A Word To The Wise About myfreedomsmokes.com (Reposted)

[RenaissancePuffer]

I too decided to try out myfreedomsmokes after reading rave reviews on the forums about the juice. I was a little disappointed to find out that the 24mg double flavor that I wanted was out of stock (RY4). I didn't see anywhere on the website stating that the flavor was not in stock, only that 36 & 48mg juices would ship out on 7/29 (which is why I got the 24mg). I seem to be running into many companies around here lately who get rave reviews, and either they are out of stock or overwhelmed with business that they can't keep up.

Chris did send me an email not long after I placed my order that he was out of stock (I didn't understand it at first, so I had to get a clarification), but he didn't accept the paypal transfer until I told him I was ok with waiting. He did say it would be in stock later this week.

So far, what I am really disappointed about, within the e-cigarette business is the lack of communication to the consumers. Granted, Chris was up front in his emails to me, but it seems like it would require less work to update the html code on the website to reflect stock. Also keep in mind I have made purchases with only 4 companies so far, but each of them are well known around here.

Future business with myfreedomsmokes will depend on if I like the juice, but already, I am 1 out of 4 on quality juice purchases (JC was too thin, had to thicken it with VG), Innovapor is taking forever to ship my EcoPure (not in stock, maybe??), myfreedomsmokes is out of stock, and to my knowledge nothing has shipped. Janty has had liquid for me, and delivered 2 days after day of purchase. It's just a shame you have to pay for that reliability. Janty's not exactly cheap on the juice.

 

[dedmonwakin]

It's helpful for those of us who haven't dealt with a particular supplier to know what to expect if there are issues that arise. In this case I'm glad to know that whatever system they have to track inventory is non-functional. I'm used to real-time stock status and it's good to know that I shouldn't expect that from that company.

What's even more important for me is to see who all responds. I've already figured out whose opinions I rely on when making my ecig buying decisions and it's very helpful for me to see what they think about individual suppliers.

Again, I agree with your statement and use of peoples opinions.

I suppose I'm just confused. Sure the OP comes off as a victim. But, I don't see the original email sent to the supplier before all this worked it's way to the suppliers site.

There is mention of it. But I don't see it. So, this makes me feel like the op has something to hide.

Regardless after reading the aftermath and responses from the supplier. There is no excuse for the unprofessional replies. No seller should engage in an argument with a customer, even if they feel justified.

Also, exclamations work very well in amplifying sarcasm as well as joy and excitement, which sarcasm and cockiness had been very well implied in the sellers responses.
Didn't see that the op posted the replies until after my original post.

But I still don't see his original "lecture" to the supplier, although I'm not out to defend the supplier...I just like unedited, un-narrated truth.

 

[UptownRiot]

Yes, I totally understand and agree with that. Maybe I'm confused how this began and how it finally worked it's way to be posted in his site.

I read his back and forth emails, but was this after it had been posted on his site or before hand?

Keep in mind, I've read as much as you've read of this situation. So, this is just my understanding of the situation.

It seems to me that the entirety of the email exchange took place before the thread was started on the supplier forum. Then it was posted there, there was some forum exchange, with many others then chiming in, and then the supplier moderated(deleted) the post, so finally this user reposted it here where the supplier has no control.

That's just the way its reading to me. I could be wrong though.

 

[Ryle]

Asking him to send a partial shipment at his expense, is a courtesy not mandatory by any seller to do. Some will do this just to be nice, but again. Not a common practice of many sellers whether it's ecigs or any product outside of the ecig market.

Actually - Just for the record. According to Visa/MC rules & Regs.. it IS required, that or for them to do a full/partial refund until they are capable of completing the transaction in a timely manor. Them's the rules.

 

[dedmonwakin]

Actually - Just for the record. According to Visa/MC rules & Regs.. it IS required, that or for them to do a full/partial refund until they are capable of completing the transaction in a timely manor. Them's the rules.

Really? That's news to me! Good to know!

Is it required that they do a partial shipment though? I suppose it would be in the best interest of the seller to just send the partial item than partial refund.

 

[Ryle]

LOL Wat's the point in arguing? I get to look at the rules and regs all day every day...I've got 90% of it memorized verbatim at this point...... that's what they pay me for

 

[Instinct]

I'm going to say that the first response you got doesn't seem snotty, more of just stating a fact. But in this PC world of sugar coatings I guess it could be taken the wrong way.

So finally you asked for the order to be canceled, and your request was honored.

Why not just post your experience in your own words instead of doing the whole email cut and paste thing? That may have been why the thread was deleted. I know I would find that kind of rude. In any case I think you've spent too much time and thought on it. He didn't come over and kick your puppy or anything.

About showing stock and inventory as others have mentioned - the cost of that kind of tracking and integration with the website is a cost that would be passed on to the consumer. It's handy yes, but not critical. MFS has a toll free # you can call if you want to inquire about stock before you order, and I'm sure other vendors have a point of contact as well.

The things we get outraged about these days....

 

[Ryle]

Instinct, It doesn't cost a business owner anything to say "Oh look I'm out of xxx flavor"... log onto his site and type "out of stock" and hit save.. 5min of time TOPS So even if you consider this man's time worth... $100 per hour it cost him $8.34 to make that change and save himself the bad publicity. If we assume he has 20 orders a day (and he has to make such a change every day) that's $0.41 per order... Even if he was unwilling to absorb that cost I'm pretty sure the customers wouldn't complain if it prevented issues such as this. You make it sound like it's this huge problem but honestly I don't know or care who this Chris person is.. I HIGHLY doubt his time is worth $40 per hour much less anywhere near $100 per hour. So if you do the math with $40 per hour it's $0.17 per order.... what's the problem??

