What would you do? Problem with Vendor.

[orachel]

Ok, so I've got a problem with a vendor. Nothing major, but it ticked me off to no end. I've ordered a ton of stuff from this vendor. Nothing huge, since they pretty much just sell juices and flavorings, but I've spent about $100-150 there, and primarily just in $5 increments for DIY flavors. I ordered a Cherry vape tip from him last order, and most people know they've got a lifetime warranty. They're about $8, so thats a lot to pay for an acrylic tip...that's what we're paying for, right? The fact that they LAST! Well anyway, ordered this tip on Nov 25th. Got it on the 30th. Jan 2nd it just snapped in half. I'm thinking there must have been a bubble or fault in the acrylic, since I didn't do anything to it...just snapped. I contacted the vendor, and told him my cherry vape tip snapped, and asked if it might be possible to get a replacement. I offered to send the broken one back, but was thinking he'd probably just do what most vendor would...pop a new one in the mail to me, with his apologies. NOPE! Got a note from him that just said 'we offer a 20 day warranty on hardware'. Period.

Now, ok..yes, I am JUST outside the 20 day mark, but the Cherry-vapes tips themselves have a warranty from the manufacturer. I've done quite a bit of business with this guy, and he knows darn well I've been singing his praises to everyone who will listen since his flavorings have a unique property that's not just your normal Flavour Art or Flavor Apprentice flavors. So I've sent a ton of business his way. Also did quite a bit of free advertising by including him in something I did about quality vendors.

So what would you do? I know this is a whopping $8 plus shipping we're talking about, and that's not a lot of money to replace the darned thing. But at this point its sort of the principal of the thing. He could have easily honored my request and not been out a dime, since the manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty. Do I just stop dealing with him, and stop referring other customers his way? He's a small vendor who works out of his home. I just expect a higher level of customer service from those guys, and most home based businesses are amazing at customer care, since the business is their baby, and they rely mostly on word of mouth. Should I put a negative review on the review pages? You'll notice I've been careful not to use the name of vendor, since I don't want to make a big to-do about this stupid thing before I figure out if I'm just acting out if irritation, or if this really is something most people would object to. Any thoughts?

 

[kabonk]

they have a lifetime warranty? I didn't know that I had a bunch of them snap in half that's why I stopped buying them

 

[bigtiime]

Personally I don't think I'd stop buying from them. A negative comment in their vendor area might be a good idea. Might also want to contact Cherry Vapes E- | Cigarettes | Juice | Drip Tips | Parts | Free Shipping | Cherryvape.com and make them aware of your issue.

 

[martinc]

Yeah,give them a chance,call if need be.

Granted we dont know the whole story and what steps you took so far,maybe its just a misunderstanding?

 

[5vz]

ETA: Nevermind, I see you contacted the vendor. I would def give a call just to be sure, anyone can be having a bad day and just blow off something without paying attention.

 

[sandybeach]

I think it would have been good business on his part to send you a new one.

 

[DaveP]

I'd contact them again and try to make the point that it has a lifetime warranty. Does the web site say that? Or, did you find another source that gave you that info?

I'd expect some kind of remedy. If not, you can walk away and punish them by moving your business.

 

[denali_41]

do a review on em,,then contact the manufacturer about it

 

[araczynski]

i'd contact them again to make sure that was his 'final answer'. if still a no go, leave a negative review, take your business elsewhere, and start leaving bad comments about their service.

if service is bad, service is bad, you're not lying, might as well warn others of what to expect.

like this:

myfreedomsmokes.com has ignored several negative juice reviews i left through their system, but put up a couple positives.

tomsvapor.com has sent me a bad charger that fried two of my batteris and has ignore any communication attempts i've made.

i would never recommend either of the above two to anybody.

you can't fault a seller for selling juice you don't like, short of seeing bugs floating in it, tastes are subjective. you can't fault a seller for selling you a cartomizer that only lasts 3 days (although apparently CCV will be happy to replace them), but you CAN fault a seller for ignoring issues, cherry picking reviews, etc.

 

[orachel]

they have a lifetime warranty? I didn't know that I had a bunch of them snap in half that's why I stopped buying them

Kabonk, I've heard they have a lifetime warranty, and Annette at Virgin Vapors just sent out her newsletter, and she's offering them with a Lifetime Warranty, so I assume they have one. I have a call into Cherry Vapes to get to the bottom of it. BUT if you keep snapping yours, start getting em from Virgin Vapor when they're available...I think about a week or so. First off, she's selling them with the warranty, plus she's just got amazing customer care, anyway, so I'm sure she's replace any that break.

Thanks all for your opinions! I'm gonna sleep on it, and see if I still feel like blowing a gasket over it. I may well email him again, but I don't expect any different result. I've had good luck dealing with a woman he has working there, but any contact I've had with the owner, looking back on it..has been rather terse and rude all the way around. If he refuses after that, I'll leave negative comment in his vendor page (if he has one..not sure) and leave negative review. Its really bad form not to honor a manufacturers warranty. He didn't even tell me to deal with the manufacturer...he just said 'we have 20 day warranty', period.

