Order placed through Walmart.com
Friends of Joyce Park
fojp2022@gmail.com

Order date: Fri, Sep 23, 2022
Order #: 2000101-80509622

Order date: Mon, Nov 7, 2022
Order #: 2000104-94301251

221230 P0453 advance tents email text

Dear customer, this is Blair from MaxLead. Thank you so much for taking the time speaking with me. Please email ourteam at maxlead.us@gmail.com with your order number and pictures for your replacement parts as well as your full shipping address. Our team will get back to you within the next 12 hours. Thank you so much.

221230 P0455 advance tents text

Please confirm email: dbg3462@gmail.com

221230 P0459 my reply

Yes.

Even though I spoke with Blair in December 2022, and she sent the above, since the Walmart.com website described the item as “ADVANCE OUTDOOR Upgraded 10'x20' Heavy Duty Steel Carport with . . . Adjustable Height from 9.5 to 11 ft, Car Canopy Garage Party Tent . . . Storage Shed Boat Shelter with Window Sidewalls and Doors, and Blair explained to me I had a full year warranty, I decided to wait to see how the tents held up as we moved them from one use to another, before I would send the warranty email. 

First, I would like to compliment you. The carport tents we purchased from you are well thought out, designed, and crafted. The cross bracing was, which I noticed in the picture on Walmart.com, one of the primary reasons we purchased the tents. They are indeed a wonderful feature. The snap lock way the poles connect are also great, and went together well. Also, the extra four grommets on the sides of the roof for stabilizing guide lines to pass through makes such anchoring much easier. Tents we have used (lent to us) in the past have none of these features. 

The tents were primarily purchased for programs at Joyce Park (www.fojp.org), a neighborhood lot which was recently donated to the Teaching & Sharing Centers (www.tscenters.org) 501c3 non-profit to be developed, maintained, and utilized as a park. The secondary reason was to shelter vehicles, especially in the winter. The fact that your product was advertised as a carport tent was also a major factor influencing the purchase. The tents have been moved and used between those two purposes since they were purchased. 

With regards to the warranty. The first tent arrived just in time to get set up for our Michigan Lining History Encounters displays during the Grand Ledge Fall Festival. One #2 pole had a slight dent (or crease) in it. One #4 short pole piece had holes at only one end. And, one grommet pulled through the fabric in the upper left corner of a side when being tightened down by a bungee. Since time was of the essence, we went ahead and used the #2 pole, found someone with a metal drill bit to create the second set of holes in the #4, and used duct tape on the corner the grommet pulled through on, so we would not be delayed in putting up the structure. 

As I looked at the various components of the tents, I thought the zippers might prove to be the weakest link with regular use. However, as it turned out, it was the windows that failed when we had an unusual combination of below freezing temperatures, and very high winds. One widow completely shredded (white tent), and almost all (both tents) had multiple tears in them as the cold made them brittle, and the wind put pressure on them. We repaired the slices (cracks) with clear duct tape. Other than that, on the whole, the tents did quite well even under harsh Michigan winter conditions. We did regularly push snow off from the canopy to avoid undue weight accumulating. 

I was told in my phone conversation that weather issues are not covered by the warranty, so I am already aware of that. But, there are some other issues which showed up. In setting up the second tent (white), we noticed several grommets that were smashed (see photos) and, like with the first tent (tan), quite a number of grommets were way too close to the edge of the fabric, making them possible candidates for grommets ripping out, which some did (see photos). One zipper did jam when a gap opened above it, and the pull tab broke off while trying to work it through the jam. Also, the stitching by one zipper pulled out. One of the tabs holding up the sides for a shorter height simply fell off, and was found lying on the ground. At least one, or two, additional grommets too close to the edge pulled through the fabric over time. When using the wing bolts and nuts to add height, we discovered the wing nuts need to be on the inside away from the fabric. Some of our volunteers placed the wings and bolt ends facing out, and they eventually wore two holes in the sides. There is another hole in one of the pictures that I am not sure what caused it. Also, you will see two brown lines which appear to be some stitching decaying, but I am not certain. One bolt in the package (white tent) was not cut deep enough to accommodate the hexagon wrench, and somehow one wing nut came off on its own, and we could not find it in the grass when we discovered it missing. Then the last thing that happened, when we moved the tent back to Joyce Park for a memorial service, the hook on one of the corner post covers caught on a fence, and the top stitching ripped away several inches along the seam (see photos). I am attaching 24 photographs showing the issues described above. 

