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Ballard Designs is a popular catalog that provides furniture, home decor, lighting, and other home essentials. Their styles include traditional and contemporary designs at mid-grade to aspirational price points. While most customers like the look of their offerings, there are some that had issues with durability, perceived quality, and delivery in some cases.
Overall Score: 7.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 7.4/10
Price Value: 7.3/10
Price: $16-$14519+
Return Policy: 90 Days + Restrictions
See More ScoresBallard Designs is a popular catalog company that also includes over 10 retail locations, mostly on the US East Coast. Their catalog is known for its traditional, European inspired, but contemporary furniture and home decor for moderate price points.
Shoppers appreciate their helpful room galleries and design advice online and in their catalog collections. While most customers describe good experiences shopping, there are some complaints about delivery, perceived price value, and customer service when things go wrong.
Ballard Designs offers moderately priced products that budget-focused shoppers may find out of range. Their wooden furniture features less particle board and more solid wood materials generally. That said, most options feature veneered or treated surface layers. Comfort furniture, on the other hand, offer various types of upholstering options including synthetic and natural fabrics and poly foam cushioning. While construction specifications appear to justify the moderate prices charged, there are some complaints about durability and delivery. In some cases, customers complain about products being more sensitive to damage than expected.
When it comes to the pieces that Ballard Designs shoppers are most excited about, there are a few popular requests that customers make again and again. We'll go through the top picks and talk about the ins and outs of their offerings.
#1 Rugs
Ballard Designs' rugs are the first most popular search for customers. Ballard Designs offers over 175 area rugs to choose from. These feature a European and traditional design overall and offer a variety of material options like viscose, polypropylene, jute, and more. These rugs come at a moderate to high end price points and many are imported from Europe. While most customers like the selection, some have had complaints about delivery and perceived value in some cases.
The pros: Moderate selection of rugs with some higher end imported options.
The cons: Some issues with delivery and perceived price value.
#2 Lighting
Next up are Ballard Designs lighting and chandelier products. Ballard Designs offers over 300 different lamps, lighting fixtures, and chandeliers. Their styles offer regal and traditional designs in painted or polished metal. Customers appreciate the look of these designs and have good things to say about the moderate price points overall. While most liked the styles, there were some disagreements about the practicality and durability in some cases.
The pros: Very nicely styled options at affordable price points for the look.
The cons: Some disagreements about practicality and durability in some cases.
#3 Bar Stools
Another popular ask from Ballard Designs shoppers are new bar stools and counter stools. Ballard Designs has over 70 different bar stool designs to choose from. Most commonly, these stools feature painted wooden legs with upholstered seating (with various fabric design choices to choose). While most customers like the style of these stools, their prices were somewhat higher than some customers expected for the designs. Also, some were disappointed with the finish of the wood in some cases.
The pros: Versatile bar stool designs with nice upholstering customization options in some cases.
The cons: Some reports of disappointment with perceived value.
Top Budget Alternative: Wayfair Bar Stools
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#4 Accent Chairs
Ballard Designs offers some interesting accent chair offerings, ideal for a traditional living room or as an addition to a bedroom. Most of these options are upholstered and offer different color palette and print choices. With average prices falling below $1000, these fall within the mid-range on price. While most customers like these options overall, there are some reported issues with durability and delivery issues.
The pros: Versatile and well-styled options for a moderate price point.
The cons: Some issues with durability and delivery reported in some cases.
Top Quality Alternative: Wayfair Accent Chairs
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#5 Outlet
The last thing that Ballard Designs shoppers are really looking for are outlet low prices. Ballard Designs has three outlet locations across the US, in Florida, Georgia, and Ohio. Customers can also browse clearance prices online. These options can fall below 50% off original retail price, but come with some caveats regarding return. While most people enjoy finding a bargain, there are some lingering complaints. Some customers report having issues with perceived quality and durability.
The pros: Competitively priced items at clearance prices.
