QED Question

[middie26]

I've been reading a lot of positive things about QED, but haven't really found reasons why it's such a good place..

Can those who've ordered from this mysterious "Charles" let me know what makes him special? I love shopkeepers/vendors who take the time to discuss the nuances of shaving (I've found a cigar shop that does something similar - they'll talk your ear off about each cigar and it's great!)...

 

[krisbarger]

I've been reading a lot of positive things about QED, but haven't really found reasons why it's such a good place..

Can those who've ordered from this mysterious "Charles" let me know what makes him special? I love shopkeepers/vendors who take the time to discuss the nuances of shaving (I've found a cigar shop that does something similar - they'll talk your ear off about each cigar and it's great!)...

If you want to discuss anything, Charles is not the guy. He has very short answers and most of the time is very rude (at least to me). Good luck.

 

[ChrisG]

If you want to discuss anything, Charles is not the guy. He has very short answers and most of the time is very rude (at least to me). Good luck.

Ditto.

 

[jkh]

Wow, I have had exactly the opposite experience. All my questions have been throughly answered, usually with more information than I was asking for. I have also heard of people have trouble getting off the phone with Charles because he likes to talk shaving so much. Charles has been selling shaving goods since the early 80's, so he must be doing something right.

He produces or oversees production of several of his own lines of products (soaps, aftershaves, shaving brushes, etc). Most e-tailers simply act as the middle man to sell products produced by other manufactures. In my book, that gives him some serious shaving chops.

 

[ChrisG]

On his old site for the shaving stick section it said to call and check inventory due to them selling so fast , which I did and he told me to look on the website and gave attitude. I'm sorry I don't care how good your shave sticks are, if you are rude it won't compensate for a good product and I can find other items like Valobra or Speick which are probably better. I'm sure he has many followers but I am all set.

 

[guenron]

Wow is not quite my response.. If Charles has been criticized for anything it is talking your ear off. With over 20 years, AFAIK, in the business, he is the consumate gentleman that makes time for every customer. His greatest pleasure is taken from chatting with gentlemen and passing on information and his experience.
The only people that have gotten short shrift from Charles are those obnoxious nobs calling for supplier information or other business data.

 

[Baloosh]

Wow is not quite my response.. If Charles has been criticized for anything it is talking your ear off. With over 20 years, AFAIK, in the business, he is the consumate gentleman that makes time for every customer. His greatest pleasure is taken from chatting with gentlemen and passing on information and his experience.

Completely agreed. Every time I've contacted Charles (both phone and email), he's been quite the talker, and he always seems to make time to chat.

 

[Emmett]

It seems like people have have had two opposite experiences. Are we sure there is only one Charles?

 

[krisbarger]

Wow is not quite my response.. If Charles has been criticized for anything it is talking your ear off. With over 20 years, AFAIK, in the business, he is the consumate gentleman that makes time for every customer. His greatest pleasure is taken from chatting with gentlemen and passing on information and his experience.
The only people that have gotten short shrift from Charles are those obnoxious nobs calling for supplier information or other business data.

I don't take offense to this statement. I am not obnoxious and I do not know what a nob is
I have ordered a total of 4 times from him. 1st time was a great experience. I am a long-suffering person so it took 3 more times of short one word answers to turn me off completely. The last time he was basically just rude. The time he WAS nice was on the phone. The last 3 times were emails. I don't want to get into "what did you say? or what did he say" My questions were normal questions by any standard. I love his shave soaps and have a bunch of them, they are great. But, I do not like buying from him and if I can find what I am looking for elsewhere I will. I don't like being talked down to. Kris Barger

 

[JonnyAngel]

The facts

1.) I have ordered from him several times with no issues.
2.) He has a much much much much better web site.
3.) Savile Row brushes are amazing at any price point.
4.) He makes nice soaps with great smells.

