Overnight tobacco shipping/ vendor response

[stoopidbaits]

Too long, didn't read - tobacconist accused me of costing them money by ordering overnight shipments.

Weird situation here, wanted to get some opinions before I do anything.

Recently paid $32.99 to have some tobacco overnighted through ups. The package didn't show up on Friday as scheduled, instead arriving on Monday. No big deal, definitely not the first time this has happened.

Reached out to the vendor this morning, knowing ups will refund them in full, inquiring about a partial refund on the shipping. They sent me a copy of their shipping policy with a portion highlighted stating they aren't responsible for delays.

Figured this was a misunderstanding. Shipping delays on overnights have happened to me multiple times with other companies and it's always simple getting the shipping money refunded.

So I called. And this is where it got weird.

I talked to the customer service rep/ supervisor/ manager who stated "any money we get refunded from ups, we keep. You don't get that."

Then it got more weird. He proceeded to tell me that "we actually spend $150 to overnight ship your packages. And we only charge you $32. So we lose money every time you order."

We went back and forth awhile before I decided I was a fool to be arguing with a fool and ended the call.

Looking back at my orders, I have like a dozen $150 orders that were all overnighted in the last year.

Am I insane? I mean, I know I'm Stoopid, but have i actually lost my mind? I always thought it was normal to refund overnight shipping charges in the event of a delay, but wouldn't be that flipped out if it didn't happen. But to then be told I'm actively costing a tobacconist money by ordering from him - I'm at a loss.

I definitely won't be ordering from this place again, I'd hate to think I'm ruining Christmas for some guys kids just by ordering from him.

 

[anotherbob]

Too long, didn't read - tobacconist accused me of costing them money by ordering overnight shipments.

Weird situation here, wanted to get some opinions before I do anything.

Recently paid $32.99 to have some tobacco overnighted through ups. The package didn't show up on Friday as scheduled, instead arriving on Monday. No big deal, definitely not the first time this has happened.

Reached out to the vendor this morning, knowing ups will refund them in full, inquiring about a partial refund on the shipping. They sent me a copy of their shipping policy with a portion highlighted stating they aren't responsible for delays.

Figured this was a misunderstanding. Shipping delays on overnights have happened to me multiple times with other companies and it's always simple getting the shipping money refunded.

So I called. And this is where it got weird.

I talked to the customer service rep/ supervisor/ manager who stated "any money we get refunded from ups, we keep. You don't get that."

Then it got more weird. He proceeded to tell me that "we actually spend $150 to overnight ship your packages. And we only charge you $32. So we lose money every time you order."

We went back and forth awhile before I decided I was a fool to be arguing with a fool and ended the call.

Looking back at my orders, I have like a dozen $150 orders that were all overnighted in the last year.

Am I insane? I mean, I know I'm Stoopid, but have i actually lost my mind? I always thought it was normal to refund overnight shipping charges in the event of a delay, but wouldn't be that flipped out if it didn't happen. But to then be told I'm actively costing a tobacconist money by ordering from him - I'm at a loss.

I definitely won't be ordering from this place again, I'd hate to think I'm ruining Christmas for some guys kids just by ordering from him.

Sounds like a bunch of fools I don't care to deal with.

 

[woodsroad]

Now that you've run the course with the vendor, given them a chance to make good on their error, please feel free to tell us who the vendor is!

 

[georged]

The package didn't show up on Friday as scheduled, instead arriving on Monday. No big deal, definitely not the first time this has happened.

OK, since everyone is thinking it, I'll ask...

If you knew it wasn't going to be a 100% thing, and it didn't matter if it was truly overnight or not, why did you spend the extra money THIS time?

 

[GardenStateoftheArtBriar]

Vendor was right about you not being entitled to anything they are refunded
By agreeing to the overnight shipping and HANDLING rates
With that said that 1 ‘fitty thang is a dirty grift
That’s almost positively a blatant lie to get rid of you

It’s your duty as a brother o briar to out ‘em -so… do tell

 

[stoopidbaits]

OK, since everyone is thinking it, I'll ask...

If you knew it wasn't going to be a 100% thing, and it didn't matter if it was truly overnight or not, why did you spend the extra money THIS time?

Is everyone really thinking that?

$32.99 is the cost of one and a half good cigars at a california shop.

