and still smell of chemicals from even a brief instillation into the hot tub. We do apologize if he felt that our interactions were cold. We at The Spa Depot strive to provide the best possible customer service at all times.

Mr. [redacted] ordered a spa from The Spa Depot that was delivered on 5/13/17 Mr. [redacted] contacted The Spa Depot on 5/15/17 stating that there was damage to the spa. The Spa Depot contacted the factory to have a replacement panel sent out to Mr. [redacted] and it was delivered on Friday...

5/19/17, but the factory did send out the wrong replacement panel. Unfortunately The Spa Depot had some technical difficulties on 5/19/17 causing our email, phones, and other processes to be utilized. This caused Mr. [redacted]’s email about the wrong panel being delivered to not be responded to until 5/22/17 as our customer care department does not work on the weekends. Mr. [redacted]’s stated on 5/22/17 that he would like the hot tub picked up and returned to the factory, but he would only drain and unhook the electrical to the spa. The Spa Depot stated that the trucking company that delivered the tub would be the company that would be picking up the tub and because there would only be one driver we would need Mr. [redacted] to move the spa to the location it was dropped off at. Dustan the Operations Manager from The Spa Depot called Mr. [redacted] on 5/22/17 to resolve the issue. Mr. [redacted] and Dustan came to an agreement that the spa would be fixed in place, and the correct panel would be sent to his location to be installed at the time the shell was repaired.

[redacted] ordered a spa cover, cover lifter, and spa blanket from The Spa Depot on September 9th 2016. This order was processed and sent to the factory on September 12th 2016. The Spa depot was notified on September 15th that the freight company would not be able to deliver to this location. On...

September 16th 2016 The Spa Depot reached out to the [redacted] with the following email at 10:24am.
“Our factory has notified me that there is no freight company available that can delivery our spa cover to Mammoth lakes. Do you have an alternate ship to address that we can ship to? If not, we would be unable to assist you with the purchase of a spa cover and would need to cancel this order and refund the payment.
This order has been placed on hold pending a response.”
[redacted]’s responded at 7:27pm on September 16th
“I believe DHL delivers to this area along with UPS AND FEDEX. If you guys can't figure this out, then we want a full refund for the entire order. You can pick up the lifter.”
This was replied to by The Spa Depot at 1:46pm on Monday September 19th
“Those would be good option, though they don't take packages as large as a spa cover. Cover can only ship via freight service (semi trucks).”
Replied to by [redacted]
“Your website said free shipping. Try this link for LTL Fed Ex:
https://smallbusiness.fedex.com/freight-offers”
The Spa Depot’s reply
“That is correct, we do not charge the customer for shipping on orders of $100 or more. The issue here is that we do not have a freight company that can deliver to the zip code that you live in.
If you can provide a different ship to address that we can ship to, we can make and send the cover to you. If not, our only option is to cancel the order and refund the payment.”
[redacted]’s reply
“How much does the spa cover weigh in the box and what are the dimensions?
What would the origination location be?
Did you check out the link I sent?
Do you ship to Bishop, CA zip code 93514 or 93515?
I believe that there are shippers that will deliver here. We see it all the time. What is the actual reason?”
The Spa Depot’s reply
“The cover will weigh approximately 65 pounds and the box dimensions would be approximately 48x80x14.
The covers ship out of San Diego.
Yes, I did check the link you sent.
No, we do not ship to Bishop, or to 93514 or 93515.
There may be shippers that will ship to you area. Our factory uses a freight logistics company that chooses an individual freight carrier to ship to a given address. Before I contacted you, I checked with them to see if there was any other way to get it to you. They were not able to find another company. This is the actual reason why we can't ship this cover.”
[redacted]’s Reply
“Come on….ship it via UPS or FedEx. No Brainer from San Diego.
Your company states free shipping…not just with one carrier.
Do I need P. S. to sue to get this order? Where do you ship to?”
The Spa Depot’s reply
“As I said previously, we cannot ship a spa cover via UPS or FedEx due to the size of the package. We do ship for free on all orders over $100, I'm not asking for more money. We ship all over the US, but there are some locations that large items like spas and spa cover cannot be shipped to.
At this point the only option is to provide us with an alternate address that we can ship to. If that can't be done, we would need to cancel this order and refund the payment.”
The last reply from The Spa Depot was sent at 4:51pm on September 20th. We have been working with [redacted] to resolve this issue on a daily basis since the time we were notified from the cover factory that the freight carriers could not deliver in this area.
The Spa Depot tries to keep our website updated with information provided to us from the cover factory as to locations that the shipping companies contracted by the cover factory cannot deliver. This informs the customer before placing the order if the cover can be shipped to their location. The shipping companies do update their delivery locations from time to time without our prior knowledge. In cases like this The Spa Depot places the cover on hold to prevent the cover from being made, and gives The Spa Depot the option of canceling the order if the cover cannot be delivered. In this case we did place the cover on hold, and have offered to refund the cost of the cover on several occasions. It is an inconvenience for the customer and The Spa Depot when an occurrence like this happens, but we are happy to credit the customer in full for the cover. The Spa Depot will also send a FedEx call tag to [redacted] for the return of the cover lifter. The cover will be refunded immediately while the cover lift will be credited when we see that the package is in route back to our facility.

