Oreck of Arlington

20-Dec-12
Tim S

I will never use this Oreck store again. One star is too many.

In 2008, I paid more than $750 at this store for an Oreck XL2100, then the top-of-the-line model on offer. With it came numerous years of free tune-ups. Over the past four years, the vacuum has been excellent, and I even recently purchased another Oreck as a gift. A few weeks ago, I returned to the store to avail myself of my first free tune-up. I did not need it prior to this year, as the vacuum has been so powerful.

When I arrived at the store, I checked the vacuum in, and was told that I might want a new beater bar (the portion of the vacuum with the bristles). I inquired after the price, and was told that it would be in excess of $40. I politely explained that I would just go with the free tune-up, replacing the beater bar upon my next visit.

Yesterday, I arrived to pick up my vacuum. When I presented my identification tag, I was told that the price was $42.50, and further told that my beater bar had been replaced. I explained that a mistake must have been made, and that I had specifically indicated that I would wait to replace the beater bar until the next visit. The clerk insisted that I pay the $42.50, and when I refused, he became irate, loud, and said, Well you're not getting your vacuum back! He told me that I would have to wait longer, and did not indicate what he would do with it. Astonished, I inquired if this is how a good customer should be treated, and that my review would not be favorable. He yelled that he did not care.

So my $750+ vacuum from this store -- with what I found to be an aggressive, irate staff -- is being held without any indication of how the situation will be resolved. I am left wondering if the free service is merely a trojan horse for billing customers for unrequested services. I do not believe that this manner of treating customers is the way to do business, and offer my lowest recommendation.