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Very Disappointed with Pipes and Cigars

pwkarchpwkarch Master
edited May 2018 in General
So the other day I decided I needed some more "softy bits" as I am a "clencher" (not that there is anything wrong with that) and I had no small size bits left. So I go online to Pipes and Cigars to order them. They show both the small and the large, with the large being out of stock. Great, I wanted the small ones anyway.

The sales photo shows two (2) bits for the small, and one bit (1) for the large. Now I remember distincly ordering them in the past, and they did come two (2) to a very small plastic bag. While I was ordering them I included a pouch of Captain Black as well just to justify the shipping cost.

The package came yesterday, one day in transit which is great. I get an oversize box (probably still the smallest that they have), open it up to find the typical cushioning bladders and bulk kraft paper. Beneath is a pouch of the CB tobacco, and five (5) bits in an oversize plastic bag. The bag was sealed, and there were three (3) bits loose beneath everything else. So far no real customer complaint issues EXCEPT:

I was expecting eight (8) bags with two (2) each in the small bags that I have always received. So I go back online to their site and verify that the product advertisement photo shows two (2) as opposed to one (1) in the photo for the large. I thought I was getting a total of sixteen (16) in eight (8) small bags, at least that is what the advertisement implies. I went online to another supplier, who sells the same product and they stipulate two (2) to a bag albeit at a slightly increased price. That wasa one reason I bought from P&C.

So earlier this evening I call Pipes and Cigars, and after waiting several minutes I spoke to a Customer Service Rep and explained the complaint. I finally had him open their sales page getting nowhere and after again explaining the incongruity between the photo and what I received he said he understood how that could be "interpreted". So I more or less asked what he would do, and I got nowhere very fast. I am guessing I am not the first to be the victim of misleading advertising. 

So, even though $4.00 or so is not going to break me, I explained to him the fact that I have spent many hundreds of dollars with them and I am standing (actually I was sitting) on principle. That damn near fell on deaf ears. So I am thinking that I should just cut my $4.00 loss and simply not deal with them again. And, to make me feel worse, last year when they went south with their computer system gltch I was still an avid supporter.

Oh well, live and learn.......


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Comments

  • @pwkarch
     I too leave tooth marks in stems if I don’t use “protection”.  I got a bag of like 100 on E-Bay for like $12 I think.  I remove the softies after each smoke so they get cleaned and don’t get stuck on the stem.  Also so the stems “patina” evenly.  DAMN that vulcanite sulphur😖
  • CharlesCharles Master
    @pwkarch, have not purchase from PipesandCigars in nearly a year.  I too have noticed the quality of their service diminish.  I had to return a defective pipe and the process of getting credit then a replacement sent took about eight weeks.  Was not thrilled about that and when I inquired as to why so long, their response was "not sure but were sorry about that."  Not sure what has happened there or why things changed but I phased them out and tend to purchase from SmokingPipes, Cup O'Joes, or my local brick & mortar shops.
  • I had the same problem with a grocery store the other day! I picked up the ad in the newspaper and it showed green beans for 89¢ and the picture had three cans of green beans above the type. I was upset to find out it was 89¢ a can and not the three cans as pictured in the ad.

