Done with Burnes of Boston

[Stacy]

After 30 years selling the quality of Carr, Rare Woods and Burnes of Boston frames my encounter this month was horrible.

First of all the frames were of Target/K-Mart quality certainly not a quality custom frame shop. The finish, corners and over all appearance were tacky to say the least. So the first thing I did was contact my sales rep.

He had prided himself as living 4 blocks from my shop and was always available....well after three phone calls in two weeks and no response I contacted Burns Accents. Within 10 minutes he was on the phone and said he would be in the same day.

I don't want to pick on him BUT.....
He couldn't see the problem
He didn't know what the spline on the frame was
He danced around and finally said he would contact the "office"

Next day....
Burnes called and said they would issue a call tag AND charge me a 20% restocking fee for returning the merchandise!!!!!!

Now, I received damaged and inferior frames and they are charging ME....I don't think so!

1. I am a good 3 decades customer
2. I played by the rules and tried to contact my rep first
3. In this day and age I think a 24 hour time line is adequate time to get a return call.
4. I had to contact the "office" to get a hold of him
5. I've given them 3 chances to make it right


So now I posted.

 

[Mike Labbe]

Please take some deep breaths, Stacy

 

[Bill Henry-]

It can get pretty frustrating.

I dumped Carr a while back when the then employee owned company sold out. Their quality control became almost nonexistent, and there seem to be nobody to talk to.

It seems sometimes that customer service is becoming an obsolete term.

Go find your "happy place", Stacy; think about bunnies and teddy bears.

 

[Baer Charlton]

30 years can see you through the passing of some of the greatest companies of this industry.. [LaMarsh, Victor, Neucomb Macklin, Ivy, Italian, Bendix] and the down grade of several others.

Sad to see the recent offerings and WalMartization of this fine old company.

Doesn't sound like the Rep's heart was in it either.

 

[SusanG]

Stacy,

I also used to sell Carr but there are other companies out there. You might look into Roma photo frames. They pretty much will make you any of the standard sizes in most of their mouldings. The quality is very good, and these mouldings are deep enough for you to add a few mats to the package to make a little more. The moulding is beautiful and they have a great selection of sizes including 5x5. They will make you a custom size if you order three or more. Each frame comes in a box for those who will give it as a gift.

Good luck!

Susan

 

[Kirstie]

We carried Burnes for many years but stopped when they discontinnued thier catalogue. They said we had to order online. But their site was hopeless. Seems like it was all downhill from then on and we sold off what we had and did not try to reorder. Reps disappeared.

 

[Bob Carter]

W e still buy from Burnes and we have a catalog

30 yrs ago these were all separate companies competing with each other. Over the last several years, they have merged into the one company

In those 30 yrs I can'tsuggest that they have changed much; always been a "mass merchandiser" type frame line. Probably 80% of the 8x10's cost for under $10.00

It's a decent priced middle average quality frame line that fits that need for the client that doesn't want to spend more than $20, tops, for a 5x7.

Always has been, probably always will be

They recently went through a Chap 11 reorganization with new management and we were told that they would be a leaner, meaner company. They had so many duplications with the similar lines that it was a logistical nightmare

Like so many companies, especially those with China based products, they have gone through some tremendous changes. So many frames, like the Carr 5309 series brushed metals that we have carried for as about as long as we have been in business, haven't changed that we can tell

But I never misunderstood them to be a "quality" product

Perhaps a call to our good friend Cornel can provide the type of frame you need. They are exquisitely gorgeous. Just be prepared to pay accordingly

There are plenty of photo frame vendors out there; no sense letting one upset you