Why I won't be doing business with Whitman Again

[pendragon1998]

Some of you may remember my earlier posting about the poor service I had with Whitman when I placed my first order with them.

 

RECAP

 

March 17, 2006:

I recently ordered a bunch of 2x2 plastic snap-together holders from Whitman's website. They came in, and from the moment I picked up the box, I knew I had a problem. The packer apparently just stuck the lot into an small open box (like a 2x2 holder box minus the lid) and then put the open box into the bottom of a large cardboard shipping box with a big handful of wadded up paper on top. The result was all of my 2x2's got dumped into the floor of the cardboard box and scratched each other all to hell. Believe me, they were all in the mail back to whitman by lunchtime that day. The girl on the phone said they'd replace them and reimburse me for shipping, but I'm still pissed off - that was my first order with the company, and I'm really not impressed.

 

May 02, 2006:

For those of you keeping up with my ongoing saga of misery with Whitman Publishing, you'll recall that I got a box full of loose, scratched 2x2 rigid plastic holders from them. I sent them back, and finally got a replacement order - minus the nickel holder which they said they were out of stock on. Then, a few days ago, I get two postcards from them - one says I sent in an insufficient amount of money in an order by mail, and the other one says that my credit card was declined!

 

I never sent in an order by mail, and if those $#%^#$% insufficiently_thoughtful_persons tried to charge the card number they got from me a second time, they're darn right it would be declined - - I use a service with my card company that generates a one-time use cc number with a set maximum charge. They no doubt were trying to charge me shipping to send the second part of my replacement order. I have honestly never seen such gross incompetance on behalf of a such well-known company. They'll never get my business again, and I'd encourage everyone who reads this to consider following my example.

 

August 05, 2006:

So today, I open up the mailbox and lo and behold, there's a package in there. "I did not order a package", I think to myself, "whoever can it be from?" Guess.

 

Yes, indeed, it was from Whitman Publishing. They have finally sent me my 3 styrene nickel holders. FIVE FREAKING MONTHS AFTER MY ORDER. I just wish this was from eBay so I could leave a negative. There was no packing slip, no "we're sorry" - no note of any kind. Just a bubble mailer with my name and address scrawled on it in sharpie with three holders wrapped in a wad of paper stuffed inside.

 

I reiterate: I will never purchase anything from Whitman Publishing again. I'll pick up a Red Book every few years from a book retailer, but that's it. Their customer service was appalling. This was my first order with them and it is certainly my last one. My advice to anyone who asks me, is don't fork over your hard-earned money to Whitman Publishing.

[EZ_E]

They have finally sent me my 3 styrene nickel holders. FIVE FREAKING MONTHS AFTER MY ORDER.

 

 

And, I'm still waiting for the Young Ben uncirculated commemorative dollar that I ordered from the mint in January! The order is still active, just waiting to be filled.

[John Martinez]

The mint holds credit card orders over a certain dollar value. If you call them after the 10 days, they get on it and send it out shortly thereafter. There was one time when I entered a MC card number but clicked on VISA. That held up my order until I called to get it straight. So, call them and see why it is being held up.

 

If you leave anything to chance, you will probably get burned. That statement is how I live my life, both personal and business.

[EZ_E]

John, I've had everything else from the same order and cc# filled. Just waiting on this:

 

 

BEN FRANKLIN "SCIENTIST" SLVR UNC COIN 1 $33.00 $33.00 In stock and reserved

 

[John Martinez]

I would, at this point, make some snide remark about government employees, but since I order from the Mint.... I'll think I'll just shut up now.

[midwest]

I would, at this point, make some snide remark about government employees, but since I order from the Mint.... I'll think I'll just shut up now.

 

To late, the black SUVs are on the way.

[Brucec-migration]

I have purchased quite lot of items from Brooklyn Gallery Coin Co and have been very happy with them also Coin Nuts, Shawnee Coin Co and Coinland.

 

Out of these I have been very happy with Brooklyn coin co.

