Five yrs ago when I relocated from north of Boston MA to a downsized home 1000 miles away in TN mtn I made the decision to sell alll my Christmas decor both indoors and outdoors - it was a lot. I did save a couple cherished items. This past year I made the decision to buy new with specific vignettes in mind. I remembered Valerie Parr Hill offered a number of really nice items and turned into CIJ and purchased $300 worth. Today they started arriving and as I opened box after box, I was sickened by the lack of quality in the merchandise.
H231488 3-Piece Snowman Family with Cardinals I watched the presentation and reviewed the recorded presentations and examined the items to determine if I felt they were worth the $44.75 on sale 20% off. I placed the order. When opening the box each figure had a different finishing treatment, the larger figurine a dull dirty brown color. The figures were described as “Resin construction with the look of carved wood”. The smaller figure looks like its paper mâché with strips of white paper that appear to be glued on the resin, then a “mod podge” type product over the entire surface. The middle figure looks like a resin figure with grooves that look like wood carving which I think is what the goal was. The surface of the figures is not enamel paint that is used over resin but instead is a tacky surface. I merely placed them back in the box – they’re going back as defective not as presented.
H230205 3-Piece Illuminated Porcelain Santa in Sleigh (white) $74.50 on sale 20% off Reminiscent of Czechoslovakian Christmas ornaments of the 1960-70's this porcelain set replicates old world glazing that Valerie bragged about. I looked at product pictures, watched the presentation video and made sure that the set was worth $44.63. The sleigh and Santa have ZERO fine gold trim paint (usually applied once item is glazed and fired. Santa’s hair is light brown. The reindeer do have the gold trim paint but it looks like a child painted them with thick broad brush strokes that often completely miss the area intended to be trimmed – like the bridle. There are glops of paint dripped on the figures – simply sloppy work. Under NO conditions would this quality pass a $44.63 sale price let alone a $74.50 price tag.
Of 7 orders received today, I’m sending all but one maybe two back. There’s no excuse for this lack of quality control on pricey Christmas décor. Items that had glitter look like they were haphazardly dipped in glue and glitter applied in gobs not covering the entire area. Figures were chipped. Evergreen trees with colored ornaments intended to have colored glitter on the ornaments, instead were on the figure approx. 1/2inch surrounding the ornament. Really mindless sloppiness.
I'm not a complainer and don't like sending merchandise back. I try to make sure I know what I'm buying. But I'm stunned at what I opened today. None of this was cheap. Is Valerie that brain dead to the quality of merchandise being sent out? Have any of you experienced this?
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