Tree Classics

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I did not refuse the package.  FedEx called me to notify me that the packaged was damaged en-route.  They wanted me to verify the contents of the package which I could not since I had multiple packages coming in from Tree Classics.  I refused to accept responsibility for the damaged package which contents could not even be verified by FedEx (I surmise the box was compromised and emptied out), but could not have refused a package since delivery was never even attempted by FedEx.  I'm not satisfied with the partial refund since 3 items were purchased and a coupon code was applied to the total purchase.  1 item never arrived (due to poor packaging or rough delivery) and a replacement was not provided as initially promised by Tree Classics since the item was later told was out of stock.  A refund of 99.99 - 50 = 49.99 was given, but I find that application of the coupon to this single item (as opposed to prorated for the entire order) unfair. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Hi,
At this point, responding to each of the customer's points would mean restating what we have already said.  We understand the customer feels strongly they done all they can to reshape the branches on the trees, just as we feel strongly they have not.  The reason we feel this way is that the pictures we were provided closely resemble how the tree looks when it is taken out of the box, and we hadn't any other customers claim their tree looks like that after shaping it.  The statement that we sent a faulty URL to track her order is absolutely false.  We sent the customer an email on October 5th, in response to the customer's first email requesting tracking information, with a URL that takes you directly to the delivery tracking for the tree.  If you paste the URL into a browser, it still, to this day, displays the tracking for the tree, and it is only out of respect to the customer's privacy that we will not include this email as a part of this response.  But if needed we certainly can provide the email which proves this to be true.
We have continued to try to contact the customer to find a resolution and discuss her options, but she continues to not answer the phone or respond to our messages.  We do encourage her to speak with us about this matter.  If not, there is nothing further we can do.
Regards,
Tree Classics Customer Service

Hi,
 
We regret this problem was not handled with better communication, though at no point did we fail to act in good faith.  We did not call multiple times to draw out the process, but rather to clarity in order to ensure the right section was shipped.  Last year...

there was a change made to the way sections were numbered, and because of this Section Two is the second section from the top on some of our five section trees and the fourth section from the top on others, so we wanted to be certain of which section had the issue.  After that, we immediately submitted a request for the replacement section.
 
Ultimately, the section was out of stock and never shipped.  We acknowledge that we had poor communication at that point and apologize for failing to follow up with the customer and notify her that we would need to have a new section manufactured for her.  We do not show any records of direct contact with the customer in December or January as stated in the complaint.  When we heard back from the customer later in January, via a chargeback and her bank, we researched the issue and discovered our warehouse failed to notify us the part had never shipped.  At that time we did notify the customer that we are having a new section manufactured for them and that it will be shipped this summer as soon as it is ready.
 
Again, we apologize for the failure to communicate effectively with the customer.  As the customer has been told, we are having their needed section manufactured for them, and the section will be shipped to the customer as soon as it is ready.  We are dedicated to ensuring the customer has a fully functioning Christmas tree in time for the coming holiday season.
 
Regards,
Tree Classics Customer Service

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Again, this latest response from Tree Classics does nothing to advance the conversation or provide a resolution and in fact only further demonstrates the lack of compassion and character of this company and its employees.  As noted several times previously, we notified Tree Classics in 2014 of the problem multiple times and have tried extensively to work with them over the 2014 and 2015 holiday seasons. They repeated use of the phrase "30-day warranty!" is the equivalent of taking advantage of someone by duping them into buying a defective product. It is very clear that this company is not willing to resolve this issue and I hope that the Revdex.com will give this company the lowest possible rating and that any consumer reading this will look anywhere other than Tree Classics for their Christmas tree needs. Regards, [redacted]

