ComplaintsforFamily Boating & Marine Centers of Florida, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  03/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered a custom made Cobia grey and white boat cushion in December 2022 from Family Boating Centers at ****************************************. ****, with Family Boating Centers, notified me today that the cushion had arrived, but the cushion was all white and NOT grey and white as I had custom ordered. When I asked **** to issue a refund, since it was not the cushion I ordered, she said They will not issue a refund on the original cushion ordered. It was a custom order. The cushion was created as you requested. The CUSTOM order I requested was for grey and white and NOT all white! Prior to placing the order, **** sent me the invoice that says 2-tone GREY bolster cushion port side. **** and I went back and forth with emails and photos to make sure she ordered the correct cushion this time, since she had incorrectly ordered a similar cushion in October for which I was forced to pay another $375.31! Since she is refusing to issue the refund for $375.31, I can only guess its because she placed the order incorrectly again! I thought I had learned my ****** after the first incorrect order, so I did everything by email including photos to make sure this second order was absolutely correct. Obviously, **** and Family Boating Centers does not understand what a custom order really means! Avoid this boat dealer as their customer service is very poor! Even when the customer is right, the customer is always wrong in their eyes!

  Business response

  04/04/2023

  Please see the attached business response and documentation.

  March 23, 2023

  Better Business Bureau

  2655 ************************

  **********, ** *****

  Re: ********

  To Whom It May ********

  I am not sure what Family Boating Centers (FBC) could have done differently.

  This man is the second owner of this Cobia that is out of warranty.

  ************************ called ******************* (MBG) for an easy Cobia part. **** with MBG gave him our information because he did not want to work with another marine center in the area. Two different orders were fulfilled and drop shipped to him.

  He then reached out to order a starboard bolster. I initially told him to go to a local upholstery company. He wanted an OEM bolster. The order was fulfilled and drop shipped to him.

  UNFORTUNATELY, the man had his bolsters installed wrong. The port bolster was installed on the starboard side and, of course, vice versa. This was not determined until about 8 emails back and forth with him and MBG. I reached out to MBG to get a portside bolster. They no longer have enough cushion material for a full bolster, so they forwarded a bow cushion because according to the pics he sent, his bow cushion was also missing. So, when the bow cushion was received, I reached out to MBG and was told:

  THIS BOAT IS ************************* NOW. SECOND OWNER WE SENT THE **** SIDE PER HIS ORDER. WILL SEND TO FBC UNDER GOODWILL PER TRIPPER

  THIS IS THE **** SEAT CUSHION WE SENT AS GOOD WILL. DO NOT WANT IT BACK BUT DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH IT AT THIS POINT. HE SHOULD HAVE BOTH BOLSTERS BUT HE MAY HAVE 2 STARBOARD.

  Thus, I am at a loss. MBG will not reimburse us for a custom cushion. I told ************************ it was a non-refundable item when he placed the order.

  ALSO, side note: I NEVER told him the cushion was white.. .as stated in the review. I told him I received a bow seat cushion that was also missing from his boat.

  His review is not at all telling the truth. I have included emails back and forth between me, MBG, and ************************ as proof.

  In summation, this man ordered the wrong bolster because his were installed incorrectly by the previous owner. (He blames MBG for not knowing the difference in cushions and should have sent the correct side.)

  At the bottom of the 2nd invoice it clearly states it is a custom order, non-refundable.

  Now, with all this being said, ******, our service manager, reached out and left him 2 voicemails to assist with resolution. ************************ never called back.

  Please reach out if additional information is requested.

  Kindest Regards,

  **********************

  Customer response

  04/11/2023

   
  Complaint: 19596989
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Inaccurate!  See my response.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  04/20/2023

  Attached you will find emails between ************************* (customer), ******************* (employee of ********************************************* (FBC)), and ******************* (MBG).

  Customer ordered the incorrect cushion for his boat.  FBC's Employee created the invoice and once payment was received, placed the order with MBG.  Unfortunate that Customer did not know his cushions were installed incorrectly, however that will never be the fault of MBG nor Employee.  He is the second owner, which means a great deal to MBG.

  MBG's vendor created the cushion that was ordered by Customer.  They ran out of material since this is an older boat. Generally, MBG will not make any cushions for any boat older than 3 years.  They made an exception for Customer. 

  Customer response

  04/28/2023

   
  Complaint: 19596989
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Cushions installed incorrectly has nothing to do with THIS order!   My receipt from Family Boating Center for a 2-Tone Grey bolster cushion PORTSIDE IS CORRECT, so how could I order the incorrect cushion when your receipt to me for a 2-Tone Grey bolster cushion PORTSIDE is absolutely CORRECT???
  
  If Family Boating Centers gave me the 2-Tone Grey bolster cushion PORTSIDE as indicated on THEIR receipt to me, I would be happy!
  
  I NEVER received the 2-Tone Grey bolster cushion PORTSIDE.   Therefore, I should be issued a refund!
  

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  05/05/2023

  We have tried to reach out to the customer multiple times but receive no response. Although item is custom and non refundable we are needing to talk to him directly to see if we can come to a resolution of some kind besides refunding. Until we can speak with him there is nothing more we can do. This is the second order he has done with us. Again it is the customer that ordered the wrong item. The manufacturer provided a bow cushion to the customer as a goodwill gesture but he was still not happy. The bottom line is the customer was provided exactly what he ordered but when received  he then tried to blame everyone else (us and the manufacturer). The manufacturer no longer had extra material to make him another  starboard bolster (even though the customer should have ordered a port side bolster as he installed them incorrectly to begin with).

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