Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
The red rubber of Gina K. Stamps is really nice and very good quality. I have most of the Nina Brackett stamps from Gina K and these are not thin rubber. Are you sure they are Gina K. Stamps?
Gina K. has the best customer service! You will love ordering from her!!
Since I posted my earlier message, I have placed two orders with Gina K and I have loved the service and the pre-cut stamps. The stamp I had at home was not by Nina Brackett but it was by Gina K Designs and it is a very thin rubber. Could have been a defective one (that happens) as all the sets I have ordered since posting have been a thicker rubber. I didn't purchase the set. It was a gift from a friend so, I'm not complaining. I'm very happy with the quality of what I've purchased so far and the service is exemplary!!;):p
So sorry LM for your bad experience, especially after 10 adequate ones. It is sad that they continually distrust and blame the customer for their own problems instead of seeing them as the LIFEBLOOD of their business. Yet they seem not to care and thumb their noses at all of the very bad press that they cause and then go out of their way to do more out of spite (it seems). Very sad.
I have the Sunshine IP, and have used it once without an issue. Now I'm wondering when it will start showing both sides pushing through. Where is the information on the recall? I haven't seen the information on their main forums, and had no idea there was an issue.
Since I posted my earlier message, I have placed two orders with Gina K and I have loved the service and the pre-cut stamps. The stamp I had at home was not by Nina Brackett but it was by Gina K Designs and it is a very thin rubber. Could have been a defective one (that happens) as all the sets I have ordered since posting have been a thicker rubber. I didn't purchase the set. It was a gift from a friend so, I'm not complaining. I'm very happy with the quality of what I've purchased so far and the service is exemplary!!;):p
Jennifer,
Contact customer service at [email protected] and let them know what stamp set you have that's too thin. We will be more than happy to replace it.
Hugs,
Gina K.
__________________ Be polite to those who are rude to you. Not because they are nice, but because you are.
Owner- Gina K. Designs
^^ Now THAT is customer service! Gina K is a class act.
PS. Gina taught me how to use the Cuttlebug at the very first stamping expo I went to when I was a newbie. It was like the coolest tool ever. After that little lesson, a friend and I went out and got our own machines. Now I'm hooked.
I've kept my mouth shut a long time about PTI as I do love their stamps but they're getting stale. I've been lied to so many times and one other unspeakable that I won't mention. The last several orders I placed, the majority of my stamps have been defective. They want me to send them in to get replaced when they should pay for it. They had a website issue, which is nothing new as the new website is awful, and I was not credited my points for a large purchase. It's always blame the customer. An ink pad I received had leaked through the bottom and I was told it was okay and doesn't affect my stamping. Hello? I purchased a new ink pad for full price, not a defective one. I have several entire stamp sets that I need to send back to get exchanged. It is always blaming the customer and issues are not resolved in a timely manner. After Jennifer left, I had to deal with the same customer issues for 5 months and then was told that I'll never be happy. I don't appreciate insults when I'm putting food on your table. You try to work with people and be as nice as you can but the mass exodus of key personnel and designers scream trouble in paradise. I've just been lied to too many times and WPlus9 has the majority of exact images and dies that PTI does so not everything is hand designed as claimed. The designs are purchased from a website with a commercial license and then tweaked by Illustrator and that's how they put them together. I found out which website it was and there are all of my stamp sets there. Every single impression plate has warped after one use and I know how to use my Big Shot or any other machine with these plates. I do not have that problem with other companies who use impression plates. The rudeness and complete lack of customer service has turned me off and I don't support companies like that, especially the dishonesty. It's clearly stated on the website that they plan out a year in advance, customers will make comments about something they want and voila! It shows up in the next release or two. I can understand having a few sets made on the fly to keep up with trend but be honest about it when the introductory post is presented please.
I went to the website that the images are purchased from, and you know I can't tell you here for TOS, made a few stamp sets of my own purchasing a personal license. I even looked at Cheery Lynn for dies but remembered I had a Silhouette and just scanned the image and instant die-cut.
I love the direction that GK is taking her company in while saving us money too. She has a few ex-illustrators and DT on board from PTI, MFT has Lisa Johnson, who, after being with the company since it's inception got a generic send off which didn't sit right with me. That is all personal stuff and I need to keep this to service issues. I am not happy and it's not because of me, it's because of the lack of prompt customer service, a totally user unfriendly website, changing the storage impacting customers financially, and a lot of other changes that are not necessary when they have bigger problems. Lately, it's always taken 2+ weeks to get my release and since I'm PST and they're EST, I'm done within 5 minutes of the release going live which means I should get my stuff pretty darn fast. They are also the only company without a publication incentive.
