Sad day for Kirban's

[rev. 3:11]

Just got off the phone with Dennis Kirban himself! All I can say is he lost a customer for life.

Ordered from on-line catalog on 8/13/07 & paid for UPS 2nd Day @ $12.90. Got e-mail next dat stating they were doubling the shipping $$, and did I still want order? I said yes, but at THEIR posted price. Went back & forth telling me they had a flaw in thier sytem & would fix (raise S&H $$) said fine, but ship to me at agreed upon $$. Long story short, called & spoke to DK himself today (8/17/07). I thought talking to the guy who has his name on the business would set things right, but...
he told me he not in business to lose money (I told him I wasn't either) I pointed out that it was his advertised price and then he went on to say that he was to busy to worry about it as he was planning his reunion & talking to Molly.

So much for intergrity and customer service.

Told Kirban I would no longer be doing business with him and would let others know and seek out more customer oriented vendors.

There used to be a time when a man would honor his word.

By the way they have not corrected their site even now, it is still listing $12.90.



Below is the record of communication (minus phone call of course)

Dear Mr. Kirban,

I was less than satisfied with your cavalier and insulting attitude toward customer service when I spoke with you on the phone today. I will be encouraging people to do business with other vendors so that you can focus on your reunion and getting Molly to your event. As a customer I should feel that you are here to help me, not give lame excuses to make me feel that you don’t care and have no problem ripping me off. If your business is doing so poorly that you need to deceive customers with false shipping charges, perhaps you should reevaluate your business model. Obviously customer service is not at the top of your list (and I humbly submit that, as a retailer, customer service should be your primary concern). As I mentioned previously I have done business with you in the past but I will no longer. If your treatment of me is any reflection of your business ethic. I can only assume that you have forgotten your customer base is the individual enthusiast. I simply asked that you honor your posted charges; I have not asked for any special treatment that I would not afford anyone else. You have had several days to correct a glaring (and potentially litigious) error and have ignored it.

It is unfortunate that you have chosen the low path, instead of honoring your word.

Please be so kind as to cancel my order. I will not trouble you with my business again and, as I said, I will advise others to do business with more honorable men.

Darrell S. Lewis



Please direct this to Dennis Kirban:

You wrote, "Our standard shipping is 8.00 so we can not 2nd day air a pkg. to
Texas for 12.90." Yes you can and you should because this is YOUR mistake. In fact, you should be thankful that I'm pointing out an error on your website. This error is yet to be corrected, even though your company has been aware of it for several days.

In the interest of good customer relations and the fact that my order has already been delayed (through no fault of mine) I would hope that your company would at least try to honor our agreement. Neither I, nor other customers, should be paying for your company's mistake. As of today (8/15/07) the same rate of shipping and handling charges of $12.90 for UPS 2nd Day Air is still posted. This would indicate a contractually agreed upon price and that is what I expect from your company.

You are vwilling to give up over $50.00 in sales for $9.10 shipping charge that I don't owe. Had my order been processed and shipped in accordance to you posted website, my order would be arriving tomorrow.

I would appreciate it if Mr. Kirban would contact me so we can resolve this matter.

Thank you.

