Returning a 2.5-Month-Old Stone: A Customer's Plight

[pampered1224]

Since when do they expect us to send back an entire stone? The stone is all of 2.5 months old and she has used only twice for Pete's sake and they want the large stone with handles back! That's nuts with what shipping costs are. I have NEVER in 8 years had to return the entire stone. Have any of you had the issue? I can't believe that. I guess what I may tell my customer is to send it back and ask for her money back since we do have a one year return policy. If that's how they are going to handle it. (No pun intended!) I have to write HO but she said if that is the case and she has to pay to send a virtually new stone back, they can "stick" their stone and she won't be doing business with me any more! She is a good customer!

 

[pamperedlinda]

Are you sure they want the entire stone?

 

[babywings76]

I asked once if I "had" to send the whole thing, or if just a piece is sufficient. She said she wasn't allowed to recommend that I break it on purpose, but then she read the rules and said that when stoneware needs to be returned a palm-sized piece is all that's required. (So then I took my DCB, double bagged, to the garage and dropped it and sent back the one piece) They didn't give me any trouble about only returning a piece.

 

[Ginger428]

I do all of my adjustments on CC & as a matter of fact, I've just did 4 for seperate customers (all stones). All I did was send palm sized pieces....

 

[BethCooks4U]

John, just tell her to send back a palm sized piece with the reference #. The person at HO that she talked to didn't know.

 

[DebbieJ]

Yep, palm sized pieces.

 

[RosieTrips]

I've always had them send back a palm size piece as well. When I called once about a "cracked" stone they said send back the stone. I asked why can't we send back a piece - they said they didn't want people to intentionally break the stone and potentially injure themselves, but if already broken a palm piece was sufficient. I would do as was mentioned above and put in a place bag and tap with a hammer to break.

Susan

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

I've always had them send back a palm size piece as well. When I called once about a "cracked" stone they said send back the stone. I asked why can't we send back a piece - they said they didn't want people to intentionally break the stone and potentially injure themselves, but if already broken a palm piece was sufficient. I would do as was mentioned above and put in a place bag and tap with a hammer to break.

Susan

Sounds like the legal department had something to say!

 

[pampered1224]

When I have submitted adjustments on-line I always got amessage telling me to not do anyting until I was contacted. When I placed the adjustment a message similar to the one attached came up. This is what came to my e-mail. So... do I wait or what? I does not mention a piece or anyting else. Not to mention, that again, all 6 of the last returns on stones, as all were under 1 year, I was never told anything, not a piece, not a scrpa nothin, had ot be returned. They simply said dispose of the one and another was on its way.
So...

 

[Jules711]

It's automated so won't say return a piece. You are FINE to send a palm sized piece, I'm sure.

 

[Fluffy215]

I had the same question two weeks ago and called because I was also concerned and was assured we only need to send palm sized piece. That message is a generic message and is sent for all items to be returned.

 

[jennyl]

Last week I called because a customer wanted to exchange her Large Round Stone with Handles. It had cracked once and been replaced already. This was the replacement that cracked too. She wanted to exchange for the flat one instead of getting another one with the handles.

Solution Center said that since it was a return/exchange and not a replacement that they wanted the whole thing. But they were emailing me something to use with the label so they were paying the shipping and not me (or the customer).

I had already broken off a smaller piece to send and thrown out the rest by the time I got through to someone at the Solution Center so I told them this. They explained it was different and they were paying the shipping.... but they were going to include notes in my exchange note to say the piece was coming back instead of the whole thing.

So long story short - if they want the whole thing maybe you can ask them to pay the shipping. Maybe they're trying to get the entire Stone with Handles to see why so many are breaking?

 

[chefsteph07]

I'd call back and speak w/ someone different and document who you spoke with. Then tell the customer to send a piece back, not the whole thing.

 

[pamperedlinda]

What they said!

I needed to return a stone too. DH took it to the garage, put someting under it to make it uneven, put a drop cloth over it, then hit it with a hammer....tada, I had plenty of palm-sized pieces to choose from.

The system just automates a return the product message. For the reasons given above, HO will not recommend telling the customer to break the stoneware. I once had a HO rep tell me NOT to tell my customer to break the stoneware just to send a piece back. I told her that I was NOT having my customer send the entire piece back (it was a DCB) b/c it was expensive when all HO was going to do was discard it when it got there----so, she sent my customer a prepaid sticker to keep her from breaking it.

 

[pampered1224]

Thanks I did send an e-mail questioning this automated response and will wait for a reply. I can only do adjustments via the web site as I cannot be on the phone all day at my full time. (Wouldn't that go over well?) So I will wait. And yeah, what is up with all the Large Stones with handles cracking? Are we having quality issues now because of the ecomomy? I noticed somethig th eother day and you all can probably see what I see. If you take out the old round and the new w/handles and set them side by side, do you see a difference int he thicknesses? My old one actually looks heavier, sturdy and thicker. I hope this is not a trend. I mean really, how expensive can dirt be?
Oh I forgot to mention that I adjusted a DCB in January. My Aunt foolishly did not open it right away and then discovered that the cover did not sit properly on the base. I sent the adjustment through on-line. They never even wanted a piece of it. So one month later now they want a piece of the other one. I think you all are correct. They need to find out why they are cracking so easily.

