Castlery — Attraction in Singapore

Was planning to get new sofa for the new year and came across casltery, read the reviews and saw the Isaac 3 Seater Sofa Leather. Went down physically to the store to get it. Ordered and paid in full within 20-30mins. The sofa arrived 1 week later and gave the sofa a thorough check and found a dent at a corner,which is obviously caused by man- handling. Whatsapp them and was scheduled for their professional service team to come down to take a look 1 week later. So they (probably the same 2 deliveryman) came and left within 5 mins- commenting that there is nothing much they can do.

Whatsapp them again, they replied,

Just to clarify, our leather products undergo minimal alterations, which means they retain all-natural and unique characteristics like wrinkles, stretch marks, and scars. The shade and tone can also vary depending on which part of the animal the leather comes from. It appears that the area you're concerned about is just a part of the natural variations found in our leather collection, nce they are sourced from nature. However, given that the product did not meet your expectations, we would like to check if you are open to receiving a $100 partial refund to keep the item as is. I understand that this may not be your ideal resolution, but we hope that you can consider this option.

Obviously I'm not open to the refund. So they replied again.

I understand where you are coming from. I'd like to assure you that the wrinkle from your sofa is normal especially for brand-new items as they were packed tightly and securely for a period of time, resulting in little to no air circulation within the packaging. We strongly recommend waiting for the wrinkle to return to its normal state over the course of the next two weeks. This has proven effective for many of our customers, and we encourage you to give it a try initially. If the wrinkles persist after this period, please do not hesitate to contact us a,d we will provide guidance on the appropriate next steps. Rest assured, we are here to assist you every step of the way. I’d like to clarify that our leather products undergo little to no reparations, which helps retain their natural and unique characteristics, such as wrinkles, stretch marks, and scars. Additionally, the shade and tone of the leather may vary depending on the part of the animal from which it was sourced. The area you've highlighted appears to be part of these natural variances that are inherent to our leather collection. That being said, if you continue to experience the same concern after six months, please do not hesitate to reach out to us, and we will be happy to assist you further.

So from 2 weeks wait to 6 months.

We want to inform you that it may take some time for the leather to return to its normal state. In many cases, this process can take up to two weeks, as the leather gradually adjusts and restores its shape. However, please note that in some instances, it may take a little longer for the dent to fully smooth out.

So we waited for 2 weeks and the dent was still there. Whatsapp them, they replied,

My apologies if you have to reach out again for the same concern. We want to let you know that it may take some time for the leather to return to its normal condition. Often, this process can take up to two weeks, as the leather gradually adjusts and regains its shape. However, please keep in mind that in some cases, it might take a bit longer for the dent to fully smooth out. Thank you for your patience! We ask if we can give it within the next 6 months Feel free to reach out to us during that time if the issue doesn't improve, and we'll take it from there! Rest assured, we'll work to find the best resolution for you! We can always refer back to this conversation regarding your concern about the condition of the leather on your sofa. We had a 1 year limited warranty for our products

So the warranty for the dent is to wait? Yes, which is best option right now.

I think i might have to think twice again in getting new furniture from castlery in future and not...

At the store, we found out about the ID consultant service and decided to give it a shot. We got a flat that is already fully-renovated so only needed advice on what type of furniture pieces to fill the spaces with. And we already had some items in. Since it’s a free service, we were just expecting a generic ID101 session, so Dalpreet was a genuinely very pleasant surprise!

She told me to send her photos and floor plans of our spaces before the session. Throughout the hour, she had clearly done her homework and prep prior to meeting us. Through their amazing software thingy, Dalpreet showed us how various pieces would literally look like within each space, and even true to size!

Her sharp recommendations showed very clearly that she had been listening and taking in everything we shared, what we have in mind and hoped to achieve. Which is not easy since we deliberately did not go for a theme; we just had a look and feel of wanting mismatched pieces that would be coherent with the shades of grey, black lines and various woods that were already in the house. After the very enlightening session that actually opened up more options than we had expected, Dalpreet walked us around the showroom, taking us to each piece she thinks would suit our home. Her knowledge on the material and specs for every item was very impressive!

I’ve to add that this entire time our two hyperactive sons were running around and jumping on every piece of furniture. Dalpreet was interrupted repeatedly by us taking turns to keep them in check. She took all of this mayhem well in stride and even struck up little chats with the boys every now and then.

I especially liked that there was zero “hard sell” or even “low key push sales” element throughout entire session from her. Dalpreet came across sincerely wanting to share her expertise so we can come to the right decision on our own. LOVED IT. And THANK YOU.

