Dear Ballard Designs,
Usually I love your products. I have ordered a few things from you over the years and have never had to return anything. I had been wanting these items for quite some time, but was unwilling to pay $25 apiece plus tax and shipping charges so I waited.....and waited.....and waited for them to go on sale. Then a few days ago I received an email about a new sale and there they were!
The beautiful bee chandelier shades were finally on sale! Now, I have to decide what color. Black? White? Red? Sage? Sage was the winner. Such a pretty soft pale green.......
......Not! More like an apple green with Kelley green mixed in and very very shiny. Not at all the way it looked on your site. I was so disappointed when I pulled them out of the box.
And then I thought well, maybe the color will grow on me until I saw IT. Do you see IT, too? Look at the blob of paint or whatever that is on the shade. A big boo boo on my new shade. After seeing that I knew I would have to send them back to you. I know you will understand. I had only ordered two to go on a sconce. I had wanted six for my breakfast room light, but changed my mind and glad I did. Thank goodness return shipping is free. And one more thing dear Ballard's.......
...why don't you send two chandelier shades in a BIG HONKIN BOX next time?!! I mean really! I pulled out the plastic air cushion thingies and paper and more air cushion thingies and more paper just to get to the shades. You must have been out of smaller boxes that day. I am sure that must be the reason for this waste. Maybe the shipping charges could be some what less if you would send small items in a small box. Just thought you might want to consider that idea.
I am sure I will order from you yet again, because you will send me more enticing emails and another catalog will arrive for me to thumb through and fold down the corners on the pages of my wants.
I look forward to a refund on my card.
Thank you,
Disappointed
51 comments:
I usually like to order from them too.
So sorry about your lamp shade. It is terribly disappointing to look forward to something and then this happens.
Hope you have better luck the next time ordering
Have a great weekend
Maggie
Bummer! But yeah, that color looks like toothpaste! LOL
Oh, I would be so disappointed, too!
You are so right! I just looked it up (and found a gorgeous chandy in the process), but it looks like you got a lemon! (Or maybe a lime?) ;-)
My sister was just talking to me today about how big boxes are getting for the smallest of items inside. They must get a break on postage since they ship so much. I love these shades and hate the color and that flaw...wishing someone at Ballard Designs will see this.
Oh wow....bad color and big blob on them. Not good. Oh well.
Too bad, the shade design itself is nice. But that color... yikes. They should be more careful, to check on flaws before shipping items out too.
What a disappointment! So you are not going to get a replacement or a different color...but just a refund? I don't blame you...
Oh Kim!! I am right there with you. I ordered their indoor out door script rug back in December for the guest bathroom. When it arrived it was not even close to the picture. They forgot to mention that the smaller rugs would have a differ print on them. I was majority bummed. I had attempted calling them several times and every time I was directed to returns it hung up on me. Finally in the end they credited my card and actually told me to keep the rug. Sorry you got a misrepresented item as well!:(
That never happened to me at Ballard, but it did once with Pottery Barn. I found a quilt and shams I loved. The photo showed the stripes running vertically and when I got the quilt it didn't fit that way and when I called customer service, they told me that they turned it for the photo because it looked better! I did keep it because it was pretty and I have to run it with the stripes going across the bed...for some reason I liked them vertical and it has always bugged me. Glad to get that off my chest after 9 years:)
OMG! Great post! Sorry though that it was under such bad circumstances. I agree with you. After they charge what they do, they need to get it right. My pillow and string that I ordered from (you know who - don't want to name names here) came in wrong too today. I got the square shape instead of rectangle and no string. No mention of a due date for it either. I emailed them and haven't heard back. My advice.....be careful ordering from her.
The colour is blinding!
I wish we had even one company like Ballard from which to order. $25 seems like a huge bargain to me, from up here! Postage and handling can easily cost $7 to $10 an item and then of course there will be duty on top. There are just not the decor items available online here.
Just something to consider. UPS told me when I was shipping at Christmas, that the larger the box, the cheaper the shipping fee. Doesn't make any sense to me at all, but that's what I was told.
its definatly damaged but even if it wasnt thats a putried green.. no where close to sage.
I'm sure they'll give no problem taking them back but still very disappointing.
What a bummer Kim. You would think that someone at Ballards would have seen the big blob on that shade!
I haven't ordered from them for quite some time.
