Scott S.
I was a loyal customer for 14 years
I was a loyal customer for 14 years, and I always had a good experience with folks in customer service, many of whom I knew on a first-name basis. My complaint is focused on a business model that rewards customers only on the amount the spent the previous year. From 2014 to 2022 I purchased almost exclusively from SMP - pipes, tobacco, and accessories. In 2022, I spent much of my time in Maine in support of my elderly parents. Maine prohibits receiving tobacco by mail, and for the first time in many years, I was made fewer pipe purchases. This apparently dropped me below a certain amount spent at SMP, and when I went to purchase a desired pipe on January 2, 2023, I saw that I no longer had the 10% discount that I had for many years previous. Now, it is not that discount amount that bothered me but the fact that I was a well-established customer - over 100 pipes purchased and gold-medallion standing in several of their badges. While I am sure that the SMP folks are well-respected in the pipe-smoking community, I question their business model that focuses only on the amount spent in the previous year to determine discounts, particularly in a community that prides itself on human relationships. This business model seems to care less about human relationships than on the profit margin. I still place orders with SMP on occasion, but I deleted my account and use it only as a guest. Instead, I prefer to give the majority of my business to those companies that care more about the human relationships than the profit margin - Blue Room Briars, Briar Blues, Dave Neeb are among those that I prefer, and I deal mostly with Mars Cigars for my tobacco purchases. I encourage the folks at SMP to reevaluate their current business model. Losing one long-term customer of 14 years should be a red flag to most folks, but the SMP folks did not bat an eye when I deleted my account. If they don't care about me, I surely care not about their success and will use them only at my convenience.