Smokes-Spirits.Com dirty ripoff liars Newport Kentucky
On July 9,2002 I ordered cigars from these people. I paid $17.49 + s/h after smoking 1 or 2 they began to fall apart.
I called customer service spoke to some guy named Chet. He told me he would send me out some fresh ones and to throw out the old ones. About a week later I did receive the new order. Once again as I began smoking them they began to fall apart. I called Customer service and told Chet what was going on. He asked me for my e-mail address and said at the end of the day he would e-mail me a return label.
The day went by no lable I called the next day and asked to speak to Chet. I was told he was in a meeting. I asked to speak to a supervisior Jeff was the supervisior on duty. He told me that Chet had messed up on the e-mail address and that he would personally e-mail me the return label at the end of the day.
Day 2 went by still no label I called Jeff on day 3 he said he was sorry he would get it out today no more excuses. Day 3 went by no lable was ever e-mail to me. I called on day 4 and was very upset I asked to speak to Jeff I was told he was on another line. I waited for over 20 minutes on the phone Jeff never came on.
I called back again now they tell me that Jeff's in meeting. I told the person on the phone to forget about. The person on the phone was a jerk he said since I was being rude he was going to put in the computer that I had refused the lable.
On August 14,2002 I filed a claim with my bank for $17.49. About 3 months later In November my bank wrote telling me that I had lost my case and that I would not be getting my $17.49 back. I was told by bank to call smokes-spirits to try to resolve this matter with them. I called and spoke to a rude lady by the name of Ms. ThornBerry who said they had sent us more than 1 return lable I told her no way.
She said I will sent you a return in the mail. When we get the cigars back we will credit your account. On November 11, I did receive a return label and sent the cigars out on the 12th via UPS. On the 20th they received them I called them back. They told me they would not credit my account and that I had smoked 4 of the 25 ciagrs in the package. I told them to charge me for the ones I had smoked and credit the rest back to my card. Ms. ThornBerry said NO. On December 12,2002 I wrote the BBB they looked in to it and said they couldn't do much. It appears that Smokes-Spirits had lied to them telling them that their was no record that I had ever called.
Leonard
Hayward, California
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Leonard
Hayward,California,
U.S.A.
Still waiting!!!!!
#5Author of original report
Wed, July 09, 2003
Ms.Thornberry,
I'm still waiting for you to send me proof that I was charged twice for the same product. Are you going to Lie again and say that you sent it.
Leonard
Hayward,California,
U.S.A.
Here is a copy of the letter that Ms. Thornberry sent to the BBB
#5Author of original report
Sun, June 29, 2003
Mr. Leo ******* palced an order on July 9, order # 40054 for Cuba Aliados Cazadore Natural Light Brown Wrapper $17.49 $17.49 $17.49. The order shipped out and was delivered on July 23. Mr. ******* called customer service and claimed the cigars were stale. A replacement order was sent Next Day Air Saver at our cost and was delivered on July 29. the package contained a return label for Mr. Freitas to return the stale product to our company so we might attempt to receive credit from our vendor. Our return policy states:
If you receive an incorrect item due to a mistake on our part please call or email us and we will gladly replace the wrong item with the correct item and include a prepaid shipping label with that order to ship the incorrect merchandise back to us at no cost to you. If decide that after you recieve your order you do not want an item(s) just return the "unopened" carton(s) back to us and we will refund your credit card. Shipping fees cannot be refunded.Refunds take up to 10 business days to process. There is a 15% restocking fee on all returns. All returns must be made within 30 days of purchase.
