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louisianalover

Advice on Bradington-Young Recliners

louisianalover
11 years ago

Sat in and ordered two of these Bradington-Young swivel, glider, and recliner chairs:

However, we ordered them in an upholstery fabric and they were delivered last week.

Even though these chairs are the same as the leather chair, they sit too far off the ground. I know that these chairs were custom ordered and handmade but obviously there is a difference between the leather and the upholstered chairs and they are too big for me to sit in. They are at least 4 inches too far off the ground for my feet to touch the floor. The owner of the furniture store came out to my house and is trying to figure out what happened. I am upset because I did not receive the chairs that I sat in even though these are in fabric and not leather. The furniture store owner called the plant manager at Bradington Young and they said maybe they can replace the swivel, glider, recliner mechanisms with a wall-hugger recliner mechanism making the chairs stationary and lowering the chair about an inch and it would make the chair be in a different pitch (whatever that means). I would have to pay an additional $175 per chair and pay for someone to replace the mechanisms but they will probably only lower the chairs by one inch. I just don't know what to do as I paid a lot of money for these chairs and I didn't get what I thought I had ordered. Is there any recourse for me? Do you think the furniture store should do more to help me? I need to call him back today to let him know what I want to do. He is not accepting responsibility but he is trying to help me. I am not wanting to put more money into these chairs with no guarantee that they are going to be any better. I don't know if he will take the chairs back and I offer to pay a restocking fee. I think he could sell the chairs to someone as they are pretty neutral in color. Has this happened to anyone else???

Comments (25)

  • annzgw
    11 years ago

    Your chairs have a metal swivel base and the leather chair appears to be stationary with no circular metal base. Did the salesman point this out to you and did they tell you there is a height difference when you chose swivel over stationary? If they didn't inform you of this, then they should be willing to put the same base on your chairs, at no cost to you. Are you willing to give up the swivel?
    Got to ask, why is your back cushion so much higher than the sides?

    If the base is the same on the leather and the fabric chairs then I would take a tape measurement to the frame and see if they actually made a different size chair. The store should be working with you on this and I would expect them to offer to replace the chairs. At most, there may be a restocking fee.

  • annzgw
    11 years ago

    Sorry, I missed your first sentence above the photos! From the photos it just doesn't appear these chairs are the same, but I also know the photos were taken from a different angle.
    Since your chairs sit higher off the ground then I'd stand my ground and demand the store figure out what happened.

    I'm the type that would take exact measurements and then photo the underside of the leather chair and your chairs for comparison. The only thing I'd tell the salesman today is that you haven't made a decision, that you're still unhappy and that's it's apparent the chairs aren't the same. I would then ask what the store intends to do to make sure you get the chairs you ordered.

    Also ask him how long the leather chair has been on the floor and if B-Y still makes the mechanism that's in the chair.

  • Happyladi
    11 years ago

    If the only difference between the chairs is supposed to be the covering on the chair the new chairs should not sit so differently. I would insist on returning them since they are not what you ordered. if you paid with a credit card you can dispute the charges. You should not have to pay a restocking fee, either.

    Now if the chair in the store was not a swivel glider recliner and the new ones are-yes they will sit differently.

  • louisianalover
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The chairs are exactly the same - swivel, glider, and recliner. I went back to the store last week to sit in the leather chair but they had already sold it. I tried to go in there without them recognizing me but everyone there knows I am the lady that is not happy. The plant manager at Bradington Young said that they stuff the upholstered chairs more than they do the leather chairs but I didn't know that when I bought the chairs. The furniture owner said he didn't know it either - again, not accepting responsibility. I am trying not to lose my temper with him because I am hoping he can try to help me out more. I have said numerous times, I sat in the chair I wanted to buy. I wouldn't have ordered a chair that was too big for me. It's a crazy situation I have found myself in. And we did pay cash for the chairs when we bought them. We also bought a Bradington-Young leather sofa when we bought the chairs.

  • annzgw
    11 years ago

    Well, how convenient for them that the leather chair has sold. And now to hear they stuff fabric chairs differently, supposedly causing a 4" height difference? Give me a break!

    Something just doesn't sound right and I'd be calling B-Y myself for some answers.

    Here is a link that might be useful: B-Y contact

  • louisianalover
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I did call Bradington-Young and had to leave a message. They heard my message and told the guy I bought my furniture from to not calll them. They only want to deal with the store that I buy the furniture from and not the customers. I tend to believe that story too because Bradington-Young did not call me back.

