Strange answer from Belle Aire

[ubure]

Hi there,

 

as I couldn't access the website of Belle-Aire and couldn't find an email addy as well I simply tried an email address I imagined could work. It did. Today I received an answer to my question about their policies regarding samples and the minimum order amount for their oils. I told them that I buy from several companies that carry some of their scents and therefore would like to buy in bulk as well. Their answer was:

"What companies here in the U.S. are you buying from that you know that the fragrances are Belle-Aire's?Charlie David"

No salutation, nothing friendly in this. I wrote back and asked if I have annoyed him in any way and that of course none of the companies says they are buying their oils from this and that company and that I only discovered by chance that one of my supplier bought oils is identical with a sample from Belle Aire which I received many, many years ago.

 

Strange, strange. Don't know if I should buy from them at all.

 

[Noodle]

I would not read too much into one email.  One of the bad things about email is that sometimes we assume the worst. We are not able to hear tone, inflections, etc... Sure, he could have started the email with "hi" or something like that. But, I would not assume that you offended him.

[SuzyK]

I think it is a little weird that he didn't even try to answer your question.  It's not your job to tell him how you figured out which companies you know buy from them. lol.  They may have some sort of policy in place that companies keep quiet on buying from them. 

You are a person who wants to do business with them directly and that's what he should have addressed.  I also agree that his email was unprofessionally written. Business etiquette has seemingly gone out the window these days for some.

[ubure]

That is exactly what I feel about it, and not only this email (I hate it when customers write a message, not even write "hi" and their message is written in a harsh tone...probably this is normal nowadays but I don't like it).

 

Meanwhile he has answered back and told me that there is an agreement between them and the companies they supply that they don't tell where they have their fragrances from. Minimum order per fragrance is 16 kg....too much for me anyway.