Right now I've been trying to get the rug I ordered for my sister's birthday from French Freak. They waited one week to tell me that it was on back order til the end of this month! I could scream.
Of well, I'll keep waiting patiently.
hugs
Sissie
There is nothing more frustrating than to receive something defective, especially when it could have been avoided had someone done their job correctly. You have every right to be disappointed. Hope it gets fixed quickly to your satisfaction.
Shari
Aww, I hate it when I order something and it's not at all what it appeared to be online on in a catalog. Maybe now we know why they were on sale?!
Kat :)
Oh my! That's too bad!
Such a hassle..... returning things.
:(
Well first.... LMAO!!! And if that's sage green Ballard can kiss my LA (laughing azzz!).
~Bliss~
That stinks, Kim! I'm surprised, too, because I've ordered from Ballard's and haven't been disappointed ~ yet. Your post points out a few things wrong and hopefully they will correct it.
Although I like Ballard too and have ordered several things in the past, I have to agree with you. That green is not attractive to say the least. Napoleon himself would be disappointed with his bee emblem on that color trying to pass itself off as French! Lol
Oh no! What a disappointment! I order a ton on-line and through catalogs and hold my breath everytime I open a box because, unfortunately, things aren't always what I'd hoped for. Luckily they're crediting your account without a fuss. Not every company makes returns so easy.
All I can say is, "Oh, dear!"
Oh man... that's a bummer! Sorry it didn't work out :(
Bummer Kim :( Definitely not a sage green I would have been disappointed too. You should have seen the size of the box my 3 pillows covers came in.
I agree, the green is icky!!! I saw the same sale and was going to order the same shade in the black....until I read the comments from the dissatisfied customers.....what a disappointment!!!
LOL! I think this is one of my favorite posts! Ballard should never have mailed out shades with a painted blob! You go girl!
blessings,
karianne
Oh- How disappointing! Sorry but they really ARE ugly! xo Diana
Hi Kim
sorry ti here that it is not what you expected.......
maybe Party instead??
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Håkan ( The Roseman)
I love that store! I'm a chicken to order things on line just for that reason. Good luck with everything.
I am surprised about the lampshade! I have ordered many things from them and they usually look pretty close to the photos. One thing I did return though, was the pedestal table in brown. I think I ordered it in counter height or bar height for my game room and the color of it was very orangy in person. What a pain that was to return! Good luck finding other shades!
-Shelley
Morning Kim,
So I'm thinking maybe that's why they were on sale?
I hope you forwarded this to Ballards.
My husband laughs at me because I am the Queen of complaint letters.
Having attended so many customer service seminars while working for Continental Airlines, I have been thouroghly schooled in how to effectively file a complaint letter so well that I always end up getting free stuff from the company.
I hate wasteful packaging, it is a pet peeve of mine.
So sorry you did not get the lovely soft green...bummer.
Have great weekend
Janet xox
The Empty Nest
Morning Kim,
So I'm thinking maybe that's why they were on sale?
I hope you forwarded this to Ballards.
My husband laughs at me because I am the Queen of complaint letters.
Having attended so many customer service seminars while working for Continental Airlines, I have been thouroghly schooled in how to effectively file a complaint letter so well that I always end up getting free stuff from the company.
I hate wasteful packaging, it is a pet peeve of mine.
So sorry you did not get the lovely soft green...bummer.
Have great weekend
Janet xox
The Empty Nest
Hate it when that happens! I think you could find a similar image online somewhere, download and have it transferred to some kind of paper and either stencil or decoupage it onto a cheap hobby lobby shade that you paint the "exact' color you want!! Then thumb your nose at Ballard's made in China shade with your new much nice knock-off. Google it...I'm sure some blogger/crafter has come up with how to do this. That would be a great post.
I try to avoid ordering items through the mail as I hate the chore of returning things...my last Ballard shipment was a disappointment too...it is so frustrating when you so look forward to something and have to ship it back. I believe many of us have felt your pain...Sorry for your disappointment...The large box?..What a waste of cardboard..
Oh my...those are NOT nice at all. I've ordered many things from them over the years and only once did I have a problem. It was broken glass on two pictures...that time they skimped on the packing I guess. Fran
Bummer. :(
Do love those shades though!
Oh my! It is such a hassle to return
items. I'm with you there, too bid of a box.
