Pipes and Cigars Problems

[saltedplug]

I've asked them a question twice in the last six weeks and got a wrong answer twice.
Then this week I ran askew with their ship available tins and charge the card only for that amount, and backorder the remainder of the order; charge the card the price of the remainder and ship backordered tins when available.
I very much dislike this policy. No other vendor keeps me on the hook to have my card charged later. If the vendor doesn't have all of the tobacco I ordered, they charge card for what they do have, only. and business is concluded.
This strikes me as greed. Given that they routinely make mistakes, I'm supposed to trust them to get the amount of money and the amount of tobacco right at some future date.?
I don't think so. I do believe P&C and I are now completely history.

 

[tuold]

I personally don't have a problem with that method of handling back orders but I can see how some might, especially if the item was shown as being available when you put it in your basket. That would irritate me as well. Ordering pipes and tobacco is seldom a life or death matter for me, though. I can wait. Granted, it's nice when all goes the way it's supposed to go.
If I knowingly order something on back order I would expect the vendor to hold my charge card for that amount and send it when the items come in. I take it the tins you ordered were not showing as being back ordered at the time of purchase? I'd cancel the order for the back ordered items and find them somewhere else, I suppose. Of course then you get to pay for shipping twice....

 

[mranglophile]

Would you prefer them to charge you for the whole order up front and then ship back order tins/stock when they arrive? Other vendors I am familiar with charge the whole amount up front and send stock when available. I always feel weird being charged for something the vendor has not shipped and most likely doesn't have in stock. I understand they dont want to hold up what they do have in stock but usually the issue is the vendors either over selling or poorly inventoried stock. In either case I would want good communication on what choices I am offered and have that choice left to me.
PS I have no experieince with P&C due to the fact they wont ship tobacco to WA

 

[echie]

I've had issues with this policy (which is not clearly announced at checkout) of shipping what's available and automatically backordering the rest: I was in the US only for a week, so backordered items didn't suit me at all. I find it annoying and opaque.

 

[brass]

I understand the reservations regarding this policy. For what it is worth, a couple of my orders included back ordered items. The backorders were processes within a week or two without problems. I guess I would prefer to be billed only for shipped items but I can live with the P&C procedure. Ideally, items would never need to be backordered but it happens with every retailer.

 

[lestrout]

I always make a big enough order with P&C to get the free shipping. When they ship partials, they never charge me for any of the smaller shipments. So I'm fine with how they conduct business.
hp

les

 

[aldecaker]

I never order anything not listed as "in stock". I guess I just want to streamline the process and avoid tempting fate. So far, my numerous dealings with P&C have gone smoothly.

 

[decigar]

4Nogginsmike. do you own/work/affliated with 4Noggins?

 

[saltedplug]

I work for 4noggins; I own none of the business.
My apologies that I did not clarify that I was posting as myself only. I in no way meant to discredit P&C so that 4noggins would shine more brightly. I am both, an employee of 4noggins and an individual who does totally unrelated business with the same vendors as you. I forget my dual identity and should be clear about who is who in posts that might affect other businesses.
But even were my post duplicitous, the employee need do nothing to discredit P&C as they are already adept at doing so themselves. Nonetheless, if you wish to make further comment, please call Mr. Richard Gottlieb, owner of 4noggins, at 1.800.364.5126. I have apologized and explained myself above and have no further comment.
Though I really should be better at being clear about this issue, I wonder if all my watchdogs might be better served to watch themselves, first.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

The conflict of interest notwithstanding, mostly due to it being inconsequential, I would be annoyed if I were charged for something that didn't ship. If something is backordered but not listed as such in the order, it should notify you.
I don't like the idea of anyone sitting on my money for an indefinite period of time. Makes no sense. I buy something, I want the thing.
I'd cancel the order immediately if that happened - but that's just me.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Mike-
It's not kosher to post as you did. And the clarifying post isn't either.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

I think I misread. If the policy is to charge for only what is shipped, that seems standard and acceptable. You have the option of cancelling what isn't shipped if you don't want to wait.
A problem with that, I don't see.

 

[zack24]

I think the points have been made- too much potential for this one to go upside down quickly...Closing the thread...