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.
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.