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Re: Re: Re: Re: Very Informative (Reply to this comment)
by civic_minded
We bought a bed a few months ago and new right away that it was defective. It was manufactured in Norfolk, VA - also a foam mattress by Comfort Solutions / King Coil. No inspector has been here, but they have offered to exchange it. We live outside of the delivery area and had to pay someone to bring it to us. Btw, movers always put mattresses on their side, so I don't get why putting it on its side would be an issue. We don't want to exchange it as we do not trust the quality and have suffered with back and neck pain from sleeping on it. Would like to know if you have had some resolution. If so, what was the outcome?
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Jan 13 '10
3:37 pm PST
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Re: Re: Re: Very Informative (Reply to this comment)
by mslf500
We've had tremendous problems with our King Koil mattress and getting a warranty adjustment. Here is the letter I wrote. It may contain some useful information for those trying to obtain warranty service. I hope to cause them at least enough trouble to equal the money I am currently out of pocket for the new mattress we bought.
September 2, 2009
Comfort Solutions Mid-Atlantic
dba King Koil
Customer Service
1112 Kingwood Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23502
Haynes Furniture Company Incorporated
Customer Service
5324 Virginia Beach Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Re: Mattress Warranty
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to you to express my concern and displeasure over the fact that our mattress warranty was not honored due to a small stain on the mattress.
The bed we purchased was one the King Koil “thermal/visco-elastic foam” type beds and was purchased on 1/25/03. I have to admit, a foam bed was not on my list of beds to purchase, but the salesman from King Koil was at Haynes Furniture that day and he made an impressive presentation to my wife and me. We bought the mattress, foundation, frame and mattress pad recommended by your sales rep at a cost of $1889 plus tax.
Over the last six months, I have awoken to significant back pain. I thought it was a result of “growing older”. However, I discovered that when I travel and sleep in a hotel bed, my back pain went away. By all accounts, my back pain was a failure of the six year old foam to support the weight of our bodies.
At the end of every night, our premium mattress sags into the shape of a bowl and we basically roll to the middle of the bed. My wife weighs 110# and I weigh 142#. We are not large people by any stretch of the imagination.
I believe it fair to demonstrate that we went through “the process” in good faith in an attempt to make a claim on the warranty for what we were told to be one of the “best beds” available. Below is my accounting of the events, and I am sure they can be verified via Haynes’s Customer Service:
On 5/20/09, I contacted Haynes Furniture and spoke with Susan Hangarter about what was becoming a significant sag in our bed. She was very helpful and asked us a few questions to get the warranty process started.
On Friday, 5/29/09, an inspection was made by Haynes. The inspector took his measurements and pointed out a 1” diameter stain on the mattress fabric. Apparently, this stain made it through the $90 mattress pad we purchased with the bed. It appeared to be a blood spot. The rest of the mattress was flawless-except for the measurable depression and aforementioned sagging at night.
On Tuesday, 6/2/09 I received a call from Haynes and was told my claim was rejected because there was a stain on the fabric of the bed. I was told to “get the stain out” and call them for another inspection. I was also told to call Global Care Solutions (GCS) as the mattress pad we purchased from Haynes had a guarantee against staining.
On 6/2/09 I called GCS (1-800-521-0555) and they issued claim number 1641371. I was told that I had twenty days from the day of the call to use the kit and report back to them if it didn’t work. The kit arrived via US Mail on 6/8/09, six days after my request. I cleaned the bed the next day and the stain appeared to be gone. While there might have been a slight shadow in the fabric’s texture due to the need to rub in and dry the cleaning product, it was no longer a “stain”. In my mind this was as “good as new” and would be acceptable.
I requested a re-inspection and was told there were no available dates until 6/29/09….This was seven days after the GCS mattress pad warranty expired. Prior to that date, they would have sent a professional cleaner out to clean the mattress. I do not know if this is a coincidence, but please keep this in mind as you see how quickly another inspection occurred.
