Business ProfileforOhio Artisan Collective, LLC

On June 17 we bought a sign with the word “Cleveland” on it that was cheaply made with pressboard and it snapped off while gently placed on a chair. A day later ***** visited the shop but was informed for the first time of a no exchange or refund policy by the same store clerk who did not tell us about it when we bought it. Later we learned the policy is on a small sign on the left side of the front counter that neither of us saw because we were looking to the right at the clerk/cash register. We learned later the policy was in small print on a receipt placed in a separate bag that neither of us saw. At purchase the clerk did not say it was fragile, needing special care in handling; there was no offer to wrap it in protective covering due to its uniqueness. There is no signage anywhere else in the store informing customers of the policy. On Monday ***** called the owner who was rude and brusque after ***** suggested that it is best to resolve things amicably, regardless of fault, and exceptions to policies are preferable to consumers seeking redress elsewhere. It is improbable that gently placing it a chair would break a well-made product of quality. Calling it “unique” changes nothing. We view the policy as a pretext for absolving the store of its customer service responsibilities while blaming the customer for being unaware of a policy that was never clearly communicated at the time of purchase due to inadequate staff training, minimal signage, and a fine print statement on a receipt after paying money. The owner admitted as much when she said ***** was uneducated and indecent, which clearly shows that the policy had zero to do with the decision not to refund, repair or exchange. She admitted her clerk had to be “re-trained”. The only solution offered—to re-train staff, insult *****, and requiring a surcharge penalty payment to get a sign that is only unique in terms of how cheaply it was made and likely to break in the future--is unreasonable.