ComplaintsforMartin's Family Appliance Center Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  03/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased New GE Refrigerator on March 01/2022 after waiting over a month for it to be in stock. Purchased the GE based on MFA recommendation on GE brand compared to others for reliability and service availability in the area. On March 29, 2022. Fridge stopped cooling, completely. Less than one month old. Attempted to call GE that same evening for service appointment, after spending over 30 minutes on hold, told would be approximately one to two weeks before could even get a service tech to respond. Called MFA next morning to inform them of situation and if any help on their end. Told by OWNER-***** ****** that we were basically "out of luck". Even though they sell that brand they do not service it and we were out of their service area-by what? We live in Hawthorne, less than 30 minutes away. Asked about returning fridge to be informed that they would take it back for a 25% "restocking fee" almost $500.00? ***** told me that was why he wanted out of the retail end, and only wanted to do service, yet continues to sell products that they do not service. Told they had loaner appliances but had none available now. Told me to go get dry ice to get by for how long??? Also, said he gets yelled at "all the time" for selling bad appliances, yet unwilling to make it right in any way or form unless he considers charging an outrageous "restocking fee" on an appliance that we picked up and would have to bring back. Totally bad business practices, or standards and unprofessional customer relations. Wanted to try and keep our business local, help the little guy instead of "big box" stores. Never again will we purchase anything else from MFA, planned on several other purchases to be made in the short future, not from them.

  Business response

  04/19/2022

  *** *****,

  I am so sorry you have had problems with your refrigerator's not cooling properly. We do stand by our recommendation of GE; and supply chain issues have caused many people to have to wait on appliances, no matter where they purchased them. Unfortunately, any product made can have a problem. GE does not permit us or any dealership, only their own factory service technicians, to repair appliances during their one-year warranty period. Actually we could have voided your GE warranty by working on it, since we are not authorized. We advise all customers of this procedure at the time of sale and have signage at the store. When you called us, we only could advise, as ***** did, to call GE Factory Service, which you did and scheduled your appointment. 

  When we have a "loaner" refrigerator for a customer to borrow while theirs is being fixed, we have taken it to them in the past. We do not have any to loan right now, so unfortunately we could not assist you in that way. The 25% restock fee is to help cover our expenses of personnel, time, gas, and truck to drive to an area outside of Gainesville, uninstall and take back a refrigerator that we are unable to sell again new. Also, all manufacturers, including GE, extend a year's warranty which requires they repair, not replace, the unit. 

  Again, we regret the refrigerator you bought had a problem. We can only work within the parameters of our contract with the GE corporation in order to sell their products. Hopefully you are being able to get the issue resolved with GE and are up and running again.

  Customer response

  04/20/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because: As a of dealer multiple appliance brands for many years, the response from Martins Family Appliance is is empty, 

  stoic, unethical, and sounds like a canned, ''down pat'' answer. They clearly have washed their ''tied hands'' of a very dis-satisfied customer, by laying the blame on the manufacturer G&E. As a distributor, they would have an inside relationship with the company, more able to resolve a poorly built refrigerator then one consumer. The 25% ''restocking fee''- I pickup the item on my trailer, transported to my home installed as per instructions. I would have returned the same way. Delivered by myself to MFA front door.  The excused answered given clearly shows anyone who can read between lines that MFA are only interested in the sale and Not customer satisfaction. They got their money, I'm out mine. -Sorry *******" nothing we can do- We have no received from dealer at all. No phone call, letter or text. An honest dealership stands behind the product, and doesn't hide behind dealership rules on warranty.  As ***** ****** said in initial phone conversation, he wants out of sales, and only wants to do service..Well with his response and attitude I can surely see why. It's all about the money he collects from the customer, and not the service after the sale. I stand by my valid complaint against this dealership, and consumers should be aware of their treatment of the customer who has problems with new appliances purchased from them. I had hoped the BBB rating would reflect my valid complaint. This is NOT an A+ company. I cannot be the only customer this has ever happened to, and if I am, MFA should have done more then to tell me to buy dry ice to save my food. Totally unacceptable.

  ****** *****

  ****** *****

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