Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
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.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
©2008 – 2024 Top Class Actions® LLC
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru vehicle data collection class action lawsuit investigation
May 17, 2024 | Legal News
155 thoughts onNew Ashley Furniture Class Action Filed Over Quality of DuraBlend
We purchased a recliner at Scottsdale Ashley. It’s peeling apart despite hardly ever being used. We hardly ever used it as It is in our seasonal home which we stay at only a week a month in winter months.
It has not been sat upon with any regularity until last two weeks.
At which time entire sections of the back cushion just fell away.
We have no children, no one has abused this piece ever.
It is a real disappointment.
We are past the extended warrantee and customer service lead said it really isn’t fixable
even if it were within the timeframe.
We purchased what we thought leather. We’re told by sales person that all surfaces that touch body were real leather. Obviously they are not.
The first customer service rep said same thing that surfaces touching body are real leather. That obviously is not the case.
Ashley lead said they no longer manufacture with Durablend but now use polyurethane vinyl as the affordable product substitute.
We bought chair on sale so price paid was not reflective of value we thought we were getting. Leather is leather and disintegrating brown surfaces are not.
We feel like we have been deceived by Ashley and are incredibly disappointed in the product quality.
I purchase my sectional for well over $3000.00 and I have having issues. Not the quality I was expecting…
YES I TOO WAS DUPED WITH DEVIL BLEND FUNITURE!!
In 2016 I purchased $3,000 dollars worth of Ashley Furniture and was told by the seller it was DuraBlend which is better than leather. I asked him, how can that be, he preceded to explain about the DuraBlend material as the best thing on the market to date. He proclaimed it would last for years and years to come. Fast forward barely one year later, the furniture started peeling and cracking. The furniture wasn’t under duress, it had been used under normal conditions and not only that some of it was hardly even being used and it STILL begin to crack, peel and disintegrate. UNBELIEVABLE!! I had the warranty plan which did nothing. They directed to Ashley Furniture Customers Service citing that they did not cover those issues. Only if the fabric underneath the DuraBlend gets poked or damaged additionally if something goes wrong mechanically with the furniture. So great I thought I may be stuck with this now hideous furniture. Contacted Ashley Cust service. It was turmoil but eventually I was able to get somewhere. I exclaimed how I’m a normal working individual, NOT rich. And that I don’t have money to burn on new furniture because I used the bulk of my income tax check to purchase it with. I was really emotional. Because I loved the look of the furniture and the features but it heartbreaking to see what quality this DuraBlend really was. Very disheartening, I was disgusted, disappointed, depressed even thinking that nothing would be done and I’m just out over 3K. So finally I was able to get somewhere and was eventually refunded in the form of in store credit (really could have given me my money back after this experience) so I accepted. Better than nothing right? I went back to do my shopping and no matter how great those DuraBlend sofas look I wouldn’t even dare to think about stopping and or looking any further. Hate having to buy from such a place that continues to sale DuraBlend to unsuspecting consumers. They need to just do away with it completely. It’s not right that consumers are still being sold anything having to do with this “DEVIL” blend furniture crap. I’m glad I got something back but to think they still wanted me to come back to pick out new furniture?!! I did because they left me without choice. Sad sad sad. Ashely please stop selling this crap to people. Maybe you can gain the respect of consumer back by doing so….
SHAY
WHO DID CONTACT AND DEAL WITH
I bought 2 rocking recliner from Ashley Homes Furnishing 2 1/2 years ago. My sales associated lied to me. I told her I was looking for 2 leather chairs. She told me the chairs I purchased were leather and dyed all the way through. The chairs are pealing and 1 had a nail that worked it’s way out on 1 chair I bought the 5 year protection plan. I called the company who does the repair work and they came out and said the nail was dangerous and then said your chairs are not leather they are dura blend which is not coved under the protection plan. I ask what is Dura Blend he said you need to research that. I was told nothing would be done about the peeling on the chairs. I went to the store and was told I had to call corporate. The customer service at the Sarasota store and corporate was nonexistent. I was told the chairs were labeled Dura blend which they were not. The 1st time I went to the store with pictures and ask what could be done as they look awful. I was told just buy new chairs. I spent a lot of money for these chairs and I ask to see the manager of the Sarasota Florida store and was only allowed to see a so called office manager not the actual manager. I did not give up so I was offered a small store credit which I got wood tables that were on sale as I would never buy anything upholstered from that store again. I had to pick them up no offer to deliver them. In looking around the store I saw the same Dura Blend product was being sold and none of furniture had any labeling that they were Dura blend. I was told the chairs were only warranted for 1 year which is not on the sales paper work and how can that be if I bought a 5 year protection plan. So the protection plan is not worth the paper it is written on so again they were dishonest. They should not be in business to continue lying to the public and selling defective furniture. The fair trade act states that customers be told the truth about what products they are sold. If there is another class action lawsuit in Florida I would like to be included. I do not want other unsuspecting customers to go through what I have with this dishonest furniture store. To add insult to injury they are sending me emails that I do not want & have ask them to stop.
We have the same issue here with our sectional that we paid 2,000 for. And our warranty would it cover shit. so we just want our money back as well !!
I also had the same problem with my Ashley durablend couch, loveseat and chair. We purchased extended warranty, which did nothing. We had a store rep. come to our house with little results. I contacted Ashley headquarters with detailed pictures, receipts, etc. I received a letter telling me that they would not do anything. It became so bad that we had to take it to the dump. I will NEVER buy anything there again! I appreciate knowing if any other Class action suit is filed against Ashley. Thank you!
Ashley furniture is a big ripoff. I bought a temperpedic mattress and was told I could return it. I bought the mattress and was later told exchange only after 90 days. This mattress is hard and I bought. a soft mattress. I asked them to come and ck it out and they cancelled a scheduled appt because it is as for temperpedic. They won’t even look at it. $4,000. If I bought directly from temperpedic they would return it but since I bought it from Ashley, they slipped in a not return policy. They are ruthless they advertise they are the best place to buy a mattress but they are the worst. False advertising!!!! Horrible customer service too! Part of there plan. You can tech them w o a lot of effort.
I bought a couch and love seat from ashley that they told me was ”real” leather and paid a lot of money for them, after about a year they started flaking with absolutely no help from ashley. I’m definitely interested in a class action suit against ashley!
Two class lawsuits (one on the west coast and one on the east coast) against Ashley over the durablend have already failed in court. The latest in California. Sorry but the courts are against the consumer on this one.
Where did you buy your couch and love seat?
I at this time have the same problem the store I bought it from said theres nothing they can do. As of the warranty is run out. This peeling bubbling coming apart are in some places we dont even touch. They in the past replaced the seat covers for the same reason is there any thing ican do about this. Dont want to throw a ugly patch on this. Spent alot of money on this sectional couch. And chair
Same thing. Bought sofa, love seat and chair from Living Spaces. Purchased the VIP protection plan in November 2015. Legs on all 3 pieces chipped. After numerous calls and emails, replacement feet were finally sent. However, new legs are doing the same thing. Cushions on both the sofa and love seat have peeled and scratched. No help from Living Spaces and the warranty company has disconnected phone numbers and invalid websites. Please include me in the next class action suit! All I want is the quality furniture I thought I was buying when I spent nearly $3000.