Even though I am an SU demo, I still like to play with some other products, such as MFT, GKD, and ODBD, TE, and other stuff but do not make the investment in them like I used to. I got product overload and too much is too much. I personally feel like I've been deceived with a lot of things when it comes to this company. Customer loyalty is not appreciated.
I With so many choices, consumers should not have to endure Papertrey Ink�s �distrust and conceal� philosophy.
My feelings, exactly.
And sorry to say, this behaviour pattern has existed -- and gradually increased -- over the 4 years I shopped from them (and bought plenty). The calibre of design kept me going back, but I've now stopped.
As you said, the big news from Gina K in the last couple of months--all their new sets are available in your choice of rubber or CLEAR! I've ordered from them before, but no stamp sets. And I don't have any clear stamps, because I've heard that they don't produce crisp detail like deeply etched rubber. But I've watched some of Gina's great videos, and it looks way easier to place your image/greeting with the clear stamps. I use a Stamp-a-ma-Jig a lot and happily. but this looks *so* much easier.
As for the style, I haven't been moved to order until the release just a day or two ago of the Tropical Nature set designed by Theresa Momber. Wow! It is beautiful. So I'm thinking of breaking down and ordering it in clear, to give clear stamps a try!
BTW, I have GKD clear stamps and they are so high quality that they do not stain. What a nice surprise. I also get a perfect image every single time.
I've kept my mouth shut a long time about PTI as I do love their stamps but they're getting stale. I've been lied to so many times and one other unspeakable that I won't mention. The last several orders I placed, the majority of my stamps have been defective. They want me to send them in to get replaced when they should pay for it. They had a website issue, which is nothing new as the new website is awful, and I was not credited my points for a large purchase. It's always blame the customer. An ink pad I received had leaked through the bottom and I was told it was okay and doesn't affect my stamping. Hello? I purchased a new ink pad for full price, not a defective one. I have several entire stamp sets that I need to send back to get exchanged. It is always blaming the customer and issues are not resolved in a timely manner. After Jennifer left, I had to deal with the same customer issues for 5 months and then was told that I'll never be happy. I don't appreciate insults when I'm putting food on your table. You try to work with people and be as nice as you can but the mass exodus of key personnel and designers scream trouble in paradise. I've just been lied to too many times and WPlus9 has the majority of exact images and dies that PTI does so not everything is hand designed as claimed. The designs are purchased from a website with a commercial license and then tweaked by Illustrator and that's how they put them together. I found out which website it was and there are all of my stamp sets there. Every single impression plate has warped after one use and I know how to use my Big Shot or any other machine with these plates. I do not have that problem with other companies who use impression plates. The rudeness and complete lack of customer service has turned me off and I don't support companies like that, especially the dishonesty. It's clearly stated on the website that they plan out a year in advance, customers will make comments about something they want and voila! It shows up in the next release or two. I can understand having a few sets made on the fly to keep up with trend but be honest about it when the introductory post is presented please.
I went to the website that the images are purchased from, and you know I can't tell you here for TOS, made a few stamp sets of my own purchasing a personal license. I even looked at Cheery Lynn for dies but remembered I had a Silhouette and just scanned the image and instant die-cut.
I love the direction that GK is taking her company in while saving us money too. She has a few ex-illustrators and DT on board from PTI, MFT has Lisa Johnson, who, after being with the company since it's inception got a generic send off which didn't sit right with me. That is all personal stuff and I need to keep this to service issues. I am not happy and it's not because of me, it's because of the lack of prompt customer service, a totally user unfriendly website, changing the storage impacting customers financially, and a lot of other changes that are not necessary when they have bigger problems. Lately, it's always taken 2+ weeks to get my release and since I'm PST and they're EST, I'm done within 5 minutes of the release going live which means I should get my stuff pretty darn fast. They are also the only company without a publication incentive.
Even though I am an SU demo, I still like to play with some other products, such as MFT, GKD, and ODBD, TE, and other stuff but do not make the investment in them like I used to. I got product overload and too much is too much. I personally feel like I've been deceived with a lot of things when it comes to this company. Customer loyalty is not appreciated.
Jennifer left?? When did this happen? I absolutely dread contacting customer service. I have a defective impression plate and inkpad. I'm not really keen on paying for shipping to them, especially when I received defective products :confused:
They do reimburse shipping for defective products
However, proving that the product is defective is like pulling teeth
There was a case where someone had a defective die, had it sent in, had customer service "test" it on their machine, was told it works fine and got
The die back in the mail
Scratching my head at the majority or their customer sevice decisions
I made one stamp purchase from PTI without incident several years ago and was satisfied with the product. I began reading unfavorable reviews of the company then and haven't purchased anything since. I can't help thinking that whatever they're doing, however much it aggravates people (not just on this board), must be right. After years of complaints without redress, they're still in business. In fact, their message boards became more restrictive, and their attitude toward customers seems to have worsened. Maybe a lot of people like this tough attitude. Maybe they convey the sense that they know what they're doing and that their complaining customers are off the wall. Or maybe they're selling their business and genuinely don't care. In either case, I haven't seen any news about Chapter 11, and buyers are keeping them in business.