All in all, we are very satisfied with the tents, and intend to purchase a third one (white). Do we go through Walmart.com? We also intend to replace the window sides with sides without windows. We would prefer any warranty replacements be sides without windows. Please provide us with the price of any remaining (no window) sides we might need to purchase. 

Our recommendations are, you might want to mention the wing nut/bolt issue in the instructions for those using the tent carport for more than a couple of weeks at a time. And, purchasers in northern climates, who intend to use the tents in the winter, might want to opt for no windows. 

We need to purchase an additional tent by mid-September, as well as any (no window) sides not covered by warranty, in order to get ready for the Grand Ledge Fall Festival the first week in October. 

As a small non-profit, we do not have Internet at our office, and I do not have Internet at home. I go to a local church to upload my picture of the week to my www.wsharing.com website. That is done on each Thursday, and is when I check my emails, and the organization email addresses. I am sending this on Thursday, August 10, but will not see any reply until Thursday, August 17. 

Thank you again for making such an excellent, easy to assemble, product.

Also, Blair was very pleasant, and helpful delivering your customer service.

God’s peace,

William Gibbons Jr
Friends of Joyce Park
Resident Agent & Trustee

P.S. The email address we provided Blair is getting very busy. It would be prudent if you would send a Cc of any email to the FOJP address shown on this email.

24 attachments

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From: Barley Grains LLC (E183B23B9E0344A88A5995C45E0448D2@relay.walmart.com)
Date: Thu, Dec 21, 2023 at 1:18 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear William,

Thanks for your contacting, this is Lynn from ADVANCE OUTDOOR Customer Service Team, it is our pleasure to serve you.

We are so sorry to hear that the item is damaged, please no worries, we will spare no efforts to help you.

To assist you further, kindly let us know the reason for the damage and also send us some pictures of the broken parts, this will help us make clear the issue and find out the solution sooner.

Also, we are wondering whether you can accept our solution of sending you the replacement parts needed if the issue can be fixed by replacement parts?

If you are willing to give us a chance to fix the issue by sending you the parts, kindly confirm the part# and quantity of the problem part from the attached parts list.

Also, if you have any suggestions regarding this issue, please feel free to let us know.

We sincerely sorry for any inconvenience caused and looking forward to your reply.

Best regards,

Lynn

_____________

From: Friends of Joyce Park (fojp2022@gmail.com)
Date: Thu, Dec 28, 2023 at 7:33 PM
To: Barley Grains LLC (E183B23B9E0344A88A5995C45E0448D2@relay.walmart.com)
Cc: c-e183b23b9e0344a88a5995c45e0448d2@relay.walmart.com

Dear Lynn,

You did not honor your warranty on the previous two tents we bought. Why would I waste my time responding here? I am preparing a webpage for my www.wsharing.com website showing the entire history including damaged items on our most recent purchase through walmart.com. I will send you, and Walmart, the URL link when I have completed and uploaded it to my site. I am typically only online once a week. So it is a very slow way to communicate with me.

