Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Carl's Cleaners Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Carl's Cleaners Inc.

  114 E Bandera Rd Boerne, TX 78006-2802

• 

  Carl's Cleaners Inc.

  9092 Fair Oaks Pkwy. Fair Oaks, TX 78015

• 

  Carl's Cleaners Inc.

  1 FM 3351 Bergheim, TX 78004

• 

  Carl's Cleaners Inc.

  24165 IH 10 W # 213 San Antonio, TX 78257-1160

• 

  Carl's Cleaners Inc.

  18 US Hwy 87 Comfort, TX 78013-2277

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/20/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I dropped off 2 pairs of pants on August 18, 2023 for dry cleaning, one Navy and one Khaki. When I received them, on 8/21/23, they were scorched, faded, and shrunken. One pair also had a torn hem. I had to make several phone calls to have them assessed for reimbursement. Eventually, I was told they were in fact not dry cleaned and were washed in cold water and pressed, which is not what I requested, but they were found to have not been shrunken despite them obviously no longer fitting well. I requested reimbursement for the cost of the pants, as they were new, but was told that was not going to happen. Eventually I was

  Business Response

  Date: 10/12/2023

  I have spoken to ************** ************************* (*************************** in our files) on more than one occasion.  Mr. ************************* complaint to me was that his 2 pair of pants were "scorched, faded and shrunken".  He also mentioned that one of the hems was torn.  Mr. ************************* stated that he requested that his pants be dry cleaned.  This can not be confirmed nor denied as the store clerk who took this order no longer works for the company and has not responded to my request

  Both pair of pants were Cold Water washed as recommended by the manufacturer.  This process would not cause these garments to shrink.  After I received the complaint I measured both pants and both measure 34ninches at the waist as the garment tag states.  The length of the pants states 30 inches but Mr. ************************* had advised me that he had just had the length shortened so both pants measured considerably less.  The recent alteration may be the cause of the "torn hem".  I asked ****************************************** from where his pants had shrunk and he advised me that they shrunk from "all over".  As a graduate of The ********************************* International we are taught to search out signs of shrinkage such as puckered zipper caused by the material around the zipper shrinking but not the metal and different zipper material.  None of this was found in ************************************ pants.  The 34 inch measurement of the slacks further shows no shrinkage.  

  I advised Mr. ************************* that I would redo both his pants and assured him that what he thought was "scorched" would come out.  Both pants were redone and have no sign of "scorching".  ****************** has yet to pick up his order and thus has not seen his re-done pants. The cost of the cleaning was refunded.  I also advised that I would issue him a store credit for his future needs and he refused.  I advised him that I had enclosed a Manufacture Defect letter with his order so that he could go to the location where the pants were purchased and receive a refund.  I also enclosed my business card so that the store could contact  me should they have any questions.  I have attempted to assist Mr. ************************* in many ways but he has refused my help and wants a full refund. ****'s Cleaners has worked in good faith to help Mr. ************************* but he has refused all our effort.  

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/15/2023

  Complaint: 20632256
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Respondent has not replied to the original complaint in good faith. He states that there is no way to verify what I requested because the employee who received my request, who additionally did not take my personal information and thus my contact information was not present in their system, is no longer employed with their company. I cannot imagine why the assumption would be to machine wash two pairs of pants when delivered to a dry cleaner - I could have easily washed two pairs of pants myself. The respondent noted, via phone call, that he would continue to try to reach out to the employee, but at that point, it had been a month since the pants were initially dropped off and I noted that I couldn't imagine that the employee would remember two fairly non-******** pants from four weeks prior; he responded "That's possible." I also left a long note for management (after being told that items would be sent away for inspection and then sent back) regarding my concerns, costs, and relevant dates, but have come to believe that the note was never received based on my need to re-explain the entire situation to the person who called me. Per the person who spoke with me over the phone, who I presume is the respondent, "the employee, against your wishes, washed them." He directly implicated his employee as having performed a service that I did not request. It would be my presumption that management would take responsibility for their employees, but it seems that the default response is to claim ignorance and default to a dissatisfied customer. As the pants were washed and not dry cleaned, I also question the method by which the pants were dried, which, given the fabric, could have contributed to shortening and tightening of the pants, given the material the items were made from; respondent does not mention the temperature of the drying, which would not have been an issue had the items been dry cleaned, as requested. At the time of alteration, pant length was below ankle; at the time of pickup, they were above. The legs were also significantly tighter post wash. I note that the respondent did not note the length of the pants in his response, nor the concerns about fading. Odd as it sounds, I would be more than happy to demonstrate the difference in fit and color saturation between the pants that were serviced by ****'s and my replacement pants, which are identical in brand and size, and fit perfectly after being cleaned at another dry cleaner.
  

