Can't use credit cards to buy loose tobacco online?

karlj · Oct 13, 2012

Just received an email from just for him. I copied the text in the email and pasted it below?

What's the deal here? Does this go for all vendors in the US?

As some of you may have noticed, yesterday we had to change our online store so that it no longer accepts credit cards for purchases of pipe tobacco. This is due to a policy that has been implemented by the major credit card companies. We have been informed that they are no longer allowing sales of any loose tobacco over the internet to be paid for with their cards. We had this same problem a few years ago with PayPal. We are attempting to find a solution to this. We are also looking into other forms of payment that will be easier and faster for our customers but in the meantime we can only accept checks or money orders for online orders. If you have questions please call us at 417-886-8380 or 1-800-626-2971. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to have a resolution soon. Waymondg

Edit: I put the email into the quote function. L.

matchstickman · Oct 13, 2012

I was actually just getting ready to post about this because I just got the exact same email you did. What gives?

numbersix · Oct 13, 2012

That's a new one for me. I hope it isn't a new trend. If so, will have to start paying with a personal check and plan for the extra time.

dervis · Oct 13, 2012

Got the same email, very troubling indeed.

numbersix · Oct 13, 2012

A lot of people believe that it's the people who make the laws. IMHO it's the corporations that do, and the politicians are just their proxies. If this this turns out to be true, the handwriting is on the wall. Better stock up.

numbersix · Oct 13, 2012

Apologies if my post above is considered political - mods feel free to delete if so, I won't be offended. : puffy

:
Edit: I think it's ok. L.

quaffer · Oct 13, 2012

I wonder when this policy was supposedly implemented. I just ordered and received eight ounces of bulk this week, paid for with a VISA. Different vendor, but that should not matter. Unless, of course, certain vendors are opting to ignore this policy.

rcstan · Oct 13, 2012

+1 numbersix
I don't think, or I hope rather, that they will not outlaw internet purchases but rather impose a uniform, across-the-board, tax, just like in Europe. Places like Lil Brown already collect state excise taxes depending on shipment locations. The downside to that, other than the obvious, would be the demise of the local B&M as we know it.

sparroa · Oct 13, 2012

I wonder when this policy was supposedly implemented. I just ordered and received eight ounces of bulk this week, paid for with a VISA. Different vendor, but that should not matter. Unless, of course, certain vendors are opting to ignore this policy.

I'd suggest that everyone uses their utmost discretion in discussing this matter online any further.
For your own best interests, I'd just wait and see what notices come out from who...
It is bad news no matter what we we slice it, though.

judcole · Oct 13, 2012

I just looked at the pipesandcigars web page. They not only still indicate that they take credit cards, but they take PayPal as well.

Just for Him does have the notice about credit cards on the home page, however.

rcstan · Oct 13, 2012

garyovich · Oct 13, 2012

simenon,
I can't tell if you're being serious or joking...?

karlj · Oct 13, 2012

I'm sure the retailers are in the loop as far as legislation and policies go. If the Credit Card companies decided to no longer support non face to face transactions for tobacco, that policy wouldn't be made and implemented overnight? This has had to been on the table for a while?? If its a policy made by the CC companies then I would assume it effects everyone? Not just a certain state or vendor? I'm completely in the dark as it appears most of us are. Hopefully someone in the loop can enlighten us all soon

grizzly86 · Oct 13, 2012

Maybe if enough people call their CC companies and quote this reason for canceling their cards they would get their heads out of their asses?

numbersix · Oct 13, 2012

Maybe if enough people call their CC companies and quote this reason for canceling their cards they would get their heads out of their asses?

No offense, but that would never happen en masse. Whether we like it or not, we gots to play by their rules.

foggymountain · Oct 13, 2012

This is for loose tobacco, you say. What is loose tobacco as they define it? Bulk in ziplock? Bulk in factory sealed bags? Cans?

taerin · Oct 13, 2012

*facepalm* I was just about to post this myself and got beaten to it! The decisions large groups of people make disapoint me so much sometimes, socialism is like a disease of the masses. JFH tends to play by all the rules that other companies do not play by. When Maryland instituted a year long ban on any online ordering of any tobacco product to any non-business property in Maryland, JFH was the only company that said they would not ship here. Every other company would ship illegally here because the law was not being enforced and they knew it. Now the law no longer exists, but a new one has cropped up, no suprize here that JFH is the only company abiding by it once again (except this is no longer only state level). I am not really sure what the credit card companies would do to a company that violated it's policies (perhaps ban them, if it is possible?).

taerin · Oct 13, 2012

@foggymountain
Any tobacco not sold in a retail package would be "loose" most likely it would include plastic bags factory sealed with a logo on them. JFH's bags which are only ziplocked shut would probabley not count towards this requirement. I am more worried that they will get tired with the definition and move to make it all tobacco products, the same way they are starting to make the tax paid on all kinds of tobacco products the same so that cigarettes can not benefit from re-classification into a catagory they do not belong in.

sparroa · Oct 13, 2012

I didn't understand that Just for Him dealt in bulks only. (And this loose tobacco is under fire)
That is less troublesome to me, but still problematic.

karlj · Oct 13, 2012

I called just for him

She said that their CC processor just notified them and she is pretty sure this is a nationwide deal. This is all new information so the answers are not 100% clear at this point. She was under the impression that they are one of the first vendors to be informed. She wasn't positive but she believed this had mostly to do with MasterCard. She did say that they were working on a solution through PayPal. She DID say that they can take credit card orders over the phone but not online at this time.
I can't find any information online about this so that's all I got.

Can't use credit cards to buy loose tobacco online?

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