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When a business behaves like that it leads me to believe that the criticism was valid. Everyone and every business has a bad day; had they responded to the poster by trying to make her experience better, apologizing or in some way acting like they wanted her business, I might have given them the benefit of the doubt. However behaving like thugs isn't helpful.

Seriously, harassed by the store?! To the store owners who were harassing that reader, you should send a big thank you card to AT for not revealing who you are, because I can pretty much assure you that you'd never get business from anyone here again, never mind that one customer who already wasn't happy with you.

Sheesh, people are nuts.

In an age where the competition is fierce, it seems like customer relations are just getting worse. Unfortunately, these store are just an example of that.

I truly feel sorry for whomever was being harassed and hope that they are seeking some legal advice. They have, nothing to worry about if there is justification for the comments they made. You are certainly being fair by letting store directly have a say about the incident.

Let's hope this doesn't prevent people from informing others of a bad experience.

Whaaaaaaaat?!

Please: name this store. If they're going to behave like that they have no right to ass-covering anonymity. The previous comment is quite right: if their name is named (or if they have the cojones to step up and name themselves) they'll never see a lick of business from any AT reader ever again, and that's just as it should be.

Wow. So much for freedom of speech, according to whatever store(s) are harassing people. They must be pretty unconfident in their brand to have to resort to measures like that.

Yikes. What's next, suing Consumer Reports? (Actually, come to think of it, our local food critic is being sued for allegedly misidentifying the type of steak he ate- and didn't like- so maybe this is a trend...)

Ridiculous. She should file a complaint with the BBB.

Unbelievable. I wish there were a bad experience list to put these stores on. If they're harassing you guys and the other poster, they're bad news and we should be warned of their behavior.

Please name the store so that I never give them a dime. I absolutely do not want to spend a penny at a store that would think of harassing me. Ridiculous.

I too would like to know the name of the store. they do not deserve anyone's business. i don't see why the store's privacy should be maintained.

I am utterly shocked at this whole thing. Perhaps the term is "gobsmacked"? ... can't even think of anything logical to write.

I absolutely want to know the name of businesses who harass customers. That information is very valuable to your readers and should be made publicly available.

Yes, please name the store. Like it or not, blogs like this are going to continue and educate consumers. I believe Consumer Reports was sued by Sharper Image over the Ionic Breeze...and SI lost big time:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/news/2007/02/settlement-in-sharper-image-ionic-breeze-class-action-2-07/more-settlement-information/0702_more-settlement.htm?EXTKEY=SP72H00&CMP=KNC-CROYPIHOMEGARD&HBX_OU=51&HBX_PK=pi

I sympathize with the reader. I was recently screamed at by the host of a wine bar on North 6th street. Needless to say, I did not eat there. Maybe he was on edge because of the eatery's 16 health code violation points! In other words, retaliation is usually the sign of a failure somewhere within the business.

Keep up the good work Apartment Therapy.

Please Target DWR for a beating with a West Elm over a Crate and Barrel.

Unfortunately, naming names and fighting lawsuits are expensive businesses, even if a lawyer takes the case on contingency. Too many companies use their financial edge to coerce "cooperation" or suppress opinions they find objectionable.

I'm less concerned about AT here -- which does have access to proper legal advice -- than I have about the harassed poster -- who may not. And while Maxwell deserves kudos for making AT's position clear, I wonder how many readers are going to skip posting a negative experience because they don't want to get harassing phone calls, etc.

I won't hesitate to post a negative comment about a store on AT. It is my personal opinion and I have a right to express it whether or not the store in question likes it or not. It's not as if people are going out and writing fake negative comments as a form of slander to take down the company or something. (are they?)

Um, you're protecting the store?

It seems to me that harassing a person for comments they make is FAR worse behavior than just about anything else that people might complain about in the first place. Poor customer service, poor quality products, etc... all these pale by comparison with harassment for voicing an opinion.

Techline studio www.techlinestudio.com designed and installed my murphy bed. They were very appreciative of my feedback on AT regarding their business. I still love that bed today!

Another reason to think the comments in question were true: Unless the commenter used her real name or linked to her name on a webpage, the store must have been able to identify her from the details she gave of her experience. They couldn't do that unless those details reminded them of something that really happened....

sad to hear all of this... people should be free to comment on a negative experience with a business as much as gush about one.
That some businesses feel that they need to threaten customers is sad indeed.
Unfortunately, we live at a time when mere questioning of our government's policies results in public branding as pro-terrorism and un-American so, why are we surprised that this type of retaliation against our right to free speech isn't spreading?
Intimidation works or often than not.
So long as we're not posting anything untruthful to purposely damage the reputation of a business, we should be free to express ourselves without fear of retaliation.
Shame on them. As a consumer, I have power in my wallet. I'll take my hard earned money elsewhere, then.