  The alteration noted in the complaint was made at the point of purchase - the retailer offers alterations and upon purchase and receipt of the altered pants, no defects were present. The khaki pants were dropped off with no concerns about hem or damage, with no loose threads. The loose hem was not a result of the alteration and was only observed after receipt of the pants.

  Respondent also falsely claims that he offered to redo the pants. During my second of two conversations (respondent notes that he has spoken to me on "more than one occasion", which is deceptively worded, as it was literally two, the second of which was initiated by me after I reached out to him for an update due to a lack of communication from him or his team; per another employee, it is their policy not to contact customers when items are ready), he apologized and stated there was "nothing more [he] could do." In fact, he stated this multiple times. He did not offer, as stated, to "redo" the pants; in fact, regarding scorch marks, his comment was "I don't think those marks are there anymore. I don't think I saw anything" and seemed uncertain. Over the phone, he seemed particularly focused on the fact that the pants were not shrunken per his investigation, but could not offer any comment regarding the scorch. He provided an explanation that the press made marks along pocket lines and seams. I told him that I understood exactly what those marks were and they weren't there at dropoff and would not have been there had they been dry cleaned in the first place. Pictures of the marks were provided in the initial complaint. He also notes in his response that the pants have since been "redone," which is yet another service I did not request. This also highlights tendency of management and this business to make decisions without customer approval; respondent noted I declined the offer to have pants redone, but also states that they've been redone to correct the error, suggesting that either no such offer was made and pants were washed a second time without my knowledge, or I decline the offer and the pants were "redone" despite this. He offered me store credit, which I declined because I had multiple negative interactions and outcomes from my one use of their services, and would be highly unlikely to utilize their services in the future. The cost of the cleaning was refunded not in good faith by the respondent, as he was initially not going to offer any compensation and only did so because I insisted that "the least you could do is refund the cost of the cleaning." At that point, he requested my credit card information, which I felt incredibly uncomfortable providing over the phone in full (this was later resolved via text and the last 4 digits of my card number). He did not, in fact, advise me that he was providing any such letter as noted in his response. He did state that I could try taking the pants back to the retailer for a refund from them, but it seemed highly dubious to return an article of clothing a month later after several washings to complain about them, after they've been visibly damaged post-cleaning.

  I had not yet picked up my pants at the time of respondent's rebuttal, as the state in which I dropped them off following my concerns required that I purchase two additional pairs of pants to replace them and thus they have not been urgently needed. However, on October 11 2023, my wife, whose phone number is on the account at the store, received a message reminder from the establishment that the pants were ready for pickup. I went into the store on October 12, the very next day, around 4pm and requested my pants. The employee at the counter could not find them. I clarified that perhaps they would be kept somewhere else due to the current situation and perhaps she could check the office. She still could not find them. She reached out to management via text message, presumably the respondent to this complaint, to inquire about the articles. He responded that he had taken the pants away from the store to take pictures of them. He offered to deliver them to my home, which, as with the credit card request, I felt very uncomfortable with. I asked the pants to be returned to the store, where they should never have left, particularly if the intent was to take photos (which could have been done at the store) and after the respondent to the complaint noted that I never picked the pants up. I returned on the following day, October 13 at 5:15pm. A different employee was present. I requested my pants and she seemed aware that management had taken my pants away. She said the delivery truck had not come in yet. Finally, I returned for a third day in a row, on October 14, to retrieve my pants. It's difficult not to feel that management took my articles of clothing simply in response to this complaint in an effort to rectify the situation after the fact (as these concerns were not addressed prior to filing my complaint with BBB). At this point, this business has not only wasted my money, but also my time. The blue pants continue to have faded spots around the seams and are significantly more faded than they were upon initial dropoff. I'm not sure how standard practice it is for most companies to take customers' items elsewhere without notification, but this demonstrates further the poor communication and customer relations exhibited by this business, particularly if an effort is being made to criticize me for not picking up my clothing. I feel incredibly uncomfortable for a business to decide to take items away from any establishment without notifying the customer, but take further umbrage with the idea that I was notified to pick them up and they weren't even available for 3 additional days because management took the items away.