I made one stamp purchase from PTI without incident several years ago and was satisfied with the product. I began reading unfavorable reviews of the company then and haven't purchased anything since. I can't help thinking that whatever they're doing, however much it aggravates people (not just on this board), must be right. After years of complaints without redress, they're still in business. In fact, their message boards became more restrictive, and their attitude toward customers seems to have worsened. Maybe a lot of people like this tough attitude. Maybe they convey the sense that they know what they're doing and that their complaining customers are off the wall. Or maybe they're selling their business and genuinely don't care. In either case, I haven't seen any news about Chapter 11, and buyers are keeping them in business.
I don't think I agree with the statement that whatever they are doing, must be right. It is not. Rudeness and discourtesy are never right. A company may set whatever policies they want, but it is how they treat people that defines their customer service (or lack thereof) IMO. And I don't care how successful or how big a company is, if they don't treat customers/people with respect, they aren't doing it right.
I think the many comments & complaints have been building over time. Some people have mentioned attempting to get issues resolved for months. I can understand them thinking maybe it is just them - they happen to be that one in a million customer that had a hard time. But first one person reached frustration level & had the courage to post something, and then another, and another, and another. There have been more than a few people on this thread and others on SCS like it who have stated that they will not or will no longer buy from this company. It may not happen overnight, but if all these people do follow through, that has to affect the company's bottom line eventually. Especially if people talk about it and word continues to spread. I first heard about issues with the company on this board, but I have since seen similar discussions on other boards as well - so the information is spreading out there.
We aren't privy to the financial statements, so while it may be true they are still in business or buyers are still keeping them in business, we aren't going to see their bottom line. Maybe since these threads cropped up, their profit has dropped 50%. Maybe it has dropped 25%. Maybe it has only dropped 5%. Maybe it has dropped 75%. Maybe it is unchanged. Unless the company suddenly announces it is closing, or bankruptcy or sale or something, we really have no way of knowing if/how much this is affecting their bottom line. And even then the info likely wouldn't be made public. This thread & others like it could be severely impacting their bottom line, but we may never know.
I think there will always be a segment of the population that are new stampers or stampers who are new to PTI who will buy because they have never heard of the issues.
I think PTI has some unique and neat stamps/dies/products, and there will be a segment who will buy "just this once" because they cannot get anything similar anywhere else.
I think from posts in this thread it is quite obvious there is a segment of the stamping population who will never buy from them again.
I think there is a segment of the population who will continue to be loyal to and buy from PTI regardless of the issues.
Whether the 1st, 2nd and 4th segments of the population are enough to sustain the company as is or grow it larger long term is something that remains to be seen.
__________________ "You may not have lost all your marbles, but there's definitely a hole in the bag." Grumpy Cat
Cindy, thanks for the referral to WPlus9. I checked out their blog and their new release looks great. And, yes, it is similar to Papertry Ink. There are hexagons, both stamps and dies, and pinking squares for the patchwork look. Very nice!
Rudeness and discourtesy are never right. A company may set whatever policies they want, but it is how they treat people that defines their customer service (or lack thereof) IMO. And I don't care how successful or how big a company is, if they don't treat customers/people with respect, they aren't doing it right.
__________________________________________________ __
Of course this is correct in the large scheme of things. And we can be morally outraged as much as we like. But how, with years of poor customer service and product failures, are they still in business if something they're doing isn't good for business? Is it the popularity of their products that carries them? Is it the quality of their artists, especially Betsy Veldman? or are they capitalized 50 years out? I'm sincerely wondering how they do it.
Rudeness and discourtesy are never right. A company may set whatever policies they want, but it is how they treat people that defines their customer service (or lack thereof) IMO. And I don't care how successful or how big a company is, if they don't treat customers/people with respect, they aren't doing it right.
__________________________________________________ __
Of course this is correct in the large scheme of things. And we can be morally outraged as much as we like. But how, with years of poor customer service and product failures, are they still in business if something they're doing isn't good for business? Is it the popularity of their products that carries them? Is it the quality of their artists, especially Betsy Veldman? or are they capitalized 50 years out? I'm sincerely wondering how they do it.