We again stand by our previous statement.  A warranty period is given for a designated
time from the date of purchase.  This is
a consistent practice for virtually any business that offers a warranty.  The customer’s statement implies that we
should be expected to provide a different length of warranty to each customer
from their purchase date to account for the holiday season and when they are
mostly likely to use their product. 
Clearly this is unrealistic.  We
cannot control how often a product is used, how long it is left on, how it is
cared for, or arbitrarily guess as to how we believe each customer used their
tree and make warranty decisions based on our best guesses as to what is
fair.  Again, this is unrealistic, and is
the reason a finite amount of time is applied to a warranty.  It is no different than any other item
covered by warranty for a specified amount of time – companies do not honor
warranties based on how much the customer says they used the product within the
specified timeframe.
Again, we also do not agree with the statement the product
was “clearly defective from the time of purchase”.  If that was the case, the product would not
have worked the first time it was plugged in. 
As previously stated, we made every effort to try and assist the customer
with determining the source of the problem despite the fact that the tree was
no longer under warranty.  We wish the
troubleshooting had been successful.
Regards,
Tree Classics Customer Service

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Unfortunately, this is NOT the information Tree Classics provided my credit card company.  They claimed that they notified me that the replacement part would not ship until summer when I initially contacted them, which is false.  They called me and said the part was shipping after talking about which part was missing on several occasions.  If I knew that I had to wait for summer I would have returned the defective item. 
At this point, I am extremely frustrated that waiting for what's going on a half a year to receive a replacement part is an acceptable resolution to Tree Classics. I am still waiting for a replacement part for a tree which I am sure their warehouse was full of when I initially made them aware of the problem. 
Regards,
[redacted]

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
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. 
Regards,
 
[redacted]
 
 
I will follow up with my credit card company to inform them that the dispute is settled.

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
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. 
We have sent the product back to the shipper
Regards,
 
[redacted]

Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed with
the clearance warranty process for the tree they purchased. The customer
purchased the tree on July 30th, 2014 and did not contact us for
almost four...

months to notify us of any issues. On November 24th,
2014 the customer contacted us stating there was a leaning issue with her tree.
The customer was requesting to exchange the tree. We advised the customer that
the tree they ordered is a clearance tree and all sales are final, as was
stated on the website.  Clearance items
are only able to be returned within 10 days of purchase.  
We did try to work with the customer to see if we could
resolve their issue, and the castor wheels can be adjusted once the break is on
to help level out the tree in areas. In looking at the customers pictures we
received, it cannot be determined if the carpet was affecting the levelness of
the tree.  The customer is not satisfied
even though they are clearly well outside of the timeframe allotted for returns
or warranty service, and they requested to contact our corporate office. We
provided all the contact information for the customer to send something to [redacted] as they requested, as we do not have a direct number to provide. The
customer would not accept this information and demanded that we provide the
direct number to the Oak Creek Store location. As we do not have a store
location, this is not something we have to provide, and the contact number is
the customer service number we provided on many occasions.  In this complaint, the customer is requesting
the option to exchange and have all return shipping be waived. This again is
not an option, as the tree is no longer able to be returned or exchanged.
We have taken note of this complaint and will have a
supervisor contact the customer to discuss the matter and see if some kind of
resolution can be reached.
Regards,
Tree
Classics Customer Service

Hello,
First, we would like to apologize for the slow...

