How would you handle

[neoflex]

I will be as vague as possible to not give away the retailer but figured I would pick your guys brains a little since I have been patient but it's getting thin. So two Fridays ago I ordered some sticks from a shop that had an exclusive. I ordered right as they opened so I knew I was or should have been to the top of the ship list. When I ordered they said they wouldn't be shipping until the following Monday which was fine and I appreciated the heads up and knowing they would be shipping USPS I figured I would have them by mid week. So the following Friday comes and still nothing. So I called and asked for the shop owner who I dealt with for the order. He was very short and assured me that I would either receive the sticks Sat or Monday. So today's Monday mail has come and gone so I decided to give him a call. I was very calm and explained that I still have not received the shipment and asked if he could provide me with a DC number. He tells me he will need to look for it and will send me a message via Facebook. I kindly mention that we have no contact with them through Facebook and would he like my phone number or e-mail. He replied with, I have seen your posts on Facebook on the group for the manufacturer to which he had an exclusive for and will send you a Friend Request so I can send you the shipping info and quickly rushed me off the phone. Total BS way to go about it but I figured I would give him the benefit of the doubt. That was at noon. Almost 4:30 now and no contact and I am more or less getting annoyed at the lack of effort being put in to help with figuring out where the package is especially since I know that some have landed already. I figured I would call again this afternoon but if the results are lackluster like the previous two calls do I just put this guy on blast on the manufacturers page on Facebook or continue to just put up with the nonsense of not really wanting to be bothered? It's pretty pathetic that I had a package ship from CI this past Fri and it will be here tomorrow meanwhile it's been over a week since I ordered this package. You would think I was ordering Swiss Chocolates.:D I figured I would give him one more shot to get it right otherwise I would call him out on his BS and start being a douche nozzle back. If he didn't ship until a week later or hasn't shipped yet than be honest and tell me whats up. Don't tell me that you'll contact me via Facebook. Can't get anymore unprofessional that that in my opinion.

[pnoon]

Contact you via Facebook?
What a load of crap.
:2
Posted via Mobile Device

[Drez]

Facebook really.......... wow......

best of luck john. i hope everything works out brother...

[NCRadioMan]

I would call back and demand to know what's going on and to tell them to forget ever contacting me via FB as I don't see that as being professional.

[jesseboston81]

Have they charged your card yet? If they have your money I would be a bit more aggressive in getting definite information, and would definitely make another angry phone call today (since he promised you'd hear already). If they don't have your money I would be a bit more passive, maybe another phone call tomorrow threatening a bad review somewhere unless they start acting more professionally.

[N2 GOLD]

I would call my credit card company & tell them " services and products not received " & deny ALL charges. Also, blast them on Facebook...


That's just me... -(P

[neoflex]

Oh they have had my money since the day I called and placed the order and the the funds have cleared and the charge is on the card. When we spoke Friday he assured me they would be here Saturday or Monday. Today he says they should definitely be here tomorrow, Wednesday which I fired back with when I called Friday you said that about Saturday and today. I dunno, I know if I call back the prick in me will start to come out for sure. Usually when it comes to cigar vendors it's always been pretty smooth sailing in the 10+ years I have been enjoying this hobby. Hell even with sales through the board I have only been burned once but this guys whole demeanor has me questioning what the hell is going on since trying to get a straight answer out of him seems sketchy at best.

[jesseboston81]

If they have your money and they're giving you this runaround, the prick in you should come out. I'd call back today, angrily, threatening to post up bad reviews and spread bad press unless they give you something definite, preferably a tracking number or, at worst, a refund + comp.

[Ogre]

I would call my credit card company & tell them " services and products not received " & deny ALL charges. Also, blast them on Facebook...


That's just me... -(P

:tpd: Give it until tomorrow then start making calls!!

[poker]

Oh they have had my money since the day I called and placed the order and the the funds have cleared and the charge is on the card. When we spoke Friday he assured me they would be here Saturday or Monday. Today he says they should definitely be here tomorrow, Wednesday which I fired back with when I called Friday you said that about Saturday and today. I dunno, I know if I call back the prick in me will start to come out for sure. Usually when it comes to cigar vendors it's always been pretty smooth sailing in the 10+ years I have been enjoying this hobby. Hell even with sales through the board I have only been burned once but this guys whole demeanor has me questioning what the hell is going on since trying to get a straight answer out of him seems sketchy at best.

If you have in good faith to resolve the situation, call your CC company and request to reverse the charges.

