P&C shipping frustration

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lochinvar

Lifer
Oct 22, 2013
1,687
1,640
I've never had a problem with PC as far as damage goes, but as compared with SPC they don't pack as carefully. My issue is shipping time, or rather PC not sending out my items till days after I've paid. This month I ordered something on the morning of the 8th (and they get right snappy on getting the money out of my hands), a shipping label isn't created till the 12th and the box doesn't really move till 14th, and as of today the package is (for some reason) in Oklahoma. That said, they were the only people with Stonehaven and I knew I was in for a wait. It was either deal or not get the tobacco.
As for their prices, I have a hard time complaining. There are many other outlets, they know who their competition is and their prices as well as their own. Yeah they charged higher for Stonehaven then the other Esotericas....but they were the only ones that had it and I think they were at MSRP or maybe still below. Fact is, if the price is too high go buy somewhere else, punish them the way the market is supposed to punish out of line sellers....by bankrupting them with lack of sales. Everyone who complains would do the same thing if their own money was at stake. It's called making hay while the sun shines.

 

drunkblowhard

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 30, 2015
112
1
I've had only one problem with them ever. A quick email and they went above and beyond to fix it for me. With so many of these operations I think it just comes down to luck of the draw. Whoever picks/packs your order, whoever answers the phone/checks the email and more importantly, what mood they happen to be in when they do. No company would ever admit it, but that is what determines your entire expierence.
"I'm sorry to hear that you had a disappointing experience with us, but after some investigation it appears that Bob handled your order, and Bob was in a lousy mood because he got a parking ticket during lunch. So Bob didn't really give a shit."

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,306
66
Sarasota Florida
They offered to replace any damaged items, what more would you want?
rwramsey, I prefer to not have to waste my time going to a UPS store to return their mistakes. Do you know what happens when SP makes a mistake or damages a tin? They tell you to keep it so you don't have to waste your time shipping it back. The reason they do that is that they so rarely screw up, it costs them nothing for us to keep the mistake. PC does it so often they cannot let us keep it because it would affect their bottom line.
How hard is it to package something tight enough so it doesn't rattle around and get damaged? How hard is it for PC to recognize their terrible policy and to stop putting their customers out.
Here are my last three SP orders and PC got none of my business.
Order Form

Item No. Bin Location Item to Purchase Qty. Price Ext. Price

003-005-0003 BTF33-4 Astley's: No. 44 Dark Virginia Flake 50g

Options: 25 $9.12 $227.93

003-021-0018 BTF02-1 Dunhill: Deluxe Navy Rolls 50g

Options: 25 $12.78 $319.50

003-036-0005 BTF16-4 John Aylesbury: Luxury Flake 50g

Options: 10 $12.71 $127.09

003-058-0001 BTF26-3 Rotary: Luxury Navy Cut 50g

Options: 15 $10.55 $158.21

003-059-0034 BTF07-3 Samuel Gawith: St. James Flake 50g

Options: 50 $8.40 $419.85

003-068-0020 BTF12-2 Wessex: Brigade Campaign Dark Flake 50g

Options: 10 $9.79 $97.95

003-581-0002 BTF03-2 Capstan: Flake Blue 1.75oz

Options: 25 $16.15 $403.75

012-689-0001 -1 Shipping: English Lang Estate Flyer

Options: 1 $0.00 $0.00

Subtotal: $1,754.27

Shipping (UPS Ground): Free!

Total: $1,754.27

Credit Card: $1,754.27
Order Form

Item No. Bin Location Item to Purchase Qty. Price Ext. Price

003-581-0002 BTF03-2 Capstan: Flake Blue 1.75oz

Options: 75 $16.15 $1,211.25

003-744-0001 BTF45-3 St. Bruno: Flake 1.75oz

Options: 50 $14.53 $726.75

012-689-0001 -1 Shipping: English Lang Estate Flyer

Options: 1 $0.00 $0.00

Subtotal: $1,938.00

Shipping (UPS Ground): Free!

Total: $1,938.00

Credit Card: $1,938.00
Order Form

Item No. Bin Location Item to Purchase Qty. Price Ext. Price

003-046-0010 BTF01-3 Orlik: Dark Strong Kentucky 50g

Options: 100 $7.01 $701.10

012-689-0001 -1 Shipping: English Lang Estate Flyer

Options: 1 $0.00 $0.00

Subtotal: $701.10

Shipping (UPS Ground): Free!

Total: $701.10

Credit Card: $701.10
Here are my last couple of 4noggins orders.
Product Name Item Number Quantity Item Price Total Price

Brigham: KLONDIKE GOLD 50g

BRKLO 50 $10.29 $514.50

Subtotal: $514.50

Shipping & Handling: $0.00

Tax: $0.00

Order Total: $514.50

Customer Notes:
Product Name Item Number Quantity Item Price Total Price

Astleys: No. 44 DARK VIRGINIA FLAKE 50g

AST44 30 $10.29 $308.70

Wessex: BRIGADE CAMPAIGN DARK FLAKE 50g

WESDF 30 $10.99 $329.70

Subtotal: $638.40

Shipping & Handling: $0.00

Tax: $0.00

Order Total: $638.40
This is a total of 495 tins of tobacco and back in the day PC would have gotten at least 35 or more percent, now they get nothing.
I go where the best deals are, I could care less who has them as I want my best bang for the buck. I do miss PC's great prices and their great quality control, I really do.
All of this tobacco was bought between June 8-June 12th from these 2. I still have another order from Payless I am waiting for.

 

dsollars

Lurker
Mar 25, 2014
48
0
I usually cobble together a $100 order or so to get the free shipping offered by PC or SP. Depending who has what on sale at any given time, I have been known to fill up a cart to get to $100, and then go to the other site and fill the other cart with an identical order. The one that comes in cheapest wins! In the last year I have probably split them evenly, and have never had any trouble with delayed shipping or damage of contents from either place. Just my two cents.

 

pinem

Might Stick Around
Aug 16, 2015
75
118
Nebraska
I have recieved around 7 packages from P&C over the last year, and there is always a tin or 5 that are dented. Usually the dent is just cosmetic, but sometimes it is bad enough to break the seal. I just started smoking a pipe a year ago, so I have had some catch up to do. Now that I am getting closer to my goal, I'll probably only buy bulk from them. I had thought about writing them about it, but I see now it would be a waste of time. I'm not going to bother shipping things back either.

 

captpat

Lifer
Dec 16, 2014
2,389
12,419
North Carolina
I've had a few shipments from P&C where tins were dinged but intact, never called to get them replaced; their packing practices leaves something to be desired. What does annoy me is when they show tobacco in stock right up til it's time to ship then it's back ordered. I find out about the situation with the package was short of several items that were listed as "back ordered" on the BOS. They eventually found their way to me. In another case they just failed on include 5 tins of Dunhill flake (ordered 15 tins received 10). After I called they made good on the missing tins. I don't think the prices are great when you include the aggravation in the shopping experience. :evil: Any more I only order H&H Marquee products from P&C, everything else I get from SPC (mostly), though I've had good luck with 4Noggins, HU Tobacco, Cup O Joes, Mars Cigars.

 

deathmetal

Lifer
Jul 21, 2015
7,714
35
My last orders from 4noggins and SmokingPipes were packaged by wizards. Those boxes go a long way, and nothing was damaged.
Having run a mail order shop, a lot comes down to the people packing the boxes and how much familiarity they have with receiving mail orders. If they have never sent off a $400 money order to get something rare and had it arrive with a CD cracked and most of the cases half bashed to dust, they may not have "the religion" of packing everything tight and sealing it well.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,601
'Just placed a PC order, a pipe and a tin, so I'm hoping for the best. I agree, it's training the people in shipping and giving them a sense of investment in the project. SP is smart in having the shipping department staff put their names in bright red on the shipping label. Their work is signed.

 

webbie

Lurker
Jan 28, 2015
20
0
Almost all of my orders have came from p&c and the only damage that I have ever received was obvious damage from rough travel. Not a single outlet can control what the knuckleheads loading trucks do to a package. No matter how well it is packed.

 

foolwiththefez

Can't Leave
Sep 22, 2015
380
5
Sunny FL
I have never had problems with their packaging, but I did stop subscribing to their pipe tobacco of the month club when they tried to pretend that Lane Ready Rubbed was non-aromatic.

 
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