response.  We were not previously aware of this complaint and it was not our intention to ignore the customer.  We have just now become aware of this complaint and as such are responding. We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed with the warranty process. The customer purchased an artificial Christmas tree online on November 18th, 2013. On December 3rd, 2013, the customer contacted us stating that they were having issues with lights in a couple of sections in their tree.  As the customer was within the warranty timeframe, we offered to troubleshoot their concerns. When there is an issue with a tree, we go through a troubleshooting process to verify the stated issue. The reason we do this is because often times a stated issue is nothing more than a loose bulb or something else minor which is easily adjusted to resolve an issue, and is not an actual defect. Our policies, which are a part of the terms and conditions accepted at the time of sale, outline this. After completing the troubleshooting it was determined that replacement sections were needed and a request was submitted for the parts. We followed up with the customer on February 7th, 2014 to let the customer know that their replacement sections were out of stock and would need to be manufactured in our off season. We apologized that we had not reached out to them sooner and confirmed that the customer would receive the replacement section in the fall of that year. On July 14th, 2014, the customer contacted us to get an update in regards to their replacement sections. We confirmed that the sections had been requested and they should be receiving them within the next couple of months. The customer stated that they were not okay with the resolution and requested that we provide them with a full tree replacement or a refund and requested that a supervisor contact them in regards to their situation.
On July 16th, 2014, a supervisor reached out to the customer in regards to their request and advised that their request for a refund had been denied as they were outside of the 30 day return period. We offered the customer a 10% customer care credit due to the fact that they had to wait for the sections to be manufactured, but the customer declined the credit. The customer’s replacement sections were sent out on August 12th, 2014, and were delivered to the customer’s address on file on August 16th, 2014.
We did not hear from the customer again until December 3rd, 2015, when the customer contacted us to let us know that the replacement sections had not resolved their issue and requested that we refund their money. We advised the customer again that they were outside of the return period and advised that we would put in a request to see what could be done for the customer. The customer followed up with us on December 9th, 2015 to see if there was any update in regards to their refund request. We advised the customer that we had not heard anything back yet and confirmed their contact information. We contacted the customer back on December 15th, 2015 and advised them that their request for a refund had been denied and offered to send out a full tree replacement to the customer. At this time, we are still willing to replace the customer’s tree in full, but due to the customer being outside of the 30 day return period they are ineligible for a refund.
Regards,
Tree Classics Customer Service

Hi,
 
In response to the customer, it is accurate that we left a message saying the section would be shipped.  This message was left at the time we sent the request to the warehouse and was based on inventory the warehouse had provided telling us the part was available.  However, after receiving the request, we were notified that the part was, in fact, not available.  At that time we tried to contact the customer to discuss options, but failed to get ahold of them and didn't follow up with them, as stated in our previous response.  If the customer has the documentation we sent to the bank, then they will see where we stated we tried to contact the customer and did not get ahold of them.  We didn't tell the bank anything that was not accurate.
 
Unfortunately, the tree was out of stock when we requested the warehouse send a replacement part.  If, during the holiday season, we do not have a single part available that a customer needs, and we do still have new trees, we will pull the part from a new tree.  We regret that this tree went out of stock in mid-November (less than 2 months prior to Christmas), and we do have some trees that go out of stock that early.  The tree is now available on our site as we have started to receive our stock for this coming season.  The replacement section for the customer did not arrive in our first shipment and is expected to arrive soon, during the summer.  At this time of year we do not pull replacement sections from new stock as people do not typically use their trees at this time of year.  We will be shipping the customer their replacement section as soon as it arrives.
 
Regards,
Tree Classics Customer Service

Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed
with their order. As stated in their claim, the customer contacted us on
December 28th, 2014 to let us know that the lights on their tree
were different colors and...

requested to do an exchange. We requested photos
displaying the issue that the customer was having and offered to replace the
item under warranty. We apologize for any misinformation that was given in
regards to doing an exchange and having to pay to return a defective item as
that is not the case.
On January 5th, 2015 the customer contacted us to
check on the status of her warranty claim. We advised the customer that she had
been approved to donate her current tree and provide us with a copy of the
donation receipt and we would replace the item in full for her.  We did reach out to the customer once the
copy of the donation receipt was received and advised the customer that she could
upgrade to a different tree as long as she was willing to pay the difference in
price. As the customer agreed and the replacement order was processed we feel
this matter to be resolved.
 
Regards,
Tree
Classics Customer Service

I bought the oregon spruce on Nov 7. I received it on Nov 10.
The bottom portion didn't work. I called on Monday morning Nov 14. They said they would ship me a replacement piece.
Nov 21 I called because nothing has arrived. I received no phone call at home, work or cell.
I was informed that it is "out of stock" and won't be manufactured until summer 2017.
Then they told me I could get a refund, if I ship the tree back AT MY EXPENSE. I could buy a new tree from them, at full retail.
What horrible, HORRIBLE company with no sense of pride in their products, no sense of guest service and product that does not work.

