PSA: Smartpak shipping charges on back-ordered items!

[roamingnome]

A few weeks ago I placed an order for 2 dog supplements from Smartpak- SmartCanine Senior and SmartCanine Fresh Breath.
Order was $68.30, so I added some horse treats to get the order to $76- which means Free Shipping! (Shipping charges would’ve made the total $77.25, so it made more sense this way.)

Well, I checkout and SmartCanine Fresh Breath was on back-order- ok, I can wait. The Senior tablets and the treats- total of $53+ were shipped Free to my house the next day. Since these shipped Free, it would make sense that the back-ordered item would also, as that is consistent- all parts of the same over $75 order would ship free- not just one part.

Today, a few weeks later, I get an email that the SmartCanine Fresh Breath was back in stock had shipped- great! But I log in to my account to get the tracking number and the “order” was for $31+. The tablets are under $23, so ah ha! Shipping charge!

I called Smartpak, expecting their typical cheery selves to say “Oh my goodness, that’s our fault, we’ll refund the shipping charge because your order was indeed over $75”. But instead I was told:
1)Only this ONE TIME will they comp the shipping
2)I shouldn’t checkout with back-ordered items (???)
3)Smartpak can’t guarentee when a back-ordered item will ship (no problem!), so I need to check the website daily to see when I can checkout-huh?
4)If I must checkout with a back-ordered item, I need to call Smartpak when I see an item has come back in stock and BEFORE it ships (I was not notified that the item was back in stock, only that it had shipped), to have them group it with one of my Smartpak equine shipments if I want to avoid shipping charges going forward- which is what I was trying to do!

So just a heads up, if you order a back-ordered item, and that item itself is not over $75 you will be charged shipping when it does come in, even if you weren’t charged shipping on the first (also under $75) half of the order.

[spacytracy]

That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

Also, not to cheat the system but you can just create a “farm” address for yourself and choose that every time so you have the free shipping on everything.

[roamingnome]

[QUOTE=spacytracy;8058302]

Also, not to cheat the system but you can just create a “farm” address for yourself and choose that every time so you have the free shipping on everything.[/QUOTE]

Interesting! I’ve never had an issue before, and typically will have smaller orders shipped with my Smartpaks, ( but this was so close to the total, and gave me an excuse to buy ‘nice’ treats) but I was shown “Free Shipping” on the order, so I believed that was what I was getting! Haha

[quarterhorse4me]

Very rarely have I ever seen Smartpak items backordered but when I placed an order last week, 2 out of 4 supplements were on backorder. That seemed odd to me. I will have to check out the shipping. My order was over $300…shipping better be free!

[gaitedincali]

This is why I quit using Smartpak.

They got me on a back-ordered item, and then they got me on a regular over-$75 order because “one item wouldn’t fit in the box with the rest of the order.”

[trubandloki]

[QUOTE=gaitedincali;8058719]
This is why I quit using Smartpak.

They got me on a back-ordered item, and then they got me on a regular over-$75 order because “one item wouldn’t fit in the box with the rest of the order.” [/QUOTE]
That is strange.
Every few months my Smartpak order, which is supplements for two horses, comes in two different boxes. Usually on two different days if the order is (for reasons I do not know) in two boxes. One of the Smartpaks is well over the minimum amount for free shipping, the other is not.
I have never been billed shipping on the second box.
I have never been billed shipping when something I toss in at the last minute to ship along comes in a totally different box.

[roamingnome]

Yes, that’s the weird thing. My two horses Smartpaks were shipped on the same day for a long time-Horse 1 is over $75, Horse 2 is around $25- due to a back-order on a prescription in Horse 1 a few months ago, they now ship a week apart- but shipping is still free on the $25 box…
Confused by their system, but really confused by their odd response…

[roamingnome]

[QUOTE=quarterhorse4me;8058706]
Very rarely have I ever seen Smartpak items backordered but when I placed an order last week, 2 out of 4 supplements were on backorder. That seemed odd to me. I will have to check out the shipping. My order was over $300…shipping better be free![/QUOTE]

Yes- check!! And call!

[Belair]

This happened to me. My order was over $75 but the backordered item was charged shipping when it came a month later. I wasn’t thrilled.

