Bad Experience With Hilker Shakespeare Leather Sofa Bought From Castilla Parkmalll

[NSK 0]

I bought a Hilker Shakespeare L-shape leather sofa fm Castilla Park Mall (retail at close to $10k if without promotion).

The sofa look's nice but quality is surprising poor.  The stitch gave way in under 6 months.  Leather surface peeled off under 12 months even though I have regularly treat the leather with conditioner bought fm Castilla. 

Castilla and the supplier insisted that the poor leather condition is due to normal wear and tear but it is unbelievable that the leather condition can deteriorated to such bad condition within a year!!

But what bother me most is that the headrest folding bars are not adequately covered by high density foam.  You cannot  avoid hitting the headrest bars. No joke when it hit the spine. 

So you have to always tell you guests not to sit at a specific corners, in order to avoid embarrassment and injury.  

Both Castilla and the supplier took my feedback lightly and insisted that there is no manufacturing default. 

Just wonder if any other owners have similar bad experience with this sofa. 

I am initiating a product recall to prevent serious injury to users. 

Sharing above experience with prospective buyers of this sofa. 

[kalimantan 6]

what is the promotion price u paid ?

can attach photos ?

[NSK 0]

what is the promotion price u paid ?

can attach photos ?

[NSK 0]

Dear Kalimantan,

Thanks you reply. I still cannot figure out how to attach the photo. Newbie mah .

Can u give me your email address?

Thanks for time and advice.

[Daveyap 0]

I bought a Hilker Shakespeare L-shape leather sofa fm Castilla Park Mall (retail at close to $10k if without promotion).

The sofa look's nice but quality is surprising poor.  The stitch gave way in under 6 months.  Leather surface peeled off under 12 months even though I have regularly treat the leather with conditioner bought fm Castilla. 

Castilla and the supplier insisted that the poor leather condition is due to normal wear and tear but it is unbelievable that the leather condition can deteriorated to such bad condition within a year!!

But what bother me most is that the headrest folding bars are not adequately covered by high density foam.  You cannot  avoid hitting the headrest bars. No joke when it hit the spine. 

So you have to always tell you guests not to sit at a specific corners, in order to avoid embarrassment and injury.  

Both Castilla and the supplier took my feedback lightly and insisted that there is no manufacturing default. 

Just wonder if any other owners have similar bad experience with this sofa. 

I am initiating a product recall to prevent serious injury to users. 

Sharing above experience with prospective buyers of this sofa. 

Real leather does not peel off, it will only crack.

[NSK 0]

Hi Dave,

Thanks your comment.

Not sure it is peeling off but the first layer of the leather came off and the part of the sofa brown collie is gone. It is definitely not crack. So it is worthwhile to get expert to check whether it is genuine leather right?

Do u know if there is authority in Spore that can investigate whether product/sofa warrant a recall be due to manufacturing defect. As I hv pointed out, the headrest bars are not properly protected with thick high density foam and it can hurt the back when one sit on it.

I have written to Hilker Germany for comment but there is no reply. It show what kind of customer service (lack of) this company provide.

[Jeanius 0]

Hi Dave,

Thanks your comment.

Not sure it is peeling off but the first layer of the leather came off and the part of the sofa brown collie is gone. It is definitely not crack. So it is worthwhile to get expert to check whether it is genuine leather right?

Do u know if there is authority in Spore that can investigate whether product/sofa warrant a recall be due to manufacturing defect. As I hv pointed out, the headrest bars are not properly protected with thick high density foam and it can hurt the back when one sit on it.

I have written to Hilker Germany for comment but there is no reply. It show what kind of customer service (lack of) this company provide.

If i am not wrong, Hilker has a factory in China.

[Jeanius 0]

Most importantly when buying a leather sofa is to know the grade of leather which you are paying for and have it written on the sales order clearly. Leather do not peel even you do not maintain it regularly. Post your sofa pics for all to see so as to know that you are genuiely deceived by Castilla.

