Receiving and Inspection Merchandise
Customer Service
Participating vendors require all items to ship directly to your place of employment, or to an authorized warehouse location in your city. You are responsible for getting the items home from there. Some authorized warehouses may have a delivery service available for an additional fee. Appliances and smaller items that can ship UPS may be delivered directly to your home. The Associate Homestore will let you know in advance where your particular order will be shipped.
Once your merchandise has been delivered, all items must be inspected thoroughly before removing them from the delivery location. Once you have inspected everything thoroughly, you may take your items home. You may be required to sign a release from the warehouse stating you received your merchandise in good condition.
If merchandise arrives at the delivery location damaged, the freight carrier is responsible for replacing your items. A freight claim must be filed and then the carrier will determine if the items are to be replaced or repaired. The Associate Homestore will assist you in filing this freight claim.
When purchasing furniture, there is always a possibility of damage -- no matter who the vendor. All damages must be reported to the Associate Homestore within 48 hours of the original delivery. Please read this section carefully.
EXTERNAL DAMAGE:
"You" in this section could also be warehouse personnel or anyone else signing for your shipment. If warehouse personnel will be accepting your shipment for you, please discuss these procedures with them before your merchandise is delivered. This is your responsibility!
On all orders you must inspect the external condition of the cartons thoroughly before the delivering driver leaves the premises. Note any evidence of external damage to the cartons being delivered, no matter how slight. Any holes, tears, or bent corners must be noted on the freight bill or bill of lading and signed by both you and the driver. External damage to the cartons does not always result in your merchandise being damaged. However, failure to adequately describe and note external damage at the time of delivery may result in the carrier refusing to honor a freight claim, if damage to the merchandise is later discovered.
CONCEALED DAMAGE:
This is damage that does not become apparent until the merchandise has been unpacked. The contents may have been damaged in transit due to rough handling even though the carton may not show external damage. You are required to unpack and inspect your merchandise before taking it home, specifically for this purpose.
Freight companies make it very hard for the buyer to prove the carrier's liability when dealing with transit damage. These steps are for your protection, so please follow them carefully!
IMPORTANT NOTE: if any item is found to have external or concealed damage, DO NOT REMOVE THE ITEM FROM THE DELIVERY LOCATION. The cartons should not be destroyed or moved to another location. Merchandise will need to be repacked in the original cartons and left at the delivery location for inspection and pick up by the freight carrier, and a freight claim will need to be filed. If merchandise is removed from the warehouse (taken home) before inspection and damage is then discovered, neither the Associate Homestore, the Freight Company, nor the manufacturer will be held responsible, nor will a freight claim be accepted. You will be liable for any damage to your merchandise.
IN ADDITION: if a delivery service will be delivering your merchandise to your home for you, it is your responsibility to inspect the merchandise within the first 48 hours before it is delivered to your home. No claim will be accepted for damaged merchandise that leaves the warehouse before it has been inspected.
ALSO: if your shipment will be put into storage for use at a later date, the cartons must be unpacked and inspected immediately before they are put into storage. It is your responsibility to inspect the merchandise within the first 48 hours before it is put into storage. No claim will be accepted for damaged merchandise that was not inspected before putting it into storage.