Piping Rock

The one star was all about the service at Piping Rock.

I needed to initiate a return for the item, and started the process literally seconds after the order was inadvertently placed (no fault of Piping Rock there). But then, my interaction with customer service person, Kiara H., unraveled any hope for a positive review. One moment of dialog went like this (paraphrasing, but I will forward the actual email transcript upon request):

Kiara H. recommends I wait by my mailbox in order to refuse an item as it is delivered, even though UPS did not require a signature for this particular item. Some of us actually work for a living, and I certainly could stand by my mailbox in order for the UPS driver to leave it with me anyway, but instead, I finished my day at work.

For heaven's sake, watch out for some of their customer service folks who seem to be trained to read a script to the customer seeking a return. I wouldn't bother even trying to return the item if you receive customer service from Kiara H. at Piping Rock.

I'm sure I'll get another script from someone in the company who will inform me that they strive to make their customer service a good experience, or something like that, and how unfortunate this and that. I'm looking forward to posting their scripted response.

The product: Piping Rock Mini Tabs Advanced Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM Plus 2 Bottles x 300 Coated Tablets Easy To Swallow Dietary Supplement.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I placed an order costing £22 including shipping. When it arrived in England, I was told I needed to pay another £11.62 because there was insufficient postage paid. I am absolutely fuming, and I am unable to pay extra postage costs, so I have been totally scammed!

Pity I had to give it a star!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Absolute joke, total rip off, and a huge scam!

I placed an order costing £52.26 (products totaled £45.15 and shipping was £7.00). I came home from work to find a note from Royal Mail saying that my parcel could not be delivered as I needed to pay an extra £17.65 in customs charges!

I am absolutely outraged.

Surely at some point between selecting to view the items in £GBP, entering my contact details, placing an order with a UK address and even from my computer's IP address they would see that I am based in the UK and adjust the shipping fees accordingly. They clearly raised the shipping to £7.00, so why not put the rest of it on there too and specifics to their UK customers that it would cost £24.65!

I have been speaking to a rather useless person in Customer Service who's response was clearly scripted. I asked to take the matter further and requested contact details of the management team, so I could write a formal complaint to which she replied, "I do not have a manager's direct email, we just take all complaints here and forward them ourselves" See transcript below.

(15:24:28) Visitor Okay, can you please pass me the contact details of your Line Manager then?

(15:24:59) Nicolette I do not have any direct contact details for management, again we take all complaints and information here and forward them for feedback

(15:25:48) Visitor Right so you don't have a manager? A team leader? Someone that pays your wage?!

(15:27:00) Nicolette I never said that we do not have a manager, we just do not have direct contact information. As I have stated previously, we forward all complaints from our customer service department as representatives that is what we are here for

(15:27:55) Visitor Okay. Im going to ask one more time, I'll try and make it easier for you... I would like to speak with your manager.

(15:28:35) Nicolette Unfortunately I do not have one to transfer you to

(15:29:04) Nicolette I am sorry I do not have one available at the moment

(15:29:18) Visitor Did you or did you not just say 'I never said we do not have a manager'

(15:29:33) Nicolette Yes, we do have a manager but they are not available at the moment

(15:30:04) Visitor You do not have to transfer me immediately, all I would like to know is their name and email address so I can write a formal complaint

(15:30:21) Visitor When are they likely to be 'available'

(15:31:09) Nicolette We do not have direct emails for management, however you can send us an email to our customer service department, which is also a formal complaint such as this and we will forward it

(15:31:19) Nicolette I am not sure when one will be available

(15:32:31) Visitor This has got to be the biggest scam I have ever seen. I am absolutely outraged. How on earth could management not have an email address?! What on earth do you do all day?!

(15:33:45) Nicolette This is what the customer service department is here for, we take all complaints and try to assist as best as we can. I have taken your complaint and I will be sure to forward it.

(15:33:46) Visitor For your information, I have sent a message to Scottt Rudolph and Michael Rudolph respectively and will be mentioning this appalling customer service.

(15:33:58) Nicolette I understand, I am sorry again for the inconvenience

I have since received two emails with the transcript attached, both from different members of the "Customer Service team," (Kiara H and Ali A. - judging off other reviews it seems these are made up names too) yet from the same email address (customerservice@pipingrock.com), so who knows!