The cons: Some issues with durability and perceived quality reported.
In addition to the top categories above, Ballard Designs offers a wide array of other home products, such as:
- Curtains
- Mirrors
- Bedding
- Coffee Tables
- Beds & Headboards
Request A Ballard Designs Catalog
Ballard Designs offers one of the most popular home catalogs in the US. Want to see the newest designs and get inspiration for your home?
Visit and request your catalog today.
This is one of the best times to be an online furniture and home decor shopper. Depending on where you look, you can save $100s for higher quality pieces that can fit even the most unique style.
If you are ready to learn more about the best rated online furniture stores and brands that shoppers love, read our reviews for the top 2024 Furniture Stores.
...or jump right into our top online furniture alternative, Wayfair.
Such a beautiful store! They have so many gorgeous items to look at. You are able to customize your furniture with any of the beautiful fabrics they have to choose from. I could tell the quality is amazing. We spoke to a woman named Tricia and she was very friendly, helpful, and attentive. She gave us a catalogue and printed up some information on the furniture pieces we were interested in. I defiantly recommend checking this store out if you are looking for some stunning and great quality items for your home.
I really would give it zero stars. I received my quilt and two weeks later there was a hole in the quilt. I have contacted customer service through e-mail, with two people on the phone. One of the customer service rep said we have to have you send the blanket back so they can re-sale it as it. Really, that is enough for me. I am done will not buy anything from them again. They want me to send my quilt back even though I sent pictures and then send me the replacement or send me the replacement and I have 30 days to not be charged for them to get the blanket. This is just not acceptable to me! First time I ordered and bad experience. My daughter and several of my family members have purchased new homes. I will advise all of them to stay away!
Great store but good god I've not been in a place with pushier salespeople. I took a four-minute walk through and was bugged by FIVE different women. Two actually said the same line about projects I'm working on. I was told about the credit card twice by two different associates. Stuff in there is nice but trust me ... skip the store and shop online. These women were positively obnoxious.
Would give these guys zero stars if that was an option. My wife and I ordered a media armoire from Ballard Designs ($1,700) in August and the first one arrived with doors that were misaligned. We contacted Ballard Designs and they agreed to send a replacement. The second armoire arrived and had the same problem - misaligned doors. We rejected the replacement and in the process they charged our credit card for the full amount of the purchase. When we spoke with their customer service department nearly one month ago, we were told additional units were in stock and we could expect a replacement in November. The delay was attributable to their need to inspect the replacement unit before it was shipped. I contacted Ballard's customer service today expecting shipment of the replacement unit any day and was told the unit was now on back order and would not be available for shipment until January 27th. No call from Ballard to provide an update and instead I had to call them to learn about the delay. To suggest that Ballard Design's quality control and customer service is lacking would be an understatement. I recommend avoiding a furniture purchase from them at all costs. It's simply not worth the aggravation and time wasted.
I have never received such horrible customer service in trying to order furniture in my life. I have made 7 phone calls, spoken to 2 supervisors, literally begging for a confirmatory email, for two orders I made online and have recieved nothing. Can you imagine having to make 7 seven phone calls to get a confirmatory email for 2 orders? I am trying to spend money at Ballard designs and am having tp spend hours trying to do so. On June 15, online I ordered the Hudson 4 light Pendant chandalier, order T7445932 for $599.00. I printed off the "congratulations your order has been placed" but got no confirmatory email like I usually do when I order products. I was told there was a discrepancy with the billing and shipping addresses, which we fixed in the first phone call and was told I would get a confirmatory email No email later, after several more phone calls in which each customer service rep assured me they would take care of this, I placed an additional order for 2 Griffin Club Chairs with ottomon and 5 decorative pillows (crazy me to order more items from Ballard Designs) for $3,43.80. Order Number T7448627. No confirmatory email for either order. More phone calls with assurance that each person would make sure my concerns were addressed. Today, June 19, 2015, I spoke to a supervisor. Laura Hammer who assured me again she would make sure both orders are processed and I would get confirmatory emails. Now 8 hours later on my seventh phone call, I am again on the phone with a supervisor, Carla Lloyd, who says she will make sure orders get processed and sending me her personal emails with a snap shot of my order. At least I got some kind of personal email from her but looking nothing like a confirmation of my orders. In the meantime, I told Carla to cancel the order for the Griffin Club chairs (no problem because apparently never processed) and am forced to spend this much time writing this email. I want whoever to know how much time I have wasted in trying to spend money at Ballard designs. I hope I eventually get the chandalier and pillows still pending. My interior decorator says she will no longer order from Ballard Designs due to such horrible service.