[neoflex]

Before calling the cc company I figured I would try and give them the benefit of the doubt not to mention that I do have a couple direct lines to this particular manufacturer so if they really decided to give me the run around I will just go for the jugular and put them on blast on Facebook and let the manufacturer know I was burned through my connections with him and than call the credit card company to dispute the charges as a final F-U. Any other manufacturer I would probably have no other recourse other than to call the cc company but this one in particular I do have some ways to get a hold of him direct. I just figured I would see what you guys thought on timing on turning the tables on the shop as I have never experience such an unprofessional shop in this industry prior to this transaction.

[MurphysLaw]

I would name names, call them out on their facebook page, and on the manufactures facebook page as well, so people know who they're really doing business with, but that's just me...

[hscmit]

burn bridges and alienate the bastard

[bvilchez]

I believe you should call your CC now and have the charges reversed immediately. My :2 of course. Maybe it will be an eyeopener for this businessman.

At the same time I'm like Peter and it boggles my mind how a retailer would let you know that he would send your DC # via Facebook.:confused:

I understand with giving businesses the benefit of the doubt but there has to be a point where he needs to know that this brotherhood of ours is connected in a way where the word will get out and he could essentially lose a great amount of business from his failure to conduct himself professionally and not delivering goods after payment was received.

[neoflex]

Well speaking to someone in the know a few minutes ago it seems they ran out of product and needed to get product sent from the manufacturer before they could finish sending out the rest of their orders. So now that I am privy to this information the next phone call I will call the owner out and ask him plain and simple if he is full of crap and if the reason why he can't produce proof of shipment is because the product still hasn't shipped. Which will piss me off because A) I was literally this guys first order the day they started taking pre-orders since when I called right at 9am I asked if he's gotten bombarded yet and his answer was "Not yet, your my first order." and B) He's been telling me lies the whole time. If that were the case I would have been fine with that had he explained the situation. I will let you guys know how it goes and what becomes of it.

[Tyler]

Seems crazy to use Facebook but to me it appears that you called an awful lot. There were probably many other people calling and he just got flustered and didn't know how to handle the influx of calls/complaining. I would wait it out a couple of days if not the end of the week and then call and try to handle it. Patience always pays off in the end. Just my two cents though and I hope I didn't offend.

[justonemorestick]

Facebook really what the hell kind of response is that He should have asked you how you preferred to be contacted. If this is a source that you wont be using again hell yes blast him but be careful. The toes you step on today may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.

[Old Sailor]

Facebook.....BS......Hang'em :2

[LostAbbott]

Hold on a sec.... Let me get back to you on CA. I will just post a topic on the General Discussion...

[Stephen]

Seems crazy to use Facebook but to me it appears that you called an awful lot. There were probably many other people calling and he just got flustered and didn't know how to handle the influx of calls/complaining. I would wait it out a couple of days if not the end of the week and then call and try to handle it. Patience always pays off in the end. Just my two cents though and I hope I didn't offend.
Calling twice in a week's period to ask about product that's already paid for and was told by the owner not once, but twice when his merchandise was set to arrive yet didn't is, "a lot"???:confused:

[neoflex]

Seems crazy to use Facebook but to me it appears that you called an awful lot. There were probably many other people calling and he just got flustered and didn't know how to handle the influx of calls/complaining. I would wait it out a couple of days if not the end of the week and then call and try to handle it. Patience always pays off in the end. Just my two cents though and I hope I didn't offend.

I wouldn't say I called a lot. I called once Friday afternoon, noon today and than again at 4:30 since I was not able to get a DC number at any time of me calling and at noon today he said he would (Facebook) it to me shortly. I even decided I would wait to see if they show tomorrow before I call again. He could have gotten away with me only calling once had he either done one of two things, he could have given me a DC number after the first call or two if he is having shipping problems be honest about it and tell me there was an issue and you will call me when they do ship. Granted it's only about $110 all together but at this point it's the principle of it. Don't sell me a product and say it will ship a certain day and than don't follow through. I am a reasonable guy and if your having an issue a simple phone call would have been enough for me to say whatever, I'll wait. Hell if you knew you only had X amount of product to sell the intelligent thing would have been to keep track of what you sold and not exceed your inventory but than again not everyone thinks logically.:sh Not saying this was the case but the back story I heard from a very reliable source along with the sheer sketchiness of the phone conversations has me thinking this is probably the problem.

