Ballard Designs — Local services in Houston

I have never written a review before. But I also have never had money so shamelessly stolen from me from an actual store.

In short: Stole $142 from me, the rudest possible manager to exist with horrible awful customer service, please please go anywhere else because other stores actually know how to respect and treat their customers right.

Long story: Went in two weeks ago with a gift card of $142 something. The sales associate and operations manager were not able to use the gift card because they phased that gift card out and their new system did not recognize the card. We stayed with them for over an hour while they were figuring it out, patiently waiting, and trying to help them find solutions. They told us to buy $142 amount of stuff and charge it to my credit card and the next day they will figure out how to use the card and refund to my credit card and charge the gift card. Got a call the next day saying the gift card expired after 12 months from the date it was issued and my gift card was from 2022. I asked to speak to a manager and I asked him how is it possible that they just keep that money and I get nothing out of it? He stated that it states on the card (which I didn't read, wasn't told when it was given to me, and neither sales associate or operations manager read the back of the card) and that there's nothing I can do. I expressed how absolutely dumbfounded I was at how ridiculous this is and the fact that my money was just taken from me and I can never get it back and it wont apply to any purchase of mine. Federal laws state that gift cards can expire after 5 years, but it seems like Ballard Designs like taking advantage of their customers and literally steal their money just because they can!

My husband went in again to return the rest of the stuff they made us buy (yes, they told us to buy the amount of the gift card) and the lovely amazing manager actually wanted to fight over that also??? After all of this?? Because one of the things was on clearance?? Hello, you already stole $142?? you want to steal an additional $100??? Where is the decency??

The fact that this manager and Ballard Designs wanted to fight with loyal customers over $142 and chose to steal it from their customers instead of doing the right thing and issuing a new card with this balance is so unbelievably petty and embarrassing for this company.

I always chose to come to Ballard Designs to get gifts for others because it's really close by and it's lesser known and I liked supporting them. I can't believe they just took my money and the lovely amazing manager had the nerve to be so rude to both my husband and I after WE are they ones who have LOST money and time. Please, go...

If I had only purchased an item or two from Ballard that had an inherent design flaw I would write it off, but after about my 5 or 6th purchase of an item over 300$ that was seriously defunct, I had to finally stop. There has been an arc lamp that would not stay up no matter how we adjusted it - ended up thrown on the curb after the last time it fell on my husbands head during a nap. There are the two martini tables with marble tops that fall over if you breathe too hard and then of course crack - I have two of those that were NOT cheap. Then there is the 4 head lamp that has no way to secure the 4 bottom pieces so as soon as they are out of alignment, plop! on the floor it goes with bulbs crashing. Then there is the huge mirror I bought that had NO way to hang it - we have had to leave it propped on the floor. Then there was the chandelier that looked absolutely NOT like the catalog photos that I definitely returned. And lastly the gold rolling table I just loved and wanted so badly but turned out it also looked nothing like the photo and was a much cheaper version of it. The paint also comes off super easily versus the very bronze unpainted metal finish that appears in the catalog. That ended up outside as a plant stand but the cost was definitely that of a high end bar like side table. There was also a wagon wheel chandelier that maybe actually was what it was sold as but frankly just looks horrible. Its in the garage too. So really just realized I am the idiot that kept falling for the sleek well made look in the catalog and kept on buying. Finally learned my lesson after what, 6 or so bad...

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!!! Over one month on, I am STILL trying to get things straightened out!! My husband and I ordered 3 chairs on 3.5.24. Due to a problem with the table we ordered (somewhere else), we ended up cancelling the order on 4.2.24. Long story short, due to a mistake at their warehouse, I was only credited for ONE chair, which then meant that I incurred almost $100 in late fees and interest (without my knowledge) prior to this mistake being rectified two weeks later. In the interim, no one at the store level has done anything to get this corrected other than a weak apology and telling me to call the credit card company. The credit card company (while they are somewhat sympathetic to my situation) said there is nothing they can do because it’s still money owed to them. So basically my credit is shot and I owe $100 for chairs that I never even took possession of!! DO NOT SHOP HERE unless you want to be...