Haynes inspected the bed on 6/29/09. They measured the sag and agreed the bed was sagging, however the inspector said the “shadow” was a “stain”. As his job was “only to report”, he said he would report it to the powers that be.
On 7/9/09, I received a call from Susan Hangarter stating that King Koil had again rejected our claim. I was also told the supporting frame was “wrong” and the warranty was void because of this. I responded this was the same frame as the one the previous inspector had inspected and the same one that Haynes had sold us. Inasmuch as we do not have another queen sized bed, it would be impossible for us to have switched the frame. (The inspector made no mention of the frame to me.) This was explained away as a “mistake” on the inspector’s part. It then took almost another week for King Koil/Haynes to respond back with an acceptance or rejection of the warranty. This put our mattress pad “warranty” further out of date. I was then told our claim was rejected for the stain.
It was suggested I call Global Care. I called GCS and was told my mattress pad warranty was no longer valid as I was outside the 20 day reporting period. I then spoke with a technician at GCS and she walked me through a method to eliminate the nearly invisible “water ring shadow”. She also informed me that the foam in the mattresses were notorious for discoloring the mattress cover if the damp bed cover touched the foam. I again cleaned the mattress cover using GCS’s instructions.
On 7/10/09, I called Susan Hangarter and told her the water ring was no longer “visible”. I was told she would try to submit this without a re-inspection. When I inquired if they would try to resell this mattress, I was told the mattresses are put in the dumpster after they are picked up.
Nineteen days passed and on 7/29/09 Hangarter emailed me that King Koil wanted yet another inspection. As I was out of the country, we agreed to delay setting up a time until I returned on 8/3/09. I again inquired as to whether they needed to measure the sag again. Quite honestly, we were ready to lean the mattress against the wall and buy a new bed. (I have learned that leaning the mattress against the wall also voids the warranty.) I was told they wanted to once again inspect for the stain and the sag so that precluded moving the bed.
I did not hear from Haynes regarding a rescheduled inspection until I sent an email on 8/13/09 asking when the appointment could be scheduled. This time, I was quickly given a choice of numerous dates that included 8/20,8/21,8/24,8/25,8/26,8/27,8/28. This was a dramatic change from the previous impossibility of getting an inspection before the mattress pad warranty ran out. Keep in mind the bed had already failed the “sag” test, so the only thing preventing a replacement was the nebulous “stain”.
A third inspector arrived on 8/20/09. This was almost 3 months after my first call to Haynes. He, as did the other inspectors, took his measurements. He used the same process as the previous two inspectors. The bed had sagged almost 2” in the middle. This was over the minimum 1.5” required to have it replaced and an increase of ¼” since the last measurement. He took his measurements and we chatted. He even helped me put the mattress pad back on the bed. I assumed everything was acceptable and the warranty would be processed. I was mistaken.
The inspector made no mention of the “stain” until he walked out our front door and I asked him if everything “looked OK”. “Well you do have what appears to be some “yellowing” (his words) in one area”. Why he didn’t point that out to me when we were in the bedroom? We discussed this a bit, I explained the problems I was having with King Koil, and he went on his way.
On Friday, 8/21/09, I received an email from Hangarter that our claim was again rejected. As it stands, we are out almost $2000 for a mattress that I can no longer sleep on.
King Koil's warranty on their website is in extremely fine print-almost to the point of being illegible. http://www.comfortsolutions.com/lc/warranty.pdf
However, to address King Koil’s warranty, nowhere does it use the word “stain” to describe a void in the warranty. It uses the word “unsanitary”. By definition, anything could be considered unsanitary, but unsanitary for what? King Koil’s definition would be akin to a car manufacturer not warranting the car because there was dirt on the windshield. I have since learned that many mattress manufacturers use the “stain” as a method for avoiding warranty replacement per an OSHA rule regarding handling of “bio-hazardous” materials. I find this is odd as while a mattress seller may not honor a warranty, they are certainly eager to remove an old mattress and take it to the dump in order to make a sale-regardless of the condition. Is this not the same “bio-hazardous/unsanitary” mattress?
