Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/18/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  All dealings were with the owner Mr. Karl ******** and by email. I found Window Restore by searching for a ******* ******* handle set with an 8 & 1/8” tall back plate due to a broken key lock. I asked if I could use the old back plate with the rest of the new handle set (key lock, turn knob and handle levers). His reply was yes, so I placed my first order # *****. When I received my order, it was not a ******* product but, instead, an ******** product, and I could not use my old back plate. Thus, I placed a second order # ***** for the working hand set on the adjacent door so that both handle sets would match, and paid the same price. While waiting for my second order to ship, I realized my first order actually shipped from *** ***** ***** *** ******* and, if I had to return it, I would have to deal with this company and not Window Restore. It turns out, Window Restore falsely advertized these handle sets as ******* Part Number ***** instead of advertizing them as ******** with the correct respective part numbers (if I had known they were ******** handle sets that “work with” ******* and other doors, I could have searched the internet for a better price). Thus, I unknowingly paid a surcharge of $****** for Karl to submit my orders to *** ***** ***** *** ******* for me ($****** - $****** excluding shipping). Karl did not disclose the fact that his company does not stock and directly ship these handle sets, so he has no stocking or shipping “overhead” costs. When I emailed Karl about this and requested a **% refund ($******) for the cost difference between what I paid him and what the actual cost of the products are from *** ***** ***** *** *******, I received no response. Request Karl refund the $****** I have requested, and update his Window Restore website to reflect actual product being sold (********) and justified tiered pricing for options (Active Keyed, Active Non-Keyed, Passive).

  Business Response

  Date: 04/21/2023

  Thank you.  We do draw
  from other vendor’s inventory based on how quickly a customer wants the parts.  On both of the customer’s orders, we wanted to
  make sure she received both orders she placed as quickly as possible.  This vendor sharing cooperation has helped
  keep orders moving, especially during COVID 19.  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/23/2023

  Complaint: ********.  

  This response does not
  address my 3 main issues. (1) Window Restore falsely advertizes and sells these
  handle sets as ******* Part Number ***** instead of what they actually are: 3 ******* ******** options. I contacted *** ***** ***** * ******* this past week, sent them pictures of my old *******
  ******* handle set, and they responded saying they are actually ******* ******** but now are only available with a 10” back plate. Again, if I had
  known they were ******** handle sets (******* does not manufacture handle sets),
  I could have searched for better pricing. Window Restore should be forthright
  and update their website to reflect the actual product being sold. (2) Window
  Restore does not sell these ******* ******** handle sets with tiered pricing
  for the 3 options of Active Keyed, Active Non-Keyed, Passive (most to least
  expensive) as seen on the *** ***** ***** * ******* website. Instead, they
  charge the same price which results in inflated prices for the Active Non-Keyed
  and Passive handle sets. Window Restore should be
  forthright and update the cost of the 3 ******* ******** options on their website
  to reflect bona fide tiered pricing. Otherwise, Window Restore is overcharging
  their customers for the less expensive options. (3) The Window Restore response
  did address the issue that my 2 orders actually shipped direct from *** ***** ***** * *******, but I don’t accept his reason that he wanted to make
  sure I received both orders as quickly as possible. I never made my requests as
  “urgent”. I simply asked each time if the item was in stock, and was told yes. The
  Window Restore response said they sometimes “draw from other vendor’s inventory”,
  but did not address my belief that they do not stock and directly ship these handle
  sets but, instead, always purchase them from other vendors on behalf of their
  customers so that they have no stocking or shipping “overhead” costs. I need
  verification if I am correct.
  
  
  Sincerely, Carole ****

  Business Response

  Date: 04/27/2023

  ******* was purchased by ******** ***** in 2018.  Please see below.
  

  *************
  Buys ******* Hardware

  March
  8th, 2018 by Trey
  *********

  ***** ***, the U.K.-based parent
  company of U.S. hardware maker *************, has purchased Texas-based *******
  Hardware *** **** *******. ***** says ******* will be fully integrated into
  *************.
  “We are very excited about the
  opportunity to expand our product portfolio and manufacturing footprint,”
  said Mike ******, senior vice president of sales and marketing at
  *************. “******* Hardware solutions compliment the ************* product
  portfolio and will position us well to serve our customers with continued
  success across North America.”
  The company says the acquisition
  will broaden *************** patio door, hinged window, and hung/sliding window
  product portfolios. The latter represents about 70 percent of all window
  openings in the U.S. residential market.
  “The acquisition of *******
  represents a strategic opportunity to expand our residential hardware offering
  in North America,” said Louis ********, ******* ***. “******* offers an
  excellent fit with our ************* business with its established customer
  relationships and strong product offering. On behalf of the board, I am pleased
  to welcome ********* management and employees to the group.”
  ***** says the purchase of *******
  should bring revenue benefits of at least ** ******* a year starting in 2020.
  The company says those benefits will be realized through the consolidation of
  surplus offices and facilities; the elimination of duplicate administrative
  overheads; the alignment of sales and marketing resources; co-ordination of
  third-party sourcing, freight and logistics; and sharing of best practice
  between ************* and *******.
  ******* *** ******* ** ****. The
  company had been owned by private-equity firm **** ******* since 2013.
  “First of all, we’re appreciative at
  ******* of the four and a half years of positive support we had under **** ******* ownership,” said Bob *****, president of ******* Hardware. “The *******
  team is now ready and eager to join forces with *************. We fully intend
  to do our part to support ***** *** and the North American window and door
  industry as we all move forward together. We believe this transaction speaks
  very well to the quality of our people and their continuing commitment to our
  customers.”
  *************
  has more than 2,400 employees and is headquartered in ****** *****, with
  manufacturing facilities throughout North America. ******* Hardware has around
  475 employees and is headquartered in ******* *****, with manufacturing
  facilities in ********** ******* *** *********** ******, and a centralized
  distribution center in ********* ***.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/29/2023