DSL


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Dianna <retail@kirbanperformance.com>
To: Darrell Lewis <dslewis01@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: kirban internet order
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 09:06:08 -0400
>Darrell,
>
>Our standard shipping is 8.00 so we can not 2nd day air a pkg. to
>Texas for 12.90. Our web site is not always correct when it comes to
>the special delivery types. We are working on this and hope to
>correct this shortly. That is the reason for the email.
>We are sorry for this inconvenience and please email and let us know
>if you still want the order to ship with the new charges.
>Thank you
>Kirban Performance
>
>Darrell Lewis wrote:
>>I checked the website again today (8/14/07) and you are still
>>charging $12.90 for *UPS 2nd Day Air*, and that is what I agreed to
>>pay. You are now telling me that you are doubling the shipping &
>>handling charges! Please honor the original contract. I have
>>purchased items from Kirban's in the past and have recommended your
>>company to other enthusiasts, I also realize that my order is not a
>>tremendous amount, but I do feel that you should honor the amounts
>>posted on your website. If you are unwilling to sell me the
>>products at the agreed upon price of $51.85 as well as the _still
>>posted_ shipping and handling charges of $12.90 for *UPS 2nd Day
>>Air *for a total of *$64.75*, then cancel my order and I will place
>>this and all future orders with another vendor.
>>
>>
>>
>>Darrell S. Lewis
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> From: /Dianna <retail@kirbanperformance.com>/
>> To: /dslewis01@hotmail.com/
>> Subject: /kirban internet order/
>> Date: /Tue, 14 Aug 2007 10:00:21 -0400/
>> >We received your order however the shipping for 2nd day air
>>is
>> >incorrect.
>> >The correct shipping amount for 2nd day air is 22.00.
>> >Please let me know asap if this is ok to charge your credit
>>card.
>> >The total amount we would be charging you will be $73.85
>> >Your order can not ship until I hear from you.
>> >Thank you for your order.
>> >Kirban Performance

D

[ajt86]

happens all the time

order some floor pans from bweavy- it says shipping is like 45$ or somthing then he will email you and tell you ground shipping is acualy like 120$ a floor pan, i pointed that mistake out to him like 4 months ago, but its whatever, if you dont want to pay then do as your doing and go to another vendor

it usualy depends on how the money flow is, vendors that are more in the profit will tend to be more customer oriented, they can afford to loose the shipping cost on a sale, when buisness is hurting- them loosing 10$ on shipping is a bigger deal

i in no way know in what financial situation kirbans is, i just know how it works from family buiesness and whatnot

[CallMeMud]

From PA to Texas? I don't know what the part is or how big (details would help here) but I wouldn't ship it either and take a loss all depending. It was a mistake on the standard shipping or his site doesn't reflect the 2nd day shipping? At any rate I doubt Kirban or anyone there can change the site ASAP like you would like to see it. More than likely that has to be done by someone that built the site for them. Shipping 2nd day that distance is expensive!

[ULYCYC]

Dennis may be crusty but he is not a crook. He has sent parts out before payment for years. He is one vendor you never here problems with. If there is a glitch or error on his website, why would you try and bust his balls over it? That not too classy. That make you more of a crook to watch out for.

[rastaz]

Your loss IMO... Kirban's is one of the best vendors out there... You're being ridiculous over $9... I've noticed most other vendors quote and charge higher shipping than it actually costs them... sounds like Kirban's were just trying to cover the ACTUAL cost of shipping...

[Gary Wells]

"Sad day for Kirban's"
Rev. 3:1, this was a sadder day for you than it was for Dennis. Dennis did what any knowledgeable and experienced businessman / business would have done under the same and / or similiar circumstances. He notified you in advance that the charges that they showed in their catalogue were incorrect, and he requested you notify them what was best for your interests. I really don't think that you could have asked for anything more.
Consider yourself fortunate that Dennis Kirban has too large of a business concern and is too honorable of a person to hold your hasty and poorly made decision against you in the future. Only $ 9 difference and you blew this deal. Ha, Ha, sorry, that's funny. Personally, I would have thanked Kirban's for notifying me prior to shipment, paid the $ 9, and anxiously waited for my part.

[nero]

Originally Posted by Gary Wells

"Sad day for Kirban's"
Rev. 3:1, this was a sadder day for you than it was for Dennis. Dennis did what any knowledgeable and experienced businessman / business would have done under the same and / or similiar circumstances. He notified you in advance that the charges that they showed in their catalogue were incorrect, and he requested you notify them what was best for your interests. I really don't think that you could have asked for anything more.
Consider yourself fortunate that Dennis Kirban has too large of a business concern and is too honorable of a person to hold your hasty and poorly made decision against you in the future. Only $ 9 difference and you blew this deal. Ha, Ha, sorry, that's funny. Personally, I would have thanked Kirban's for notifying me prior to shipment, paid the $ 9, and anxiously waited for my part.

