Thursday TeaDay 3/4/10 Ideal vendor?

[Chip]

Welcome everyone to TeaDay, brew some tea and come share what is in your cup today...all day. Be sure to check out what others are sipping today as well. You can also reflect back upon your TeaDay if you need to.

Yesterday we discussed how many teas we would like a vendor to sell. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic is again about vendors. How would you rate the importance of price, quality, value, selection, customer service, reputation...or maybe I am missing some others. Rate their importance to you, using as many options as you want, as you select or evaluate a Tea vendor.

I am as always looking forward to seeing everyone on TeaDay. Bottoms up, refill, repeat ...

[Seeker]

I voted "other", because it's really a balance of all the things listed, although I don't consider all the elements equally.

quaffing jasmine white peony now.

[Chip]

I voted "other", because it's really a balance of all the things listed, although I don't consider all the elements equally.

quaffing jasmine white peony now.

Good point, I have changed it to multiple votes, 5 in fact ... So you can vote for up to 5 options.

[debunix]

Quality is the closest fit, but how that's defined is important.

I've bought teas for the first time because they looked interesting, someone mentioned them in conversation here or elsewhere, or I read about it in one of my tea books or online explorations. But the tea has to make me happy before I'll purchase more of it: the quality that matters is mostly how it is perceived by my tastebuds. And even though I'm lucky enough to have a generous tea budget, if the price seems out of line with the quality, that does tend to put a damper on the overall happiness, and getting a real bargain that also tastes great makes it even better.

Today's tea day was jump-started with Sencha, continued with puerh (Rishi 'Ancient trees' 2007 tuo cha), and finished with some Tie Guan Yin (spring '09 diamond grade from norbu).

Tomorrow I have a day trip by plane, and won't be able to pack a thermos to bring with me. Trying to figure out what bit of tea I should bring a stash of for some grandpa-style drinking if I can find hot water on the go.

[Seeker]

ok, added some votes .
price, quality, rep, what TCers say, and other (from before) as I do sort of take all the elements into account.

[Victoria]

I like quality, reputation and what other TCers are saying. Also if I have had success with them in the past. Which I guess may fall under reputation.

[Seeker]

Hey Vic --

Happy Belated B'day!!!

[Victoria]

Thanks Seek!!!

Started my morning with Red Pearls, a black tea from Silk Road Teas.
Have a nice day everyone!

[Ebtoulson]

My votes:
Reputation/TC recommendations, helps me find new vendors
Selection, if they don't have a tea I want I'm not buying
Value, if that tea is overpriced or bad quality for the price then I'm not buying

More darjeeling this morning

[olivierco]

Quality and What other TeaChatters are saying about the vendor.

Ippoen gyokuro in a few minutes.

[AdamMY]

I am a huge fan of Value, Selection and Reputation... those have to be the three main things I look for.

Right now some Dunkin Donuts coffee, will have tea later...

[TubbyCow]

I hope I'm not the only one who gets pissy when a tea vendor lacks one thing I see as key to me buying from them: The willingness/ability to ship to my country.

There are plenty of sites I'd probably buy from, but they won't send tea to me. Sure, I could get it shipped to my family in the States then have them send it my way, but customer service is a big enough deal to me I don't bother. I've written numerous e-mails to various companies saying I would buy from them if they'd ship here, and I am usually met with the compulsory, "We'll look into it."

Rant over.

Off to make my first cup of the day - maybe Pi Lo Chun from Ten Ren, but I may change my mind between here and the kitchen.

[geeber1]

Price, quality, value, customer service, and what TCers are saying about them. Since everyone here knows so much, I truly appreciate their opinions!

Nilgiri Glendale at home. Work tea yet to be decided, but it will be something gentle to settle my upset tummy.

[omegapd]

Hey Everyone!

Thought I'd check in and say hi...figured this would be the thread to do it on. Good to see some familiar names and some new ones to make friends with too.

I like selection. I'm always going to be attracted to the hard to find items to try something new...

SpecialTeas Java OP in my cup this afternoon.

Eric

[Chip]

Welcome back, officer omegapd! Good to see you.