[kelmac07]

The Facebook thing is total BS. I ordered some exclusives from a shop and it took them three and a half weeks to get to me. They did send emails stating that I WOULD receive, so i wasn't too worried (as they hadn't yet charged my CC). Give 'em a few more days...than raise holy hell. :D

[neoflex]

Still no attempt at contact so if they're not in the mailbox tomorrow I am chewing this guys @ss out since he assured me the second time I called today that he would be in touch with a DC number before the end of the day which I am assuming would be no later than 9pm for a Cigar Shop. Total BS IMHO. I wish I lived closer to Plainfield, IL so I can tell him how much of a joke he is in person although if I were closer I would have been at the event and bought my bundle in person. I was trying to be polite and keep his name discreet but screw him. If any ones local shop is the Burning Leaf in Plainfield, IL please tell Tim I think his business practices are crap. If you say your going to do something than please do it. When your in business your only as good as your word and if everything that comes out of your mouth is BS than I definitely don't want to deal with you and will let everyone I know my experience with you. If the smokes don't show up tomorrow than it's on.:td

[MajorCaptSilly]

Friend him on FB and "Poke" him like there's no tomorrow. That'll do it......No it won't. I'm drinking again.....


MCS

[T.G]

Still no attempt at contact so if they're not in the mailbox tomorrow I am chewing this guys @ss out since he assured me the second time I called today that he would be in touch with a DC number before the end of the day which I am assuming would be no later than 9pm for a Cigar Shop. Total BS IMHO. I wish I lived closer to Plainfield, IL so I can tell him how much of a joke he is in person although if I were closer I would have been at the event and bought my bundle in person. I was trying to be polite and keep his name discreet but screw him. If any ones local shop is the Burning Leaf in Plainfield, IL please tell Tim I think his business practices are crap. If you say your going to do something than please do it. When your in business your only as good as your word and if everything that comes out of your mouth is BS than I definitely don't want to deal with you and will let everyone I know my experience with you. If the smokes don't show up tomorrow than it's on.:td

Holy crap.

I figured you were talking about Burning Leaf and the Uzi's just by the dates in your first post.

I only know Tim on a personal level and even spent 3 days in Nicaragua with him at various factories. On this level, he's a real good guy.

I have no explanation for the business behavior and I will not make excuses for his shop, but I will say, this is not the Tim I know. I'm sorry for your troubles with the shop.

[neoflex]

Well, he came through with a DC number this morning via Facebook and was apologetic so I will turn my rant machine off. The sticks still have not shown up so hopefully tomorrow or Thursday. He said he shipped them Saturday but the DC number says the tag was created on the 27th so I am not really expecting anything until at least tomorrow or Thurs. I will admit that him not being able to provide a DC number the first couple times irritated me since my experience with vendors in this industry for the past 10+ years has always been positive and this started out a little sketchy. I probably should have kept his name under wraps for another day or two but after being told I would have the DC number by two different times yesterday and both came and went I figured I was getting the blow off. I know that he and the shop have a good reputation but the way the way it was handled reminded me of a couple Craigslist/Ebay sales that went off the rails.

[Chemyst]

People are using Facebook for more and more stuff.
My corner store puts coupons on there for discounts
on cheese steaks, hoagies and such.

The young people I work with practically live on Facebook.
A few years ago they all lived on MySpace. Go figure.

If you don't get your cigars by the time your credit card
bill comes in, then call the credit card co. and contest the
charge. Do not deal with the vendor again.

Chemyst :cool2:

[lilwing88]

Don't know who Tim is at Burning Leaf, but the owner I met was a really friendly dude. He was running around like crazy taking care of the customers. The other guy working the register was about as approachable as a skunk..... Asking him questions was like pulling teeth. He seemed a bit overwhelmed, but there wasn't that big of a crowd for the event.

Burning Leaf is a big hike for me, so it won't be a regular spot for me. But it was a nice event.

[neoflex]

Update, the sticks showed up! :noon Granted I do believe there was a bit of dishonesty when it came to what I was told about the shipping as I was originally told last Friday I should have them Saturday, Monday the absolute latest and than this week I was told they didn't ship until Saturday but at the end of the day this issue has been resolved and the sticks are here and the hat and two Cabinettas that were part of the deal were also included. I know the shop has a good reputation and sh*t happens but in this case the truth would have made all the difference in whether I would be a returning customer or not and had I knew there was an issue in the beginning I wouldn't have cared and would have continued to patiently wait without being a pain in the @ss.

[poker]

Glad it all worked out and you got what you paid for. At least now you know who not to deal with again.