The “unsanitary” designation seems to be an industry wide term. However, what is “unsanitary”? While my shirt may have a stain on it from last week’s spaghetti, after I wash it, it is sanitary-even if the stain if still there. The same holds true for a white t-shirt that is no longer pure white. And what of fabric that simply fades or yellows with age? Is this unsanitary? By the terms of the warranty, it would be.
When one considers that studies have shown that a computer keyboard has significantly more germs on it than a toilet seat, should computer manufacturers adopt this standard to avoid making good on their warranties? I know of no other industry that uses a warranty “out” like this.
As a matter of fact, a mattress does not have to have a stain to be unsanitary, as demonstrated by several news reports that have demonstrated that, under a black light, a mattress with no apparent stain can often contain bacteria, mold, spores and a multitude of micro-organisms. The inspector made no tests for any of these, nor did he take any cultures of the “stain” to prove that the mattress was “unsanitary”. To be fair, I didn’t apply this test to the mattress when it was delivered to me, either.
However, the code of Virginia regarding used bedding states:
CHAPTER 391
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 32.1-212, 32.1-215, and 32.1-225 of the Code of Virginia, relating to bedding and upholstered furniture.
[H 2018]
Approved March 21, 2005
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 32.1-212, 32.1-215, and 32.1-225 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 32.1-212. Definitions.
(5) "Sanitize" means to reduce the level of microbiological agents to a level not injurious to health.
(8) "Sterilize" means to render free of viable microbiological agents.
Again, our bed was not tested for item (5) as to whether it was “unsanitary”. Alternatively, could we have simply sterilized the bed and the “stain” would not have been issue as it would have been “sanitary”?
After our warranty claim was rejected the third time, I conducted a little research on the internet and found horror stories of warranties, just like ours, where the warranty was voided for not meeting the definition of sanitary-even though the manufacturer provides no definition of “unsanitary”.
I also found that visco-elastic bedding is notorious for losing its resiliency and ability to provide adequate support. In many cases, the foam does “rebound” to pass the 1.5” depression test. However in actual use, after 3-5 years, the failure of the foam’s weight bearing capacity causes people to roll to the center of the bed.
The internet has numerous stories of your competitors, as well as King Koil’s failure to honor warranties with mattresses that have obvious defects and an inability to even come close to producing a product that meets the stated warranty periods. One irate customer went so far as to file a class action lawsuit in Federal U.S. Court against Serta Bed Corporation in Chicago, Illinois on May 13, 2008 for these same deceptive practices. Serta apparently settled with the purchaser to avoid a suit that could have cost millions.
I won’t bore you with all of the web links, but needless to say I have them for future reference.
Obviously, I am not pleased with this process nor am I satisfied with Haynes Furniture or King Koil’s failure to honor their warranty. I was sold a defective product and I am sure that any lawyer, during discovery, would find that King Koil knows this is a problem as well.
It would appear that most mattress manufacturers count on claimants to simply give up and walk away. I am not one of those people. It is my intention to obtain a full refund for the mattress, foundation, frame and sales tax.
It would appear that Haynes and King Koil are in violation of several items of the Virginia Uniform Commercial Code. These include:
Implied Warranty of Merchantability
8.2-314 gives the consumer an Implied Warranty of Merchantability (general use and condition of goods). Among other requirements, a product must a.) pass by general description in trade; b.) be of fair average quality; c.) be fit for ordinary purposes. To modify or exclude the Warranty of Merchantability, the seller must mention merchantability and, if there is a writing, the exclusion must be conspicuous.
Implied Warranty of Fitness
8.2-315 gives the consumer an Implied Warranty of Fitness for a Particular Purpose if the seller, at the time of contracting, has reason to know any particular purpose for which the goods are required and if the buyer is relying on the seller’s skill or judgment to select or furnish suitable goods.
To exclude the Warranty of Fitness, the seller must again do so conspicuously if in a writing and may use words like “There are no warranties which extend beyond the description on the face hereof”.