Agreed, end of thread.

[V6 Beast]

I disagree with most of the replies in here and agree with the original poster. If you can't get closer than half the actual charges for an item then you shouldn't have the website up. Period. You advertise a price for something and you honor it. It is that simple. Anything else is deceitful and most likely illegal. If you don't know the price you put something like call for 2nd day air charges.

I had the same thing the other day. I went into CompuUSA to buy a hard drive and picked out one that was clearly on sale. Went to pay and at the register they tried to charge me more than 33% more than the sign. Their excuse was that they were putting the signs up for a sale tomorrow and they expected me to pay $119 for something that was advertised in their store for sale for 79.95 and would be 79.95 they next day. Needless to say CompUSA will never get another penny from and I usually spend $3K-$4k in the place every year.

My .02

Sully

[tony moore]

i know kirban is a good vender, but if i had a mistake on my website i think i would honor that price and have the mistake fixed asap!

[chrisgarrett46]

Gary, as a businessman, I would have looked at the $9.00, which I agree is a measly sum, and would have wanted to make the customer happy. I have owned several businesses over the years and occasionally I would be approached by an unhappy customer. I did whatever it took to make them happy. When a person feels that their concerns have been addressed, they usually become a loyal customer. Of course this isn't always true. Some people just love to complain. If it became clear that a customer was just being a nuisance, I would write them off.
I too have had unsatifactory dealings with a couple of Buick vendors, but I would not come on these forums and complain about them. I guess as a busnessman, it just doesn't seem fair to try and hurt their business.

[Gothmog]

Originally Posted by chrisgarrett46

Gary, as a businessman, I would have looked at the $9.00, which I agree is a measly sum, and would have wanted to make the customer happy. I have owned several businesses over the years and occasionally I would be approached by an unhappy customer. I did whatever it took to make them happy. When a person feels that their concerns have been addressed, they usually become a loyal customer. Of course this isn't always true. Some people just love to complain. If it became clear that a customer was just being a nuisance, I would write them off.
I too have had unsatifactory dealings with a couple of Buick vendors, but I would not come on these forums and complain about them. I guess as a busnessman, it just doesn't seem fair to try and hurt their business.

x2

as a businessperson myself, I have eaten costs to keep the customer...never thought about who was right or wrong, just keep the customer.
Its alot easier to keep an old customer than find a new one IMO

[Steve Wood]

For $12.90, I would have eaten the cost and fixed my site. One meal at the 99 cent special would have gotten the money back.

[nero]

But he did notify him in advance of the error. That's tantamount to cell phone providers notifying customers of plan changes--effectively giving them the opportunity to opt out without incurring any penalties.

Oh well... it is what it is

[Gary Wells]

Ok, maybe my response was a little hasty.But that was not really my intent:
Rev 3:11: I am sorry that you & Dennis could not reach an agreement but that sometimes happens in business, even the best of them. My advice would be to make the best of the situation and consider it a good inexpensive learning curve experience. It didn't cost you anything but maybe an E-mail and maybe a phone call.
I am very conscious & aware of what businesses go through these days, especially a small business, to keep things going.
I am sure that Dennis and / or Pete will fix the error, or have it fixed asap. I think Dennis did the best thing possible under the circumstances. The importance of keeping a customer here can't be under estimated, but sometimes keeping 1 customer happy might set a predecent that can end up being very expensive. I still think that Dennis did the best thing possible under the circumstances. HTH.
I don't think that being a Turbo Buick vendor, (the car, not the site by the same name) is a very easy thing to do. I wish them all well, regardless of whose site that they advertise on, and I am thankful for them. Losing even aftermarket turbo Buick vendors/suppliers/shops can only drive up the cost of things that I already can't afford.

[stevemon]

He could have sent it by priority mail, at a maximum cost of $9 making a $4 profit on the $12.90 shpg. And from PA to TX, the the pkg would have arrived in 2 days.