Custom Crete Warehouse

Review: Their web site charges less than in house pickup. On 5/9/13 I picked up (8) bags on U20 Smoke at a rate of 51.81; web site list is 47.00 and (2) R28 slate gray release agent at a rate of 77.27; web site list is 67.00. Total charge was 569.02 +36.13 tax = 605.15. If I had ordered it through the website for in house pick up it would have been 542.39 for the same products. At no time did I receive any extra service when picking up the product. It was a business to business transaction and my business was over charged by 62.76. I called on 5/16/13 (talked with Steve). He was not willing to make alterations to my billing and hung up on me. I believe this is a true form of false advertising and needs to be corrected. I would like my business credit card credited for the $62.76 that it was in over charge for. Thank you for your time.

Product_Or_Service: U20 / R28 Butterfield Color

Account_Number: Sale Receipt #24631

Desired Settlement: I would like my business credit card credited for the $62.76 that it was in over charge for. Thank you for your time.

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 11, 2013/06/28) */

RE: Case # XXXXXXXX

This is our reply for the above listed case with [redacted].

Yes, Some of the items that we sell can be purchased cheaper on our web site. This was done at the suggestion of the company that built our web site three years ago. Many companies do this. Some of our suppliers do it to us, we too are charged more if we call to order items then we would be if we fax or email in the order. There are several reasons for this. The first is that there is no one to talk to on the wed site, you can't ask questions. Then there is shipping. If you order on line you have a choice of either having it shipped at additional cost or you can chose the in store pick up. The lower cost helps offset the shipping cost, but becomes a bonus to the customer who chooses the in store pick up and gives us time to pull the order when we have some free time. Then there is the cost factor for us. All shipped orders are sent FOB from the factory, which helps us with our inventory. Plus, the cost of maintaining the web site is nowhere near the cost of maintaining our "brick and mortar" store. That said, the information about this is on our sales receipt.

As to Ms. [redacted]'s claim where she states, "At no time did I receive any extra service when picking up the product", I beg to differ. Our surveillance cameras show Ms. [redacted] arriving at 9: 17 AM and not leaving until 10:48 AM. All the time she was here she picked our brain dry. She can be seen on camera both inside and outside being shown various patterns and colors by our help. She checked out at 10:46 and her materials were loaded into her car at 10:48, so its not like it took a long time for us to get her order together, it was her gathering information that took the good part of the hour and a half she spent here. This information can't be had from our web site and for this reason we feel that the price difference is justified.

She also states that; "It was a business to business transaction and my business was over charged", this also is not true. She told us that a relative, possible her nephew, was doing the work at her house. I also ran her name in the State of Connecticut contractor's registration list. There is no business listed under her name. So if she is running a business, it is an illegal one.

When she did call to complain, she did not want to hear anything [redacted] had to say and kept talking over him. This is why she was hung up on.

We have customers who have found out about saving money on our web site after they read about it on their first receipt and now do it regularly. Ms. [redacted] is free to do the same. No money will be refunded.

[redacted] , Partner CCW

Consumer Response /* (3000, 18, 2013/07/25) */

This case has not been resolved. In response to Mr. [redacted] remarks it is not my pricing model and business practices that are in question in this complaint. I will reiterate; I received no extra service when picking up the product. The time I spent there was looking at sample areas, with no assistance, out side of the establishment. This area I assumed is provided for your customers so they can assist themselves without your help. Finally a gentleman came over to me and that is when I placed my order. He then assisted me in loading the material into my truck.

This was a business to business transaction. I paid with a business credit card and I do have a viable business in my name in the State of Connecticut. Again, my business practices are not in question, here. Yours are.

To reiterate: There was no place at your establishment or online that stated a discount if your customers ordered on line. This is an intentional poor/deceptive pricing practice of which the members/partners of the LLC are responsible. Just because someone builds a web site for you doesn't make misrepresentation and deception of pricing a fair business practice for your firm for the last three years.