P&C Issue Question

[Simplicity]

I have to credit P&C with starting my cellar. Back in 2016, when I was first starting out, I ordered 2 tins each of Standard Mixture and Nightcap from them. I received 15 tins of each. I sent them a couple emails advising of their mistake, never heard back and wasn’t going to push the issue. Subsequent orders have yet to yield such generous results. I still have all those tins, should crack one open.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

I have to credit P&C with starting my cellar. Back in 2016, when I was first starting out, I ordered 2 tins each of Standard Mixture and Nightcap from them. I received 15 tins of each. I sent them a couple emails advising of their mistake, never heard back and wasn’t going to push the issue. Subsequent orders have yet to yield such generous results. I still have all those tins, should crack one open.

That's insane - you haven't opened even one? What were you smoking thereafter?

 

[Parsimonious Piper]

I must be the only one here who orders at least 3-4x/year from P&C and haven’t had a single issue.

 

[3rdguy]

I must be the only one here who orders at least 3-4x/year from P&C and haven’t had a single issue.

Hey its Robert Deniro!

 

[NomadOrb]

I've had a lb of match ready rubbed stuck in backorder for half a year.

 

[SoddenJack]

Last few orders from them have been slow (one before Corona, one after), not obscenely slow, just slow to ship. My biggest complaint was they took zero care in packaging the order. Everything was just tossed into a box that was too big. It was only a few tins, but they were all loose and banging around. Just looked sloppy

 

[Simplicity]

That's insane - you haven't opened even one? What were you smoking thereafter?

I was sampling quite a few blends back then, in addition to being a fair weather smoker who might have 2 bowls a day or 2 bowls a week. An open tin can last me a while. Plus, I hopped back on the cigarettes for a couple years before coming back to the pipe this past spring.

 

[mso489]

Just a footnote about when PC first offered Stawell at about half the previous going price, I bought four, and they have all turned out first rate. Now the price has ratcheted up again, somewhat, so I feel especially pleased with that bargain.

 

[cohibajoe]

No issue last month from Esoterica drop...When the others sites started listing....I checked and to my surprise Dorchester, Margate, Pembroke but missed on Penzance.

 

[hawky454]

I've never had an issue with ordering tobacco from P&C, but it has been a while, since they always seem to be out of either my cigars of choice or tobacco that I am looking for. But, my problem with ordering pipes from them is that they don't show you the exact pipe you will be getting. Maybe one factory pipe represents the whole lot of them in stock (or maybe not in stock). I think some of their pipes are the genuine pipe you will get in the higher end of pipes, but Smokingpipes always shows you the exact pipe. There's no question what you will get or whether it is in stock.

Now, I don't want to sound like a fanboy of theirs. Smokingpipes is a top notch company to deal with, and they do still support this forum. So, if I sound like a bootlicker, let the chips fall where they may. Supporting us being able to chat like this means a lot to me.

SPC is always my first choice, I’ve been with them from the start and they’ve done it right from the start, to me they are the pioneers of the online smoke shops. They also give you rewards for being a member. Back in the day, when it was still legal, they would give out huge samples of other blends they think you might like. I still have a 200 gram tin of Peter Heinrich’s Special Curley they gifted me way back in 2010! If I’m planning on a domestic bulk order, I always use them without thought and without hesitation. If I’m thinking of getting a pipe, they are the first place I look.

 

[cshubhra]

This is the first time I ordered from them, as I was scared reading about the horror stories here. They still have one red flag ? with my order - they authorized my PayPal account twice, and I will watch my Paypal account till the temp authorization goes away. However the rest of the ordering was at par (or better) with leading retailers

1. I ordered on 10th Sep at 00:26 hours EST in the morning (with free Surepost shipping option)
2. I received in hand @ 16:00 hours (4 PM EST) today. (Today is 11th Sep). It arrived a day early as I had something else coming by UPS and UPS chose to deliver directly rather than handing over to USPS
3. No mistakes in the order. While I don’t expect the retailers to make mistakes, P&C is known for that (hearsay in this forum) and I had 14 packets of pipe cleaners of three different types. These pipe cleaners are small / similar items, and easy to get wrong
4. Packed fairly well. See unboxing photos

One isolated incident does not prove they have improved their game. However with this experience I may not be as averse to ordering from them, compared to earlier.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

