Platinum Stages
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Category: Lifestyle
Contact Information
United States
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Platinum Stages Reviews
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populuxeent
January 25, 2011
Defective Products, Unethical Business Practices, Horrible Customer Service
I ordered a pole and case from Platinum Stages in November, which they promised to ship to arrive before Christmas. However, they failed to do so (responded by saying that they custom each pole to order...which is absolutely not true). When the shipment arrived, both the case and pole were damaged (even though the box was fine). The pole looked like it was used: scuffs, nicks, and scratches all over the pieces. Some areas had deep scratches which would have been unsafe to use.
The company promised that they would ship a replacement within 24 hours. It didn't happen for another 3 weeks (even though they had already received the damaged originals). When the replacement pole and case arrived, it came in even worse condition. The chrome fittings had rust inside. There were even more scratches over the poles and the case arrived destroyed (several latches broken off, major impact damaged and scratches). There were marks from shoes rubbing against the pole.
Platinum Stages claimed that the damage was caused by UPS. However, how could there be this type of damage when each pole piece was individually wrapped in plastic in a flight case, packaged within a box? It has been over 2 months since the order and they still have not sent a functioning, new pole. When asking for a full refund, they even had the audacity to try and charge a re-stocking fee and to retain the original $50 shipping fee's even though it was their fault.
Horrible company, I would NEVER recommend anyone go through this. Just search for "Platinum Stages" in Google and you'll see more complaints than positive testimonials for the work and service they provide.
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upset platinum stages customer
May 5, 2010
Platinum Stages was UNRELIABLE in my case. Read on for more details...
This is a long review, just warning you, but it might be worthwhile to read if you are thinking about purchasing from this company:
I so wanted to like you Platinum Stages, and I gave you so many chances, but there are some major flaws with your manufacturing and service.
I spent a lot of time researching poles, and Platinum Stages seemed to be the company of choice according to google. I did read about a few complaints, but figured hmm…I guess there are rare cases where things go wrong, or maybe the person installing it was just doing something incorrectly.
Well, I got to see for myself what those people were complaining about. I ordered a multi-piece super pole, with a 2 foot extension and a vaulted ceiling mount. I did read all the information online before purchasing, and everything seemed legit and simple.
I also live in Orange County, so I was so happy when I found out I could pick up the pole from their office and save on shipping. Little did I know that I would have to make several trips back to the Platinum Stages’ office for defective parts. I don’t even know how somebody out of the area or out of the state would have had to deal with a problem like mine!
So I ordered my pole on a Sunday, and got a call the next day that it was ready to pick up. I’ll have to admit that it was nice of them to have my order ready so fast.
I picked up my pole and brought it home, and started putting it together right away since I knew there was only a 7 day return policy. I got all of the multiple pieces of the pole together, but my top coupler piece was not fitting into the top mounting plate or the vaulted ceiling adapter. It wouldn’t go in even a little. My boyfriend even measured the piece with a caliper and found that the coupler was a fraction of an inch too large for the holes in the top mounting plate and the vaulted ceiling adapter. We also found that the locking pins were not fitting in the base piece. Even after lubricating them, neither of the two included pins would go in. Either the pins were crooked, or the base piece’s hole for the locking pins was not drilled straight. There was no way I could fix any of these problems myself because they were manufacturer’s defects. I reluctantly drove back to Newport Beach to get some help.
It turned out all three parts were defective!! I’m not even exaggerating. The locking pins or the base had to be replaced (I’m not sure which because Kevin took all the pieces to the back and I didn’t see what he did.) After that, they seemed to be going in ok. Then he examined the problem with the top coupler. I was right; it was too big to fit in the top mounting pieces. He brought the coupler to the back, and came back with it and it was fitting. I looked at it later and it appears he did not replace it, but rather had just filed it down with whatever mechanical saw or filer he had back there. I’m not complaining about not getting a new piece, I mean whatever would make the pole work was fine with me.
So okay fine…the top coupler was fitting nicely into the pressure mounted non-slip top plate. I asked Kevin to show me that it fit into the vaulted ceiling adapter (since that would be the one I would be using) and HMM it wouldn’t fit in! There are these little screw-like things that go into the side of the vaulted ceiling adapter’s hole (you’ll have a hard time picturing this if you don’t know what I’m talking about, and I’m going to talk about those a little later, or more like complain about a different issue involving them later.) Anyway, the little screw-like things were out of the way, and the coupler was still not fitting into the vaulted ceiling adapter! Kevin took the piece to the back, and indeed, the vaulted ceiling adapter was too small. Kevin gave me a new one. Other people in the office were like, “oh what’s the problem?” and Kevin shouted something in response like “the bearings are off! That’s never happened before!”
Somehow I am reluctant to believe that…
I went home happily thinking everything was solved (although I should have been more angry. THREE DIFFERENT DEFECTIVE PARTS! All in my one order!
Had to install it Thursday because Wednesday, I was busy purchasing a ladder for my high vaulted roof, an electric drill to screw the vaulted ceiling adapter into my roof, and a drill adapter piece…all which I purchased for pretty much no reason because the pole ultimately did not work out for me and I ended up returning it. Wednesday I was also busy moving around heavy furniture, which was also a complete wasted effort since I ended up returning the pole.
I know this review is long, but as you can see, there are a lot of different problems going on here.
So you could imagine how stressful it is to have to install your pole in a hurry because you only have 7 days to return it, especially when everything is going wrong.
Thursday, we got the ceiling mount in place and connected the pole. Everything seemed okay, until we tried to put the pole on spin mode. The pole was rubbing against the edge of the mount! With much frustration, we began to dissemble the pole, because I knew I did not want a pole that was meant to spin, but was not working properly. We were starting to decompress the base and looked up and saw the pole was instead unscrewing between some of the multiple pieces of the pole because of the friction from the top coupler rubbing against the vaulted ceiling adapter! That was very SCARY and DANGEROUS to me, because what if the pole had completely unscrewed itself between the top pieces and it all fell down on us? Those are VERY heavy pieces, which would be falling from 12 feet above.
Friday, the last day I could make it in to return the pole, I had everything packed back into the box, convinced I did not want to keep this poorly designed pole. Went back again to the Newport office for the third time in the week. First I talked to Kevin again. He was like “oh, our vaulted ceiling adapters are only designed to fit 45 degree ceilings. Your ceiling must be more than 45 degrees.” I was like, uh, that doesn’t sound right at all. There is no way my ceiling is more than 45 degrees. Duh! Kevin started to suggest something about getting a block of wood and attaching it to the ceiling…and in my head I was just like whoa there! Solving a potentially dangerous problem with a block of wood? Uh how about hell no!
Kevin seemed especially cocky and unwilling to help that day. It’s like, oh I’m sorry Kevin…am I troubling you with YOUR defective parts’ problems? GEEZ! I just got to the point. “I don’t want to keep this. I want to return it.”
He said, “okay, you’ll have to talk to Kim about that” then he disappeared.
Waited for Kim for several minutes while she was on the phone, then explained the vaulted ceiling issue to her. I was very frustrated because this was the 4th separate problem with my pole that I had to explain. She started talking about how those little screws in the vaulted ceiling adapter are meant to grasp the coupler to be able to increase the angle so the pole can work with a highly slanted ceiling. Clearly she and Kevin were not on the same page. Anyway, I was just shocked to hear that explanation. Uh two screws holding my pole in place so it doesn’t slide out of the vaulted ceiling adapter? No thank you.
I told Kim, “why don’t you explain these things beforehand?”
Kim replied, “it’s in the instructions included in the box for the vaulted ceiling adapter.”
Strike 5: I did not receive any instructions in my package for the vaulted ceiling adapter, just the pole instructions.
I tell Kim “you know that’s very dangerous not including all the instructions in the box if it’s so much more complicated then you make it seem online.”
Kim replies, “yes it is dangerous. You should have called us and we could have mailed you the instructions.”
I ask Kim, “the multi-piece pole is meant to be broken down after each use. So you expect me to climb up on a ladder to reach the vaulted ceiling adapter on my 12 foot ceiling, and unscrew the coupler every time I use my pole?”
“Kim replies, “well that’s why most of our buyers go with one-piece poles.”
I tell Kim, “Why don’t you tell your buyers about all these details on your website before they make their purchases?”
Kim replies, “well we have an 800 number. You could have always asked.”
Uh NO! If you have a website that allows online purchases, all the information needs to be on the website. About how vaulted ceiling adapters are for 45 degree ceilings at most, and how the vaulted ceiling adapter is for semi-permanent poles. And uh, INSTRUCTIONS.
Finally, Kim begins to process my return. She mentions, “you know what I’ll just waive your re-stocking fee.” Ohh yippee. You’d have to be crazy to expect me to pay a 40 something dollar restocking fee when I was the one being caused all the inconvenience!
Did you notice that there was no apology whatsoever from Kevin or Kim? Just confrontations and arguments. Hello sex industry related workers…your customer service needs some major work!
To summarize, I am a nice person who rarely complains, but this was a well-deserved complaint. I am not going to say “DO NOT BUY YOUR POLE FROM PLATINUM STAGES.” Platinum Stages has some cool poles, and they do seem to be made of sturdy material. I could imagine that people who have ceilings of average heights might get along just fine. Studios probably love their Platinum Stage poles. I’m just extremely unsure about their reliability and the company’s dependability. I mean, 3 separate manufacturer’s defects for one pole?? Forgotten instructions posing potentially dangerous situations? Come on, what are the chances? I know I’m not a pro stripper, but I do know what I’m dealing with here. They claim that their poles are perfect for college students, housewives, and everyday people. I’m just saying…if you are a one-time pole buyer like me…think about it. I should have gone with Lil Minx from the beginning. Now I have a bunch of annoying holes in my vaulted ceiling, but at the very least I’m just glad I was able to get all my money back.
I’m just being honest and thorough and trying to help so people don’t have to go what I went through. I should have listened to the other reviews. If you are out of state….just a precaution for what you might have to deal with...it could be a HUGE hassle for you guys. People shouldn’t have to go through so much trouble to get a working pole.
