ComplaintsforLe Creuset of America, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  11/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased a product with cash on 10/29/22 at the Le Creuset store in ***** ***** ** for ~$85 cash. Went in to return unused product with receipt the following day and was informed I would only be given store credit. I showed the receipt clearly stated I had paid with cash and nowhere on their return policy, or receipt did it state I would not be given my cash back if returned. Manager was contatacted via phone, who reiterated not to give cash back. Emailed manager to document the incident with no response to date.

  Business response

  11/04/2022

  We have contacted the in ***** **** and according to them they did not have cash funds on hand to provide the refund at the time the customer came in. The customer was asked to return on Monday and cash would be available and they also offered to mail a check. The customer never returned to the store. But they are trying to contact her now to resolve the issue.

• Initial Complaint

  10/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In 2019 I received a credit from Le Creuset for a kettle that you CANNOT keep water in I don’t understand what kind of material make this kettle but anyway, they issued me a credit for this item soon after the pandemic happened everywhere shut down so now I decided to used the credit. On or around the 11 of October I called stating what the email said and was told that email could not have said that I must have made a mistake but I have the email here and what it states these people who work for this company needs new jobs because customer service I don’t think they know the meaning of customer service all I wanted was to use the credit and paid any difference like what is stated in the email but they said no so I need your help please. I want people to know this company is not customer service oriented.

  Business response

  10/25/2022

  Hello Ms. ******, We apologize for the confusion regarding the credit for the tea kettle. If you would please advise the item you would like to use the credit on and confirm your shipping address, we can process the claim for you.   Thank you,

  Customer response

  10/27/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 

  Regards,

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

  I thank you and hope stick to what tHey said 

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have purchased Le Creuset Fuchs oven from crate and barrel and the company claims that they have life long product warranty for manufacture defective. After a few use I found that the enamel coating is coming off plenty of amount from the oven which is a very dangerous condition for health and will cause food poisoning also. I have contacted Le Creuset for this issue for replacing and they are not willing to access the defective product

  Business response

  10/17/2022

  Hello ***** ***, our Limited Lifetime warranty covers damage due to manufacturing defects, not damage due to consumer use as in this case. The damage to your item is due overheating as we explained in an email to you. That is why it is not covered under the warranty.

  Our warranty does not cover damage from abuse, commercial use or other non-consumer use, neglect, abnormal wear or tear, overheating, or any use not in accordance with the cookware instructions provided with the utensil. This warranty does not cover damages such as the cost of repairing or replacing other property that is damaged due to a defect in the utensil, the cost for transportation of the utensil to get warranty service, loss of time, loss of use, or other consequential or incidental damages.
  

  Customer response

  10/19/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because:It is not due the overheating or damage from my end . It is due to the manufacturer defects of the coating which is coming of and damaging the food and causing health effects like nerve damage and arsenic poisoning etc . I didn’t over heat the unit. Also it is a cooking unit and and if the paint is coming and contaminating the food it should be due to the original manufacturer defects either due to the defects in the coating air due to the wrong paint.

  Regards,

  ***** ***

  Business response

  10/25/2022

  Hello ***** ***, we will offer a one-time courtesy replacement of this item due to customer satisfaction, as there is no defect to the cookware. If this is agreeable to you, please let us know and we can issue a RMA to have your item returned to us for a replacement. Thank you,

  Customer response

  10/27/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 

  Regards,

  ***** ***

   

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contacted Le Creuset support team regarding issue with my dutch oven which I purchased few months ago. The issue was that the dutch oven had defects on enamel surface which caused food to stick and leaving burned residues which are extremely hard to clean. The customer representative contacted me and recommended me to boil 1 part liquid detergent mixed with 3 parts of water for 5-7 minutes. As a research scientist in the fields of chemistry and materials science I took precautions while doing the recommended procedure and was wearing N95 respirator. The N95 respirator, open windows and actively working stove hood didn't help when toxic fumes started to fill my kitchen and living room due to boiling of the detergent mixture. This is a very dangerous practice to recommend people to do a "science experiment" in their kitchen in order to clean its product and without telling people to use any personal protective equipment or any engineering control measures. Majority of the customers will not have any chemical safety trainings as I do and this might lead to very dangerous consequences for the customers and their family members.

  Business response

  09/22/2022

  We appreciate your concern, however, we do not suggest any cleaning method to our customers that would be harmful. We have used them to clean our own cookware with much success. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date of transaction/purchase: July 15, 2022 Order Number: ******** subtotal: $342.00 shipping: 38.50 I spoke to ****** **** twice just to ensure what size Dutch oven would accommodate the "fryer basket," and he confirmed TWICE that the basket would fit the 5.25qt dutch oven! When I received the shipment, the $92 fryer basket wouldn't even go into the $250- dutch oven. For a refund, I would have to pay shipping, which means I stand to lose at least $77 in shipping costs and pay $150 more for a new dutch oven if I buy it during a sale. IT WAS CLEARLY THEIR ERROR BUT THEY ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT!!!! Please help! **** ******** *******************

  Business response

  08/11/2022

  In trying to resolve this we were unable to locate any telephone calls from the telephone number ************ to our employee ****** **** and she does not recall talking to her. If the call was made from a different number, please let us know. However, we will send **** ******** a UPS return label as a courtesy.

