On April 26,2022, I saw National Floors Direct advertisement from a website. I called and asked for an estimate. The next day, a salesperson, Michael Panagakos came to our house. After the measurement of the attic, he gave me the estimated cost. Of course, it was way too high. I said, I am not going to do the floor with that price. He said, "Wait, wait, wait. Watch what I can do for you!" and he called "Regional Manager" three different times to bring down the price. I told him that my daughter is getting married, and they are moving in June. It was very important for me to get her room ready before their furniture and stuff get delivered on June 1st (her attic is about 850sq with a huge walking closet). Mike then told me about "rush installation". He promised and guaranteed that the installation of new flooring will take one day! Yes, only one day of installation! I was very excited and happy to hear of a one-day installation. Mike said, to proceed with "rush installation" due to my family circumstance, I need to waive my right to cancel the contract. I did that because he promised and guaranteed the installation date, which was set for 5/4/22. During our visit, Mike called his Regional Manager three times and the Manager verified and confirmed that the floor material that I wanted was in stock and ready. Not only Mike promised one day installation, his Regional Manager verified that the warehouse had the product already. So, I waived a 3-day cancellation for faster and quicker installation. So, I signed the contract based entirely on the fact that they were in stock, and the Regional Manager verified/confirmed & assured of the installation date on 5/4/2022. After I signed the waiver and "tap-sign" the electronic contract from his small tablet, Mike then asked for a deposit. I wanted to pay with my credit card. He said they do not accept credit cards. I could only pay with my personal check or bank check. He calculated my deposit amount. I wrote my personal check for $2,679.00. On May 2,2022, just two days before the installation date, I was contacted by National Floors Direct, Kim. She said that the flooring material that I wanted failed an inspection and the new installation date is June 7,2022. I told Kim that there is no way. My daughter is getting married, and I will have to get her room ready before that. I also told her that the only reason I signed the contract was because Mike promised installation by 5/4, not 6/7. Kim told me that I signed the contract, and they are bound by the contract. I tried to explain that she is moving in with her husband and their furniture. There is no way for me to hire movers to move her stuff to storage, and after the floor installation, I will have to hire movers again to move everything from storage to her room. Kim said there is nothing she can do. She emphasized that I signed the contract, and on that contract, the completion date was written as 7/3/22. I said, "What?" Mike was very nice salesperson, but he deceived me to sign the waiver and the contract without any thorough explanation. There was no print-out contract/agreement that I could read before I sign. He only brought a small tablet and he wanted me to "tap to sign" - literally he pointed me to tap here and tap there and that's exactly what I did as I was told. Mike never given me an opportunity to review the contract. I just did what he asked me to do. While I tapped the table screen, he said he will email me a copy for me to review. If Mike mentioned anything about possibility of getting delayed beyond 5/4 or 5/9, I would not have gone with this company because I just could not take any chances due to my daughter's wedding. Mike never mentioned anything about the completion date 7/3/2022. I told Kim that we can't do her room on 6/7 and certainly no way in 7/3. I requested her to refund our deposit. When I tried to dispute this, Kim said that National Floors Direct does not give refunds under any circumstances because I signed the waiver to cancel and the contract. I was manipulated by their deceptive marketing tactics, and they already cashed my deposit of $2,679.00 on 4/28/2022. National Floors Direct cashed my check real fast. I am so stressed out because now I am trapped! I repeatedly asked Kim that I cannot wait until 6/7 and that I was deceived by their sales rep. I asked her to return my money back. She firmly said, "No." Her company does not give refund. I was getting upset. I asked to speak with a manager, and she said she is the manager. So, I asked for "Regional Manager", Kim said the Regional Manager does not talk to customers, but only with them. I asked for the owner. Kim said that the owner does not talk to customers either. When I asked for refund because they did not keep their promises, the phone call ended without any solution. Next day, 5/4/22, Alexis called, and she and I spoke about an hour. She was even worse than Kim. She kept refer to the signed contract. She said that she is legally bound by the contract, and she cannot issue me a refund. I told her about her company's false advertisement, misrepresentations by Mike (the sales rep), and their scam business tactics. Also, enticing customers to sign the waiver by guaranteeing "rush installation" is another huge false advertisement. I told Alexis that Mike is her employee so either she needs to provide better training to her employees or train salespersons