Any experiences with VitaCost products?

[Garryowen]

I recently ordered out of the VitaCost catalog they sent me. I used snail mail and sent them a check. I previously ordered online and had no problem. About ten days after ordering I got a letter from them stating my order was cancelled. I responded by emailing the company and asking why they cancelled my order, and they said it was an issue with payment. I wrote back and asked just what the issue was, and they said they couldn't locate my account.

Now, I have written over 8,000 checks on this account over the last 30 years or so, and have three checking accounts with this bank. They have never in that time refused to clear one of my checks. I wrote back, and Vitacost said they would investigate the matter more fully.

I got a letter today stating that if I wanted to restore my credit I would have to send them the amount of the check (which they never paid) plus 25 dollars for a refused check. That will protect my credit rating.

Maybe I'm the only one to have this problem. I hope so. But the difficulty in resolving this thing has me wondering whether there might be a little game going on to get the bad check fees. This situation is really getting me a bit hacked off at their bank (Wachovia, as it turns out).

Anyone else having issues like this?

TIA

Garryowen

 

[LtPiper]

First I would request they send you a copy of the refused check from your bank.
Second I would go to your bank and request any documentation of said check being refused by them and reason for refusing the check.

If your bank has no record of the check being attempted at processed then I would forward that to them and ask why they are trying then when the check was never presented to your bank.

 

[summerthyme]

Definitely contact your bank... did you ever get a notice from THEM of a refused/bounced check?

I've never had any problem with VitaCost, but I use a debit card when I order.

If your bank will help you out on this (and "can't find the account" is NOT a rational explanation, given that the routing numbers and account number is on every check!!), you should be able to write a letter demanding that they NOT report you to any credit bureau, and an apology as well for THEIR mistake. You didn't get the product, so you certainly don't owe them the amount of the check plus the $25... if the check DID bounce, you'd still only owe them the $25 "refused check" fee...

This is the type thing that a small, locally owned bank would likely give you a lot better help on than a giant national bank. I hope you can get the help you need.

Summerthyme (and even if you do any discussion of this via e-mail, follow up ALL e-mail discussions with snail mail, preferably registered, at least for the important parts (even though that's going to likely end up costing you as much as paying their extortion)

 

[Garryowen]

Well, here is the update on my saga. My bank pointed out that someone had made marks on the face of my check, and one of these marks went through the routing number. The scanner read the number wrong, and printed out an incorrect number, so the computer tried to cash my check at the wrong bank.

The rep from VitaCost, apparently, told my bank that they would waive the $25 fee to "preserve my good credit," but that I would have to send a bank check or money order if I wanted the merchandise I ordered, since there was a "flag" IIRC on my account.

So, to sum it up, someone at VC (an appropriate acronym, IMO) defaced my check, my order gets cancelled, they imply that they will damage my credit if I don't pay them off, they refuse to examine the check themselves, and now they don't want my check, even though the error was theirs.

I emailed the CS rep who has been, I think, trying to help me, and told her I couldn't believe the way the company had responded to my bank's inquiry. I should be getting an apology from VC, and instead I'm getting a pile of crap. All they seem interested in doing is covering up instead of resolving the problem.

I said that I was happy to recommend companies who provided good merchandise and service to my friends. And that I also warned my friends about companies that did not deliver the goods. I also said I would not be sending any bank checks of money orders, and thanked her for her attempts at helping me, and said that obviously those in a position to be able to do something were not interested in doing so.

At this point, I think that any good service you get from VC is probably an accident, and trying to deal with them is a waste of bandwidth.

Swanson's has always delivered promptly and I have been pleased with the quality of their products. They seem genuinely interested in maintaining their service. So I can say I have been very happy with my purchases from Swanson's, and although the products I bought in the past from VC were satisfactory, when I had a problem, dealing with them was a disaster. I wouldn't deal with them again if they were giving their stuff away for free.

I guess my question thread is now a warning thread.

Thanks.

Garryowen

 

[summerthyme]

Wow... and I don't blame you.

I'll continue to buy the two products I buy from them that I can't seem to find anyplace else, but I use a debit card. A company concerned with it's public image and customer satisfaction would have apologized AND sent you the product for free.

Unbelievable.

Summerthyme

(I ordered a set of dog shock collars from a company over the 'net last winter around Christmas. Sportdog, the company that makes these, apparently has price controls, and you can't really shop around and get a better price- they're all priced the same. (isn't this illegal?) Anyway, this company (I can't remember the name offhand and it's not worth looking up for this little story) had a "bonus" package with a free car charger and extra antenna for the collar control... probably worth $20 extra. And their shipping was free...

So I ordered from them. They confirmed the order (and I needed the collars like YESTERDAY.... Bandit's old collar had died and keeping him from causing a car wreck or getting killed on the road chasing cars was a priority) and then, 2 weeks later, said "the charger and antenna are backordered. We'll send your entire order when they come in".

Well, I wasn't happy... e-mailed them and told them I needed the collars NOW, and the "extras" were extra and could get here when they could send them. So, they agreed to send me the collars... but were going to charge me shipping on the other stuff when they sent it separately.

I flipped.. send them a curt e-mail that I'd agree to that ONLY because I needed the collars so badly (by then I didn't think I wanted to cancel the order and reorder with another company and delay things further), but that I'd NEVER deal with them again, and I'd make sure I told all my thousands of internet friends not to as well. I said "a reputable company concerned with their customers would honor their original "free shipping" deal, whether it took one shipment or more than one to send everything".

(and this is true- several fabric companies I deal with often have back orders of specific fabrics. They send them as they come in, and never charge a dime of extra shipping, although it has to cost them a considerable extra amount)

I got a grudging e-mail back protesting that they WERE a "reputable company", and since I'd made a stink about it, they'd send the other stuff when it came in, with no extra charge. But it was clear they weren't happy about it. I didn't really care.

BTW... the charger finally showed up in March (the collars were delivered on January 6th- and the antenna on MAY 27th!!!) I'd have been a really happy customer to wait almost SIX MONTHS for them to deliver them together, huh? Sheesh!)

 

[Garryowen]

Not making promises you cannot keep seems to be a lost principle. Oh well, I guess if the highest office in the land does it, we can hardly blame companies for doing the same.

Words fail me in expressing my disappointment with VC.