    (Lesson: In advertising you don't always get what is pictured)
    LOL. 
  • pwkarchpwkarch Master
    Agreed Senior Chief.....I was not so upset with the situation as I was the attitude to a very good customer in terms of money spent. I am sure I was dealing with some 20 something year old kid.
  • Some attitudes you just can't fix. I'm guessing their customer support people are still feeling the pain from all the problems caused by their shipping department. They may start the day off nice and helpful but let them get one really bad problem and get frustrated and it ruins the experience for the rest of the people calling in. Not excusing it but it does happen.
  • @bloodhound61 - It's a common occurrence in grocery stores. I have made a living for the past 12 years designing groceries ads. You wouldn't believe what some customers try and pull to cheat the stores.
  • Bloodhound61Bloodhound61 Master
    edited May 2018
    As for P&C, I have to say that they’ve been very good to me over the past year. I’ve had two issues, one their fault and one completely not their responsibility and they’ve handled both promptly and at no expense to me. It may depend entirely on who picks up the phone.
  • KA9FFJKA9FFJ Master
    I tend to agree with @Bloodhound61 Call me lucky, but I've never had problems with PC. I'm sure my time will come... 
  • Other than the fiasco Feb. 2017 ( 9$ shipping for an incomplete order that all I received was a packet of pipe cleaners. they've been OK since then. When I received the wrong shipment from Smoking Pipes, they were quick to ship the correct one and when I asked how they want the wrong one shipped back? They said"Keep it.". P&C had better pay attention, a disgruntled customer with a voice ans an audience can be a very powerful thing.
  • I too have been lucky with Pipes And Cigars, even during that time period of the computer glitch issues. But to be honest I can't recall any problems with any of the online pipe stores I've dealt with. Can't say the same about places where I've bought DVDs or CDs. I'm always sending back defective DVDs or CDs ... and have had issues with many when it came to replacements. But the pipe and tobacco retailers seem to go that extra mile - at least in my experiences. Of course now that I've said this my next order will be totally screwed up.
  • Watchmaker61Watchmaker61 Enthusiast
    I guess I’m extremely lucky. I placed a order on Tuesday for 4 different type of tobacco received the order today, complete and correct!!
  • DavidR002DavidR002 Connoisseur
    edited May 2018
    Have ordered from them also
  • Londy3Londy3 Master
    Hey guys, I never hear anyone talk about this small shop in FL much so, i wanted to give a shout out to https://www.tobaccopipes.com
    Free shipping on all orders. I never had any issues and get personal service from Ben Atanat. Please take a visit, it's worth it. 
  • @Londy3 I purchased my Falcon pipe and two falcon bowls from tobaccopipes.com, and I was very happy with their service. I will order from them again in the future. I kind of have to anyway, as they're the only place I've found that sells pipe cleaner rings for the bottom of a Falcon.
  • @Londy3, I’ve got a couple of things in my cart with them, which will be my first purchase there. As I’m in GA, I hope quick arrival as well. 
  • CharlesCharles Master
    edited May 2018
    @Londy3 on your advice, I checked out the  https://www.tobaccopipes.com website.  Found some things I could not find in stock anywhere else and before I knew it, I placed an order for $126.

  • I’ve had my issues with P&C, but things have gotten better since their system issues last year. Their customer service does need improving, they shipped out a package to me with out the street address. They could have corrected the issue of calling the post office but they told me there was nothing they could do and had to wait for the package to be returned to them before they would issue it back out. 

    I called the the post office myself, waited on hold for what seemed like an eternity. The national rep tried correcting the issue, but their system was not letting them. The rep called the local office, found the package and got it right over the next morning. I Had mentioned it before, but I got the best customer service from the post office I was floored to death.

     I mentioned this to P&C when they followed up. The rep was quick to throw money at it, said they could issue a $5 credit. I politely told them I didn’t want the money, just that they would learn from this and go the extra mile for another customer in the future.
  • I too have been very pleased with www.tobaccopipes.com  Make sure you sign up for their newsletter and enter "New Subscriber" in the comments section of your order for a nice little care package of pipe things. Mine included pipe cleaners, rubber stem bits, a pipe sock, a Czech tool and a folding pipe stand. A nice gesture that earned them a customer. 

  • How to you sign up for the newsletter. I don't see it listed.
  • pwkarchpwkarch Master
    I too have bought stuff from www.tobaccopipes.com and had excellent service and delivery.......decent prices as well.

    I have always had great experience with P&C, but this last issue could have been explained to me very simply if I was incorrect, and I would have simply agreed. But for some dude on the other end having an attitude with me, that just pisses me off. I have spent a lot of money with them, and shame on me but Ido hold grudges. Perception is reality, and they will now become my last contact when I am looking for something and strike out everywhere else.
  • piperdavepiperdave Connoisseur
    @pwkarch I agree with you on your original post. I was a loyal customer for years and purchased all my pipes and supplied from P&C, only going to my local shop for estate pipes or new bulk blends and a tin here and there. Then once the 'system glitch' hit it seems to me everything went downhill, and the system update was to make things better and more accurate with orders and inventory?? Well guess they are still working out some bugs? As far as the problems you have had, I understand the aggravation but like others on here have stated I have taken my money elsewhere. I may use them for a price reference but I figure if I have to spend a bit more to get what I ordered shipped correctly, well its worth it over saving a couple of bucks or spending time on the phone in order to speak with someone in "customer service" who isn't listening. I spend more at my local shop and if they do not have what I want then I go to Tobaccopipes or Smokingpipes, started recently using cup-o-joes but haven't had much 1 or 2 orders. Best of luck to you on your future orders and finding a new supplier.

    @PappyJoe I always see the pop up at the bottom of the screen when I go to tobaccopipes.com website. You may have to clear your cookies for it to pop up again.