I think it is a really relevant consideration. I have wondered that myself. How can a company treat their customers this way over defective products and still be in business in this economy? I have a PTI designs wishlist longer than a football field but I have never taken the leap. I had issues with another company (that finally got resolved very satisfactorily) and that left a sour taste for me. Even put me off using the product which I had purchased, so I wouldn't even contemplate starting the process with a company with such known issues.
What concerns me is how many people can take the use of the products we already have as a mark of endorsement. There are multiple very well known blogs that use PTI that still give them a positive face to any would be purchaser. TBH if I didn't belong to SCS I would never have known about the ongoing issue. One of the blogs I follow mentioned it in the spring and then still gushes over their product. I have no issue with anyone using their purchased products (I still have plenty of Provocraft) however, I do think there needs to be an ongoing honesty with the reader that is probably uncomfortable for most bloggers to broach.
Last edited by RiverIsis; 08-08-2012 at 05:22 AM..
Here's my take on PTI...IMHO
PTI does in fact carry some wonderful products. As long as you don't it want fast or have any issues or need anything special this is the place!! But if you need it within a certain timeline - don't bet bet on it, if there is a problem - well, that's gonna be a problem!! Here's my analogy.... It like when you want a hamburger! If you want it fast and don't care what they put on it or how they cook it - head to McDonald's. But if you don't want the onions or want mayo instead of mustard - go find a good hamburger joint and tip the waitress when you're done!!!
So you ask - if PTI is McDonald's in this analogy, who is the good hamburger joint? Well I don't a one in all place to send you to. But I can tell that when purchasing items online I try very hard to support the little people if you know what I mean! If they get too big for their britches and forget about those that got them to where they are and allow their customer service to deteriorate, well then it's time I go somewhere else - clearly they don't need/want my business anymore!!
And that's all I have to say about that!! {don't you just love Forrest Gump!!}
__________________ Stacy
Shabby Jo Designs Fan Club Member My Gallery / My Blog
[QUOTE=RiverIsis;19605961]I think it is a really relevant consideration. I have wondered that myself. How can a company treat their customers this way over defective products and still be in business in this economy? I have a PTI designs wishlist longer than a football field but I have never taken the leap. I had issues with another company (that finally got resolved very satisfactorily) and that left a sour taste for me. Even put me off using the product which I had purchased, so I wouldn't even contemplate starting the process with a company with such known issues.
I have been a lurker on these boards for a while, and have followed this post, as well as others complaining about PTI. I have also been following the boards at PTI for a few months. I am well aware of the problems with PTI that many customers have posted about. The reason I decided to post today is because I keep seeing the recurring question that with all the problems that PTI has with customer service, how can they still be in business. Although I don't have the answer to that question, I can say why I'm still a customer of Papertrey Ink.
I have been a PTI customer for about 1 year and have only been stamping and cardmaking for a little longer than that. I heard about them on some You Tube channels that I watch. I have a somewhat limited crafting budget, so I'm not able to order every month. But 90% of the money I spend on this hobby is spent on PTI.
During the year I've been their customer, I have ordered from them about 8 times. Every time I have ordered enough to get the free shipping, and only once I've ordered during release time. I don't really mind the shipping delays, but I don't like buying things impulsively. I rather think about it for a while and if I still want something a month or 2 after, then I buy it.
I have been happy with everything I have ordered, and have never had any problems.
With that being said, I know that with all the problems I've heard about I'm taking a chance every time I order from them. So why do I still choose to spend my money on this company? Frankly, because I have not been able to find another company that has similar products that also suits my style. I absolutely love every single product from this company, and when you compare their products with other of the same quality, theirs have a much better price, and when you're on a budget, that matters. But the one thing that really keeps me is the design of their stamps, and all the projects that are made by the design team every month.
Although, I have search every company that 's been mentioned hear as having comparable product to PTI, I have not found a company that has stamps that even come close to their innovative designs. I don't color nor own any Copic markers, and I really like that with their multi step stamps you can add color and depth to your images by just using different color inks.
Do I worry that I may have a problem with my order and that it may not be resolved to my satisfaction in the future? Yes, but for now at least that doesn't keep me from ordering. I like their product enough that I'm willing to take a chance, and I'm sure there are many more people like me. And that is at least in part why Papertrey Ink is still in business.
I may be naive, but I'm still hopeful that they might eventually improve their customer service issues.
I've also heard that no publicity is bad publicity. There may be people that have never heard of Papertrey before this thread and others like it and decided to check them out. After seeing the designs, they took their chances and ordered.
RiverIsis, I think we have a good answer: it's the popularity of the products along with people's willingness to gamble. As long as popular tastes don't change, they're in business. I'm cautious and won't gamble a cent of my hard earned money, and my tastes are inconsistent and all over the place so I'll stay away. Their poor customer service saves them a ton of money, and they know their market well enough to gamble on their products' popularity. What their business practices do to them as individuals, we can't know. Only rare individuals are able to see what goes around comes around in a personal sense.
There are a couple of things that I would like to add to my post from yesterday that I failed to mention, since my post was turning out to be quite lengthy.
First, I really don't think that PTI has any malicious or bad intent towards any customers. I doubt that any of their decisions are meant to intentionally cause harm to anyone. I just think that they have poor business management and customer service skills that result in poor decision making. I don't believe that any busines in their right minds would intentionally set out to infuriate their customers. It is just hard for small business to find the right balance between making a profit (which is the main reason people go into business to begin with) and pleasing their customers.
Secondly, I also believe that customers' expectations from businesses can vary greatly from one person to another. A lot of the things that have been mentioned as complaints against Papertrey are not things that really bother me. I don't really mind having to wait a few more days for my order. Although the new website is somewhat difficult to navigate, I have been able to figure out my way around it and find anything I need. I believe PTI has the right to decide what they allow to be posted or not in their forum. The only thing that would affect me is if I ever were to order a product that was defective and I would not be able to exchage it or return it.
Like I stated in my previous post, I have been very happy with all my purchases. But if it ever came a day when I needed to return something and I would not be able to do so, at that point I would have to make the decision whether or not I want to continue to purchase from them.
One thing I know for sure, if purchasing from Papertrey Ink, or any other company for that matter, would cause me stress in any way, I would not do so.
I totally understand why some people choose not to purchase from Papertrey Ink, and I can totally respect that. But I don't think it's right that people that choose to still purchase from them should be criticized for doing so, or even for promoting the products or the company if they are satisfied with them and choose to do so. Nor do I believe this should be turned into a personal, moral or ethical issue.
In my opinion, in the grand scheme of things, it is only stamps and paper. There are a lot more important things to get upset over and stand up for.
I myself have been trying to decide whether to take a gamble and order from PTI. I have been reading comments all year, so I was kind of scared. I finally broke down, since I wasnt ordering anything I needed, now, AND it wasnt new release time, I ordered. I have to say, I ordered I think Monday or Tuesday not sure which and I got it today, Saturday!!! That is fast!!! So I am a happy camper with Papertrey Ink and since they have such great things I will be ordering from them again ....with my fingers crossed LOL
I was curious to know if anyone ordered last month or are planning on an order this month. They are offering an incentive for orders over $100.
I ordered last month, this month and every month since 2008 without a problem. I shop with confindence at PTI. Can't wait to see the new FREE set included with this month's order.
__________________ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12
I ordered last month, this month and every month since 2008 without a problem. I shop with confindence at PTI. Can't wait to see the new FREE set included with this month's order.
Wow, then you should go play the lottery as you are quite lucky! There are a lot of customers who have had multiple issues with PTI, myself included.
__________________ Always stampin' with my feline helpers!
Both orders I made were not near the mid-month release. Although I live in Canada, I used a business in the US that you can ship to and then pick up later. So this negated the problem with cost of shipping here. The first order was fine. The only problem I had was with an enquiry before I ordered. The set I was looking at included a matching set of dies. I wanted to know the dimensions, and on the web page it gave dimensions for a different set. I emailed three times before getting a response. The response was for me to look at the web page because the information was there. I decided I liked the set enough, so I took a gamble and was pleased with the dies as they were. The second was an absolute nightmare. I never even got replies from their customer service when I enquired. I gave up. I love their sets, and their products were nice. I had debated probably 4 years before ordering because of negative comments made by others, and because for 3 of those years, I didn't know about Ship Happens and I was very put off by the cost of shipping to Canada. Good luck if you decide to place an order - their products were very nice.
I ordered some Detail White Embossing powder once and they sent Prisma Clear glitter instead. I contacted customer service and they said not to worry about sending the glitter back and they sent me the Detail White Embossing Powder no charge.
I look forward to the new releases every month and I always have to narrow down my wish list.
I've ordered from them for a couple years. I've never had any trouble. I think lately the deliveries have been faster than usual even for other companies.
I've placed an order in Nov. and at the begining of December and got my orders in 3 days. I think that's fantastic since I am in WA. state! I've had no problems with PTI
Ok....first a deep breath....I need to get this out before I explode.
It seems PTI still hasn't figured out the proper way to run their customer service department. After finding this thread this morning...many of you won't be surprised.
I have been a loyal customer for years and have spent thousands of dollars on their products. I even persevered thru the Great Email Delete a couple years ago...I got over the months-delayed Anniversary Stamp Set(s)...I lived thru the bad ink snafu (altho' I refuse to order a single "new" ink pad because they refused to credit/exchange for their "bad/old" ink pads)...I got used to the idea of no longer having a free storage box with the stamp sets...and I waited patiently for delayed shipments. Today, however, I have had my fill!
I placed an order during their "Stamp-a-faire" event on August 24th, 2013. Nicole posted about the event on her blog several times and promoted a free stamp set, "Reasons to Smile." This stamp set would be available to any customer who placed a $100 order on the 24th between the hours of 7:00am and 11:30pm. There wasn't a link to place this free stamp set in your cart when it came time to order...it was to be magically included with your order.
I placed my order for $104...and decided to take advantage of my earned Reward Points (11)...so my total payment was $93. Imagine my surprise when the free "Reasons to Smile" set wasn't included in my order.
I immediately contacted Customer Service/Jennifer...and was told my order dropped below $100 when I accepted the $11 credit for my Reward Points. What!? Jennifer continued to insist the rules were "clear"...all orders must total $100 AFTER any Reward Points. Say what?! Where was that rule? I asked if I could submit $11 and have them restore my 11 points and send the stamp set to me. Absolutely not...no exceptions. Huh? We emailed back and forth a few times that day...until she suddenly stopped. No more communication. As you know, there is no phone number to call...this is what we call a Dead End.
So, I popped over to their forum. I politely posted my issue there. Several people came forward and supported my complaint over the past couple of weeks. Some incredible folks even offered to send me their Reasons to Smile promotional set. How nice was that? I declined their offers...in hopes PTI would do the right thing. How silly was that logic?
Rick (forum moderator) commented on my thread and said the rules were "clear"...and I should have been aware of the $100 minimum AFTER Reward Points. Perhaps it was me, but I felt his tone was very condescending and rude.
Since I had Rick's attention...I re-submitted my offer to send $11 in exchange for the stamp set and for my 11 Reward Points to be re-instated. What did I hear, you ask? Crickets. Nothing.
I decided to do some research on how I could have missed the "$100 minimum AFTER Reward Points" if the rules were so "clear"...as per Jennifer and Rick. I went back to Nicole's blog (where I learned of the promotional give-a-way in the first place). Nicole had 4 separate blog posts dealing with the promotion...in those 4 posts, there were 5 paragraphs/sections solely dedicated to the rules for obtaining the free stamp set...in each of those sections, the rules were the same: Order $100 worth of product on the 24th between the hours of 7:00am and 11:30pm. No mention whatsoever of the important "$100 minimum AFTER Reward Points." Huh? How is that possible? There was a single mention of this most important rule in the FAQ section at the bottom of a lengthy post far away from the paragraph describing the promotions rules.
HOW IN THE WORLD CAN JENNIFER AND RICK DECLARE THAT SINGLE MENTION AS "CLEAR"...?
HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THEY NOT FIX THIS SIMPLE ISSUE BY ACCEPTING MY OFFER IN ORDER TO KEEP A LOYAL CUSTOMER?
This brings me to today...and my frustration. I posted the above findings (politely, of course) on their forum yesterday. Two people commented and agreed with my position. Today...the entire thread is gone! So...I started a new thread and posted a small comment basically asking where the thread had gone...it was up for less than an hour...GONE!
This is how they deal with customer service issues? They stop responding to emails and they delete any potentially negative comments from their forum.
I feel like the door was slammed in my face. I love PTI products (I haven't had any trouble with them, other than the ink pads)...but their customer service has ruined my experience. I will probably go thru PTI withdrawals, because I have been purchasing their products forever. Deleting both of my threads today was the final straw! The company will continue without me...in fact, they probably won't even know I'm not ordering anymore.
I came here to post my complaint in hopes others will be advised. I'm pretty sure not even the long arm of Rick can delete this forum post.
Ok...I feel better. I got it out of my system...I've told of my experience...and I've let anyone who reads this know that PTI customer service is still broken. Order at your own risk.
Ok....first a deep breath....I need to get this out before I explode.
It seems PTI still hasn't figured out the proper way to run their customer service department. After finding this thread this morning...many of you won't be surprised.
I have been a loyal customer for years and have spent thousands of dollars on their products. I even persevered thru the Great Email Delete a couple years ago...I got over the months-delayed Anniversary Stamp Set(s)...I lived thru the bad ink snafu (altho' I refuse to order a single "new" ink pad because they refused to credit/exchange for their "bad/old" ink pads)...I got used to the idea of no longer having a free storage box with the stamp sets...and I waited patiently for delayed shipments. Today, however, I have had my fill!