Garbage! Finally, I am restraining myself from buying any more garbage from Ballard Designs. I have been deluded by its French-looking decor only to find it to be garbage shipped to my door, at a high price. What do I mean? A kitchen table that cannot be exposed to wiping with a sponge dampened in water. Really, a kitchen table?? A dresser with misaligned doors with a gap and moldings that are crooked. And then there's customer service. 3 different representatives will give you 3 different answers to your questions...and none of them are correct (I found out after talking with a supervisor). If you ever have an issue with an item, here is where the true worth of a company is revealed. Do they fix the problem satisfactorily? No, Ballard doesn't. They don't feel that they need to make the customer happy or do the right thing. I escalated my complaint to a supervisor named Christopher who has no business working in a customer-oriented company (which is really any company!) Because I was asking for a small (under $50) reparation in correction of Ballard's mistake, and he would not offer me ANY reparation. That's ok because Ballard will be gone from existence as consumers will not tolerate their poor quality and even worse service. People must tell their stories. So, I say, try Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Home Goods. Don't waste your time paying for garbage to be delivered to your door.
I've visited this store often in hopes of buying a particular hallway bench. I finally asked if they ever got any in and learned that is was very spotty. So I decided to order one. It was on sale so a bit of savingSbut backordered so I'd have to wait. I used a Visa gift card but the amount was short by about $30 plus a delivery charge. Due to a quirk in their system, I couldn't pay the balance until the card had cleared. After a couple days, they called to say they were waiving the additional charges due to the inconvenience. I understood the problem was not within their control and was quite impressed with their offer. I'm looking forward to my new bench which is on the way.
I have found some beautiful things at this store, some needed a little touching up, I pass on the heavily damaged. The people that work there have been so nice giving me courage to decorate a little differently. I recently moved from a traditional house to transitional, I was a little lost! Some of my favorite pieces!
2.5 stars, rounded up. I like the merchandise that Ballard Designs sells via their website and catalogue, and have bought a few items from them over the years. They are mostly high quality, but usually pretty overpriced. While in Cincinnati, we decided to hit this outlet, where Ballard Designs, Grandin Road, and Frontgate are all housed under the same roof. It was okay, but a bit disappointing. The deals were okay, but nothing really good. You come to an outlet looking for decent discounts, otherwise you would just shop the regular store or website. We didn't find anything we couldn't live without. Either the merchandise wasn't discounted enough, or it was damaged. Staff was friendly though. I wouldn't make a special trip here, but I would stop again if I was in close proximity because I love to shop and bargain hunt.
It's a hot mess in there. I don't know why they think anyone would buy damaged goods that are all scratched and broken?!
Meh. not much to chose from and the items they do have are either scratched, cracked, or falling apart for the most part. The prices are ridiculous as well. They were having a 50% off sale right before NYE so if I were to buy something here, it would definitely have to be at a sale like that because it is not worth the prices otherwise. IMO.
