Damaged in shipping!, September 10, 2010

I ordered this 60″ Wide Flat Panel Hiboy from Amazon when it was sold and shipped directly from Amazon. I chose this item based on the reviews here and the photos of it. We’ve searched for a long time to find the right unit for us.

The unit arrived in 3 days. Remarkable service by Amazon. However, the unit is not well packaged. The top piece has a smashed corner, and the box is damaged in the same place. There is no cushioning, protective packaging for the corners of this furniture piece, so nothing protects it if dropped in shipping.

So we’ve had it for one day now. Unfortunately the piece that is damaged is the largest and most difficult part to get to in the packaging. We hoped that the manufacturer, Techcraft, would agree to replace just the piece that is damaged. They have a form on their website to request just such a remedy. I’m waiting to hear from them if they will just send us a new top piece.

However, Amazon is in the way of all these reparations. According to Amazon customer service, from a supervisor in Panama, the only recourse we have is to have a whole new unit shipped to us; and we have to repackage and send back the ENTIRE unit as a return. This is unnecessary hassle and inconvenience to us as customers, and very lazy customer service by Amazon. Amazon could work with us and Techcraft to have that single piece replaced for us (it’s even numbered as a separate replaceable part), so that we would only have to send that part back as a return. Amazon is refusing to do this, insisting we must jump through all these inconvenient hoops to get a new unit that may possibly be damaged in shipping, too.

Techcraft will very likely be most willing to replace just the part that was damaged. But Amazon is requiring that we send the whole unit back, and will charge us for the replacement if we don’t send the whole order back. So we will be unable to take Techcraft up on any offer to send us a replacement part.

I like that Amazon sent the unit to us so quickly, and with free shipping. But the furniture piece is heavy and unwieldy and will be difficult to put all back into the box to return. Likely the rest of the unit will get scratched or damaged by our amateur furniture packaging. This doesn’t make sense that Amazon won’t work with us and the manufacturer to get us that single piece replaced that we need.

The Hiboy is now being shipped and sold by a third party. Apparently they are the ones who will be sending us our new replacement unit. I am very unhappy with this whole experience with Amazon. I will never buy a large piece of furniture from Amazon again.

UPDATE: Okay, so we contacted Amazon and they sent a complete replacement unit, pronto. We got it today, 9/13, and it was in WORSE condition than the first item they sent to us. This box was tattered and disheveled, like it had really been abused in shipment. We had it delivered to our personal address at the local UPS Store, which is our delivery address. The manager there advised us to not accept the shipment, as it was so evident the inside contents would be very damaged.

So, Amazon, we’re sending this one back, not as a “return” (needing a return label), but as a REFUSED shipment. Please send us another one as a replacement for THIS one, which is a replacement for the original order which was damaged in shipping. The packaging on this item is just shockingly inadequate.

In the meantime, TechCraft quickly agreed to send us just a replacement for the damaged cabinet top. So we’re expecting that next.

Beware of ordering this unit. It’s a beautiful tv console stand, but the shipping is so careless and haphazard, you may not get what you pay for!

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Packaging Changes, November 18, 2010

After reading the reviews on this product I was a bit concerned on what the shipment would look like on arrival. From the first look it appears the shipper has made a few adjustments that are working. First there were hard cardboard angles supports attached to each outer edge of the box. They looked like they took some hits but did their job. Upon opening the box my concerns were dispelled as several inches of hard Styrofoam surrounded the edges of the box and additional protective material around each piece. Needles to say, there were no bumps or scratches.

I would agree with the others that the coloring is much darker, but my wife and I think it makes the furniture look even better. We are very happy with the look now that it is setup.

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My new furniture purchase, November 30, 2009

By 

D. Irmscher (So Cal.) – See all my reviews

  

I looked at hundreds of TV stands before deciding on this one and I could’nt be happier or more pleased with the way this stand has fit in to my home theater system. It is exactly what I needed for the components I had planned to use and its a beautiful piece of furniture as well!!! My system looks as good as it sounds and it looks and sounds unbelievable !!

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