  Finally, respondent notes that he has tried to "assist me in many ways", which is a false claim; poor communication, being repeatedly told that "there's nothing I can do", being told that nothing seemed wrong with the pants, and then offering store credit to a store with this level of service does not constitute assistance. The only assistance I received was a refund for the cost of the service, which was not offered and had to be requested by me. 

  A quick review of other online reviews for this establishment would suggest that my experience is consistent with the experience of many other complainants; stains that were not present at dropoff, poor quality services, poor communication with staff and management, and blaming the customer. I would also note that this was my first use of their services and it was not my goal to spend multiple months debating two pairs of pants. Had the establishment simply provided the service I requested, this could have been resolved months ago. I take no personal issue with the representative who reached out to me, other than the general lack of communication and the need for me to reach out and initiate contact, though I am perturbed by his removal of my articles of clothing from the establishment without my consent after being told to pick them up. He was pleasant enough and tried to be accommodating, but his efforts to resolve my concern, particularly for two pairs of pants that were only a month old and damaged after using his company's service, were not sufficient to address the problem. At this point, I would be content to leave well enough alone, but I cannot justify allowing his version of the narrative to be the final one, particularly given the additional time to even be able to pick up my clothing which were still not in the condition in which I dropped them off.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/19/2023

  I am sorry that ****************************************** is unhappy with his order.  ****************************************** filed his complaint before ever seeing the order after it had been redone.  I believe I addressed ********************************************** concerns.  The garments were washed as specified by the manufacturer.  ****'s only has cold water so they could not have been washed in anything else.  I have offered many options to him.  Refund of his cleaning order, a redo of his order, a store credit for future use, a Manufacturer Defect letter notifying the manufacturer that his product had been damaged (in the eyes of ******************************************) so that ****************************************** could return the items to the place of purchase and obtain a refund, I enclosed my business card and offered to speak with the store in order to give my professional opinion in order to assist with the refund process, a home delivery of the order.  All except the refund were refused by *******************************************  

  I have addressed his complaints with my expert and professional opinion as noted in my first response to this complaint.  Once again I am sorry that ****************************************** was not happy with his order but he has refused to work with me at all and wants  complete repayment of his purchase price.  We do not feel that we were responsible.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/24/2023

  Complaint: 20632256
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  As noted previously, respondent is not replying in good faith and has been deceptive in his replies. I believe I have outlined my concerns and problems with both the store's service and the business's followup on my complaints. At this point, I do not wish to seek any compensation for my damaged goods but would prefer the business to have the negative feedback posted on their business page through BBB. As noted, the company rewashed my items without my consent and took them away from the store after having told me they were ready for pickup, requiring 3 extra days without alerting me that my items had been taken. The company did not "offer" a refund, but only gave one after I insisted on it. I was offered store credit, but it seems unreasonable to assume that a customer would reuse a business they've had this many negative interactions with. My complaint is consistent with other complaints for this company regarding poor workmanship and customer-blaming. This is terrible business practice and I would hope that my experience would inform other potential customers of the risks associated with using this company. 

  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/13/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to file a formal complaint against ****'s Cleaners, a dry cleaning business with locations in *************** and ******, *****. I have had a thoroughly unsatisfactory experience with this company, and I believe it is important for the Better Business Bureau to be made aware of the issues I have faced.I recently brought two pottery barn drape panels to ****'s Cleaners for cleaning, and the panels were lost by the company. These drape panels were valued at $350 and are of significant sentimental value to me, and are no longer being manufactured. I have made multiple attempts to retrieve these lost items over the last 30 days, visiting the *************** location on four separate occasions. Each time I was told that the drapes would be available for pick ** in two days, but this was not the case.On the last occasion, I received a call from ****, one of the owners of ****'s Cleaners, inquiring about the drapes and asking if I had picked them up. I informed her that they were still missing, and she said she would look into it. Despite leaving two voicemail messages for ****, she has yet to return my calls. When I went into the *************** location this week, the manager there told me to follow up with the owner directly and acknowledged that I was being given the runaround.I find this behavior to be completely unacceptable and unprofessional. I have been treated with disregard and have received no resolution to my problem. This is not the standard of customer service I expect from any business, let alone one that has lost my valuable property.I request that the Better Business Bureau takes appropriate action to address my complaint and help me resolve this matter. I would also appreciate a written response from ****'s Cleaners indicating what steps they plan to take to remedy this situation.Thank you for your attention to this matter.Sincerely,**********