This is the first time I ordered from them, as I was scared reading about the horror stories here. They still have one red flag ? with my order - they authorized my PayPal account twice, and I will watch my Paypal account till the temp authorization goes away. However the rest of the ordering was at par (or better) with leading retailers

1. I ordered on 10th Sep at 00:26 hours EST in the morning (with free Surepost shipping option)
2. I received in hand @ 16:00 hours (4 PM EST) today. (Today is 11th Sep). It arrived a day early as I had something else coming by UPS and UPS chose to deliver directly rather than handing over to USPS
3. No mistakes in the order. While I don’t expect the retailers to make mistakes, P&C is known for that (hearsay in this forum) and I had 14 packets of pipe cleaners of three different types. These pipe cleaners are small / similar items, and easy to get wrong
4. Packed fairly well. See unboxing photos

One isolated incident does not prove they have improved their game. However with this experience I may not be as averse to ordering from them, compared to earlier.

View attachment 42482View attachment 42483

Very poignant my freind. Good stuff in that box. You must use a ton of pipe cleaners I worked it out wth a nice woman named in service on the phone. Sounded like she carries a lot of weight on her shoulders; I guess it's important to remember - Life is not perfect and neither is business - there are also many employees that are tethered to less than well designed and organized jobs/companies and to cut slack and leave room for error.

 

[PipesRock]

I have an order "processing" on their site currently. 8 of 9 tins arrived fine but one is back ordered. Appropriate emails about "will ship remaining one when available" etc... I'm checking weekly and as long as the order reflects "processing" I'm OK with it. This is the 1st time it's happened in 8ish orders so not like every other shipment is messed up to me at least.

 

[tkcolo]

They need to stop their back-order process, because those hang in limbo forever. They will get the BO tobacco in, and never ship yours. I think they told me that had to do with paypal not authorizing the later part of the sale because too much time has past. But they won't contact you about that. That's pretty dumb.

Other than that, I've never had issues with them.

 

[sablebrush52]

In all the years I've bought from P&C there's been only one time that a shipment was not accurately filled and on that occasion they addressed the issue promptly. The only issue with P&C is the quality of their packing, which is execrable. Then again, their competition isn't much better.

 

[mikefu]

In all the years I've bought from P&C there's been only one time that a shipment was not accurately filled and on that occasion they addressed the issue promptly. The only issue with P&C is the quality of their packing, which is execrable. Then again, their competition isn't much better.

I agree with Sable...only one issue for me. Packing is terrible, and I have had several backorders sit for over 2 months before mysteriously falling off. But overall I have had good customer service when I needed it, as long as I didn't email them. Emailing their customer service is as effective as putting a message in a bottle and throwing it into a river.

 

[paulfg]

I have never ordered from P&C as i get blocked from there website as i am not in the US,but i cant understand how any organisation would allow a system where by you can order something that is out of stock.
And they will ship sometime in the future ,date unspecified.
I want to know it is out of stock at the time I order so I can look elsewhere, not be given a vague timescale for delivery

 

[beezer]

I purchased 17x tins from P&C on Wednesday, it shipped on Thursday, and the box just landed on my doorstep today - Saturday. I've had nightmarish experiences in the past with the way they've packed my orders, which have been many, and until the clearance sale this week I was resolved to never order from them again.

Well...I'm happy to report that the package that arrived today was packed better than any order I've placed in the past 10 years -- from any retailer. Tins were in bubble-wrapped pouches, plenty of air pillows to fill the box, etc. No complaints at all. Very happy.

 

[sablebrush52]

I agree with Sable...only one issue for me. Packing is terrible, and I have had several backorders sit for over 2 months before mysteriously falling off. But overall I have had good customer service when I needed it, as long as I didn't email them. Emailing their customer service is as effective as putting a message in a bottle and throwing it into a river.

P&C's customer service hasn't ever been their strong point, and their follow up on back orders has fallen off a cliff. They used to be very good about sending out back ordered blends and now they have little to no follow through. At least you don't pay (generally, there have been reports of screw ups) for what is waiting to be fulfilled. This is clearly the boss' decision about how he thinks his business should be run.

These days I'm primarily ordering pipe cleaners, so there's not really much to go wrong.

 

[STP]

Never had any issues w/P&C or Smoking Pipes. My experience w/both have been great. I agree w/the above, probably a supply issue and the site was not updated. Nonetheless, your CC shouldn’t be changed until shipped...