Action: Is furniture settling or sagging?

We bought a couch, love seat and chair with ottoman from Kane Furniture in Clearwater in December. Within the first month, the chair springs started sinking and the ottoman cushion is spreading out to the sides, making it look three years old. We called and a repair company came out and said the furniture is fine: some sink and spread, some don't. We were not happy with this answer.

Two weeks later, the couch and love seat developed problems down the front of the arms, with ripples of padding bulging out. The same repairman came out and his response was the same: some bulge out, some don't.

We had two interior decorators come over, and they were able to see that there's a problem. For three weeks we called Kane's but could never get anyone to call us back. Finally we reached someone who said the store won't help us. All we're asking for is to return these lemons for something else. Can you help? Thank you. Lisa Bonelli

Response: Jennifer Suchier, corporate customer complaint manager for Kane Furniture in Pinellas Park, said the factory-authorized representative has inspected your furniture and determined that there is nothing wrong with it. According to the representative, it exceeds the manufacturer's specifications, and the pattern of wear you describe matches that of the showroom samples.

Note that, like the manufacturers of most appliances and electronics, many furniture manufacturers allow their products to be serviced or repaired only by their authorized representatives and not the store where the item was purchased.

Quarter sets reshipped

I purchased two commemorative state quarter sets which included redemption certificates for the first five state quarters. I sent the certificates, proof of purchase and check for postage and handling on April 23, 2000. I've sent three follow-up letters, two with documentation enclosed, and made one phone call. I still have not received the merchandise. I would appreciate your assistance. Pamela Rolfe

Response: Judith Adivari, customer service supervisor for Telebrands in Fairfield, N.J., apologizes for the inconvenience. The two sets of coins have been reshipped and should arrive by the end of April. If you have any questions, Adivari said she can be reached toll-free at 1-800-777-4034.

Error is corrected

On Jan. 22, I sent a check for $64.75 to an online bookseller, Bunches of Books, for a book I was buying. The book was never sent, and every time I called I was told my check had not yet arrived. Two or three weeks later, we canceled the transaction; the seller agreed to return the check to me if it was ever received.

On Feb. 26, the company deposited my check. I never did receive any merchandise. I have tried to contact the company on several occasions with no success. At this point all I want is my money back. Rui Shen

Response: Karla Weinert of Bunches of Books in Farmington, Ky., said her company made a mistake by cashing your check and not sending the book. A full refund is on the way.

Subscription reinstated

I have been a subscriber to Consumer Reports for several years. On Aug. 22, I received a letter from its subscription department offering to let me renew my subscription for two years at $42. My subscription was due to expire in October. I accepted the offer and sent in a check.

I receive several magazines, but it was not until later that I noticed the last issue I had received was the May issue. When I realized this in December, I sent a letter to the director of the subscription department. To date I still haven't received any magazines, and my letter has been completely ignored.

I think the magazine's subscription department is so large and there are so many people involved that one hand doesn't know what the other is doing. I had hoped my letter to the subscription director would straighten things out, but apparently not. To show you how disorganized things are, I recently received a letter from a vice president offering me several items if I subscribe to the magazine. Emerson Arn

Response: Thanks for letting us know that you received a letter of welcome followed by a copy of the April issue. With regard to the fact that you received a solicitation while you were already a subscriber, keep in mind that computers generate most, if not all, bulk mailings nowadays. Had you checked, we suspect your name would have appeared differently on the mailing than it does on your subscription -- for instance, a misspelling or a middle initial where your subscription has none. Even a slight change could have caused the computer not to recognize you as a subscriber.

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Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, (727) 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, (800) 333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.

Requests will be accepted only by mail or voice mail; calls cannot be returned. We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.

We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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