funkymonkey66 Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I am very upset with the recent transaction between myself and ICS. I ordered 2 pounds of oil a few days ago. Yesterday it arrived in the mail and I received only 1 pound - no packing material and in a priority video box. The box was stamped by the post office "received unsealed" so apparently one of my oils that I paid 17.95 for fell out of the box in transit. My box is labeled at 3 lbs but only one oil inside? I know Kathy from doing business with her for years and know she would not lie about sending 2.I called the postmaster and they claim they retaped the box with priority mail tape because the flap was open when it arrived at their facility. I emailed Kathy with pictures and told her what happened and tomy surprise she will take no responsibility for not properly securing the box and is claiming it is not her fault. Her words were" the box says nothing about taping after sealing" and what more can she be expected to do. UNREAL! In my opinion as a merchant it is common sense to tape a self stick flap for a box. Especially since the box is intended for an item that weighs much less than 3 pounds which is beside the point, but I guess the box needs to tell her to "tape here". So I am SOL and postal insurance (which I did not buy) would not cover it anyway because it is the shippers fault for not securing the package correctly. Verbatim from the postmaster himself. I accept responsibility for not purchasing insurance- but there is no reason for an oil to simply fall out of a box. If I took the box into the post office and showed him the package he would deny a claim instantly. No packing material, the bottle was in the box by itself unsealed with out tape around the top, no bag around the bottle incase of spillage which you have to have when shipping a liquid priority mail. Just a bottle of oil in a box.I emailed her back and forth understandably frustrated with the situation and told her I would tell everyone how she just treated a loyal customer of over 4 years. She threatened me with slander if I posted on any message board with out mentioning her store policy on her front page! Funny, if you want to hide behind a policy you have to follow it yourself and that includes following USPS shipping guidelines and secure the package correctly! She has now blocked my email. So to all that order from ICS she was one of my favorite suppliers but I will never spend another penny with her. CS totally downhill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southern.scents Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Honestly, I have never ordered from ICS but just from your experience I will never even give her a chance. Whether or not she sealed the box is besides the point to me. She probably made enough profit off of the two bottles of oil that she could have sent you the other bottle of oil AGAIN and she still would have broken even. You would have been a happy customer and she would not have to deal with this post or the loss of business your experience could cause her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waxwench Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Wow....I'm shocked at her response. She's always been known to have great customer service in all of my years here. It looks like you will be replacing ICS oils, but there are plenty of suppliers, it shouldn't be too difficult.I thought it was the seller's responsibility to make sure your package arrives in one piece and if not, they pay.And to slap you with slander? OK, I'm chuckling over that one!All said and done, I'm still very shocked at her response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenScentU Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Good for you. If someone operates a business like that I would never do business with them again. If I ever had any issues with any companies (rarely) I would expect some kind of compensation. I have had two instances with customers and fixed the situation right away. If I ever had an issue with UPS they made it right. That sucks I hope she read this and does right by you. If not oh well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkymonkey66 Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 I doubt she will make good on it as what would be the point? The damage is done and I will never order from her again. Not taking responsibility for poor packaging, blocking my email and throwing “slander” at me which does not even apply in this case pretty much sealed the deal. Her position was pretty clear but if anything my post may give her incentive to pack a little better for her other customers. I will just file a chargeback and be done with it. I am sure I can get something in writing from the postmaster to show the cc company the condition of the package and contents that were missing. What a way to start off the New Year!Up until now I would have been the first person to recommend her but after this nonsense –never again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilsonswix Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I'm sure you all know this but those priority self-seal boxes sometimes sit in places protected from moisture, but not from temperature fluctuations. As a result, the glue doesn't hold well. Always tape! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I use those boxes to ship soap orders to my customers and always tape around the seal. I just never trusted it since shipping can be hard on a box.But to pack 3 lbs of oils in one of those boxes is astonishing to me!! My first thought is how well insulated could the bottles have been? Those boxes are small. Sheesh!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 My last couple of orders I've noticed have been packaged with just the electrical tape around the lids and the bottles were not wrapped in plastic or in a bag. There was no filler material to keep the bottles from bumping around either. Thankfully all my orders have arrived with no problems, but I admit I was surprised at how they were packaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaW Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I've done business with Kathy for many years as well. I'm very surprised by the response you got. Not saying you're not telling the whole truth, but I've never heard of anyone having that type of cs from ICS.I've honestly never taped those boxes shut. They're such a pia to open I never thought they could open on their own without a crow bar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 She can't whine 'slander' if it's the truth and your note from the Post Office about being unsealed is your proof. Very poor customer service and a good way to lose many, many customers!! :rolleyes2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkymonkey66 Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 LisaW I understand your post completely and if I read an experience from someone else like this regarding this supplier, I may have not believed it myself. I have been her customer for years with out any issues. Kathy was always very fast shipping out orders, if I ordered it Monday it would be here Wednesday morning, the shipments were always accurate except for once in 4 years and she always answered emails with in hours. This situation is very disappointing to say the least. My pictures of the box stamped received unsealed, a written statement I will get from the post master if need be and email correspondence with her is all I need to prove I am telling the whole truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evesorto Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Luckily for me, I have only had good experiences with ICS. However, I once had a situation with another supplier - oil was rancid and she refused to take responsibility. I was utterly shocked by her actions (or inaction) bec, I, too had spent an inordinate amount of money. I hope ICS rectifies, even if it not her fault and she is late, she could say, "Damn....I don't know what I was