Problems with Nick Scali Furniture 2022 onward

I can’t fathom why Nick Scali has not been featured yet on A Current Affair or hit the press for consumer ethics violations. I wish I’d never bought from this company. Nothing but hassles, phone calls, going round in circles, mistakes, delays. While they have a good product, the customer service experience just doesn’t warrant buying it.

The latest issue is getting a refund owed to me in November 2021 from Nick Scali O’Connor (WA) for a mirror I purchased and paid in full on the day ($690), only to be called some weeks later and told that although the warehouse had one in stock in WA, it could not be delivered and therefore my order could not be completed. The only option I was offered was to wait for another one to arrive on a shipment in May 2022. I declined and insisted on a refund. The store manager, Louis, agreed that a 6 month wait was unacceptable and confirmed a refund would be processed. That was confirmed via email with paperwork. It’s now 27 January - still no refund. I’ve called O’Connor - it goes to the Nick Scali central number. I drove to the store in person last week - got given a business card of the store manager and told to call him directly - the tel number on the card goes to the Nick Scali central number. So I spoke to the lady at the central number today, who referred me back to the O’Connor accounts dept and transferred me to that dept, only to get a voicemail saying ‘no one can answer your call right now, leave a message’. This is a joke, right?

This is the latest in a long list of ‘issues’ I’ve had with Nick Scali over October, November and December 2021, including promises items were in stock at the WA warehouse only to be told they got sold to someone else who wanted it quicker than me and now I’d have to wait for another shipment - or worse, they would try to get my items taken off another customer who wanted it delivered later than me and make them wait (!!!), a drunken sales assistant at the Midland store (at 10am in the morning!), missing items in deliveries, promises of call backs that don’t come, zero follow up, etc etc etc.

I strongly advise anyone buying from Nick Scali to reconsider. The sales people wipe their hands off you once the deposit is paid and sales transaction is on the books; if you call them with a question or issue, they refer you to the warehouse, the service centre, accounts, or the hotline claiming “I don’t deal with questions or issues, all I do is sell the stuff”. It’s an operation where the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. It’s that bad. Yet you, the customer, who has likely paid thousands upon thousands (as I have done) is stuck in the middle just trying to get some decent customer service.

AVOID THIS COMPANY. THEY ARE NOT WORTH YOUR TIME OR EFFORT.

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Welcome to the Community @Yvonne68,

Nick Scali Furniture has a bit of history first posted in this now closed topic

You might best read about your rights under the Australian Consumer Law as well as Choice advice on same. You will find many links to it on the Community regarding how to proceed in addition to the brief references in prior posts here by using the Community search tool.

If you are not ‘going formal’ in writing/email, following the Letter of Complaint process, you are engaging in idle chit chat not getting your problem resolved.

Please update how you go once you do that, and please post back if you need specific guidance.

It is always best to perform due diligence on companies before rather than after becoming a customer but it is not easy to separate the good from the bad from the questionable. For example if you check Productreview’s web site for anecdotal reviews it appears to be an overwhelmingly good experience all around, but there are many unhappy reviews also. One needs to read between the lines on all reviews not always take them at face value. There is another topic that might be interesting for you, not suggesting those glowing ones mentioned are anything but the real opinions of those who posted them.

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I have a problem still going since November 2021, although i first paid a deposit on the item back in April 21.

The item is over $3000 worth and does not work as described. Nick Scali have attempted to repair it twice, but it is still faulty. I have lodged a formal complaint requesting both repair and refund due to being sold a faulty product and am getting no where on either.

Nick Scali service is lacking any level of responsibility and accountability and, in my last interaction, tried to turn it on me as the consumer that I have unrealistic expectations to seek a refund for a faulty purchase. I will be lodging a complaint through state fair trading, ACCC and so forth. I am posting this to see how others have gone if they have similar experiences and what was the catalyst for resolution?

I am devasted about this, as alot of money went towards this product and it is a constant cause of stress, coupled with Nick Scali now taking the stance that the product works (it doesnt) and is suggesting I am in the wrong. There appears to be no ability to escalate or reach an outcome without long wait times and broken promises. I should add, everything so far is driven by me (the customer) through follow up, reminders and so forth.

I am a reasonable person, but i know Nick Scali is taking me for a ride. Thanks for any thoughts.

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Was that in the form of an ACL ‘Letter of Complaint’ including writing it as if you were a silk arguing in front of a magistrate? That is more formal than using Nick Scali (or any business’s) complaint procedure.

If you have done that the ACCC will file your complaint at best, your Fair Trading may or may not be helpful (they have little power beyond jawboning in the end), so you need to create a dossier of communications and written exchanges to take to your state CAT, and be prepared to do that.

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5 posts were merged into an existing topic: Plush Furniture After Sales Service

OMG thank you some one else who has the same issues that we have had from Nick Scarli. We were patient in waiting from 5/8/2021 to 24/3/2022 for our lounge. When it arrived it was damaged and the recliner motors didn’t work. We the had to wait for nearly 3 months, 30 odd emails and phone calls to get it fixed and a refund for the material damage. They were rude, didn’t return calls, told lies about what was happening. I will never buy from them again. I would love to see an investigation into their service and customer care. We were treated so badly.

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Welcome to the Community @shelly30

I moved your post from a topic about Plush (apparently now another Nick Scali company) to the existing one about Nick Scali Furniture.

One lesson to this and other sagas is to search reviews prior to buying rather than relying on a company’s slick advertising, as well as filtering/assessing reviews for veracity or otherwise.

