ComplaintsforGil's Wholesale Distributors

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchase date: 4/6/22 - 2 separate purchases for the same item, Novelty Pointed Cake Cones, 15 cases for $570.00, immediately after I purchased another 6 cases for $228.00 combined is $798.00 total for all 21 cases. I rented a ***** to pick up the order and I wasn't sure how many I could fit in the van. That's why there are 2 separate transactions. They verified the item number as #1 as requested. I did not need to use these for another 12 days. When I opened the first case on 4/18 and realized it was the #** cup cone, which is shown on the receipts. I contacted them and explained the issue, they said it was not a problem to come back and exchange for the correct item. I called back to confirm the correct item was currently available in stock. They had more than I needed. That evening rented another ***** to take the trip again. On 4/19 to be sure I called again and said I was bringing back the unopened boxes and asked if they could visually check for the correct item because I rented the van and I have a 40 minute drive ahead me. They said it was ok to bring them back but they would call me back with an answer about the pointed cones shortly. At this point everything changed, when they returned my call I was told they sold out and I could not return items purchased more than 2 weeks ago. It had been 13 days at this point but not over 2 weeks. I explained I had called 3 times to make sure, he stated the staff doesn't know what can or can't be returned. I was then told I have done this far too many times, I explained I had never been there before and they stated that *** ****** has tried this repeatedly. I explained I am not part of *** ****** business. Then he switched the reason yet again, and said another customer had returned cones that were "infested with bugs". Again, nothing to do with me. I completely accept my faults here, I will keep the open box and even another box if he wishes to check for any bugs or defects.

  Business response

  05/03/2022

  Regarding the customer's product request - April 6, 2022: Customer was unsure what item number cone to order. He was specifically asked if he wanted the "Flat bottom" or the "Pointed" cones. The types of cones were discussed and he stated "Flat bottom" cones as the product he preferred. The "Flat bottom" cones are the #25 Novelty Cup Cones, exactly what he was invoiced, received and loaded into his truck. The invoicing he received show the line item as #25 Novelty Cup Cones, and the cases are clearly marked with the "#25" to indicate the style of cone inside. The #1 Novelty Pointed Cup Cone cases are also very clearly marked. The discussion of *** ****** trucks came up in the conversation. 
  According to our call log, on Monday, April 18, 2022, the customer - ***** ** **********, did not contact our business to "explain the issue" regarding 21 cases of cones that he wished to return/ exchange. (We received one call from a woman who did not identify herself regarding a singular box of cones purchased the week before.) On Tuesday April 19, 2022, we received a call from *** ********** to see if we had the #1 Novelty Pointed Cake Cones in stock. Our customer service associate checked the inventory on the computer which showed many cases in stock, and told him she wished to physically double check the warehouse to ensure the item was still available, based on the high demand and recent orders already placed for the product. After finding out that the cones had already been sold and awaiting processing to another customer, *** *********'s original purchase was reviewed as being made two weeks prior (13 days), and that he could not return the cones due to Food Safety issues. He was called back and told that the cones were not available based on a prior sale and that he could not return the items based on the above. The customer was verbally abusive, utilizing foul and threatening language, as he insisted we had given him the wrong product even though all invoicing and packaging at original point of sale proved otherwise. The call was immediately transferred to the owner of the company. Customer stated the cones were left in his storage container over the past two weeks (13 days) and then changed his story to say they were stored in his home. It was explained that the cones, based on Food Safety parameters as a perishable consumable food item, could not be returned due to questionable storage and possible contamination issues, up to and including infestations. 
  It was discussed with the customer that if he had simply contacted us immediately to let us know that he had ordered the wrong cones, we would have been more than happy to execute an immediate exchange or return. Our customers are very important to us and we wish them to have the goods they need to be successful in their businesses. As a leader in the frozen dessert manufacturing supply industry, Gil's Wholesale Distributors follows 
  good business practices for the maintenance and storage of over 8,000 items. To do otherwise is a disservice to all of the customers who depend on us for their business needs. 
  Therefore, we will not jeopardize the Food Safety and the business reputations of all of the rest of our customers by the return of perishable consumable food products that may not have followed appropriate storage parameters, and could possibly contaminate existing warehouse stock with pests or other substances. The visual inspection of the customers boxes cannot rule out such contaminants, or infestations. 
  It must also be noted that no one has the right to verbally threaten and accost any of our employees, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances. We thank our conscientious hard-working staff in light of such abuse. After over 40 years of outstanding service and our highly regarded standing in the industry, our reputation speaks for itself. 

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