Room & Board — Local services in New York

Selection and looks, yes -- post-purchase support and customer service -- NO. I bought a leaning mirror for $799 in 2006 and LOVED it until it tipped over onto my couch and shattered into thousands of pieces on 6/25/18. I contacted R&B and Kristen told me they would be happy to send me the free "Anti-Tip Hardware" that now comes with the mirror.

When I asked about information on how/where to get a mirror replacement and how to proceed with removing the thick pieces of glass from the glue and bolted-in frames, she suggested I bring this 36" x 72" steel frame to a glass company to get it custom-made or of course I could just "purchase another one" from R$B.

She is selectively "forgetting" that when I got the mirror it did not come with an "anti-tip" piece of hardware (hence her happiness at sending me a free one asap). I had never even heard of such a thing until my contact with her.

One would think that the company would provide a reasonable courtesy in lieu of the potential danger (pics attached) I was lucky to have escaped because of the mirror being sold without a now-supplied safety device, and also because I have bought at least $5,000.00 worth of furniture from them.

But nope -- I'm on own with this $800.00-plus steel frame with bits of glass still stuck in the frame. (I also twice contacted the company that actually made the Modern Leaning Mirror, Bell Manufacturing in MN, and never heard back, despite their welcoming "Contact Page". I guess they're welcoming if you're buying, but not asking for help with their product.

Another purchase -- Sectional Sofa: In 2006 I paid $2,671.20 for a sectional sofa from R$B that from the start had problems with the "Sectional Connectors" -- and that caused problems with a constant sagging of the seat-cushions in that area. I have had to bolster up the sagging with thick rugs or towels to make it even and it's almost a daily chore.

When I called about that last year, the guy told me to "take pictures of all that you are describing and measurements of the cushion areas" and they would get back to me. Of course not worth my time. I'll stick with the padding but an FYI for all you that don't have time for that work.

So in summary: looks good at first, but need something a little more and it's not there.

My modern steel outdoor furniture and bar table are doing fine, but the Duvet cover I bought from R$B was very thin and vulnerable from the start. It was so pretty that I kept it but had to be very careful not to tear it -- it's like a sheet rather than a typical duvet cover material, but of course I couldn't tell from R$B's catalog photo.

So again: looks great at first, but not much dependable substance underneath it all.

Stick with the steel furniture -- no surprises...

I would strongly advise looking elsewhere. My friends bought from Room and Board and complained about issues with delivery and comfort of the piece, though I thought the look was enough and they allowed returns, so gave it a try. My experience with Room and Board was a massive drain on time and resources. They delivered three damaged pieces in a row. They attempted to use contractors to fix them, who were rude, tried to “fix” the piece over multiple appointments, & failed to supply COIs, until eventually R&B agreed to replace the piece instead of repair it. The quality is comparable to Wayfair, assuming they don’t deliver a damaged item. The customer service does respond, they aren’t able to provide true assistance, so you mostly end up with someone to tele-commiserate with. Overall, to purchase one sofa, I was asked by Room and Board (and their contractors) to be home between 8:00-18:30 for six different days, difficult for someone who works from an office. I felt I provided multiple opportunities to the company to salvage the bad experience which they were indifferent towards. Please value your time,...

Absolute worst customer service ever. Bought a lamp on a floor sale and was told that it was a two person job for delivery. I didn't say anything at the time and went ahead and paid for the two-person delivery fee. When the floor lamp got delivered, there was only ONE delivery man and on top of that, the lamp was badly damaged!!! The delivery van was also not even a van! It was a personal, beat up car with very little padding in the trunk!! What??? I called the number associated with this location 14 times before someone picked up, and then had to deal with a sales representative who was absolutely unapologetic and unsympathetic, and just straightforward told me that they could only refund my money and they would not be able to get me the same lamp on the floors of their stores for the same price. If your store is going to sell overpriced furniture, at least get yourselves a good delivery service and an even better customer service. Absolutely...