I had a horrible experience at the Chicago West Elm store on North Avenue. Buyers beware--do not buy anything off of a clearance shelf at this store ever ever ever!!!! And do not buy anything that you might want to return to this store. I purchased six metal candlesticks off of a clearance shelf. They were slightly damaged (scratched and dented in a few places which is why I thought they were on the clearance shelf and marked down). I took the candlesticks home and put them on my dining room table and put candles on them. I lit the candles once to see what they looked like. Other than that, I did not use the candlesticks. I decided that the candlesticks looked bad and I returned them to the store about ten days after I purchased them. The manager of the store would not give me a refund because his words ""I returned the candlestick damaged and they obviously had been used"". He said that he would have to throw them away. Except for a bit of wax on two of the candle holders that easily brushed off, I returned the candlesticks in the same condition that I found them in the store. The mistake that I made in returning the candlesticks was that I did not wrap them in paper before returning them. I returned them in a paper bag and they assumed that this is what damaged the candlesticks. It was not. I did not want to take the candlesticks back into my house so I left them in the store. So now, I have paid $60 for nothing. I cannot believe the bad bad bad customer service and lack of relationship or care. (looking on yelp - others have experienced horrible customer service in this store too). I feel as though West Elm stole $60 from me. I will never go back to this store. I would at least like a store credit for the $60. I have the receipt.
more