The La-Z-Boy recliners Bryan Curran and his fiancée ordered aren’t the ones he expected. Why does he have to wait 12 days for a resolution that may, or may not, be to his satisfaction?
Question
I need your help with getting a $2,200 refund on two recliner chairs I ordered from La-Z-Boy.
It took six months to deliver the chairs. Both have cosmetic, comfort and mechanical issues. They do not sit, feel nor look like the chairs my fiancée and I viewed and sat in at the store where we placed the order.
Each chair had problems. My fiancée, Gina, called the La-Z-Boy store. The representatives transferred her to the customer service department. They didn’t offer to help her at the store level.
After several attempts to explain our problem — including being disconnected — La-Z-Boy made an appointment to have a tech come out to the house to inspect the furniture.
The company didn’t give us the opportunity to return the furniture or have it replaced. The only “resolution” was to wait 12 days to have a tech come to address issues.
Now we have no other furniture in the house. We have health issues and chronic pain that prevents us from using the furniture. I feel as if La-Z-Boy didn’t put the recliners together correctly, and I would like to return them now. Can you help me? — Bryan Curran, Bellingham, Mass.
Answer
I’m so sorry to hear about the La-Z-Boy recliners. The company should have delivered the furniture it promised on time. And if it didn’t, it shouldn’t have made you wait another 12 days for a refund or replacement.
Allow me to fill in a few details from our subsequent correspondence. When La-Z-Boy delivered your furniture, you didn’t have time to test it, by which I mean you didn’t have a seat. You had an appointment and couldn’t use the recliners until the next day. Also, at the time La-Z-Boy delivered the furniture, it removed your old loveseat.
You could have avoided this problem by taking a few extra minutes to see if the furniture La-Z-Boy delivered was what you ordered. Otherwise, you’re stuck with two potentially unusable recliners.
La-Z-Boy’s published return policy says you have three days to return upholstered furniture for an in-store exchange only. (Related: Where’s my La-Z-Boy furniture? It’s been more than a year!)
“Merchandise must be in new condition and a restocking fee up to 30% may apply,” it notes. It’s not clear why the company wanted you to wait 12 days for someone to inspect your furniture. (Related: Help! My Natuzzi sofa set is falling apart.)
Also unclear: what a technician can do to make a recliner more comfortable for you. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work — and you should be able to send the seats back to the company.
The easiest way to a La-Z-Boy Refund
I recommend staying off the phone. Instead, send a brief, polite email to the company. If that doesn’t work, try appealing to one of the La-Z-Boy customer service contacts I list on my consumer advocacy site.
I contacted La-Z-Boy on your behalf. In response, I heard from Eli Winkler, a vice president at La-Z-Boy, who said the company takes quality and service “seriously.” (Related: There’s a funny smell coming from my new La-Z-Boy sofa, can I get a refund?)
“This is why we have a limited lifetime warranty, a dedicated fleet of service professionals and in-house team dedicated to ensuring the comfort of our consumers,” he added. “In standing by the product we make and ensuring our consumers are satisfied, we are offering Bryan a full refund and will pick up products that are currently in his home.”