STORE: YOU BIG DUMMIES! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? YOU KNOW WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHO YOU ARE AND BOYCOTT YOU! DO YOU THINK THIS TYPE OF THING HELPS YOU?

I have mixed feelings on this. I think the policy outlined is generally a good one, and you did take down the comments because the poster asked you to do it. But I can't help but wonder if this doesn't actually give the offending store everything (including their anonymity) and leaves the community with a bit of the short end here. If there is a consumer problem or customer relations issue, that should be something we can discuss (and/or research in the archives). If the store wants to challenge the circumstances surrounding the complaint, they should be able to address it publicly. The reason they harrass the customer is to avoid having to publicly challenge the complaint and potentially do more harm to themselves than good.

If a company doesn't like what was written, they should be able to prepare a response specific to the details of the complaint. You could post it under the headline "XYZ Store Responds..." with the original post and their response and let the community decide how we feel about the parties involved. That allows the store a public forum to correct what they see as a misrepresentation of facts. No voice is lost and everything is aired out. This not only serves the store, but also serves the community as it reduces the likelihood that the comments forum will be used in a spurious or dishonest way by a few misanthropes.

By the way, I really want to know what store would stoop to harrassing a community member. If anyone can figure this out, I'd love to know...

I had this experience with yahoo business reviews. There were several negative reviews of a horseback riding business in Atlanta (one of them being mine - I ended up suing the owner). Magically, all of the negative reviews disappeared.

They weren't slanderous, just the typical negative reviews like you'd find on amazon or something but with the right amound of pressure and threat, review sites like yahoo cave and remove the review.

It's sad really. I like to look at those things to help me make an informed decision.

I hope that the business that was harassing that AT poster knows that behavior like that will never gain or keep business. I am disgusted by that type of behavior and would never shop at a business like that.

I am glad you are looking out for us, AT.

I, too, would like to know what store harassed this woman, so that I could make sure never to support that store's business.

To The Woman Being Harassed:
I know you are reeling and feeling bad. I bet you just want this to end. But reconsider, if you dont stand up for yourself- no one will. This store is in the wrong. Right now, they are thinking that they won because you asked Maxwell to take your comment down. If you cant do it for yourself, do it for all the people who will come after you and have to deal with the shady business practices of this store. We need to send a message to stores that customer service is important because WE WILL TAKE OUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE.

If I were you I would be telling all my friends not to patronize this store, I would proclaim it on AT and I would file a claim at the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/resources/forms.shtml . Also for good measure I would also ask Hank on Channel 7 to cover this story by emailing helpmehank@whdh.com .

Not everyone takes the time to complain. As a result these businesses that engage in unfair business practices continue to rake in money from unsuspecting customers.

That's out of control! I have on several occasions complained to the Atty general, which has seemed to work...this seems to be what's called for in the store harrassing the customer instance.

Growing up I never understand my mom going the extra mile to complain about poor customer service. Usually I would cringe in the background and try to become invisible. Mom would always say it was a matter of principle. Didnt understand it then but I understand it now. And I act on it now.

In the fall of 2005, I went to a store ( Value Depot) in Brooklyn and bought a tension curtain rod for $6. It didnt fit in my apartment and I brought it back with the original packaging and my receipt. The store wouldnt exchange the item or give me a refund despite the fact that the displayed return policy said they would. I argued with the clerk. The clerk wasnt helpful so I asked for the manager. The manager was VERY dismissive and rude. The manager said that he wouldnt provide an exchange or refund because he wouldnt be able to sell the item. I told him that wasnt my problem- his business had to honor the posted return policy. He said too bad. I told him to reconsider because I would be filing a complaint with the NYC Dept of Consumer Affairs. The manager said he didnt care.

So I filed the claim and didnt hear anything about it and forgot about it. I was glad that at least I had left a paper trail for anyone customer after me who had a complaint about this store. In June of 2006, a gentleman from the Office of Consumer Affairs called me at work saying they needed a current address to send me my check for $6. I didnt understand what he was talking about and he reminded me of the claim I had filed. Apparently, I had moved in the interim and had not included my telephone number. The gentleman had performed a Google search on my name and found my work contact info. He said he wanted to thank me for my complaint. When DCA went to investigate my complaint, they found that the store had indeed violated their posted return policy. Further, they found that the store was advertising a going out of business sale without registering with the appropriate city officials. As a result the DCA fined the store $10, 000.