It is obvious that King Koil sells a visco-elastic bed that has no ability to maintain its weight bearing capacity over the long term. We were duped by the King Koil sales rep as to the long term fitness of this product.
Additionally, it would appear King Koil’s warranty violates the provisions of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act for Deceptive Warranty Terms. Warranties must not contain deceptive or misleading terms. One cannot offer a warranty that appears to provide coverage but, in fact, provides none. For example, a warranty covering only "moving parts" on an electronic product that has no moving parts would be deceptive and unlawful. Similarly, a warranty that promised service that the warrantor had no intention of providing or could not provide would be deceptive and unlawful.
It is obvious that by using the term “sanitary”, King Koil has no intention to replace a mattress as by definition, anything can be “unsanitary”. Additionally, King Koil made no effort to test the bed for sanitation. Our warranty was rejected based on almost imperceptible stain.
Please accept this as my written demand to be refunded for the mattress set I was sold.
You have fourteen calendar days from the date on this letterhead to respond, in writing (or by check), as to what your plan of action is. Beyond that date, I will use any and all means necessary to recover the purchase price.
We have purchased another mattress to replace King Koil’s defective product. We are not interested in an exchange or replacement. Should we not be granted relief, I will add storage fees of the mattress to any legal claims we may make.
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
cc:
Virginia Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Affairs
Virginia Beach Consumer Affairs Office
BBB of Central Virginia
PS: I would like to say that Ms. Hangarter was very nice to work with. Unfortunately, she had no authority to resolve this problem.
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Sep 02 '09
5:07 am PDT
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Re: Re: Very Informative (Reply to this comment)
by bandhmutcher
We spent a pretty penny on our King Koil King sized double pillow top just 6 years ago. I hadn't realized it had a warranty until we moved and I found it unpacking. The bed had been sinking really bad. We flipped it religiously. Head-toe, left-right and box springs and STILL sinking. I called King Koil's warranty line and they asked me a series of questions pertaining to our bed, the problems and symptoms, etc. Then she proceeded to tell me they will schedule a rep to come out an examine the bed, but needed to ask several questions first. Included in those questions were: Are there any stains, discolorations or thread flaws on the mattress? I had to get her number and call her back after looking over the mattress. I found a couple of small discolorations and we have cats, so there were a couple of small claw spots and I shared that with her. Then she asked about my frame. Asked if it was in tact, including the cross brace center brace bar. Not the head-toe brace bar, but the center bar that would be offering support at the hip/low back region. Well, we never got one of those. I told her and she said that it was supposed to have that. Our conversation lasted several minutes until she let me know that if I read my warranty card, it will clearly state that the mattress must be free of any discolorations, stains, tears, etc. or the warranty is void. She then proceeded to tell me that this is why people purchase those plastic mattress covers, to keep the mattresses clean. Finally, she explained that the mattress likely failed, not due to improper construction, but because the frame sold by the point of purchase, was not complete and that is not covered by the warranty, but rather issue to take up with the store. I loved this mattress. Now I'm barely able to walk in the morning, nor is my husband, due to extreme low back pain and we can't afford another mattress right now. The store no longer carries King Koil and refuses to assume any responsibility for the frame issue. So we're out nearly $2000 and in a considerable amount of pain with no recourse. I just want people to know that you often need to keep your mattress clean, free of wear and properly braced with the proper bed frame in order for the warranty to be honored.
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Nov 22 '08
5:46 am PST
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Re: Did She Deserve This (Reply to this comment)
by sweetsue_98
Who made you an expert on buying a mattress. The quality that is produced now is horrible. Frankly can anyone get a great bed anymore.
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Nov 07 '08
2:17 pm PST
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Did She Deserve This (Reply to this comment)
by mattressanswer
First unlike most people who are reading this she did not do her homework before buying by her own words something you use for a good portion of your life. Now she wants to tell you how unfair it was. In the first place no bedding manufacturer can guarantee comfort. They don't know usage of the product,or how your body will change in ten years.