  • annzgw
    11 years ago

    my3dogs......I think it was the Barcelo. But, I don't see the style offered in the fabric recliners.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Barcelo

  • louisianalover
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the information my3dogs. I know the number for the chair is something like #4011 or something like that. I told the furniture store that I didn't really care what the measurements were because the chair I sat in fit me fine but the chair I got is too big. It should be the same chair and the measurements for the chair do fit what the Bradington-Young website shows. I can't take the measurements for the leather chair cause they don't have it in the store anymore. I would love to sit in that chair again!! Bradington Young did tell the my salesman that they do stuff the upholstered chairs more than the leather ones. I didn't know that when I bought the chairs and my salesman said he didn't know either. I still think the furniture store is responsible for the difference. I didn't get the chairs that I thought I had ordered. Honestly, whose fault is it? I can see it from both sides.

  • My3dogs ME zone 5A
    11 years ago

    You may want to join the site that I have linked below.

    It is run by a wonderful man, Duane Collie, who used to post lots of help on Garden Web. He owns a furniture store in VA and deals a lot with Hancock & Moore and Bradington Young. He happens to be a leather expert, but people write in and ask him all types of questions. I have linked to the part of the site that is called Problem Solver.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Furniture Forum Problem solver

  • louisianalover
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the link my3dogs. That is a good idea. I know I said I wanted to call and tell the furniture store what I wanted to do this afternoon, I decided to wait until tomorrow. It is hard to make those kind of phone calls when you are at work and the people around you can hear everything you are saying. My daughter called to let me know she was in a minor car accident today and my co-workers overhead my conversation! Plus, I am not looking forward to making this phone call.

  • denali2007
    11 years ago

    Yes, please do join the furniture forum. Duane is a wealth of information as he deals in branding ton Young furniture along with H and M and Leathercraft. He is local to me and bought. Y sofa and recliners from him. He can point you to the right direction as what you need to do to resolve your problem. Don't do anything until Duane can let you know what to do.

  • bananafana
    11 years ago

    louisianalover---I went over to the Furniture Problem Solver site noted above, and your pictures are so tiny over there, it's hard to see the difference between your chairs and the chair in the store. Can you figure out how to post big pictures on that site so Duane can help you?

    As for your chair photos here, yeah it is totally obvious that your chairs are much higher off the ground than the store chair! Did you show the leather chair pic to the store manager (now that the leather chair conveniently sold?) because that shows the difference so clearly.

    While I was over on the Furniture Problem Solver site, I searched for info on Bradington Young recliners and I noticed that there was a thread about a recliner for a "petite wife". Link below. Anyhow, Brandington Young did have a recliner where seat was only 18" high and only 20" deep, but the link to it doesn't work so probably discontinued. I'm guessing that the chair in the store was the same style you got but in a smaller version when it was available. You might want the manager to show you original order paperwork for the store's leather chair. But wait to see what Duane has to say first.

    Here is a link that might be useful: From Furniture Problem Solver Site

  • louisianalover
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Banana I did notice the photos were small too over at the other site. I didn't take a lot of time to figure out to post them correctly. That is interesting information about the link you found at Bradington Young. The two store salespeople who showed me the chair I originally sat in both told me it would be a great chair for me because of my size. The furniture store owner was shown the photos of the chair we sat in and he came out to my house to see the chairs that we received. He doesn't have an explanation. At first he was trying to figure out what happened but now he is gearing me towards replacing the mechanisms in the chairs so that they no longer glide or swivel and maybe they will be an inch shorter.

  • Happyladi
    11 years ago

    Have you told them you want them to take them back? Have you insisted?
    They might not have the leather chair anymore but you still have a picture of it , and it's clearly different. If it was just the stuffing the furniture store should have someone who can fix that, but I don't think it's just the stuffing.

  • Happyladi
    11 years ago

    I followed the link above and the 4011 is a high legged lounger. Can they change the legs to lower ones.

    My mom had some BY chairs I loved because they were smaller and fit me well. I ordered one just like it but in a different material and it doesn't fit me quite as well, it's stuffed more. They did offer to remove some of the stuffing but I didn't do it.

  • louisianalover
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Happyladi. I can't believe that that chair is a high legged lounger but I see that that is what they are calling that chair. You would have thought the furniture salespeople would have mentioned that to me because they were looking for a chair that I would fit in. We went twice to the store to look at that chair and had two different people wait on us. Nonetheless, the chair I sat in wasn't on legs. It was a swivel, glider, recliner. I just can't believe I sat in the chair in the salesroom and fit in it but the ones we ordered and were delivered to our house are too high off the ground and my feet are 4 inches off the ground. Very uncomfortable and the furniture store owner saw it for himself. I haven't insisted on the store taking the chairs back yet because I am trying to keep my options open. I know they were custom ordered so I might be stuck with them. I thought the store owner would have tried a little bit harder for me as we are repeat customers and bought a Pennsylvania House dining room table and chairs with a nice hutch a couple of years ago from him. When we ordered these chairs we also ordered a Bradington Young leather sofa and a leather reclining chair with ottoman which are beautiful.