There is no documentation that Mr.******* ever called our company
after the replacement package was delivered to complain about the product. he had received the second time. Conatact began again with Mr.******* when the 30 days allowed in the return policy had elapsed with no return of product. Mr.******* credit card was charged for the unreturned product and shipping fees per our return policy. Mr. ******** filed a claim with his credit card company denying the charge. Documentation was provided to the credit card chargeback department and the claim was denied. Mr.******* then called our company and requested we send him another return label,which we did. Due to the situation of Mr.******** claiming the cigars were stale we were aware of the package had been opened ,however out of a 25 item bundle,5 cigars were missing.It does not take 5 cigars to determine whether a cigar is stale. Mr.******** called and explained and we explained that under the cirumstances we could not issue credit when he had taken advantage of our return policy.Mr.******* failed to retun the product within 30 days time frame. If Mr. ******** had won his claim with the credit card company he never would of contacted your organization in regards to a situation he created himself by ignoring the return policy of our comapny. I believe under the circumstances we have been more than fair with Mr.******* and do not believe any further action is required by this company. An exchange had already been made.
Debbie Thornberry
-------------------
My turn now, first of all anyone that reads this and then reads Ms.Thornberry's REBUTTAL to ripoffreport.com can see that she is not telling the truth. She mentioned that we were charged twice for the same product,I don't think so. Ms. Thornberry I want for you to send proof that I was charged a second time for the same product. Also when I called to complain about the first bundle of cigars I spoke to Jeff the manager and he said keep them I will send you a replacement,which he did. Also she says in the letter to the BBB that when the second batch of cigars were returned they could not issue any credit because I had taken advantage of their return policy. But in the REBUTTAL that she submitted to ripoffreport.com she says they could of had giving me credit for the ones I didn't smoke.
Ms. Thornberry if you would like I'll be glad to send you a copy of the letter you wrote to the BBB.
Don't buy anything from these people they are LIERS and they will RIP YOU OFF!!!!!!!!!!
Leonard
Hayward,California,
U.S.A.
Lier Lier Leir
#5Author of original report
Sat, June 28, 2003
Debbie,
You are a lier I told you to issue me a credit for the ones I didn't smoke. You put on hold and you came back a few minutes later and said "NO"!!!!!
Oh by the way I only smoked 4 not several like you claim.
Debbie
Newport,Kentucky,
U.S.A.
Clarification for Smokes-Spirits.com
#5UPDATE Employee
Thu, June 26, 2003
On July 9, 2002 the customer placed an order with the company for cigars. Upon receiving them, the customer felt the product was inferior. At this point the customer contacted the company regarding the product. The time frame was approximately 2 weeks.
The return policy is to reship, in this case fresh product, and to include a return label for the return of the stale product. The customer was informed of this at the time he called. The replacement was shipped along with the return label. All product is to be returned to the company within 30 days or the customer is charged for the reshipment plus shipping fees, which he was informed of at the time of the initial call.
I am not sure whom the customer is referring to when speaking of "Chet", as there has never been an employee here by that name. As manager of the customer service department I was informed of only one call by the customer which corrected his order.
It is the company policy to send 3 emails reminding the customer that a return label has been issued, please return the product to the company to avoid further charges to the account. The customer responded after the 3rd email and stated he must have discarded the original return label in error and could I send him another one. The second return label was snail mailed within the week. Still there was no return of the product. So at this point the customer has received 2 orders and 2 return labels. There was no mention that the second order was also considered inferior.
A chargeback was filed against the company in regards to the order. I disputed the chargeback with complete documentation of the order, both original and replacement, as well as the return label and emails requesting the return of the product. The chargeback was denied on the validity of the documentation submitted.
At the time the customer was informed of the loss of his chargeback he called and spoke with me in regards to this order. I informed him that a 3rd return label would be snail mailed to him, however no credit could be issued for anything until he returned the product.
The original return label, which he had stated he had never received, was the label used to return the product. This was verified by the tracking number and the date it was issued. The customer had stated to me that he had smoked one from each package and felt they were inferior. When in fact he began smoking them and even gave a few to his friends to smoke. He felt that the product was stale and his explanation for smoking several and allowing his friends to smoke a few was to determine if they were in fact stale. I informed him that we could issue credit for the number of cigars that were returned since he had smoked several and not the two (one from each package) that he had led me to believe. He informed me that this was unacceptable and he wanted credit for the full amount or none at all. After further discussion he decided to refuse any credit since he could not have the full amount returned.
In regards to the BBB, the same documentation that was filed with the credit card chargeback department was submitted. There was no further correspondence regarding this issue.