Let me just tell you ...

This is going to be a long one, so make sure you're comfy hah

Patrick and I don't have a dining table set. Most times it doesn't bother me, but sometimes it really does. So I'm always on the lookout for a good deal on a table and chair set.

There's a local furniture outlet going out of business, so we tooled down to it yesterday afternoon. There was one set he really liked, but it came with stools instead of chairs and I didn't want stools. There was another set we both liked, but it wasn't exactly what either of us were looking for.

So we left that store and he suggested we try another one.

This store was up the road, so we headed for it. (be sure to follow that link so y'all will know which one it was because it only gets better from here)

We walked around the store for a bit, but continued to come back to a set right in front of the entrance doors.

The table would have fit and matched our kitchen perfectly. There were 2 types of chairs shown with the table and talked about in the sales flier. He preferred one set, I preferred the other (isn't that how it always happens?!?).

Here's how the sale broke down -

For the table and 4 wooden side chairs (no arms), it was $499.
For the table and 4 parsons chairs (super comfy and nice), it was $599.
You could also get 6 parsons chairs and the table for $698.

About 1/2 an hour into our tour of the store and a couple of chats with a sales associate, we settled on that set. We talked about the chairs a bit, but Patrick pretty much left that choice up to me. I chose the parsons chairs. Then we made the leap and decided to get the 6 chairs and table set.

Because even though neither of us ever intended to spend that much money, 6 chairs and a table for $698 really was a good deal.

Here is the set, shown with the chairs in the display at the store. We wanted the lighter colored chair next to the red one, Mica.

The sales associate went to start the transaction, but came back and said there was a problem. 6 of those chairs and the table kept ringing up to $878. That's when she discovered that those chairs were not included in the sale. It was a different set that was displayed with another table.

Patrick and I saw those chairs early on and commented on how ugly they were. Really. They were a similar style, but were still very different. The material was a bit different and was stapled around the legs and the colors were uber bright. Almost a neon bright.

So the chairs displayed with the sale at the store were not included in the sale. The chairs I absolutely wanted.

The sales woman was very apologetic, but I was still pissed. I couldn't understand why chairs not included in the sale were displayed with the table and why the chairs that were included in the sale were displayed with another table. She offered to let me speak to the manager, something I quickly accepted.

Patrick and I talked about it a bit more, with the sales woman standing there looking all sorts of uncomfortable. We finally settled on the base sales price with the 4 wooden side chairs for $499. So we went from being prepared to shell out $700 to the base sale price. Go them.

But it gets better ...

Before she gets ready to ring up the sale, she gets the manager.

I explained what had happened. I told him that the chairs included in the sale should be displayed with the table so that this wouldn't happen to other customers.

He initially apologized ... and then went on to list what really were excuses. Here they are with my reply in ( ) ...

* The chairs are options available with the set, so they're shown with it (Yes, but they're not included in the sale price and having them with this table will make customers think they are.)

* The part numbers are all listed on the back of the sales sheet. If you had looked at the part numbers, you would have known they weren't the chairs included in the sale. (I don't work here and those numbers are mumbo-jumbo to me. But even your own sales associate didn't know they weren't included, so how could you expect us to know?)

* They won't let me display those chairs with this table. (Ok, so then who do I need to call? Because if they won't let you display the chairs included in the sale with the table, then someone needs to be talked to.) (that was my fave excuse, btw).

At which point he said "I'm sorry I can't help you" and walked away.

Now I'll have you know I didn't curse, stomp around, or even raise my voice (much). I was polite. I didn't call him a single name. And at no point did I ask for anything for free. I didn't even ask for him to give me the chairs in the display at the price shown. I simply told him the proper chairs needed to be shown with the table to keep other customers from being as disappointed as I was. That really was all I wanted.

So after more hemming and hawing, we again settled on the side chairs & table for $499.

We're back to the register with the sales woman and she mentions a $20 delivery surcharge. I ask if we can just pick them up. She said no, that the furniture is in Atlanta and has to be delivered. So I tell Patrick - yeah, I saw the signs about the $20 delivery fee.

No. Not $20 delivery fee. $20 surcharge for gas ON TOP of the delivery fee. Of $59. So the total delivery fee would be $79. A delivery - and this is what really got me - that we had no say in. We didn't have the choice of picking the furniture up and not paying it. We had to have it delivered.

Between the $79 delivery fee and sales tax, the $499 table set was now pushing $700.

I looked at Patrick. Then I looked at the sales woman. And I said "Ok, that's it. I'm done."

And we left. Emptyhanded.

We bitched our way through to another store, where we found some nice things. But it was like I told Patrick - I don't want to buy something in here just to spite the other store (like they'd know or care). If we're going to spend $500, I want to make sure it's what we want.

So we still didn't get anything.

Looking back on it, I think most of that drama could have been avoided had they had the right chairs with the table. That way I would have said "ew" to the proper parsons chairs and my expectations would have been set correctly. And chances are high that I would have happily gone for the wooden side chairs. Because if it had been between the right parsons chairs and the wooden ones from the beginning, I'd have immediately gone for the wooden ones (really - the other ones are so ugly, you can't even find them on their web site).

So that's my story. Since then, we've talked to a few friends who said "I'd have told you to avoid that store if you would have called me first" because of bad experiences they had.

And you better believe I e-mailed their coporate customer service. I don't expect anything to come of it, but maybe just one more complaint about that store will wake some people up.

Today I'm dragging Marty and Alan out for more shopping. There are other furniture stores in and around Knoxville and I have no doubt we'll stumble on a deal with furniture both Patrick and I will be perfectly happy with.

It's just unfortunate that yesterday wasn't it.