to tell customers the truth! Again, if Mike mentioned anything about possibility of getting delayed to June or July, I would never sign the waiver of 3-day cancellation and the contract. I told Alexis that all these prove their clear intention to hide the truth from customers and trap/force customers to install their products. Alexis raised her voice and interrupted me so many times to a point that I just want to cry. She yelled at me and said, "It is your responsibility to review the contract before you sign!" I paused little bit to breathe. I said, "Mike had a small tablet. He literally pointed lines and told me to tap. He never asked me if I want to review it." At this time, Alexis was screaming on the other line and did not let me finish. She said, "You signed the contract, and it is your responsibility to review, not the sales rep." They refused to return my deposit back. She threatened me that the installation date is now 6/7/22 and if I do not let them do the work then my deposit will be forfeited and I will have to pay 30% of restocking fee, contract cancelation fee, and other fees. She was extremely rude. The worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life! Alexis said that I will have to give the installers the remaining balance of $6,000 BEFORE they start the work. She was very rude and condescending. If I do not pay them first, they will not start. I said, "How can I trust you or them that they will produce a good work when they receive the payment first?" Usually, we pay the balance AFTER work is done." She yelled again, "That's it. I am done talking to you. We are not getting anywhere. I am going to send you a copy of your contract. You need to review it and make sure you understand. After you are done with reviewing your contract, you can call me." Then she hung up on me.
Kim and Alexis had really bad attitude, and they have caused so much stress. I am already going through so much stress because of my daughter's wedding plans, but National Floors Direct causes anxiety and nervous breakdown. On 5/5/22, another manager named Marylyn called and we spoke about 45minutes. I told her about how National Floors Direct lied about "rush installation" "guarantee" of great work, I asked her to give my money back. She said, "No". Her company does not give refunds. She then compared it to Amazon purchase. Customers pay Amazon in advance before they receive their orders. The National Floors Direct is like that and she tried to convince me that they did not do anything wrong. While I was disputing with her, she yelled and screamed so I had to tell her stop screaming and yelling at me. Terrible! She said, "Are you going to give your life away because it is on the contract? You don't ever never sign contract without reviewing it first. You failed to review it, so it is your fault. Your new installation date is 6/7." I told her we can't install the new floor on 6/7 and pleaded her to give my deposit back. She yelled even more and said, "If you don't want it, you can cancel the job!" I said, "No I am not canceling anything. All I am saying is because of my daughter's wedding and their move in date, I can't do the floor on 6/7. If you can get it done by the 3rd week of May, I am okay with it." She threatened me by saying, "I am recording our conversation, and if you don't want the job, you can cancel it. You are responsible for 30% of restocking fee, cancelation fee, contract fee, and of course, you are not getting your deposit back!" It is not right for them to call me just two days before the installation day to tell me something went wrong with materials and that the products failed an inspection. I told her it is not right for them to trap customers by deceiving them to give away their rights to cancel and force them to do business with them. Marylyn didn't care. When I told her I trusted everything that the sales rep, Mike and his Regional Manager said. She said, "I don't care what they said! You are the one signed the contract. No one pushed you to waive your rights away and no one forced you to sign the contract. It was your choice! It's your fault for not reading it!" She was horrible. Marylyn had no respect for customers! I asked to speak with the sales rep and the Regional Manager for verification. Marylyn said she called him few times already, but he did not pick up the phone. So, I asked for his number. She said if I have an issue, I should talk to her, not Mike. When I asked her to ask Mike to call me, she firmly said, "No!" What a horrible company with terrible customer service! I spoke with people named Kim, Alexis, and Marylyn. They were very rude and treated me, their customer, as a second-class citizen. Alexis and Marylyn would not stop talking and when I tried to talk, she interrupted me so many times. All three of them have threatened, intimidated, and bullied me that I am going through so much emotional distress, anxiety, nervous breakdown, and stress. Please help. There are so many victims like me. Please help so I could get my deposit back. All three of them called me from *******800. Their office is in NY. I asked for their physical address. Marylyn said they do not give out address to customers and they do not let me speak with the sales rep, Regional Manager, and other upper management people. Everything is so hidden with them. National Floors Direct took my deposit of $2,679.00 I demand a full refund!