I would probably be a 4 1/2 star person. However, you have to go often to this store. There are times when they are selling off certain items very cheaply. I just purchased wood letters for under $2 each or big patio cushions for my chairs at under $7 each. Then there are times when I just walk out because there is nothing I need. Be careful, nothing can be returned. Look at the board on the wall just outside the store to see if there are some super special deals. When you walk in the store, generally the great deals are near the entrance but not always. Part of the fun is finding the must have item at a fraction of the catalog price in a corner of the store. If you need help, I have found the sales associates more than willing to give help and advice. They will not tell you out right your selection lacks design quality for your application, but you can certainly read it in their face. I have also found they will help load up your vehicle and also keep your item or items for future pick up if you pay for them. I am not sure if they hold the items. I like the place but you can never count on the merchandise at any particular time.
Great customer service, friendly, and the knowledge of staff on all the products/items in the store was really impressive. Will come back here again.
My friend and I meet in Cincinnati, OH a couple times a year for a girl's weekend to shop at Ballard Design's outlet located in West Chester, OH - northwest side of Cincinnati. Grandin Road and Frontgate have outlets at the same location and IKEA is nearby - lots of shopping opportunities! We were there in February (over President's weekend) and each store was having 40 - 50% off all its merchandise, even if it was already marked down. Since they're outlets, it can be hit and miss. But, the prices and stock this weekend were really good, All three stores carry similar merchandise to decorate your home. The items were out of season, slightly damaged, overstock, returns from catalog orders, etc. Ballard's had more items for inside your home (lighting, furniture, rugs, wall decor, lamps, accessories) while Grandin Road and Frontgate had great prices on items for outdoor entertaining. Many of the items were large-scale patio sets, cushions, planters, etc. Grandin Road also had a great assortment of bar stools. If you like shopping at outlets, you should check these stores out!
I love the catalog but the outlet is really hit or miss -- mostly damaged, dented or broken furnishings vs. discontinued pieces. And, you can easily save as much with the frequent coupons in the catalog --without the dents.
This store is very hit or miss - unfortunately more times than not it is a miss. I have traveled to this store frequently in hopes of finding items I wanted and at great prices. Rarely did I find either. Most often I found damaged, broken, scratched, or dented merchandise. I have found it not worth my travel time. I will give the store points for great customer service. There is one associate that is fantastic. I think her name is Nikki - she is extremely helpful.
I hate to leave a negative review because I love the online store so much. While on a trip I found out this Ballard Outlet store existed. I was over the moon excited! I shop online all the time & even am a top contributor. I love the customer service I receive online. I walked in this store and several employees walked right by me. I was not really sure of the specials or how the prices worked & still don't know. I seemed like I was judged as other customers were being spoken to. I browsed for a good 25 min but couldn't take it anymore. I'll keep to online shopping & hopefully never remember this place.
I have been a loyal and happy Ballard Designs customer for over 10 years. Just when you think they can't get any better they take it a whole new level. The Suzanne Kasler line is fabulous. Every now and then I get something that doesn't quite work or doesn't meet their typical quality standards. They gladly accept returns. Can't say enough about this great company.
If no stars was an option I'd have picked it. Everything is either dirty or broken and not priced accordingly for that condition. Don't waste your time.
Fantastic deals! Like mist outlets they are a little disorganized but they have unique items at s fraction of the catalog prices. I would have bought more if my car could fit more. They also had very friendly staff.
I can't say enough about this place...I'm totally obsessed and when I need to decorate or looking for a relief, it's the first place I'm going. Not only do I enjoy the store, the help received is wonderful. Everyone is super nice and I especially love working with the ultra talented store manager, Michael. He's incredibly smart and has an eye for putting designs together perfectly. Love my Ballard
As Southern transplants and new condo owners, we had a lot of walls to decorate and spaces to fill. We found several items at the Ballard Design Outlet in West Chester. Our first purchase was a small patio table. Next we found a painting canvas with a Parisian cityscape. The merchandise includes lamps, rugs, wall decor, small furniture items, and accessories. As an outlet store, the merchandise consists of customer returns, overstocks and samples, as well as items for the company's catalog. Note that they don't have every item in their catalog at this location. Each time you visit the selection will vary, so if you're looking for something in particular, you might want to go often or ask an employee about the item. The employees are friendly and there's plenty of parking.
