Bullet point summary in case you don't want too read the long version:
1) goods arrived damaged but I got zero compensation or exchange;
2) SGS literally ignored the majority of my contact, and did not act on the
small bit they acknowledged;
3) SGS were dishonest with me (claimed goods were new from the factory when
they sent me paperwork citing an entirely different customer;
4) SGS were dishonest about how they stored my pallets (had clearly been
outside in heavy rain for an extended period when delivered to me - SGS flat
out denied it;
5) I spent £2500 with this company and SGS should collectively hang their
heads in shame at the quality of service they offer.
6). Oh, and the ‘next day delivery’ claim on your order screen is a flat out lie.
The longer version:
Having built a new double garage, I wanted to take my first foray into
fitted garage storage. I looked at the market and saw that SGS are based
just up the road from me. The pictures on their website looked good, so
despite them having 7% one star reviews on here (which is high, how I wish I
had listened to my inner voice!) I decided that with lots of happy customers
I would be okay. How wrong I was. All I can conclude is that most
customers either get lucky, or don't buy large garage storage systems.
My two pallets were delivered with extensive damage to the boxes. The boxes
were so wet that they were disintegrating, the metalwork of the storage
system inside was exposed in many areas. There was also extensive tearing
to the boxes as well as various places where they had clearly suffered some
sort of impact. There were also boot prints on the side face of one of the
boxes. I photographed them on my drive (as advised by the courier, who was
pretty shocked at the state they were in!). Many of the boxes disintegrated
entirely between my drive and my garage purely as they were so wet. They
had clearly been left outside in very heavy rain for an extended period -
the cardboard had lost its integrity and was more like papier maché. Also,
the pallets both had an entirely incorrect delivery label (giving me another
SGS customer's name and home address!!), so it appeared that this was
someone else's order. For whatever reason it then sat outside for a period
of time (perhaps it was returned? Who knows) before then being labelled up
and shipped to me. The courier supported this theory. SGS flat denied it,
claiming that the goods were new to me, came straight from the factory and
had not been left outside or shipped to anyone else. The condition of the
boxes and the labelling demonstrates that that is simply not true.
I unpacked it all in the garage, and found various scratches and marks on
many of the pieces, a pretty severe dent on the rear of the corner base unit
(which would prevent fitting unless rectified) and a big chunk missing from
the edge of one of my short pieces of worktop. I figured (being an overly
conflict-averse sort) that I could live with the scratches, should be able
to repair the bent corner myself but that the worktop being so poor meant
that I really needed to swap that out and that SGS would understand (their
returns policy is on their website). Another mistake by me.
I ordered the started corner set and 2 additional base units. So the two
single worktops my units came with didn't cover the two additional base
units. I asked SGS whether I could return both my single pieces (inc the
one with heavy damage) and have two double width ones as a replacement (with
me paying the difference). This met with a very blunt 'no'. Despite my
needing more worktop to cover my additional units, they would not swap my
good single for a good double (with me paying the difference). Very poor
customer service (this could have been avoided, but my questions ahead of
purchase were almost universally ignored, so I had ended up having to take a
punt rather than knowing), but I took it on the chin and asked to return the
damaged one. They told me how to do that (it involved a courier collecting
it) but then went silent. Ignored calls and emails until I went away.
So what could I do? New garage built, cars waiting to go in, SGS literally
ignoring me and becoming a bit sad about the whole thing (which was supposed
to be a treat I had been looking forward to). I ended up simply going onto
their website and buying an extra double worktop. I then installed my two
single ones (yes, including the damaged one) on the other side of my units.
I try to ignore the scratches when I am in there, and I have manually bent
back the back of my (£400) corner unit. It now looks straight enough from
the front if you don't know what to look for. Sadly, I do.
I spent £2500 with SGS, have had no further contact, they don't want to
know. Please please please spare yourself the stress and do not invest your
thousands and your happiness in your big project with these charlatans.
These are big moments in our lives and SGS simply don't care. I regret ever
using them.