Returning things is such a drag. I have wanted their drum linen chandelier shades FOREVER but have never bit the bullet and ordered them. I could practically buy a new chandelier for the price of the shades. (OK not really but almost.) So sorry for the disappointment. Have a wonderful weekend. I'm off Monday too. Yay!
Amen! - I've been disappointed by purchases too. At least they have a great return policy. Colors are always iffy, but that shiny finish shouldn't be, and the blog is completely unacceptable.
bwaaaaaaa.....I am sorry you are so
disappointed. The color is AWFUL.
My daughter ordered one of their large Christmas trees a few yrs back..looked like something out of a fairy land in their catalog....but when she got it, it looked like a cheap tree from Nightmare Forest. She, like you, was really disappointed and had to return it.
Now, POTTERY BARN is another story. I've never been shocked at things I've ordered from there. They, in my books anyway, are a high class, first rate store. I love 'em.....not so sure about Ballards.
For some reason this post bothered me. Maybe its because SO many copy and recreate items from such stores, it just felt a over kill on the public complaints. After all, the return shipping is free. I truly can relate to your disappointment also. It happens to all of us. I too watch and wait for something I really like/want/need to go on sale before ordering. This happened to me just this week; 2 EXPENSIVE even on sale items (a 3 tiered cake stand and the the matching pitcher-from the Biltmore Collection @ Belk) were out of the original boxes, and very scratched. Yes, it may take a bit of effort to ship,wait for refund/replaced items, but thats part of online shopping. Also, I'm NOT a goody-two-shoes, but unlike Janet, being a pro at getting free stuff isn't something to brag about. Yeah, these companies have a lot of money but come on....I don't work for Ballard, Pottery Barn, etc. Maybe its the (retired) Government Purchasing Agent in me that sees both sides of the situation better. Mistakes happen, these decor stores mentioned I believe are very eager to please and correct mistakes. People can re-cycle the extra cardboard shipping if you don't need it. I'm sure I'll be blasted for my comments, BUT sounds like you did or will receive customer satisfaction. Lets all 'chill out' and roll w/life a bit more. Think of people suffering who can't shop like we can, share more lovely posts, volunteer,or something else. It starts w/us. just sayin' and i am a loyal fan of you and your blog. Regretful you had a disappointment in product & color. And please notice, the responses of some readers probably rein-enforced my feelings on this and MY comment is directed to THEM also.
I looked up your lampshade on Ballard's website...yikes! The two colors don't even compare!! I've ordered from them before, but it's always been in black. I'm glad you shared your experience. Do you have a Tuesday Morning in your town? Interestingly, I've found the same artwork at Tuesday Morning for a fraction of Ballard Designs' prices.
Bummer. Always a disappointment to look so forward to something arriving, and it turns out to be totally different than pictured. Good thing for free returns!
I guess it is a great excuse to journey out to some of your fav shops in town and look for a suitable (and appropriately stunning) replacement, in person!
Have a fantastic weekend, Kim!
xo
-Lisa
Sorry, You're right to return them.
Fun post! I'll bet poor Ballard will be getting returns from a number of folks on this item. At least returns are free, which is a huge plus! Sort of takes the sting out of having to return an on line purchase. I'm sure Ballard wants to p,ease of the first go-round so they don't have to foot this bill. All in all, this is my only complaint about on line shopping. Nothing beats seeing and touching in person!
How disappointing. That color is really bad and sending out something with that kind of flaw is pretty inexcusable. I hope you finds something else wonderful to replace them :)
There must be a reason that companies ship in such huge boxes...even with free shipping. My hubby just bought me a bracelet from HSN...it could have fit in an envelope...but it came in a box big enough for a toaster. We didn't pay for the shipping, but it makes no practical sense to me.
Good grief, that isn't even close to sage! It is awful AND damaged! Sorry you had this mess, Kim. I LOVE the shades though. The bee is great. Hope you get a satisfying result. XO, Pinky
That is a shame!! If you decide you still want them, I just put my 6 green bee shades from BD up on our neighborhood online garage sale. All 6 for $25. Mine really are a lighter lime green than I think yours were. I had 12 for our kitchen chand., but already sold 6 of them. Let me know!! Unless you have decided against green, of course :)) Sometimes I love Ballards and sometimes I am disappointed too :((
I have always had good luck with Ballards including a piece of furniture. So sorry you had a bad experience. Recently, though the same thing happened to me only with PB.
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