On 4/20/17 Mr. [redacted] purchased a BX4102-C1 spa pump from The Spa Depot and was shipped via FedEx on the same day as ordered. On the webpage for the BX4102-C1 http://www.spadepot.com/15-HP-Spa-Pump-15-inout-Center-Discharge-48-Frame-120V-P...⇄ It states in the product notes; “110 –...

120V. 2-speed, can easily be configured for 1-speed.” On the same page under the “More Info” tab it gives directions on how to configure the pump for 1 speed; “Configuring a Pump for 2 or 1 Speed Use Our 2-speed pumps can easily be configured for 1-speed. Wire the common and high speed terminal connections, while leaving the low speed terminal blank.” On 5/1/17 we received an email from Mr. [redacted] stating “I want to return the motor, 1.5 HP, 2 speed. The technician took off the old pump and compared the two.  The new pump I received is different and asks for 4 wires plus the copper solid wire. The old one uses only 3 wires. I want to return the new pump and buy a new hot tub.” The Spa Depot sent the following email in response to the return request on 5/1/17 “Thank you for contacting SpaDepot.com. We accept returns if the item/s are in original, salable condition without cosmetic or other damage. Please carefully pack your item, writing your return authorization number on the outside of the package: [redacted] Return Shipment Options: Prepaid Shipping You will receive a prepaid return shipping label via email directly from FedEx. Print the label, attach it the box and drop off at any FedEx location. Self-Ship Using your preferred shipping method, please ship to: The Spa Depot 8910 Select Court SE Olympia, WA 98501 Once the item/s are received at our warehouse and approved for restock, your account will be credited for the amount of purchase. If you have opted to use the prepaid label, our discounted shipping charge will be subtracted from the credit amount. The credit should appear on your account within 7 business days of return receipt. Please Note: Any products returned that are not in original resalable condition will be discarded and no credit will be issued. Read our Return Policy for further information. Please let us know if you have any questions.” On 5/11/17 The Spa Depot sent the following email to Mr. Goncalves; “Good afternoon. The pump that was sent back us was not returned in resalable condition. As per our Return Policy, any products returned that are not in original resalable condition will be discarded and no credit will be issued. Would you like it shipped back to you or discarded?” This email had the following pictures attached [redacted]
[redacted] Picture 1 shows the green plumbers tape or thread compound that was used on the threads during the install of this pump. Picture 2 shows the rust on the foot of the motor caused by installing a bolt through the bolt hole to secure the pump to the hot tub. The Spa Depot offered to send the pump back to Mr. [redacted] due to the pump not being in new resalable condition. Mr. [redacted] is insistent that we should give him a full refund. Our refund policy is clear, and Mr. [redacted] was sent more than one email stating the item must be in new resalable condition. The pictures clearly show the item was not. We do still have this pump and will gladly send it back to Mr. [redacted] to install in his tub and we will walk him through the install of this pump so it will work in his hot tub.

5/22/15 Mr. [redacted] ordered a heater assembly from Spadepot.com. This was backordered until 06/04/15
On 6/22/15 Mr. [redacted] contacted The Spa Depot to get an RMA number for a return of an unused item.
6/23/15 Mr. [redacted] was sent an email stating “We can accept the return of the item or items...