Secondly she spoke well of Spring Air which also is a franchise manufacturer. Thirdly she didn't read her LIMITED warranty. Had she rotated her mattress and boxes she would have noticed a different feel much earlier and probably wouldn't have had such a hard time because the problem here was the boxes therefore the retailers mistake not King Koil. Finally she moved and could have damaged the mattress, most movers put mattresses on their side to save space which can cause the the upholstery layers to shift. This woman did not deserve replacement but through bulling she got it. You will pay for part of her new mattress because she has become part of manufacturing expense. Had she gone to sites like http://matresses101guide.com she might have known how to shop,what questions to ask, and had enough knowledge to know if what she was being told was true.
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Sep 13 '08
6:48 am PDT
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Re: Very Helpful Information (Reply to this comment)
by caribe2007
Dear Gary,
I just read your review on your Mattress shopping ordeal and I must say you've made me feel better about this and I've learned soooo much. We have a Simmons Beautyrest that we purchased in 1996 for over $3000 and it's been found defective three times therefore this is our third bed. My husbands side is fine but my side has sunk. He's 6'5 and 250 lbs and I'm 5'5 and 160. I really want a Sterns and Foster but I've read more bad reviews than good. I'm trying to learn what I can before I drag him out to the stores. I did learn today at a store that Sterns and Foster makes Sealy I think, only they aren't as top of the line as Sterns & Foster.
Thanks for all the good advice , Paula
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Mar 19 '07
8:46 pm PDT
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I'm having the same problem with my Simmons King Mattress Set (Reply to this comment)
by brandibabes
We bought our Simmonds King set in 2003 for almost $3000, and after only 3 months of sleeping on it noticed it sinking in the middle. We had an adjuster out, who said it was on the wrong frame. The store came and replaced the frame, it was better for a few more months then sank again. The adjuster came back for a second time, and insisted it wasn't the proper frame still! The store ordered me a special frame with horizontal supports. Again it was alright for a few months. Now, it hasn't sunk but is so uncomfortable I'd rather sleep on the floor. I've been dreading going back to them, frankly because I sick of dealing with them. However after reading your review, and you situation I'm going to keep at them until I get a new bed.
Natalie
N.B. Canada
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Jan 06 '07
5:12 pm PST
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Re: Re: Buying a mattress is more difficult than buying a car (Reply to this comment)
by yger
Have you bought this mattress? What is your experiance? Is this factory in Minnesota? Thanks.
Yuri
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Jan 22 '06
9:03 am PST
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Re: Very Informative (Reply to this comment)
by rebakerns
Ricardo, this was one opinion. King Koil has excellent products. This is a rare case with someone who moved around and expected quick resolution in doing so. The seal is generally a good sign of quality. FYI
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Sep 05 '05
8:28 pm PDT
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Re: Re: Buying a mattress is more difficult than buying a car (Reply to this comment)
by sweetsue_98
Actually the mattress and the replacement are gone. The replacement held up for about one year, and we now have a memory foam type which seems to be working out.
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Jun 05 '05
8:01 am PDT
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Re: Buying a mattress is more difficult than buying a car (Reply to this comment)
by sable-t
We recently ordered a new mattress and bed frame from European Sleep Works in Berkeley. We opted for the Nordic with the slat design bottom. Are you still happy with your purchase? We have made some very expensive mistakes with other brands and are hoping we have finally found a bed that will offer support, yet flexibility where needed. By the way, the buying experience at Euro Sleep Works was great. They were professional, courteous, low pressure, and seemed to know a lot about their product. It was so different from the "used car lot" feel we had from the typical mattress stores. Thanks. Sable-T
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Mar 10 '05
11:49 am PST
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Very Informative (Reply to this comment)
by ricardo_h
I too need to replace my old mattress; I dread the experience because of everything I've been reading at Epinions, and at the manufacturer's web sites. I am amazed that the bedding industry can get away with creating so so much confusion for the consumer.
