I just learned about this site today, Jan. of 2012 so am late posting my review. This is the first review I have ever posted anywhere and regret it is negative.
In 2007, Lightning knocked out most my appliances & tv's. Because my husband dealt with the original owner for years, we chose Gifford's TV & Appliances. We learned his grandson, Chris had taken over. He was very friendly and quickly put me at ease in having to purchase so many products at once. I purchased one 5ft and two 32" flat screens, dishwasher, trash compactor, $600 speaker system he put with a Pioneer receiver and a type of VCR/DVD player he explained would copy my old VHS movies onto DVD's. All total I spent around $7,000.
(1) He neglected to explain the 5' screen would need a high dollar 'lamp' every couple of years. Mine went out in a year. He charged me $100 service call and the price of the lamp plus a little for his trouble in having to order it.. Total cost was between $250-300. I flipped out! Every year or so this had to take place? When it went out again in another year, I learned to order straight from manufacturer and put it in myself for a third of the cost. He could have told me that with the 1st replacement.
(2) While installing the garbage compactor they chipped an inch piece of cabinet top off. I never could use the step-lever to open, have to open by pulling on it. No offer to pay for damages. I was not at home when this happened. My husband either didn't notice, or let it go. When I called about it, no one listened.
(3) One week after installation, the dishwasher flooded the kitchen. Had to get them back out. There is still a piece of 2" wide plastic the width of the DW laying on the bottom of it. Appears to be a piece of it that came off.
(4) The tape player would not allow transfer of my old VHS tapes because they were copyrighted. Of course they were, they were movies. He should have known this. Plus, after attempting the transfers with no success, I played a couple of Elvis movies then never turned the thing back on. A couple of years later a grandkid wanted to play a DVD and it wouldn't work, still doesn't. Warranty was long gone. Over $300 for a machine that never gave me any service.
(5) He talked me into connecting to Dish Network through him, so his guys could install it along with everything else and we wouldn't have to wait on Dish to send someone out.. Week later, no satellite. Called Dish, they said I had to contact Gifford's since I'd connected through them. That took another week for them to come back. All this time with no TV. I had to call them back out a couple of times and still no satellite working. Finally, I called Dish and explained after a month I still had no satellite. They said they had paid him and he should help me. I insisted, and Dish Network finally came to help me.
Also, hooking up the speaker system was a mess. One of the service guys bitched and moaned all the while. One was very professional and nice. He was Chris's brother and was wonderful. His helper was useless.
I take full responsibility for not being more 'buyer aware'. In my defense however, Chris (owner) was told we had to buy several items, and I had to count on him to do us right, that there would be more purchases in the future if all went well. I explained my husband had dealt with his grandfather for 30 years, and told me this is the place I could trust. I explained my tech knowledge was zero so I had to rely on him explaining each item to me, especially the TV's new technology. Had I known an expensive lamp had to be replaced so often (or at all) I would never have purchased that type of TV especially for $2,000.
This transaction became so bizarre, it felt like I'd entered the Twilight Zone.
Did I mention the speakers receiver went out?? A few months ago. The receiver seems to get tired after an hour or so and cuts off.
Will I call Gifford's for a service call? I don't think so.
Regretfully,
a former customer read more