  • mary_ruth
    11 years ago

    I would return them while you have a chance of getting a solution. The longer they make you wait, the more time passes and the chance of getting a resolution is smaller.

    I would not keep those chairs in my house if I was not happy with them. It is your money that is in their hands and they do not want to give any of it back, they want to 'move on'. But don't give up and get them to take possession of the chairs and issue you 'on paper' what is what and what is going to happen, signed by somebody important at that furniture store. Dealing with them is the way to go, not sneaking in to try a chair, be up front and be proud to be a customer of theirs, and ask for what you want calmly. But whatever you do, do it SOON.

  • jennifer_in_kansas
    11 years ago

    Return them.

    They aren't what you ordered and even after their "fix" they will not be what you wanted.

    They should refund the full amount to your credit card. This isn't a mistake you made and shouldn't end up being a mistake you live with.

    Jennifer

  • annzgw
    11 years ago

    If you check my link above, I believe you have the #7411. I also think Bananafana is correct in her assessment that you sat in a 'petite' chair and B-Y may no longer make it.

    At this point, I think you should call the store and tell them to come get the chairs. Since you've been a reliable customer, in addition to paying cash, they should be bending over backward to keep you happy.

  • suetx
    11 years ago

    I purchased a recliner from Bradington Young several years ago. Within a few months the leather under the seat cushion began to pull away from the frame. The local store where I purchased the chair came out to repair it twice. Since the fabric was cut too short, they were unable to fix the problem long term. Told me to live with it, that is how things are made now! I fired off a letter to the president of Bradington Young and within a few days received a call from them. They had the store pick up the chair and ship it back to them. Within a couple of weeks I had my chair back in perfect condition. Please let Bradington Young know what is going on. Guess you have to write them, but it worked great for me. You shouldn't have to live with your chairs or pay a restocking fee in the instance.

  • louisianalover
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Spoke to owner of store. He said he can not take the chairs back because of upholstery laws or something like that. He said he could lose his license. He said he spoke to the president of Bradington-Young and they agreed to ship the wall-hugger mechanism to me for free just to see if it would work or not. The owner of the furniture store said he wants me to be a happy customer but in the next breath says that it is a problem for him to have the chairs picked up and taken somewhere to have the mechanism changed out. It is a little to much for his guys. Then he said he would probably have to pay the freight charges to have the mechanism shipped back. I guess he is talking about the one that would be swapped out. He basically said he can't help it if Bradington-Young tweaks and changes their designs. So if we try to swap out the swivel, glider, recliner mechanism for a wall-hugger mechanism the chair will lose the ability to swivel or glide. I could live with that but the problem is no one can tell me how much lower the chair will sit. I said I didn't want to spend any more money on these chairs. He kinda got upset with me and said he got the President of BY to send one mechanism out to me for free which is more than he offered last week. The mechanism is $175 plus getting someone to switch the mechanisms out. Has anyone else encountered the upholstery law issue before?

  • annzgw
    11 years ago

    I would do as Suetx did and contact BY. Mail them a letter via snail mail and email and let the store know you won't make a decision until you get a response from BY. In the meantime I'd have him pick up the chairs.
    As for the 'upholstery law', I'm sure he has an outlet where he can sell used furniture.

    I seriously doubt the the furniture store would incur return freight charges since most manufacturers don't want used items mailed back to them. It usually costs them more to process the return than the item is worth.
    Does your paperwork state what their return policies are? At this point, I would be so upset I'd tell him he could try the 'free' mechanism if he wants to (at his cost) but if they don't sit like the one he supposedly sold you that you won't be keeping them.

    I really don't think BY would be very happy with what's happening..........

  • momfromthenorth
    11 years ago

    Interesting thread. I won't be buying anything made by BY after reading all of this. That's crazy. You would think that they would be bending over backwards to make their customers happy...aren't we coming out of a recession?

  • Happyladi
    11 years ago

    He's just giving you the run around. He doesn't want to take them back. The fact is, they aren't what you ordered. You told them you wanted the chair on their floor and that's not what they sold you. It sounds like they didn't know what the floor model was. That's not your fault.

    Have you gotten insistent? It's really too bad you paid cash.