I don't have affiliations with any of these guys - I just buy from a lot of them. I have noticed that with many of them, ONLY the owner can make decisions, and they are often guys with business interests in other companies, so they are "out" a lot. For sure this "business model" is weak. I've also observed the owners to be very customer centered when it comes to resolving issues: giving me their cell numbers, update voice mails to me, and so on.
Scent Guru has always done me right. They are slow out of the gate preparing orders, which isn't a problem for me - but that's just me. I love their selection and their prices are good. Lot of hard to find stuff, too. The thing that has endeared me to them was an incident in which I screwed up (first time it ever happened...lol) and thought I was double billed. The lady I spoke to was very responsive. She quickly and gently researched the issue for me and explained everything to my satisfaction. The inference I drew from this is that she was "taught" the way the owner wanted to treat his (or her) customers. Of course it's possible she is the only good employee there, in which case the dynamics of a competitive market place - and good old fashioned Darwinism - will sort that out. In the meantime I'll keep supporting them. Maybe my experience is the tip of the iceberg, maybe your's is. Who knows? But...the market will probably sort that out.
Funny you mention Scentiments. My experience with them has consistently been that while their advertised prices are good...THEY NEVER HAVE WHAT I WANT IN STOCK. They have "lost" way more than $200 of my dough that I've spent somewhere else. What really chaps my backside is when you ask them to let you know when an item is in stock. I've yet to hear back from them on that system of their's. I still buy from them though.
Best regards,
Mike