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misterlowercase

misterlowercase

Lifer
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
...here's a short wishlist of things I'd like to see included in the specs of your listings.
*bowl shape = conical or U etc
* stem thickness
* airway size drilling
* bigger pictures or a zoom feature
-
I realize that this would take a little extra time, but it would only apply to the artisan stuff.
Another thing would be the videos, they should be slightly longer and slightly slower moving,

I got really irritated trying to scope out button detail with the white glove hand covering it up and then only momentarily flashing the business end on camera - I had concerns because I thought I saw a telltale sign of sloppy file work, I know this because I have another of his pipes where there could have been a little more refinement done in the filing/sanding of the inner bit end - this is the video I was looking at:

http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/gamboni/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=171468

On the other pipe I went ahead and did the finishing to my standards, but I wouldn't want to pay $500 and have to do that task again, I did end up buying a Gamboni, but it was a $385 example, which btw only had 4 pics, and that's kinda lame because it's kinda difficult to gauge Gamboni shapes in a virtual space...but I digress.
To sum up:

the more comprehensive specs, the better!

:D

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
I think what you are talking about are more hours of technical expertise applying to posting. I think there is already some effort on this, inasmuch as many of the most expensive pipes come with a little video demonstrating more about the pipe that the vast number of inventory items. To take this to the other extreme, my go-to home state carver said, when asked if he sold pipes online, that if he did that he'd spend all his time taking pictures. He's a one man, or with his wife, a one couple operation, so from their point of view, he can make pipes or run a web site, but not both. What you are suggesting might increase the cost of SP pipes a certain amount, two percent, or five percent. Would that make everyone happier with their site? Maybe the high end buyers, probably not most of us.

 
hedgehog

hedgehog

Might Stick Around
Sep 25, 2013
61
10
Great suggestions. I second them all. I'd also love to see well-lit pictures of the bottom of the bowl, so we can at least see how the drilling looks at the bowl end. It would also be great if there were some way in the "Pipe Locator" to search for stem types, i.e. saddle-bit versus tapered bits.

 
rcstan

rcstan

Lifer
Mar 7, 2012
1,466
8
Sunset Beach NC
From an unofficial point of view ( I work for SPC restoring and writing the condition statements for most of the estates before they go to photo and video, after which the copy guys write their paragraphs ), this would be a monumental task. However, as things stand right now, if more info of that sort is needed on a pipe, new or second-hand, it can be answered, pipe-in-hand, by the customer service team. It's a bit old skool and one could "miss the boat" on a pipe, but one could always place an offline order and follow with a phone call; if things aren't up to snuff, said offline order can be canceled by the rep on the other end of the phone with a click of the button. I handled things in this manner when I was NOT "on the inside" and patiently waiting for those updates every Monday and Thursday. .....

 
misterlowercase

misterlowercase

Lifer
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
What you are suggesting might increase the cost of SP pipes a certain amount, two percent, or five percent. Would that make everyone happier with their site?
Click to expand...
Their mark up is already a bit on the higher side imho
I realize they are high volume and you're right that it'd take more man hours, it's just when I look at sites like Alpascia.com I get spoiled for large detailed pictures of at least 8 different angles.
And I do understand that it'd probably be frustrating and perhaps self-defeating to spend an extra some odd amount on a pipe and then BAM - it sells within 5 minutes of its listing, as is often the case --- but those listings do live on in the available online archive and that's been a useful tool for me in many instances because they've had so many divergent and rare examples come through their doors and their specs are already miles ahead of most all of their direct Stateside competition...but not every pipe seems to be in the online cache...
...I'm such a geek that I'd love to see SP Archive printouts made in book format available on request for purchase and priced accordingly to whichever marque you choose, for example, a printed archive of all the SP sold Dunhills would be huge, but maybe you could narrow it to a certain shape or era or whatever --- I know I'd love to just lazily browse such a publication --- just a straight facsimile of the listings complete with specs and description, page by page --- I realize I could do this myself, but I have a lousy printer...
...I'm rambling now.

