Being Amber Rhea

I finally wrote a letter to Platinum Stages and am mailing it today. I figured I’d post it here, too. So here it is. (Keith Scheinberg is the CEO.) It’s long and potentially boring so I’m placing it below the cut, as they say on LiveJournal.

Dear Mr. Scheinberg:

On June 15, 2007, I purchased a semi-removable brass pole from your company, at a cost of $470.50. I chose to do business with your company after PoleLaTeaz, the studio where I take classes, installed six new brass poles, all purchased from Platinum Stages. Before ordering, I asked the owner of PoleLaTeaz if she would recommend Platinum Stages, and she said yes, citing good customer service.

When I first called to place my order, I explained that my home has high ceilings (exact measurement: 12′10″) and concrete floors, and inquired if there was a solution available that would not require drilling into the floor. I was told that yes, there was a solution: a semi-removable pole which is bolted to the ceiling but not the floor.

Unfortunately, I did not record the name of the lady I spoke with at that time. I asked if she would recommend this type of pole for my situation and whether it would be safe, and she said yes, but that the pole would need to be cut to a custom height, since the tallest poles in stock were 12′. I then placed my order for a custom-height semi-removable pole.

After I did not receive the pole for three weeks, I called back and spoke with Kevin. He told me that my order would be delayed at least two months due to a large order having gone out recently, but that I could purchase the 12′ pole and it would work with my ceiling height. I asked him to explain how this would work, and he explained that there was a coupler at the top that allows for adjustable height. I asked, again, just to be sure, if this type of pole would be safe given the height, and he assured me that it would, saying that he had a similar ceiling height and type of floor in his home and had the very same pole. I changed my order to the 12′ semi-removable pole (reducing the cost by $39.95).

I received the pole on July 5, 2007. It consisted of multiple parts: the pole itself, the base plate, the top coupler (with nut), and the ceiling mount with ball bearing. Throughout the next month, my partner and I tried to install the pole in our home and make sure it was safe and secure. We called Platinum Stages and spoke with Kevin on several different occasions. We ended up drilling into the floor to mount the base of the pole, because whenever I would do anything remotely strenuous on the pole, the base would lose contact with the floor. Obviously, this is not a safe set-up.

After mounting the pole to the floor, we had yet another problem: the entire pole itself would spin whenever I would do any strenuous moves. Repeatedly, Kevin asked us to verify that the spinning lock pin was in place (it was, and had been from the beginning) and that the nut at the top was tightened as much as possible (it was). At that point, Kevin told us that since a brass pole is thinner than a stainless steel pole, the end cap would not fit tight enough. He suggested using masking tape to accomplish a tighter fit.

It was clear to us at that point that we had been sold a defective product. At a cost of nearly $500, asking us to cobble together the pole assembly using masking tape is unacceptable.

We asked to return the pole, and my partner, Rusty Tanton, spoke with a gentleman in returns. Rusty explained our situation and asked to arrange an RMA. However, he was told repeatedly that Platinum Stages’ return policy was that items could only be returned, unopened, within 7 days.

Mr. Scheinberg, I am extremely disappointed in the product and level of service I have received from your company. After speaking again with the owner of PoleLaTeaz, as well as several other professional dancers, I am convinced that I never should have been sold anything other than a permanent pole given the height of my ceilings. Your company sold this type of pole even though it was clearly unsafe, and additionally provided parts that did not function properly. Platinum Stages is known as one of the premiere providers of dance poles, but the company has certainly failed in upholding that reputation. At this time, I will not be able to recommend Platinum Stages to any friends, acquaintances, or classmates looking to purchase a pole.

I look forward to your reply and a resolution to this problem, and will wait until the end of this month before seeking help from the Better Business Bureau. Please contact me at the above address or by phone at 404-xxx-xxxx or 404-xxx-xxxx.