Do not order any furniture from this company. They charged me $1400 to ship 3 shelves and return them.
I have been coming to Ballard Designs Outlet in West Chester for years. When it was good, it was really good. Last year I took my birthday off work and spent five hours (and a small fortune) browsing the outlet for deals and steals. I drove from Dayton to visit the store this morning because they advertised 40% off the entire store. I knew it was too good to be true. The 40% off is only off the catalog prices - not the outlet prices. This is vastly different than before. The clerk who rang up my ($160 after discount - eek!) chaise cushion admitted that they changed their pricing structure. No more "outlet" prices - just a flat discount off the catalog prices. Also, they no longer publish the weekly outlet promotions on their website. So you have to call. And the store clerks are not known for their hospitality. I tried to make small talk with my cashier today and she didn't even crack a smile. And all sales are final. Not sure I'll be going back.
Ordered a luggage rack for over $100.00. It arrived poorly packaged and severely damaged. Ballard took back and sent replacement item which was also damaged and wood was cracked this time in construction. Very poor quality and very poorly constructed. I will never shop there again. Oh! We are still waiting for credit on the first item and they have already charged us for the replacement.
The items look great online and with the prices you'd expect good quality, but not even close. I ordered 4 items totaling $300+ (floor mats, dog bowls and a large metal stand) only one item was in good condition. One mat was transposed and the metal stand and dog items had dents and quality was cheap. Never again, even if the ads and website looks amazing.
I have bought quite a few things from the Ballard Outlet in West Chester. The prices are fair, considering their catalog prices are steep. Generally you can expect anything at the outlet to be about 25% off the retail price, and then they have weekly specials on things like lighting, furniture, wall decor, etc., that will take another 30-40% off. Many of the items are in new condition, but they also sell damaged returns so check your items before purchase as all sales are final. Some of my favorite purchases include my very solid, heavy dining room table for $250, and outdoor patio cushions for $10 each. I was surprised to see the reviews for the Outlet were on the low side, but upon reading I see most of these are bad experiences from the catalog, not the Outlet. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because their prices are still kind of high on a lot of items (again, remember their stuff is expensive to start) and also because they do sell a lot of damaged pieces and don't always reflect the price accordingly. Overall, if you are a Ballard fan, you will love it!
I ordered a vendor pedestal dining room table way before Christmas, it came after 3 weeks, and the tabletop was severely chipped, and the delivery company ended up just delivering the pedestals. 2 weeks go by and here comes my tabletop, and no box for screws or parts to assemble the table. Called Ballard designs only to be told that they will not overnight the parts I have to wait an additional 5 days. C, mon when you pay over 1200 for a product and you want by a certain time. Customer service sucks, and I just want to return this whole dang table back, because its been over a month and a half, couldn't use it for Christmas or now even new year!!!
Their shipping process is absolutely terrible. Their products are well made and well-designed but they do not have a process for delivering furniture. Have ordered furniture from Restoration Hardware and from Pottery barn with not issues but Ballards is a nightmare. They change the shipping date and the delivery date multiple times. And heaven help you if something is damaged. Bottom-line: the furniture is just not worth the shipping nightmare.
Awful! Ballard items used to be well made. Huge mistake ordering the Italian Furniture line - the most expensive, cheap quality garbage imaginable. And....it arrived broken. The company was indifferent. Very cheap wood with obvious staples and poor quality building. STAY AWAY!
I am always so excited when I get my Ballard Designs catalog in my mail box! Since we were in the neighborhood, we decided to stop by the outlet store. This is one of those store where it is pretty much hit or miss to find something worthy to take home. On my last visit, I scored some amazing silk curtains. On this visit, I managed to leave with only a bored boyfriend. Oh, well! It's fun to look!
