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TMCNet:  The Orlando Sentinel, Fla., Greg Dawson column: After a very chilly start, seller warms up to refrigerator trade

[August 14, 2008]

The Orlando Sentinel, Fla., Greg Dawson column: After a very chilly start, seller warms up to refrigerator trade

(Orlando Sentinel, The (FL) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aug. 14--Dear Greg: I purchased from hhgregg a dishwasher, microwave, stove/oven and refrigerator as part of a total kitchen renovation. I chose hhgregg because it's new in the area, and I wanted to do my part to support a new business. I did not go into the store with exact measurements for the refrigerator, but the department manager told me he had just bought a 20-cubic-foot model and it was plenty big! The day it was installed, I noticed the door was extremely difficult to open. When you hold the left door handle and pull open the right door, the whole appliance moves forward and everything in the fridge shakes. Also, there is not plenty of room as the manager assured me. The freezer cannot even hold a pizza. I have two college students, and it needs to hold pizza! I went back to the store and talked to the appliance manager and then the general manager. I was willing to exchange, even pay a restocking fee. No one would help me. I left the store crying -- and it takes a lot to make me cry! Shame on them. A few days later I appealed to the regional manager, and he also refused to let me return the refrigerator.

SUSAN HERRING

ORLANDO\

Dear Susan: Those managers seem to be hard of Herring when it comes to customer service. Very disappointing for the new kid in town. You only get one chance to make a good first impression. I contacted hhgregg headquarters in Indianapolis and like what I'm herring, er, hearing from VP of marketing Jeff Pearson. "Our divisional vice president, Dan Turner, has been in touch with Susan. We have come to an agreement as to how the exchange should happen, and I believe Susan is pleased with the outcome." I trust you're now enjoying a bigger freezer and pizza mind.

Dear Greg: I'm sending you photos of a power pole near my house that has a broken guy wire. I'm afraid that if we have a violent storm, like a hurricane, the pole could be blown over, possibly onto my home. I was sure the pole belonged to Progress Energy, so I contacted the company online and got an answer that the pole isn't theirs. At the suggestion of Progress, I e-mailed Bright House but got the same answer: not our pole. It sure looks like a power pole to me! In fact, a Bright House service tech told us they lease space on the pole from Progress.

TED JAPHET

ORLANDO\

Dear Ted: You have to lease that space? That will be news to the people advertising miracle diet plans and quality day care on power poles around Orlando. But I digress. Here is the good news from Progress spokesman C.J. Drake: "The pole is ours, but the cable in question is not our responsibility to maintain. However, we assigned a crew to examine it and they fixed it anyway." Might as well -- they were there. P.S. What's the difference between a guy wire and a gal wire?

Dear Greg: Well, I think I have discovered why I've been strung along for months by Scooter ATV Warehouse and not received replacements parts for my scooter, despite your efforts. It looks like Bill (the owner) is getting out of the business. I just found an ad on Craigslist offering the place for sale. It says, "Established scooter shop in Kissimmee area 3 years. 6-figure gross in last 6 months. MUST sell due to moving out of area." Looks like I will never get those replacements.

DONNIE VIVIER

ORLANDO\

Dear Donnie: I'd be scooting out of the area too if I failed to deliver parts to a customer for more than six months. Maybe a "replacement" owner can turn around the business and deliver your parts. I hope Bill appreciates the free advertising on Gregslist.

Getting the runaround? E-mail Greg at gdawson@orlandosentinel.com; or call 407-420-5618; or write to Greg Dawson, Orlando Sentinel, 633 N. Orange Ave., MP-218, Orlando, FL 32801. Greg doesn't mean to be rude, but due to volume he can't answer most calls and letters. See Greg on The Daily Buzz at 10:20 a.m. Mondays on WRDQ-Channel 27 and read his blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/ consumer file.

To see more of The Orlando Sentinel or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.OrlandoSentinel.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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