I'm giving this company one star, because I can't give them any less.
And just to be clear, the low review is solely based on their customer service and and not on their products, which are incredible, or their physical location, which I've never visited.
I've ordered from them a few times in the past, and I've always been thrilled with the product, but took a hiatus for a bit, not based on anything that they did.
I came back about tin June, made an order, and it seemed to be business as usual. Until the day of delivery, when we got an e-mail telling us that their truck broke down, and that the delivery would be there the next day instead.
Okay, no problem, things happen, they let us know, no biggie.
Checked my e-mail on Sunday, nothing saying the delivery was cancelled, went to the prescribed pick-up location, and the truck never showed. All of us waiting there (so I know it wasn't just me misunderstanding) called the office, got no answer of course, because they're closed Sundays.
Finally, later that day, an e-mail showed up saying that the delivery would be there the next Saturday.
No apologies for wasting our time, to taking up our mornings, for giving us the wrong information, nothing.
Okay, so at this point, I'm irritated, but figure I'd go with it, and come the next Saturday, the order was delivered. All well and good.
July order went off without a hitch, so I figure 'okay, it was just a one-time thing.'
And then came August's order.
I placed the order, and this company, you shop based on estimated prices, and then the Friday before the delivery, they e-mail you a final bill based on the exact weight of the products. It's never been a problem, and I fully expect to pay for what I get.
When you make the online order, they place a hold on the funds in the account you use. Again, no problem, I don't buy things I don't have the money for. So there's a hold for $231.41 in my account, because I'd restocked my freezer completely, and wasn't going to be available to make an order in September.
All good so far...
And a couple of days later, another hold from them shows up in my account for $277.53, along with a 'detailed invoice' in my e-mail telling me there was an adjustment for an additional $46.12.
So now, they have a hold on $508.94 of my money, and there's an additional amount that I'm trying to figure out how they arrived at, because things should just fluctuate by a matter of ounces, not a couple of pounds of an expensive cut.
So I e-mailed them and asked them just to make sure that everything was okay, because of the discrepancy in the prices, and there being two holds, I thought that someone else's order might have been charged to my account by mistake.
No answer until two days later, the Friday before the order, I get the final bill...with FINAL in capital letters, with the actual details, and I find out what's going on. The $59 steak package I put into my order got jacked up to 109.85. How 5 steaks could nearly double in price is beyond me, but I figure I'll wait until I see what's actually in the order, before I raise a fuss.
The day of the delivery, I go, the truck shows up, and lo and behold? My order is not on the truck. The poor driver searched through everything twice, and it's just not there. He says that he'll let them know, so that my money can be credited to my account.
So later that day, I e-mailed them, just to follow up, and request an eta.
No answer.
Thankfully, on Monday, the estimated charge hold finally drops off my account, so I can actually buy groceries, but the final charge cleared.
Called and left a message for Paula Hobbs, who is listed in their invoice e-mail, and surprise...no response.
Another e-mail telling them that with the lack of a response, they are leaving me no choice but to contact my card company, and a week later, still no response.
I think that waiting two full weeks for a response is more than generous, and unfortunately, I will now be forced to file a complaint with my financial institution in order to retrieve my funds.
I know that we're all human, that mistakes are made, and that unavoidable things DO happen in business. I also know that when these things happen, communication is key to making things right.
The customer service that this company has shown me is appalling. And it breaks my heart, because they do offer a good product, which is reasonably priced, locally sourced, and humanely and ethically derived..
But the way they have treated (or to be completely correct, NOT treated) me, and some of their other customers (a couple of which I see on here) is inexcusable. read more