  • pwkarchpwkarch Master
    @piperdave

    They better tune up their Customer Service. They have lost a customer in this case that has spent a significant amount of money over the last couple of years.....over what amounts to less than $5.00 or so, on "softy tips" that I contend are misrepresented in their advertisement. 

    I can recommend Cup O Joes. I have ordered from them on occasion with no problems at all (I also have dealt with SmokingPipes who have GREAT customer service). These computer oriented tobacco dudes better raise the quality of their operation.....there are too many other vendors out there that respect their customer base.
  • Well, my personal pet peeve du jour is that the online retailers vary so much in pricing and stock availability.

     I’d decided to make a measly little order (MLO) this morning from whichever online store had the better deal. I was happy. And not one of them has all of the 5 or 6 measly little things I wanted on my MLO in stock. So waited until my second cup of coffee to create a matrix of prices vs shipping costs to see how to get my MLO for the least money with my backup option being just to say “screw it, I’ve got enough for now”. The end result was that what made the most sense was three orders from three places meaning I’d be plunking down $14 for shipping and with a grand total approaching the free shipping level for any one vendor.....if any one vendor had what I wanted!

    So, screw it. I’ve got enough for now.
  • @Bloodhound61- I hear what you're saying. The deal with on-line retailers is they are generally linked to a major distribution system/company. Smokingpipes.com is owned by Laudisi. Pipesandcigars.com is owned by Cigar International. Then some of the on-line retailers are really an expansion of a brick and mortar shop - like Cup O'Joes.

    The point is, the differences in price is related to the relationship the retailers have with the different pipe tobacco distributors. If the retailer is owned by one of the big companies, like Laudisi, then prices are usually cheaper. Other online retailers can and do carry some of the Laudisi brands but they will usually pay more and have to pass that price increase on to the consumer.

    As for brick and mortars shops, the reason their prices are higher is because the wholesale price is close to what the on-line retail price is.
  • @PappyJoe, your comments are appreciated and understood. I don’t begrudge market forces at all. And I realize that what I was bemoaning yesterday doesn’t really involve a whole lot of money. Just happened that what I had on my wish list seemed to hit a double whammy of either price or not being in stock. For example, I wanted to top off my Lane Vanilla Black Cavendish, but only one retailer had it (!) and that was the only thing on my list that they did have. So add $7 to the price of the tobacco. Now, my wife will happily testify that I am not the thriftiest human, but it trips my mental breaker when shipping starts hitting 25+% of my purchase.

    I suppose some of my gripe comes down a bit to what sort of buyer I am. I like to treat myself every couple or three weeks and not have to skip grits that month to justify it. A few ounces of this or that, maybe a cob or two. I could buy more at one time and avoid the shipping issue, but then I’d have to skip the fun of a regular treat in the mail.  I’d be a B&M’s best buddy if I had a local one to befriend. At least then the surcharge would come with conversation.
  • @Bloodhound61 I used to do an online order about every 2 months but thought real hard about it a year or so and decided to give more business to my “local” shop about 30 miles from me. 

    They support our pipe pipe club by letting us hold our meetings there and will occasionally donate door prizes to us. In return we all spend money during our meetings. 

    One of the managers gifted me one of his estate Dunhills also.  
  • @PappyJoe, I believe I’d follow that route as well if I could. So far as I have been able to discern, the nearest such to me is about an hour and a half away which precludes any regular visits. 

    We need more pipe smokers in the world to encourage the would-be tobacconists.
  • qmechanicsqmechanics Apprentice
    edited May 2018
    Hi
      I can understand one's frustration. However I buy mostly P&C waiting for sales/discounts on the blends I enjoy while trying new tobacco in the process.. I have spent an average of around $6.50 a tin from 2017-18 on excellent blends from Blachouse, Dunhill Nightcap,Orlik Dark Strong,John Cotton Number 1&2  etc. (The least expensive retail tin (P&C pricing) was Orlik Golden Slices; no Sutliff or low cost tins went into that average.). As far as bulk is concerned PS Bullseye flake $23 a lb, C&D Old Joe Krantz $25 a lb etc I also purchased among others. I always buy enough to gain free shipping (keeping costs low) and look for off the main screen sales. I have done the same elsewhere but Pipes and Cigar's deals are typically often and generous. 
    Best

     PS You may ask how? When you can combine sale offers you can acquire deep discounts. These offers appear here and there but especially during holidays, Black Friday, Cyber Monday etc. 
  • qmechanicsqmechanics Apprentice
    One frustration is when P&C is out of stock on items from time to time.
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