Em's Place Stuff

[stropmegently]

Has anyone bought any of the Em's place scents, colognes, soaps and such? If so, how are they? Are the colognes and such long lasting, are they decent? Are the soaps quality? I was perusing the website and was looking at some of the stuff and am curious. So, if anyone has tried any, please let me know.

Darren

 

[mantic]

I have a couple of her shaving soaps ("Outdoors" and "Strengthening") and one of her a/s balms ("Skinicidal"). I've also bought a couple odds and ends for my wife, bath salts and whatnot. Topnotch stuff, great prices and service. I'll do business with her again.

--Mark

 

[fisherc]

Ems Place products are fantastic. In general, her products are naturally derived and scented exclusively with EO's. She has a dozen or so proprietary EO blends that she translates across many products, ie shave soap, EDP, hydrosol spray/splash, etc. All of them are very high quality.

From a service perspective Emily is also top notch. Of all the purveyors of wetshaving goods on the internet she is certainly at the top of the class. I would recommend the company and the goods without any hesitation to anyone looking for quality natural men's toiletries.

Chris

 

[jmhUT]

In an attempt to keep myself from buying a travel brush I reciently ordered one of her travel tubes, ~$5 plus very little S&H. I received a confirmation email as well as a notification of shipment email the same day I ordered. The tube arrived two business days later. Ridiculously good service for a $5 purchase. I sincerly feel guilty about not spending more.
Cheers,
Jeff

 

[Scotto]

Em is a top notch supplier. Order with confidence. Don't miss the wonderful hydrosols and aftershave splashes, especially the cucumber.

 

[hengist]

Note also that she carries a good selection of Trumper's shaving creams, soaps, and EDTs, all for quite reasonable prices. And since she's in Oregon, standard shipping will get your order to Seattle in a single business day.

Ryan

 

[Xert]

Now if only she would ship to Canada...

 

[blueasajewel]

Now if only she would ship to Canada...

Exactly!! I would LOVE to do business with her, but it looks like it's not in the cards.

 

[stropmegently]

Thank you all for the responses. I did purchase my Trumpers from her, her prices were about the best I found via an online search (using North American suppliers). I will try some of her blends the next time I am able and allowed to buy stuff again. In my short time of buying high end stuff, I have spent a small fortune.

Trumper: sandalwood, lime
C&E: Sienna, Almond and Nomad (the entire line of Sienna and Nomad)
AOS: Sandalwood (with balm, cologne and oil and the citrus soap)
Merkur: The Futur, all ready owned the HD
Merkur: 50 blades
Feather: The AC entry level straight with one box of each type of blades (which is for sale btw seeing as I was able to find an expert honer very close by to me)
Dovo: Straight
Honing stone
Strop

My wife loves me!

Darren

 

[Nitrox]

Now if only she would ship to Canada...

Tell me about it, she has so much nice stuff I like but can't buy it. So I have to scrounge elsewhere and take my chances.

 

[water]

I do not understand why some American retailers do not sell to Canada. What extra work is there? Filling out a customs slip is about the only thing I can see and that takes all of thirty seconds.

 

[vox_rox]

I do not understand why some American retailers do not sell to Canada. What extra work is there? Filling out a customs slip is about the only thing I can see and that takes all of thirty seconds.

That's exactly right. Really, the only hassle is for us on the recieving end if our border nazis decide to ping us with GST (not unreasonanble) + $5 for the honour of having them grab us by the short and curlies (absolutely unreasonable).

From the sender's perspective, simply add 25 per cent to the shipping charges and be done with it, USPS doesn't care, unless it's a pressurized container, which is a different can of worms. But, really, I've oredered brushes, tubes of shave cream, razors, even blades, all with no problems. And, really, don't we have some kind of Free Trade agreement, and can't we just be good neighbours and all that.

After all, we are physically attached to you anyway, same land mass and all that. Come on, come out and play with us.

Peace,

Pierre

 

[Suzuki]

This is especially funny as it costs less to ship from Oregon to Toronto than Vancouver to Toronto!

I suspect there may be some reluctance due to the possible pressure to understate value on the customs slip to help customers avoid duty.

 

[bogeybog]

I have literally made thousands of purchases, (both for personal and business purposes) globally, and I wouldn't waste my time with someone like Em's, even if she so kindly relented and did start shipping to Canada.

I can purchase shaving products/colognes/soaps etc. which are either superior or of equal quality either locally or from several sources around the world. Why would I even consider someone who, for whatever reason, only cares, or can only handle doing business in her village?

As for customer service, just as I strive to do with my clients, (who by the way are completely unrelated with the topic of this forum), I only do business with merchants who actually want to EARN my business, and "go that extra mile", merchants like Charles at QED and Classic Shaving, (even with their very high shipping rates) amongst others.

 

[mrob]

bogeybog,

I see this is your first post--welcome to B&B. The issue of "shipping to Canada" is one that has been gaining some traction here recently, and while I understand your frustration on the shipping issues, there's no need for the angry tone re: Em.