Horrible customer service! Beware. I Wanted to return an item, I did exactly what customer service told me yet they claim they never received the item. Even with tracking number they will not give me my refund.
Be very careful on shipping charges. I wanted to order 6 light linen drapery panels. The shipping costs were over $100 for something that would fit in a small box and would not require packing materials to prevent breakage. They were supposedly having a 15% sale. It ended up as a 5% sale. I called them because I was sure it must be a mistake. Nope, they said that's what the shipper charged them. I refrained from asking if they had ever heard of the USPS. Needless to say still looking for drapery panels.
I was a little hesitant when I read the reviews on Yelp but my experience was amazing! I bought an iron paper towel holder that I saw off of Pinterest, ordered it online on Sunday, it was delivered to my home the following Tuesday. Lightening quick! Not only that, I signed up for the email newsletter and they gave me a 10% coupon. I forgot to use it when I ordered and I emailed them the next day, the retrospectively applied the discount and refunded the 10% to my credit card. Great quality products, great customer service. I'll definitely use them again.
Ballard Designs stinks. When I ordered a chair and pillow, I received an email nearly 3 weeks later saying that the order was delayed a month more. I was not going to be in the country and asked them either to hold it or delay it since there would be no one to receive it. They said they couldn't and try to get a family member or friend to be around to receive it. So while in a different country I had to phone back and forth to find out when it was actually going to arrive so my friend didn't have to keep checking. THEN, I get home and find out that the pillow was not delivered. I email Ballard and they say they did so to ask neighbors if they took it (like they will say they did even if they did!). They never told me before when it was going to be shipped, there was not tracking number given...so who knows what happened. Their email responses were vague and unhelpful...especially when the delay and error was on their part. And they send me a 10% coupon as an "apology"...like that helps. Terrible service.
BEWARE: Their online website is the worst. I ordered 8 items to be custom made. Only one of the items will meet their 4-6 weeks delivery deadline. No one ever contacted me to let me know that the fabric I chose was backordered and would cause a 1 month delay. Usually not a problem except that I won't be there when it is ready to be delivered causing a logistical nightmare.
This is the most disorganized company I have ever dealt with. On August 9, 2012, I signed my email address because Ballard's text on their website reads, "new subscribers receive a one-time only welcome discount within 24 hours" via email. I wanted to see what the discount was before I placed my first order. I waited and never received it. So I called on August 10, 2012, I called again and was told by Ballard's representative that they meant "24 business hours" and for me to wait through the weekend until Monday, August 13, 2012. So I waited. And when I didn't receive the email by Monday afternoon, I called again and told them I gave them my email address and they, in turn, were suppose to send me an email giving me a discount and they have not done so. Ballard's representative said she would notify Customer Service immediately and I should have the email within a few hours. Later that afternoon I received an email from Ballard's.........THANKING ME FOR MY ORDER!!!! I am done with this company before I even start. Their customer service sucks. I give them zero stars.
I was looking to add a piece of rattan furniture to a room that has furniture with sunbrella fabric. I was excited to see that Ballard's rattan furniture offered sunbrella fabric and the spa color LOOKED like it matched the pillows on my furniture. I called and the sales associate sounded annoyed that I wanted to speak with a product specialist. The product specialist could not give me the sunbrella color code (I had mine for my fabric from another company). It would have been SO easy to know if it matched and would have placed the order right then and there. But no, they wanted to sell me a swatch and it would take a week to get the swatch. I could have almost had my furniture by then (1 to 2 weeks). They lost out on a sale. How easy would it have been to give me the number. How can a company lose a sale like that in this economy, especially when they are carrying the inventory? I expect better service.