 

[Nomoreash]

Whether another vendor has a different return or warranty policy, be it lifetime or not on the drip tip or any other items you need to check the vendors policy where it was purchased it from. It should be written and listed on the website.

If the vendor is following written policy then you really have no where to go, anything beyond written policy would be up to the vendors discretion if they should go beyond that. If they aren't operating within the terms then by all means shout if from the rafters but if they are and you or I aren't happy with those terms let's shop somewhere else.

 

[John Phoenix]

I ordered a Cherry Vape tip from him last order, and most people know they've got a lifetime warranty.

Now, ok..yes, I am JUST outside the 20 day mark, but the Cherry-vapes tips themselves have a warranty from the manufacturer.

Is this same warranty a lifetime warranty? If so, get a copy of that warranty. Contact the company and show them the warranty and in light of that warranty ask again if they will replace the tip. If that don't work contact the manufacturer and ask them about the warranty. They themselves may honor it.

Report back what they both said. Perhaps post a copy of that warranty also so we can look it over for loopholes they may try to use.

If that don't work and the warranty is sound, and you can post their replies. then just eat the 8 bucks, stop using them and then, Name the Company publicly so others will know to look out for dishonesty. (but only after dishonesty is proven)

 

[DaveP]

As we have seen here in this thread, shaky customer service invokes a falling away of the customer base. That, and we've seen confirmation that an unsatisfied customer will tell 10 more people about their experience. All of that leads to a natural sequence that makes the friendly and fair suppliers grow larger and the rest eventually fade away.

Sometimes, you have to eat the profit on a sale here and there to keep your customers coming back. Doing so will generate payback and create loyalty in your customers, who feel safe spending their money at your business. You never win when a customer goes away mad.

 

[sandybeach]

As we have seen here in this thread, shaky customer service invokes a falling away of the customer base. That, and we've seen confirmation that an unsatisfied customer will tell 10 more people about their experience. All of that leads to a natural sequence that makes the friendly and fair suppliers grow larger and the rest eventually fade away.

Sometimes, you have to eat the profit on a sale here and there to keep your customers coming back. Doing so will generate payback and create loyalty in your customers, who feel safe spending their money at your business. You never win when a customer goes away mad.

Exactly. Like Amazon.com -- because of their customer service, I buy stuff from Amazon constantly. Most of the juice and vaping hardware vendors I've used are really great with customer service, so far.

 

[Vego]

I've done quite a bit of business with this guy, and he knows darn well I've been singing his praises to everyone who will listen since his flavorings have a unique property that's not just your normal Flavour Art or Flavor Apprentice flavors. So I've sent a ton of business his way. Also did quite a bit of free advertising by including him in something I did about quality vendors.

It's for the above reason that I think it's plain crappy for this vendor not to just send you a new one (along with humble thanks for all your business and support) - reguardless of any warranty mumbo-jumbo. These vendors, especially the out-of-home ones, have virtually unlimited latitude in how to handle these things. Is he really that limited in vision to see how such a small good deed can benefit him in the end?

To me this is a reflection of character. By acting like this, he has wontonly breeched your trust... all for a lousy $8.oo. It may behoove you to confirm with a phone call or email that this is indeed his final decision, and if it is, I think this lack in character warrents you revealing to all of us who this vendor is so that we may be spared having to deal with such an ungrateful and meiserly individual... and in the process, perhaps teach him a needed lesson in customer relations. After all, short of this wonderful forum of feedback and information, we vapers have no other weapon in our arsenal to fight those few errant vendors who operate with the assumption that, in the end, they have us by the balls, and are perfectly willing to take us to the bank at the prompting of their own failings.

To be sure, this spiel of mine comes directly from a strong sense of basic Ideals. Of course, you yourself may feel that it's not worth making a stand on this issue, where possibally you'd prefer to keep using this vendor's products and not jeapordize you're own enjoyment. I understand why you posted here... it's not always such a simple decision to make. I'm new, but I've been there. Obviously, this vendor's reply has torqued you, ungrateful as it is towards such a loyal customer like yourself, but in the end, what you're left with is either doing a negative review or looking the other way. I've offered my opinion what to do above, but the decision is yours and yours alone to make.

Good luck!

 

[phishhed27]

Maybe contact cherry vapes directly...
If it were me,i wouldnt make that big a deal about an $8 item...but I DO feel where yer comin from.
But if u truely enjoy that vendors flavorings,I would chalk up the $8 as a loss,and if u ever have another bad transaction with the same vendor,THEN stop buying from them,and post a negative review.
As it stands,I wouldnt flip out on the vendor...especially if this is the first bad experience with them.just my opinion.GL