Terrible Customer Service

[tfurru1]

OK, I have finally have had enough of AltSmoke after spending hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars there in the brick and mortar store in Columbus. I have put up so far with them very often not having what I want in stock and having to go elsewhere, even though their Facebook page says they "just got it in" as well as not honoring promotions posted on Facebook that were taken off the page before I got to the store. But now they have really got me upset about how they do "business". I have been told the online store and the brick and mortar stores are "separate entities" even though the website promotes the brick and mortar stores and vice versa. I found this out today when inquiring if I could return something I bought online in-store and was told I couldn't. I also found this out because I questioned why an item online was a different price than at the store and was given the same reason.

To return an item bought online, I have to pay shipping myself to send it back and wait 10 business days to get refunded, even though there are stores all over the place in Ohio. I called the New Philly store and asked them why I couldn't return the item in-store and they said "then inventory would be screwed up". Why would you promote the stores online as if the website and stores are all "AltSmoke" when it is two different ownership groups???? Who really owns the stores vs. the website business???? Why isn't any of this explained anywhere on the website that these are two separate businesses???? Why would anyone want to buy anything from AltSmoke's website when it is such a hassle to return items?? Now I probably have to drive to New Philly to get my money back faster than a half a month (10 business days plus return shipping time). All I wanted to do was to exchange what I had bought online for something else plus the difference. I wish Micro Center sold e-cigs and supplies because THEY are an example of how to run a business fairly.

 

[Maiar]

I don't usually comment on these things, but that's pretty ....ing screwed up if you ask me. I'd be going ballistic if any store here did that to me. "It would screw up the inventory" is totally not your problem, that's THEIR problem and they can deal with it. And if they can't then they should hire people who can perform basic inventory. That's a cheap cop out that no business interested in being respected would ever do. Hell, just say "we don't do exchanges, all sales are final" and that's better than using some stupid excuse.

 

[halopunker]

Hey Trufu1,

I can completely understand your frustration! The stores in Ohio are separate entities from the website itself, although they do share common ownership. In regards to online purchases being return to individual stores for a credit, I don't believe we've finalized a policy for exchanges but we do have one for defective products. With that said, I do apologize for the lack of support in this situation and for the delay in responding to your post here on ECF. We do strive for customer service and I'm not happy with the way this issue was handled.

Feel free to contact me with more information in regards to the situation via Private Message so I can get this resolved for you. If you happen to remember names as well, that would be helpful in regards to making sure this type of situation doesn't happen again and we'll be talking about this during our weekly meeting so this doesn't become a reoccurring issue. I do appreciate the feedback, as negative feedback is more important than Positive as it shows where we can improve on and strive to do better.

Normally for online exchanges, if the returned product is sent back via priority mail, it will get to us in 2-3 days and we normally get it right back out to you in 2-3 days after receipt. Being an online website for more than 6 years, turn around is important and we strive not to make people wait horribly long. And even on the occasion we do supply prepaid postage for certain circumstances to make it easier. At the end of the day, like you pointed out at the beginning, Customer Service is what separates the stores here in Columbus...not the actual products themselves. I apologize for us dropping the ball but we'll strive to make it right.

Feel free to shoot me an email at rob@altsmoke.com or PM me here on ECF. If you send an email please put your username and ECF in the subject (ECF TRUFU1).

Thanks much and I look forward to getting this fixed for you as quickly as possible.
Rob

 

[tfurru1]

Here was my reply with what eventually happened:

Here is what ended up happening (sorry no names remembered I was upset). I called the online customer service line on 12/30. The person I spoke to basically affirmed the separate entities situation and offered no further assistance (basically said I had to do the normal online return process). I then asked to speak to his supervisor. The supervisor was very understanding. He offered to do an exchange where he would send out the product I wanted via a new order and I would pay the difference including shipping on the new item and he said he would include a prepaid 1st class envelope to return the original item. Well, I got the new item but there was no prepaid envelope included so I now have to pay shipping on the return of the old item too. This is ridiculous. This is 2015 not 1985. I don't know of any other business that has both online and brick and mortar stores and does not allow returns from online purchases in the brick and mortar stores. I would be no longer shopping at Alt Smoke anymore however it appears you have monopolized the market for Teleos juices in Ohio so I will have to shop you guys still anyhow. You seriously need to rethink your link between the brick and mortar stores and the website.

And this is what gets me: I don't believe we've finalized a policy for exchanges but we do have one for defective products

Seriously?? In business for 6 years online and 2 years brick and mortar and they haven't finalized a return policy??? SMH

 

[Mattnatti]

 

[Mattnatti]

My path of action would have been to send Rob or Valerie a pm to sort this out versus starting a thread with the words " worst customer service " in the title. After spending hundreds or even thousands with AltSmoke they would surely have done all reasonable things to get you taken care of. That's just me.

B&M stores are often seperated by different shares of ownership than online stores. The best remedy may have been to know exactly what you wanted before buying or have the B&M get one in stock for you to examine before purchase.

 

[tfurru1]

 

[PackMan]

So, you're saying you bought a product that worked as intended, decided you didn't want it, then bash them online because you have to wait a week or so for a refund? What I am gathering from Rob's response is, if they had sold you a bad product, they would have immediately replaced it, but the product was fine, you just had buyer's remorse and expected them to refund you in a store that you didn't buy it from. Definitely sounds like a legit reason to bash a business on a forum for 1,000s to see. Cool story, bro.

 

[tfurru1]

So, you're saying you bought a product that worked as intended, decided you didn't want it, then bash them online because you have to wait a week or so for a refund? What I am gathering from Rob's response is, if they had sold you a bad product, they would have immediately replaced it, but the product was fine, you just had buyer's remorse and expected them to refund you in a store that you didn't buy it from. Definitely sounds like a legit reason to bash a business on a forum for 1,000s to see. Cool story, bro.

Dude, I expect online purchases from a business to be exchangeable in the said business's brick and mortar stores. You know like, Walmart, Target, MicroCenter, ANY other online retailer with brick and mortar stores. So cool it with the 'tude dude. If you bought something on walmart.com and then didn't like it and wanted to exchange it in a Walmart store but couldn't, you'd be .....ing too.

 

[tfurru1]

My path of action would have been to send Rob or Valerie a pm to sort this out versus starting a thread with the words " worst customer service " in the title. After spending hundreds or even thousands with AltSmoke they would surely have done all reasonable things to get you taken care of. That's just me.

B&M stores are often seperated by different shares of ownership than online stores. The best remedy may have been to know exactly what you wanted before buying or have the B&M get one in stock for you to examine before purchase.

OK Here's another ....... (Mattnatti). But he's from Cincinnati so that's to be expected. See above reply to PackMan. Love the attacks guys. IT IS COMMON SENSE TO ALLOW ONLINE PURCHASES TO BE EXCHANGEABLE IN THAT BUSINESS'S BRICK AND MORTAR STORES!

 

[Mattnatti]