Poor service

I purchased a Minka Lavery Carrara Collection Nine Light Chandelier (10204) along with another matching light last January. The problem started because I needed additional chain because I have a two-story room in which I am hanging it. Total order was about $800. I also have a "rain man" outdoor light from Minka bought from Fan Diego that is great and when there was a short in the remote control, it was taken care of immediately. Let's review some of the problems with Minka/Lamps Plus:

1) I ordered the additional length of chain, but only received part of it. When I did receive it, it was not matching the chain that came originally with the chandelier. February 2007

2) After several emails to Internet Customer Service (oxymoron) with no response, I recieved an email from Mr Walia at the Oceanside store as part of the normal mass e-mails of sales. I explained to him my problem and he ordered some more chain. This is now July. It was the wrong color.

3) Mr. Walia then took chain from his store that matched the color (but was the smaller diameter chain) and added it to what I had so at least i could put up the chandellier. He also stated that there was no thicker chain available and that the thinner chain would work fine under the weight of the light. With this he took my original "heavy" chain so that it would all match.

4) I went home and started to put up the light again and was wondering if the diameter of chain was true. I called Minka direct (Rashida) he said they had a larger diameter chain, gave me the correct SKU number and a contact Shawn at Lamps Plus to order it.

5) Ordered the chain which was much more expensive that I originally paid but at least it would match the heavy chain originally recieved with the light - September.

6) Several back orders later, I received the chain. Not nearly as thick as the chain that originally came with the lamp, but they also sent me an additional 6 foot? - November!

7) During these delays, I misplaced the ring that atteched the chain to the outlet. I offered to buy a new one, since it was my fault, but Customer service did not charge me and sent me a new one when they saw all the delays. When I just went to put up the light, the ring is for the small light, not the chandelier. So I used a smaller outlet cover than it came with originally. December 2007

I have put up the light. I used the "medium" diameter chain and the smaller outlet cover plate. I'm done.

This has been a travesty of incompetence:

I Paid $4.95 a foot for diameter chain that is barely thicker than the "thin" chain and not nearly as thick as what came originally.

Pal in Oceanside could not resolve the problem, but he tried. Internet Customer Service never responded to my e-mails though I tried at least twice.

This problem started in February of 2007. It is still not correct, but I am finished with trying to fix this. These weren't terribly large problems, but these were not inexpensive lights bought at Home Depot, these were expensive items. I have spent nearly $1,500 on Minka product that looks good, but I have been subjected to extremely poor follow up and Customer Service.

I have to rent a 16 foot step ladder at $35 a day to work on this. Instead of doing it just once, I've rented it three times, the LAST time being today.

10 months to get this far, and really, It still isn't right.

But If I ran either Minka or Lamps Plus, I'd like to know about this problem, so that is why I am sending this e-mail. My original order was 850SMIT1152007154231.

This is most of the problems, there were a few more, but I do not want to dedicate more time to this. I would expect an e-mail response from Lamps Plus and Minka, but due to teh history, I may be too optimistic.

Tom Smith

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Minka Lavery and it's host of retail sales outlets combine to make up the WORST customer service available from any one manufacturer on the Planet!

Never do business with Minka. They must die!