We ordered a LED light up "disco style" dance floor for our wedding day that didn't turn out how we thought it would and I'd like some opinions. Here are the facts:
-The company has two types of LED dance floors. One uses solid white panels that have colored bulbs in the center, and they really aren't that colorful, and the other has full-color panels. We were told we would receive the full-color panels, but we ended up with the disappointing white panels.
This was a verbal agreement that our contract does not distinguish because both panels cost the same, even though the kind we didn't get is significantly better, and what we verbally agreed on.
-One of the LED panels didn't even light up for part of the reception. We have photos of it without a light, as well as with a working light.
-Through all our communications, we were told that the dance floor would flash and change colors on a pre-set cycle. We were told that we should hire an hourly technician to get any precise configurations, but we declined when the answer to "will it still change colors" was yes. The dance floor we got did not change colors.
We asked the supervisor during the reception why they weren't changing colors, and she said she would take care of it. She did not and said it was because the batteries would die.
When we complained afterward, we were told it was because we declined to hire the technician.
-The dance floor was poorly assembled and was "falling apart" by the end of the night. The panels would slide apart and leave one inch gaps. I would periodically get down off the floor (which was elevated about a foot or so off the ground, even though we were told it would be no more than 6 inches above the ground) to slide the panels back together. A guest hurt her toe because of this and I was cleaning her blood off the dance floor during the reception.
We have photographs of this poor assembly including a missing screw, the giant gaps in the panels, and the bloody foot. The company will not own up to this mistake and has only said that their crew "said everything was put together fine". They've also said things like "I'm sorry you guys didn't have the wedding of your dreams or thoughts or whatever, but it seems like you are only complaining to get money" and "what do you want, a free dance floor?" (no, we're asking for half our money back)
We feel that in addition to the sizing being wrong, which is part of the written contract, the floor we received was significantly not as was described to us. Nor was it in satisfactory or safe condition. Given this, we feel asking for a refund of half is completely reasonable. It took days to even get them to return our calls, but the company has final-offered us a refund of just under 1/4 (after a lot of back and forth that started with a very insulting amount). Honestly, if they had offered us 1/4, or even a smaller amount, in a good faith effort to make things right wiht us, we might be inclined to accept, but their unwillingness to own up to the mistake (not to mention the insulting attitude) is hard to swallow, and we're considering suing in small claims court for half. What do you think? What would you do?
I will admit I am very into "fairness" and "justice" and would rather fight for what is right than let it go and forget about it, but I don't want to look like I'm in this for money. The money we are hoping to get back for this would go to my mother's contribution to the wedding anyway. It just seems like, if the dance floor is completely not what we were told we were getting, and caused injury to someone, isn't that worth an apology and a refund? FWIW, The injury was minor, it's not like she had to go to the doctor or anything, but isn't it the principle of it?
CN: We didn't get the dance floor we were told we'd get, and someone got hurt because it was falling apart. The vendor is being jerks about the whole thing. Do we let it go and take the 1/4 refund they've offered, or sue in small claims for half?