Vinotemp... read the whole thread

[Lexxxus]

Edit: (DK) Changed the thread title to a neutral postition. OP has issues with Customer Service, manufacturer has issues with Grey or black market/knockoff units. Information from both sides contained within. Decide for yourself.


I snapped up the last VT 28 in my hometown from a retailer who bought all the remaining stock from the local distributor.

It was a good price, brand new and still shrink-wrapped. Got it home and unpacked the handle, shelves, manual and noticed there were no screws to affix the handle.

I called Vinotemp and spoke to an awesome guy name Houlio. He said he had them in stock and would pop the two screws and matching plastic cover caps in the mail. (I didn't even realize there were covers)

Almost 3 weeks later, no screws. I called and was told by a very polite girl named Cassandra that she could see the order in the system but her supervior cancelled the order. I asked why and she said the woman who cancelled the order insisted I provide a serial number. Lord knows they couldn't risk send two screws to someone who simply claimed to to have been short-shipped. They also wanted the name of the retailer.

So I e-mailed the s/n and name of retailer to Cassandra. She e-mailed me back saying her supervisor (same woman who cancelled the original order) said she did not recognize the retailer as an authorized VT outlet. And that she would require a copy of the bill. I was also told the s/n I provided did not seem to match their "records"? (whatever the Hell that meant?)

So biting my tongue I snapped a bunch of pics of the cooler, the screw-less handle, the bill, the serial number, The Vinotemp emblem (in case they thought I was trying to scam them into providing me parts for a Chinese knock-off!) and asked her to simply send me the screws and bill me for the damn things already! What can they cost? fifty cents? a buck? Good Lord!

Julio seemed like a helpful decent guy, Melissa was polite and apologetic but whoever this paranoid "supervisor" is needs to give her head a shake.

I hate to jump to conclusions but this "Supervisor" strikes me as the same power-tripping paper-pusher who we've all run into and who seem to serve no purpose other than reinforcement of their own petty authority. If she was working for me... she'd be working for someone else.

What's a guy gotta' do to get a screw?

[MedicCook]

Sorry you have had a bad dealing over something so trivial. You last line made me laugh though.

[AllOGistics]

That is a lot of work over something so trivial. She's probably just so anal over something so tedious to make herself feel more important than she really is. Hopefully, the next step isn't mailing the cooler back to the factory for verification.

[cigardude]

Sorry to hear about your troubles over a screw! LOL that sounded so wrong...

[Hot Stuff x]

Sorry to hear you're being "screwed" with. Any chance you can talk to the supervisor that doesn't want to stand behind their product?

[Jay Hemingway]

people like that make me want to bite the face of kittens....

[Da Klugs]

Lifes little ironies....

You got screwed and yet you look forward to further screwing. :D

[ahc4353]

Lifes little ironies....

You got screwed and yet you look forward to further screwing. :D

:r

Thank you.

[ucla695]

I would hope that someone in her position would realize that customer service is everything, especially for something as cheap as a couple of screws. It creates good will and is not worth alienating a customer over.



What's a guy gotta' do to get a screw?

:r :r :r

[webjunkie]

What's a guy gotta' do to get a screw?

Flowers and chocolate usually work for me. :r

Hopefully they'll send the screws soon, but this is why I hate dealing with customer service. Usually ends up being customer disservice. Though when I find a place that does it right, I'll keep coming back.

[goalie204]

I think i got the last one. 100 bux no tax, already opened :p Harv seems sketchy, but not too sketchy, so i bought it.

It didn't come with any extra screws tho, sorry :P

looks like this now http://i42.tinypic.com/21jw21e.jpg (3 or 4 of those boxes are empty :P)

[Lexxxus]

Goalie! YOU probably got my screws and plan on putting them on ebay!

Never trust a Winnipegger... Hey, wait... I'm from...

Never mind.

[Lexxxus]

Well, I was floored today to hear back from "The Supervisor" at Vinotemp. She told me my cooler was not a genuine VT and they would not send me the missing screws.

She said the serial number did not match their records and the Canadian distributor was buying them directly from the manufacturer. He is no longer selling VT and sold his remaining stock to another local company and I bought the last one.

So, in essence it is the 100% same unit (right down to the VT logo and emblem) but just not purchased through their distribution chain. She was incredibly rude to me and told me I should go back to the people who sold it to me.

They finally agreed to sell me the screws. $1 each and $10 shipping and handling. Even though the circumstances were unique she could have made an exception for the sake of customer relations.

I was thinking about getting a large VT dual zone wine fridge for for my home but after this fiasco I will be looking at other brands.

[AllOGistics]

I was thinking about getting a large VT dual zone wine fridge for for my home but after this fiasco I will be looking at other brands.

