Originally Posted by
mikelemoine
Call corporate and demand to talk to the CEO. You won't ever get to him/her, but you will get transferred around until you get an empowered underling who will be willing to do quite a bit to "make a problem go away". They really don't want the big guy in the corner office to get wind of any problem they couldn't resolve, so they usually throw money at it when you get to that level. Web/written contacts can also be helpful, and store managers are often paid bonuses based on customer complaints/feedback, but it's usually faster to call and not get off the phone until you get help.
If you bought the new door with a CC, you can always do a charge back, as you didn't get credit for a return as you were promised by the store. That qualifies you under the "I tried to work directly with the merchant" rule. Credit card companies typically side with the customer, so even though you don't have it in writing, you should be able to put the pressure on. Half the time, big companies don't bother to research the issue and respond in time, so you win by default.
Finally, have you tried contacting the door mfg directly? I've had good luck with vendors by simply stating the problem and asking them if they can help, or if you should just take it off and return it to Lowes. Most vendors want to avoid returns to the store, as it can affect their performance ratings and cost them business. Some companies penalize vendors if they fail to meet performance goals, this company may be teetering on the edge of that (or may not, which indicates they take care of things). Often, they will choose to take care of you and keep the store out of the loop. They don't have to know you've already raised hell with the store....
Good luck in getting them to stand up and do the right thing. Let us know if we all need to start emailing their corporate office! A sudden jump in the reports will often get noticed by upper-management.
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