They have 39 likes on their Facebook page, and calls cannot go through to their customer service number, so it really is a huge scam. I doubt their products will be legit either!

Stay away from this site!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

In the past, I have bought hundreds of dollars of product from Piping Rock but not anymore. I recently called their 800 number to voice a complaint about moth contamination in some of the health seed products (four sealed bags) I had purchased. The person answering the phone on the other end of the line comes sounded like a criminal interrogator verses a representative of the company wanting to help. My main concern was to inform not to gain monies or product. Too many businesses these days have hired people that are not qualified or have no concern about their customers.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I ordered from Piping Rock CEYLON CINNAMON POWDER. I called them to see how and where can I see the expiration date. They said it gets expired after 2-3 years. I ask them where I can see the manufacturing date and they didn't have that too. I tried to explain to the lady on the phone how do I know if its expired or not? And she said our product is fresh.

And about the return, they don't cover the shipping fee. Unprofessional customer service, and no manufacturing or expiration date on the item!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

As an international buyer, I thought I would try this company, who claimed to be reasonable. I made an order amounting to £95.00. Via checkout, I was given the option of three courier services, and I paid that.

Imagine on the delivery day, the same courier company says another cost had to be paid of £36.00 before I can take the parcel. I decline. Total regrets by now. However, I contact Piping Rock to be told that I will not get my money back.

Absolutely awful company. Thank god my purchase was made via PayPal with buyer's protection. My advice to others is to choose a more reputable company. Clearly not this one!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Apologies for the rant, but hopefully this helps someone reading this.

Astonishingly poor customer service, still no response to multiple messages which I have confirmation of their receipt, after enquiring where the items where. I received a slip in the post that the items require over £11 as a customs fee (nearly 60% of the price of the items in discussion!?) before they could be released. I could hardly believe it would be for these particular items. This made the items more expensive than other competitors at that time, such as Amazon, who can deliver items very next day.

An utterly frustrating, expensive, and an inconvenient waste of time. Do yourself a great big favor and pay the extra few quid, or you too could end up paying even more money and waiting a LONG time with this so called company.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I really wish I had looked online at reviews for this company. There are many unhappy UK customers, it seems because the company vastly underestimates extra customs and handling fees for shipping.

On an order of 29 pounds, extra handling and shipping fees of 24 pounds were applied. I could not afford this so lost my money. I would not advise anyone to use this company for UK orders. The company ignored my many emails until I raised the issue with PayPal. Absolutely disgusted.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I'm so very disappointed with all the products from this company. I was so excited to come across a company which offered a variety of pure essential oils for a competitive price. However, despite paying shipping fees to Piping Rock, I was imposed with a £12.65 tax and handling fee, which is 60% of the cost of the products itself.

So £30 later (I could've got them cheaper from Amazon), when I finally started using these oils for diffusing, I was more than disappointed at the quality. They don't mix with water (most pure essential oils will mix easily), the aroma is next to nil once out of the bottle, and they lack the quality you'd see in any other average brand of essential oils. No replies to my messages either so pathetic customer services.

If you order and pay in a local currency and pay a high shipping cost, you certainly don't expect to be whacked with a high tax bill! The whole experience has been a joke frankly and £30 gone to waste. Keep away from Piping Rock!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I have been using B-12 vitamins and folic acid and selenium for a while and they are helping me a lot in my wellbeing (because I've been milk allergic all my life without knowing it, so I needed it big time). Then I bought the Piping Rock vitamins and I started feeling worse after 3-4 weeks, but I never connected it with the Piping Rock vitamins, I thought it was something else.

After two months, I ordered my second shipment. After 2-3 more weeks, I was in really bad condition and then I suspected it could be the Piping Rock vitamins. I bought another brand and had an IMMEDIATE reaction! And now after two weeks, I have been feeling better every day now.

There is NO doubt, it's a scam big time! Avoid! I hate myself that before I realized it, I ordered my third shipment for about $80 plus taxes.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

I wanted to purchase a supplement but decided to wait until I researched it a minute. Unfortunately, while nothing was ordered or shipped, money was taken from my account even before I declined. I contacted their customer service to no avail. Good thing it was a gift card. Be careful guys!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend