Papertrey Ink's (Lack of) Customer Service

I am a Canadian customer of Papertrey Ink and have been for some years (i.e. I've spent literally THOUSANDS of $$$ on their beautiful products). Of course, shipping to me here in Canada is expensive, but as there is no Canadian supplier, I don't have much of a choice. On occasion, perhaps once a year, I go into the US for vacation and arrange to ship my goodies (from Papertrey as well as other online suppliers) to a Kinek point located just across the border. I avoid the shipping costs and duties, and pay a minimal $5 pick-up fee.

One such occasion occurred recently, and I had actually placed SEVERAL ORDERS with Papertrey to pick-up at Kinek during my vacation, my last one including a die set that was recently re-stocked and for which I ordered another set for a friend (as we often combine our orders). Well, when I opened the box, one of those die sets was missing - only 1 was shipped, so I contacted Customer Service (Julie Heskamp, the owner of Papertrey Ink).

Of course, by this time, I was back home from my vacation here in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). Actually about an hour north-east of Toronto.

Julie was very quick to reply, and exceptionally pleasant ("hope you're having a fabulous day" etc.), and replied back to me that yes, IT WAS THEIR ERROR IN NOT SENDING THE 2ND SET.

When she advised me of her resolution, it floored me!!! Even after admitting it was THEIR FAULT, they advised me that they could only send the missing die set to the original destination - i.e. the Kinek point in New York state, which is a 3-hour drive (one way) from my home!!

When I explained my situation - the distance, the pick-up fee, the fact I wasn't going to be visiting the States again for some time, the fact that almost all of my orders have been shipped to me here in the GTA with those few cross-border occasions, the fact that 1 die set can be sent to me here in Canada for minimal cost, and the fact that they admitted fault in this situation - she reiterated that they were only willing to send it to the original destination ("company policy"), or I could receive a credit for the $10 product.

It's a shame how dreadful their "Customer Service" is. They definitely have a way of making customers feel like their satisfaction is not worth their efforts or added expense, no matter how small.

No wonder they have an "F" rating at the BBB!

I'm saddened because I still like their product and realize that my decision to cease buying from them would mean absolutely nothing to them, no matter how much money I've spent with them over the years. I also can't help thinking that, if I were an American customer, would they be willing to send that missing die set to my home address in the US, or would they still insist on sending it to the Kinek point because it's their "Company Policy"??? I mean, 1 US address is the same as sending it to another US address, right?

It's highly likely it's because I'm a Canadian customer and it's too much trouble for them to correct THEIR error by sending the die set to me here in Canada at an added cost to them.

Shame on Papertrey Ink!