BCN Rant

[samandkennasmom]

Oh my gosh! I placed a order on the Dec 19. We have been in and out of town with Christmas. I figured I would not get it by Christmas because of their shipping not being very fast. I just called to check on it and was told there was a problem with my card and the order was cancelled and I'm being charged a 15% restocking fee. The girl who took my order was very nice and reread my card number back to me so I know that wasn't the problem, and it couldn't have been declined. I am so pissed..I spend a lot of money there, I asked to talk to her supervisor and she said she just did. UGH:angry2::angry2:

[Beth]

Did you talk to your bank? or check your bank account for around the time you ordered? Did they never send you an email letting you know there was a problem? I can't imagine any other supplier that I've ordered from not following up if there was a problem! That bites.

[samandkennasmom]

I did talk with my bank and they said that there was money available. I just looked and I did not get any email..unless it went to my junk mail. I told her I will reorder what I had but I'm not being charged their 15% restocking fee and she said its already on my acct and it will be applied on my next order. So I said ok never mind, I won't place my order then! What a bunch of crap!

[Beth]

Wow, I'd mark them off as a supplier for good. I can think of nothing they have that I can't live without

[samandkennasmom]

I think I'm agreeing with ya on that one! I'm only 4 hours away from them so I got most my wax from them but I'm bout ticked off enough to go somewhere else and pay more and I don't even care now! Great way to start my day!

[pixie]

There are so many suppliers out there and Beth is right, they dont have anything you cant get elsewhere. I had an issue with them charging me more for shipping then what their web site quoted me, when I called to complain, the lady I spoke with was very rude to me. Buh, bye BCN.

Edited January 4, 2013 by pixie

[jeanie353]

I think I'm agreeing with ya on that one! I'm only 4 hours away from them so I got most my wax from them but I'm bout ticked off enough to go somewhere else and pay more and I don't even care now! Great way to start my day!

They just had some bad publication a couple months back on this forum with their shipping times so one might tend to think it was read, reported back about unhappy customer service and they would now try to appease ppl. Apparently not!

Off the top of my head I can't think of anything I can't replace somewhere else cheaper and/or faster. Wax...CS or DP Morris or Peak. FOs....Many places out there to compete with. Their Perfect Pumpkin FO was really good but I couldn't get much pumpkin out of it anyway so can get another bakery scent somewhere. B&B....Soap Goods gets my stuff here in superior time. Wicks....same. Containers...same.

Edited January 4, 2013 by jeanie353

[se2653]

I put in an order in Dec, and was not sure how it would go after reading a bunch of the negative posts here, but I did get everything and it was delivered in a timely manner. Just don't like the high prices on the WYW fo's small bottles- I get some of my wax there, but may be looking elsewhere....

[mtt]

I had the same problem with BCN and I will never order from them again and i order alot from them. They lost a good customer! This was also in Dec.

[Ravens]

I used to order from BCN and never had a problem; but then I discovered BCS and I buy my waxes there. I receive them within 2 days, cheaper than LS and cheaper shipping charges though they're quite a bit further away than LS.

Knock on wood, never a problem... thus far :tiptoe:

Edited January 4, 2013 by Ravens
typo

[nmhoneybear]

I haven't ordered from them in years, but have been wanting to sample a few of their FOs. Thinking I am going to pass now...

[samandkennasmom]

IMO they are one company that really could care less about how they treat their customers! Maybe they are so big that we just don't matter to them!

[Noodle]

I buy from BCS now. They are further away and do cost a bit more to ship. However, I just adore some of the Bittercreek products. BCN takes too long to ship and for me their communication is awful.

I do not know exactly what transpired in your dealings with BCN samandkennasmom. I do know that if a credit card is declined for whatever reason, a decent company contacts their customers right away. There are several reason why a card is declined aside from insufficient funds. One of the biggest reasons include using a new card, a replacement card, or a card that has not been activated yet. Tehe 15% restocking fee should not apply either because your card would have been declined BEFORE the order was packed and ready to go. Based on what you have described, it is very shoddy customer service.

[franu61]

I buy from BCS now. They are further away and do cost a bit more to ship. However, I just adore some of the Bittercreek products. BCN takes too long to ship and for me their communication is awful.

Tehe 15% restocking fee should not apply either because your card would have been declined BEFORE the order was packed and ready to go. Based on what you have described, it is very shoddy customer service.

That's what I was thinking...they did not have to RESTOCK anything. I won't beordering from them. Sorry this happened to you Samand.

[Beth]

Some interesting highlights from their policies-nowhere does it mention a restocking fee on credit card orders

Payment by mail orders ship once we receive payment. Hold for payment orders must be paid with a Money Order or Certified Cashier's Check. Once order is placed we will process and give total with shipping. The order will be packed and held until payment arrives. We can only hold packages for 2 weeks, at which time they will be unpacked and returned to stock. Unclaimed orders will be billed a 15% restocking fee. (doesn't say this under 'credit cards')

During order processing, we may need to contact you by e-mail or by phone if we have questions about your order.

We want you to be satisfied

Credit Cards

The name on the credit card must match the name on your account, and the address must match the billing address of your credit card. If the shipping address is not the same as the credit card billing address, please note this when ordering.

If your card is a debit card, please specify if you will need to be contacted with your total charges so you can enter that in your checkbook ledger.

