Consumer complaint received 2023-11-28
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL
State: OH
Product: Credit 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:
I am writing to report a dispute with my XXXX XXXX account and the flooring vendor : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
XXXX Ohio XXXX Phone XXXX Salesperson : XXXX XXXX I have an initial charge of {$4800.00} as of XX/XX/XXXX and a subsequent charge of {$2100.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX, a salesperson for XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX Ohio, came to our home to measure our new home for flooring which we had picked out earlier in the day at the show room. He gave us a quote for carpeting in the living room hallway and bedrooms and vinyl flooring for the kitchen and laundry room. While we decided not to go with the kitchen flooring at the time, he quoted us an amount of about {$1800.00}. I do not have the quote in my possession, but it is at the store. 

The carpet was installed before we moved in. When we came with the moving truck, several days after the install, I immediately discovered it was the wrong carpet. 
After moving in, I visited the store and met with the XXXX and brought a piece of what was installed and the sample of what I had ordered. He offered to tear up the carpet and re-install what I had ordered. At the time, I thought that was extreme. So, he offered to give me half off any flooring I had installed. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I met with XXXX XXXX, showed him the business card from his boss with the next purchase of flooring at materials promise written on it and proceeded to purchase the flooring I had in mind for the kitchen. He was not interested in giving me the and said so, because I was willing to keep the carpet that was installed. Not only did he not honor the off his boss promised, the quote was now {$2100.00}, because He failed to add in moving all the appliances in the first quote. I told him that it still didnt include the half off offer from his boss for the materials. He reduced the quote to {$2000.00}. I reluctantly agreed because he had me worn down and I also felt bad negotiating because he had just lost his wife to a sudden illness. I believe he picked this price because it took me to my credit limit with XXXX as he asked me what my credit limit was when writing up the quote. Obviously, however, this does not include of materials. 

Before I received my second invoice from XXXX, l I had called several times to check on a timeline for the vinyl flooring installation without a call back. When I opened the statement dated XX/XX/XXXX, I was shocked to see not only was I charged {$2100.00} but the kitchen vinyl flooring has not been installed yet. And repeated calls to the shop have gone unanswered. When my husband finally got a call back and mentioned the charge without receiving the flooring, XXXX XXXX, said, so what, its interest free! 

I mailed my first dispute letter to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, after I mailed my dispute to Synchrony, XXXX XXXX, the salesperson for XXXX XXXX, called me on my cell phone while I was at work. He wanted to schedule delivery for the flooring the next day. I said that was not possible. He did not know, and I did not tell him that I was travelling that day for a XXXX XXXX screening. He then became perturbed/agitated, noted by his tone and word choice, and asked about the next day. I said no, it would not work either. He asked me what my problem was and I told him that I would not schedule the flooring to be installed at this time because I had filed a dispute claim. At this time, XXXX XXXX started screaming at me on the phone, asked why I filed a claim and didnt just cancel the order. I told him it was my right as a consumer. His voice was so loud and violent and the language so abusive that my colleague across the hall heard him. I hung up on him. He immediately called back, and I did not pick up. Several minutes later, he sent me a text message, as follows : XXXX, I would like to apologize. Things lately have been a complete disaster for my family. My wife unexpectedly passed away a few weeks ago. I want all of my customers to be happy with their purchase. I am so sorry you feel that the price was too high. We did go over the pricing together. However my boss wants to take {$400.00} to help with the cost. I sincerely appreciate you and know that things are so expensive across the board. Cant even go grocery shopping without dropping a few XXXX dollars. Please reach out to me when you can. Thank you XXXX. XXXX I am not sure who is reading this, but this apology misses the mark on so many levels. There is no apology for his behavior. A death in the family does not allow you to verbally abuse someone. I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX woman dealing with my own health and family health issues, but it is not appropriate to take this out on another person. After relaying the story to my family and colleagues, they suggested I should have called the police. 

That his boss, thinks that throwing {$400.00} at a woman you just abused will make everything okay is also unbelievable. 

I received a letter on XX/XX/XXXX saying the dispute was being reviewed, I sent additional information on XX/XX/XXXX via XXXX as instructed. Although the letter says I XXXX upload my documents to the secured email message option, the email address is not provided in the letter only the mail address. 

I have spoken to a XXXX representative XXXX times. Once on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a voice mail from Synchrony bank and when I returned the call the representative confirmed my dispute was still in process. And, on Friday XX/XX/XXXX, and the representative at that time said there was no evidence of my previous dispute filings. I gave him a brief description of the previous contacts I had made. My dispute had been cancelled. He was going to file the claim as a new claim. But he did say a credit of {$100.00} was showing on my account. 

And then on XX/XX/XXXX, for the third time, I spoke to a representative named XXXX. She had some difficulty locating my previous claim letters and then found that my dispute had been closed due to a duplication. I explained and she could see from the history that it was not a duplicate, but the additional information requested to help support my claim. I asked about the email option mentioned in the letter. She said there is no email option, but I could upload my documents to my account through the customer portal. That is not mentioned in the form letter. I have tried several times to use the customer portal to upload my documents, but it times out. 

The reason for my third call was that I had received my billing statement that showed I was once again being billed for purchases that were under dispute. I was not given the notice or explanation that XXXX 's policy states I would receive no matter what the result of the investigation. 

According to the back of my statement from XXXX : If you are dissatisfied with the goods or services that you have purchased with your credit card, and you have tried in good faith to correct the problem with the merchant, you may have the right not to pay the remaining amount due on the purchase. 1. The purchase must have been made in your home state or with 100 miles of your current mailing address and the purchase price must me greater than {$50.00}.

2. You must have used your credit card for the purchase.

3. You must not yet have fully paid for the purchase.

If all of these criteria above are met and you are still unsatisfied with the purchase, contact us in writing at Synchrony bank. 

While we investigate, the same rules apply to the disputed amount as discussed above. After we finish our investigation, we will tell you our decision. At that point, if we think you owe an amount and do not pay we may report you as delinquent.

At this time, I dispute both charges.

The initial install of {$4600.00} because it is not the carpet I ordered, the company knew it, offered a small remedy and it was not honored by the salesperson. 

The {$2100.00} because the quote was {$2000.00}, did not include the flooring materials offered as a remedy, has not been installed although it was in stock at the time. 

I am interested in cancelling the second order and finding another vendor. But I will wait until this is resolved. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief