Ergo Depot

Excellent customer service on a seriously overpriced standing desk. I bought a Jarvis standing desk from Ergot Depot about a year ago. It was shipped promptly and was easy to assemble. However, the desk was really wobbly at both a sitting and (especially) standing height. Thinking I had messed up the assembly somehow, I had a long back and forth with Ergo Depot that included e-​mails, phone calls, videos, and finally new parts. They were great. Unfortunately, it turned out that there was nothing wrong with the assembly or the parts and the desk really is just that wobbly. They offered to let me return it (with shipping paid), which was really nice. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of a project and just had to eat the cost of the desk, since I didn’t have a back-​up. As cool as the motorized sitting/​standing and pre-​set features are, I wish I had just bought a regular, non-​wobbly desk for a lot less money.

Call before you go! They are only open 4 days a week, and very limited hours. I have *twice* showed up during reasonable hours and they were closed. The first was Saturday at 3:30 (they close at 3 on Saturdays and 4:30 Weds-​Fri). The second time was on a Friday, at 2:30 PM, and it turns out they are closed for an employee event. So pretend their office hours are «by appointment only» and just call before you go.
On the plus side, it’s great to try out some of the padded mobility stools that I’m considering: the Swopper and the Muvman as well as some other models. These have a spring mount or a rocker base to keep you from being sedentary as you sit. Since these run $ 600 – 700 I didn’t want to buy online and take the risk. I don’t know if any other store in Portland would have all of these options to try. Ergo Depot also specializes in up-​down desks and all sorts of options for office comfort.
My conclusion: I liked the Muvman best. Good spring action for mobility, good stability of the base on the ground, lightweight and easy to move, and just the right amount of padding (more than it seems in the photos). The Swopper has a really big footprint and it’s awkward to move, but it would be a great option if you don’t need to move it around. I did not like the Varier Move Stool — the seat shape (like a tricorn hat) just wasn’t contoured right for me and I didn’t like the way that the rocker action works — it’s a semi-​stable base with a sharp edge to be able to use the rocker motion. The other product I like which I didn’t see here is the Kore Stool. It has a simple rocker bottom, and a good design but it’s not padded enough for my needs. It is much cheaper than the others, about $ 150. One surprise at Ergo Depot was the very cool Ballo Ball. It’s like sitting on an exercise ball except taller. It looks like two ball half-​circles with a stem in the middle, and it works better than an exercise ball in some ways. $ 300.
So, the Ergo Depot Showroom is a cool concept! Great to try out all these products. I hope to invest in a Muvman Stool in the coming year.
PS. Enter the door that says «Taylor Railworks.» Walk to the back of the hall to find the elevator. 3^rd floor.

I purchased a desk and 2 chairs from Ergo Depot in SF. The desk arrived in a couple of weeks and was great. The chairs took 5 – 6 weeks to arrive but finally did. Unfortunately one of the chairs had a defective arm and so I called the 888 number listed on the website under Customer Service to get the problem addressed. Talking to one rep after another I got what could only be called a run around. Each customer service rep seemed indifferent to the problem and treated me like I was a nuisance. The one thing they did do was ask for photos and videos which I sent out on that first day. They insisted I hold onto the packaging which was a huge amount of cardboard stating that I might have to send the entire chair back. Living in a small condo — I stored the cardboard in my bathtub — the only place I had space for it. I called on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and got nowhere all the time begging to know if I could at least get rid of the cardboard in my bathtub. They seemed unmoved and not once did any of these reps say Im sorry. Im not sure they even called the manufacturer. I got the idea that their top priority was sales but not in any problems customers might experience from purchasing their products. Finally in desperation I called the manufacturer myself and lo and behold got a responsive person, Nancy. I then called the SF Ergo Depot where I bought the products to begin with and again got a responsive person, Margaret. In less than 10 hours the problem had been addressed — I could get rid of the boxes in my bathtub and the manufacturer was sending out a new arm for my chair that could be assembled in my home. I have nothing but respect for the SF office but would say buyer beware in terms of calling the toll free 888 number on the website should you have «issues» or problems with your merchandise. My hope is that you have no problem with their products but if you do — I would call the sales people who sold you the products before I would call the main customer service toll free number. Ergo Depot has some great products and as I say, the sales people who sold me the products were great — I just think the customer service operation at the toll free number needs to be more responsive and more concerned when problems arise. Customers are not nuisances — we deserve to get the products we pay for (this chair was $ 1000) in good working order!