On March 8th, my husband and I purchased a dining table, chairs, and server from Simply Woods…read morePensacola. We intentionally chose to support a small business over a big box retailer, trusting that the service would ensure quality and satisfaction.
While in the store, the manager showed us a stained wood sample for the server, stating it should closely match the prefinished table we were considering. He placed the sample directly against the table and assured us that any difference in color would be minimal and hardly noticeable. At the time, the pieces appeared to be a very close match, and we moved forward with confidence in our decision.
However, when the furniture was finally delivered and assembled on July 3rd, well beyond the 6-9 week timeframe we were originally quoted, it became immediately apparent that the table and server did not match. The table has a cool, gray-toned finish with white accents, while the server is noticeably warmer and darker. The contrast is clearly beyond a minor variation.
We reached out to the store the following business day to express our concerns and shared photos of the pieces side by side. The manager acknowledged the color discrepancy but explained that the in-store sample did appear to match the prefinished table he showed us in store. He noted that stain samples can differ when applied to larger surfaces, which we understand, but this was not communicated to us at the time of purchase, and the coloring is not cohesive on the pieces we received compared to what we had been shown in store.
Instead of offering a meaningful solution, the conversation shifted to the fact that we did not opt to have the table custom-stained to match the server, a previously unmentioned $1,000+ upcharge that wasn't proposed as necessary to achieve a cohesive look. The manager repeatedly referenced the fact that we received a discount during a promotion and stated that there was limited profit margin left to work with. He ultimately offered a $100 check for the inconvenience, which we respectfully declined on our $4000 order.
We called again last week in hopes of reaching a fair and reasonable resolution. We truly appreciate the craftsmanship of both pieces. They are beautiful individually, but the result does not reflect what was promised to us in-store. Once again, the conversation shifted to us paying the now calculated $1,800 upcharge and buying a new table, estimated to be done near the end of the year. We were also told that this solution may falter, as the manual staining at a different time could result in yet another variation.
We were hopeful that Simply Woods would honor the assurance we were given regarding the match and help us resolve this issue in a way that reflects their high standards. Instead, we have settled on over $4000 of mismatching furniture, with no meaningful resolution.