 

Get nothing from any of them just telling you who i have gotten good service from in the past.

 

Thanks for your warning about Whitman never used them but will stat away from them now.

[brwnprkns]

I finally recieved my Ben Franklin Scientist on July 28th, I also ordered in January.

It arrived while the mint web site still had it listed as backordered, scheduled to ship on or around june 15th.

[EZ_E]

Thanks for the info.

[pendragon1998]

For those of you wondering about what online supply companies to order from, I suggest you check out Good supply companies? , my previous thread, particularly the final postings in that thread.

[John Martinez]

Thanks, Michael, for the link to the other thread with references.

[pendragon1998]

I thought I'd update this thread with a link to my latest Whitman-related frustrations.

[just carl]

The only thing that really ticks me off with Whitman is the prices. They sell to companies like Walmart for a fraction of what they charge us normal people. For example the stupid Red Book that is now about a year to early. The Walmart price is about 2/3rds of what Whitman will charge you. I would think going to the manufacturer would be cheaper for anything. It works that way around here if I go to factory and buy what they produce. For example therer is a Wonder Bread Factory around here and (probably shouldn't say this) but if I go to that place I get loafs of bread free. Additional pages for my albums are list price and I can get them at any coin show for 2/3rds of that. Now that Whitman is producing a Red Book a year early I wonder when they will start to sell the 2010 Edition. This summer?

[DC Dawg]

Unless there is some compelling reason to buy from Whitman (like buying the Red Book and getting it autographed by Ken Bressett at a show), I buy directly from dealers. Even with shipping, it's cheaper than buying directly. I don't mind, especially when I create a relationship with a dealer for other items so they would be willing to special order something for a regular customer. To me, this is no big deal.

 

Scott

[WaxonWaxov]

The only thing that really ticks me off with Whitman is the prices. They sell to companies like Walmart for a fraction of what they charge us normal people. For example the stupid Red Book that is now about a year to early. The Walmart price is about 2/3rds of what Whitman will charge you. I would think going to the manufacturer would be cheaper for anything. It works that way around here if I go to factory and buy what they produce. For example therer is a Wonder Bread Factory around here and (probably shouldn't say this) but if I go to that place I get loafs of bread free. Additional pages for my albums are list price and I can get them at any coin show for 2/3rds of that. Now that Whitman is producing a Red Book a year early I wonder when they will start to sell the 2010 Edition. This summer?

 

You need to understand just how TRULY evil Walmart is.

 

For example: I few years back I dated the director for marketing of refridgerated products from Con-Agra foods (primarily Hormel) An example she told me was they sold these frozen meatball things. Walmart contacted them and said they wanted a bulk pack at a crazy low price and they (Walmart) wanted to be the only place that sold it. When Con-Agra told Walmart they could not do that, then Walmart replied "OK... you know I don't think we have room for all these other prodcuts of your anymore"

 

So my point is Whitman might only be making a penny or two off of Walmart. Either they let Walmart stick it to them in the arse, or they don't sell anything at Walmart.

 

I won't buy so much as a stick of gum from Walmart.

[cpm9ball]

For example therer is a Wonder Bread Factory around here and (probably shouldn't say this) but if I go to that place I get loafs of bread free.

 

I used to go to a Budweiser plant and get free beer until the cops set up a DUI checkpoint outside the gate.

 

Unfortunately, bread and beer are not good comparisons because these are perishable consumables. Some manufacturers, but not all, do have onsite retail facilities and they charge closer to the market price for their products. Retailers, such as WalMart, purchase from the suppliers at wholesale prices, which is something neither you nor I can do, and can set whatever retail price they choose. The downside about WalMart is that they will cut their prices so low, even if it means a loss, in order to drive their competitors out of business. The sad part is that some of their competitors are not retail giants like Sears/KMart or J. C. Penney. They are small "Mom & Pop" stores that, for decades, served the residents of a specific neighborhood.

 

Chris