I certainly don't blame you. I guess they don't understand that it's not just about the screws. It's about taking care of your customers. That woman is just full of :bs

[goalie204]

Mine is an avanti, not a vino either. Did you get it from vinocool near inkster/kewaitin?

[SmokinDuck]

Well, I was floored today to hear back from "The Supervisor" at Vinotemp. She told me my cooler was not a genuine VT and they would not send me the missing screws.

She said the serial number did not match their records and the Canadian distributor was buying them directly from the manufacturer. He is no longer selling VT and sold his remaining stock to another local company and I bought the last one.

So, in essence it is the 100% same unit (right down to the VT logo and emblem) but just not purchased through their distribution chain. She was incredibly rude to me and told me I should go back to the people who sold it to me.

They finally agreed to sell me the screws. $1 each and $10 shipping and handling. Even though the circumstances were unique she could have made an exception for the sake of customer relations.

I was thinking about getting a large VT dual zone wine fridge for for my home but after this fiasco I will be looking at other brands.


I would try to go higher in the food chain until you get to someone that will treat you the way you should be treated.

Ask the "supervisor" for their "supervisor" and don't stop until you get what you need. You bought their product, don't put up with any of their crap.

[skibumdc]

When people act like they have authority, it hurts the company....those with actual authority are appointed or elected by shareholders....all others should just follow directions.

[SeanGAR]

I hope you don't mind, I emailed president@vinotemp.com and sent this link as well as Lexxxus's posts. The email hasn't bounced back ... so fingers crossed.

This sort of customer service problem SHOULD be a major concern to them and it is quite possible that the higher ups don't realize that they have somebody working for them in customer service who would be better placed in a position not requiring contact with human beings ... or animals for that matter, with the possible exception of rabid badgers.

Hearing a story like this STRONGLY impacts my willingness to buy Vinotemp products, and I am planning to buy 2 coolers in the next few months, a large one for wine and smaller one for cigars.

I can understand companies not wanting to support gray market merchandise, and we have seen this problem many times in the photographic equipment arena, where gray market imports are not supported by the manufacturer (USA warranty v.s. International warranty), but this is spelled out by the companies selling gray merchandise and there are no surprises, you are given a warranty from a third party. Were you told that the Vinotemp you bought has no manufacturers warranty? Why would you think it would not .. you bought the unit from a retailer who got it from the distributor.

But for crying out loud .... 2 screws .. come on. Losing {multiple} customers like this for the sake of a few dollars (screws plus shipping) makes zero sense in this economic climate.

[replicant_argent]

Losing customers like this for the sake of a few dollars (screws plus shipping) makes zero sense in this economic climate.

I actually think the real cost here is sense/cents. It should be a no-brainer for the CS rep to say, "I will gladly mail you what you need, I will try to do it free of charge, but if I can't, it might cost 3 dollars max!.
Attempting to charge 10 dollars shipping is shoving a finger in your face, and not the one that says you are #1 for being kind enough to purchase their product. No matter where you purchased it from.

[GrtndpwrflOZ]

It blows when things don't go your way. I hate it.

2 words



HOME DEPOT

[ucla695]

.

They finally agreed to sell me the screws. $1 each and $10 shipping and handling. Even though the circumstances were unique she could have made an exception for the sake of customer relations.
.

Wow, at least she's willing to bend over backwards for customers. :rolleyes: Unreal.

[FrequenC]

Not for anything but if I was in your position I would have asked to speak to her supervisor followed by telling her to shove her screws straight up into her descending colon and gone straight to Home Depot to grab some screws. Douche bags like that should not be in Customer Service.

Either way you should still get a hold of her supervisor and relay the whole story to him/her.

Hope you get this sorted out without having to pay $12 for 2 flipping screws!

[lostark374]

talk about getting screwed for screws!!!

[SeanGAR]

Response to my email below:

Sean

Thank you for your email. We will contact Cigarasylum.com regarding this post. (oopsie)

We request serial numbers as a means of quality assurance and this verifies true Vinotemp product. We have been in the business of manufacturing wine cellars for 25 years.

His unit was not a Vinotemp. He purchased a counterfeit Vinotemp and did not purchase from an authorized dealer and wants us to make good on a counterfeit item.

Vinotemp always stands behind there product and has always put the customers experience 1st and foremost.

We recommend you purchase the product through an authorized dealer. If you let me know the area you are located I can recommend a dealer for you.

Thank You,

Alvin Patrick

It sounds like the middleman in Canada is bypassing Vinotemp and buying the units directly from the factory (in China no doubt), sticking a Vinotemp sticker on them and passing them off as real. I could see Vinotemp being pissed at this and not wanting to support this product (since it isn't theirs). Try to get phone support for an illegal version of MS Office to see what I mean. Course, if this is what happened, it would be nice if they would be more clear on what is happening.

