Is this a reasonable expectation from a vendor?

[nicetucu]

I'm with Dac311 on this. The vendor should send out a replacement and return packaging and postage. I had an issue with a vendor in New York and they sent my replacement stuff out right away with return postage on good faith that I would return faulty product (which I did).

For this I have held this company in high regard and have no worries telling others about it and or dealing with them again. Matter of fact they are called MyVaporStore.com . Good luck on working your situation out.

 

[SteelerFan]

You pay to ship non working item back to them, they pay to ship replacement item to you.
Seems fair to me.

Makes no sense to me, as you have now paid them twice for what is essentially one item, because they didn't send it for free im sure


I'm on my iPhone

 

[InTheShade]

I'm with Dac311 on this. The vendor should send out a replacement and return packaging and postage. I had an issue with a vendor in New York and they sent my replacement stuff out right away with return postage on good faith that I would return faulty product (which I did).

For this I have held this company in high regard and have no worries telling others about it and or dealing with them again. Matter of fact they are called MyVaporStore.com . Good luck on working your situation out.

Myvaporstore and their excellent customer service are one of the reasons why I recommend them to new vapors as a hardware supplier. That $3 shipping label and envelope they sent to you in good faith has probably meant thousands of dollars in referral business from you, me and other forum members (they are almost always recommended by someone when people are asking for starter kits and their customer service is usually given as a reason for the mention)

That is how to run a successful business. Trust your customers - some will try to scam you for sure, but that cost is so small compared to the amount of referral business the honest ones will generate.

 

[Dac311]

Thanks for the recommendation. They also have the protank 3, which is something I'm interested in. Almost willing to order it now and just forget about this aspire.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Sucker_dad]

I'm afraid I am not going to make a friend here. There are very few internet companies that will pay for the return shipping. I know that going into any purchase. If an item is DOA then I must pay to return it to them and they will either send me a new one or refund my purchase price. I have seen a few that will not take any returns at all on clearos and other atomizers. I have no problem with the system as it is and I buy what I think are decent brands so those type of issues happen very little. If their policy is that you return the item then just return it don't make a big stink about how your never going to do business with them again. If you want to have the type of company that will send you a return envelope or box for you to return the item then use that type of company, I'll bet you find their pricing is not as friendly to your budget as some. You will not find excellent customer service and the lowest pricing together at any store that want to last. Having dealt with the public on a regular basis, I promise that once word gets out about a company having a lax return policy the connivers will come out of the woodwork.

 

[Zealous]

I find it strange how perspectives can vary on this issue. I agree that it must have been stated somewhere in their agreement that you must pay shipping back & you must have agreed with it (although I can see missing that point if it doesn't cross your mind that it might happen). Is that reasonable? No not really. I mean, you should get what you pay for & shouldn't be penalized for not getting what you paid for. Don't buy from them again.

The place I get most of my stuff from will email a postage paid return printout to me so I can send an item back & not have to pay for shipping. That's the way it should work with a vendor imo & if it doesn't I wouldn't shop with them.

Just be glad you didn't order something weighty & most costly to return & chalk it up to experience. Sorry for your trouble.

edit: I do have to provide my own packaging I guess but in most cases that hasn't been a problem as I've had the original box it came in &/or bubble envelopes on hand. But I've only had to return 2 times so it hasn't happened enough that I would be annoyed by it.

 

[glowplug]

This isn't a return. A return is when you return for credit. If I receive a defective product, I don't expect to pay for shipping back to get a working one. I really don't care if they have to pay to send it back, that's all in their agreement with their supplier. If they want to pay for me to return the product, I will so I'm not out the money I spent already. But I won't order from them again.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I have read about this issue several times around here but just had a new take on the problem. Most vendors do state that the customer is responsible to pay for return postage. At first glance this seems unjust. But, as it just popped into my brain, it is really no different than returning a defective product for exchange to any B&M store. You don't expect the store to pay for your time and fuel to get back there to exchange it. That would be 'silly'? At least we have been conditioned to think so. Therefore, the same would apply to online orders. I know there are some vendors who will pay return shipping, but very, very few.

Just thought I would throw that out there. Never thought of it this way before.

 

[Dac311]

It's cost me 50¢ in gas to get to walmart to return something. Not a couple bucks shipping and a buck or so for packaging. I paid for expedited shipping, but now I have to pay again for the return, and probably no priority shipping again. So I've lost more than once. I did click a box, but I thought a defective item would be treated the same as a wrong item ( I mean isn't a non functioning item the same as a wrong item, I didn't order a broken one). Needless to say I won't be doing business with them again, I'll just eat the cost so that they have to deal with the hassle of the return. I don't even want it anymore. They've told me no on the return shipping. I didn't even get an apology for the defective item. I don't care if it wasn't their mistake, I would still like to see they are sorry for me paying them money and not getting a function product.

 

[Dac311]

I'm just glad to have a local B&M now that I know will take care of me.

 

[spawnsharks]

I would think that they ought to pay return shipping, but are not obligated to send your replacement ahead of time, as they are not guaranteed to get the defective one back. If it is a local shop with a website, then the owners may be making tight profit margins to keep up with the larger discounts offered on big sites, so losing out on the credit from the manufacturer might eat the profit from your sale, and maybe even another.

If I had a business, I would do what I could to keep you happy, and if that meant providing you a shipping label for the return, I would, and there would be a bottle of juice or some extra wire in the box when the new one was shipped out.. a little something that didn't cost me much, but added to your satisfaction..

 

[Rickajho]

Is it reasonable? The better question to ask is: Is it the law?

Consumer protection laws vary widely from State to State. In MA the place that sold it to you is on the hook for covering the shipping costs if they send you a defective item. Whether they like it or not, that's the price the vendor has to pay if they want to do mail order business with anyone living in my State.

