4Noggins, The New Pipes & Cigars

[kola]

Leaving a huge market in some areas. My wife needed a new bathrobe and looked online at the usual sorts of places, and actually found a family out in BC sewing stuff like this... prices were not crazy so she ordered one, and got just what she asked for, a bunch of little freebies, and a note saying "Thank you so much it means the world to us, we're really trying to make a go of this." So much nicer than Amazon. So there's a "local" market developing in many places, for many services - our local food supply has gotten better in the last two years - more farmers selling beefs by the half, more guys driving fruit in from the Okanagan weekly, more people selling fresh eggs. It's fabulous. So there's a weird rebound effect in this soulless anonymous world we've built - a very personal one, just like old times.

Good positive post. A lot of us here co-op, barter, trade, hit up the farmers market, etc,, . And I buy from the same people and same businesses that I like - even though I pay more and could go elsewhere and get it cheaper. These people are real friends and it works well. And in small towns if a person pisses someone off or screws them over - the word travels fast. Lone Wolf Syndrome takes effect...he or she is out of the pack.

 

[olkofri]

Leaving a huge market in some areas. My wife needed a new bathrobe and looked online at the usual sorts of places, and actually found a family out in BC sewing stuff like this... prices were not crazy so she ordered one, and got just what she asked for, a bunch of little freebies, and a note saying "Thank you so much it means the world to us, we're really trying to make a go of this." So much nicer than Amazon. So there's a "local" market developing in many places, for many services - our local food supply has gotten better in the last two years - more farmers selling beefs by the half, more guys driving fruit in from the Okanagan weekly, more people selling fresh eggs. It's fabulous. So there's a weird rebound effect in this soulless anonymous world we've built - a very personal one, just like old times.

Surprisingly, someone purchased a sling off my Etsy 'store'. ?

I'm not into including bunch of freebies, but I did include a couple of extra Chicago screws and a 'Thank you for buying Canadian' note. I'm no expert in CS and I don't think the customer is always right, but well, when you're small time you don't have much room for customer neglect.

 

[Jaylotw]

Surprisingly, someone purchased a sling off my Etsy 'store'. ?

I'm not into including bunch of freebies, but I did include a couple of extra Chicago screws and a 'Thank you for buying Canadian' note. I'm no expert in CS and I don't think the customer is always right, but well, when you're small time you don't have much room for customer neglect.

when I sold a cutting board on my Etsy store, I had the same reaction. I sent a couple freebies and a crazy thank-you note...probably scared them off with my effusive thanks but it was what I had to do

Back to the 4noggins debacle, sorry for the headaches @hoosierpipeguy . I’ve only ordered from them once or twice, and it was back when Rich was running the show.

I’ve worked for web-based retail outfits (a watch company), and, man, no matter how pissed the customer seems in email or phone, no matter how ridiculous their demands (not at all saying either of those pertains to you) or how much you don’t want to deal with a problem customer...you ALWAYS call them back. All it takes is one person spreading the word and down goes your business. Now, the only reason I may give 4nogs the benefit of doubt is if one or more of them is sick, out for holidays etc...in which case, leave a note on the website or an auto response on the email.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

The Storyteller was great. A shame they closed shop.

I ordered something from Boswell's once and realized I wanted to add something the morning after and emailed them so I could save on shipping and they were happy to oblige. Can't get that sort of treatment from bigger sites.

 

[unadoptedlamp]

I think it goes without saying that none of us would want to have the experience of Hoosier.

We could endlessly speculate about the reasons why it has turned out like this. It's a shame.

Personally, I would not hesitate to order from 4noggins again. I've been using them for well over a decade and it has been flawless.

That has included many, many orders. They've sent packages to me when I've been in several different countries across three continents. They never missed a beat. Rich, nor Jeff.

Speaking only to my experience with the new owner (who has absolutely nothing to do with Rich, for those who did not like that guy), he has held blends aside for me so that I could get them before they sold out and I could check in. Nice guy. And better service in that regard than I can get from anywhere else.

I had a package go to Brazil 3 times, being denied entry at the border and bouncing back to the U.S.

Each time, he shipped it again, at no cost, until it safely arrived.

Harris used to get bulk deals from 4noggins, which was nice. But, of course, you need to be able to speak with them to arrange that.

Who knows why the communication has been difficult. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, especially these days. A lot of people are having a hard time, and sometimes things are more complicated than we think they should be for many, many reasons.

Not trying to convince Hoosier to relive a bad experience, but with all of the slagging going on here (also from a lot of people who don't seem to have any direct experience), I feel the need to tell my good news story for the day.

I've never been ripped off by 4noggins in over a decade of service, and to the contrary, they have gone well out of their way to make sure I got what I needed in some awkward situations that wound up costing them money.

As to the consignment tins. Who cares how much they cost? Buy them or don't. Your version of a "good deal" can be different from others. And in this forum, that is more often the case than not. I won't speculate on why that is.