In January I ordered a print from the Watercolor ****** Art collection and had it shipped to the local Ballard Design store for pick up. I picked up the print and after unwrapping it in my home found the frame to be damaged so promptly brought it back to the store and returned/reordered a new one. For the inconvenience the store offered complimentary shipping to my home. The 2nd picture arrived at my door and as soon as I picked it up I know the glass was shattered. It sounded like I was picking a puzzle. I called customer service and was informed I had to unwrap the picture and send pictures of it to customer service( which I did). I was informed within 24 hours that a 3rd picture would be shipped to my home and I agreed to this. The 3rd picture arrived within a few days and the glass was again broken. I called and the company issued a UPS pick up slip and credited me the full refund once it was received back at Ballard Design. I opted not to have a 4th picture sent. I was told the next time they sent one to me it would take a few weeks because it would go through a check system to ensure it was packed extra carefully! Ridiculous! Why wasn't the picture wrapped securely in the first place. What a waste of my time. I also wrote a review on the Ballard Design site which has not appeared so apparently they do not really want customers experiences unless it has been positive. This enraged me and prompted this review.
Terrible customer service! I received a damaged piece of furniture and I have spent over a week now trying to get my money back and to get someone to come pick it back up! I had to finally call the shipping company myself and they said they had not received an order yet from Ballard Design to pick it up even though on my 4th phone call to Ballard they said they did put a request in to schedule a pickup. Do not buy from this company unless you want to spend endless amounts of time trying to return damaged pieces.
I've been trying to get replacement parts for lamps I ordered in April 2018 but no luck. Finials were stripped and customer service said they would send replacement parts. Two months later and I've received only one update. I've called several times to check the status and on one can tell me anything. I also had a terrible experience with the shipping company they use - **** Home Delivery. Overall my experience with Ballard has been terrible and I will not be shopping there again. My next step is to try to return the lamps to their McLean, VA store. Wish me luck!
Shop Elsewhere. The ordered curtain rods and they were not what I expected. They were flimsy and not good quality. Upon return, they charged additional shipping fees, which resulted in me losing $48 of my refund!!!! When I called there was nothing I could do. Again, these were curtain rods!
THIS COMPANY IS HORRIFIC. They sent me an item in the wrong color, said they would send UPS to bring it back as a return, and told me to put the package out on the wrong date. A package from a completely different company was delivered to my house and that was what was taken and sent to Ballard. I called and emailed several times to let them know that they took the wrong package and that it was on the way to their warehouse. They said they would stop the delivery. They didn't. Now, it's been 3 weeks and they still have my package which is COMPLETELY unrelated to Ballard. They haven't returned my calls or emails, and it was an expensive item that they have of mine, that I ordered from a different company. Their customer service reps are rude and not apologetic at all, they blame everyone else instead. I still haven't gotten an answer and don't know if thye will ever return my item. I will never purchase from this company again. BEWARE.
I ordered a carpet swatch 8 weeks and 6 days ago. I have yet to receive that swatch. Ballard Designs has done a swell job of keeping me posted regarding the shipping delays, but I am canceling that order today. My problem is, if I got the swatch and liked it and wanted to order the rug, how could I ever be comfortable that I would receive it in a timely manner.
The worst experience of my life! I ordered custom benches and this is what happened. 1. Benches delivered were not benches they were two chairs that I never ordered, I refused to accept the order. My credit card was erroneously charged $1,300 2. Their shipping company that delivered it completely disregarded that my building has a 9-5 policy. JBHUNT driver showed up at 6:45 am. It was re-delivered twice. 3 days of work were missed and no furniture to sit on 2 months since we got rid of the old furniture in anticipation of the new furniture arrival. 3. After 5 phone calls to BD and several emails I was told to wait for the order to be made. 4. The order was made but the shipping company could not locate 1 out of 3 pieces. 5. I told BD and their shipping company that my building has 9-5 policy. The order arrived at 10pm when we ere in bed. 6. One last thing, two months later ... I started to forget about this nightmare, my credit card was charged for 2K again for the same order. Very beautiful furniture but you may not receive what you ordered and pay double for it.
