“Disappointing customer service & lack of transparency – would not recommend
We recently purchased a sofa from sofa.com and, unfortunately, the experience has been deeply disappointing.
Initial issue:
We accidentally ordered a sofa instead of a sofa bed, a genuine mistake on our part, which we realised only upon delivery. While we fully accepted our error, we contacted sofa.com immediately, hoping for some goodwill regarding the 10% restocking fee—particularly as this was a significant outlay for us.
The bigger problem – delivery damage & lack of transparency:
Despite their refusal to waive the fee, we proceeded with a return. However, when the removers arrived, they informed us that the rear leg of the sofa had been damaged during delivery—a fact we had not been made aware of at any point prior. The sofa had been untouched and stored in a spare room since delivery, meaning the damage was present from the outset.
The removers even suggested that customers are often not informed of delivery damage to avoid immediate returns, which raises serious concerns about transparency in sofa.com’s delivery process.
How Sofa.com handled the complaint:
When we raised this with sofa.com, we expected at minimum a discussion about fairness, especially since:
• We had no opportunity to request a replacement rather than a return, as we weren’t told the item was damaged.
• The sofa was otherwise in pristine condition, fulfilling all return conditions apart from this pre-existing issue.
• We followed all their policies in good faith, yet were penalised for a situation beyond our control.
Instead, customer service flatly refused to acknowledge the issue and continued to cite their return terms, ignoring the fact that we never had a fair opportunity to request a replacement rather than a return. When we pointed out that the sofa was delivered damaged, they dismissed our concerns, suggesting that because we had not flagged it earlier, the responsibility fell on us rather than their delivery process.
Adding insult to injury, they framed their decision not to charge us additional fees for the damage as a goodwill gesture—despite the fact that the damage occurred before the sofa reached us. This is an incredibly underhand approach to customer service.
Sofa quality – uncomfortable & not fit for purpose:
Had the sofa actually been comfortable, we might have considered keeping it despite our ordering mistake. However, the design was incredibly uncomfortable, to the point that it was simply not suitable for long-term use. Given the price point, we expected far better quality, and this only reinforced our decision to return it.
Summary:
We are now out of pocket for an expensive return that was handled unfairly from the start. Their refusal to take responsibility, combined with their dismissive and repetitive customer service responses, shows a lack of care for their customers.
If you’re considering purchasing from sofa.com, be aware that:
❌ Delivery damage may not be disclosed to you.
❌ Returns are handled rigidly, even when their own processes cause issues.
❌ Customer service will deflect rather than address concerns.
We regret our purchase and would strongly advise others to avoid sofa.com unless they’re willing to gamble with poor service and unfair policies.”
“DO NOT BUY FROM Sofa.com!!
Ordered 5 months ago and still no sofa! No apology from the company. Despite constantly contacting customer services only actually managed to speak to an actual person once who guaranteed would call me back but guess what they didn’t. Requested a refund but no response so drove 60 mile round trip back to store to get money back. Staff didn’t care and said not their fault! They are advertising guaranteed delivery before Christmas despite hundreds of customers who have not received their sofas. They are a sham and don’t care or want to sort out existing queries.”
