Empire Moving Group LLC

My experience was that of a classic bait-and-switch, with some bullying. They were professional in the run-up to the move, but when they identified a van line to move my possessions, they chose what must be the single worst rated moving company - https://www.yelp.com/biz/best-moving-van-line-santa-clara. The reviews are comically bad, bordering on criminal. I was deeply disturbed that they would even consider using this company. When I voiced my concerns I was told 'all moving companies have some bad reviews.' This was, in my opinion, an unreasonable attempt at placating me. I was told that they would find another moving service, without a definite timeframe. INSTEAD they called me the next day, telling me that the day of my move had receded (from Tuesday to Monday), with the SAME company. I was told, again, that they couldn't find another company and that 'all moving companies have some bad reviews'. This is nothing if not bullying. I was certainly naive in choosing them, and shocked at their brazenness. They communicate well, but I believe that under the surface they run a model of getting people on bad moving lines in high volume.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $8000

Buyer beware.

Empire Movers is not a moving company, they are a moving broker. A middleman. They collect a hefty fee up front, farm out the actual moving services for your move to a moving carrier, and wash their hands of you.

This a predatory company in a predatory industry. There's no reason to use Empire, or any other moving broker for that matter. They provide no services to speak of, and you could instead book directly with the carrier Empire would have contracted to avoid paying Empire's fee. It's no small wonder why they don't tell you who will handle the move upfront.

Let me reiterate. In exchange for their fee, Empire does absolutely nothing for you. This arrangement is exclusively to Empire's benefit. There's no need for them to provide customer service when their company doesn't and can't do anything about your move once it has begun, so they do not.

On the phone, they will offer no unsolicited indication that they're just a broker and won't be responsible for your move. They are extremely friendly at booking and make heavy use inclusive language like "our vans", "our movers", "full-service", etc. Their telephone rapport would indicate to any reasonable person that Empire has their own fleet and will handle the move themselves. This is a lie. The devil is in the details, which in this case is their contract. If anything goes wrong, you better believe that the only answer you will get is "but you signed the contract".

When reading these other reviews, it's safe to disregard any comments, positive or negative, about the quality of the move, the movers, damage, and so on. Empire has nothing to do with any of this. It's unlikely the carrier you end up working with will be the same as any other person reviewing here, and you won't know until they're at your door.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4000

Was given a quote that was less than 1/2 of what I will end up paying after detailed inventory by 3 of their employees. I was promised my delivery would be 3-5 days. it has now been 10 and they tell me it's just sitting somewhere and there is not eta. Now they tell me read the fine print it could be up to 30 days to get your things. they also tell me they can't bring a truck up my driveway even though there was one that came up it yesterday for a different deliver and its an additional $400 on top of the rest. I was also told they prefer cash? really please go with another company don't make the mistake I did. this is awful and I have no idea when I will have a bed or furniture at all. it was picked up on Aug. 31. it is now Sept 10 and I cannot even get an eta.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4000

I hired Empire Moving Group who hired Insync Movers. On Oct 13th our things were picked up. I was told it would take 5-10 business days. Yesterday was the 10th business day. When I called I was told that my things are still here in Michigan and they didn’t know when my things would be delivered because there was no driver scheduled. When I asked for a refund and to tell me where my things were that I would go pick it up and take it to Texas myself. I was told it was too late for that. These companies are scammer, and lie about when your things will be delivered. When I asked about being told 5-10 business days they said it’s just an estimate and that it could take 21 or more business days. I tried looking up their USDOT number and was not able to locate it. I filed a complaint also with US Department of Transportation. I also found a News 9 broadcast online about a lady in August who waited over two months for her things. Do not use these companies. They don’t care about you or your things. My things are sitting somewhere on a truck and they have not scheduled a driver to deliver our things.

Even though their site doesn’t say it they are a broker.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $1648

It took 34 days to receive a fraction of our things in a $8000 move from California to Tennessee (4 bedroom house move). Apart from being up charged from our original quote by $3000, we would’ve just appreciate receiving our items. Truck finally arrived today:

Most of our boxes have been gone through, with new tape and boxes used...when we packed everything ourselves. Even one of our picture frames was stolen off the picture. My brand NEW mattress frame that I’m still making payments on was missing. All the furniture for my newborn’s nursery is missing (crib, glider, and so on). A BOB stroller that my grandma gifted us..gone. Our dining table, 2 coffee tables,and all the chairs are missing. Let me reiterate...NOT A SINGLE chair was returned to us. All we got was one mattress (no box spring or headboard which is missing apparently) only one bedside table (the second bedside table that matches is missing), two couches, and kitchen and garage boxes that have CLEARLY been gone through. My mom is missing expensive wine. Some things we packed neatly in boxes are now returned out of boxes, while some boxes are only half full when we packed carefully and to the max. After sleeping on an air mattress for 2 months and waiting 34 days for our things, and being out of a job due to having a new baby and covid, I am beyond upset. I’m a single mother.. I can’t afford to replace my things with their $.60 per pound insurance. Looks like I’ll be sleeping on an air mattress indefinitely... I sure wish I didn’t spend $8k that I could’ve used to try to replace my stolen things.

