Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

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Jun 26th, '10, 15:38
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jun 26th, '10, 15:38

I have been debating for a long time on whether to post this series of horrendous incidents with Yuuki-Cha, but recent events have somewhat forced my hand. This is not a personal vendetta against Yuuki-Cha on my part. If it was, I would have engaged this quite some time ago, but I chose to remain silent for a verrry long time.

In fact, I have up to now not said a word about this ongoing problems with Yuuki-Cha for well over a year to anyone on the forum, but recent events have forced me to be more vocal. Some members indirectly affected have received this post in a PM from me.

Recently this problem with Yuuki-Cha has in fact has taken away a bit of the joy of celebrating Shincha, thus I have not posted much about it thus far. Ironically I am posting this in the Yuuki-Cha topic of the TeaVendor Guide I created for members to post HOPEFULLY positive reviews of teas and vendors, including Yuuki-Cha.

First, let me say this, I generally do NOT as a rule post negatively about any vendor including Yuuki-Cha. I try to post positive experiences hoping others will read about positives. Focus on the positives! However on a very rare occasion I feel I must, especially when the situation was handled so unprofessionally by Yuuki-Cha, I feel in this case others should know what they could potentially face with a vendor such as Yuuki-Cha should they have a problem, especially one that is over 10,000 miles away.

Also let me state I have never had a problem on virtually any scale with any vendor including Yuuki-Cha that I can recall and actually have a very positive relationship with quite a few vendors. When dealing with a vendor, I consider myself pretty reasonable with realistic expectations and demands, "moderate" if you will. I also endeavor to be as communicative as possible and expect a reasonable level of communication in return in the course of doing business ...

In all, I have counted at least 10 consecutive attempts to contact Yuuki-Cha with no response, NADA ZERO ZILCH, not a single reply. One I can understand, 2 is pushing it, 3 is simply unprofessional. Beyond 3 is just rude and grossly inconsiderate among other things.

I also know many members have good things to say about Yuuki-Cha and have had good experiences, which I do not dispute! I am only relaying one very series of experiences with Yuuki-Cha that I feel should be reported, especially due to its extremity ... and hoping nobody ever has to deal with a similar situation with Yuuki-Cha or any other vendor. I would not want anyone to face the aggravation and unprofessional conduct I have faced at the hands of Yuuki-Cha.

To be continued …

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Jun 26th, '10, 15:46
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jun 26th, '10, 15:46

Chapter 2, The beginning ...

Generally, when I am discussing teas with vendors, I let them know right away that I moderate tea forum(s). I just want to be straight up about it. Thus when I began a relationship with Yuuki-Cha, I placed this in my signature, a tactful way of doing it. We also discussed this.

Well over a year ago, I purchased some teas and canisters/accessories from Yuuki-Cha and Dan the active partner also sent several samples for me to let him know what I thought about them and to share.

Communication was open and two way. Then suddenly one day, he became 100% nonresponsive to any and all of my emails and even his site contact page messages.

Shortly before this occurred, I received an odd PM from a new member on the forum. This asked my impression of certain Yuuki-Cha teas in direct comparison to several from O-Cha.

I remember thinking at the time, this is a very odd PM. I was very uncomfortable answering since it was a new member, and in hindsight wish I had asked him/her to post the question on the forum. But TBH, I am asked questions quite frequently, and went ahead and answered in an attempt to be helpful to the new member. The questions were about "weak" offerings at the time from Yuuki-Cha. I believe I was honest in my opinions, and endeavored to be tactful as well. I certainly did NOT slam Yuuki-Cha.

It was from this point forward that Dan would not respond to any of my communications, period. I checked the location of the new member which turned out to be from UK, Dan's home nation, coincidentally ... or not.

I made a conclusion (since he would not reply to any of my contacts) that this PM was sent either by him, by someone for him, or else it was forwarded to him. Regardless of my suspicions, I continued to attempt to communicate and offered many times to try and get an explantion for this lack of contact. I never heard a word back, not one. I felt this was highly unprofessional, but let it go. I never said a word about this on any forum.