It is good you got a resolution. If I could ask, what was the ‘material damage’? Did you come out ‘whole’, meaning all problems were resolved to your satisfaction? If not, you might be well served to read about your rights under the Australian Consumer Law and deliver a formal Letter of Complaint to your local Nick Scali manager. There is information on the Community regarding both.

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Yes Nick Scali acquired Plush Think Sofas 1/11/21.

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Sounds like mirror image of our issues with King Living - we are yet to receive our replacement Nick Scali lounge and must say getting a bit worried we might get de ja vue experience with them

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You may have changed frying pans so to speak. If you feel like Nick Scali is doing you, do not hesitate to write a Letter of Complaint.

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This related post deserves cross-linking

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If trying to deal with Nick Scali from my experience become familiar with the Small Claims process at the court in your area. Otherwise the tactic seems to be to agree to refund you…as this disables consumer assistance from government, and then to stretch the refund process as long as possible. Just take legal action and dont wait them out.

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Hi me and my wife are banned from Nick Scali store after spending $5000 on a couch, the store manager called security on us for requesting a refund, I need help to pursue Nick Scali legally can any one help me? The couch is not yet delivered

Welcome to the Community @Sumerpavel

I moved your post into this existing one about Nick Scali Furniture that covers products and service.

Your post leaves much unwritten about the situation causing your ejection from the shop but that is not for here.

The Australian Consumer Law stipulates when a consumer can get a refund based on the product not meeting various criteria. As your couch was not yet delivered none of them would apply and your request would be based on what is called change of mind.

Change of mind refunds are at the behest of the seller and you need to read the terms and conditions of the sale to which you agreed, usually on the back of the sales order.

You would need to get legal advice to pursue it and that is beyond the scope of the Community whether regarding your ejection from the shop or the refund.

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Why did you request the refund before the couch was delivered?

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Hi @Sumerpavel. welcome to the community.

Asking for a refund after something is purchased and before it is delivered would be classed as a change in mind. Change in mind sits outside the Australian Consumer Law and can be set by the retailer. Nick Scali has a change in mind or cooling off type conditions of sale, namely…

Order Variation and Cancellation

  • Orders may be varied or cancelled within 3 days from the date of order. A cancellation fee of $45 will apply.
  • Orders may not be varied after 3 days from the date of order.
  • Cancellation of order after 3 days from the date of order will forfeit all deposit monies paid and will incur a cancellation fee of $45.

If you tried to cancel your purchase outside the 3 day window, then you will be required to proceed with the purchase you have made UNLESS…Nick Scali can’t deliver your purchase with a reasonable time. A reasonable time would be that advised at purchase with some additional leeway for reasonable delays. Furniture can take many months to deliver as often it is made after order is placed and confirmed. If your furniture can’t be delivered in a reasonable time, then under the Australian Consumer Law you may have grounds to ask for a refund.

If you have changed your mind or after purchase found you need to money for something unforeseen, then there won’t be much you can do. An option is after taking the receipt of the furniture is try selling it second hand. Selling second hand will mean you will have to accept a considerable loss on the purchase price if you are lucky enough to get a sale.

If Nick Scali staff called security there must have been some sort of altercation. When dealing with anyone else, it is extremely important to be rational, respectful, clear in communication and unemotional. One has to remember that employees of business are not paid to deal with customers who aren’t rational, clear in communication and unemotional when in store.

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Hi we purchased a 9 piece ceramic table, with delivery and installation was just under $4,500.

The guys on the day were great, set the table up exactly where we wanted it set.

After my wife and were using the other end of the table for approx 2 months we decided to change ends.

When I was moving my place mat, a tiny shard of glass entered my finger, this was of no concern, however upon close inspection we found that the table had a minor crack over half the width of the table.
I contacted Nick Scali the following day and was informed by an extremely polite man that because we did NOT pick up the damage sooner i.e. within six days of delivery, that there would be no way that we would be compensated for the repairs. And worst of all he accused us of moving the table, now this table weighs almost 170kg so that is the reason we had it delivered and installed in the first place.

With numerous phone conversations back and forth with Nick Scali, we were eventually told that they would send a technical assessor.

When he arrived he found the crack and agreed that this was most likely done prior to arrival or being installed, he told us that his report would suggest a replacement top.

Again the phone calls started and the end result on there part stated that we could have the table top replaced!
To me that is them accepting responsibility, but then came the kicker !!! It will cost you another $600 .

I do not see how this is our problem and I refuse to accept the consequences.
I will however be taking this further, having already contacted Fair trade and ACCC.
Lets see what they come up with.
But I won’t be holding my breath.

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I am sitting at home having taken a day off work waiting for my couch due to be delivered today only to find out they changed the day to 7 days from now without telling me.
I live 4 kms from the shop but have to pay for delivery and now it’s also going to cost me 2 days wages with no guarantee that the couch will be delivered then either.
They sell a reasonable product BUT this is the second time i’ve had issues with them.
You cannot contact them, only a call centre. You cannot speak to the delivery company
You cannot…when they don’t turn up, go to the warehouse and pick up your furniture.
BUT they can mess you around from breakfast to supper time anytime apparently as they don’t care they already have your money.
The service is rubbish. Even trying to pay the deposit needed a call to, yes the call centre as you cannot ring the shop ! because they tell you how to pay assuming that is how you want to pay.
There are many shops selling the same sort of furniture. From the other reviews on many many sites it is clear you should at every turn go somewhere else. Certainly go into their shops and look, find what you like then go somewhere else to buy something similar.
Terrible Customer Service.

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