Damaged bed from the White company - WWYD?

[whitecompanyproblems]

I treated myself to a new bed from the White Company - had to save for ages as it cost £2k! Waited three months for delivery but when the packages were delivered all seemed fine. Today a guy came round to assemble it (cost £250!) but when he took it out of the packaging it was damaged! At least five different marks on the headboard- one in particular is really large.

I called the White Company immediately - at first they said all the furniture people were in a meeting , then someone would call me back. Nothing! 7 phone calls and 6 hours since it all started I have just been told the team and managers have all gone home! So there is no-one to speak to.They said someone will call me tomorrow (when I am meant to be in work). They have emailed me to say they would like to send someone round to inspect it and see if the stains can be treated - but they can't tell me when this might be (a third party provider) and I bought a brand new bed?

I think now I would just like them to come and collect the bed and give me my money back but even that seems impossible. They can't tell me when that might be possible and say I would have to package it up so it was kept protected whilst it is being returned. They would only refund if it arrives without damage - but it is already damaged and I'm not a professional wrapper?

I've now got no where to sleep tonight (having dismantled my old bed and not sure if I can sleep on the new one?). WWYD? So utterly fed up. Think I've spent most of the day in tears. Pathetic I know but they have been so very difficult. Would be grateful for your advice. has anyone been through anything similar?

I’d want a full refund and buy a different bed elsewhere.

That's very bad customer service.
I bought a white wooden bed from the White Company twenty years ago and it's still going strong, the quality was excellent. You definitely should expect better quality and service from them op.

Have they actually offered you a full refund if you return the item OP?

The matter is complicated by you wanting to keep the bed.

Report them to Trading Standards. They gave you a damaged marked bed and that is not acceptable. Insist on a refund.

You’ve paid for the brand name that’s all. We got a similar bed from Dusk for £300 and it’s perfect.

I would demand a refund and not spend £2k just because it’s white company.

You will also be able to get the cost of assembling the bed.
I also wouldn’t accept a further “clean”. The item is not fit for purpose.
Just make it clear that it is available for collection but that you are unable to wrap it.
If no refund is given you will make a claim in court

I went through a similar issue with Dusk recently. The consumer rights act states that any faulty goods must be repaired or returned at no cost or inconvenience to the customer.

They totally dug their heels in and I ended up claiming via small claims court. I got the cost of the bed refunded, plus labour costs for someone to dismantle and reassemble a new bed. No way was I going to spend hours building furniture because what they sent me was faulty. Go after them through the courts, it’s easy to do online.

I’d tweet them too, I’ve emailed a company before due to a complaint and never had much progress and as soon as I tweeted then I had a reply and had the problem sorted out very quickly.

twitter or x as they call it now is very public and most company’s will reply extremely quickly.

This is shocking. It's faulty, not as advertised. You are due a full refund or a replacement which they construct. This really puts me off a company so thank you for the heads up that The White Company acts like this.

@whitecompanyproblemsI tweeted them or x’d or whatever musk calls it now and they said they’d be in touch with you

Seriously don't accept the bed.

Message them and say the bed is still damaged and that they are to arrange an undamaged replacement and once that is available for delivery then they can collect this unacceptable one at the same time.

I'd tell them to collect it and refund in full. I wouldn't accept a new bed with marks. I'd rather buy in IKEA than that.

Scandalous. For that money the bed should be perfect! I would ask for a full refund. Plus, TWC should reimburse you the cost of assembly too. You shouldn't be out of pocket at all as it's not your fault that the bed arrived damaged.
In your shoes I'd just demand a full refund (with removal of the bed asap) and chase them for reimbursement for assembly. I wouldn't order a replacement from them - it may be as bad or worse, and you, I'm sure, have lost confidence in them as a company. I've not had issue in the past but this has put me off ordering from TWC going forward. I can't stand poor customer service. If you don't get a satisfactory outcome tell as many others as you can about the shoddy way in which TWC have treated you.

Thank you all so much for your advice and support - it really means such a lot.

I emailed the Chief Executive earlier this week as suggested by a pp but the email has been sent to the same person who I was having difficulty with to resolve. She messaged me today asking for me to call but I was in work and unable to make personal calls. I will contact them again tomorrow. Hopefully we can sort it out. I really do appreciate your help and support. Their initial response had made me feel like I was being unreasonable so really good to know I wasn't being. Fingers crossed it can be sorted out. Thank you again.

Well OP you are being unreasonable if you l want a full refund AND want to keep the bed. It needs to be one or the other. A partial refund or store vouchers is not a bad offer if you want to keep the bed.

I know you don’t want to be without a bed but seriously consider exchanging the bed for a new one and sleeping with just a mattress on the floor.

