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Question Re: Cigar.com

S

sduke

New Member
Long story short:

I wanted to pick up a few singles for a buddy who has been very kind to me. The local can't supply everything he wants and in my medical condition, I can't travel far or often.

Lo and behold, I find this site, which is new to me.

Prices are a bit high, but they seem to have everything my friend wants. I'm set to pull the trigger, until I scroll down to the bottom of the above-referenced page--and notice the address, which is instantly familiar (it's CI and Cbid). :angry:

I could fill a book (really!) describing my misadventures with these jokers. Out of five orders, they've screwed up four (and I have the screenshots and correspondence to prove it), leading to a couple of interesting conversations with the PA State Atty. General's Office and my standing offer to CI/Cbid to post my stories to every Cigar BB on the Net. Well, I may be slow-witted, but even a cement-head like me gets the message eventually. No more business from me--zero.

Sorry for the rant. Here's my question: Is cigar.com (as common sense would indicate) yet another withered arm of the CI/Cbid machine? Or am I missing something?

Any advice would be truly and greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading,

Steve Duca
 

Hello Steve,

Yepper they appear to be at the same address. Sorry to hear of your problems with CBid/CI. If you are looking for singles, I've had reasonable success with this place. They sort of specialize in singles, I think you have to order a minimum of 10 sticks.

Hope that is some help.

 
BrewMeister,

Thanks for the tip. In fact, I have used the place you mentioned a couple of times. (I have no connection with them except as a customer).

I've had pretty good luck with their "substitution" policy--they only subbed on a couple of moochador sticks, and their prices seem decent (comparatively).

For my next order with them, I'm going to make the long-distance call to place the order directly, since they don't seem to have a real-time inventory online.

Many thanks again!

Steve Duca

p.s., I'm still investigating this cigar.com/CI/Cbid connection. Stay tuned...(unless someone else can fill me in...)
 
sduke said:
notice the address, which is instantly familiar (it's CI and Cbid). :angry:

Steve Duca
Click to expand...


Curious....I just sent them an email through feedback section on their website asking if there is any relation; will let you know if they answer back...
 
sduke said:
I could fill a book (really!) describing my misadventures with these jokers. Out of five orders, they've screwed up four (and I have the screenshots and correspondence to prove it), leading to a couple of interesting conversations with the PA State Atty. General's Office and my standing offer to CI/Cbid to post my stories to every Cigar BB on the Net.

Steve Duca
Click to expand...

Meaning they did something illegal or defrauded you? Has to be pretty bad to contact the State Atty Generals Office :whistling:

Brian
 
Infinity said:
sduke said:
I could fill a book (really!) describing my misadventures with these jokers. Out of five orders, they've screwed up four (and I have the screenshots and correspondence to prove it), leading to a couple of interesting conversations with the PA State Atty. General's Office and my standing offer to CI/Cbid to post my stories to every Cigar BB on the Net.

Steve Duca
Click to expand...

Meaning they did something illegal or defrauded you? Has to be pretty bad to contact the State Atty Generals Office :whistling:

Brian
Click to expand...


Yes, unfortunately, that's correct. I'm sure we've all read CP posts documenting the,occasional um, less-than-straightforward methods they employ: placing singles in the full-box listings, substituting a couple of their house-brand sticks for better-quality cigars in samplers, and so on.

These things have happened to me more than once (yes, I should have learned my lesson); not to mention a three-month delay in shipping a simple five-pack (which they didn't have in stock at the time of the auction--and still don't, though they continue to list it). Nothing I have ever received from these chumps has ever--not once--included any packing material of any kind whatsoever--the material is simply tossed into an empty box.

There is no communication initiated by CI/Cbid except for painfully slow responses to my repeated inquiries.