In order to prevent mix ups and to protect against fraud, we no longer keep credit card numbers on file in our shopping cart or in the office, so you will need to give your number each time you order.

[Alajane]

When I first started using them years ago, they had fantastic customer service. I've noticed that as they've grown larger, they really don't seem very interested in customer service any more--they probably have lots of "large" customers and little piddly businesses like mine don't order in large enough quantities for them to want to bother with.

[puma52]

I did talk with my bank and they said that there was money available. I just looked and I did not get any email..unless it went to my junk mail. I told her I will reorder what I had but I'm not being charged their 15% restocking fee and she said its already on my acct and it will be applied on my next order. So I said ok never mind, I won't place my order then! What a bunch of crap!

Hey Sweetie,

Am I understanding this right? It sounds like they have charged the restocking fee to your account to be charged to your next order??!! If so...perhaps all is not lost....

Edited January 4, 2013 by puma52

[jeanie353]

We can only hold packages for 2 weeks, at which time they will be unpacked and returned to stock. Unclaimed orders will be billed a 15% restocking fee. (doesn't say this under 'credit cards')

So to pick this apart....even if it doesn't say it under credit cards it clearly states the will hold packages for 2 weeks at which time they will be unpacked and returned to stock. That should have given her two weeks before she got charged a restocking fee...at the least. She shouldn't of gotten charged at all but going by what it says she didn't even meet the two week time to restock the order.

Maybe pointing this policy out to them, the packaging before payment thing that is odd will convince them they need to refund your 15% fee or you will.....

[Beth]

So to pick this apart....even if it doesn't say it under credit cards it clearly states the will hold packages for 2 weeks at which time they will be unpacked and returned to stock. That should have given her two weeks before she got charged a restocking fee...at the least. She shouldn't of gotten charged at all but going by what it says she didn't even meet the two week time to restock the order.

Maybe pointing this policy out to them, the packaging before payment thing that is odd will convince them they need to refund your 15% fee or you will.....

:highfive:

[Guest OldGlory]

I really hate to hear this. I've been buying from BCN for almost 10 years. Recently I had some trouble with one particular FO being changed from skin safe to not skin safe, but everything on the site said 'safe to use in soap'. As soon as I complained, they changed the verbiage on the website. Nothing like an apology was offered though - and that would have gone a long way. I ended up keeping the FO to use in candles.

For some reason, the woman who used to run BCN is no longer in the picture. She hasn't posted on the site in a year or so. Nobody who knows has said a word about her disappearance, as least as far as I can see. Things have surely gone down hill since Doneen left. Shame.

[JanetsCandles]

I went there for some white colorant (testing it soon, I'll probably post the results later) because candlewick stopped carrying the white in the EVO line. While I was at it, I went looking through their soaping molds, found a really cute butterfly tube from plastic. So I asked what the dimensions of the mold were, since it wasn't overly clear on the website. And asked if they had a cap that they used to seal off the end with. They emailed me back saying that CP was impossible in it, because it never firmed up enough to pull, and that MP soap was an issue as well. They never answered my question in the first place. Plus I wondered why they would ever carry a mold that was intended for soaping if you couldn't use it for soaping to begin with... Oh, and I later was told that the way to seal the mold was to stick it into a lump of non hardening modeling clay. Didn't seem overly sanitary.

Their shipping time and communication had a lot to be desired. No tracking numbers, no email to say it had shipped, nothing. I wouldn't be surprised to see the company close entirely within the next 5 years, unless they get stuff turned around.

[IwantItgreen]

Flicker is a member on this forum who posts occasionally and she works at BCN.

Maybe PM her and ask her if she will help you.

[Noodle]

For some reason, the woman who used to run BCN is no longer in the picture. She hasn't posted on the site in a year or so. Nobody who knows has said a word about her disappearance, as least as far as I can see. Things have surely gone down hill since Doneen left. Shame.

I never knew this and your comment speaks VOLUMES. I have no idea who once ran or currently runs BCN. I do know that the service the past year has been very poor and there has to be a significant reason for this.

[puma52]

Flicker is a member on this forum who posts occasionally and she works at BCN.

Maybe PM her and ask her if she will help you.

Totally agree w/this or get on BCN blog and email Rich......especially now....you need to speak w/either Flicker or Rich...they wouldn't want any unhappy customers and if they heard your story about what happened, I am sure they would make it right. In this crummy economy no one can afford to lose any great customers!! Good Luck and keep us posted!!

Edited January 5, 2013 by puma52

[samandkennasmom]

I buy from BCS now. They are further away and do cost a bit more to ship. However, I just adore some of the Bittercreek products. BCN takes too long to ship and for me their communication is awful.

I do not know exactly what transpired in your dealings with BCN samandkennasmom. I do know that if a credit card is declined for whatever reason, a decent company contacts their customers right away. There are several reason why a card is declined aside from insufficient funds. One of the biggest reasons include using a new card, a replacement card, or a card that has not been activated yet. Tehe 15% restocking fee should not apply either because your card would have been declined BEFORE the order was packed and ready to go. Based on what you have described, it is very shoddy customer service.

I had used my card there 6 times so it wasn't brand new..and thanks for pointing out to me about the restocking fee..I wished I would of thought to mention that to them that why should I have to pay for that when it would of never even got pulled..I don't know if I should call them back tomorrow or just forget it and go somewhere else..