Thank you for your message. Just to reassure you I don't want a full refund and to keep the bed- that would be ridiculous. They said a partial refund wasn't an option but at one point mentioned a good will gesture (I assumed vouchers) but not how much and nor has it been mentioned since.

Initially I just wanted them to take it away and get a refund and try to forget about the whole awful experience but then realised I could be left without a bed for a long time (they said they dont even start to process a refund until it has been received and inspected by the manufacturers, then I would have to place a new order and wait again). I would also loose all the money I have paid for it to be assembled, take time off work for it to be collected etc...

I dont know what the options are and what would be best. Think I'm just shattered. Will see what they say tomorrow. Thanks.

Don't get caught up in the 'sunk investment fallacy'. In your shoes (which I'm not in, admittedly) I'd get a complete refund and buy a bed from elsewhere. You could get one pretty quickly.

But whatever you choose to do I hope it works out well for you, OP.

OP was this who you contacted? If so write again telling them you the issue has not been resolved, ie the damage is still there, and that you still want to return the bed. Attach photos of proof and say you do not appreciate the protracted approach they are taking. It is highly unlikely you will be offered any more than £20-50 in vouchers for something that will remain damaged forever. If their expert can’t remove the stains then you won’t be able to either. Do you want to live with a stained headboard for its lifetime? It’s likely their headboard/frame is a generic one that you can order from elsewhere anyway that you’ve paid a premium for when their label attached. I appreciate sleeping on a mattress on the floor isn’t great but if your disability allows you too for a while longer, then I’d do it.

This is seriously shocking. A disabled person left without a bed while The White Company faff about? They should have been falling over themselves to make it right by offering clear remedies at minimal inconvenience to you. I hope you are at least sleeping in it now during this ridiculous hiatus as there isn’t much extra damage you could cause now.

I realise you’re exhausted and ground down by the whole thing. But agree with others. If you find a similar bed online - have you tried doing a google image search? What size is it? Maybe we could help? - another could be on its way as soon as the damaged one has been picked up.

Speak to the CEO. Make a list of their faults and how you're going to be impacted. No item should arrive faulty and if so there should be a fuss from them to make it right!
With their reputation you should expect exemplary treatment especially as it's clearly fault on their part
No one would want to pay good money for a faulty / dirty bed that's just madness if they expect you to put up and shut up!
FWIW I bought a cabinet from Wayfair and they tried to send the spare part that arrived broken 3 times, every time it was wrong, in the end I got a full refund and kept the cabinet but I still dont buy from them anymore

Thank you very much. Your offers of help and advice have been so very generous. They are really appreciated.

I emailed the Chief Executive (Paula Nickolds) but apparently her office don't deal with customers so they just sent my email back to the contact centre.

I don't know how to do an image search (sorry I should learn). The bed is their Richmond bed - a double with a dark leg and 150cm headboard. The material is almond - like the one below. I still think it's a lovely bed and in real life it seems very good quality /firm and steady but obviously I didn't want a marked one.

https://www.thewhitecompany.com/uk/Richmond-Cotton-Bed-Dark-Leg/p/richmond-bed-cotton-dark-leg?swatch=Almond

I had also started saving for the Ottoman in the range but obviously not now. It's all such a shame. I loved the White Company - some of their products have been very good and I always thought they would be good in a situation like this but it' has been very disappointing.

https://winksleep.co.uk/products/opulence-bed-frame?variant=54919237304703

https://www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk/products/sandra-ottoman-bedframe/STK778210/

https://aspirestore.co.uk/product/monroe-upholstered-ottoman-bed/#/6-colour-malham_weave_cream/97-size-5ft_king_size

a few links to have a look at - not as beautiful perhaps but maybe white is a bit impractical? Would be in my house…

These are all 5ft beds or 150cms. You can change the fabric and colour options for most of them and also the mattress choices. Lots more out there if you look up chesterfield headboards.

Personally, if the marks were much improved, I’d want 20% discount to keep the bed.
It’s so disappointing when items turn up damaged, but what’s even worse is how they’ve treated you and the options given.

I had a similar situation with Next furniture recently, however they were so quick and helpful in their resolution, plus very trusting as they didn’t even accept me sending in the photo evidence.

'Much improved' wouldn't cut it for me. From the White Co it's got to be perfect. (Though not dissing your comment, tiredottoman.)

Also…Anna Timms and the other consumer champions at the Guardian might be interested in helping you resolve this. It’s a well known brand that purports to be high end. The CEO is being dismissive, which is plain dumb when it comes to customer relations. Which CEO can afford to do that? You can email them on [email protected]

I would recommend that you set out clearly in your email what you want by way of resolution and how The WC has kept letting you down. You can also begin the process of a chargeback through your bank at the same time even on a visa debit card. That might also focus the company’s mind.