McGee & Co Review: Beautiful Catalogue, Difficult Service
McGee & Co is the retail side of Studio McGee, the Utah design firm run by Shea and Syd McGee. Most people arrive through the Netflix series or the Instagram account, which is a very different starting point from arriving through a price comparison. That matters, because the product photography is excellent and the post purchase experience is the part people complain about.
This review separates the two.
Where the Reviews Sit
The numbers are not flattering:
- Trustpilot: 1.6 out of 5 from 570 reviews. 61% are one star, 18% are five star
- Better Business Bureau: not accredited. 18 complaints filed in three years, all recorded as unanswered
- BBB complaint categories: product issues (6), service or repair (6), delivery (5), order issues (1)
One caveat worth stating plainly. Trustpilot pages for home brands attract people with a problem far more than people who are happy, and McGee & Co does not actively invite reviews. A 1.6 does not mean 61% of all orders go wrong. It does mean that when an order goes wrong, people have found it hard to get it fixed.
What People Complain About
- No phone line. Support runs through email and replies are slow or do not arrive
- Delivery delays running into months, and missed delivery windows
- Items arriving damaged, wrong size, or not matching the listing
- Refunds and replacements refused on items reported as defective
- High shipping costs, plus restocking and redirection fees
- Return shipping charged back to the customer
- A rewards programme change that some customers say was applied to points they had already earned
A smaller set of reviewers report the opposite. A supervisor stepped in, store credit was issued, or an exception was made to the return policy. Resolution appears to depend on reaching the right person.
Five Products Worth Knowing
1. Lockwood Dining Table, from $2,498
The piece that shows up in the most rooms. Also sold as a round version at the same starting price, with a matching console at $1,648 and a side table at $698. Buying the collection is the easiest way to get the Studio McGee look without choosing anything.
2. Tali Burl Wood Dresser, from $4,120
The most expensive item in the best seller list. Burl veneer, which is where quality complaints tend to concentrate on furniture at this price. Inspect on delivery and photograph anything wrong the same day, because reported problems have a time limit.
3. Antoinette Coffee Table Ottoman, $1,995
Upholstered ottoman used as a coffee table. Soft furnishings are the category with fewer complaints than case goods, because there is less to arrive chipped.
4. Wayland Hand-Knotted Wool Rug, from $726
Hand knotted wool at the lower end of hand knotted pricing. The range runs down to the Wilshire hand tufted at $208, which is a different construction and will shed more. Rugs carry a 15% restocking fee on return, so order a sample or measure carefully.
5. Arbour Dinnerware
Dinner plates in sets of four at $108, side plates and soup bowls at $98, mugs at $88, serving bowl at $128. Tableware and decor are the low risk way to try the brand. Small items, cheap to ship, and the restocking fee does not apply below the furniture threshold.
Prices in Context
McGee & Co sits above Pottery Barn and below the trade only showrooms. A dining table at $2,498 is priced against Arhaus and Four Hands rather than against West Elm. Several reviewers say the quality does not match the price. Others are satisfied. The pattern in the reviews suggests the decor and textiles hold up better against the price than the larger furniture does.
Shipping and Returns
Returns
- 30 days from delivery on eligible items
- Items must be unused and in original packaging
- You pay return shipping, unless you use the brand pickup service for furniture, artwork or mirrors
- Original shipping is deducted from the refund
- Restocking fee of 15% on furniture, artwork and mirrors where an individual item is $500 or more
- Restocking fee of 15% on rugs and lighting
- Shipping fees are refunded only if the item arrived damaged, defective or incorrect
Not returnable at all
- Vintage items
- Custom upholstery and made to order pieces
- Customised lighting
- Fabric swatches
- Clearance items, identified by prices ending in $0.99
Timing
- 3 to 5 business days for processing and inspection after the return arrives
- 5 to 7 business days for the refund to reach your card
- Store credit is issued immediately
- Furniture refunds are processed 5 to 7 business days after pickup is confirmed
Work the maths before ordering a $2,500 table. A change of mind return costs you the original shipping, the 15% restocking fee, and the pickup. On that table the fee alone is around $375.
Contact Details
- Returns and support: through the Help Centre and the returns portal in your account
- Corporate address: 3900 N Traverse Mountain Blvd Ste 203, Lehi, UT 84043
- Second address on file: 13707 S 200 W Ste 600, Draper, UT 84020
- Website: mcgeeandco.com
No public phone number is listed on the BBB profile, which lines up with what reviewers report.
FAQs
Is McGee & Co a legitimate company?
Yes. It is the retail arm of Studio McGee, based in Lehi, Utah, with a physical corporate address and a long trading history. The complaints are about service quality, not about whether orders arrive.
Who owns McGee & Co?
Shea and Syd McGee, the founders of Studio McGee.
Does McGee & Co offer white glove delivery?
Several BBB complaints come from customers who expected white glove and received a kerbside or threshold drop off on large furniture. Confirm in writing what the delivery service includes before you order anything heavy.
Can I return furniture to McGee & Co?
Within 30 days, yes, if it is unused and in original packaging. A 15% restocking fee applies to individual furniture items of $500 or more, and the original shipping is not refunded.
Is McGee & Co the same as Target Studio McGee?
No. Studio McGee has a separate line sold through Target at much lower prices. Returns for that line go through Target, not through McGee & Co. One BBB complaint appears to have been misfiled for exactly this reason.
Final Verdict
Buy the decor, think twice about the furniture.
The catalogue is genuinely well curated and the smaller items are reasonably priced for what they are. Vases, tableware, pillow covers and framed art carry little risk. If something is wrong you are out return postage, not hundreds of dollars in fees.
Large furniture is a different calculation. The restocking fee, the non refundable shipping and the reported difficulty of reaching anyone combine badly on a four figure order. If you want a Lockwood table, order it knowing that the return route is expensive and slow, and inspect it the day it lands.