if they are in new, unused condition. The return authorization number is: **RMA100460[redacted]RMA number must be written on the outside of the package for the return to be accepted. **Once we have received your return we will credit your account, less a 10% restocking fee. The credit will appear on your account within 14 days of return receipt.”
To which Mr. [redacted] stated on 6/23/15 “this is the issue in returning the Heater Assembly, High-limit/pressure switch, $339.64. The heater was installed and noticed it does not fix the repair needed. Requesting RMA on the heater product. I need the Easypak 1200 air system, SKU EP120, $499.00. PLEASE ADVISE. CAN WE NEGOTIATE A CREDIT ON THE RETURN OF HEATER TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF THE EASYPAK 1200AIR SYSTEM?”
On 6/23/15 The Spa Depot informed Mr. [redacted] that “In order for you to receiving possible credit towards the Heater Assembly you must return it using the information provided below. Further, we cannot negotiate credit until the item has been received by our supplier.”
Mr. [redacted] at this point Mr. [redacted] rated the correspondence as “Good, I’m satisfied.”
On 7/29/15 Mr. [redacted] contacted The Spa Depot stating “regarding RMA100460, DATED JUNE 29, 2015, order#1701158, HEATER ASSEMBLY, HIGH-LIMIT/PRESSURE SWITCH. SILENT ON ISSUE IS BAD CUSTOMER CARE RELATIONS. PLS ADVISE ASAP. EL NINO WEATHER HITTTING CAL SOON AND WILL CAUSE DELAYED REPAIRS.”
A senior technician from The Spa Depot contacted Mr. [redacted] on 7/29/15 stating “Based on the photos we received from our supplier, the heater failed due to poor water quality in the hot tub. The poor water quality caused the element to rust. Failure like this is not covered under the warranty. I will find out the cost to repair the heater, and let you know as soon as I receive that information. I should be able to get back to you today.”
Mr. [redacted] replied “Quality of product deemed very poor for easy failure due to water quality. Product should have some rust proof quality since it is subject to water conditions to function. CUSTOMER DOES NOT ACCEPT YOUR WARRANTY TERMS AND POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE $339++ PRICE TAG ON THE PRODUCT. CUSTOMER WILL NOT REPAIR PRODUCT AT AN ADDITIONAL COST AND ONLY ACCEPTING 100% RETURN OF PRODUCT. STOP THE HASSLE WITH THE DEFECTIVENESS OF PRODUCT AND REIMBURSEMENT DEMANDED.”
The Spa depot then emailed Mr. [redacted] stating “I am sorry again for the trouble with the heater. Since the heater did not fail due to manufacturing defect, it is not covered by the warranty.
If you are still interested in ordering the EP1200 please let me know. We will provide a discount for that control system.”
After this exchange Mr. [redacted] filed a chargeback with his credit card company. This was all explained to Mr. [redacted]’s credit card company, and the credit card company stated they would be in contact with Mr. [redacted] for final resolution.
This situation comes down to Mr. [redacted] returning a unit that was not in usable condition, and was deemed so by the manufacturer. We clearly stated in the first correspondence with Mr. [redacted] that the return would need to be in “new, unused condition.” We offered to give Mr. [redacted] a discount on the part that he wanted to return the heater for, but this was not accepted by Mr. [redacted].

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  The vendor's photos do not reflect the status of the pump I personally packed and mailed. Attached are photos of the old pump (made by same company) purchased approximately 2 years ago. It shows no rust despite undegoing 2 Michigan winters, sitting outdoors. Water has gone through it along with chemicas.  No visible damage or rust.  The vendor photos would not hold any water.  The photos do not show the full pump but simply zero in some rusty spots that make me wonder weather I am being given the run around because of my age, disability and Hispanic last name.  How can a quality pump get rust in 10 days, mostly inside a box?The older (2 years old pump, see attached photos) look better than the alledged "new one." Hard to believe.  The old pump also shows my past practice of using tape to seal connections. The old pump also shows 3 wires and not four as the one sent me.Another concern, the photos of the old pump, taken next to Mother's Day Sunday paper to document authenticity, displays a larger sticker "Made in the USA" while a closer observation on the extreme lower end of the same pump there is a metal tag:   "Mexico".   Try to explain that without canned responses of technicalities to keep the money of hard working senior citizens.  This is not a matter of money, and a matter of principle. How can Spadepot defend the quality of a pump and the credibility of its argument that a wet end of a hot tub pump rusted in approximately then days mostly inside a box?!   I am asking for my refund for the full ammount minus the two rubber pieces ordered separately.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
The response made by Spa Depot is inaccurate.
In outlining the correspondence between SpaDepot and myself, several statements were made that are false or were never even stated.
Specifically:
SPADEPOT:
March 2nd 2016 [redacted] from The Spa Depot responded to Mr. [redacted] stating; “I can see on the cover that there is fading on the edge of the hinge
My Response:
Fading will occur in ANY vinyl that is 'near' ANY chemical. Whether the chemical level is HIGH OR LOW. Concluding chemical damage from a picture and therefore denying a warranty claim is just a tactic used to avoid standing behind your product when a defect occurs.
Spa Depot
Mr. [redacted]’ cores are both heavier than when they were purchased so they have had water absorbed into them. To which the manufacturer replied; “Unfortunately this is not a warranty issue so customer will have to buy new foams.”
My Response
I was very specific in saying that ONLY ONE side was taking on water. I also indicated that the water was trapped in the vinyl. NOT that the foam core was saturated. ONLY after inspecting the cover did I find that the plastic surrounding the foam core was torn.
SPADEPOT:
The manufacturer responded on March 4th 2016 with; “Are the foam panels heavier than they were when customer received his cover? if yes then customer must replace foam panels, If not, there is a way get this fix, we can send you the wrap (no cost), customer would have to unwrap the old one from panels and replace it with the new wrap using duct tape.
My Response:
This information was NEVER shared with me. I was never given the option of receiving NEW Wraps. This information may have settled this claim.
In addition, defective Wraps that allow moisture into the foam cover, resulting in damage is logically the responsibility of the manufacturer who produced the defective part. To say that the foam cover is not covered even though the resulting damage is due to the manufacture defect is ridiculous.
Sincerely,[redacted]

