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proteus

Lifer
May 20, 2023
1,533
2,562
54
Connecticut (shade leaf tobacco country)
If you've paid postage to get a replacement pipe, and you receive a pipe without defects, for the cost of postage, you've got a quality pipe and they've lost any further business you'd give them. It sounds like it will cost them more than it costs you.

The pipe community is small. Word travels. It's not good for the retailer.

Some online retailers will go to lengths to make a deal right, with great promptness and generosity. And people on Forums will give them repeat business for years, decades sometimes.

So justice is slow, but definitive.

Welcome aboard from central North Carolina.
That's true. I think its like 10 bucks shipping give or take. I see your point and I respect it. I could just pay the 10 and move on. Absolutely. I look at it a bit different. This is a big name in the pipes community. They should know better. Now I have to pay 10 more on top of my original bill to get a proper pipe. Some things just burn me up on principle. I expected a pipe free of defects for the price paid. I paid that price. That's what I should get and not have to pay more to get it. Especially from a big name. I have not said the retailer but I really enjoy smoking pipes that are both functional and beautiful. Not just functional. Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm looking for some great folks to talk smoke with.
 

OverMountain

Lifer
Dec 5, 2021
1,394
4,961
NOVA
Hi everyone. Long time pipe smoker here. Smoking tobacco pipes for some 35 years. I have several dozen pipes in rotation cobs meers briars and probably owned and sold hundreds over the years. I have about 15 to 20 pounds across some 60 different brands of tobacco. I enjoy every type of tobacco. Never met a tobacco I didn't like. I tell you this because I'm not new to smoking pipes. I dont usually post to forums but I have a complaint about something that in 35 years of buying pipes I've never experienced. On occasion a pipe misses QC. Its normal. Usually returns are always post paid for by the seller in these cases. This seller is a very very well known seller and I want to make other pipe smokers aware of this policy they have. I'll post pics and everything and I've already went round and round with them refusing to pay return shipping. They will exchange and pay shipping back to me but I have to pay shipping for the return. This was free shipping to me from the start. They say this is discretionary and they don't pay for fit and finish issues. The issue is the stem does not seat flush to the pipe bowl. I can put a finger nail in the crack its that big. That's a manufacturing defect in my opinion.

Can I post specifics here?
Welcome! Recently had the same issue with a few new barlings with very poor stem fit. Good luck in resolving your issue and also, welcome!
 

Scottmi

Lifer
Oct 15, 2022
3,901
56,866
Orcas, WA
Hello and welcome from Orcas, WA. sorry to hear about the frustration. Stick around and I look forward to hear of more positive experiences, too!