On November 17, 2025, at approximately 12:00 PM, I arrived at Tint World, located at 2002 Crown…read morePlaza Drive, Columbus, Ohio, to inquire about having the front driver and passenger side windows of my 2025 Chevrolet Equinox tinted. This was my first time having window tint installed on any of my vehicles, so I was unsure which tint level or package to select.
Upon entering the store, I was greeted by an employee named Stephanie, who provided information about the various tint options available, along with the pricing for each. I told Stephanie that I was unsure which percentage of tint I should choose and asked if she had a tint meter to measure the darkness of my rear glass, as I liked how dark the factory tint appeared. Stephanie retrieved a tint meter and followed me outside to my vehicle. She asked me to roll down my rear window and placed the meter on the driver-side rear glass. The meter displayed 38%, and she stated that 35% tint would match my back glass almost perfectly.
Stephanie then showed me several vehicles parked near my Equinox that had different tint levels, to give me a comparison. She proceeded to upsell me on their full-vehicle tint packages, recommending a 20% all-around package. She explained that if I chose that option, the front windows would receive 20% tint and the rear factory tint would have an additional 20% film applied, making the rear glass appear approximately 7%. The pricing she quoted was $119 for only the two front windows, and $329 for the full all-around package (excluding the windshield).
After spending around 30 minutes considering the options, I ultimately decided to save money and only have the two front windows tinted at the level she said would match my rear glass. Stephanie again stated the tint would be 35% and confirmed that it would match the darkness of my factory rear glass. I agreed to proceed. At approximately 1:20 PM, my vehicle was completed and brought to the front of the building.
Stephanie walked outside with me to inspect the work, and she pointed out a scratch on the driver-side front window. She claimed that the scratch had not been visible prior to the tint installation and must have been caused by a seat belt hitting the glass. She stated that scratches may not be visible on clear glass, but become noticeable once tint is applied. She advised me to contact my dealership or my insurance company to address the scratch. I chose to brush it off at that time and told her I would speak with my dealership. I then went inside, paid for the service, and left.
When I returned home, I inspected the tint and immediately noticed that the front windows were significantly lighter than my rear glass and did not match as promised. I contacted another tint shop, provided them with pictures and video, and they immediately stated that the tint installed on my front windows was clearly not the correct percentage. From the outside looking in, you can easily see through the front windows, while the rear glass is much darker and far more difficult to see through. I took additional photos in both sunlight and a parking garage to rule out lighting effects, and the difference was even more obvious.
I then contacted Tint World again, and Stephanie answered the phone. I explained the issue and told her I was not satisfied because the tint did not match the rear glass, even though she had assured me it would. She responded by saying that I agreed to 35% tint. I told her I agreed because she specifically stated it would match the back glass, which it clearly does not. She then told me I needed to allow the tint up to seven days to dry and that it would get darker during that time. The other tint shop informed me that this claim was false, and even if the tint darkened slightly, it would never match my factory tint.
I told Stephanie I would send her pictures showing the difference. I sent both a photo and a video demonstrating how much lighter the front windows were. Stephanie later returned my call stating she received a "very rude message" from another tint shop and claimed that was not how Tint World does business. I told her I had no knowledge of any other shop contacting her. I again asked if she would be willing to correct the issue. She refused.
I informed Stephanie that I would be contacting Tint World corporate and leaving negative reviews if the issue could not be resolved. At this point, Stephanie became irate, verbally aggressive, and used profanity. She said, "Bring that shit back, and we will rip that shit off, and you will not be welcome back here again. Just don't post a negative review." I told her I still intended to leave an honest negative review, especially after being spoken to that way. Stephanie immediately hung up the phone.