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:These rules and surfacing information are reactive.  They did not ask me to read and approve anything related to their policies. The general rule of good business practice is to please your customers not take advantage of them because of age and disabiltiy.  When I sign up for a credit card or other business contract, e.g. Apple services, I have to read and agree with the terms. Spadepot comes up with terms that were obscure and not presented upfront therefore concealing their ability to cheat the money out of seniors with disabilities.  They seem to keep moving the goal post.The bottom line, a new pump that is designed to move water should not be rusted in a period of 10 days most of which while being transported and not exposed to elemnts. The pump was delivered in a rainy day, left outside my house, and exposure occurred.  However, a quality product to pump water should not develop the rust shown in the photos presented by the seller.  My pictures of the old pump show the reality that rust, if it occurs, is not an overnight process. Who took those pictures?  Does Spadepot has a collection of photos and a history of old photos to hurt senior disabled citizens?  I do not accept being taken advantage of.  
Sincerely,
[redacted]

“On  6/3/2015 Mr. [redacted] submitted a product review onthe Belize e850L. This review did meet our guidelines and was published on ourwebsite.”

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: I have not installed the flow switch, after making a couple of adjustments to the pressure switch the unit has been functioning properly for a week or two. I think this indicates the pressure switch is or was defective / stuck or there is some other problem with the unit. More importantly, the are not listening to my concerns just telling me what to  buy and do. If I hire a plumber and electrician to install this switch, that I do not want, it will cost several hundred dollars. 
They have not contacted me several times. After eight call to them, Mark called once and than sent two e-mails asking me how the flow switch was working, Since the flow switch had not yet been installed there was no reason to respond. 
This company is not listening to their customer, even though the unit works I want to return it and the flow switch for a refund because any future problem will not be handled in an appropriate manner either. Sincerely,[redacted]

I, Dustan the Operations Manager at The Spa Depot have been in contact with Mr. [redacted] about this issue. I did state that I would have the tub fixed in place, or if it could not be fixed in place the tub would be replaced. This resolution was agreed upon by Mr. [redacted]. I also stated that I would refund some of the purchase price for the hassle of the damaged tub. I have not issued a refund as of yet because the process is not complete. Once the process is complete and Mr. [redacted] has a tub that he is satisfied with I will be more than happy to discuss compensation for the trouble. Per the terms and Conditions signed by Mr. [redacted] at the time of purchase there will be no full refund. Our terms and conditions are as follows; “Customer credit card is charged once order is placed. Once production has begun, orders cannot be cancelled nor monies refunded. Spas are not returnable, except under the terms of the warranty. Customer shall be responsible for all freight charges associated with warranty claims.” Damage happens when shipping anything and we are fully aware of that. The Spa Depot also understands the frustration with receiving a product that has been damaged when you want to use this item. We do everything in our power to make this process as quick and painless as possible. In this case The Spa Depot is working with the manufacturer, and an outside company to repair this tub. Schedules need to be made and unfortunately this does take some time. We are working as quickly as possible and updating Mr. [redacted]. My last contact with him was the day before this complaint. 5/30/17.