I made the mistake of attempting a purchase from Ballard Designs despite the overwhelming evidence online of poor customer service. Ballard fails to provide appropriate turn-around when processing and shipping an order and their estimates that they provide are nothing short of fraudulent. Its been over a month since my order and there is still no reasonable estimate provided on when my items will arrive. I cannot recommend them to anyone for a purchase. Please avoid a horrible experience and look elsewhere.
I had a horrible experience with this company. The shipping service was so unorganized they lost my order and then the customer service representatives couldn't do anything because they couldn't make a simple phone call to check the orders. This was all after I waited 4 months for the order. Very poor business model. They blame their issues on the makers and shippers, which they choose to use, so they should be responsible when there are problems.
Sadly, I am another customer who found out too late that there is no customer service or company accountability on the part of Ballard. When I tried to give an honest review of a product I received on their website, they told me they would not post it as it spoke to shipping issues and they apparently don't count or they won't deal with this failing in their organization. I ordered a product early this winter and learned within a week or so that it was backordered and would not ship until May. In April, they pushed that out to mid June alerting me with an email; yet the very next day I got snother email from Ballard stating the item just shipped and I would be contacted to arrange a delivery date from their contract shipper. When I called customer service at Ballard to let them know that a fsmily emergency took me out of town and I would not be able to be home for any delivery, I was first told, don't worry, it will take weeks for the delivery still. Yet the next day I was contacted by the shipper telling me that I needed to set the delivery date and if I did not, they would return the item to Ballard. Further calls to Ballard were fruitless and frustrating- I finally got bumped to a customer relations person who just arranged a delivery date in June with the hope I would be home to accept it. Well, the item was delivered this past Friday. The delivery company never called to confirm the delivery so when it became 1 hour from the end of the 4 hour window snd they still were not there, I tried to get in touch with both Ballard's rep and the delivery company. They confirmed it was going to be delivered; the delivery team then called and said they would be at least an hour beyond the window they promised. And that white glove service? For the $100 plus extra charged, the delivery is to your front door only. Really? Even the delivery team was embarrassed and did bring the Huge box over the threshold. I still had to unpack a box bigger than me and get the item into my home. The actual product after all this? An uncomfortable Thurston wing chair with stiff cushioning and poor quality upholstery. So my recommendation: don't buy anything from Ballard Designs and tell the company thar owns them, HSNi Cornerstone, that you won't accept this lack of quality by also refusing to buy anything fro their other vendors - Frontgate, HSN, Grandin Road, Garnet Hill and Improvements.
I ordered a Ballard Designs gift certificate on-line for $250. I received an email from Ballard Design notifying me that I had purchased a $250 gift certificate. My Visa credit card was charged $250. When my recipient tried to use the certificate within a week of my purchase, she was told that the certificate had a zero balance. When she asked how and where the card had been used, she was told that Ballard could not disclose that information. When I attempted to contact Ballard, I was directed to their third party gift certificate vendor. When I contacted that vendor, I was referred back to Ballard. When I again contacted Ballard, I was told they had no record of my purchase. When I forwarded a copy of the email from Ballard indicating my purchase of a $250 gift certificate, as well as proof that Ballard had charged my credit card for $250, I was referred to a different section of customer service. I was then contacted by a customer service representative who told me that they would refund $200 because that's what their records showed that I purchased. When I once again forwarded documentation showing a $250 purchase, I was told that they consider the matter closed. I have filed a dispute with my credit card company and am forwarding the information to my local county prosecutor for theft/fraud charges.
I ordered a lamp shade in early November 2021 and I still have not received by item which is still in back order. This is only a lamp shade, don't understand why it is taking this long.
These chairs couldn't have sold in a store for anything near the price I paid, they look so bad.
If I had only purchased an item or two from Ballard that had an inherent design flaw I would write it off, but after about my 5 or 6th purchase of an item over 300$ 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 purchases???
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