You could always ask the Consumer Affairs division of the Attorney General's office in the State you reside in if you want to know.

 

[SteelerFan]

I have read about this issue several times around here but just had a new take on the problem. Most vendors do state that the customer is responsible to pay for return postage. At first glance this seems unjust. But, as it just popped into my brain, it is really no different than returning a defective product for exchange to any B&M store. You don't expect the store to pay for your time and fuel to get back there to exchange it. That would be 'silly'? At least we have been conditioned to think so. Therefore, the same would apply to online orders. I know there are some vendors who will pay return shipping, but very, very few.

Just thought I would throw that out there. Never thought of it this way before.

Well this type of scenario could go many ways. I buy a washer and dryer from the big name mall store. Hauled it home in my suv myself but i suppose i could have had it delivered. I get em home and plug em up. Nothing, nothing works. You don't think big name mall store wont send a crew of their employees to come pick em up all at no expense of my own?. I mean if we are going to throw scenarios around... I know if I were to return say a phone that is now messed up back to my carrier that they would send me a replacement with a return package for the now messed up phone. They would however also state very clear by way of phone conversation and also again in the replacement package that if that messed up phone is not back to them in xyz days which is usually 10 biz days that they have my cc# and will charge me for that messed up phone. Now that seems very fair to me. I mean this could go on and on and from so many povs as well. IMO you are either stand by whatever it is you are receiving any type of payment for, may it be you are the manufacturer,broker, or some joe selling an old 32" fat back tv or you simply close shop and go out of "business". Another approach would be to tell the truth i.e. "Ya buy our stuff, it may work, it may not, we really don't know tbh. If it works cool and yay, if it don't work well i guess you're screwed because we sell items that we know could be faulty right out of the box, thats why we say DOA"....I fail to see the logic or righteousness in any of it. People are scared of the fda, well with all of these start up businesses and mom&pop no name b&ms popping up all over( lord knows we have far too many in every state now somewhere ) cashing in on the "vaping craze", I'd be just as worried about other law entities that deal with consumer protection affairs shutting it all down just as well. You make money and keep making money by giving your word and then standing by it. I'll sell you this and if it don't work i'll make it right by you because I would prefer you spend your money here and not there....I apologize for ranting but I see far too many of these online vendors cashing in on what we do and it is my honest opinion that they, if/when it ever happens, will be part of the cause if/when it all gets shut down.


I'm on my iPhone

 

[Jazzi Mike]

This seems to be a pretty common thing with e cig vendors.

 

[macaroni]

If they want to pay for me to return the product, I will so I'm not out the money I spent already. But I won't order from them again.

I think there is your answer Dac .... when we search for our "regular" go to vendor, quality products, good prices, and a wide variaty of choices go without saying ... but customer support including timely shipping and their return policies when things don't go as expected are just as important if not moreso.

Bottom line is support the vendors that support their customers.

 

[SimianSteam]

Let me relate an alternative scenario that just happened to me:

I bought a MVP 2 from a company. After a couple of weeks the charging port went out. I contacted them and they provided me with a Priority Mail label to ship it back to them and shipped me a new one immediately upon receipt. Unfortunately, they accidentally shipped it to the wrong address, but once I contacted them about the error they immediately shipped out yet another unit to the correct address. Needless to say I will be doing business with MadVapes again.

Is it reasonable to expect a company to pay for return shipping of a faulty product? Absolutely. Anyone that says different has very low customer service standards. If they don't then you've got the option of not doing business with them again, and posting your review of the company (name included) publicly so others are aware of their policy. This coy crap of not naming the company helps no one.

 

[Dac311]

I believe the ecf doesn't allow me to post the name. I have to go through their conflict resolution channels in order to resolve the problem. I think this is how it works. I don't think any of us should stand for this kind of behavior. I paid 10 bucks for the clearomizer. If I spend $2.50 to send it back that is a 25% increase in the cost I expected to pay, just because I received something that didn't work. To me, no one should have to deal with that. We should all stop ordering from vendors who make us pay to send back faulty merchandise.

 

[SimianSteam]

I believe the ecf doesn't allow me to post the name. I have to go through their conflict resolution channels in order to resolve the problem. I think this is how it works. I don't think any of us should stand for this kind of behavior. I paid 10 bucks for the clearomizer. If I spend $2.50 to send it back that is a 25% increase in the cost I expected to pay, just because I received something that didn't work. To me, no one should have to deal with that. We should all stop ordering from vendors who make us pay to send back faulty merchandise.

Reviews of Suppliers - Negative

You can always post a negative review of a supplier here.

 

[Dac311]

Yeah. I did agree to the TOS, but I wrongfully assumed a wrong product and a defective product would be treated the same way. My main point was to find out if people thought my expectations were unreasonable. I've learned to read return agreements carefully before ordering. It seems to be a mixed bag on if it is a reasonable or unreasonable request I personally think if you find it reasonable, you have set too low of a standard for customer service you will accept. But, to each his own. To me, having to increase the cost of the product by 10% or more simply because I received a bad product is unacceptable. But, buyer beware. I'll be spending the majority if my money at the reputable vendors listed here and at my local B&M.

 

[NiNi]

Usually you can avoid this by asking forum members for recommendations of online vendors. Many a peep have have posted threads about sub par equipment, juice, customer service, etc., even AFTER they were encouraged NOT to purchase from specific vendors. Read the TOS on all your online vendors before you purchase, if they do not meet your standard as a consumer, go somewhere else. The TOS is there to protect both the vendor and consumer.
I have only received the wrong merchandise from vendors, shipped back at my expense, at arrival at vendor they credit my account for the shipping costs. Some will credit your account immediately if you provide your tracking number or a JPEG of the tracking receipt.