I ordered 2 umbrellas and covers from Plow and Hearth in April or May. I used the smaller one maybe 6 times and the 9 ft. one maybe 3 times. both snapped (the mechanisms that raise and lower the umbrella. I no longer have the receipt, and when I called your customer service, they said they could not refund or replace the umbrellas unless I sent a picture of the damththe; mechja MDon User's recommendation: don't buy plow and hearth umbrellas. It is impossible to take pictures of a broken string.