Anyone else having issues with Smartpak?

[atr]

@Monica67

I had the same issue and have emails from them telling me the Smartpaks for EACH horse need to = to or be more than 40.00 to qualify for free shipping, NOT your total order. I cancelled Smartpaks for 2 horses due to this RIDICULOUS policy.

I own a pair of scissors… Those strips cut very easily

[soloudinhere]

@trubandloki

Clearly not because Dover has been around for a good long time and not had free shipping.

Does the 25 pound bucket of the supplement you want meet the free shipping requirement at Smartpak? That sounds like a pretty expensive bucket.

Which is why people repeatedly don’t order from Dover and say so on this board. But everyone is stoked on riding warehouse - which has free shipping and returns.

It’s not an expensive supplement. It is an Animed supplement that Smartpak doesn’t sell. But if they’re willing to ship me 25 pounds for free, I don’t understand how smartpak can say it’s not economical to ship 3 pounds of smartpak containers.

[pompeiii]

Follow up on my post. My order from 10/24 is still listed as “not yet shipped.” I emailed Friday and received a response on Saturday that they expected my order to be sent out in the next few days. Original estimated arrival date was 10/30 which obviously didn’t happen since it still hasn’t shipped. It’s a good thing this isn’t something I needed, but that’s not the point.

I have a few other things I do need, but I’m not going to order. I’ll pick 1 up at my feed store and the others up at the local Dover store at lunch. I can’t risk not getting items I do need on time.

[danacat]

I just spoke with Smartpak concerning my helmet order – which still hasn’t been sorted out on Smartpak’s end – and the rep did confirm that they are really backed up in their return/exchange/refund dept. Okay…fine.

But I am still worried because I returned both helmets (one for a refund and one for an exchange) through UPS with Smatpak shipping label – on the same day at exact same time – and apparently Smartpak shows they have only received one of the helmets? It’s been well over a week since I returned them.

Rep said that Smarkpak is ‘dilligently working on my return/refund/exchange’, but since she couldn’t confirm the return of the one helmet, I wondering NOW if it’s a UPS problem or a Smartpak problem. I have no choice but to continue to wait and see what happens. Phone call to Smartpak was futile.

Just needed to vent as I am riding in an old helmet that has seen better days. Need that new one!

[findeight]

@downen

I’m sure I’m going to get flamed for this, but has anyone considered the environmental impact that using Smartpaks is causing? True, they are recyclable, but especially in a large boarding situation, do we really think all barn owners are 100% compliant in terms of recycling? Just food for thought. Disclaimer: I am not a Smartpak user, I buy my supplements bulk (free shipping!). I used to use Smartpak supplements, but changed to other brands when I didn’t get the results advertised.

Nobody is going to flame you, it’s like the Kcup deal, point taken. Awareness is good. But SP sells thousands of things besides plastic packed supplements that are not shipping as promised. IIRC they sold a few years ago? Things have changed.

[soloudinhere]

@Natalie A

There must be a ridiculous difference between the types of items they sell - ordered a pair of Pipers on Sunday night, they were just delivered to California before 10 am on Tuesday. Obviously an in-house brand so no issue of it being not there if it says it’s in stock, but after this thread I was prepared to wait a few days. Now I just hope they fit…

The items I posted about were 2 pairs of Hadley breeches, so also a house brand.

Also, I buy buckets and package supplements in snack containers from the dollar store. I hated all the waste from the smartpaks. I understand there’s no good way to handle it and my supplements could lack freshness but nothing I feed is expensive or super-critical in that regard.

[findeight]

I just ordered something from Amazon and noticed, in fine print, some items ship from the manufacturer or distributor and not directly from an Amazon fulfillment center. Which confirmed my theory, just didn’t notice it before.

Wonder if that accounts for the issues with erratic SP shipping and conflicting notifications? They never physically had the item, ships from third party location.

[pompeiii]

@Natalie A

There must be a ridiculous difference between the types of items they sell - ordered a pair of Pipers on Sunday night, they were just delivered to California before 10 am on Tuesday. Obviously an in-house brand so no issue of it being not there if it says it’s in stock, but after this thread I was prepared to wait a few days. Now I just hope they fit…

@soloudinhere

The items I posted about were 2 pairs of Hadley breeches, so also a house brand.

My item was also a house brand. A pair of pipers in my case as well. So it seems just to be a case of extreme backlog, but still, it’s frustrating from the customer standpoint. I’ve been ordering from Amazon, Riders Warehouse, Valley Vet, Chewy, and KV Supply lately and am getting spoiled (not just horse stuff). I expect everything to be shipped in reasonable time! I guess I need to lower expectations…

[soloudinhere]

@findeight

I just ordered something from Amazon and noticed, in fine print, some items ship from the manufacturer or distributor and not directly from an Amazon fulfillment center. Which confirmed my theory, just didn’t notice it before.

Wonder if that accounts for the issues with erratic SP shipping and conflicting notifications? They never physically had the item, ships from third party location.

In over 6 years I have never received an item from smartpak that came from a third party.

[vxf111]

@Natalie A

wow! That’s so… odd then?

Just because it’s a house brand doesn’t mean the inventory is the same on all of them. If they are waiting a shipment from the manufacturer (they just put their brand on the merchandise, someone else is making them and if I am right about who-- it’s coming from FAR) they may have to wait to ship you yours. If someone else orders a house brand item that is in stock, they can ship it immediately. Just because it’s a house brand doesn’t mean you are manufacturing it or have an unlimited supply on hand.

