Hidden fees taint the experience...
Written: Jan 28 '07 (Updated Feb 01 '07)
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I was initially drawn to American Blind and Wallpaper because it popped up near the top of the list on an internet search. Free shipping also got my attention.
Their selection was good, the website easy to use, prices seemed good, and they had what we wanted. Placing an order revealed an unpleasant surprise though. Shipping may be free, but there's a not-so-small fee of $7.95 for them to "process" my order. Imagine your reaction during a trip to Walmart or Sears if you filled your cart and were asked to pay a fee at checkout. They'd find themselves with a cart full of merchandise to put back and an unhappy customer! And that's pretty much how the ordering went with AB&W the first time. I sent an email requesting the fee be removed. I even went as far as to order by phone to see if I could talk my way out of the fee....no go. With my wife breathing down my neck to get started on this overdue project, and not having great success navigating a couple of competitor's sites, I decided not to postpone the project over $8 and I reluctantly placed the order. You're reading my retaliatory response now! They should really remove that fee...or rename it, or relocate it, but I just can't get past feeling kind of violated over it, and I can't seem to forgive myself for patronizing them, which ultimately just encourages the distasteful practice. I just hope I don't read about them sponsoring terrorist activities with the proceeds!
In fairness, every other aspect of the transaction went well. The shipping was fast, the website was intuitive, and the overall price was still competitive, but I really, really hope this review does more than $7.95 worth of damage to their reputation!
Recommended:
No
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About the Author
Location: Rochester, NY
Reviews written: 105
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