OVERSCAM.COM

As anyone that regularly reads this blog already knows, we love our dogs to pieces. They are part of the family and as such they have become somewhat privileged. When Rob & I converted the unused master bedroom upstairs into a multi-purpose/TV/office area, we looked for two matching side chairs for the TV area. As anyone that owns dogs should know, don't buy white chairs. There's a reason for this. Soon after we finished the room and bought the chairs, Rob & I assumed our now usual place on the floor, while each of the "kids" assumed their respective places in the chairs. Well, it didn't take too long for those nice white chairs to start changing color. Fortunately, the slip covers are easily removed and can be washed. Growing tired of doing this about every other week, I decided to start looking for slip covers that were not WHITE. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to find slip covers for IKEA furniture. I finally found something that I thought would work on Overstock.com. Within a few days, a heavy box arrived which I hastily took upstairs. I carefully sliced through the packing tape on the box and removed the two new slip covers - walnut colored and each individually wrapped in their plastic wrap. I opened one of the packages and read the instructions. After wrestling with the unruly fabric, slipping in on this way and that, taking it off again and slipping on another way, stopping to re-read the instructions again, it didn't take long to realize that this slip cover was made for one of those over-stuffed chairs on steroids; our chairs look like they've been on a steady diet of bread and water for six months. So, resigned that I was going to have to return the slip covers, I carefully re-packaged the one that I had opened - mind you, it had only been out of the package for 15 minutes. I walked over to the computer and logged onto Overstock.com to find out their return policy. I called the toll free number listed on the website and was immediately sent a return address label by email which I downloaded, printed, and taped to the top of the box. Rob & I drove to the nearest UPS drop off and I began the waiting game to see how much of a refund I would receive. The return policy for Overstock.com says that there would be a modest fee for the cost of return shipping. To make a long story short (because Rob says I'm taking up too much space), Overstock.com kept 55% percent of the original purchase price making up phony charges in addition to the shipping cost like restocking fees AND claiming that the slip cover I had opened and carefully repackaged was FADED. Now, I don't know who actually reads these electronic diaries, but it sure feels good to vent once in awhile. I wish to warn our friendly readers to beware of Overstock.com - because they're a rip-off - and should be dubbed OVERSCAM.com.