You may not agree with Em's decision not to ship internationally, but her reasons ("custom constraints, shipping costs, governmental bureaucracy") have also been identified by several Canadians on the forums recently, so she's clearly not making them up.

Perhaps your frustration is misplaced here? In any event, Em certainly doesn't deserve this kind of treatment.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Xert]

Well, shipping costs should hardly be a factor since the customer's the one paying anyway.

 

[bogeybog]

bogeybog,

I see this is your first post--welcome to B&B. The issue of "shipping to Canada" is one that has been gaining some traction here recently, and while I understand your frustration on the shipping issues, there's no need for the angry tone re: Em.

You may not agree with Em's decision not to ship internationally, but her reasons ("custom constraints, shipping costs, governmental bureaucracy") have also been identified by several Canadians on the forums recently, so she's clearly not making them up.

Perhaps your frustration is misplaced here? In any event, Em certainly doesn't deserve this kind of treatment.

Just my 2 cents.

Mrob, thank for the welcome. I truly enjoy this this site and forum.

The internet is not the easiest venue to convery tone, as I most definately did not intend to convery anger. It was intended as matter of fact.

Whatever her reasons, Em choses not to earn my business, so why would I bother? I am sure she makes fine products, but in the very subjective field of grooming, there are literally hundreds of products as good, or again, very subjectively, superior to hers.

I really do not have any frustrations with her "reasons". When I took the time to peruse her website, searched out her shipping policies and noticed she doesn't ship to Canada, I just thought...NEXT, and moved on. My so called frustration was directed at my fellow Canadians who commented on how if only she would ship to Canada. Really, who cares... (no... seriously, just because some people talk about her products but she won't sell to you?)? There are many, many pruducts which are better, or just as good.

As to her "identified reasons", but admitedly, without knowing their comparitive size of businesses, if Charles can ship me two items packed in a box and delivered to USPS in less then 24 hours for LESS then $6, then they are bogus! He, along with the dozens of other American merchants who I know and deal with regularily, don't seem to have those "reasons" not to earn my business.

So again, my apoligies if I came across as angry. If someone doesn't or can't do business with me (or if I don't want to do business with them), who cares? Move on...there are so many other choices.

 

[stropmegently]

All I know is this. Em shipped stuff me fast, cheap and without any damage. Her prices (in particular for the Trumper line) are among the best I have seen anywhere.

I recently had the opportunity to purchase some products from The English Shaving company, and although the price was fair, even shipped from England, and shipping was fast, the items arrived in horrible shape. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on the way one looks at something) my building has a doorman/concierge. That person signed for my product, hence indicating that I accepted the product. I have pictures at home of the condition of the box, it was in terrible shape. The lime cologne (Trumper) I bought was empty, but the box was very nicely scented as were the stryofoam chips. The top had come loose and all of the 200mL bottle had leaked. I have sent an email to the company regarding the loss of the product but considering the package was signed for, it may be my loss. Other than the manhandling of the package by the postal service, the rest of the experience with the company was stellar. I ordered the goods 7 days ago and received them yesterday. So, shipping was fast, and my contacts prior to receipt of the package have been positive. Overseas shipping, for my first experience, not so happy about it!

Darren

 

[Mama Bear]

It seems to be a heck of a subject! I wasn't prepared to do this when I had customers request my products overseas, but I ship with the USPS. All I have to do is fill out the customs slip... which as someone pointed out, only takes a minute.

But I have discovered that shipping to Canada or in Europe, the shipping cost seems to double. I am still trying to get a handle on the exact costs, but double seems to be about it. My shopping cart on my website is not set up to handle this. Therefore what I have to do is charge extra shipping and send out an extra invoice or have the customer send extra funds via pay pal. I am sure this is not the best way to do it... but setting up my cart for international orders is going to take time and a definate learning curve. This time I have not yet been able to find. I also am not sure what customers are being charged on the other end for tariffs... maybe this makes it not worth it for them either!

So, it can be done easily, but it is a pain for the customer to purchase from me... but did I really think it was going to be easy to instantly set up International shipments!

Thanks to all that have dealt with this along with me...! I think we all have our ways with dealing with things like this. I am sure Em's would be shipping internationally if it was simpler.

Sue, don't shoot the messenger....

 

[rtaylor61]

One thing to remember. Its Em's business. She can do as she pleases. Regardless of why she makes her policy regarding shipping, it's her right to do so. Obviously this will deny some from becoming customers, but seriously, do you think Em sits around deciding to descriminate against entire nations? She chooses to do what she is comfortable with doing. Like many of our vendors, she is not a big corporation. Yes, she chooses to operate her business on the internet, which is worldwide, but that doesn't mean she has to be a international business. Does this cost her business? Obviously. But that is her right, and her decision.

Let's not condemn Em for running her business the way that she chooses.

Randy