FreightCenter review: shipping furniture ( 2 comments)

LETTER TO FREIGHTCENTER: I am writing about my recent experience with your company. I called to place an order to ship a dining table and 6 chairs from Decatur, GA to Fremont, CA and spoke with an agent, Alex Zizo on June 25, 2012.
- His first quote to me was $767.79 (please see attached page no. 1). I accepted reluctantly as the price was so high.
- He then put me on hold and came back on the phone a few minutes later to say the price was actually $1022.13 (Please see attached page no. 2) because Home Direct, the company moving my furniture, charges $40 per item over 4 items. I was shipping 7, i.e. 3 extra, therefore $120. In addition for the 6 chairs the cubic volume worked out to 25 lbs. of wt. not the 10 lbs. the chairs actually weigh. I was shocked that he did not know this when he gave me the first quote. Surely Freight Center agents are knowledgeable about shipping requirements!
- I was told the items would be picked up on June 26, 2012 between 12-5pm. (Please see attached page no. 3.) I hesitated to agree but he convinced me that the items would be in Fremont, CA in 1 week.
- I logged online and saw that the charge was $ 902.13. Now I was confused. (please see attached page no. 4). I called to find out what was going on and was told that the charge was $1022.13.
- I called daily to find out why my furniture had not been picked up. I was told that a local company was now in charge, Mid Atlantic, in ATL and Freight Center had no control over my shipment.
- The furniture was finally picked up a week late on July 2, 2012 (please see attached page no. 5, 6). I have tried to track it online but there has been no update for a week.
- Since the pick- up I have been trying to get information on the status of my shipment with no success. I call Freight Center, they refer me to Home Direct. I call Home Direct and they refer me to Jennifer at Freight Center since I placed my order with you. She has yet to get back to me.
I am absolutely appalled by the service I have received by Freight Center and its affiliate Home Direct USA. The service provided has been unprofessional, grossly inadequate and misleading. I have been deceived not only about the cost of transport, but also the pick- up time and the transit time to Fremont, CA. I have relocated several times as a federal employee both inside the US and overseas and have never encountered such poor service from a moving company. I did not expect a company like Freight Center with its global reputation for excellence to provide such shoddy service. I demand a full refund of the $1022.13 that has been charged to me.
SINCE THIS LETTER: SHIPMENT WAS DELIVERED ON JULY17, 2012, 2 WEEKS LATE. and to add insult to injury the furniture was not assembled at delivery.