tyler — A Tyler mom said she is fed up with a local furniture company, following what she is calling a breach of contract. Filpa Park said she purchased what she thought was full coverage for any issues with her dining room table.
Park bought the dining room set from Ashley Furniture Homestore (AFH) in Tyler, and a five-year extended warranty.
What she didn't know was the warranty was through a third party vendor – GBS Warranty.
GBS Warranty is a company selling furniture warranties covering accidental damage - like spilling nail polish remover or a few scratches from wear and tear.
Reviews on the Better Business Bureau website are similar to those from Park, with nearly 200 complaints detailing unfulfilled warranties.
"If I would've known at any given moment that this third party vendor, I probably would not have bought it,” Park said. "I had no idea. It was sold to me as if it was coming directly from Ashley."
She first contacted AFH in Tyler for help, wanting her dining room table and chairs fixed after purchasing the warranty.
"I waited for a week, and then when Ashley called me back, I was informed that GBS is the company I purchased my insurance through," she said.
After countless emails and phone calls, and silence from GBS, Park said she was finally promised help from AFH.
"What they've agreed to do is send a technician out here to correct the problem, which should have been done 90 days ago,” Park said.
But she was given excuses, including hearing the manager was busy, in another location or “out for allergies”.
Guest Experience Manager at AFH in Tyler, Candy Walker, said anything past the one-year manufacturer warranty is beyond the company's control.
She said anything that's customer-caused would go through GBS protection because all we are is the manufacturer warranty.
“We reached out to GBS to get the customer help. A manager is working on replacing the table with a new one," Walker said.
Hearing the news for the first time from CBS19, Park said she hasn't gone through this trouble for a new table.
It's the principal.
"I'm one lonely customer. If Ashley as a corporation would get involved, that would speak louder,” she said. “Now, after 90 days, I don't want any help. I don't want to talk to anyone."
CBS19 reached out to GBS multiple times for answers, but the company never responded.