For me, the last straw occurred a few weeks ago. I was one of three "lucky winners" of an old-style CAO Criollo four-drawer box, pictured and specifically described as such. Of course, as soon as I received the delivery, I didn't even have to open the box to know that I'd been screwed--it was a new-style box, complete with a deep crack the width of the boxtop. It required two emails, two phone calls and three weeks total to get them to admit (in a pathetically hilarious email) to a cock-and-bull story about how the original boxes "disappeared" in the 24 hours necessary to pack/send my order (also with no packing material at all). Again, I have all the relevant information, including the original auction page.

And yes, it ticked me off. We all make mistakes (I sure do), but what were they thinking--that I was too stupid to notice the difference? And what about the other two "winners"? What did they receive?

With these numbnuts, there seems to be a discernible pattern of these bonehead "mistakes"--and that's what bothers me--the pattern.

This was the point where I contacted the State Atty. General, frustrated to no end. Interestingly, the nice lady there told me it wasn't the first complaint they'd received about this outfit.

And here's the punch line: not fifteen minutes after I emailed the details of that conversation to Cbid, I received a return email promising to refund my money the next day (they did) and offering me the useless box as a consolation prize.

In summary, I consider the practice of accepting money in exchange for something you knowingly can't/won't deliver to be fraud. The CAO box was the last straw. Frankly, it was a damned insult, for them to consider this transaction complete by sending me
this (damaged) piece of junk. And I still don't have the damned box I wanted!

Not to mention, I'm still in cardiac rehab and believe me, I'm Nobody's Sweetheart these days. I'm sure that had something to do with my reaction--maybe it allowed me to overcome my inhibitions. By nature, I'm not a confrontational person.

A couple of my buddies have their own (documented) horror stories.

Hey, Master, if you're out there--do these jackasses qualify for the Scumbag List?

I know this was too long--thanks for letting me vent.

Steve D.
 
coventrycat86 said:
Randyb1 said:
I've also had alot of luck with seriouscigars.comfor singles
;)
Click to expand...

While I've never bought singles from serious, I've never had problems with purchases I've made from them. Good call Randy! :thumbs:
Click to expand...

About every time I've bought a box or two from them, I was always adding five or six single to the order, it was always packaged great, with a humipack, and if I was in a hurry, back when Fed Ex delivered their cigars, I could order before two in the afternoon, and get them delivered in under 24 hrs. Of course I had to pay a little extra for that.
 
Its an interesting marketing phenomonon. Do a good job and your customer will be back. He'll usually refer a few buddies who ask. Piss him off, however, and not only is it your last transaction, but he'll tell everyone who will listen.
 
This is weird, wonder if they have changed management or something.

I used to buy from c-bid and never had any complaints. If they ran out of my auction win, I was offered a choice of fair substitutions before they shipped. One time a delivery was suspected as lost, and one e-mail later, they promptly resent the order-it arrived, no fuss.

About a year to a year and a half ago, I wandered away from c-bid and haven't ordered since. No good reason, just got bored with it.

Sounds like things have changed.
 
Apologies for last night's rant. It's amazing how one's demeanor can change in the light of a new day--and with a massive dose of (legally-prescribed) painkillers. :)

I'm no less pissed off today, but I did want to say thanks to: Islesfan, for taking the initiative to get to the bottom of this; BrewMeister, Randyb1 and CC86 who all suggested/confirmed alternative sources for singles.

Thanks, guys.

Steve
 
Sorry to hear about your medical problems. Hope you get well soon.

I've recieved quite a few things from CBID in the past, and overall I've been quite happy. I've had 3 problems out of 20 transactions over the several years. All 3 problems were easily handled by the customer service people. On one occasion, On 2 of the 3 occasions, I revieved cigars with damaged wrappers (one was a 5er with 5 damaged wrappers, one was a 5er with 2 damaged wrappers). Customer service was easily accessible and they offered to refund my money (which they did wothout a hitch). On the 3rd occasion, I was the highest bidder for a 5er they didn't have in stock. I called them and canceled the order without any problems either.

In the end, you get what you pay for. You can get things pretty cheap on there, but you might get the occasional problem. Also, a lot of the cigars on there aren't worth smoking.
 