— We had just moved in so part of the house is still in a mess - was thankful Kavaskar gave me a call in advance before they arrived so I had time to get the space ready.

I’d forgotten to set up the electronic piano at the wall behind the dining table would be. My husband was away so when Kavaskar and his partner arrived with the dining table, I tried my luck and asked if they could help move the piano first before setting up the table. Kavaskar asked to see the piano, got his partner in to check out the weight (it’s actually quite heavy) and to my pleasant surprise, said yes. He also gave me a heads up that they only move furniture so this is not usual, but they will be careful to not spoil it. I thought that was responsible of him to have considered the consequences and to highlight them, instead of just blindly saying agreeing.

After setting up the table, Kavaskar demonstrated how to extend and close it, and reminded me about the lock to keep it in place. My 5yo son was curious and walked over to the table, Kavaskar gently gestured to my son to keep his fingers away before he closed the table.

I offered them water but they very politely rejected. Kavaskar asked if I had any issue with the table, I said no and he let me acknowledge the delivery. After I had signed off, Kavaskar took one last look at the table to ensure it was all good before he left.

These all happened in 20 minutes too. Efficient, professional and helpful! Big thank you!

— Having had various vendors come through, this entire experience with Castlery is the most memorable one. I realise right now, that all these did not even come at a hefty price tag. We bought only 2 items in the end amount to less than $2,000. The whole process was hassle-free with no hidden prices as well. Delivery was free above $300 and assembly is included. True to the aim of providing quality pieces and bespoke experience at reasonable prices!

__ Update: added photos of the final look - we searched for pieces of warm colours to better tie in the woods with the greys as Dalpreet advised. They really turned out to be the perfect finishing touches that makes the home now...

The customer service provided vs the service provided after sales is a stark difference.

1. We have informed Castlery that the delivery will take place from April 2023 onwards. However, Castlery took that the order date will start of the delivery period which will 2 months time (i.e. Feb 2023). We had to sent emails after emails informing that we only want the delivery to be from April onwards although the order was in Dec. We had to go down to Liat Tower branch to rectify. Although the staff in branch rectify however communications between the branch and back end is weak. At the end of Feb 2023, we had to explain the situation to them again in order to avoid storage fee.

2. When the bed side table came, it came with defects. We have tried to call however there are no contact numbers to contact them directly. We had to rely a whatsapp message to communicate. The customer service officer - Echo mentioned that there are no issues and sent my wife picture of perfect pictures of other customers and not address the concerns the issues that my wife had. It was only when my wife asked for the name and only then the customer officer became more proactive about getting ticket for the recovery team.

3. We had to go down to branch that day to make a feedback on the matter. However, the branch explained that there will be a team to settle the feedback and they will not able to assist. To their credit, they managed to get a call from customer service team within the next 1 hour.

4. As for the delivery team, customer officer has also initially mentioned that they do not belong to Castlery and tried to throw them under the bus. However, when I have pointed out that they are wearing your firm's uniform, the customer service officer's explaination has changed to "each department does have their own training and skills hence might not have the right skills to address the stuck drawer". I would like to point out that as a customer, I do not see the delivery team, customer team, branch team or customer recovery team; I only see one firm which is Castlery. However, I have to go through 3 different people from 3 different teams from Castlery in order to get my concern heard.

5. Defects on the item: a) Crack on the item - If you see the crack on the item, I am not referring to the usual bend / curve that all of the items will have. This crack is quite glaring and obvious and it is not what you have pointed out to be usual bend / curve b) Splinter on the item - The splinter on the drawer is a potential safety concern as we have kids and elderly in the household. c) Drawer movement is not smooth (I have mentioned that your delivery partner has forced open the item) - The drawer sliders or runners are not as seamless or smooth as they are supposed to be. When I pulled them, the movement was rocky and required a degree of force to pull through. d) rusty screws on the item - There are rusty screws on the item.

6. We would like to make a special mention of your standards that customer service officer have been repeating during the 4 phone call conversations. If their standards are as good as you have claimed to be, then why would the items have a crack on the item (it is quite obvious), splinter on the item, drawer on the item that is stuck and rusty screws. By any standards, any customer would not accept this item.

7. I have informed them that I would like to a new piece. It was not easy. I had to speak to customer service officer repeatly on the request. The customer service officer will always offer 10% refund and encourage us to use the customer recovery team. Eventually, they agreed to the request of changing of the item. However the item that came still have defects. (i.e., screws not done properly). I have informed Customer Service Officer previously to bring a spare screw, runners and drawers. However this was not meant to be. End up, they use the screws (non rusty) from old item and screw it to the new item. Their customer recovery team is not meant to be. It was simply just another...