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Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. has been hit with another class action alleging the company’s DuraBlend upholstery is not fit for ordinary use.
Lead plaintiff Alex Isaac filed a class action lawsuit against the home furnishings company as well as Bargain Discount Markets Inc. alleging that DuraBlend is marketed as a durable leather product; however, DuraBlend furniture is not durable and is prone to peeling and disintegrating.
“Ashley and BD marketed DuraBlend upholstery as durable blended leather,” alleges the Ashley Furniture class action lawsuit. “Indeed, its name is a combination of the words durable and blended, supporting a reasonable consumer’s belief that the DuraBlend upholstery is both durable, and of similar quality, strength, and durability of leather.”
Isaac claims Ashley Furniture began marketing DuraBlend in 2008 as a leather substitute, with the same quality, strength and durability. The plaintiff says that he purchased a DuraBlend sectional sofa for about $1,100 in 2012 based on this marketing.
Contrary to Ashley’s marketing claims, the upholstery on the plaintiff’s sofa began to peel and disintegrate with normal use starting in 2015, alleges the class action lawsuit. The plaintiff says that he contacted Ashley about the disintegration of the DuraBlend sofa, but the store refused to issue a full refund.
This is the second class action to hit Ashley Furniture over DuraBlend. In November of last year, a plaintiff in Florida alleged Ashley “falsely, deceptively or misleadingly promoted, marketed, advertised, and sold furniture with DuraBlend.”
According to the class action complaint, “Ashley provided, disseminated, marketed, advertised or otherwise distributed false, deceptive or misleading information about the true nature, quality, or durability of the DuraBlend upholstery; and failed to disclose material information, or made material misrepresentations about, DuraBlend upholstery in connection with its promotion, marketing, advertising, and sale of that product.”
Ashley sold a variety of DuraBlend furniture, including sofas, loveseats, sections, and ottomans, says the plaintiff. These were marketed as “blended leather products,” alleges the complaint. The lawsuit includes a picture of the plaintiff’s cracked and peeling sectional sofa. Isaac alleges that he and other consumers would not have purchased or paid a much lower price for their DuraBlend furniture if they had known it was prone to peeling and disintegrating under normal use.
The plaintiff in the most recent class action seeks to represent a Class of Massachusetts residents who purchased DuraBlend furniture from Ashley Furniture. The plaintiff alleges that the company violated Massachusetts advertising law.
“Here, Defendants [sic] represented that furniture with DuraBlend upholstery sold to Mr. Isaac and other members of the class had characteristics that it does not have and that it was of a particular standard, quality, or grade, when in fact [it] was of lesser standard, quality, and grade,” alleges the Ashley Furniture class action lawsuit.
Isaac is represented by Josh Gardner and Nicholas J. Rosenberg of Gardner & Rosenberg PC.
The Ashley Furniture DuraBlend False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit is Alex Isaac v. Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. and Bargain Discount Markets Inc., Case No. 1:17-cv-11827, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
UPDATE: The Ashley Furniture DuraBlend False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit was dismissed on October 27, 2017. Top Class Actions will let our viewers know if a new complaint is filed.
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155 thoughts onNew Ashley Furniture Class Action Filed Over Quality of DuraBlend
I purchased two complete sets of Signature Design sets to include power Reclining Loveseat,sofa and recliner. One set 4/13/2021 and one set 5/28/2021. Have had service Technician out to replace power motor, foot reset on recliner for bad material, cushion bad material and back rest on two recliner head rest for peeling.power lift motor was replaced twice one time was due to crimped wire installed by Technician improperly installed. Was told by Technician did not have time to complete repair to call customer service to reschedule. Customer service said no Technician in my area. Called back for the material peeling was told not covered by warranty,that I WOULD HAVE TO GET A TECHNICIAN TO DO THE WORK AT MY COST. ASKED FOR A CONTACT TECHNICIAN IN MY AREA . WAS TOLD NONE IN MY AREA STILL.went to store to discuss of refund.was told was out of their control . Ashley still selling extend warranty knowing that they have no person to repair and knowing they have BAD UPHOLSTERY PRODUCTS . THIS I KNOW WAS BY THE STORE SALES REPRESENTING ASHLEY FURNITURE.
Our loveseat is peeling also. We purchased ours March 2021. What are you doing about yours?
I purchased the Ashley Alliston Queen size sleeper sofa and was told that it was leather. I would not have purchased the item if I knew that is was not leather. My Queen size sofa sleeper peeled everywhere the cushions and one of the arm rest. Another thing that happened is that the sleeper bed parts broke off and the my couch is sinking. I purchased the sofa in 2016 and it has only been slept on twice. I have been trying to find the cushion covers and the right side section of the sofa since it was built inside of my den. What will you do or what can I do? Is that a website or something where I can at least purchased the cushion covers. I am so disappointed and ashamed that my sofa peeled so badly. Please let me know and thank you
That’s so odd. I’ve had mine 10 years and loved it! It just started peeling but is still so comfortable! I use covers because I cant find a couch like it!