Gee, makes me wonder if this concerns a certain crappy custom blind company???

labchick, that is exactly who I thought of also -- I am battling with them right now and their customer service practices are beyond horrible. It would not surprise me in the least if it was them.

Labchick, I think you're on to something!

The victim should not only file a complaint if they can find an applicable legal authority (not sure who has jurisdiction with a Web based business) but they should also let Consumer Reports know what happened - maybe try to interest them in a story on companies who sue customers who complain. Revenge takes time and effort - but there needs to be some check on this type of legal abuse.

Also, vent on Complaints.com - I was driven insane by an on-line store's total lack of responsiveness and used it as way to sound off and warn people. I should have checked it out first, because there are many other horrific reviews.

Separately, ALWAYS pay with a credit card because the credit card company will go to bat for you against the store up until the point you pay your bill (maybe after that, but I never tried). American Express taking up the issue was the only thing that worked for the site I had problems with for months.

Well whatever store it is will likely misbehave again. Maybe the next dissatisfied customer will post on Consumerist also. Consumerist loves this kind of thing and would totally name the store.

Do you suppose the two s**t for brains lawyers with time on their hands have ever heard of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution spec. pertaining to freedom of speech or maybe they were asleep in class?!
This is a non-starter, if I was AT I'd post the name of the co. along with their two dingbat lawyers.
This we do know, we'll find out one way or another who they all are;)

As everyone else says here, this is total crap. What's truly ridiculous is that had the store instead posted a (well written) apology/explanation rather than harassing the poster/AT, they'd have good press here rather than bad. Sure, it depends on what the problem was in the 1st place as maybe there's no reasonable explanation but a lot of credit is given to someone who cops to their error. So most likely this store will soon be out of business of their own accord...

Name the store. This should not be tolerated.

Store harrassing a community member? Not very noble of them, is it?

This is so horrible! To the person being harassed - hope you're ok. To the store - I hope you are ashamed of yourselves. If the store is named I too would totally boycott it.

I think it might be wise to name the store, simply because people are going to try to guess, and if they get it wrong they may end up boycotting the wrong store. It's not fair to allow all the stores mentioned previously on AT to fall under suspicion of being the type to harass customers.

i haven't been sued or harassed in a while – mxyplyzyk is a crappy store with overpriced garbage, surly salespeople, and a snotty owner.

there. i said it. come get me.

I've used AT as a forum to post congratulations to businesses that had done a superb job. I've also expressed annoyance with companies whose customer service left much to be desired. Comments on AT provide real and useful guidance to readers; even if an AT advertiser is at fault, the editorial side of the equation should let us know the full story. Any company that stalks a customer for expressing dissatisfaction really seems to be off course. A number of companies appearing on AT offer appealing goods, but a few elicit the "Nice, yes, but after what happened to me, I won't shop there anymore." There is something perplexing about the number of design-related shops where one wants to take the staff member aside and gently re-explain, "I'm the customer and you're the merchant. I pay you money and you in return give me.... what?"
Service? Quality? Harassment?

I doubt the store is ashamed. I suspect it feels it has won since the posts were removed. And since the posts were removed, the store has won.

It isn't like AT to back down in this! You haven't posted slander or untruths! I think posting this topic is great, though--it gets to the issue in a broad way.

However! Why not include the posts that started it all? Excluding them looks like AT thinks it did something questionable--and AT didn't. As JonathanB says, the awful store has won. Not too late to reverse this, AT.

But, I don't want AT to have to start charging a subscription fee or go away altogether. Even if you're completely in the right, a legal defense is e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e!

I still want to know what this store is though.

I've had good luck reporting with the BBB, although in my case I was dealing with an outright scam and mail fraud, so it wasn't hard to get a response since the company was already under investigation.

Curtain rods shouldn't be that difficult.

Oh, and PS re: retailing. Trumystique's account of her own bad experience leads me to post one of my own--esp since steam still blows out of my ears.

There's a lovely nursery (Down to Earth) in Rockland County (Pomona) that I've used for 2 years. This spring I bought 2 bushy, fragrant French tarragon plants there and put them in my garden. When I went to pick some a few weeks ago, they had no aroma at all. I was puzzled and curious, so I bagged them up and took them back to inquire about it. I've gardened longer than most ATers have been on the planet, I think, and my experience has ALWAYS been that a pleasant, often informative talk has ensued, usually with an offer to replace whatever it was or to give me credit (which I often refused).