I placed an order during their "Stamp-a-faire" event on August 24th, 2013. Nicole posted about the event on her blog several times and promoted a free stamp set, "Reasons to Smile." This stamp set would be available to any customer who placed a $100 order on the 24th between the hours of 7:00am and 11:30pm. There wasn't a link to place this free stamp set in your cart when it came time to order...it was to be magically included with your order.
I placed my order for $104...and decided to take advantage of my earned Reward Points (11)...so my total payment was $93. Imagine my surprise when the free "Reasons to Smile" set wasn't included in my order.
I immediately contacted Customer Service/Jennifer...and was told my order dropped below $100 when I accepted the $11 credit for my Reward Points. What!? Jennifer continued to insist the rules were "clear"...all orders must total $100 AFTER any Reward Points. Say what?! Where was that rule? I asked if I could submit $11 and have them restore my 11 points and send the stamp set to me. Absolutely not...no exceptions. Huh? We emailed back and forth a few times that day...until she suddenly stopped. No more communication. As you know, there is no phone number to call...this is what we call a Dead End.
So, I popped over to their forum. I politely posted my issue there. Several people came forward and supported my complaint over the past couple of weeks. Some incredible folks even offered to send me their Reasons to Smile promotional set. How nice was that? I declined their offers...in hopes PTI would do the right thing. How silly was that logic?
Rick (forum moderator) commented on my thread and said the rules were "clear"...and I should have been aware of the $100 minimum AFTER Reward Points. Perhaps it was me, but I felt his tone was very condescending and rude.
Since I had Rick's attention...I re-submitted my offer to send $11 in exchange for the stamp set and for my 11 Reward Points to be re-instated. What did I hear, you ask? Crickets. Nothing.
I decided to do some research on how I could have missed the "$100 minimum AFTER Reward Points" if the rules were so "clear"...as per Jennifer and Rick. I went back to Nicole's blog (where I learned of the promotional give-a-way in the first place). Nicole had 4 separate blog posts dealing with the promotion...in those 4 posts, there were 5 paragraphs/sections solely dedicated to the rules for obtaining the free stamp set...in each of those sections, the rules were the same: Order $100 worth of product on the 24th between the hours of 7:00am and 11:30pm. No mention whatsoever of the important "$100 minimum AFTER Reward Points." Huh? How is that possible? There was a single mention of this most important rule in the FAQ section at the bottom of a lengthy post far away from the paragraph describing the promotions rules.
HOW IN THE WORLD CAN JENNIFER AND RICK DECLARE THAT SINGLE MENTION AS "CLEAR"...?
HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THEY NOT FIX THIS SIMPLE ISSUE BY ACCEPTING MY OFFER IN ORDER TO KEEP A LOYAL CUSTOMER?
This brings me to today...and my frustration. I posted the above findings (politely, of course) on their forum yesterday. Two people commented and agreed with my position. Today...the entire thread is gone! So...I started a new thread and posted a small comment basically asking where the thread had gone...it was up for less than an hour...GONE!
This is how they deal with customer service issues? They stop responding to emails and they delete any potentially negative comments from their forum.
I feel like the door was slammed in my face. I love PTI products (I haven't had any trouble with them, other than the ink pads)...but their customer service has ruined my experience. I will probably go thru PTI withdrawals, because I have been purchasing their products forever. Deleting both of my threads today was the final straw! The company will continue without me...in fact, they probably won't even know I'm not ordering anymore.
I came here to post my complaint in hopes others will be advised. I'm pretty sure not even the long arm of Rick can delete this forum post.
Ok...I feel better. I got it out of my system...I've told of my experience...and I've let anyone who reads this know that PTI customer service is still broken. Order at your own risk.
Tina
Sorry this happened to you Tina, but in NO way surprised by the details of the story. I quit PTI completely a couple of years ago (after the incident of "too many customer service emails, so we're deleting them all"). I had been shopping from them since about 2007, and had seen the same types of issues - and more importantly, the same attitude - come up again and again.
I tire of the responses from others saying what a great shopping experience they had, etc. My customer problems with PTI were confined to the ink pad debacle, so you could say I've personally had "one" problem with PTI customer service. But the point is , I will not reward a company that handles its customers the way PTI does.
Maybe I'd be lucky in all present and future orders and have no problems, like the upbeat folks who describe their experiences. But to me, that is irrelevant. I won't condone someone's improper actions just because I wasn't the recipient.