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  This
  second response to my BBB Complaint does not address any of my issues with
  Midwest Window & Door Co (aka, Window Restore).  Instead, it describes a totally different
  topic (is “off subject”), has nothing to do with their companies “business
  practices”, and has no impact on my issues. 
  They need to re-read my issues described in detail in my initial
  submission, and re-iterated in my rejection of their first response, regarding
  their false advertisement of the product they sold me, the inflated pricing of
  the 2 less expensive options for this product, and the deceitful practice of
  not being a direct seller of this product.  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Carole ****

  Business Response

  Date: 05/05/2023

  We sell these handle sets at the cost we list to many
  satisfied customers.  And with any
  product, it may be possible to find it for a different price somewhere
  else.  Most stores don’t have exactly the
  same prices as another.
  
  And, occasionally we do draw from other vendor’s inventory
  based on availability. This vendor sharing cooperation helps keep orders
  moving, especially during COVID 19.  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/08/2023

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  This third response,
  like the previous two responses, again avoids
  directly answering my three issues. Instead, it talks about their other satisfied
  customers who have purchased the ******* handle sets from them (when there is
  no such product as ******* handle sets, only ******* ******** handle sets that
  work with ******* swing doors), how pricing for products vary from seller to
  seller (which is true but does not recognize the fact that they falsely
  advertized the ******* handle sets instead of advertising them as ******* ******** handle sets, information which could have been used to price-compete
  these products with other sellers), and repeats a part of a previous response
  about drawing from other vendor’s inventory based on eligibility which is
  off-subject. Midwest Window & Door Co must directly address my issues
  dealing with their “business practices” in my initial submission and my two rejections
  of their responses. Again, my three issues they need to address are: (1) falsely
  advertising the product they sold me as ******* handle sets when, in reality,
  they are ******* ******** handle sets, (2) charging their customers the same
  price for the three handle set options of Active Keyed, Active
  Non-Keyed, Passive (most to least expensive) which results in them over-charging
  their uninformed customers for the two less
  expensive options, and (3) not truthfully answering my belief that they
  do not stock and directly ship these handle sets but, instead, always purchase them
  from other vendors on behalf of their customers so that they have no stocking
  or shipping “overhead” costs.  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Carole ****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/21/2023

  Reference the attached BBB Message dated 5/19/2023 states
  my complaint is closed and provides two different reasons, neither of which is true.  (1)  The
  first reason says “We understand you are NOT satisfied with the
  business's response, and have noted your dissatisfaction in our files. 
  While we were unable to reach your desired resolution, the business has
  provided your Better Business Bureau (BBB) with its position.  This matter
  is now closed in BBB files, and will appear in the company's BBB Business
  Profile as: ‘Answered - the business addressed the issues within the complaint,
  but the consumer remains dissatisfied.’” 
  I refute the statement that the business addressed my issues, and my dissatisfaction
  is based on the fact that all responses from this business have avoided directly
  answering my issues.  (2)  The second reason says “We
  have not received your response to confirm this complaint has been resolved. Therefore,
  this complaint has been closed and will appear in the company's BBB Business
  Profile as: ‘Answered- BBB has not heard back from the consumer as to their
  satisfaction with the business's response.’” I don’t understand this because my
  latest response (dated 5/8/2023) confirms my complaint has NOT been resolved. The latest MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS (dated 5/5/2023) is stated at the end
  of this BBB message, but it appears that my latest response (dated 5/8/2023) to
  this message, found on-line under my complaint, has not been recognized by the
  BBB, and/or not forwarded to Midwest Window & Door Co. for a response. In
  other words, I see no “Respond to Complaint” from Midwest Window & Door Co.
  posted under my Messages that is dated after my latest rejection.  Thus, I need my complaint to be reopened, and
  my latest rejection (dated 5/8/203) to be forwarded to Midwest Window &
  Door Co for their response.