thinking." We all make mistakes/misjudgements, but I believe that there is always time to rectify. I was at a craft fair and I sold a single candle to a woman (small order). It was well wrapped in tissue paper. She walked around the corner and must have dropped it on the floor. The candle shattered. She came back to show me what happened. Of course, she was looking for some sort of restitution even though the error was hers. I gave her another candle, more tissue paper and another bag - free of charge. I consider this the cost of doing business. Luckily, it doesn't happen often(so far, only once for me). Sometimes in business, we have to fix things that aren't even our fault.I tried to explain this to the supplier in my above mentioned situation (FOH) to no avail. I hope that you have better luck with ICS...maybe she will read this thread and have second thoughts. I truly believe that it is never too late to pick up the pieces and start again.GL,Eve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMary Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I've done business with Kathy for many years as well. I'm very surprised by the response you got. Not saying you're not telling the whole truth, but I've never heard of anyone having that type of cs from ICS.I've honestly never taped those boxes shut. They're such a pia to open I never thought they could open on their own without a crow bar! Maybe because other people actually might have been scared off by "slander". Some people really think anything negative is slander, while others know better. Others yet, don't necessarily post on forums.And others yet, think the situation and "customer service" is premium, even if their order keeps coming borked up and she doesn't something minor to make up for it. I've seen too many people say "Oh yeah, four times this supplier sent me the wrong thing, but they fixed it right away - CS rocks!!!!" To me, CS is also the order and they obviously aren't getting it right. Way too many people do that - think just because someone makes it right wrong order after wrong order, doesn't make them a great supplier.I haven't dealt with her of course, just a thought on why people may not really hear from other people who had bad experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dblvon Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 What is the full name of ICS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkymonkey66 Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 Indiana Candle Supply * candlesupplys.us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Never had any problems with Kathy, she has always offered very good customer service.I'm sorry to hear about your problems, but it surely won't keep me of ordering from ICs again as long as I don't have such problems myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Di_in_AZ Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Shocker to me. I haven't ordered recently from ICS, but I had a package from her go missing a couple years back and she resent the order. I have always been accustomed to fast, courteous service. This does not sound like ICS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaW Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I honestly think there must be something else going on. We are all people even though we have a business. We still deal with life situations that can be stressful and sometimes devistating. Maybe you could try her back in a few days. I'm not sure. I know I've had some really bad stuff happen this year (dog died, son in jail, I know I sound like a country & western song) and I'm sure my customer service was not up to par, but I've always been willing to go back and rectify the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leisa2003 Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 When I first joined this board, their was a very large discussion here about a bad incident I had with Snowtop ( ICS now carries Snowtops Fo's). Anyways, while snowtop was making the switch over to ICS, they used the same web host, I was banned from snowtop and went to order from ICS and wanted to get on the board with all my snowtop friends who were now at ICS's board, and I wasn't allowed to get in. I e-mailed Kathy, and asked her if I could become a member of her board now that she took over Snowtop's business and she e-mailed me and told me she could't un-ban me because it could cause problems between her and Angie if she allowed me to join the ICS board. I even explained that is was a problem that I had with a product of snowtop's and that because I brought my complaint here, to share with other chandlers, I was banned. Its sad, but many of us who have been burned by a supplier wont even share our poor cs stories anymore because suppliers take it so personal instead of just trying to make things right in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 why would you even want to? i mean, you don't get banned if all is well. but whateverI've never taped over the priority box seal and never had any problem with them coming open. in fact they are hard to pull open and I have to destroy the boxes which I simply HATE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandissoap Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 :tiptoe: I'm still trying to even figure out how you could possibly FIT 3 lbs of oil in a box of that size???? Just seems impossible to me....I'm thinking that size box would fit maybe 4 8 oz bottles if you are lucky....tall or fat 16 oz bottles just would not fit, at least I don't think so.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapmom25 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I've only ordered from ICS twice, so I can't really chime in either way about the service, but I can comment about the P.M. boxes. I'm in the same state as ICS and I *HAVE* to tape the boxes together because it's so cold and dry right now that they won't stick on their own. In the summer I have no problem whatsoever, but come fall and definitely all through winter, I simply have to use tape or they pop right back open! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkymonkey66 Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I am in Upstate NY and it was 12 degrees here yesterday. I am lucky the self stick shipping labels stick:shocked2: I use the PM boxes sometimes and I always tape the flap just because I thought it was common sense. Maybe in a warmer climate they stick better? I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evesorto Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 why would you even want to? i mean, you don't get banned if all is well. but whatever.Banning or blacklisting is totally uncool....especially after you've spent hundreds of dollars on testing different oils. If a supplier wants to ban a person, then return the money that person spent on oil testing!!Shame on any supplier who practices such disgusting behavior. May they always get what's coming to them. And may those "banned" always be able to find their coveted oils on the classys for 50 cents an ounce!Sorry if I got carried away,Eve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapmom25 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I am in Upstate NY and it was 12 degrees here yesterday. I am lucky the self stick shipping labels stick:shocked2: I use the PM boxes sometimes and I always tape the flap just because I thought it was common sense. Maybe in a warmer climate they stick better? I don't know.funny you mention that, because I do also have problems with my UPS labels curling up and wanting to peel off my boxes in winter, especially the parts of the label that cross the packing tape. I really can't believe she (ICS) is ever able to secure those boxes without extra tape. As I said before though ~ summer time is a whole different ballgame ~ those suckers stick better than glue without being taped. I still tape them, cuz I'm anal like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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