Perhaps the truth hurt and he did not like what I had to say ... but this is a forum, what can I say. I am sure we have all said something negative about a vendor's products. Bottom line, he made adjustments and had a product shake-up a short time later ...

Bottom line, if I said something that offended or bothered him, or he disputed ... I gave him numerous opportunities to tell me straight up, mano a mano so to speak, privately.

To be continued ...

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Jun 26th, '10, 15:59
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jun 26th, '10, 15:59

Chapter 3, Why bring all this up now up now on TC, some time after those events? Again, I try to be positive, thusly ...

This Spring, Yuuki-Cha offered for PreOrder, a large selection of Shincha. With the best intentions and in order to continue my practice of objective tastings, I offered in TeaSwap to "partner" with members who wanted to split these shincha 50:50. I would buy them, have them shipped to me, weigh and divide as needed, and ship to the "partners." I had 4 willing and anxious partners.

I also intended to offer a portion of my shares as "bonus" in the Shincha OTTI. This was all a lot of extra work and expence for me.

I went ahead and preordered using the premium EMS shipping method, having to place multiple orders due to spread out release dates.

When the first batch was released, the 4 Kagoshima Fukamushi, I received the automatated Order Update email, and they were shipped promptly! I received them in 3-4 days.

I immediately weighed them as part of the partner process (see above), 2 were short by over 2 grams each (2.15 grams to be more precise). These happened to include deox packets, which when placed on the scale with the tea, came up to the 100 grams exactly. I felt that perhaps whoever they bought the tea from was taring the scales with the bag only, thus customers were paying for the weight of the deox packets and being shorted on tea. There were also no English labels on the 4 packets. I endeavored to match them, but never was 100% certain.

I emailed Dan right away and let him know about both problems since I felt he would want to know any problem a customer may have with his product. Plus as a paying customer, I needed his help and answers. I also let him know of my intention of sharing these teas (these and the other Yuuki-Cha PreOrders!!!) with members of the forum. I figured this was when he likely made the connection who I was, as up to now everything was pretty automated.

... I again did not hear back from him! Nada Zero Zilch!!! Now this really rubbed me the wrong way. I had legit concerns about products I had just purchased costing over 100 USD.

To be continued …

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Jun 26th, '10, 16:18
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jun 26th, '10, 16:18

Chapter 4, Time passed, and the other preorderded/prepayed Shincha were released by Yuuki-Cha. I received no order update this time. And no EMS tracking info. I finally emailed and requested an order update and tracking info. NOTHING in return! Nada zero zilch!!!

51 hours later, I again emailed since I still received no order update nor EMS tracking. Nada zero zilch response again, well, not exactly true. 28 days after I sent paypal payment to Yuuki-Cha in the amount of 159 USD and received order confirmations, without any explanation at all I received a full refund. Like the preorder never existed ... but he had the 159 USD all that time. He broke the contract that we had. I kept my end up completely!!!

Nada zero zilch!!! Not even the courtesy of stating "you are blackballed, we don't want your money and don't come back." So, they had my (and the partners') funds for 28 days and sent no product, never a single word of explanation! I guess I should have ESP to figure out what is on his mind?

I think you could say I was extremely "disturbed by the sequence of events." I was most upset because I was not going to be able to send product to partners nor to OTTI participants as planned ... as "contracted." I was denied confirmed product w/o any explanation whatsoever. His actions now not only affected me, but a lot of other members of this forum … unwittingly.

To be continued …

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Jun 26th, '10, 16:38
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Jun 26th, '10, 16:38

Chapter 5, The end is near ...

Since I received no communication about the refund and nothing saying "do not order from us ever again," I decided to reorder. In order to have a witness, I asked a relative (differing last names) to open an account with Yuuki-Cha and place the order. I gave him an email address that was mine but different from the one tied to my Yuuki-Cha account.

He paid via his paypal, this time 229 USD to cover 3 partnerships plus a Momiji canister (and still planned on sharing via OTTI). Again with EMS shipping. All teas were listed as currenty available and released on their site.