I understand that you are upset. I did go back and look at one of the blog posts and in the FAQ's it mentions using your rewards points but I guess I can see how it would be missed. There is a part of me that thinks...well, they could have sent you a set for customer service and been done with it, not a huge deal I don't think. But then the other part of me says that, who knows, there could have been 100 people who did the same thing; at what point do they, as a business, draw the line? I can see both sides of this one but I am fairly easy, this situation would not be a deal breaker for me.
As far as the post being removed from their forum, there is a chat site that I used to go to that was notorious for deleting posts that they did not like/approve of. It actually turned into a bit of a joke that if you dared to say anything bad about them at all...even if it were 100% truth...it would be deleted. People would actually open new threads asking the mods to delete threads that THEY felt were not appropriate. Eventually, the inmates were running the asylum and nowadays, very few people post in there at all.
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
I think it is pretty sad that PTI value a stamp set that cost them very little to make (in comparison to future revenue) over a faithful customer's continued business. It isn't a very good business model.
I think it is pretty sad that PTI value a stamp set that cost them very little to make (in comparison to future revenue) over a faithful customer's continued business. It isn't a very good business model.
That's what I was thinking. Further, if it said that you had to order $100.00 in product, which did happen, she just used a credit to partially pay. Seems silly to lose a customer over something easily fixed.
I haven't prdered from PTI in years. I don't regret that choice at all.
__________________ Denise
"If a person who indulges in gluttony is a glutton, and a person who commits a felony is a felon, then God is an iron.�
― Spider Robinson
I understand that you are upset. I did go back and look at one of the blog posts and in the FAQ's it mentions using your rewards points but I guess I can see how it would be missed. There is a part of me that thinks...well, they could have sent you a set for customer service and been done with it, not a huge deal I don't think. But then the other part of me says that, who knows, there could have been 100 people who did the same thing; at what point do they, as a business, draw the line? I can see both sides of this one but I am fairly easy, this situation would not be a deal breaker for me.
As far as the post being removed from their forum, there is a chat site that I used to go to that was notorious for deleting posts that they did not like/approve of. It actually turned into a bit of a joke that if you dared to say anything bad about them at all...even if it were 100% truth...it would be deleted. People would actually open new threads asking the mods to delete threads that THEY felt were not appropriate. Eventually, the inmates were running the asylum and nowadays, very few people post in there at all.
The key to me is that on realizing her mistake the customer was willing to rectify it, pay the $11 get the points back, in exchange for the set. She isn't trying to cheat PTI, she wants to be a good customer and has been slapped down. Even with the rules there is room for some flexibility when a genuine mistake was made.
I understand that you are upset. I did go back and look at one of the blog posts and in the FAQ's it mentions using your rewards points but I guess I can see how it would be missed. There is a part of me that thinks...well, they could have sent you a set for customer service and been done with it, not a huge deal I don't think. But then the other part of me says that, who knows, there could have been 100 people who did the same thing; at what point do they, as a business, draw the line? I can see both sides of this one but I am fairly easy, this situation would not be a deal breaker for me.
As far as the post being removed from their forum, there is a chat site that I used to go to that was notorious for deleting posts that they did not like/approve of. It actually turned into a bit of a joke that if you dared to say anything bad about them at all...even if it were 100% truth...it would be deleted. People would actually open new threads asking the mods to delete threads that THEY felt were not appropriate. Eventually, the inmates were running the asylum and nowadays, very few people post in there at all.
Yes, that's my point. In all of Nicole's four posts...there were a total of five paragraphs explaining the rules. There was only a single mention of the use of Reward Points...at the bottom of a lengthy post. It's crazy to expect every customer to read every single word, of every single post, to search for additional rules. My point is that if it was such a vital part of the promotional give-a-way (and it seems as tho' it was)...then Nicole could/should have listed in along with the other rules. Simple as that.
I agree, there very well might have been other customers in the same boat...which further emphasizes my point.
I suggested in my PTI forum post (that was deleted) that if promotional items were available for placement in shopping carts, the rules could be listed there, "clear" and available for all to see, rather than tucked away in a one liner on a long blog post. They could have promotional sets listed just like they do for the Anniversary Sets. They agree, before they deleted the thread.
I feel customer service is the heart of the company...and I have seen many others disappointed with their responses from PTI. Today was my turn in the hot seat. My walking away from PTI has more to do with their response to my issue, than my disappointment with not receiving the promotional stamp set I feel I should have received. I can live without the stamps, I can't support a company who doesn't care for their customers.
That's what I was thinking. Further, if it said that you had to order $100.00 in product, which did happen, she just used a credit to partially pay. Seems silly to lose a customer over something easily fixed.
I haven't prdered from PTI in years. I don't regret that choice at all.
ACK! That's part of what made me about lose my mind! I used $11 in Reward Points I had earned buying their products. I didn't use a random coupon or anything!