[Jay Hemingway]

Response to my email below:

Sean

Thank you for your email. We will contact Cigarasylum.com regarding this post. (oopsie)

We request serial numbers as a means of quality assurance and this verifies true Vinotemp product. We have been in the business of manufacturing wine cellars for 25 years.

His unit was not a Vinotemp. He purchased a counterfeit Vinotemp and did not purchase from an authorized dealer and wants us to make good on a counterfeit item.

Vinotemp always stands behind there product and has always put the customers experience 1st and foremost.

We recommend you purchase the product through an authorized dealer. If you let me know the area you are located I can recommend a dealer for you.

Thank You,

Alvin Patrick





see this here explains the situation and i agree with them (vinotemp).

i still believe that could have been explained just like that to the OP in the first place, as well as the offer to sell the screws.

[Da Klugs]

Edited the thread title to a neutral position. Put a note summarizing why in the first post. Bad situation for both sides.

[Silound]

Agreed, bad situation all around.

I can think of ways that the company could have handled it better, and for crying shame the screws wouldn't cost them more than a dollar. But they have a valid point on the counterfeit issue. Seems to me, I'd be asking about where he purchased the "Vino" and be going after the counterfeiter with great gusto.



All in all though, you can buy the screws at any hardware store for under 2 dollars :rolleyes:. That alone makes the whole situation.....I won't say laughable, but it makes it amusing in a wry way.

[ade06]

I can understand Vinotemp being pissed off about the counterfits selling in the marketplace and nor should the company feel obligated to fix the counterfit for free, but I can't understand why they would take it out on an unaware consumer. The company's statement that "he purchased a counterfeit Vinotemp and did not purchase from an authorized dealer and wants us to make good on a counterfeit item", doesn't seem quite complete. I don't think that he would mind purchasing the missing screws or paying for the actual shipping once he was informed that his vinotemp was a counterfit. The company should charge him for the replacement parts at a reasonable markup which would apply to actual Vinotemp purchasers as well. The fact that the company is now punishing the unaware consumer by price gouging him is b.s. I wonder if the "authorized dealer" which the company's President offers to refer him to carries the screws? Probably not!

I've been contemplating purchasing a Vinotemp as my "hobby" has grown, but I think I'm going to have to pass.

[ChasDen]

I thought I saw pictures somewhere he posted, maybe somewhere else, maybe to me, (been talking about trays), but cant find them. I would be curious to see what the "gray market" vino looks like. I'm also curios if its possible there is a mistake at the company and it truly is genuine and they have a "accounting" error with the serial number.

No that cant be it :rolleyes:.

Chas

[markem]

I know that you've gone through a lot and I feel your pain. My advice is this:

Get someone to take the screws out of their vinotemp and head to a local fastener supplier. Have them buy you some screws and send them to you.

In the end, you get some BOTL bonding that the screws you need. Seems like a winning strategy to me.

[Lexxxus]

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/300kph/Vinotemp001.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/300kph/Vinotemp002.jpg

How was I supposed to know this identical unit was not a "genuine" VT? No mention was ever made of "grey market" VT's in any of my research. After first accusing me of buying an "illegal counterfeit" the woman at VT then relented and told me the unit was probably purchased from the same factory and someone placed an Vinotemp emblem on it. While the photo is not good the emblem is a "raised" or "domed" acrylic piece that looks very authentic. I'm guessing this unit came off the very same assembly line right down to the emblem.

Anyhow, they got my $12US for 2 simple screws so I guess I'm a bona fide VT customer now!

I've beat this dead horse long enough and you've heard the last of it from me.

[Cyclone]

What I would do to get screwed.... :rolleyes:

[lostark374]

i doubt the screws you ordered are going to work.. that is completely diffrent then the way the vinotemp doors are attached.

[Throb]

COunterfiet Cohibas (THE INFAMOUS COHIBO!!!), counterfeit Montes and now counterfeit Vinos!?! What is this world coming to???

I can say that is a knock off. The Vino doors are more squared off, not rounded. They are also a shiny aluminum, not brushed and the handle is very different.

Unless it is I that have the fake Vino...I have to go question my source. HE said he got it from a friend that has an uncle that works at Vino...:r

I'm not trying to make light of your situation. It sucks dealing with poor customer service. Hope you get it resolved even if Home Depot is the solution.

[Hot Stuff x]

Your (knockoff?) vinotemp looks pretty good without the handle...just sayin'...

[blugill]

As long as it keeps humidity and temp I'd be thrilled with the purchase!
That's what is important right?

[Lexxxus]

The earlier VT's looked 100% identical... The newer ones with the digital read-out are different. Even Houlio in ther service dept sadi "Oh yeah, the one with the curved handle mounts... They made this one a few years ago.

