ComplaintsforVital Saunas

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am trying to get my sauna serviced.It has not been working for three weeks and I have called customer service three times and ***** keeps telling me that "****" from ****** will be calling **** still have not heard from him and I want my Sauna to work - I enjoy the benefits and miss it.

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  we bought a 2-person full spectrum sauna at vital sauna on 4/4/2022. When it was delivered, it was not working. **** was very helpful but every now and then, the sauna would not work. We have not used the sauna since November 2022 because I had some procedures done and when we tried to use it on Saturday, it was not working again. It's been frustrating since I really love the sauna. Can we request a refund from the company?

  

  Business response

  02/10/2023

  Repair parts were sent promptly to the customer and their sauna is now up and running.  Customer satisfied with results and loves his Vital Sauna.  

• Initial Complaint

  01/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a ************* sauna from Vital Saunas on 01/14/2009 (invoice ******, salesperson ***********************). The sauna came with a lifetime warranty.Recently one of the wall heating elements (12"x40" ) stopped working and now remains cold, when the sauna is on.I called Vital Sauna's customer service **************, they immediately found my order, purchase date and the sauna model in their database and directed me to technical support line *************. After some troubleshooting with ****, he told me the element should be replaced, but then he stated that I had bought my sauna in 2009 from a completely different Vital Saunas company not related to the current Vital Saunas (despite my order information being in their database), and that therefore I must pay for the new heater. Under the lifetime warranty I expected to receive a replacement heating element for free.The current company logo's is the same as in my 2009 invoice, ************** phone number is still the same, they are still located in Sand ****** CA, and their BBB profile says they have been in business since 2008. Nevertheless they are refusing to honor the lifetime warranty for the sauna I bought from them in 2009, while they continue advertising a lifetime warranty to new buyers.

  

  Business response

  01/22/2023

  The complainant purchased his sauna from Vital Saunas Inc in Jan 2009.  Unfortunately, Vital Saunas Inc. went out of business and dissolved later the same year.  

  Vital Saunas Corp purchased the no longer in use domaine in April of 2010 to sell saunas online.  They were two completely different companies owned by different people. 

  We had several customers from Vital Saunas Inc call ** for assistance especially the first few years.  We still provide these customers free tech support as a good gesture but cannot provide free parts as requested by the complainant because we did not sell them the product.  We did acquire a basic excel spread sheet from the prior owners of Vital Saunas Inc to help us assist their customers.  However, we do not have any information on the shipping, price, payment type etc that we would have with all of our own customers.   

  Customer response

  02/01/2023

  The company still uses the same logo, the same phone numbers and operates in the same city as in 2009.
  
  The business responded that  Vital Saunas Corp had purchased assets of Vital Saunas Inc in 2010, which seems like simply an accounting method to slightly change company's name and/or ownership  to legally avoid past lifetime warranty claims.
   
  The company's BBB profile proudly says they have been in business since 2008, nevertheless they are refusing a warranty claim for a sauna bought in 2009.
  
  Currently the business  continues to  advertise a lifetime warranty to new buyers,but given their current response, these buyers should not count on a warranty support ten years later. A lifetime warranty is a big selling point in home saunas market, but this company does not stand behind its older products, so its lifetime warranty promise is misleading customers.

  

  Business response

  02/02/2023

  If you look on the invoice it specifically states Vital Saunas Inc. which was an LLC registered in ** and owned by completely different people.  Vital Saunas Inc dissolved in 2009 which was tied to the lifetime warranty that this complainant is attempting to connect us too.  Vital Saunas Corp is an SCORP registered in MS with operations in CA but has never operated from the address on his invoice.  When we purchase the idle domain from the owners of Vital Saunas Inc they offered us the 800 number as well so we decided to use it.  

  If we had sold this complainant the sauna we would be happy to honor any promises that WE made.  However, we did not sell this complainant his sauna and made no promises to him.  He has used this sauna for about 14 years and not willing to spend a small amount of money to get it running at full capacity again.

  We have offered this complainant free tech support and a replacement heater at our cost prior to this complaint as a good faith gesture.  The fact that this was not good enough for this complainant is insane.  What other company would offer someone this kind of deal.  

  We have had people in the past confuse the two companies and have always offered them free tech support and access to any available parts to purchase. Every other customer has been grateful for our assistance.  This complainant obviously does not believe or trust us so he should go somewhere else for service and parts.  

   

  Customer response

  02/03/2023

  When a company buys a name, logo and phone number of another company, it is also expected to assume the obligations to previous customers, not just a good brand name to help with future sales. For example, when **** bought Chrysler, Chrysler cars did not suddenly lose their warranty.
  Apparently it is not the case with this business.
  Potential buyers can read their responses in this complaint and make their own conclusions how likely in the future this company may change name again from "Vital Saunas Corp" to, say, "Vital Saunas LLC" and begin refusing past lifetime warranty claims based on that.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