Disappointing Product Quality and Customer Service
I purchased a Campania Polyhedron from Garden Gates for more than $600. I love the design, but unfortunately the quality of the product and the experience resolving the problem have not lived up to what I would expect at this price point.
The original polyhedron arrived with numerous areas along the edges and corners where the finish was visibly worn or missing. I contacted Garden Gates immediately and provided photographs. The initial solution was for Campania to send me a touch-up kit.
The touch-up kit did not arrive until 10 days after I reported the problem, and when it finally arrived, I found it essentially useless for matching and repairing the finish. We ultimately had to create our own mixture of acrylic paints to make the repairs.
After further communication, Garden Gates contacted Campania and Campania agreed to replace the polyhedron. I appreciated that decision and hoped that would resolve the issue.
The replacement arrived approximately three weeks after I originally reported the problem. It was noticeably better packed than the first one, which I appreciate. Unfortunately, the replacement also arrived with several areas where the finish is chipped or missing, including a very noticeable spot on one of the corners. Once again, a brand-new $600+ piece of garden art requires touch-up before it can be displayed in the condition I expected when I purchased it.
Garden Gates and Campania indicated that the original piece had left the facility in perfect condition and was damaged during shipping. That may well have been the case. However, after receiving a second piece with similar finish damage—even with improved packaging—it raises questions about either the durability of the finish, the packaging, or the quality-control process.
I don't expect a cast-stone garden ornament to be absolutely flawless, and minor variations are part of the character of this type of product. But there is a difference between normal variations in a handcrafted piece and areas where the applied finish has actually been chipped or rubbed away.
To Campania's and Garden Gates' credit, they ultimately stood behind the purchase by sending a replacement, and I appreciate that. But after two shipments, a 10-day wait for an ineffective touch-up kit, a three-week wait for the replacement, and now having to touch up the replacement as well, this has been a frustrating experience.
For a product in this price range, I expected better quality control, more durable finishing and a product that arrived ready to display. The Polyhedron itself is an attractive piece of garden art. Unfortunately, the execution and after-sale experience have not matched the premium price.