It turns out that after I read your review I came across the statement below at another site-amazing that Good Housekeeping could award them their Seal of Approval in light of your experience.
"King Koil also exhibits their commitment to you, our customer, by designing products such as the Spinal Guard and Posture Bond series which also carry the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval."
Thanks for keeping the unwary informed!
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Apr 29 '04
3:42 pm PDT
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Re: Buying a mattress is more difficult than buying a car (Reply to this comment)
by asafono
Great advice to buy from the factory - especially if you can find one that does not sell under other labels. (Not affiliated with the company) but we were very happy with the Original Mattress Factory - they give you a tour of the factory, show opened-up mattresses, explain the coils, etc. I believe they have factories/showrooms in most eastern, south-eastern and some midwestern states. The price was reasonable too - about $900 for a king-size 2 boxes.
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Dec 31 '03
9:21 am PST
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How is the new mattress (Reply to this comment)
by sarahsuszanne
Thanks for all the great information. I have been warned about warrantes before.
How is the 'new' KK mattress holding up? I am think of purchasing and have read good recent reviews.
You can let me know via email
timothybhewittesq at yahoo dot com
Thanks
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Sep 26 '03
12:37 pm PDT
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Great review!! (Reply to this comment)
by LisaDo
I had never thought about the warranty that came with my bed, to be honest. :( I hate mattress shopping. I'd rather give blood, and since I have a phobia of needles, that says a lot. :(
You've really given me something to think about before we buy our next bed! Great review!
Lisa
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Feb 12 '03
2:20 am PST
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Buying a mattress is more difficult than buying a car (Reply to this comment)
by travelshark
Great review. These days, is more difficult to buy a mattress than to buy a car. Many car manufacturers are reducing the number of model choices and option packages, and it is very easy to find accurate information on invoice prices and dealer kickbacks for new cars. However, the mattress industry is still able to keep majority of the customers in the dark using their marketing tactics.
We recently bought a different kind of mattress from a local store (Berkeley, CA) called European Sleepworks and we are very happy with it. They make their own mattresses which are quite reasonably priced compared to the high-end pillowtop mattresses that you see at the typical Mattresses-R-Us store. Even though this type of mattress is not nearly as thick, it is very comfortable. You can actually zip it open and see what is inside at the store! They have only 3 different models so you don't have to think very hard to pick one.
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Jan 30 '03
9:27 pm PST
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Sorry about the runaround :( (Reply to this comment)
by watchdr_2000
As they say on the watch forums when one is considering a purchase of a second hand watch, 'buy the seller (or store) before you buy the product!' Gary.
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Jan 23 '03
8:35 pm PST
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Very Helpful Information (Reply to this comment)
by Howard_Creech
Another option is to buy direct from the factory
(most mattress factories offer the same mattresses they are making for major companies under their own name brand) you'll get the same product that the mattress salesmen are pushing but it will only cost you 1/3 to 1/2 as much.
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Jan 21 '03
11:35 pm PST
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Pity that you didn't read mine! (Reply to this comment)
by watchdr_2000
You could have saved yourself a lot of time and aggravation if you'd read my S&F review - http://www.epinions.com/content_9677278852
The internet has certainly helped expose many *insider* secrets that most companies would obviously have preferred to remain hidden. Gary.
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Jan 18 '03
10:46 pm PST
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I'm hoping to keep our mattress forever if I can (Reply to this comment)
by mind-full
because buying one is about the worst prospect I can think of . . . and the part about each manufacturer slapping different names (and usually different covers) on the same mattress is true.
That's why, when you say, "We'll keep looking a little longer" to a salesman, he/she says, "Good luck!" You aren't going to find a mattress of that name in any other store.
A Sealy Sertaperfect Sleeper called "Spongeform" at one store is the same exact mattress called, "Hard-as-nails" at a place down the block.
ARGH!
Nice job, by the way, on a difficult process!
---Amy
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Jan 18 '03
5:36 pm PST
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