  Customer response

  08/12/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory only if they assure me that the return shipping is free.  I have already paid $38.50 for shipping for nothing.  

  Regards,

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

   

  Business response

  08/18/2022

  We sent Ms. ******** a UPS pre-paid return label to return the Dutch oven to us for a refund.  She replied that she had decided to keep the Dutch oven and send the fry basket back for a refund instead. We told her that would be fine and to use the UPS pre-paid label and that once we received the item a refund would be issued.  Her last response to us was on 8/15 and she said thank you I will.

  Business response

  10/05/2022

  Hello Ms. ********, We apologize for the delay in processing your refund. We issued it on 10/3/2022 for the amount of $92, it might take a 5 to 7 business days to reflect in your account. Please check with your bank to see if it has been processed.  Thank you,

  Customer response

  10/07/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because:  They sent me a return label for the product I returned but they have not sent the refund as promised.

  Regards,

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

  Business response

  10/11/2022

  Ms. ********, we have issued the refund in the amount of $92.00 back to the credit card that the purchase was made with. The refund was processed on 10/3/2022. If you would please confirm with your financial institution that it has been received by them. I apologize for the delay in getting the refund processed. Thank you, .

• Initial Complaint

  07/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  While I was cooking on low heat, I witnessed my my le creuset braiser pan and lid crack with a pop. The pan inside enamel has a small hair line fracture and popes away the enamel, the larger issue is the lid which has a large gap crack that’s 1-3 inches. I submitted the warranty claim form and an agent by the name of ***** ******* stated it is not covered under warranty do you it likely being physical damage. Which is not true. I explained the story and now she replied that now it’s not covered because it does not affect the integrity of the product. However it does, I can fit a dime in there and it will rust with the water and steam. It feels that these agents are being asked to deny claims at all costs. It just does not make sense. I am kindly requesting a warranty replacement

  Business response

  07/22/2022

  Our warranty only covers manufacturer defects. The damage to this item appeared to have been due to the lid being dropped. That is why we denied the claim. However, the representative issued a return authorization number for the consumer to return both the lid and pot to us for a replacement. We informed him of this earlier today. The only cost to him would be paying for shipping of the damaged item to us. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Called the company & attempted to place a phone order at one of their outlet stores which I have done multiple times in the past with no issue. This time the associate took my credit card for payment and it went through but she said that my account was locked and to call customer service. I called customer service and spoke with ***** who stated that my profile isn't locked & sore should be able to complete my purchase. Store claimed they still couldn't do my purchase & that they would have IT look at my profile. Upon calling the manager of the store on 7/1 they said that IT indicated that my profile is fine & they weren't sure what the issue was & were still researching it. Corporate # Customer Service Department refuses to get a manager on the line so the situation can be resolved. It appears that the company doesn't want to take my money to complete the sale meanwhile my credit card has been charged for the transaction in which they refuse to follow through and provide tracking information on. I have no receipt as one was never emailed to me as that was an issue with my past order from another outlet store. I was told that my original receipt would be mailed to me with the goods that I have paid for. No tracking # has been provided either instead I'm receiving the runaround regarding this purchase & how to prevent it from happening to me again in the future should I do this again!

  Business response

  07/01/2022

  Since this purchase was made at a retail location, the consumer would have to contact them for assistance. They would be able to locate the record of the sale, a copy of the receipt of the purchase and direct them to a manager or district manager that could assist them. 

  Customer response

  07/05/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Regards,

  * ******

  Customer response

  07/05/2022

  ATTEMPTED to do a phone order via an outlet store. The phone order was UNSUCCESSFUL since the associate said my profile was locked. Manager reached out to her IT contact whom said that my profile is fine. Store associate who tried to ring up my sale and told me to call corporate customer service where I was told my profile isn't locked. We tried to do the purchase again and after payment was taken transaction didn't go through. NO THIS ISN'T A CREDIT CARD ISSUE! MY CREDIT & CREDIT CARD ARE JUST FINE. Store manager involved retail accounting to confirm transactions DID NOT complete so can't ask store, District Manager and such for a receipt. Customer can't purchase because of profile issues. Customer would like to give the store $ for goods but the Store Manager, District Manager, IT & Retail Accounting can't solve the issue. This is an internal problem and not the clients problem since the the Company can't complete the transaction. Was told by the store that they aren't sure why its happening since they thought it was fixed, prior to trying again. Since Le Creuset corporate employs the store employees they need to internally escalate and look into the cause and find a resolution for this and prevent it from happening again. Without the corporate part of the company there would be no retail locations to cause this issue. Store level and their management can't seem to solve this problem.

