Mar 4th, '08, 18:22
Posts: 344
Joined: Jan 23rd, '08, 00:59
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Well, after waiting since I told you guys about this whole incident to get a reply from the e-mail I sent them I received nothing. Today I called them and here was there solution: "We will give you a refund if you send the gaiwan back"........WOW, talk about customer service! (Hopefully my sarcasm is conveyed through writing....) I said...."well that isn't anything different than your policy that if you arent satisfied you can return it for a refund"....after about 5 minutes of arguing they finally said that they would give me a refund and I could keep the crappy gaiwan.........but geeze, you would think that they could do something better than that!
Return or Refund
I dont understand - why would you not return the gaiwan if you are not happy with it ?. I have experienced, most businesses will want to see the issue first hand and also it is our (tea consumers) responsibility to provide proof to our word (complaint). I think, we all in this forum have the power to take the US tea experience to a higher level. We should stop bashing businesses that have been trying to offer us a service. If you feel you are above many of these merchants, you should become one yourself and demonstrate what you preach. Hope you take constructive criticism from fellow tea drinkers.
Mar 4th, '08, 21:10
Posts: 344
Joined: Jan 23rd, '08, 00:59
Location: Williamsburg, VA
I can take constructive criticims well enough 
. I agree that "we" tea drinkers must help spread the word and practices of the true art of tea and should support businesses as well. In this case there were several issues. I was going out of town and wanted a gaiwan to take with me on the trip. I leave tomorrow and wont be back for a while, so If I send it back now, I wont have a gaiwan to take with me. What is going to happen now, is that once I return I am sending them the gaiwan to inspect (I have already taken photos, etc.) and then they are going to give a refund and perhaps replacement. I am not in any way "bashing" what they are trying to do. What I am most upset about is that when I opened the gaiwan thre was a huge chip off of the clay saucer revealing red clay. The box it came in was not sealed at all.......my issue here is, why, as a business, would you not inspect something before you send it to your "valued customer"....something that would take 10 seconds. Also, if you looked at this gaiwan, and had any experience with true yixing ware, you would know it was not legit. My issue, once again, is not with what they are trying to do, but how they are trying to do it. It would be like me starting a coffee business and saying that I am selling "x" brand of high end coffee and then selling them Folgers instant coffee. Lets even say they had no idea it was a "odd" yixing ware to say the least, it is the responsibilty of the vendor to have a familiarity of the product. As in all aspects of life, ignorance is not bliss, and this is no exception.
*Cloud---Hopefully this clears some things up for you
-Nick (TaiPing)
. I agree that "we" tea drinkers must help spread the word and practices of the true art of tea and should support businesses as well. In this case there were several issues. I was going out of town and wanted a gaiwan to take with me on the trip. I leave tomorrow and wont be back for a while, so If I send it back now, I wont have a gaiwan to take with me. What is going to happen now, is that once I return I am sending them the gaiwan to inspect (I have already taken photos, etc.) and then they are going to give a refund and perhaps replacement. I am not in any way "bashing" what they are trying to do. What I am most upset about is that when I opened the gaiwan thre was a huge chip off of the clay saucer revealing red clay. The box it came in was not sealed at all.......my issue here is, why, as a business, would you not inspect something before you send it to your "valued customer"....something that would take 10 seconds. Also, if you looked at this gaiwan, and had any experience with true yixing ware, you would know it was not legit. My issue, once again, is not with what they are trying to do, but how they are trying to do it. It would be like me starting a coffee business and saying that I am selling "x" brand of high end coffee and then selling them Folgers instant coffee. Lets even say they had no idea it was a "odd" yixing ware to say the least, it is the responsibilty of the vendor to have a familiarity of the product. As in all aspects of life, ignorance is not bliss, and this is no exception.*Cloud---Hopefully this clears some things up for you
-Nick (TaiPing)