Consumer complaint received 2021-04-15
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: FL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
In XX/XX/2021, I was shopping for a sectional with recliners for my living room. Because I have two sons who are XXXX '', I wanted something that was not only comfortable but that would accommodate my sons. I was looking at options on the Internet and I saw a sectional advertised on XXXX XXXX XXXX 's website that caught my eye. XXXX XXXX touted that sectional as being incredibly comfortable by describing it as " comfortable seating for the whole family '' ; the " best amount of comfort '' ' ; providing " full comfort '' ; etc. ( see attached descriptions ). I subsequently visited XXXX XXXX 's store in person and met a salesperson named XXXX. I specifically told XXXX that I was looking for a sectional that was comfortable and could accommodate my sons who are XXXX ''. XXXX showed me a few sectionals, including the one that I saw on the Internet. I was reluctant to sit on the sectional due to the XXXX pandemic but I sat on it anyway for a few minutes. I obviously could not tell whether it was comfortable so I asked XXXX whether the sectional was as comfortable as touted on the Internet. I also asked about the size because it appeared narrower that the couches I had at my home. XXXX told me that XXXX XXXX had been selling that model for many years and it was very popular so it had to be comfortable. He also told me that it was a XXXX style so it would be slightly smaller than most sectionals but not by much so it should not be a big deal. I again stated that my concern was that my sons fit in the recliner and he assured me that they would so I purchased the sectional and paid approx. {$3500.00} for it including delivery with their promotional advertisement of no interest payments by charging it on an XXXX XXXX credit card. When the sectional was delivered weeks later, it was not comfortable at all. In fact, it was as hard as a rock. When one of my sons visited me and sat on the recliner, I was shocked to see that he did not fit in it as his feet were hanging off the end. At that time, I realized that I had been lied to. I called XXXX XXXX and left a message for XXXX but he never called me back. I called again a few days later and learned that he was no longer working there so I asked for a supervisor and was told that the supervisor was busy but would call me back but he never did. This pattern of me calling and leaving messages for the supervisor that were unreturned continued for some time until XX/XX/2021 when I called and asked for the name of the supervisor. I was told it was XXXX so I left another message but again XXXX never returned my call. I called back on XX/XX/XXXX and complained yet again. XXXX finally called me back that afternoon and after listening to my complaint said there was nothing he could do. I asked to speak with his supervisor ( which he said was Adonis ) and after placing me on hold for a few minutes, XXXX came back and told me that XXXX ' answer was the same as his. I pleaded to please allow me to exchange the sectional for another one due to the misrepresentations that were made to me and the deceptive and misleading advertisements but he again told me no. I then noticed that the XXXX XXXX credit card statement which I used to finance the sectional stated that I could commence a dispute if I was not satisfied with my purchase so I called the number on the back of the credit card statement that same date ( XX/XX/2021 ). After explaining my complaint to the representative, I was told that she opened a dispute. The representative told me that none of the boxes that she could check fit my complaint so she was going to select one that appeared to be the closest. I told her that that description was inaccurate and she told me not to worry because someone from the bank would contact me later to request additional information and I could provide it at that time. I waited and waited but nobody from the credit card company contacted me. On XX/XX/2021, I received a letter dated XX/XX/2021 from Comenity Bank stating that the bank was researching my claim and if it would send a notification to my address on file if it needed additional information. ( see attached letter ). Upon receiving the letter, I called the bank for an update and was told that my claim was denied. I asked how my claim could be denied when nobody called me for the additional information and the representative ( a male whose name I do not recall ) initially told me that it was because the bank requested information from me but I never provided it. I stated that nobody from the bank ever contacted me and asked how the request was made. The representative told me that an email was sent to me at " XXXX ''. I told the representative that that was not my email address and asked him to read to me what the email said. He then put me on hold and returned after a few minutes telling me that my claim was denied because XXXX XXXX had responded to my dispute and stated that the merchandise was not defective. I explained that I never claimed the merchandise was defective but my complaint was about the deceptive and misleading advertisements and the misrepresentations that were made to me in the store. The representative told me that there was nothing the bank could do and that I needed to try to resolve my dispute with XXXX XXXX. I then asked to speak with his supervisor and I was connected with a woman named XXXX. I explained everything to XXXX and she told me that I could resubmit my dispute or try to resolve it with XXXX XXXX. I asked to speak with her supervisor and I was connected with XXXX ( not sure about the spelling ). XXXX told me that Comenity Bank had paid XXXX XXXX for the purchase and the only way that I could get a refund or exchange is if XXXX XXXX agrees to it. I told XXXX that I had tried to resolve my dispute with XXXX XXXX and was told there was nothing they could do. I also explained that XXXX XXXX is never going to admit that its advertisements were misleading and deceptive and that it would never admit that its salesperson made misrepresentations to me. I also explained that Comenity Bank had mishandled my dispute. XXXX apologized and said that she would try to resubmit my dispute but there was nothing else the bank could do. I would like the CFPB to investigate XXXX XXXX and Comenity Bank. Their dispute process appears to be an utter sham. How can credit card company ( Comenity Bank ) tell a customer who was ripped off ( me ) that the only way to get a refund or exchange is if the merchant who engaged in the wrongdoing ( XXXX XXXX ) agrees to it? Under that scenario, no customer would ever get their dispute resolved fairly. That is a sham process and it should be investigated by the regulators. Credit card companies should issue refunds to customers who get taken advantage of and should issue a chargeback to the merchant. The consumers should not have to suffer because of this sham dispute resolution process. I would like the CFPB to refer this to other agencies as well as I am sure that I am not the only consumer who is going through this nightmare.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation