Full review
Frontgate markets itself as an upscale brand and service provider, yet the reality here is unreliable quality, poor customer service and inflated pricing. I purchased a wooden dog gate that looked handsome and well-engineered in their catalog and website. I paid extra for priority shipping because the item was "back-ordered" and not expected to be in stock until shortly before the holiday (it was a gift). No offer was made to discount the shipping because of their poor inventory management (many upmarket venders do that when the delay is on their end).
The gate arrived on time, yet it was in very poor condition. It was obviously returned by another customer, and crudely repackaged. It was missing parts, but was also physically dirty. The customer who returned it had attempted to remove a large safety sticker from the gate, and the residual adhesive created a sticky/tacky surface that collected dust, dirt and hair from the first owner's home. This was discovered under the Xmas tree on Christmas morning, and was so unpleasant. I wrote to Frontgate and explained the situation. No reply.
Foolishly, I re-ordered another item this week. Again, it's an item that looks unique and well engineered. Yet I see in my email order confirmation that I need to "Call Customer Service". A second item in my order can't be gift-wrapped. Shipping charges? High. Frontgate is sort of holographic. It looks like such a great company and service, but the reality is that many items are available elswhere online, cheaper, and with better (more attentive and reliable) service without the pretense and inefficiency.