  Business response

  07/08/2022

  We reached out to the customer by telephone and email for additional information regarding the claim on 7/5/2022. This was in regards to a purchase that was made at one of our retail stores. We asked for the telephone number, location of the store, name of store associate and date of purchase. We have not heard back from the customer.  

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased the blue enamel SET on sale for $99.99. I purchased directly from their website using paypal. I made the purchase and received a blanket email response with no information or follow up about delivery. I have emailed all contacts I could find on all website searches. I would like the set delivered or a refund immediately.

  Business response

  06/21/2022

  We are unable to locate a sales order by searching with the customers name and email address. If the customer received an email from us after the order was placed, it should have included a sales order number. However, there is another possibility, the customer could have placed the order on a fraudulent website. 

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have an ongoing warranty claim (******* with Le Creuset and so far, have had a terrible experience due to dreadful, unhelpful customer service. I have a brand new Round Dutch Oven that is chipped on the interior with a crack that has occurred as a result. When I first called customer service at ************ on Friday (06/10), I spoke with ****** ******* who helped me navigate the warranty claim process. She requested information via email, and I responded with the needed photos and a few other details (shipping address and color choice). Today (06/13), I received a follow-up email from ***** ******* that let me know my return was approved and authorized under the RMA/case number CAS-************** However, her email said I had to cover the cost of shipping to return the defective utensil. I immediately called customer service and was connected with a representative (whose name I did not catch) that not only spoke down to me but ultimately refused to help me. I requested a pre-paid return label (as I will not be covering the cost of shipping for a defective item) and was told by her that one could not be provided because it is a "courtesy replacement" due to there being "nothing wrong" with the utensil. It is unclear to me how she came to that conclusion considering the considerable chip and crack that prevents me from using the utensil. When I asked to speak with a supervisor, I was placed on a long hold and then told, "No, this is the information I was told by her to give you." I am struggling to comprehend how a chip and crack would not affect its usage, especially when that poses a severe safety risk if used for its intended use—cooking! The utensil is clearly defective—it is still brand new in the box. I am extremely disappointed that this is the "exceptional customer service" Le Creuset claims to offer. I would like for Le Creuset to provide a pre-paid return label (to cover the cost of shipping) and for the replacement utensil to be fulfilled.

  Business response

  06/14/2022

  When Mr. ***** reached out to us, he stated that he had received a gift that was damaged and wanted a replacement. We advised him that the cookware needed to be returned to the location that it was purchased from for a new one. He did not want to do that and wanted to submit a warranty claim. Which we offered to do as a one-time courtesy. When an item is being returned as a warranty, it is up to the customer to pay for the shipping back to us.
  
  However, as a one-time courtesy we will offer to pay for shipping of the cookware back to us. Any future warranty claims, he will be responsible for the cost of returning the cookware to us.

  Customer response

  06/17/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 

  Regards,

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

   

• Initial Complaint

  05/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I received a 5 1/2 qt. Round Dutch Oven (in cerise) as a wedding gift. While I was away on a work trip, my wife cleared out the kitchen closet and came across the box. Upon opening it, she was disappointed to find a massive crack in the side of the pot and manufacturing defect with the exterior enamel coating. She messaged me photos of the damage and asked what we should do. On May 12th, I contacted customer service by phone to inquire about a warranty claim. I was connected with ****** *******, who requested additional information by email. When speaking with my wife over the weekend, I let her know that Le Creuset was going to be providing a replacement piece—she was overjoyed as she loves the brand and its products. On May 16th, ****** followed up with me regarding the status of my claim; I was told that I had to return the item to them (at my own expense) for a replacement to be processed. I called customer service to explain that I would not be covering the cost of shipping for a defective product, and the agent provided me with a pre-paid UPS return label. I forwarded the email to my wife so that the pot could be packaged and sent back. She quickly texted me that she had disposed of it in the residential trash and it had already been picked up. I was unsure of what to do, so I called customer service again and was told to speak with a supervisor. Since one was not available at the time, I was put in for a call back. On May 17th, I received a call from ********, who was completely uninterested in helping me resolve this issue. I explained to her that neither of us knew the pot would have to be returned (because it was defective) and it was a very poor choice on my wife's part. I asked what was done with the returned products and she informed me that they are simply inspected and then discarded. She had an unpleasant attitude during the entire call and was unwilling to help me or provide a resolution.

  Business response

  05/25/2022

  When the customer contacted us, he was provided by email the information that was needed for him to return the damaged cookware. It stated that it needed to be returned to us. When he questioned the cost of the return the representative sent him a courtesy pre-paid return label. When the customer called, he was advised that this was this was how our warranty program worked and without his item we could not offer a replacement.

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