Pottery Barn — Local services in Bethesda

We've had a TERRIBLE experience shopping at Pottery Barn, both in store and online. We went to the store in Bethesda, were helped by someone named Caterina. Initially, she helped us with curtain rods and we purchased 2 curtains, 2 curtain rods and 2 sets of finials. One of each had to be sent to us from another store because they weren't in stock at Bethesda. Caterina assured us everything would match, despite coming from different places.

When we received the curtain rods and finials from the other store, THEY DIDN'T MATCH. The curtain rods had OLD brackets that didn't match what we received from the store, which had NEW brackets. The finials also had a different finish. We had to go BACK to the store a second time to return those items. While we were there, Caterina gave us a hard time about returning the items and I had to say that I was extremely frustrated because she helped us and told us everything would match.

So, she accepted the return and someone in the store placed an order for us online for a new curtain rod and finial. After almost a MONTH waiting for it to arrive, I finally received it and mounted both curtain rods only to find out that the one that was just shipped to us is DEFECTIVE! The set screws are jammed and do not loosen or tighten onto the curtain rod!

I called customer service and they told me the curtain rods are now DISCONTINUED and the best they can do is allow me to return them. Now, I have to TAKE DOWN the curtain rods, PATCH THE HOLES and ship back one set with a return label, and then I have to GO TO THE STORE FOR A THIRD TIME to return the other curtain rod. THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I have spent almost two months just trying to get two curtain rods and have WASTED SO MUCH...

My husband and I went to Pottery Barn this morning with our toddler in tow. We had a fairly clear idea of what we wanted in a living room set and the budget we wanted to stick to. This was the 7th furniture store we visited and finally found just what we were looking for. PROS: This location has two floors with a good number of sofa sets available to test drive and numerous options for fabric. We loved having the ability to customize the furniture to make it exactly what we were looking for at a price we could feel good about (different fabrics have different price tags). We were assisted by Kassie, who was very personable, professional, and extremely helpful. She made the experience of customizing the living room set easy, enjoyable, and kept us in our budget! We will definitely work with her for all of our future purchases. CONS: Yes, this gorgeous furniture comes with a price tag (you get what you pay for, right?), BUT we were very lucky to purchase during a 25% off promotion, which made the price very affordable so look for the sales/ sign up for their emails. Also, I could certainly see what some customers have complained about regarding staff. Some of the staff seemed a little snooty and would walk right past us without a greeting or offering assistance. Again, Kassie was not like that at all, so just look for an associate who seems happy to help. Finally, Pottery Barn Kids is completely separate and unable to combine orders with PB so you will pay twice for shipping if you order from both. OVERALL, we will definitely shop here again and would recommend PB Bathesda to...

TLDR: All these reviews terrified me but I gave them a chance and we are so so happy, and delivery was super smooth! Customer service was also great!

We called ahead and worked with Barbara in the store to pick out nursery furniture. She was so knowledgeable and helpful - she went above and beyond and we're so happy with our purchase. She also showed us strollers and carseats, which we ended up buying later. It was so helpful seeing her demo everything in person, as opposed to just having to rely on YouTube videos and online reviews.

From the reviews here, I was so nervous about shipping and delivery, but it was really smooth and the movers were professional and fast. The delivery was 2 weeks past the estimate, but to me it was worth that wait for greenguard certified furniture.

For customer service - we also bought a stroller and car seat through them and the stroller that arrived was not what we ordered. I called customer service and within 3 minutes, I was on the phone with someone who took care of it quickly. I called back a few days later to confirm that they received the other stroller and again, someone answered the phone very quickly and confirmed everything. I'm not sure what is happening to others in the reviews, but I have nothing bad to say about their customer service.

Just wanted to write a review so hopefully other parents who are trying to buy from Pottery Barn don't get discouraged. I hope your experience is as...