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: $8000

Do not use this company! They won’t tell you this, but they are just a broker, not an actual moving company. We told them exactly how much we had to move, including all dimensions that we measured.

When the moving company that they brokered with arrived, they insisted that we owed double the original quote, even though they confirmed the same inventory on the quote but said the volume would be double on the quote. We had approximately 370 cft reserved and the moving company said they will charge us for 800 cft. For example we had 13 large standard moving boxes where each measures approximately 4.125 cft for a total of ~53 cft, but the moving company said just those boxes are going to be 200 cft. We asked for a firm volume and they said they will load the truck and then measure and give us the actual volume. We were told that if we didn’t agree they would load our stuff and then dump it on the side of the road. They were telling us half of our stuff is going to stay back. At least they told us before loading so we didn’t have our stuff sitting on the side of the road in the rain.

We ended up finding another company that had no problem moving our stuff for half what these scammers demanded.

We are now filing a dispute with our bank for the deposit, and are considering legal action, since it cost us money and stress to find another company and to discourage the deceptive business practices of these companies. We also want to warn other people trying to use this company so that they can avoid significant stress and delay (we had to be out of our apartment by a certain date, and experienced significant delays in travel).

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $1810

Nicholas Hall contracted services for my Dec 2020 move from FL to TN for a pre-Christmas move. The move was subbed to Hallmark Movers, who started to deliver the wrong furniture on Dec. 23. Nicholas from Empire has not answered one call or email since original contract. On Dec. 23, Chad from Hallmark verbally assured me that my items would be delivered the next day. He assured me that my stuff was in FL warehouse. (Drivers cannot drive more than 350 miles/day so IMPOSSIBLE to have my stuff move the 710 miles in less than 1 day). On Jan. 3, most of my stuff was delivered, except for my Casper mattress, bed frame, and ladder. The men who picked and delivered my goods were awesome.

I have called Nicholas and Chad and emailed at least 15 times in the past month asking about my stuff. Nicholas has not answered one email or call. Chad emailed me that “my items were found and looking into delivery.” He has refused my requests for photos, and location of the items. He suggested a claim process and, despite my emailed requests, has not provide a claim process. What else can I do to get my furniture delivered and submit a claim process????

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3000

It all starts with a low low low quote that is to good to be true. Kyle calls and explains everything and lies to you about what’s going to happen. He then makes you do a direct deposit that you will never see again. They will not take credit card payments so you can’t even fight to get your money back. After your done being lied to and throw away a ton of money someone else calls you to tell you that you have to pay more money or nobody will show up. So now they have even more of my money and they didn’t do anything. I’m promised a call on the Friday before the pickup and nobody reached out. So I called and I’m told the system is down but someone will be there Sunday between 3-5. I was promised early on Saturday or Sunday since I booked this a month early. I then talk to the actually moving company who will be picking up my stuff and he just tries to sweet talk me and feed me more lies about the move. He had no idea how much stuff I was moving or the price I had to pay. There is no communication with empire moving and the trucking companies they use. They only reach out to the customer to steal their money. So I’m told that they would try and be there earlier and would call 30 mins before they come. At 435 no call. So I call and I’m told they will be there at 5pm. At 505pm nobody shows up and I call back. I’m told they are en route and will be there shortly. So I ask for an eta and then the girl comes back on the line screaming at me saying they aren’t coming and they will be there tomorrow morning between 6am-8am. I thought she was joking with me. She said that a worker broke his ankle and “it happens, it’s in the contract.” I had to be out of my house that day and now all my stuff is still sitting there. I get the number for the Forman who was supposed to show up and he said they had a big job at 8am and they were never on their way. He promised he would be there at 6am on the dot to pick up. 6 am comes around and nobody shows up again. I call and he shuts his phone off and nobody answers. I send emails and at 840am I’m told they will be there between 6-8am. I finally get a call around 930am telling me the company called out sick and they were not coming. They now have my money and will not refund me. Stay away unless you like throwing money away. The original quote was $3800. Then somehow went to $5600 because I had more boxes. And an actual quote is over $12000.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $12000

Andy was extremely helpful. I left things off my original quote and was so scared they would charge astronomically more. That was not the case. They only charged me $400 for adding over 100cf three days before my scheduled move. I was promised a 1 day pick up window and they even delivered with that. I was nervous to use a broker but Empire completely smashed any fear I had. My estimated time of delivery was between 3-7 days and they got here in 5. I really lucked out with this company and would recommend them to any one moving.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4600