[crthunder]

I have never had this issue with Smartpak, but it has been quite a while since I have anything show up as backordered. In fact when I added items last fall and forgot to put “hold for Smartpaks” I called them and they deducted the shipping for me. Maybe related to new owners?
Becky

[Appsolute]

Well I am not a Smartpak devotee - I usually find them too expensive, even with the shipping “savings”

But charging shipping because THEY sold something that THEY did not keep in stock?!? Thats horse sh!t. I would be peeved if that happened to me.

[roamingnome]

[QUOTE=crthunder;8059633]
I have never had this issue with Smartpak, but it has been quite a while since I have anything show up as backordered. In fact when I added items last fall and forgot to put “hold for Smartpaks” I called them and they deducted the shipping for me. Maybe related to new owners?
Becky[/QUOTE]

Nope, been a customer for close to 11 years…

[crthunder]

[QUOTE=roamingnome;8059826]
Nope, been a customer for close to 11 years…[/QUOTE]

No I was referring to the fact Smartpak was purchased.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?437729-Smartpak-partnership

[GoForAGallop]

[QUOTE=roamingnome;8059826]
Nope, been a customer for close to 11 years…[/QUOTE]

She means that Smartpak was sold in the fall. New owners = new owners of Smartpak.

[roamingnome]

[QUOTE=crthunder;8059887]
No I was referring to the fact Smartpak was purchased.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?437729-Smartpak-partnership[/QUOTE]

Wow, I totally misread “owners” as “users”. That would make some sense, I guess, but still odd policy… and even odder “solutions” given by Customer Service

[CaitlinandTheBay]

I’m increasingly unimpressed with the inconsistency of SmartPak’s customer service. Some customer care representative was on another thread talking about how they “empower” CSRs to make decisions on their own and not have to check with management. That’s great in theory, but I think it makes it more of a gamble when you call. You might get someone great who makes everything right or you might get someone who blames the customer and is loath to fix anything. Unfortunately, I’ve gotten more of the latter recently.

[Donnie_Steele]

Hey there, friends –

Donnie Steele here from SmartPak… We’re discussing the issue with our IT team now and I’m trying to understand what’s going on. Appsolute might have the most colorful description for what’s happening, but her take is the same as mine and the rest of the company’s… if you had an item that qualified the order for free shipping, it should ship free regardless when the item is ready to ship. We’re working that issue and we will surely prioritize whatever the fix needs to be made ASAP.

roamingnome - The response you received about this being a “one-time adjustment” is definitely not very SmartPakery (yes, that is a word… you can even find it on Wikipedia… if you give me another 5 minutes). I’d like to be able to provide some after-the-fact coaching to the representative you spoke with. Would you mind sending me an email to donnie.steele@smartpak.com with your contact information?

As always, thank you ALL for helping us! We strive to be perfect, transparent and above all, your go to resource for your horse’s care. I don’t love when we make mistakes, but I’m always happy to address them openly and more notably, find a way to solve the issue!

[TheJenners]

And this is why I keep coming back to Smartpak and why I love COTH. :yes:

[roamingnome]

[QUOTE=Donnie Steele;8060043]
Hey there, friends –

Donnie Steele here from SmartPak… We’re discussing the issue with our IT team now and I’m trying to understand what’s going on. Appsolute might have the most colorful description for what’s happening, but her take is the same as mine and the rest of the company’s… if you had an item that qualified the order for free shipping, it should ship free regardless when the item is ready to ship. We’re working that issue and we will surely prioritize whatever the fix needs to be made ASAP.

roamingnome - The response you received about this being a “one-time adjustment” is definitely not very SmartPakery (yes, that is a word… you can even find it on Wikipedia… if you give me another 5 minutes). I’d like to be able to provide some after-the-fact coaching to the representative you spoke with. Would you mind sending me an email to donnie.steele@smartpak.com with your contact information?

As always, thank you ALL for helping us! We strive to be perfect, transparent and above all, your go to resource for your horse’s care. I don’t love when we make mistakes, but I’m always happy to address them openly and more notably, find a way to solve the issue![/QUOTE]

Thanks Donnie! Sending an email over now!

ETA- Donnie, I’ve gotten a bounce back from both of my email accounts- sending you a PM with my email address- thank you!

[OveroHunter]

Donnie,

In light of the two recent SmartPak threads, I really think you guys need a new system!

Thanks for always coming onto COTH to clear the air!