UPDATE October 2012: And almost 2 years later, the Martha Stewart cast iron enameled dutch oven is still in perfect condition. You get what you pay for.
Man, just when you think you’ve had the worst customer service, along comes some jackwagon to remind you that, NO, it can ALWAYS be worse!
So, I bought a $60 6 qt enamel on cast iron dutch oven from Marshalls in December. It was from a company I’ve never heard of, Chantal, but I figured, it’s a pot! How hard can it be?
Apparently, VERY hard. After three uses, the enamel starts to pop off the inside of the pot. NOT good. So, I took a moment to look up the corporate site and send in an email advising them about the pot.
It all started off nicely enough, with the first email, unsigned (but from Bob Galvan’s email addy):
We apologize for the inconvenience and will be happy to replace the pot for you.
The 2 colors we have available are red and garden green.
Please forward your address for replacement.
Thank you.
But then, a couple of hours later, this email shows up (from our hero, Bob Galvan):
Hi Ms. Pratt!
We will be happy to replace your cast iron for you.
However I was just asked if you could return yours to Chantal. We need to show it to our representative when he arrives for a meeting on Wednesday morning so I will need it by Tuesday, January 11th.What I need for you to do is take it to a UPS station to ship 2nday to Chantal, but has to be done today. You will need to use Chantal’s UPS account number authorized by Randy Tickle.
[edited: address, blah blah blah]
Thank you!
Bobby Galvan
Chantal Cookware Corp.
To which I replied:
Um. Right. Well, I don’t have a box for it, nor any packing materials! It’s a BIG pot! I don’t plan to pay the UPS store to pack the stupid thing after paying $60 for a defective item, either!
While offering to replace it is just GRAND, giving me a deadline to get it back to you is a bit irritating. It would be better if the deadline gave me time to find a box, get it packed and shlep it to the UPS store, but this deadline really doesn’t do that and is therefore VERY irritating.
I’ll just take it back to Marshall’s. And buy a Le Crueset like I should have in the first place. I was dubious of this brand and while it did cook WONDERFULLY for the few times it was used, clearly the manufacture is just not as good as the real thing.
Good thing it’s BARELY within the 30 day refund window for Marshall’s.
If, for some reason, they refuse to take it back, I’ll revisit sending it to you. One way or another, I’m either getting this defective item replaced or refunded. It’s too expensive to overlook.
I’ll let you know how Marshall’s goes this afternoon.
Angela
And then, I thought to take a couple of pix and I sent them with this:
It suddenly occurred to me that even if Marshalls issues a refund, you can still see the damage to the dutch oven. First a shot of the item, then a shot of the damage w/ nickel for scale.
Give this to your rep. :)
Angela
This is his response to my trying to be helpful:
Thank you for your time. But he needs to physically see the pot.
Hopefully Marshalls will help you.
Hopefully Marshall’s will help me? WHAT? Oh, so if I don’t step and fetch, then you can’t be bothered?
And do you know what that JERK had to say to my refusal to run all over trying to ship this today? This:
First of all you are not paying for anything hence the reason I gave you our account number for UPS, second they have packing materials. All Im asking is that you take it to UPS give them the information and ship it with Chantals account number?
Please let me know if you can or if you will be returning to the place of purchase?
Chantals Agent will be here Wednesday which is the reason I emailed you with Chantals information.
To which I basically told him to bugger off. I really can’t imagine how he thought bullying me was good customer service. ?
Don’t bother with Chantal Cookware at Marshall’s or TJMaxx, either. It sucks. Pay the price for Le Crueset or Martha Stewart or Cuisinart. I got a 7 qt Martha Stewart from Macy’s today for $5 more. So Chantal can suck it.