 

[Chef Kearns]

I mean really, how expensive can dirt be?

ROFLMAO!!! Too funny, John!!

 

[Jules711]

I agree on the quality difference. I actually bought a few of the regular round stone to have on hand for those that would prefer that. I haven't had a problem with mine, but have had a couple of customers' stones break.

 

[pampered.chris]

I advise all of my customers to only return a palm-size piece. If the stone is just cracked and not broke I tell them to wrap it up really good in plastic bags then to put it in a paper bag and to think of something that has them really upset then to break the stone. They usually think I am nuts, but afterwards they have told me they felt so much better about whatever they were mad about!!

Of course I tell them if they have nothing to be upset or mad about that I can always come over and break it for them b/c even if I am not upset or mad...it is kinda fun!

 

[legacypc46]

I've been told that the system generates random samplings as to whether the item needs to be returned. Don't know if that's true, but it makes sense.

 

[Crystal Patton]

I advise all of my customers to only return a palm-size piece. If the stone is just cracked and not broke I tell them to wrap it up really good in plastic bags then to put it in a paper bag and to think of something that has them really upset then to break the stone. They usually think I am nuts, but afterwards they have told me they felt so much better about whatever they were mad about!!

Of course I tell them if they have nothing to be upset or mad about that I can always come over and break it for them b/c even if I am not upset or mad...it is kinda fun!

LOL I like it, I like it a lot!

 

[cochef]

For cracked stones, HO has told me to have the customer heat it up, or freeze it, and pour cold or hot water on it to stress the crack, instead of trying to break it into pieces. It might not result in a palm-size piece but at least it is not the whole stone if they have to send something back.

 

[pampered1224]

YOU KNOW -IT HAS BEEN OVER A WEEK! 8 DAYS TO BE EXACT!
No e-mail, no phone call no nothin from HO about what to send back as I am NOT letting my customer send back the entire thing. I am sorry, but I deserve at least an e-mail I know they are having issues but come on! So I made a decision - I am breaking the darn thing more and sending only a piece. To freaking bad if they really wanted the whole thing I am not nor is my guest paying for that. She should not have to and neither should I.

 

[BethCooks4U]

That's exactly what I'd do. HO will be fine with that - don't worry.

 

[whiteyteresa]

I have always been told to return the whole stone and I always make the returns myself for my customer. No one has ever told me about a palm size piece.

:chef:

 

[kcjodih]

I've never returned a complete stone and neither have my customers. My director told me from the beginning a 'palm-size' piece and that's what I've told my customers. Every email confirmation for adjustments I do online state return the stone, here's your number, etc and I don't return the stone, just a piece. I've been doing it this way for four years and never had a problem.

 

[Fluffy215]

I did an adjustment for a customer last week and it's still now showing on cc. I am going to have to call them. I did get an email with an adjustment number so it's weird that it is not showing on cc.

 

[AJPratt]

Any word, John?

 

[Shawnna]

I have been waiting forever for my free receipts that were left out of my Feb...early Feb...supply order. I did an adjustment and after about a week I received a reply...sorry we are sending your receipts...get a package from HO and it is PP receipts, so I did another adjustment and have not heard anything back from them. I can't do shows without receipts.

 

[pampered1224]

TODAY IS MARCH 27. I finally got TWO e-mails. You'll love this. One says to send back a 3 x 3 piece of the stone and they will ship the new one upon reciept of the piece. The second one - shich is from an e-mail I sent on the
8th - says we will be shipping the new stone within two days and a mail label is being sent to ge the broken stone. Again, they want the whole stone but this time they are paying ot have it shipped back! 22 freakin days! My customer thought I had forgotten about her to the point that I had to print everything I had e-mail wise, adjustment wise to prove to her that I did take care of it on the 5th as promised!
I guess I won't have to worry about making myself look bad. Right now HO is doing just fine without my help!
GEEZ they gotta get it together down there and fast!
We get no packing slips per customer in boxes, we are not getting enough bags or we get no bags, are customers are complaining because they think we forgot about them! Yikes. With HWC in May coming up - I sure hope they can get it together! I am planning to do it big and I do not need any screw ups on their end. I am gonna have enough problems on my end!

 

[taterbug]

I knew I had seen this post before and finally found it after starting another one.....
I did an adjustment (through CC) today for the lid on my DCB and received the automated notice to return the product. I intend to break and return a piece as I have read all of your posts and see that is how it is done.
My question is.....will HO immediately send out the replacement or will they wait until they receive my lid? I really need my DCB for shows and don't want to be without a lid.
The only adjustment I have done for a guest did not require returning the product and it shipped very quickly.