To cut to the chase: I wound up being violently backed across the parking lot by the owner ("manager"--hah!) while he bellowed at me and poked a finger in my face. It was scary, believe me! When he roared at me that I was "a pig's ass," I slapped him! (I've never done that before in my life.) This didn't daunt him--he said: "I'm calling the police." I said "give me your cell, I'll do it." Funny, that didn't happen! He pursued me to my car with more "pig's ass"s hurled.

It turns out he's treated dozens of customers this way. Yet apparently nothing's been done about it before!

Shouldn't retailers be obliged to take Retailing 101?

Shouldn't retailers be obliged to take Retailing 101?

Yes, please!

What happened to the "extreme customer service" movement of the early 1990s?

I'm very close to ceasing to buy anything online. Although I check out online retailers carefully, I'm still encountering store after store that just out-and-out lies. And when legitimate complaints are silenced, all my checking is worthless.

That's one way to enforce buying locally, though it doesn't help if the local retailers also act like jerks.

Maxwell's position on this is reasonable. I am sure that sooner or later, the store involved will become known. Most businesses have an enviroment that does/does not support good customer service and AT posters seem to tell all. We hear about the 'good' stores all of the time on AT and I support those stores by shopping there. I recall posts about Ikea. There have been some really negative posts about the store. My experience with them has been positive. Does not make either experience right or wrong....just gives me a heads up if I am going there to shop.

A number of online retailers with feedback sections do edit them. You hear about them all the time. I've seen lots of complaints about Overstock and Target seems to selectively vet comments too. You see [...] in a lot of posts. Often they remove the names of other retailers.

Word of mouth is and will always be the best form of advertising. Stores need to consider this and customer service and value should be the top priorities. When I have a good shopping experience I tell all my friends. Likewise, when I have a bad shopping experience I tell all my friends.

If the vendors don't like what is said about them here, then they need to change their ways so people won't have anything to complain about. It is totally out of bounds for a store to harass someone for expressing their opinion. After all, the stores have the right to advertise, and in effect, promote themselves, so the flip side of the coin is truth in advertising.

i know i'm late to comment and it's probably going to be redundant by this point - but i am always impressed by your tact and well thought out explanations of your views, maxwell. your attitude is very inspiring and it's great to know that you care so much about, well, everything. kudos and thanks for all the wonderful-ness.

trumystique - i used to feel that way about my mother complaining - now, i do it for her.

if i'm paying you to perform a service (connect my cable, turn on the gas, keep my money safe, clean my teeth) and you don't do it, i'm not paying. and that's it. and i'm telling everyone about it.

one time, when my boyfriend was living in this house with a few other guys, the water company turned off the WRONG HOUSE'S WATER and cut the pipe and put caps on either end and when BF called to say "hey, you need to come turn this on" they told him it would be a week before they could do it. after 2 days of fighting with them, he called FOX 6 news station, and the water company was out at 7 am the next day.

if you are late to connect my cable or turn on my gas, i don't pay installation fees. i have also gotten back most deposits because if you pester them, they'll do anything to get you off their backs. i used to work at a PF Changs for three years and my opinion is "if i have to perform customer service, so do you" and if they don't, they don't get my money. that's all there is to it.

Just to clarify my murky position, while I do feel that the retailer in question has won for all intents and purposes, as I said in my first post on this thread, kudos to Maxwell for how he handled it.

I'm less concerned about the incident in question, and more concerned about the long-term implications of this site as a safe zone to post opinions in as well as a source of useful information about goods and services, pro or con.

I am an attorney how has actually dealt with this issue professionally. I am disappointed in AT allowing themselves to be influenced in this way, because public complaints regarding commercial services and products are entirely within the protection of the 1st Amendment. So no corporate actor has the right to silence such speech. Furthermore, it is precisely for this information that many come to AT, to learn and educate themselves about the market. This action may have a chilling effect on future complaints here, which is truly unfortunate, because it diminishes AT's usefulness to it's readers.

I should hope not. This is America, not Europe. The customer's opinion matters. Keep the complaints coming. Help others make a more informed decision than you were able to.

Confused- see the message behind the whole David and Goliath story is that if you do what's right you'll succeed even if you're up against a bigger opponent... so when posting that image next to AT's official position on NOT revealing the name of the store means???

See I'm sure that the comment was removed because she was being harassed and was tired of it. As much as it sucks, I definitely get it.