Could well be that there are people willing to pay those prices. In which case, that's what they cost. I don't buy them, because I'm not interested, but it never occurred to me to bitch about how much something I don't even want to buy costs. Mercy. That's an odd thing to get uptight about.

The pricing on regular tins is competitive with other shops, and is even better than a number of them.

Further, when the new owner was announced, there was an instant dogpile on this guy because of his name. Which, as far as I can remember, was a complete misunderstanding. Completely different guy.

The names that he was called! The declarations! A number of those same people have commented in this thread, for those who have not been around long enough to remember. They were misinformed, but threw him under the bus and never spoke up when it came to light that they had the wrong guy on the pike.

Then some people wondered why he didn't continue to be a sponsor on this site. Fuck me. I wonder why.

Anyway, that's an aside.

Hossier is right to complain. But, I think it's worthwhile to note that this is not a common experience. At least not yet.

 

[unadoptedlamp]

I looked it up, since nobody else has! My search skills are pretty limited, but here it is:

Jeff Tomei from 4noggins.com on Radio Show of April 23, 2019 :: Pipes Magazine Radio Show

Our featured interview on The Pipes Magazine Radio Show tonight is with Jeff Tomei. If his last name sounds familiar, it’s because Marisa Tomei, the actress has the same last name. NO RELATION. Jeff became the new owner of online tobacconist 4noggins.com 1-year ago, in April 2018. In Pipe...

pipesmagazine.com

He's been interviewed on the radio show. A direct quote from Kevin:

"Our featured interview on The Pipes Magazine Radio Show tonight is with Jeff Tomei. If his last name sounds familiar, it’s because Marisa Tomei, the actress has the same last name. NO RELATION. Jeff became the new owner of online tobacconist 4noggins.com 1-year ago, in April 2018."

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I saw Marisa Tomei at this party once, my friend lived next to the artist Francesco Clemente's studio, she was dancing with these two guys of a different orientation. Wow, did she look amazing. Francesco took me and my gf at the time to show us some new work of his. What rubbish, and not just because I was thinking of Marissa.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I don't know the history of 4Noggins ownership note do I care. I don't care about their consignment tins of what they want to charge for them. That's their business and those who want to buy them.

Over time, I bought a fair amount of product from them. Had they taken one minute to return one phone call, this whole thread would have never happened. Why they couldn't return any off my calls or waited almost two weeks to make it right is a mystery to me.

This is an example of the power of the internet. It has asked all these stores, including 4Noghins, to profit greatly. But it also provides tremendous voting power to the little guy who can expose their poor actions when they refuse to treat customers fairly. This didn't have to happen, hopefully, they'll learn from it.

 

[Wellington]

I ordered one from them in the last 6 months, took a little while but I live in Canada, no issues, I prefer the new management's website revision that's for sure. They've always been my main vendor, never had an issue.
But I will say the service I've had from Country Squire is second to none, though they're online shopping software could be more efficient.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Who is 4Noghins?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

This mess keeps getting messier. I actually received the package today. I think 4Noggins refunded the entire order. I called to ask to pay them for what was received. I hope they finally return my call.

 

[ADKPiper]

Never ordered from there but I can say for sure that all of our deliveries have been very slow with the holidays. I ordered from smoking pipes and it took over a week. I always get my orders from there in 2 days. 3 at most.
The USPS had a big headline on their tracking page about delays due to limited staff and high volume.
I've had good luck with smoking pipes and cup a joe's.
Thing seem to be back on track now. 3 days for my last order and that is only because day 2 was a Sunday. It got to the post office in 2.

 

[shermnatman]

This mess keeps getting messier. I actually received the package today. I think 4Noggins refunded the entire order. I called to ask to pay them for what was received. I hope they finally return my call.

It's good that you want to do the right thing, and pay for the product you actually - and finally - received; BUT, remember: "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished."

Considering their track-record of foul-ups and spotty communication, they are just as liable to let you pay them as you are tying to do now, and then, the next thing you know, 2 weeks later the also re-charge your credit card again for the original invoice; and you get double-billed.

and then, you are right back on the phone, trying to get things sorted out with 4 NobHeads.....

I hope you get completely clear of this sticky-wicket soon. - Sherm Natman

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It's good that you want to do the right thing, and pay for the product you actually - and finally - received; BUT, remember: "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished."

Considering their track-record of foul-ups and spotty communication, they are just as liable to let you pay them as you are tying to do now, and then, the next thing you know, 2 weeks later the also re-charge your credit card again for the original invoice; and you get double-billed.

and then, you are right back on the phone, trying to get things sorted out with 4 NobHeads.....

I hope you get completely clear of this sticky-wicket soon. - Sherm Natman

There is that concern. However, I have to make every effort to do the right thing. I'd also like to think they're not so screwed up they would need it up from here.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

I’ve never ordered from 4Noggins. I’ve also no intention of ever ordering from them. Good business practice requires communication and it appears that this circumstance is representative of the opposite. ️

 

[ray47]

@hoosierpipeguy, I'd send them a money order instead of using your credit card again. Your just going to wind up in the same boat if you use your card.