Kelebek again

[Cosetta]

We recently purchased an office chair, a large sun umbrella and a new living room set from Kelebek on the Kas road.  The office chair (not made by them, from a company called Goldstil) came without foam padding in the seat and on the back rest.  I complained, Mehmet the salesman came to the house to inspect it, he told me this is how the manufacturer now makes this chair.  Maybe, but I have my doubts, I think it is a manufacturer reject, i.e., a 'second'.  I examined several office chairs in other stores, not one had this problem.  There was no possibility of returning it so I am sitting on it as I type this.

Next ... the living room set -- a TL 3500 set -- arrived wrapped in bubble wrap but when the two delivery men unwrapped it, they saw immediately that the armchair was quite damaged.  They photographed the damage, reported it to the shop, and took it away. Supposedly a new chair is on it's way, we're waiting.

However, after the delivery personnel had left our home, we saw that the long couch has a scratch in the antelope cover that we had not noticed.  We immediately notified Mehmet of Kelebek, sent him a photo by email, and told our neighbor who is a friend of the store owner.  The neighbor called the owner, till now 10 days later we have heard nothing from anyone at Kelebek.  I suspect we won't hear back either.

Last but not least, before we lost trust, so to speak, we went back to look at a large terrace grouping of weather-resistent furniture.  We were told the original price is/was something around TL 6000 but due to 'a special end-of-season discount' ('bs'), we could buy the set for TL 5000.  We came home undecided. Next I received an email from the salesman saying it was now 4,900 but he never bothered to answer a question I had asked. 

Clearly they did intend to deliver the showroom set which has been sitting outside all summer.

Since then I took to Fethiye a photo of the set we are interested in and the name of the catalog.  In the 3rd furniture store I visited I found the same catalog, same set.  Price TL 4,500.  No talk of special or discounts.  This is the price for a new set of this model, delivered from the Istanbul warehouse, not the price for a dusty grouping sitting outside all summer.

Lesson?  I should have heeded my own !

1) don't pay everything until you inspect the furniture delivered;
2) don't believe the 'special discounts'  sales talk;
3) go to Fethiye with a photo (you can usually find the real manufacturer site online).  You will probably get a better deal.

So as I write this, we have not resolved the small damage to the 3-seater couch but unfortunately, it has been paid, we have not received the replacement armchair, and we plan to buy the terrace set from the cheaper seller in Fethiye.  Live and learn, buyer beware !


Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=4348.0

[tog miester]

Its all very easily done, you let your guard down and pow. You sometimes forget where you are and unfortunately what kind of people your dealing with,sometimes!
I am sure there was an organisation that I read about in Fethiye, it was run by expats, not sure if it was non profit, I think it was. Maybe we in Kalkan should have something similar. Basically people new to Kalkan (new home owners,or even residents, etc.)would have a contact,probably an expat, who could guide them towards the more reputable companies and away from the less so. Basically through experience making sure that the purchaser gets the best deal, the safest deal.

[Brooksie]

Had similar problems with Kelebek over sunbeds. Paid for 2 sunbeds to be delivered the same afternoon. A couple of days later no sign of them. Went back to be told sorry we had a big order in from Patara Prince, yeah right!
Then spent another 24 hours getting a refund. Never again!

[DRBD]

Have to agree, can not & would not recommend them, too pushy & we have received very poor service in the past. 

[tog miester]

Same problem, would not use them again. However they don't care because they get a regular supply of new victims. Companies who act like this in Kalkan can afford to act with impunity because the have a regular supply of new (completely trusting) clients.

[alantj]

It's not all bad we have used them three times and each time the products were delivered as agreed in good working order.

The prices (for 2 beds and sunlonger covers) were the best we could find in Kalkan, although we didn't investigate Kas Fethye prices.

 

[RosiB]

We used Kelebek to furnish our apartment completely and had excellent service.

[clashgour]

We also have had generally good experiences with Kelebek over the past four years.  Prices have always seemed comparable with other places, delivery has been good and aftersales service has reponded well.  Also we have had loan furniture delivered when our order was going to take too long to arrive. Having said all that, you do have to watch the 'special' pricing.  Also, of course, they do work to Turkey time so 'tomorrow' may be a few days hence but you do get used to that even if it is a pain sometimes.

All in all we would recommend Kelebek but do shop around for price comparisons.   