But AT stands nothing to lose. It's protected speech. Well rather- the only thing I can imagine they have to lose is advertising dollars.

On another note: AT choosing to not name the store rather than inform consumers tells me that this blog is more concerned with the needs and wants of the manu-distributors rather than the target audience, consumers, and our RIGHTS and needs.

So while I've really enjoyed reading this blog for a very long time now- I can't imagine how I'm going to enjoy reading much longer as this no longer seems like a place for discussion about design, but more elaborate advertising (If the manu-distributors say is held above the consumers, what else could you call it? THEY set the rules for discussion now, not us.)

im handing out 2 for 1 a** kickings...let's gather up those lawyers.

ri-freakin-diculous.

*wah wah my store sucks so im gonna sue you for stating the obvious..*

instead of wasting time trying to go after customers with frivlous threats, they should go take a freakin class on manners.

i loathe stores like that. i once came across a store that was being shady with their return policy. i told the manager i was not leaving the store until he gave me my money back. he called the cops..i told the cops the deal..and they said " well, either you give her the money back or there isn't much we can do..we can't force her out."

i won.

What about when a person posts something about a store that is not true and completely fabricated? Should the post then stand?

What if that person is a competitor posing as a disgruntled customer?

It has happened to us before.

that's life in the big city, scott. i'm sure i don't have to tell you that being in retail means you have to deal with more than your share of kooks – it's just the nature of the business you chose.

if you don't like it, don't put the open sign on your door.

Scott, that sounds like something "Rahodeb" would do.

When, in recent history, has the law mattered to people, corporations or lawyers with power and money?

If it is *that* place we think it is, a single comment missing from what is a veritable ocean of other negative comments on that thread...I'm not sure it matters in terms of the effect it has had and will have on the retailer.

Scott, I can understand your concern that unscrupulous competitors might stoop to such a level. However, as was stated in the original post -- retailers are welcome to rebut any post made about them. So you could, in effect, call them out on it and name names (I am not exactly sure how you would know it was a competitor, but maybe you have a way). Also, I have seen the AT community stick up for a retailer that they have done business with successfully after someone says something negative about them. I think the benefits far outweigh the liabilities here & I am thankful to know of a resource like AT where I can read the experiences and opinions of others as part of my research when making a purchase or design decision.

Why don't you replace the graphic of David and Goliath with one of Karen Silkwood and a plutonium plant? The little guy loses in your story...

Company X can't have it both ways, if they want to prevent public criticism through show of force they need to be tough enough to face up to it. You can not allow them to do this privately.

They need to resolve this by posting their version of the story publicly in the comments section. Just like everyone else.

I support your decision to remove the post at the posters request. However the lawyers contacting AT is a separate event and you owe it to your readers to report on this event.

@ LadyJ - what do you mean "this is America, not Europe"?

Agreed, the "this is America, not Europe" comment seems a little ... strange?

I mean "the customer is always right" is an American notion. It is not a European. An American business should expect to please a customer or "they'll tell five of their friends, and they'll five of their friends..." and so on.

It's a tenet of American retail that bad word of mouth is to be avoided by pleasing the customer.

The really stupid thing about stores like this is that they would rather pay a lawyer to stomp on someone than actually fix the problem, which would probably be a hell of a lot cheaper.

Still want to know which store this is...I'm already on the rampage due to the service i recieved at a certain store that shall remain nameless but it rhymes with 'shroom and hoard.

If a person writes or says something untrue, it gets into slander, defamation, etc, but if true, protected by the First Amendment. In which case, law suits result 99.9% failure for the claimant.

Because I slapped him while he was physically threatening and verbally abusing me, and backing me across the parking lot, the vile nursery owner hints at a lawsuit based on assault. Fortunately, a witness followed me in her car when I left, and told me she'd seen the whole thing, and Bravo!,and gave me her name.

He now says I "punched him with my fist"! Right. Let me add that I'm 5'1", 69 years old, and quite free of testosteron, I think! The saga continues. . . .

@ LadyJ - I am totally bemused as to why you think this is only a tenet of American retail? "It is not a European"??? Too many Monty Python sketches perhaps? We're all stuck with dead parrots on our hands over here, you know... And don't get me started on cheese shops...

maxwell, will you / or the harrassed disclose the name of the store for everyones clarification? any updates on this story?

Er. Has it occurred to anyone that the person at the store who is harassing the reader may be a low-level person who might even have been fired? In that case, I doubt naming the store would be of any use.