My relative received no automated order confirmation. The site says it might take up to 24 hours to receive confrmation (I thought these were automatic and instantaneous?). After 24 hours and no confirmation, my relative emailed asking for assistance with his 229 USD order. Again no response. Approaching 5 full days, and still no communication. NOT a single email confirmation from Yuuki-Cha, NOTHING. NADA. ZERO. ZILCH. This is completely reprehensible and unacceptable!

Then an ultimatum was sent to Yuuki-Cha making it very clear to send confirmation and product or immediately refund ... or paypal would be notified of the events.

So, now Yuuki-Cha had 229 USD and had shown no attempt to follow through with the order nor refund the funds. Needless to say, 28 days would NOT pass this time ... and my silence is over. The money was FINALLY refunded again without any comment or explanation. Nada Zero Zilch!!!

It is a shame, disheartenling really. And looks like I will not be trying their Shizuoka Asamushi and some others. I try to remain objective about vendors and their teas (trying 20 or more shincha every year), but Yuuki-Cha has taken themselves off the table for me ... and partners and OTTI participants. And still he has not once mentioned one word why in response to my emails.

Nada Zero Zilch!!!

It is very disheartening to be singled out for such horrendous treatment w/o any explanation by a vendor despite the fact they took your money more than once ... hundreds of dollars, then hear how nice he was to others. So, there are two sides to Yuuki-Cha.

And this long winded negative posting could have been prevented ...

And yes, I have saved every document.

The End!!!

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Jun 26th, '10, 16:51
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Geekgirl » Jun 26th, '10, 16:51

Well, I guess there's nothing like sawing off your own arm to spite your customer. Happily, there are other sources of tokoname, banko, sencha and shincha to patronize.

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Jun 26th, '10, 21:22
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by nickE » Jun 26th, '10, 21:22

This made me wince just reading about it. :shock: :cry: Can't imagine the frustration you went through.

Jun 27th, '10, 15:36
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by thediminished5th » Jun 27th, '10, 15:36

I had considered getting a kyusu from them, but I think I may reconsider.

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Jun 28th, '10, 10:07
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by iannon » Jun 28th, '10, 10:07

How unfortunate, I have enjoyed their teas in the apst and their new lot of Asa shincha this year. hearing this episode puts a bad taste in my mouth..no pun intended.

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Jun 30th, '10, 01:24
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by entropyembrace » Jun 30th, '10, 01:24

uhg....and I was considering making an order from Yuuki-Cha because they have some teaware I liked the look of...

not going to take chances if he´s acting like that. :roll:

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Jun 30th, '10, 02:45
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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chesslover » Jun 30th, '10, 02:45

I have also ordered kyusu from them with no problems...

But I don't know if I will order again, after reading that...

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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by debunix » Jun 30th, '10, 02:52

I'm very much enjoying the Shinchas I ordered from them myself, and will order from them again, but will probably be more cautious in how & how much I order in the future.

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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Mr. Usaji » Aug 18th, '10, 23:00

(From the discussion of Yuuki-Cha's black tea...)

I just read the above, and I wonder why they would spite you for having privately said their products were not as good as O-Cha's. It's not like you harmed them, because no potential customers heard your opinion (until much later). So I'm not sure if they were being spiteful; maybe they were just incompetent. But it is at least suspicious.

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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Chip » Aug 18th, '10, 23:32

Mr. Usaji, it is strange but true, as I have written it, in the context stated and order written.

Some members have offered to buy for me, and I greatly appreciated their kind offers. :mrgreen:

After much thought, I have decided to decline the kind offers since to me the whole thing is insulting and degrading to have to have a third party buy for me.

Yuuki-cha needs to grow up and be able to handle criticism, constructive or otherwise. And certainly to cease their spy games of PMing members of TeaChat to see what they might say about them via PMs.

Thank you kindly to members who sent me samples of some of their teas. I greatly appreciated the opportunity to try the teas! :mrgreen:

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Re: Yuuki-Cha "Official" Japanese tea topic

by Alex » Aug 22nd, '10, 13:25

I've used them before but wont after hearing that. Terrible stuff. Dont take it personally or feel singled out. They dont know you..... at all. Not a nice feeling though but its their/his problem.

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