Respectfully,

William Gibbons Jr
Treasurer
Friends of Joyce Park

_____________

A week, or two, later I saw another email from Barley Grains LLC (shown below). Since it was going to be easier to relay the information, and photos, through this website page, I did not respond. We have never expected, and have never requested, weather related damage to be covered under the warranty. The problem is some items had both weather related damage, and other damage which should have been covered. Things like product delivered with crushed grommets, grommets pulling away from the fabric because they were too close to the edge, broken zippers, tie ups simply falling off, bolts punching through the sides over time if the nut side faces the fabric, and stitching ripping loose when it snagged on something while being moved. These items would have needed to have been addressed even if there had not been a single bit of weather damage. The main reason for including the weather damage description and photos is this webpage will become my walmart.com review of the products. People who live in the colder climates need to know the windows will not survive a combination of sustained temperatures below freezing, and unusually strong winds. Had someone warned us, we would have purchased the tents without windows. But, we would still need to deal with the other items. We should not have to keep fixing brand new tents on our own. 

_____________
 

From: Barley Grains LLC (s-E183B23B9E0344A88A5995C45E0448D2@relay.walmart.com)
Date: Fri, Dec 29, 2023 at 3:49 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear William,

Thanks for your reply and information.

We are really sorry for all the inconvenience caused to you. Usually, we provide a 1-year warranty for our carports, and if the products get damaged during normal use, we can provide the replacement parts to repair the item. But for weather damage, please understand that it is out of our control, usually, our customers need to pay for the replacement parts, but please rest assured that we can apply the best discount for the customer.

In this situation, could you please send us some pics of the damaged item? Then we can check the situation and apply for the best solution for you.

Or, if you have any other suggestions, please let us know.

Looking forward to your reply.

Best regards,

Lynn

_____________

As a domestic missionary, truth is paramount. It is always about finding the truth. Like so many of the spiritual leaders over the centuries into modern times, I maintain the position I would rather be taken advantage of than to inadvertently take advantage over someone else. The top to the first tan tent we purchased is a perfect example of the difficulty sometimes in determining the truth. Much to my surprise, I was able to salvage a fair amount of that first tent which got blown into the trees by the storm with its exceptionally high winds. The top was one of the items salvaged. When we found a need to utilize the top, it leaked when it rained. It did not leak before the storm, so there was no question it did not involve the warranty. Whatever happened to it during the storm was now causing it to leak. We simply purchased a 10ml tarp big enough to cover the roof and tied it down over the roof designed to fit the structure. However, before the storm, that roof was an item that we were inquiring about whether the torn seam (in photos above) was covered by the warranty. If it was, then the subsequent damage by the storm is irrelevant. 

I have been a domestic missionary for 30 years now, but for the 20 years prior to that I operated my own State Farm Insurance office. So, I learned early on 50 years ago the difference between an incidence of liability, and what was back then called "an act of God." 

It is quite reasonable that weather related damage would not be covered by the tent warranty. That is what insurance is for. However, if a defect in the product contributed to that damage, or if there were non-weather related damage to the same item, then the weather related damage becomes a moot point. The most recent emails I received give me the impression they really do wish to do what is right for their customer according to their warranty. But, the fact some items had both types of damage has confused the issue. 

Hopefully, laying the whole thing out like this will clarify the situation enough to bring the Advance Outdoor, Barley Grains LLC, and MaxLead combination, as well as Walmart.com, back into our good graces as a customer of all of them. Even if there were no warranty at all, and we had to fix those items mentioned here reflecting sloppy workmanship, or the absence of a quality control inspection process, I would still purchase this product because of its well thought out design, and ease with which the framework went together. But, that is not the case here, and we should not have to be fixing so many items on brand new tents.  Here is what I would like to see come from all of the work and time it took to put this together . . .  

We would like to have replacement parts sent to us for all of the items we received in a damaged, or unworkable condition, and any items which had non-weather related issues legitimately covered by the warranty within the one year period on all four tents. I am including the first tent ultimately damaged by the huge windstorm we had at the end of August in 2023. As stated earlier, we were able to salvage many of the parts to that tent, and receiving the items which should have been replaced under warranty before the storm will help us determine the feasibility of reconstructing that tent. If deemed too costly, those parts can be used as backups for the two newest tents once they have exceeded the one year warranty period. If there are any charges related to items covered by warranty, we would like an explanation why. Asking us to put in a quantity of 6, and to pay $60, does not tell us anything about what we are receiving, nor why there would be any shipping charge for items legitimately covered by a warranty. 