I bought also the same product and It was in my living room that was never sat on . Mine is horrible peeling. ☹
Hi I also bought a Recliner chair and it also is starting to peel bought it in 2019 started about 5 months ago but the store I bought it from refuse to help me also even though I took out a extended warranty the warranty does not cover peeling because I’m assuming this is been going on while I’ve read since 2006 So what if any did Ashley do for you did you ever get it resolved
I too bought love seat and accent chair sold as leather dura blend peeling and disintegrating. I have tag that states leather and fabric. I file claim and are dancing around it was for a spare room so not used. How can they continue to sell garbage! As for me I will never buy from Ashley home store
Bought powered r
Loveseat and sofa in 2018. We use the loveseat every day for at least 5 hours watching tv. My side is still perfect but my wife is handicap and wears combat type boots while watching tv. Only wear is where her boot runs on foot rest. Otherwise very happy with our purchase
Same problem w furniture purchased in 2017. $1800.00
I too purchased the piece of crap reclining couch and reclining loveseat for my husband’s man cave. They are peeling so badly we are to embarrassed to have friends over. Ashley Furniture should be held accountable for their false promises on the durability of this product “DuraBlend” junk they sold to the public. ?
I too purchased an Ashley durablend sectional and was told that it was more durable than leather. I told the Ashley salesman that I thought leather was as tough as it got. He gave me some paperwork showing that the durablend was actually much stronger and would last much longer since it was a synthetic material. He also told me and was in the paperwork that it would not ever fade nor would it stain. At that same time I am looking at a real leather sofa on the floor they had beside it for the display, it was faded, worn, stained, cracked, looked like it had been wet and hung up to dry in a dirt barn. The salesman stated the “leather sofa” was the same age as the Ashley durablend “leather sofa” and had more people that sat on it than the real leather.
So according to the paperwork and the salesman I was sold. I didn’t get this sectional with ottoman cheep either. With tax and all was $5,500.00 for a small right sided sectional and ottoman. I was then told that the “Guardsmen” gold star warranty (replacement warranty on top of it) would be something for me to buy and it would give an additional 2 year warranty if I purchased at the same time. So this gave me 5 years “replacement warranty” for $1,000.00, so tt&l with a delivery fee of $200.00 because I was 50 miles from the store came to be $6,700.00. Oh but wait there is more. The salesman said you have to purchase this cleaner and cleaning rag for another $250.00, clean as directed on the bottle. If you did not use this cleaner and something was to happen to the sofa like stretch marks, water marks, discoloration, or it being brittle then the warranty would be refused. So in reality to get the “Guardsmen warranty” I had to use the cleaner and the rag. Real warranty cost $1,250.00. Boy I really thought I had a great deal, was to be delivered next day. We were in need and going to have company. Sold!
Two months before the three year Ashley warranty was to expire the sectional started to flake. Very shocked by this because I had been cleaning the sectional as told and by directions on the bottle every month and the fact that this was our second home and it was only used by us two times a year for two weeks at a time. How could this happen? Well reading numerous stories that were more and more like my own, contacting Ashley furniture and the salesman who actually still worked at the same location (shocked) I was told this is normal wear and tear for Ashley’s durablend “leather” sectional.
I went off, I went to the store where I purchased with my receipt in hand and pictures of the sofa only to be told they did not deal with warranty stuff I would have to contact Ashley warranty department. I contacted the warranty department, no help so I said I purchased the extended warranty through “Guardsmen” who is well known, I am going to call them.
Called Guardsmen gave them the entire story gave them the paperwork information and number of my warranty only to be told they didn’t have this information. I sent a copy of the paper by email and they contacted me back a week later. Stating this was falsely written and they could not cover the warranty. I asked why I have the paperwork with their name on it. Receipt of payment of warranty and cleaning supplies. They told me that the warranty does not cover peeling of the durablend bonded leather. If I had cut it with a knife or a pet or child had peed on it, the sectional would have been covered.
Unbelievable how Ashley furniture and Guardsmen warranty are both so full of crap. How does this keep happening and nothing done about it? How can we stand up for ourselves when our justice system fails us? Who backs us when we as consumers are lied to and cheated of our money?
This is exactly what is happening to us!
When you pay $1000 or less for something marketed as blended leather you get what you pay for. Most of you here didn’t want to pay topgrain leather prices so you bought the cheap stuff. I sell it all day long but I tell my customers that are trying to buy durablend that they have about 3 years until it starts to crack.
My husband and I also purchased an Ashley durablend set (sofa, love seat & recliner chair) and it is peeling. Warranty ended right before peeling began & after several phone calls and emails – it doesn’t seem to be any recourse. This is a horrible eye soar in our home. Please continue keep us posted with any resolution.
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