replacement pool from The Great Escape -Gurnee

We bought our initial pool from Pool-A-Rama in Gurnee now called the Great Escape, in 2001. Upon opening the pool this spring,2006, noticed a problem so we called the store again and asked if the pool could be repaired. Chuck the salesman told me he would pull my information and get back to me. The next day he called and told me that the pool could not be repaired but had to be completely replaced. I told him okay go ahead and I would come in and pay the deposit. I went to the store and gave him the deposit and he didn't have time to explain exactly what he ordered me, I assumed it would be the same pool that he pulled the information from my file. I never gave him any specifics about my pool since he had my record on file. He never got off the phone, but took my money and said goodbye. Two weeks later I got the pool delivered to my home and upon removing it from the boxes I noticed it was not the same quality as the previous pool. We called Chuck again and he said that this was the pool that the company now sells. While the company was installing the pool it appeared that something was not quite right but again Chuck said it was the same that I had. When the pool was up and filled we could tell that the pool was two inches shorter than the original pool and again when I questioned Chuck he said he tried to save me money and this was the pool. Unfortunately, the replacement was to fit in a custom deck that reached the top of the original pool and with the deck now sitting two inches above the new pool it was not safe to use the pool deck, so we had to shore up the deck all around the pool to insure that my family and friends would be safe.

After doing this we noticed that the liner was different colors so when I called the store to complain they said that they would replace the liner so I said well then get me the correct size pool, since I was going to have to empty the pool to replace the liner I would just have them put up the correct sized pool, they told me know way. The manager at the store said it was my problem since I signed the receipt accepting the wrong size pool. How was I to know that the numbers 2152 8500 Series means that this was a 21' 52" pool? My last receipt clearly stated 21' 54" J Track Seville Pool. I called corporate offices and Eddie Bates said that they would agree to get me the correct pool but the manager of the store would call with the details. When I did not hear from him after 4 days I finally called the store and his comment to me was "I would never have given you the correct pool, how did you sweet talk them into doing that?" I ignored this comment. He told me that I needed to contact the installer and work out the details as to date and time. I did so and we thought August would work for everyone's schedule. Ron the manager at the store called me on July 15th and told me I had to have the old pool back to him by July 31st or the whole deal was off. I told him I didn't think that was possible and he said that sounds like my problem not his. We pulled some strings and got everything arranged for the pool to be delivered on July 27th. On July 26th I called the store to pay for the upgraded pool and the manager told me the pool would not be delivered now because my attorney sent them a letter telling the store that they breached the originally warranty by not ordering me a replacement and that they needed to give me more time to install the pool. Ron told me that the deal was off. I yelled and screamed and he agreed to give the pool to only the installer. I had paid for the pool in full but still had nothing.

I was finally able to give them back their old pool and get my new one up but the way the manager and salesclerk handled this whole deal was unbelievable and rude. They made an error and would not accept responsibility. He ordered and sold me the wrong pool and that was the fact. In the past month other people I have spoken to who shopped at this location had similar problems with getting the wrong merch sold to them. It sounds like they are trying to dump overstock regardless if it is the correct item that you need.

Do not buy anything from this location, they are rude and not caring of customer satisfaction.