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October 15, 2007
Don't buy from Platinum Stages!
I ordered a pole from Platinum Stages because that is where the poles at the new studio came from. Previously, I had planned to order from Markstaar, because that’s where the poles at the old studio had come from; but I decided to go with Platinum Stages because I liked the ones at the new studio, and I knew they could provide very tall (over 12 feet) brass poles. I also thought it was a good thing that they focus specifically on dance poles (rather than generic brass tubing, like Markstaar).
As it turns out, Platinum Stages has terrible customer service and obviously does not care about “the little guy.” They might be good for a studio that’s ordering lots of stuff, but for an individual? All I can say is STAY AWAY.
The first time I called, I explained that I needed a tall pole and would be willing to bolt it to the ceiling (because I had a feeling it wouldn’t work on pressure alone at that height) and asked if it was possible to get a pole that you bolt to the ceiling but not to the floor. Yes, in fact, it was - they had a “semi-removable” option. I said I thought the height was at least 12 feet, and asked if they needed the exact measurement to place my order, and the woman on the phone (I didn’t make note of her name) said no, because the parts were “adjustable.” I said I’d like to go ahead and place my order. The woman starts rattling off stuff like, “Okay, so one eight-foot piece + one four-foot piece... wait, let’s do three four-foot pieces...” I stopped her and told her I was confused, what’s all this about “pieces”? She said, “Oh, so you want a one-piece pole?” Well, I thought I had made that clear. That should have been a red flag right there. And really, it was, but still I thought they were the best place to order from.
So the woman on the phone told me that yes, I would need to know the exact measurement, but I could go ahead and order the ceiling mount, put it in place, and then measure based on that. Then I could call them back and tell them the measurement, and they’d take the cost of the mount out of the cost of the pole I ordered. I thought that sounded weird, but good. So I ordered the ceiling mount and after much futzing with FedEx, finally got it.
Rusty put up the ceiling mount and we measured: 12 feet, 10 inches. I called them back to order the pole, and again explained what I was looking for and the woman I spoke to this time said it was noted in the computer. I told her the height and he said the tallest pole “of that type” they make is 12 feet, so would need to order a custom one. She also said they’d just had a big order go out and it would be about 2 weeks before they’d have any more brass poles in stock, but it would ship as soon as possible. I said that was fine, and ordered. The cost was $470.50.
I waited about three weeks and the pole hadn’t arrived yet, so I called Platinum Stages again. This time I spoke with a guy named Kevin. He said the type of pole I ordered wouldn’t be available for about 3 months (!!!) but I could use a 12-foot pole just as easily, because the height is “adjustable” due to a coupler at the top. (It was about $40 cheaper, and they did refund that amount.) Already I was having a sense of forboding, and I asked him several times if he was sure it would work and be safe. He said yes, it would work, and it was the same kind he had at his place, same height and on a concrete floor.
Making some adjustments When the pole finally arrived, I was so excited I could hardly stand it. We went home to put it up and had some trouble getting the coupler to adjust to the proper height. A clamp and a wrench helped with that, but there were still other problems.
Now, at this point, I don’t feel like detailing every little problem we had with installation... but let’s just say, it took us a full month to get it to a point where we even felt marginally okay about it - and at that point, we had been on and off the phone with Kevin at Platinum Stages several times, and had ended up drilling a hole in the floor. (Because without anything bolting the base to the floor, any time I would throw my weight around it at all, the entire pole would dislodge from the floor. Not a good feeling. It was simply too tall to rely on pressure to hold it there.)
Gonna have to bolt it to the floor But even once it was bolted to the floor, it wasn’t secure. The entire pole itself would twist if I did a spin. Kevin acted like he didn’t believe Rusty or me when we told him this. He kept saying, “That shouldn’t happen.” We KNOW it shouldn’t happen; that’s why we’re calling!
Finally, after a few more weeks, it was clear we were getting nowhere. We had tried everything and it was just not safe or secure. I was talking to one of my dance instructors and she acted very surprised that they had sold me that type of pole. She said for anything over 10 feet, it really needs to be a permanent pole mounted to the floor and ceiling.
But more than just that, we were convinced the pole was not only poorly designed, but flat-out defective. Rusty called to see if we could return it. But even the higher-up person he talked to (and rightfully cussed out) would just parrot, “Our return policy is 7 days, unopened.”
What kind of idiotic policy is that? We wouldn’t have known it was fucked-up without opening it and installing it!
So we’re out almost $500 and that’s that. We would take them to small claims court, but we’d have to go to California, and I’m not sure it’s worth the headache. The main thing I want to do is make people aware of what happened. Once we buy a house or condo, we’re going to have a permanent pole installed, and I will NOT be purchasing it from Platinum Stages.
I strongly recommend that anyone looking to install a pole in their home NOT buy from Platinum Stages. You may get an unsafe, defective pole, have them disbelieve the problem as you explain it over the phone multiple times in great detail, and not be able to return or get a refund for the defective product.
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