We bought the wrong mattress. 

In April I wrote about buying a mattress.  We came home with a latex mattress hearing only good things about them and decided to give it a try.  The, now we know, new employee seemed to lead us in that direction saying we would be covered by a comfort exchange if we didn't like it.  So we bought it. 

Well I didn't think we'd have a problem.   We've slept all over the country in many motels over the years with very little complaints.  I thought I could sleep on anything.  I was wrong. 

Well it only took a week to realize this is not going to work.  I could not get comfortable.  I tossed and turned and many nights got up to sleep in the guest bedroom, preferring my old bed.  

Is it the pillowtop?  Is it the latex?  Is it because it's a softer bed?  I don't know.   But my back is telling me it's a no go.

So we went back within a week of purchasing and the employee said we'd have to pay an extra $350 to exchange for another.  $350?  What?  For just having this mattress for a week? 

So we called the owner.  The owner was short with my husband over the phone.  The news got worse.  He said this particular bed was not covered by the comfort exchange at all.  We told him that's not what his empoyee told us at the time of purchase.  We never would have bought it with no recourse.  So he said he'd call the employee and get back to us. 

An hour later, Mike, the employee called and apologized.  He said he made an error.  He didn't know this particular brand was not covered as he was fairly new to the company but the boss, George, would honor the comfort exchange because we were told otherwise.  Mike said he told the boss we were very nice people and didn't hollar or anything.  We were glad that we kept our composure hearing this. 

So knowing we were under the 60 day comfort exchange policy I decided to keep at it for a few more weeks to see if I could get accustomed.  Some nights I did ok and other nights it was getting up after being restless.  When we went to VA and Chicago I slept very nicely in the hotels and felt great.  I dreaded going back home to sleep.  So I knew we had to exchange this mattress. 

So after another week or so we went back to the store to exchange.  We were met by what we found out to be a part owner whose name was Simon.  I figured out real quick he was a Christian and we had a nice conversation before settling on another mattress.  We explained the situation and he helped us buy another bed for only $100 plus tax more. We agreed on keeping the box spring we had and just exchange the mattress.  Sounded reasonable.  So we thought that wasn't too bad.  We were relieved it was over with. 

Until we got home later that afternoon and got a call from Simon.  He said he talked to George and George said we could not exchange this mattress.  He told Simon he thought he made himself clear to us.  I explained to Simon that Mike the empoyee called us and said otherwise after talking with George.  Simon didn't know what to say other than to say he was canceling our charge we had made earlier that day.

So we talked with a friend that night and he brought up the fact  that when we signed the charge slip it was a binding contract and they had no choice but to honor it.  They could not get out of it like this. 

We got home late that night and had a message on the machine from Simon again.  It seems as though George had a change of heart and for us to come to the store the next day. 

So we did.  Yesterday after church we went in.  Simon explained Goerge got us mixed up with another customer.  So we're not the only ones it seems.  Anyhow the deal is we'd have to pay an original extra $350 totally replacing both box spring and mattress and they would waive the delivery charge of $50.  Still not happy with this whole thing we told Simon we were legally in the right to force them to honor that charge from the day before for $100. 

He was quiet, not knowing what to say.  We told him we would not press the issue because we just aren't like that and we'd pay the extra money but was really not happy about how this whole thing was handled.   He handed us a credit slip to sign off on the $100 and made a new bill for $350 plus tax which was almost $400 extra just to exchange a mattress.  So we actually paid over $1100 for  a regular no frills mattress we could have probably got for about $699 originally.   We let him know we did not have to sign off but would do so to our loss.   I think he was relieved when we signed the slip. 

After all was said and done, Simon, shaking his head, commented on the fact that we were very sweet about all this not yelling and screaming even though we made it obvious we were not happy campers.  We told him it would do no good to rant and rave and that we were, as Christians, believers in the whole sowing and reaping principle and that George as the business owner should be worried. 

Simon completely undersood and as only a quarter owner (interesting)  felt helpless.  He  definitely was on our side and was hoping that George would change his mind and be more reasonable.  He said business hadn't been very good (no kidding!) and that was part of it.   He also understood that we could not reccomend their company to others and felt helpless in being able to make it otherwise. 

So all in all this comfort exchange was anything but a comfort exchange and I've learned alot in the process.  I think Simon has as well.