We have been aware from the start that weather damage is not covered by the warranty. But, after all this time and effort, if the other items described, or shown in the photos, are deemed to not be covered by the warranty, we would like an explanation of what prevented them from being covered, especially those that were received in damaged, or an unusable, condition. 

We would like a parts list which shows the price of each item we might need to purchase. We would like to purchase parts through Walmart.com, and not have to deal with PayPal, or any other entity where we would be required to share our financial information. If that is not possible, then we would like the option to order parts by mail, where we can include a written check to pay for them. 

As pertains to Walmart.com, it would be nice to have an obvious option online, or telephone number to report issues with vendors/sellers. I was signed in and looking at a product page on Amazon the other day, and that option appeared right on the same screen. There is nothing quite as frustrating as having to click from screen to screen on a website, only to discover that it was a waste of time because there was no option to solve your issue. Hence, the title of this page was born out of that frustration. You are the company I chose to do business with. If you are not willing to advocate on behalf of your customers with those who are selling through you, perhaps I need to rethink the trust I have placed in you. 

For those who might be reading this as a review of the product, here are the key points. The product is exceptionally designed, and the structure goes together well if you follow the instructions. We have used the tents for multiple purposes over long periods of time, so have put them to the test. If you use them in cold climates for extended periods, we do not recommend getting windows. Below freezing temperatures make them brittle, and susceptible to damage in strong winds. When using leg extensions, be sure the nut on the bolt is inside not rubbing on the fabric. Over time, it puts a hole through the sides if facing outward. If you are keeping the tent up for a while in potentially windy climates, you might want to invest in more heavy duty stakes and ropes. Those that come with the tent were no match for unusually strong winds. However, the structure is well designed, and using stronger stakes and heavier ropes purchased at Mennards, our tents have sustained winds with 40-50 mph wind gusts without issue. Keep in mind the smaller pegs designed to go into the ground through the holes in the steel foot pads are designed only to keep the poles in their position, and provide no anchoring strength. All four of the tents came with some sort of relatively small problems, as described above. So far, the warranty process has been mostly just frustrating. You might have to do a fair amount of fixing yourself. Only time will tell whether the warranty is worth whatever it is written on? 

God's peace,

The Rest of the Story

From: Friends of Joyce Park (fojp2022@gmail.com)
Date: Thursday, January 25, 3:07 PM
To: Barley Grains LLC (E183B23B9E0344A88A5995C45E0448D2@relay.walmart.com)
Cc: c-e183b23b9e0344a88a5995c45e0448d2@relay.walmart.com

Please see https://www.wsharing.com/WS-NLE-231227-FW.htm

_____________

From: Barley Grains LLC
Date: Friday, January 26, 4:36 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear William,

Thanks for your reply and clear information.

We do apologize for all the inconvenience caused to you. We totally understand your questions and concerns, please give us some time to clarify them.

We checked your ordered 4 carports in our store.

order# 200010180509622 (Sep 23, 2022)--beige 016(model number) carport with windows
order# 200010494301251 (Nov7,2022)-- white 016(model number) carport with windows
order# 200011068074080 (Aug 29, 2023)-- 2 x  beige 015(model number) carport without windows

So you can see, the last 2 carports you ordered are different from the ones you ordered in 2022.

Judging from the pics you provided, for the new beige carport, we guess that you may need the parts below, correct?

1X top cover
1x zipper door
2x part#C--foot pad
1x sidewall

If yes, we can send you the replacement parts free of charge, because these accessories are not damaged by the weather. But we checked that the cover is not badly damaged, so we wonder if you can continue to use it. If it gets worse, you can contact us and replace it. Do you feel it is acceptable?

As for the old carports, we wonder if you still need the parts below. We re-attached the parts list of the carport with window to the email, you can check it.

