After her brand new table arrived damaged, a Saskatoon woman says she was asked to accept a subpar repair

A Saskatoon woman says her new kitchen table arrived damaged and she was asked to accept a questionable repair instead of a replacement.

On Monday, Tanna Grueter was still using a portable folding table in her kitchen, because she sent the damaged wood table, she ordered from Ashley Homestore back when it was delivered earlier this month.

At first, Grueter said she wasn't concerned and assumed the issue with the $1,000 table would be rectified quickly.

“I’m paying for new, I want a new piece of furniture,” she said. 

Instead, she says she was told by a customer service representative that the company preferred “repair over replacing."

She says she got a call about a week later and went to pick it up herself. Grueter says, when the table was brought to her, she could still spot the damage.

"So I refused it again and she told me that I had to call customer care," Grueter said.

A consumer affairs expert tells CTV News Grueter is completely within her rights to return the item.

“Any of this talk that their policy is to repair it seems that they’re just blowing smoke or trying to water down customer rights, so I’d agree that the consumer is right in this situation,” Chuck Bell, financial policy advocate with Consumer Reports, told CTV News.

Going to the company first is always a good rule of thumb according to Bell. He suggests taking it to social media after all other avenues have been exhausted.

However, Grueter didn't have to go to those lengths.

On Tuesday, in response to a CTV News inquiry, an Ashley Homestore representative said the company had been in touch with Grueter.

"Today, we had an opportunity to connect with our guest to acknowledge and apologize for this experience," an email said.

"We will be proceeding with the replacement table as we could not bring the table to showroom condition. Replacement will be completed this week.”

Grueter says she's happy about the news but wishes it had been an easier fix from the start.