Nature's Way Dry Cleaning ruined an item of clothing (clearly visible even to the clerk at the location), has refused to reimburse me for that ruined item, has moreover refused to allow me to fill out a damage report, and as of today, ONE MONTH after the incident, has not returned the ruined item to me but has gladly taken my money for the dry cleaning. This experience has been completely unprofessional.
I picked up and paid Nature's Way for dry cleaning on Friday, 9/11/2015. In that order, there was a brand new pair of pants from Banana Republic (purchased just a couple of weeks before in Myrtle Beach, SC), and worn only once. After getting home and going to put the pants away, I noticed how incredibly short they looked-and stained. The pants were shrunk (length, width, all over) at least two sizes down-and they were a ladies size 2 to begin with, so they were shrunk to basically a child's size. In addition, there were discoloration streaks all over the legs. The next business day, I returned them to the location (Eastwood Road) so they could be sent to the manager. The clerk at the location looked at them and remarked on the weird stains all over the legs. I held them up to me and we both laughed. He took the item and said someone would call me the following week. He was friendly and courteous.
By the end of the following week, no one had called. So I stopped into the Eastwood location. The same clerk called the manager (Ann) and she told him the pants weren't shrunk or stained. He questioned her and asked if she could see the stains all over the legs. I asked to speak with her and asked her if I could file a damage report. I told her I paid approximately $45 for the pants and could get a copy of my payment from my credit card statement. She told me the pants "could not be shrunk because there was no buckling in the seams" HOWEVER they would "try to stretch them." (One of many contradictions.) I replied that I doubted you could "stretch them at least two sizes in all directions" to which she replied that I'd have to take them back to Banana Republic and try to get my money back from them because "if they did shrink, it was the manufacturer's fault, not ours." She ended the phone call by saying she would ask the owner (Ron) what he was willing to do.
A week went by, no call.
I called again, and Ann said the owner would offer me "a $45 dry cleaning credit for the pants." Because I have no confidence in their dry cleaning ability, I said "I appreciate the offer and please don't take this personally, but I would prefer if I could fill out a damage report and receive compensation rather than get a dry cleaning credit." And then ... and this is really priceless ... Ann said "since you turned down the credit we are taking the offer away from you and won't be giving you a dry cleaning credit." Huh? Now I'm being punished for having a complaint? After paying the business for their service?
Again, I asked if the owner would call me. She said she'd "give him my phone number."
Another week went by. Not one courtesy call from the manager or the owner.
I called today, October 13 and reached the manager. She told me that since I had mentioned to the clerk at the location "I wonder if they know about reviews on social media?" (very true-I did ask him that) the owner would not talk with me and had (here we go again) "taken away his offer of a dry cleaning credit." But he'd already taken it away previously, right? He's taking it away again? Is this starting to sound ridiculous?
Please note: up until today, I had not reviewed this business anywhere, or made any remarks about them whatsoever on any form of social media. I have given them AMPLE TIME to respond to me in a courteous and professional manner, to acknowledge their mistake and to take the appropriate steps that any reputable dry cleaner would take.
Today, October 13, I asked, "When am I getting my pants back?" To which Ann replied, "If they are shrunk, why do you want them?" To which I answered, "If you won't compensate me for them, and I have already paid you in good faith for the dry cleaning, why are you keeping my item of clothing and not returning it to me?" And then, she says ... "I can offer you a $25 dry cleaning credit now, and return your pants, but not $45 since you refused that and that was a one-time offer." I replied I do not want their dry cleaning credit. What I want is to be fairly compensated for the item they ruined. Apparently that's not going to happen.
As of this afternoon, Nature's Way Dry Cleaners has not returned my ruined pants. The manager said she would "send them over to the location later" and then ... hung up on me. read more