2x white sidewalls without windows
2x beige sidewalls without windows
1x white door
1x beige door
1x beige roof cover
1x #2
1x #4
1x #G bolt and nut

Since we don't list the price of the parts on the list, you need to let us know the part number and quantity needed, then we will check the price for you. However, considering that both carports were damaged due to weather and we value your business, we have applied for you to pay only $60 for shipping and handling. Because if you buy these parts at the original price, it will be very expensive.

In this situation, you can pay the $60 through the Walmart link below:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Barley-Grains-LLC-Parts-fee/661660967

Kindly add 6 quantities -- $10x6=$60, and as this listing is for special payment only and you don't see any details on it, we actually need to create a new order for you manually, so, please inform us of your order# after you have placed it.

Also, please let us know your shipping address and we will arrange the shipment for you asap.

Or, if you have other suggestions, feel free to let us know.

Looking forward to your reply.

Best regards,

Lynn

_____________

From: Friends of Joyce Park (fojp2022@gmail.com)
Date: Tuesday, January 30, 12:19 PM
To: Barley Grains LLC

Dear Lynn,

Yes, regarding the crushed grommet on the roof of the new tents, but only on the condition there will be no shipping charges if we decide it needs to be replaced in the future, because it is pulling through the fabric. 

I have placed the Walmart order regarding the replacement parts on the older tents on the presumption it is covering shipping and handling for the entire list of items in your email. Here is the order number copied and pasted from their website. The 419 South Bridge Street, Grand Ledge, Michigan 48837, as shown on the order, is fine as the shipping address. 

Order# 2000116-29528687

Is the only difference between the two models that one has windows, and the other does not? Or, is there a quality difference? I may end up making one more white tent purchase down the road so they will match in color if used in tandem. 

Once all of the replacement parts arrive, I will add a note, along with these conversations, to my website page showing you indeed followed through in a fair fashion, considering all the confusion. 

william  

_____________

From: Barley Grains LLC
Date: Wednesday, January 31, 5:03 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear William

Thanks a lot for the reply and information.

For the new carport with a grommet issue, you may feel free to contact us back and we will cover the shipping cost for you.

For old carports and new carports ordered this time, the quality and frame are the same. The only different is whether there is any window on the sidewalls.

For all the replacement parts, we have arranged the below parts to our warehouse and there is one beige window sidewall short.

1x beige top cover
2x beige zipper door
2x beige sidewalls without windows
2x part#C--foot pad
1x #G bolt and nut
1x #2
1x #4
2x white sidewalls without windows
1x white door

It will get back to our warehouse in about one week. Once it is available, we will arrange it for you again.

Kindly wait for some time and the tracking# will be available shortly

Have a great day

Lynn

_____________

From: Barley Grains LLC
Date: Thursday, February 1, 7:00 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear Customer,

Good Day and this is Customer Support Team and we have arranged our warehouse to ship the items via fedex and the tracking# is 270466123114

You can track the shipment at: www.fedex.com/fedextrack/?trknbr=270466123114

If there's anything else that we can help you with, please feel free to contact us. We will always be here for you and will spare no efforts to help you.

Best regards,
Customer Support Team

_____________

From: Barley Grains LLC
Date: Friday, February 2, 7:32 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear Customer,

Good Day and this is Customer Support Team and we have arranged our warehouse to ship the items via fedex and the tracking# is 270466787660

You can track the shipment at: www.fedex.com/fedextrack/?trknbr=270466787660

If there's anything else that we can help you with, please feel free to contact us. We will always be here for you and will spare no efforts to help you.

Best regards,
Customer Support Team

_____________

On February 2, I received a text on my flip phone from Walmart.com stating that the parts had been shipped. A second text stated that on February 3 the order had been delivered. We did receive the first box on Saturday, February 3rd. That box included:

1X beige top cover
1x beige zipper door
more than the "2x part#C--foot pad" ordered (including lots of other connector parts)
1x beige sidewall
more than "1x #G bolt and nut" (a full bag of items the bolts originally came in)

The excess parts lead me to believe their inventory must be pre-packaged, making it easier to send a whole unit rather than breaking open the container for something like a single bolt and nut. This works out fine for us as it gives us more spare parts, and is quite generous of them. 