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
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. 
Regards,
 
[redacted]

As stated in our previous response the customer purchased
the tree on July 30th, 2014 and did not contact us for almost four
months to notify us of any issues. We have attempted to work with the customer,
but every option we have provided has been declined even though they are well
outside of the timeframe allotted for returns, exchanges or warranty service.
The fact that the customer’s chargeback was resolved in our
favor confirms that we have worked in good faith within the policies the
customer agreed to at the time of purchase.  We are willing to continue to work with the
customer to try and resolve the issues they are having with their tree.  
Regards,
Tree
Classics Customer Service

After a grueling attempt of trying to find the cause of lights out on our old christmas tree that we owned 10 years, I finally gave up and searched high and low for the perfect replacement tree. I finally made a decision to purchase the Lake Shore Blue Green Spruce Tree from Tree Classics. It had all the requirements I was looking for. More than I really wanted to spend even at the clearance price but because it was exactly what I was looking for I made an exception. My requirements were high PE and lower PVC count, high light count, plus needed to be 6.5 feet and no wider that 49 inches. Placed the order and the tree arrived the next day. I was very impressed with the shipping time frame. That was were the positive experience ended.
I was so anxious to try the tree so after my husband returning home late because he needed to attend a wake after work, I hounded him to assemble the tree. The tree had a stand and three sections. He assembled the stand and inserted part one of the tree, so far so good. He moves on and inserts part two and plugs the power cord into an outlet and we turn the lights on. One section of the tree is not working. Now my husband is faced with troubleshooting this tree as well, testing each bulb one by one to find the faulty bulb. Mind you my husband works for probably the largest electric company in the New York Tri State area. He went through tree branches replacing all faulty bulbs with working ones but still the section was not lighting. It was late so I told him to go to sleep and leave it until the next day. I woke up and continued the trouble shooting process on the last two branches that were not lighting up. There was not one faulty bulb but there was as many as provided in the extra bulbs that are included with the tree. After all the troubleshooting I could not get the section to work. More than frustrated I call customer service.
I explain the situation and was asked what I wanted to do. I said what I wanted, was exactly what I purchased, a tree that works. I am than given the option to repurchase a new tree and ship back the one in my possession at my expense. Once it was received I would get a full refund. I was infuriated, I refused to pay anything in order to return the defective tree. I was told to hold on the phone line and believed I was put on hold. As I vented my frustration to myself using foul language. The customer service representitive picks up the line and hears part or all of my venting and makes a inappropriate comment in response to something that was not directed to her. Then she proceeds to incinuate that I was accusing her of "busting" the lights on the tree. I told her I was not accusing her at all and I never said once that the lights were "busted". She tells me she would send me a shipping label at the company's expense because I was so dissatisfied. She gave me a RMA # and told me write that number on the shipping label and everything was settled, for the time being.
I was sitting by the tree and looked over and noticed I had not replaced one bulb. So I replaced it and sure enough the section I had a problem with lights up. Hurray!! Because I am honest I call back, explain the situation and express I do not need to return the tree but instead need replacement bulbs since I used them all on all the faulty bulbs. The customer service representative tells me it's the same procedure to get them. It would need to be approved from a supervisor. I have never heard such a thing for something so minor and inexpensive. I asked to speak to a supervisor, I was done with these customer service representatives. She puts me on hold for an extended period of time, only to hang up on me. I called twice more and just got hang up's again. Finally, I call and ask for a supervisor told her everything asked her for replacement bulbs and for a discount as compensation for all the aggravation. She tells me she would send the bulbs as a form of compensation because normally they are not free. Really??? I told her I have never dealt with such a company that treated the customer in such an unprofessional manner in my life! She said she would need to request any form of compensation but nothing was guaranteed. I asked her, why would she have to request it if she was indeed a supervisor. She should have the authority to make those type of decisions, correct? Well, she assured me that she would look into it and get back to me today. I have not received any phone call back.
I didn't really expect more from this company with all I have dealt with so far. Just warning to everyone who took the time to read the whole story, BEWARE!!! Don't do it, you will have nothing but problems and aggrivation.

