Garrett Wade

On 3/1/25 I bought a Beechwood extendable ladder from Garret Wade. Shipping and handling was $16.00 and with tax the total was $290.54.
GWs Return Policy states: If you are not completely satisfied you may return any item within 90 days from the date the items were shipped.

We pay for the return shipping costs if you use the prepaid label generated by completing our online return process.
On 3/5/25 I received the above item. Of note was the following:
1. The box in which it was delivered was seriously damaged with multiple tears. Both long ends were 25-50% torn.

More than 50% of the square footage of the box was held together by packaging tape and there were tears within the tape. See photos
2. There was no Owners Manual. I suspect it fell out.
3.The ladder was broken.

A peg connecting the alleged wood to the metal frame and stabilizing bar was fractured. See photos
4.The ladder was not wood. It looked and felt like plastic or a wood composite but again there was no manual and no description of the product composition.
I took photos and notified GW. Upon seeing the photos the CS representative said that there no further questions and that s/he would send a return label.

But the instructions accompanying the label stated that the item had to be taken to UPS boxed.
I called Customer Service and told them that I cannot return the ladder in the box in which it was received as it was too damaged. The CS agent directed me to take the ladder to UPS and pay for a new box and send GW CS the receipt. S/he said that CS is not authorized to reimburse me for the cost of a new box but would issue store credit.
Knowing that the S&H cost of sending the item was $16.00, and not wanting to engage in a potential argument I proceeded to take the item to the UPS Store along with the return shipping label. But the UPS clerk said that a new box would cost $97.00 + tax.

I asked for a receipt, went home and called GW CS and sent a copy of the receipt for $102.82.
I was told by CS that they were only authorized to give me store credit for the extra money that I had to pay in order to return the item via their chosen carrier. I told him that store credit was not acceptable as it only forces me to spend more money at their store. I requested that GW send me a check for $102.82; and if CS is unable to do that the please escalate my complaint to whomever does have that authority. Until that time I had spoken to Rene and to Rain.
The next day, 3/8/25 I was sent a message from a Melvin and because it was a new name assumed that the complaint had been escalated as I had requested.

But by 3/25 I had not heard from GW and asked Melvin when can I expect to be paid as their Policy clearly states that returns are free. He replied by telling me that they are investigating and that I need to be patient. I was not told what they were investigating. It seemed straightforward.

The item and packaging were damaged and they had sent a return label in acknowledgement of that fact. If there was a problem they never would have sent me the return label.
On 3/19/25 I again requested information (from Rene, Rain and Melvin) on the nature of their investigation and how long it will take and to escalate this to whomever has authority over them. I also sent a copy of GW's Return Policy posted on their website. I received a Reply from Rene telling me that I had to be patient this takes time.

I replied by asking how much time do you anticipate and received a reply that they do not know. I just need to be patient.
As of 3/20/25 GW has refunded to my credit card the original cost of the item $290.54 but has not reimbursed me for the $102.82 that I had to pay UPS to return it when their own Policy clearly states that there is no charge for authorized returns, which this was.