[md4958]

now heres the $200 question.. does it work?

[ThreeSheets]

So Vinotemp is not a manufacturer of wine cellars, just a marketer?

[Lexxxus]

OK this is my last post... really.

Vinotemp had the VT28 manufactured offshore and the same unit may have been sold under an different name. This happens all the time in the appliance business. Maytag washers are also sold under the name Kenmore, Whirlpool are sold under the name Viking etc etc.

From what I gather, the fellow I bought it from bought the remaining stock from a local retailer. That person (according to VT) somehow purchased them factory-direct. They claim that the VT logo was illegally or fraudulently put on the unit. I don't beleive that for a second. My guess is that it shipped just like I got it with logo affixed. But that remains speculation on my part'

It looks identical in every way to the earlier VT28 (perhaps the fact the factory was selling them elsewhere was the reason they went to a new design)

I also hear that the older unit was more reliable. I've heard the newer digital unit was more prone to failure but that could simply be rhetoric.

Anyone else have an older unit like this? Mine is 3-4 years old (I gather)

And yes it works like a champ.

[MikeyC]

So Vinotemp is not a manufacturer of wine cellars, just a marketer?

What company actually manufuctures their own products these days? Nike doesn't make shoes for instance. They just design and market them.

[SeanGAR]

They claim that the VT logo was illegally or fraudulently put on the unit. I don't beleive that for a second. My guess is that it shipped just like I got it with logo affixed. But that remains speculation on my part'

My money would be on an overrun that somebody got their hands on.

Vinotemp orders 5000, the company makes 5500, the other 500 are not purchased by Vinotemp and the company in China dumps them to some schmuck who passes them off as Vinotemp.

They are not Vinotemp of course because that would only be a product sold by them, but the items would be absolutely identical. It would be a trademark violation to sell these products with Vinotemp's name on them ... but they won't stop unless sued.

I can see why vinotemp would feel abused here. HOWEVER, If I was in customer service, I would spell this out ... BUT ... tell the customer .. look, we take care of our customers and will send you screws gratis as a good will gesture. Please check with us for authorized retailers in the future as we can't provide warranty repairs for this unit. Win win ... spend a couple of bucks sending screws and perhaps gain a future customer. What they did, although understandable at one level, was to piss off a potential future customer.

Smart? I think not.

[Texan in Mexico]

While I appreciate that you shared this with us, I have definately learned something about appliance manufacturing, and I commend your tenacious nature in holding, who you thought was responsable, responsable.

What didn't you just hit the local hardware store and leave it at that?

Again, an amusing and educational story but it sounds like your blood pressure might have spiked up during the whole process.

[lostark374]

sorry to keep kicking this thread but does anyone else see a resemblance of the unit in this thread and the edgestar 28 btl http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aabh_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-Appliance-Site/Sites-CompactAppliance/default/v1233333381425/products/viewlarger/TWR282S_vl1.jpg

now could it be possible that in fact these edgestars are actually the early vinotemps? just being marketed under "edgestar"

i know chase is going to start making shelves and trays. and these are very good looking (not as nice as current vino's IMHO) can anyone that has an early vinotemp confirm this?

[ChasDen]

Here is a side by side:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j94/shareall2/sidebyside.jpg

I have an Edgestar on the way.

The insides from what I have seen are a bit different but they do look similar.

Chas

[Lexxxus]

Edgestar! THAT is the one I was trying to think of. And Yes, from what I've been told it is identical in construction to the early VT 28. The only discernable diff being the black sides and back.

I am assuming that this unit is 3-4 years old and still being produced. Again, it's speculation but I'll bet VT switched to another manufacturer to produce their sleek new unit with the polished from and pull handle.

I fired mine up over the weekend and it ran a low of 42.1 and and a high of 62.2 degrees. A tadtoo cool for stogies? Yes / no? Too bad it can be adjusted to maintain 68 or 70!

Anyone?

[SeanGAR]

I fired mine up over the weekend and it ran a low of 42.1 and and a high of 62.2 degrees. A tadtoo cool for stogies? Yes / no? Too bad it can be adjusted to maintain 68 or 70!

Anyone?

Well, I've seen 61-64F being recommended for storage of cigars and have read that some HK collectors prefer temps around there as the cigars age more gracefully. So at 62 F you should be laughing.

Consensus appears to be that the lower end of this range (16ºC - 61ºF) is the ideal target, as higher temperature is the more critical concern.
http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/7-cigars.htm#Temp_&_Humidity

70/70 is an old wive's tale.

[Mtmouse]

I believe the Edgestars are little narrower inside. The trays I've made for them have been 14.5" compared to the Vinotemps at 15 1/8"