Hello,
In
the customer’s most recent complaint they state that they have gotten through
to a representative every time they have contacted us, but contradict
themselves further in, stating that we have avoided their calls. At no time
have we avoided the customer’s calls. Our systems are not equipped to reject a
call from any customer. We apologize as we are aware that the customer felt there
was a delay in communication when they requested a call back from management, but
we did contact the customer within 24-72 business hours after each request.
The
customer also refers to their warranty on their artificial Christmas tree to be
compared to if you bought a computer and needed a replacement part, they would
not make you wait 8 to 9 months to receive the replacement as this is unfair.
This statement is not a reasonable comparison. A computer is an item that is
used regularly, whereas a Christmas tree is a seasonal item, typically used
only during a specific time of year. By the customer’s own admission, they
store their tree during the period of time when the section is being
manufactured. 
We
regret that we did not have the needed part in stock for the customer during
the most recent holiday season. When we do not have a part available we have to
have it manufactured and sent to the customer in our off season, as stated in
the warranty policy which is part of the terms and conditions the customer
accepted when they placed the order.  At
this time we have further reviewed the customer’s complaint and we can see the
customer is not going to comply with the options we have offered following the
policies they accepted. Ultimately we have determined that we will pick up the
tree at no cost to the customer and once the tree has been returned to our
warehouse a full refund will be issued.
We
will reach out to the customer to provide them with the resolution and
instructions on how to return their tree.
Regards,
Tree
Classics Customer Service

Hi,
 
We were sorry to hear of the problems the customer experienced with their tree.  Even though the warranty had expired a couple months prior to the first time the customer contacted us with problems, we made a good faith effort to troubleshoot the problem with the...

customer to see if there was a way he could resolve it.  Unfortunately, the troubleshooting did not resolve the problem.  It is a customer's responsibility to notify us of a warranty issue within the timeframe of their warranty.  If the customer had contacted us right around the time the warranty expired we would still have been able to work with them as we wouldn't have held him to the exact day.  But we feel very comfortable that virtually any company/manufacturer will hold customers to their warranty when they make a claim a couple months past the expiration date.  We regret we were unable to resolve this problem for the customer.
 
Regards,
Tree Classics Customer Service

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
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. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Hello,
We are sorry for the frustration the customer has expressed with
the return policy. On November 22nd, 2014 the customer contacted us in
regards to where the order was as they had not received the tree. We confirmed
with...

the customer that the order was showing the tree had shipped and was in
transit to be delivered. We provided the customer the Estimated Delivery Date
provided by the shipping company but, as it was an over-sized delivery, the
customer was ultimately contacted to finalize delivery arrangements. We
apologize for the frustration on how long the order took to arrive.  On December 10th, 2014 the customer
contacted us with a lighting issue in sections of her tree.  The customer requested to cancel the
order.  As it was already delivered, the
order was no longer able to be cancelled. The customer then requested to return
the tree. We advised the customer that the tree they ordered is a clearance
tree and all sales are final, as was stated on the website.  Clearance items are only able to be returned
within 10 days of purchase. 
When there is an issue with a tree, we go through a
troubleshooting process to verify the stated issue. We attempted to
troubleshoot with the customer, but the customer stated she could not complete
the troubleshooting steps as the tree was up and decorated, and would call us
back when they could. We have not heard back from the customer.  In this complaint, the customer is asking to
return the tree and have all return shipping be waived. This again is not an
option, as the tree is no longer able to be returned or exchanged.
We have taken note of this complaint and will have a
supervisor contact the customer to discuss the matter and see if some kind of
resolution can be reached.
Regards,
Tree
Classics Customer Service