NEWARK
- The Office of the Attorney General through
its Division of Consumer Affairs has filed
suit against four Monmouth County-based furniture
retailers for allegedly violating the state’s
Consumer Fraud Act, Refund Policy Disclosure
Act and Regulations, Deceptive Mail Order
Practices Regulations, Delivery of Household
Furniture and Furnishing Regulations and General
Advertising Regulations.
Spectrum
Home Furnishings, Inc., Charles Serouya &
Son, Inc. a/k/a Gallery, CS&S, Inc. and
Charles Serouya, Inc., are named as defendants
in the state’s eight-count Complaint
filed in State Superior County, Chancery Division,
in Monmouth County.
“Consumers
did not get what they paid for and these defendants
did not respond to complaints,” Attorney
General Anne Milgram said. “We’re
seeking restitution for consumers who spent
their hard-earned money and an overhaul of
business practices by these defendants.”
Although
the defendants maintain a warehouse in Farmingdale,
they do not operate any retail locations.
The defendants advertised, offered to sell
and sold furniture, including chandeliers,
lighting and ceiling fans, to consumers via
direct mailings (i.e. Clipper Magazine), magazine
advertisements and several web sites that
they operated.
The
state, in its Complaint, alleges that the
defendants:
- Accepted
payment for merchandise and then failed
to delivered the ordered merchandise;
- Delivered
merchandise that was defective or of a different
quality or condition than the merchandise
ordered;
- Advertised
merchandise as assembled, then provided
consumers with unassembled merchandise accompanied
by inadequate or unclear assembly instructions;
- Failed
to provide consumers with merchandise on
the promised delivery date or at all;
- Failed
to conspicuously post defendants’
return policy at the point of sale on defendants’
website;
- Failed
to deliver merchandise ordered over the
telephone or defendants’ websites
within the required six (6) week period
and then failed to provide a full refund;
- Misrepresented
to consumers that a refund would be forthcoming,
when such was not the case;
- Failed
to provide consumers with contract forms
or sales documents that include the date
of delivery and the consumer’s options
upon nondelivery; and
- Ignored
consumer complaints or made it difficult
for consumers to submit complaints.
“Consumers
spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars
on furniture deserve far better than the treatment
they received from these defendants,”
said David Szuchman, Consumer Affairs Director.
“We’re seeking civil penalties
for the violations committed against consumers
and the defendants’ compliance with
our consumer protection laws and regulations.”
Consumers
can file complaints with the Division on its
Web site at www.nj.gov/oag/ca/ocp/ocpform.htm
or by calling 1-800-242-5846
(toll-free within N.J.) or 973-504-6200.
Deputy
Attorney General Sabina P. McKinney of the
Consumer Fraud Prosecution Section is representing
the state in this action. Investigator Raquel
Williams led the investigation of this matter.
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