[trubandloki]

@downen

I’m sure I’m going to get flamed for this, but has anyone considered the environmental impact that using Smartpaks is causing? True, they are recyclable, but especially in a large boarding situation, do we really think all barn owners are 100% compliant in terms of recycling? Just food for thought. Disclaimer: I am not a Smartpak user, I buy my supplements bulk (free shipping!). I used to use Smartpak supplements, but changed to other brands when I didn’t get the results advertised.

Yes, I have thought about it.
I am not going to go searching for the numbers but awhile back I did the math (weight of plastic) on a months worth of smartpaks versus buckets. The empty cells weighed less than one empty bucket for one supplement and the Smartpak had three supplements in it. That does not include any container I would have to use to put my supplements in to have them easily given daily in the right dosing.

I can only control what I do with things and I know I 100% recycle the cells and any buckets I get.

[soloudinhere]

@trubandloki

Yes, I have thought about it.
I am not going to go searching for the numbers but awhile back I did the math (weight of plastic) on a months worth of smartpaks versus buckets. The empty cells weighed less than one empty bucket for one supplement and the Smartpak had three supplements in it. That does not include any container I would have to use to put my supplements in to have them easily given daily in the right dosing.

I can only control what I do with things and I know I 100% recycle the cells and any buckets I get.

I can reuse a bucket (for premade meals, around the house, changing oil in my car…) but I can’t reuse those cells for anything. That’s my only gripe with it. Yes, I can put them in a recycling bin but I can take buckets out of the waste stream especially since I’m only getting one or two larger buckets per 3 month period.

[trubandloki]

@soloudinhere

I can reuse a bucket (for premade meals, around the house, changing oil in my car…) but I can’t reuse those cells for anything. That’s my only gripe with it. Yes, I can put them in a recycling bin but I can take buckets out of the waste stream especially since I’m only getting one or two larger buckets per 3 month period.

I had gotten to the point that I had too many of those buckets so I was just tossing them in the recycle bin too.

I have no issue with people who choose to do their supplements some other way. I was just answering the question of how evil all that plastic is (by saying it is not as much plastic as they think it is).

[bpolli]

Will say that I really like shopping with Smartpak and Riding Warehouse because they actually have the stuff in stock. I have shopped with other online retailers who take your order and payment then tell you that ‘sorry but the manufacturer is out of stock for three weeks.’ I like to pay via Paypal so the payment is immediate. If I knew that they weren’t holding the stock I would have gone to the manufacturer directly in the first place and cut out the middle man! I find that Smartpak and RW only take my money for stuff they actually have and RW even shows you how many they have in stock which is awesome

[Catie79]

I had to turn on my Chronicle account after years off for this. Ordered two Baker blankets on 10/30, supposed to ship 10/31. Called SmartPak TWICE since they weren’t reaching out to me about any delays. They said it shipped Friday, I got a tracking number, but it’s still not active. On 11/4. I’ve been a customer for a decade, have always raved about their best in class service and shipping. In the past two weeks it’s suddenly crashed. I tried to get a saddle through their test ride program, it’s a nightmare. My payment has processed, but no one can tell me when this saddle is going to ship. No tracking number, nothing.

This reeks of a system change for order fulfillment that failed, not that anyone in the company would ever admit to that. I really want to get that Rambo quick dry cooler, but I’m scared to spend the money when I have no idea when I’ll get it. I live two hours from the warehouse!

[newhorsemommy]

@downen

I’m sure I’m going to get flamed for this, but has anyone considered the environmental impact that using Smartpaks is causing? True, they are recyclable, but especially in a large boarding situation, do we really think all barn owners are 100% compliant in terms of recycling? Just food for thought. Disclaimer: I am not a Smartpak user, I buy my supplements bulk (free shipping!). I used to use Smartpak supplements, but changed to other brands when I didn’t get the results advertised.

I won’t buy in the “SmartPaks” because of the 28-day cycle. How many months have 28 days? Plus, I see no advantage in having to open all those tiny containers rather than just scooping out of a bucket. I like their supplements, and I’ve not had any delivery issues, but I just buy the buckets.

[vxf111]

My last order was also very slow. It wasn’t anything I needed quickly so it didn’t cause me a problem… but I never got any communicating warning me and now I am hesitant to order anything time sensitive until they iron this issue out

[16_Hands]

I just recently restarted Smart-Paks for one of my horses and thought it took a very long time to get to me. However, I am on the other side of the country but it still took 2 weeks! I was just about to call them and ask when it will arrive, when it was on my doorstep that afternoon. But, the didn’t include the storage box that I asked for and for some reason, they keep sending me the western catalog. Supposedly they’re sending the storage box but it will probably come with my next order. Usually I don’t have any issues with them and this isn’t really a big deal but I was more surprised by the gaffe.

[Heinz_57]

I placed an order for Smartpaks for my horse on Tuesday, paid $4.50 for 3 day shipping and received them as promised on Friday - and I am in Oregon, so can’t get too much farther away. I chose to do Smartpaks vs. purchasing bulk tubs because we are trialing some new supplements, and I don’t want to waste 3x the money buying tubs of stuff he may or may not eat or that may or may not work. :lol:

When I placed my order, the “estimated delivery” calculator told me that standard free shipping would have my Smartpaks delivered around the 9th of the month, which seems pretty accurate based on the last purchase I made with standard shipping (took about 8 days total).

[SLW]

I ordered some full priced Ariat shirts from SP on 10/27, a Friday evening. The order was scanned into the UPS the following Friday and will arrive here on Tuesday. I could have bought these shirts off Amazon and worn them twice before my Smartpack order arrives. They really must reduce the number of days between an online order being placed and when it’s picked up fir shipping.