smithbw,

I am going through all my humidors as we speak and sending you every Buc I own. Hell, I probably owe you more than that anyway!

Cbid... Help the guy out already!?!?!? What the heck is a box of 'gars to the loyality of a long standing customer, no matter what the reason.

Oh yes, one last thing, SEND ROBBY SOME C-BID MATCHES!!!

Respectfully,

PT 😞

In other words ... you paid anywhere from $4 to $17 BELOW the 2002 dealer pricing (at an auction win at $76 for one box) ...

... and you expect them to give you another box at that price, and you keep the one that you claim is damaged.

Not to say you are dishonest, which I'm sure you are not ... but why can't you understand that they have to follow their policies (any auction must have certain policies in place), or think of how many folks could take advantage ...

Man this is starting to suck. A customer like smithbw that has been on Cbid for five years is about to leave because of poor customer service. He
is an asset to this web site! He was around when Cbid
was just starting up(he probably knows Hupcap),when there was only a couple of members. They did low volume but he still supported the site. With the volume Cbid does now, they must be getting so many price breaks and freebees from these cigar companys and suppliers it would make our heads spin. I do enjoy Cbid a lot but, I can't blame smithbw for leaving. All it takes is one bad customer service experience and you look at a company totally different. Good Luck Smithbw, I always enjoyed reading your post.

Ice

P.S. Robby, I feel your pain 😞

OK, I'm starting to understand and here are a few "standard" policy items that might help - unfortunately this case doesn't fall under just on (and trust me, our CSRs have been drilled on these):

1. If an item is missing in transit, they need to wait the prescribed period as stated by UPS and USPS. To an APO location like smithbw's, the wait is longer, unfortunately. Our carriers set these rules, not CBID.

2. If the customer requests a replacement before the end of the prescribed period, offer to send a replacement, but the customer will be charged the replacement until we receive confirmation that the first package is lost. Then, a full credit is applied. If the first package shows up, it is to be returned and upon return a refund is issued.

3. In the auction environment, a customer cannot purchase additional items for the winning bid price. For example, if you win a box of 5 Vegas Robusto for $50 and you want 2 more boxes later, sorry, you need to bid again.

Unfortunately, it sounds like you are attempting to get a second box for your winning bid price. I see where our CSRs would have objected here. I don't see how extending this part of the policy would be fair to other bidders and other customers who attempt to do the same thing every day.

I welcome your agreement or disagreement here. I believe these policies are pretty fair.

- Gonz

I also had a shipment that went missing as well. UPS claims they left it on my front porch at 3:30 p.m. but when I arrived home at midnight it wasn’t there. I contacted customer service and they said they would have to place a trace on the package. Once that was complete, and if the package didn’t turn up, they would reship my order. That was last Monday and they emailed me today to say my replacements are being shipped. I can’t complain with that at all. It kind of sucked having to wait the extra couple of weeks to finally get my cigars but after all it was UPS’s fault not there’s. I also had the option of getting my shipment sent out that day, but they would have to recharge my card for the replacements until the trace was complete, at which time they would credit my card for they original shipment if it didn’t turn up. I chose to wait. You apparently chose not to wait. That was your choice. No you expect them to give up a second box to you? Sounds to me like you are trying to weasel your way into getting a second box for the price you won the first one for. That’s just not the way an auction works. You won one box, you received one box. What else do you want?

Slim - Insurance (As You Know) which is charged to boxes over 50.00 if exactly for that purpose. To cover the damaged products. Like I said 5 sticks are salvageable and can be resold by Cbid.

I will gladly return the contents of this box for a "Replacement"!

As for MSRP - Get Real - NoBody pays that - Unless they don't do their homework.

Regards,


B

For crying out loud!
Send him another freakin box! A refund? A credit reimbursement for a freakin box you put on auction almost daily? Are you running that low on supply? On top of that, you let it escalate to this level? CS 101 should dictate that the "rules" of engagement with customers are only a guideline. You need to do a better job with the rep that handled this instead of giving someone a customer service handbook that they undoubtedly followed to the freakin letter! This is what makes an outstanding site come down to the level of most other sites. Fix it Cbid. Your still the best out there and now's the time to prove it.

We'll miss you Billy, but I have ways to keep in contact brother. And by the way, I have a box of churchills and a box of robustos you can pick from to hold you over till you get a box. Just let me know.

I agree with Bill, Customer service here is not what it cracked up to be. I too had a similar experience with c/s. I will not go in to details, I also will keep bidding here. for now.

Regards Ray

Gonz - I paid for two boxes and expect to get two boxes. I am not trying to Circumvent policy, or get over on the system. Simply expected to receive an intact product for the price that I paid.

I am returning the second damaged box for a refund and as previously stated "Leaving CBid."

I thank everyone for the fond memories. Like I said in my initial message - What A Ride!

God Speed to you All and Blow Some Smoke to the East!


Regards,


B

I, too, am surprised by this news.
But we must respect Billy for his decision. Perhaps he'll come to terms (and peace) with CBid. Or maybe not.
But to sound incredulous at his situation does nothing to change his mind, and may actually further his resolve to stay away.

Myself, I think Billy and CBid will come to a solution in private. As it should be.

Good luck, brother Billy.
You should be getting your smokes anytime now if not received already. Let me know if they arrive OK, because I've got a few more with your name on them.

