My wife and I like to support local stores, so we headed to Warrendale instead of a big box store to purchase a new washing machine. During the sales process, they were a little odd. Not a great shopping experience and the prices were higher than Sears or Best Buy.
We bought our new washing machine during a state-run stimulus package deal under which we would get a rebate for replacing our appliance with a more energy efficient one. To qualify, the dealer had to remove and recycle the old appliance and sign a form certifying that it had been done.
The problems start when the washing machine is delivered. The delivery guy starts moaning about the narrow hallways and doors (this is new england where many old homes have narrow doors and hallways). It's clear he doesn't want to deal with removing the old washing machine, so he starts rocking it back and forth until one corner of the cover comes loose. At this point he says he can't remove it because it might ""fall apart."" He said he'd have to send someone back because he doesn't have a strap to secure the washing machine one the truck. We ask when that will happen and he said. I don't know, you'll have to call to find out.
Annoyed we call the dispatcher who tells us we need to call the store. The store says call the dispatcher. We inform them that we have and they instructed us to. Store says, ok, I'll call them and call you back. The rest of the day passes with no call back. The following day nobody calls, so we finally call in the late afternoon and ""Alan"" the sales rep supposedly helping us is gone for the day. Annoyed, but still thinking this will eventually be resolved we let it go for the day (a Friday). The following day is a Saturday and we are in the neighborhood running errands. We figure we'll stop in the store to get the issue straightened out.
We walk into the store and an older gentleman is sitting behind the counter staring at a computer. We wait and wait for him to acknowledge our presence. He never does, so I say hello. He looks up and with a lot of attitude says, ""what?"" I ask if Alan is in. He says, ""no"" and goes back to his computer screen. I say, ""well maybe you can help us"" and begin to describe the situation. He say, ""yeah, yeah, the washing machine that's in pieces..."" I respond that it's actually not in pieces that the driver just needed a strap to secure the washing machine. He brushes me off saying, I don't really know anything about it, I'M JUST THE OWNER. I said, ""oh good, you're the owner, you'll be able to help us."" He then completely loses it and starts shouting and screaming with spit coming out of his mouth. He storms around the counter and screams in my face to get the ""F"" out of his store. I'm completely floored and don't know what to say. I asked, ""you're the owner?"" ""Why are you screaming and swearing at me?"" He tells me again to get out of his store or he'll call the police. I told him to be my guest and he storms over to the phone and pretends to call, then before speaking slams down the receiver and storms back over to me shouting swearing, calling me an ahole, and telling me to get the f out of the store. He's on a wild rant, storming around the store, slamming things around. At one point he goes into the back office and I truly think he's going to get a gun. My wife is petrified and says, let's get out of here. As we're heading to the door in a state of shock he comes flying back out, screaming and swearing again. He comes at me with a raised fist and screams GET OUT!!! At this point he's standing between my wife and the door. I ask him to step aside so she can leave. I'm really frightened that he's going to hit me or my wife. He was totally unhinged. We finally leave and he comes back shouting at us across the parking lot and then slams the door.
The problem was only resolved after we called our credit card and stopped payment until the old machine was removed.
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