:oops:

 
misterlowercase

misterlowercase

Lifer
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
However, as things stand right now, if more info of that sort is needed on a pipe, new or second-hand, it can be answered, pipe-in-hand, by the customer service team.
Click to expand...
Many thanks for posting - that suggestion makes total sense!

 
B

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
*bowl shape = conical or U etc
* stem thickness
* airway size drilling
Click to expand...
I agree with these. In fact, these are questions I ask either by chat or on the phone when SP has a pipe I"m interested in. The problem is the quality of response varies entirely by Rep. For example, in asking about airway I've been told by one, they had no way to measure it without getting the pipe, while another rep gave me a rough guess "looks like 3/8" after taking the time to check and then went awol while I was on hold lol
Anyway, the point is neither event resulted in a purchase for me. If this information was available online I could have saved my time and that of the SP's and potentially just hit the buy button.
If you can measure a bowl, you can measure an airway, or at least a portion of it. If that extra step cut down the reason for someone to look at a competitors site well then, win win?

 
cosmicfolklore

cosmicfolklore

Lifer
Aug 9, 2013
34,000
75,782
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
I have noticed that most guys on here, refuse to call a retailer or web store. Maybe it is fear of high pressured sales or something. I also never send anything back to a company. If I don't like it, I throw it in a drawer or give it it someone else (making someone smile makes me happy). Going to the post office is up there with dealing with circus clowns or the IRS for me. When I have to mail something for my business, I send my daughters to the PO. And, yeh, even though I don't send it back of my own choice, I just don't buy online much anymore. Tobacco is the better risk for me. The money I save by spending more at a B&M when I can hold the pipe before I buy it outweighs the savings of buying a pipe online. For me.
Some guys love exercising that return policy. Me, not so much.
Maybe if they put that information on each pipe... But really, how do you know what that pipe is going to look like "on you." It's like buying a suit online or shoes; I would never do that either.
I have drawer with a huge Randy Wiley that is so big that it blocks my whole head if I tried to smoke it. My girlfriend even laughed at me when I first took it out of the box. And, a tiny little Peterson leprechaun pipe, just looks like it was made for a child's doll or something. Nah, no more pipes in drawers. I'll just get the ones that I can handle and hold before buying.

 
okiescout

okiescout

Lifer
Jan 27, 2013
1,530
6
I am thrilled with Smoking Pipes pipe specs compared to P&C's. I love P&C Tobacco but your lucky to get pipe length from their pipe ads, and you better be happy with two pics, if you get two.

Smoking Pipes is way ahead on consistency of the add giving dimensions and a great review on condition if it is an estate pipe.

I' am not taking away from the improvements suggested, just giving credit where it seems to be due. :)

 
B

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
Hey, making suggestions doesn't take anything away from SP. On the contrary, the suggestions are coming from people that like spending money at SP and are in effort to make it quicker and easier to spend more.
As to Cosmics comments:
One thing to keep in mind is not everyone is fortunate enough to live within a reasonable distance to a B&M or have free time time to call around to ask about each and every pipe that catches one's eye.

 
B

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
It's tough. The only place within 40 minutes that sells pipes is CVS and now they've stopped :crying:
Unfortunately, you can't throw a rock without hitting a "pipe shop", but they only sell "college pipes". 8O

 
brass

brass

Lifer
Jun 4, 2014
1,840
7
United States
A post-sales feature I would like to see is a gallery of my pipes purchased - with specs if possible. It would be useful to have access to those records and pics and would be fun to "share" the gallery with pipe smoking pals.
Oh, I would also like all vendors to publish the bowl volume. It would be a good metric to determine bowl size.
Pax.

 
brass

brass

Lifer
Jun 4, 2014
1,840
7
United States
Hey Cosmic,
Thanks for the tip. I'm corresponding with someone about a possible pipe purchase and used your scale. Should give me some idea. Pix can be deceiving.

 
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