 

[jeffakamax]

ENUF TOMFOOLERY!
One more post and I'm going to pull the wings off a butterfly and YOU, yes YOU will be held soley responsible!

 

[Boredoftheworld]

Yeah, think of the butterflies!

Oh... CRAP!

 

[labrat]

Thanks for the heads up, I can do without supplier hassles.

 

[Ryle]

bye bye butterfly

 

[DC2]

I ordrered a sampler from myfreedomsmokes not too long ago.

I was trying to order a 12 pack 3ml sampler, and it said to list the flavors and nicotine strengths in two little boxes. Well, there wasn't enough room to put all the flavors in the little boxes without some serious abbreviating.

So I called him, because the phone number is listed right there on the website. I love that. He called me back shortly and said they were working on updating their website to improve the shopping experience. He asked me to just send him an email with the flavors and he'd see that it got taken care of.

So then I ordered, and apparentlly they were out of one of the flavors (RY4) that I ordered. So they called me back and said they would be happy to substitute a different flavor. They wanted to make sure I would be okay with that before putting it together and sending it off to me. So I said sure, give me the 555 instead.

They said they'd throw in some extras for my troubles, and they did. I got two extra flavors. And not only that, but they gave me a bunch of 6ml samples instead of 3ml samples too.

Needless to say I am quite happy with the service I received.

 

[Trypwyr]

I'm going to say that the first response you got doesn't seem snotty, more of just stating a fact. But in this PC world of sugar coatings I guess it could be taken the wrong way.

As much as I hate to keep a thread going that has been beaten to death, I have to chime in on this one...

Various studies have posited that verbal communication makes up a very small percentage of actual communication (some say 7%, some 20%). The rest comes from non-verbal cues: vocal tonality, body language, facial cues, etc. Unfortunately, in our world of email communication, we are limited to the equivalent of "verbal" only.

Instinct: when you take into account the above information, we ALL must be more clear in our writings. It's not being "PC" or "sugar coating" anything, it's simply good communication. In this situation, had the seller put more thought into how his emails sounded, the entire problem could have been averted.

Just my 2 cents... ;-)

Tryp

 

[DC2]

And for whatever it's worth, how messed up is it that a supplier can build up a decent following by working hard and doing the right thing, and just one bad day, or one bad experience by someone can do so much damage to that reputation they worked so hard to build?

Just wanted to look at the other side of the coin is all.

 

[Trypwyr]

Old saying: one happy customer tells 3 friends, one unhappy customer tells 10?

"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."
—Bill Gates

Tryp

 

[UptownRiot]

I ordrered a sampler from myfreedomsmokes not too long ago.

I was trying to order a 12 pack 3ml sampler, and it said to list the flavors and nicotine strengths in two little boxes. Well, there wasn't enough room to put all the flavors in the little boxes without some serious abbreviating.

So I called him, because the phone number is listed right there on the website. I love that. He called me back shortly and said they were working on updating their website to improve the shopping experience. He asked me to just send him an email with the flavors and he'd see that it got taken care of.

So then I ordered, and apparentlly they were out of one of the flavors (RY4) that I ordered. So they called me back and said they would be happy to substitute a different flavor. They wanted to make sure I would be okay with that before putting it together and sending it off to me. So I said sure, give me the 555 instead.

They said they'd throw in some extras for my troubles, and they did. I got two extra flavors. And not only that, but they gave me a bunch of 6ml samples instead of 3ml samples too.

Needless to say I am quite happy with the service I received.

Sounds like if he had bothered to treat the OP like he treated you, it wouldn't have been a problem.

And yes a suppliers reputation should go right down the toilet if their policies change for the determent of the customer, and if their manner in treating customers changes toward being rude.

 

[Instinct]

As much as I hate to keep a thread going that has been beaten to death, I have to chime in on this one...

Various studies have posited that verbal communication makes up a very small percentage of actual communication (some say 7%, some 20%). The rest comes from non-verbal cues: vocal tonality, body language, facial cues, etc. Unfortunately, in our world of email communication, we are limited to the equivalent of "verbal" only.

Instinct: when you take into account the above information, we ALL must be more clear in our writings. It's not being "PC" or "sugar coating" anything, it's simply good communication. In this situation, had the seller put more thought into how his emails sounded, the entire problem could have been averted.

Just my 2 cents... ;-)

Tryp

I agree 100%. Some of us aren't good communicators though... I've offended a handful of customers without even realizing it just because of the way I speak. I have someone else do my PR work now.

Trypwyr: How true. Then again there are always unhappy customers. Look at products on amazon, newegg, whatever... there can be 100 glowing reviews, and then another 10 that claim it's junk, doesn't work, bad customer service. I'll still buy that product...

 

[Sun Vaporer]

Smokey has make it very clear that he does not what e-mails and PM's reposted, feell free to tell your story in your own word--Thanks,

Sun

 

[UptownRiot]

Smokey has make it very clear that he does not what e-mails and PM's reposted, feell free to tell your story in your own word--Thanks,

Sun

That is a really interesting point of view considering that when making a decision on suppliers you'd want verbatim exchanges to judge by. At least if something went bad, so that you could be sure the dissatisfied person wasn't simply reading it wrong.