Legacy Worth Protecting--Why Let It Slip?
As someone who…read moredeeply values family legacy and community trust, I'm disheartened by the volume of unresolved complaints on here and poor reviews surrounding Value City and other Furniture stores--especially when reading from resources, it's part of the Schottenstein family's long-standing retail heritage. They also own DSW and others.
The Schottenstein name carries weight. It represents decades of entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and leadership in American retail. So, it's hard to understand why a company rooted in such values would allow its reputation to erode through repeated customer service failures, delivery issues, and lack of follow-through--many of which are documented across Yelp.
I walked into Value City Furniture with $2,200 in store credit from a previously returned product that I paid for. and a $9,000 credit limit--ready to make a purchase. But I had misplaced the physical card tied to the credit. The store manager could see the credit was mine, yet told me I could not use it without the card. No empathy. No effort to help. Just a cold refusal: "We can't do anything unless you have the card." It was like going into your bank with a 2200.00 balance and being told that because you lost your debit card, you can no longer use your balance and given no resolution to replace the card.
I felt I was met with attitude because I returned a mattress that I could not sleep in during the trial period. I was sold on the verbal promise that I had 120 days and I could return the mattress. I trusted and believed the wonderful sales lady who sold me over $8,000.00 in product. After waking up with crippling back pain, I tried to return the mattress and was met with resistance and advised I had to continue to sleep and suffer for at least 30 days, and that they had a no-refund policy. When I ask what happened to the grantee's 120-day return policy. I was then shown the fine print on the contract that you get a one-time reselection. The marketing of Grantee's 120-day Return without advertising a no-refund policy in one sentence or statement was a strategic marketing deception. A cheaper mattress may be worse, and a more expensive mattress selection would have been non-returnable. So, I requested store credit, and I was denied, and told taking another mattress was my only option. I didn't request or feel I needed to sit down with an attorney before giving payment after spending hours with my trustworthy store rep. I trusted that she had told me everything I needed to know. She left out the one-time reselection and the money, non-refundable part. I had to involve the BBB to receive an in-store credit for the amount I paid for the mattress.
I returned home feeling stunned. How could a company just deny me access to my own money? It was like a bank that can see you have 2200.00 in your account, but the bank tells you it will remain there until you find your debit card, with no offer of a solution for the lost card.
Later, I found the cards. On the back, it clearly states: "If this card is lost or stolen, the remaining balance may be replaced." So, I returned to the store, to make sure the cards were still active because I had called their headquarters, hoping for a resolution. I wanted to make sure they didn't cancel out the lost card. Instead, I was met with the same cold demeanor. No eye contact. No welcome. Just: "Your cards are still active." No effort to re-engage me as a customer. No attempt to earn my trust--or my business. Maybe it was because they only want customers who will not reject bad business practices and accept being taken advantage of without speaking up.
This wasn't just poor service. It was a missed opportunity. If I were managing that store, I would have said: "Let me call headquarters and see what we can do." I would have shown empathy, offered solutions, and maybe even introduced a sales rep to help me use the $9,000 credit line I had available. That's what good service--and good salesmanship--looks like.
Instead, I left feeling like my presence didn't matter. Like my money didn't matter. And that's a shame, because the furniture appears beautiful. But beauty without integrity is a hollow brand.
The Schottenstein family built a legacy on trust, entrepreneurship, and service. If this is the direction their stores are heading--cold, transactional, dismissive, and shady--it's not just disappointing. It's tragic.
I no longer feel safe doing business there. I fear retaliation is possible through damaged goods, delayed delivery, and then pushed toward the same warranty company so many others have warned about. I don't know what to do now, because I no longer trust the company that is holding my money or their product that the reviewer is complaining about.
Save the Legacy and the designers of the furniture, and practice good business. Please! I hate to see a store closing.
--
