ASHLEY FURNITURE HOMESTORE

Description of Work: Ordered furniture on July 2, 2011 and put down a debit card down-payment. Salesman was shady and evasive but we'd had a good experience years earlier with this company so ignored it. Salesman said they'd call for delivery. 2 weeks later I call for delivery estimate and told they have no idea where the furniture is and to call in 2 weeks. Called 8/1 and told furniture still at warehouse in Mississippi and it would be at least another week and a half or more for delivery. Next day called and cancelled order because I didn't have a good feeling about it and didn't appreciate the runaround. Was told during this phone call that the owner of this "independently run franchise" (their words) had run off with "receipts, machines, etc" and new people had come in to try and take care of things. I said I wanted a refund and they refused saying it wasn't their responsibility, I'd have to go to my bank or credit card and work that out. They said I could wait and see if I eventually get my furniture but I said no, and demanded a refund, refused again. Today we called their corporate headquarters in Wisconsin after seeing a TV reporter on Channel 9 news saying 800 or more customers were affected with the same experience as I was. The corporate offices claimed no affiliation and said they won't be doing anything even though they admitted to making a profit from this store as it sells their furniture and it has their name on it. I was stunned and disgusted. I reported them to BBB, Florida's Attorney General and am still reporting to various places. The Attorney General said they have been informed and are dealing with corporate offices to try and get all customers taken care of. Right now I'm dealing with the so-called "financing" of the furniture that Ashley signed me up with when I ordered the furniture (GE Financing) and they said I have to file a dispute and in the meantime they haven't heard about this and will do nothing until they investigate so I'm stuck trying to clean things up and get a refund from the bank.

Description of Work: Shopping for new living room furniture, and went to this store as the ad in the paper stated any sofa for $299.