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ConsumerWatch: Man Says Couch Delivered In Pieces

SAN MATEO (CBS 5) -- When a San Mateo man purchased a couch from an Elk Grove furniture store, he expected it to arrive assembled. Instead, it showed up in pieces.

Andy Maganti said he was under the impression that his new couch from Elk Grove Furniture Warehouse would be preassembled; otherwise he would not have bought it.

After trying to assemble the couch himself, Maganti realized he had a bigger problem: the pieces of the couch would not fit together due to a missing hole in the backboard. Maganti then resorted to calling the owner of Elk Grove Furniture Warehouse, Scott Panerio, who he said took more than five months to respond.

"He says he's gonna fix the problem, but he never resolves the problem," Maganti said.

Panerio claims he sent Maganti a replacement part but Maganti never saw the part or a delivery notice from FedEx. Panerio was unable to provide proof of a tracking number, making it an even stickier situation.

The California Department of Consumer Affairs said if a product does not come as it was ordered, consumers can refuse the shipment. DCA spokesmen Russ Heimerich said, "He had the opportunity at that point to refuse delivery because it isn't what he expected."

After hearing the whole story, Elk Grove Furniture Warehouse quickly sent Maganti a brand new couch right to his doorstep.

Maganti originally ordered the couch over the phone and was never given a receipt. Consumers buying any products, especially online or over the phone, should always be sure to get an itemized receipt as proof that they paid for an unused and undamaged product.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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