[MouMou]

We too have had issues with Kelebek on the Kas road.  About a year ago we looked at a marble table and six wrought iron chairs that were outside the store on display.  We told Memhet the salesman that we would like to order these for our apartment, he told us there was about a 2 week delay from the manufacturer took the full price from us in cash and our phone number and said he would be in touch. 2 days later we were at home when 2 delivery men came to our door, they brought up a marble table and six chairs, yes it was the same table that Memhet had told us had been outside for several years and had weathered very well.  We rang him up and said the table was marked with small chips in the marble, also the delivery men were touching up the chairs with black paint where there were rust marks. He told us to go up to Akbel to the marble  workshop and get a bottle of gel which once used would seal the table top.  We were speechless.  Six months ago one of the chairs collapsed when we were entertaining some friends, luckily no one was injured, we are still waiting for a replacement, we have been back to the store requesting a replacement and being told as soon as a delivery is made from the manufacturer they will drop it off at our apartment.  So now we have 5 chairs instead of six.  We have also had a faulty bed which we waited for 6 months to be repaired, in the end my brother in law fixed it, a broken ironing board after 2 months of use. A kettle that blew up after 3 months this was an expensive top of the rang kettle costing 100lira.  I personally will not buy anymore items as I think they are overpriced, unwilling to negotiate on the price and I cannot browse with people walking behind me all the time.  We spent a small fortune furnishing our apartment with everything needed being purchased from Kelebek never again. Lesson learned.

[TES]

We have used Kelebek over the last five years furnishing  our villa both inside and out. We can only speak as we find. They have always been polite and helpful, never pushy and a pleasure to do business with. The quality and durability has been excellent.  Yes we have always negotiated discount down to what we found acceptable. Delivery has never been a problem so we would have no hesitation in using them again.

[clarborough]

I have posted before on this topic in fact I began a thread when I was so angry at the treatment I received from this establishment.
I can say my first experience was good but my second awful. I suspect once they have you in their clutches they don't care and become complacent.
We need another store in town to rival them. I would never shop their again but I haven't found the same choice elsewhere in Kalkan.

[Em1]

Hi
We have used Kelebek a couple of times for outdoor furniture, and have never had any problems. The white outdoor furniture is still going strong and in its 5th summer now, when we thought it would have become briittle and broken by now! The wooden furniture looks as new still!.
Em

[Cosetta]

Reading these mixed responses points to the apparent fact that you only have problems with them when something goes wrong.  If nothing happens to the furniture, then no problems with Kelebek.

[Brooksie]

Interesting thread this one, so far about 50/50 on Kelebek. So am I right in saying that when they are good they are very good, but when they are bad they are awful

[Begonvil]

Brooksie you have hit the nail on the head, we have spent quite a lot of money with Kelebek, had trouble with a delivery in July and i will NEVER use them again!!!!

[Denners]

When pricing up Kelebek, found them to be expensive. Always found much cheaper in Kas and Fethiye, so shopped there ! Agree Kelebek needs some competition in Kalkan, they are a bit of a monopoly.

[Elee]

We bought 16 sunbeds for our apartments last year. Kelebek said they were guaranteed for 5 years. After just two months of use, two of them snapped. Needless to say they will not replace them because they now say there never was a guarantee with them.
We will not be buying anything from them again.

[MartynE]

Don't talk to me about Kelebek 

Broken promise after broken promise:

• Two sofa beds delivered late, and then the wrong colour when they did eventually turn up
• Black wrought iron chairs that were painted with inferior paint, which left brown stains on some of our guests' clothes
• Bedroom cabinets delivered with the wrong (non-matching) knobs
• The wrong seat cushions originally delivered; then, despite promises of replacements coming quickly, still none have arrived - five months later
• "Heavy duty" parasols that blow over into tyhe swimming pool at the slightest whisper of a breeze

I could go on. Suffice to say we won't be using them again!

[Cosetta]

Now 25 days after Kelebek took away the damaged chair they brought us, in spite of promises to deliver last Wednesday, then Thursday, then Friday, didn't happen and no more communications. 

Mehmet salesman doesn't take the phone.  Turkish friends say they also think this store is buying seconds -- manufacturer's rejects and slightly damaged goods -- and reselling them for full price.  Quite possible, this is why they cannot replace things.

I'm think of making a big boycott sign and parading around in front of the store for a day or two !
----------------
Final note:  We got the new, replacement chair after telling them to come and take everything and return our money.  This produced the chair but no resolution to the damaged sofa they brought.

[Blackpool]

Reading these mixed responses points to the apparent fact that you only have problems with them when something goes wrong.  If nothing happens to the furniture, then no problems with Kelebek.

I have praised them in the past, but now my opinion is that you are spot on. Kelebek are good on the front end, appalling on the back end and that back end can arrive sooner than you think, particularly when what you've ordered isn't what eventually arrives.