Peace.

And my matches? I'm not kidding, I've sent several emails to customer service requesting matches. My pleas go un-answered. I would think at a 1,400 dollar a year run rate, it would be worth a freakin box or two of matches? Or at least an email from customer service when I send emails to customer service asking why no matches when I ask for matches? Gonz, it may seem like a little thing to you, but isn't it the little things that make service you receive from a company you do business with worthy of your business? A warm smile? A genuinely propitious greeting? A heartfelt thank you? Does a few lousy boxes of matches really seem like too much to ask? Seriously? (yes seriously). If a 1400 dollar a year customer is not important to you then please, by all means, make a joke, laugh, belittle the request. Check my account if you doubt my business. This is the same thing Billy is talking about. If customer service really is world class, then you would value each and every customer as if they were made of solid gold. That's how you build your cliental. I know cbid has grown and is growing, but complaints are like cockroaches, where there’s one or two you see, there are many more hiding… A word to the wise, don’t take your customers for granted. The big ones, the small ones, the seemingly unreasonable, the seemingly inane, don’t take your customers for granted.

Stand and deliver... Cbid... Stand and deliver...

And PLEASE SEND ROBBY SOME MATCHES FOR GOODNESS SAKE!

Respectfully.

PT

Robby, calm down man. I'll send you my two boxes of matches if they mean that much to you!!

I'm hoping you’re joking here, I mean you are bidding on and receiving cigars at what would most likely be unheard of prices unless you overbid a lot. Isn't that enough for you? Why would you expect more freebies than that?

I know for fact that I have saved at least 30% - 80% off retail on every bid I have won here. I also don't see anywhere on their site that says they will include free matches.

Besides, I think it’s fun to go through my box every time I get a shipment to see if I got another box of matches. Not only would it take the fun out of it, but it would also take away from their appeal to just have them send you some every time you request them.

just my opinion....

Just bought a box of Don Tom Dominican Belicosos for 49 bux (not from CBid) normally well over 100 bux. They came today in fact. There are good deals to be had here, yes! BI don't dispute that. But there are good deals to be had elsewhere for anyone with a browser and access to Google and the interest to look.

If you were a proprietor, if you ran your own business, and I made such a simple request, several times, would you ignore it? Repeatedly?

smithbw --- I didn't say MSRP ... I said the '2002 Dealer Pricing'. I don't know if those prices have gone up this year ... but I'm sure thy haven't gone down.

Bing an Ambassador for Bucanero cigars, I have a pricing list of what it costs the tobacconists to buy each of the lines direct from the factory ... and I stand by what I said.

I don't know the volume of cigars that CI buys from Bucanero, and if it's fairly large, they may get an even greater price break ... but I'm sure it's not going to be that much lower.

I still hate to see you get your 'panties in a wad' over something that is policy for an auction site. You won one box .... and paid for one box (as you will get your refund when the damaged box is returned). I just don't see how you, or anyone else, can expect them to make and exception for you ... and not very one else who may have a similar problem in the future.

Sorry to see you go over something like this ...

Slim, why don't you just slam the door on his way out?


And Robby,
Since you're not joking, we can't laugh with you.
But there's nothing to stop us from laughing AT you...

Besides, matches leave a sulfur taste.

Easy now fellas. I wasn't proposing a solution, just trying to understand what's going on. Every situation is different and should be handled according to the circumstances of the situation. Some agree, some disagree, life goes on.

smithbw, we'll be in touch tomorrow, I need to get some sleep tonight, we'll resolve this.

robby, I love reading your posts, I belly-laugh when I read them - shucks, I know your pulling my chain, being that "worked up" (wink, wink) over matches is just too darn funny. OK, ok, you got me, I'll make sure you get some of Lowman's matches!!!!

Indeed. I don't light my cigars with them. I just wanted a pack or two. And they certainly don't cost? But they seem to be collectable and I wanted another box. Is it an unreasonable request to ask that they throw in a box now and then? For one of their good customers? Is this really an unreasonable request?

If you ran a restaurant, would you begrudge a patron a toothpick after a meal? If you ran a service station, would you begrudge a customer a paper towel to keep the gas smell off of their hands?

If you sold hotdogs, would you not provide mustard? Catsup?

When you go to Taco Bell, do you ask for hot sauce with your taco? Did you actually buy the hot sauce? Nope. It’s something extra. Suppose you asked for hot sauce and they said no? Suppose you only got hot sauce every 5th or 10th taco and you couldn’t figure it out, i.e., when do you get the hot sauce? And you’d brought this to the attention of the management. And they still would not give you hot sauce, would you think this odd?

It’s not exactly like asking for free shipping, or bonus sticks, it’s a box of matches. I mean, if you go to a bar, they sit them up there in a glass, there are packs of them. They’re free. So what is the cost, 1 cent? 2 cents? I just don’t get it.

Lowman --- why don't you send Robby the six boxes of CigarBid matches I sent you awhile back as a joke ...

... I know you don't use them ... LOL!

Ok, I'll sleep well knowing that my matches are stowed away, waiting patiently for my next order. I'll email customer service before the shipment and I'll be sure to order during a timeframe where the relative humidity is low and there is little chance of rain. However, my tears of joy on seeing my matches may defeat the purpose. We shall see! I still say you guys should send Billy his Bucs.