 

[Gruder]

Charles's emails are certainly to the point when it comes to routine ordering matters. I choose to see this as an outcome of the volume of email he receives, and because making soap is not his day job. Others are, of course, free to interpret this differently. What I've never seen is a member accuse Charles of not responding to email. If you don't get an answer that's complete to your satisfaction, I'd simply advise calling or emailing to elaborate on the original question -- or not, it's really your call to make.

Whether members choose to appreciate Charles' emails or not, surely we can all agree that he has provided a large amount of time, expertise, and benefit to B&B members through several exclusive group buys and, just last week, a quite generous prize for the Carnival. He really is a gentleman's gentleman, and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to work with him on B&B's behalf.

 

[rickboone1]

I have never ordered from this person. I've learned to take any review with a grain of salt.

A few things that come to mind:

Has he been "rude" with anyone over the phone? It seems that email is mostly mentioned.

What are we defining as "rude"? That he won't talk? That his answers are short? Or is it the tonality in his voice? I've learned to not take a lot from the tonality either. Some people just sound as if they are bothered or preoccupied when phoned. But, they take care of your needs and get it done quickly.

My take, and to each their own, but is at least you did get a response. Did his one-worded response at least answer your question?

Perhaps he is often pre-occupied with other duties, but feels that his customers deserve at least some sort of answer when they call rather than to be ignored fully.

Maybe he has a pay-by-the-minute phone plan and must make his answers precise and to the point.

Maybe he has split personalities or something and you called when he was not the nice person?

 

[FLTiger]

Charles hooked me up with some old stock Omega (with the lanolin). We communicated via email. No problems here.

 

[tm3]

Wow is not quite my response.. If Charles has been criticized for anything it is talking your ear off. With over 20 years, AFAIK, in the business, he is the consumate gentleman that makes time for every customer. His greatest pleasure is taken from chatting with gentlemen and passing on information and his experience.

i concur.

charles over the phone has been very helpful and has actually talked me out of a couple of purchases. i have enjoyed ordering from him because unlike some other vendors he actually uses shaving products and has an "old school" feel about the whole thing. plus his products have been exceptional.

email has been another story -- problematic is how i would describe it. so i don't email him, i call him.

i'm very disappointed to see that he is no longer offering his ASBs.

 

[Ookla The Mok]

Charles is a top shelf guy. The only thing that kept me for ordering from him more often was the old website. Without that, I may be in trouble with the old lady soon.....

 

[DustBow]

Email must be touch and go - I've never spoken to him but have emailed him many times going back 2-3 years. I always get a quick & helpful response, sometimes they are brief but always to the point and never rude. And I've also had some longer email "conversations" with him where we've gotten off topic.

 

[Another Platonist]

I order from Jim at Vintage Blades, West Coast Shaving, and QED pretty much exclusively. It seems like every 6-9 months, someone complains about Charles' rudeness, and then a bunch of people jump to his defense....I have had nothing but good experiences with him, and I have only dealt with him via e-mail. I'm sorry if folks have had bad experiences with him, but even if he was a total jerk, I'd still buy his bathtub gin soap!

 

[JPM]

I've ordered from him several times, all with good results. I had a problem with one razor and he answered me very satisfactorily via e-mail and follower up with the manufacturer. Also scored a free sample of his soap he made and had an e-mail chat about the product. Very nice gentleman to deal with for me.

 

[Cloning Jeff]

I just ordered a brush from Charles, and found him to be very helpful. We only talked via email, and never was treated poorly.

 

[Cliff]

Wow is not quite my response.. If Charles has been criticized for anything it is talking your ear off. With over 20 years, AFAIK, in the business, he is the consumate gentleman that makes time for every customer. His greatest pleasure is taken from chatting with gentlemen and passing on information and his experience.
The only people that have gotten short shrift from Charles are those obnoxious nobs calling for supplier information or other business data.

Agreed, I've found it hard to 'get away' without being noticibly rude. Charles is an information magnet and a pleasure to deal with.

Cliff