Matt S.

First off, I have wanted a Herman Miller chair for several years. I first sat in the Aeron in 2010 when the company I worked for purchased them for the office. I looked at Madison Seating since I couldn't justify the cost (over $1100) to get one of the new Aeron v2 chairs.

I found that Madison Seating were selling chairs on Amazon, but I didn't see the newer Aeron listed so I decided to order directly from Madison Seating. I was very apprehensive since I read a lot of mixed reviews on Madison Seating, and doing a search online revealed a lot of negativity including a lawsuit against them. I have seen that Herman Miller and Madison have now settled this.

I ordered just after the holidays on January 3rd, and did have to contact them to get updates on my order. I think their website says it usually ships 10-14 days, so on the 14th day I contacted them again. Each time they responded to me the same day, usually within an hour or so, and apologized for the delay. In all honestly, I am not expecting Amazon delivery times, especially on a large item like this. I see a lot of other negative reviews due to slow delivery times, but I wouldn't say they deserve 1 star because of that. My chair arrived today (Jan 23rd), so 20 days since placing the order.

It was very well packaged in a Madison Seating branded box, but I decided to take photos just in case. Again, I was nervous after seeing all of the negative reviews. Once I opened it up, the Aeron v2 chair was in two parts; the back and the base. It came supplied with an allen key in a small bag attached to the chair, and the back attached easily with 4 bolts.

Again, being skeptical of the purchase I checked a few things to make sure the chair was genuine. If you run your fingers behind the back rest (at the top), you will feel dots which signify the size. I ordered a size B, and indeed there were two dots I could feel. The base (that you sit on) also has B imprinted underneath. Also at the back of the back-rest is the Herman Miller logo. The older Aeron's seem to have 'Herman Miller' where mine just has the H logo, but I checked this online and this also appears to be genuine.

To satisfy my curiosity I took apart the boxed unit that is located under the seat, where the tension knob comes from. It simply un-clips, and I wanted to see the mechanism inside to see if it was full of dust or dirt. Mine looks brand new.

Perhaps I am one of the lucky ones, but I am very happy with my chair. It cost $699, saving a considerable amount compared to a new one. It looks, smells, and feels brand new. The arm rests show absolutely no signs of wear, and there is no damage at all. Time will tell if this lasts, but being a Herman Miller I have been told that this will be a chair for life.

As for Madison Seating, perhaps the lawsuit and past issues have taught them some valuable lessons. All I'd say is read their terms and conditions, and know what to expect with their 'open box' products, which is what mine is. Don't expect to have it for 3 weeks, and if it arrives earlier then you won't be disappointed. Their communication with me was fast, so I can't really complain. Unfortunately it is human nature to complain and get angry when something doesn't go our way, which is why I think people leave more negative reviews than good ones.

My experience with them was good, and let's hope they continue this with all of their future customers. If there was one thing they could do better, then I'd say that's have faster shipping times. Also, if they offered free returns (no $50 re-stock fee) with their 30 day no hassle guarantee, then this will probably entice more people to buy from them.

I've been going to Mellow Mushroom for nearly 4 years, but the one in Cary, NC is shocking bad. The previous manager was great, but this new guy obviously has zero restaurant experience. What a shame. Mellow Mushroom corporate, get rid of this idiot. At least inspect the place, go in as a secret diner or something. The service is terrible.