[NSK 0]

Yes. The sofa is made in China factory although it is a German brand. The MD of Hilker China came to my house to see the sofa. But he insisted that the peeling off of the leather is due to normal wear and tear. This is incredible!! A sofa retailing at almost S$10,000 can deteriorate to such bad condition within a year and the stictch can gave way in 6 months.

[Daveyap 0]

Hi Dave,

Thanks your comment.

Not sure it is peeling off but the first layer of the leather came off and the part of the sofa brown collie is gone. It is definitely not crack. So it is worthwhile to get expert to check whether it is genuine leather right?

Do u know if there is authority in Spore that can investigate whether product/sofa warrant a recall be due to manufacturing defect. As I hv pointed out, the headrest bars are not properly protected with thick high density foam and it can hurt the back when one sit on it.

I have written to Hilker Germany for comment but there is no reply. It show what kind of customer service (lack of) this company provide.

Hi NSK,

Without the photos, none of us will be able to help you to confirm if Hilker conned you into paying a premium for fake leather. Are you able to upload the photos using Photo Bucket and then provide the link here for us to view the photos? I have personally come across real life horror stories where acquaintances of mine paid $12-$15 for PU leather. It was such a high quality fake that even experts would have great difficulty in identifying it as fake but were it not for the fact that it started to peel off in significant quantities after my friend applied leather conditioner to it.

I believe PSB is the only authority in Spore that can investigate whether product/sofa warrant a recall be due to manufacturing defect. I have used their services in the past to get my company products certified as per my customers' requirements. Here is the link.

http://www.tuv-sud-psb.sg/Furniture.aspx

[NSK 0]

Dave,

Thanks. Or u provide me with your email and I send the photo.

The link is useful for me to check seat/back impact.

I am concern one day someone's back will be hurt.

I myself and guests hv been knocked before. It is real embarrassment.

[Daveyap 0]

Dave,

Thanks. Or u provide me with your email and I send the photo.

The link is useful for me to check seat/back impact.

I am concern one day someone's back will be hurt.

I myself and guests hv been knocked before. It is real embarrassment.

I think your posting here has scared off a lot of potential customers of Hilker. I have sent you my email address via PM.

[musingaway 0]

Hi NSK,

I have posted pictures of my Castilla sofa in my thread. I don't know if the threading will break (2 have come out/broken), and some parts of the leather have peeled/cracked.

I told them to write 'Full Top Grain Cowhide Leather' on my purchase invoice, but it is not present on my delivery invoice. I just emailed my pictures to their feedback address, and will update the results on my forum thread.

I hope you get fair compensation! I paid close to 3k for mine, and I still expect good quality since they could write Full Top Grain Cowhide leather on my purchase invoice.

You paid 10k, i would be **** effing mad if I were you. I don't know the alternatives for feedback, but if they don't respond, I will write escalate and find any relevant authorities to write to.

All the best...

[NSK 0]

Hi Musingaway/Dave,

Thanks.

I hv posted some photo In the Photo Bucket and the link is :

http://photobucket.com/albums/u483/NSKAhSew

Initially Castilla has offered me a 40% refund but it is ridiculous to expect me to take 60% of losses for their inferior sofa barely used for one year.

I will follow Dave's advice to engage Tuv-sud PSB to test the backseat impact. I am convinced that the sofa's headrest bars/elbows poise safety hazard.. I will initiate product recall once I have the Tuv-Sud's report to support my case.

[Daveyap 0]

Hi Musingaway/Dave,

Thanks.

I hv posted some photo In the Photo Bucket and the link is :

http://photobucket.com/albums/u483/NSKAhSew

Initially Castilla has offered me a 40% refund but it is ridiculous to expect me to take 60% of losses for their inferior sofa barely used for one year.

I will follow Dave's advice to engage Tuv-sud PSB to test the backseat impact. I am convinced that the sofa's headrest bars/elbows poise safety hazard.. I will initiate product recall once I have the Tuv-Sud's report to support my case.

Hi NSK,

I have taken a good look at your photos. I will PM you later as I don't want Hilker to read my advice to you in here.

Cheers

Dave