Nov. 5, I received a three-piece Sit-n-Sleep cover set in polished cotton as a gift from my daughter. Alas, it was in a color that did not coordinate with my color scheme. The package listed Harrco as the manufacturer and included a number, so I called for a catalog, which was promptly sent. I chose an alternate selection and after speaking with Janice, was told I could return the $99.99 set and include a check to cover the price difference for the print I chose, plus the shipping and handling. Nov. 11, I returned the original set with a check for $49.75.
I received the replacement I had selected, but it did not fit my daybed. There were sizable gaps at the corners, which was not acceptable. With the busy holidays upon me, I waited until Dec. 27 to see what could be done to rectify the situation. I spoke with a Michael Harrison and requested a return label which was sent to me. Jan. 10, I sent the set back and requested a refund.
I received no word or refund from Harrco for 30 days, so Feb. 20 I spoke to Janice, who said Michael Harrison would call. She said the same thing Feb. 24. He never did. Feb. 27, she said there was no record of the returned package having been received, so I had to request an air bill with signature from Airborne Express. This cost me $5. I sent this to Michael Harrison on April 3 with a request for a refund to close out this long, drawn-out saga at last.
I waited patiently - no word - so on April 29, I again spoke to Michael. After being put on hold for some time, a lady came back on the line and told me Michael said a check for this refund had been cut April 19. When I did not receive the check, I called Michael on May 6. This time he told me there would be no refund, only a credit. When I reminded him of what I had been told earlier, he finally said he would send me a check for $49.75 plus the $5 for the Airborne Express bill, and a check for the original set to the purchaser.
I did not buy yet another delay tactic, and would very much appreciate anything you can do to help me get the refund of $154.74 ($99.99 plus $49.75 plus $5) to which I am entitled. Elaine Riedel
Response: This problem was more complicated than we initially thought because it turns out two companies were involved, Harrco LLC in Passaic, N.J., and Sit-n-Sleep, a bedding products and mail-order company with headquarters in California that is a distributor of Harrco's products. After conversations with Donald Wilson, Harrco's director of customer service, and James Lopez, a supervisor with Sit-n-Sleep's customer service center in Minneapolis, Minn., here is what we were able to determine happened:
Your daughter ordered the daybed set from Sit-n-Sleep. You decided you didn't want the set and called Sit-n-Sleep to request a refund. You were told the refund could only be issued to the purchaser, your daughter. At this point, we do not know why you did not either return the item to Sit-n-Sleep for an exchange or a refund to be issued to your daughter. Instead, you contacted Harrco, the manufacturer.
Harrco, we learned, does not deal at the retail level and does not sell directly to the consumer. Nonetheless, it agreed to accept the original daybed set and send you a replacement, for which you paid the additional amount plus shipping and handling. You were specifically told there would be no exchange or refund on the item.
When the exchanged set did not fit, apparently personnel from both companies became involved, Janice at Harrco and Michael Harrison at Sit-n-Sleep. Lopez said it is quite possible that Harrison, who is no longer with the company, sent you a label to return the second set to Harrco. Merchandise is returned to Sit-n-Sleep if a simple refund or exchange is involved. If the product is defective, it is returned to the manufacturer. Harrison possibly assumed the latter, Lopez said.
So where does this leave you? First, you will not get a refund. Only your daughter was eligible for a refund and the time for that has passed. In addition, Sit-n-Sleep does not have the returned merchandise. Harrco does. It will not issue a refund either, Wilson said, and you were made aware of this at the time it made an exception and agreed to exchange your original set. You do, however, have a $139.98 credit with the company that you can use to buy anything it manufactures up to that amount. To do so, call him at (973) 916-1530. Wilson added that the company will no longer deal with retail customers under any circumstances.
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