If I've got a weekend of fishing scheduled and decide at the last minute that I want a handful of cigars, it's cheaper to buy online and have them overnighted than it is to stock up locally. And while i do often stock up locally, this time around I was looking for something my local doesn't have access to.

Aside from that, I tend to overnight cigars more often than not. The less time they spend in delivery vehicles, the better.

So, while i knew overnight shipping wasn't a 100% guarantee (since nothing in life is) and it didn't truly matter if they showed up on time (because tobacco and money are ultimately trivial things), I overnighted them this time because I wanted some special tats for the weekend.

 

[GardenStateoftheArtBriar]

It all depends on the guarantee they assure in their terms

It’s very grey - you can always sue them over it but not likely worth it

 

[stoopidbaits]

Now that you've run the course with the vendor, given them a chance to make good on their error, please feel free to tell us who the vendor is!

Corona Cigar. I've had a ton of great experiences with them, but apparently I've been bleeding them dry this whole time without knowing it.

 

[lupy1234]

Why overnight it?

 

[woodsroad]

Corona Cigar. I've had a ton of great experiences with them, but apparently I've been bleeding them dry this whole time without knowing it.

I doubt very much that they are paying $150 to overnight your order. That would be sheer stupidity on their part. The kind of stupidity that tanks the business in short order.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Sounds like you talked to a blowhard and I assume that's the end of your business. No way they are paying $150 on something they are charging you $33 to ship.

If I pay for premium delivery on occasion I read what's on the site about shipping pretty carefully and if it's two days and they don't make it, I email and expect some sort of refund (the difference between whatever it was and regular would be fine, but often it's the full charge because I assume it's easier for them just to reverse it, and yep, they are getting it back or should be if it was on the shipper). I can't remember not having the situation remedied in the past many years the few times it's happened. Now, a severe weather type thing, of course it's going to run a little late - no worries.

 

[Briarcutter]

I have like a dozen $150 orders that were all overnighted in the last year.

A company may make a mistake and charge you $32, then they themselves get a $150 charge ONCE. But I would think they would learn pretty quickly and cut that out immediately.

 

[Lumbridge]

Losing that much money on shipping just isn't a sustainable part of a business model. Profit margins can be slim enough without subsidizing shipping to that degree. I'm calling bullshit on their claim.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I always pick the slowest, cheapest shipping I can. It ain’t insulin.

 

[Brad H]

I always pick the slowest, cheapest shipping I can. It ain’t insulin.

Keep adding to the cart until the free shipping threshold has been reached. It’s how they get ya.

 

[Questionable Source]

Here's my 2:

They should refund you for the portion of the shipping that is over the normal cost to ship, meaning if you paid $32.99 to overnight, let's say ground would have been $10.00, you should get $22.99 back.

They have an account with UPS, they have a rep, all they need to do is email their rep, or login and submit their request with UPS through ship manager, it's pretty easy.

Also, there is no way they are eating $150 on those shipments.

Now the real question, did it actually ship NDA, does the UPS label say that and have a 1, or does it say Saver or have a 1P, or even a 1+, and what time was the origin scan?

It's kind of a bummer because it seems like you were pretty OK with it being OK, but now that they've gotten weird about it, they made it a thing.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I don't understand why anyone would use overnight shipping for Cigars or pipe tobacco. . I doubt the $150 cost cited is accurate but I certainly expect charging $32 is a losing proposition. Their fault for charging too little.

It also sounds like the OP experience is the overnight option does not actually equal overnight a significant % of the time. So why bother? My time is worth way too much to waste calling vendors to attempt to get a refund all the time. Especially when the regular delivery is more than adequate to maintain the quality of the product.

 

[sardonicus87]

Well, overnight generally only counts if shipped before a certain time of day, and may depend on the day of the week. Though that's on a business if they know they can't get to the UPS drop before the cutoff time, to program their website to not offer the option if the order is placed during the time periods when next-day isn't possible.

 

[BingBong]

First-world problem. Be realistic about your expectations. Once the goods are dispatched, the vendor is as powerless as you are as to when they arrive; it's all UPS in transit, so you should vent at them for late delivery, not the vendor.

Most of my deliveries in the UK are overnight, but I stick to business days and plan accordingly.

 

[GardenStateoftheArtBriar]

I wouldn’t ever buy from this vendor again - I’ll tell you that much

That 150 still resonates with me this morning
Effing lying POS