Smokyballs,

Many thanks for the generous offer. I don't have much to trade, but I'd be happy to pay you for it, plus reimburse you for packing, postage, time, gasoline, etc.--and of course I'll send my end first.

Thanks again.

PM sent.

Steve Duca
 
Sorry to hear about your troubles but I have gotten a few orders from C-bid and CI and they have always come out fine. Had an issue a few weeks back and they made it right after an email. A far as the detective work I'm just wondering why CI would have a third site? Maybe its another group sharing that warehouse of theirs. I'm not a CI fanboy by any means but that site doesn't look like anything of the others and the wording isn't that witty ass sarcasm they usually throw out. I would let them work it out and look for another retailer. As far as adding to a scumbag list you need to relax. So far only one negative comment I can find and even the State Attorney said you were the first wahoo to report them. Anyway if they suck don't by five different times from them or whatever. Google some searches on cigar retailers or browse the retailers forum here. Scumbag list after a screwup from a retailer............Relax on the medication....It'll be sunny tomorrow.
 
jaxstraww said:
Sorry to hear about your troubles but I have gotten a few orders from C-bid and CI and they have always come out fine. Had an issue a few weeks back and they made it right after an email. A far as the detective work I'm just wondering why CI would have a third site? Maybe its another group sharing that warehouse of theirs. I'm not a CI fanboy by any means but that site doesn't look like anything of the others and the wording isn't that witty ass sarcasm they usually throw out. I would let them work it out and look for another retailer. As far as adding to a scumbag list you need to relax. So far only one negative comment I can find and even the State Attorney said you were the first wahoo to report them. Anyway if they suck don't by five different times from them or whatever. Google some searches on cigar retailers or browse the retailers forum here. Scumbag list after a screwup from a retailer............Relax on the medication....It'll be sunny tomorrow.
Click to expand...


Jaxstraww,

Your comments are well-taken and appreciated. I'll admit that I came on prettry strong in my original posts. Just to be clear: I wasn't trying to send cigar.com to the Scumbag List, rather CI/Cbid. And it wasn't "a" screwup that led me to that opinion, but, as I said, a pattern of sloppy or non-existent customer service along with questionable (at best) auction listings. Despite my admitted blunders in dealing with CI/Cbid, I consider myself fairly savvy in my purchasing. My concern is for the real newbies, the rookies who bid sixty bucks on an Opus "mistakenly" listed in the full-box column, and are surprised when they don't receive a full box.

A casual Search of CP will turn up (at least) a couple handfuls of stories like this.

Jax, as an occasional contributor to the heavily-moderated (censored?) cigarbid "forum" (where seldom is heard a discouraging word--or else they ban your ass) surely you're aware of some of these horror stories and complaints.

Remember the Fidalgo Negro fiasco? It took a friend of mine two days to get the artificially-painted maduro coloring off his hands, lips and tongue.

And just to set the record straight: the lady at the Atty. General's office told me that I was not the first to register a complaint.

(My original post was made yesterday. If you were able to find a way to contact that office on a Saturday evening or Sunday morning, please share the phone number with us--it might come in handy someday).

Yes, I should have learned my lesson the first time. But after dealing with so many up-and-up vendors over the past 30+ years, it was simply difficult for me to process the possibility that a vendor might not have my best interests at heart. I admit it--I'm a Stooge (but not a "wahoo"--I'm not even sure what that means).

And on a strictly personal note--I think the drug reference was uncalled for (imagine how nasty I would have been last night without them). ;)

I hope this sheds a bit of clarification on my earlier posts. But if not--I've got plenty more, and all the documentation and correspondence to illustrate my points.

Final note: if you guys want to kill some time, take a look at the cigarbid.com forum pages. It's a knee-slappin' laff-riot. But fer Gawd's sake, don't ever make even an oblique reference to any other vendor. They'll kick you off the board faster than you can say "Hey Moe!"

Thanks for reading,

Steve Duca
 
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