A second box arrive on Monday, February 5th. It included: 

a single white sidewall
1x white zipper door
1x #2 pole
1x #4 pole

_____________
 

From: Barley Grains LLC
Date: Monday, February 5, 9:07 PM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear William

Good evening and we tracked that the packages have been delivered to your address, kindly check whether all is well now.

And we check that the beige sidewall will be shipped out within 24 hours, kindly wait for a while. And we will keep you posted.

If there's anything else that needs our help, please feel free to let us know, we will always be here for you.

Hope this helps and we are looking forward to your confirmation.

Best regards,

Lynn

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From: Barley Grains LLC
Date: Tuesday, February 6, 7:31 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear Customer,

Good Day and this is Customer Support Team and we have arranged our warehouse to ship the items via fedex and the tracking# is 270649058895

You can track the shipment at:www.fedex.com/fedextrack/?trknbr=270649058895

If there's anything else that we can help you with, please feel free to contact us. We will always be here for you and will spare no efforts to help you.

Best regards,
Customer Support Team

_____________

From: Barley Grains LLC
Date: Tuesday, February 6, 7:35 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear Customer,

Good day and we noticed that the package has been delivered to your address now, kindly check whether all is well now.

If there's anything that needs our help, you can reply to this email, we will always be here for you and will spare no efforts to help you.

BTW, if it's convenient for you, could you please do us a favor to share your honest experience on our listing? If you could also mention my name, it would be greatly appreciated. Your comments will not only reflect how we served you, but they will also assist other customers in enhancing their shopping experience. 

Many thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Customer Support Team

_____________

From: Barley Grains LLC (s-E183B23B9E0344A88A5995C45E0448D2@relay.walmart.com)
Date: Tuesday, February 8, 4:06 AM
To: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)

Dear customer,

Good day and we tracked that the package has been delivered to your address, kindly check whether all is well now.

If there's anything else that needs our help, please feel free to let us know, we will always be here for you.

If it's convenient for you, could you please do us a favor to share your honest experience on the link below?

https://www.walmart.com/ip/ADVANCE-OUTDOOR-Upgraded-10-x20-Heavy-Duty-Steel-Carport-Adjustable-Height-9-5-11-ft-Car-Canopy-Garage-Party-Tent-Storage-Shed-Boat-Shelter-Portable/925159637

If you could also mention my name Lynn, it would be greatly appreciated.

Your comments will not only reflect how we served you, but they will also assist other customers in enhancing their shopping experience. Many thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Lynn

_____________

From: William Gibbons Jr (fojp2022@gmail.com)
Date: Tuesday, February 8, 4:06 AM
To: Barley Grains LLC (s-E183B23B9E0344A88A5995C45E0448D2@relay.walmart.com)

Hi Lynn,

I had already submitted the below review before seeing your email. I tried to resubmit it using your link, and mentioning your name, but the Walmart.com site did not allow it.

“Even if there were no warranty at all, and we had to fix those items mentioned here reflecting sloppy workmanship, or the absence of a quality control inspection process, I would still purchase this product because of its well thought out design, and ease with which the framework went together. But, that is not the case here, and we should not have to be fixing so many items on brand new tents. Here is what I would like to see come from all of the work and time it took to put this together . . . “

We have purchased four of these tents. The above excerpt is from my website where I include caveats, and other helpful information as a part of the whole story. You can read it, and see the photos, by going to . . .

https://www.wsharing.com/WS-NLE-231227-FW.htm

I have loaded all the information onto my website up to, and including, the February 6th email from your CST. I checked the last FedEx tracking number your CST sent, and it is scheduled for delivery tomorrow. I will endeavor to get the remaining details onto my site next week, when I go back online to upload my picture of the week for February 15, 2024. Thank you for all your help. Lynn, I have the sense that you personally are genuinely interested in helping your customers with what feels like very complicated procedures. It is appreciated.

God's peace,

william