Missing candle holder prompts consumer’s winter of discontent

A consumer from Bar Harbor, a summer resident named Martha Hahn, was waiting recently when we arrived at the office.

Hahn related to us that in October of last year she mailed a check to Lenox Collections in the amount of $81.55 for two cardinal decorated plates, a cardinal decorated trivet, and a votive cardinal decorated candle holder, all titled “Winter Greetings.”

When Martha received the order, the two plates and the trivet were there, but the third item was not in the box. Instead, there was a small pin with the image of a squirrel on it. She thought it was probably a gift from Lenox Collections, due to the fact that this was her first order.

After looking again through the Lenox Collections catalog, she saw the squirrel pin advertised in their catalog. It appeared to Hahn that the pin was sent by mistake and another customer must have her votive candle holder.

Hahn mailed the squirrel pin back to Lenox Collections with a short explanation. She asked that the votive candle holder be sent to her as it was already paid for.

The paper trail began. Lennox Collections answered Hahn’s letter with a request for a copy of the canceled check. She not only sent a copy of both sides of the canceled check, but also a copy of the order form, which she had photocopied. When no reply was forthcoming, Martha wrote a second letter, again enclosing copies of the check and order form.

Lenox Collections replied by letter stating that Hahn owed $4 more. She immediately sent a check to the business in the amount of $4.

Later, Lenox Collections requested a remittance of $70. Letters went back and forth the rest of the winter into spring.

Hahn appealed to us to contact Lenox Collections on her behalf.

The next day a letter went out to the president of Lenox Collections. A Northeast COMBAT caseworker explained what had transpired since Hahn’s order wassent to Lenox Collections. We sent copies of the canceled checks and order form, as well as copies of all correspondence betweenHahn and the company. . We stated, “At this time we are requesting that you send either the votive candle holder or a refund of $23.95 ($19.95 plus $4.00) within the next fourteen days with notification to Northeast COMBAT of the transaction. If you do as we request, we will mark this case closed.”

A week later correspondence came from Kathleen Jerdan of Lenox Collections. She acknowledged they had received the order and, inadvertently, sent the squirrel pin in place of the votive candle holder. She wrote, “Our records do reflect several letters that were sent in response to Martha Hahn’s inquiry about her order. We certainly apologize that her inquiries were not properly addressed regarding the missing votive.”

She added that the Winter Greetings votive was no longer available. “We have issued a refund in the amount of $23.95. Ms. Hahn should receive the check within the next two weeks.”

Martha Hahn thanked us for initiating the refund and told us, “You did in two weeks what I could not do in almost five months!”

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT-Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine’s membership-funded, nonprofit consumer organization. Individual memberships $25, business rates start at $125 (0-10 employees). For help and information write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, PO Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.