I canceled my SmartPaks yesterday and made sure to let them know why. I could not build a buffer for my horse without purchasing extra bulk supplements. Since my last two shipments have been 6-7 days post billing and arrived late due to handling time, I’m done. We spend WAY too much money on this kind of thing to get crappy service.
If enough people cancel, they will get the picture.
I am not against you expressing your opinion on this problem by taking your business elsewhere, actually I should say that I agree with that plan.
But, saying you can not build in a buffer without buying in bulk is wrong. You can change your ship date. Move it so the next order comes two weeks after this one and then every four weeks after that, and you have a built in buffer of those two weeks of smartpaks.
Even a two-week buffer is not a solution when their processing is so delayed. I have a two week buffer already that is dwindling by the day, as shipping is already approaching a week behind. My bigger problem is orders being billed with no definitive ship date.
As much as I love the convenience of SmartPaks, I’ll be looking to take my business elsewhere as well if this continues.
In separate news. I had to call in today after a website glitch that didn’t recognize me, logged in as me, as me. Which meant I couldn’t ship with my supplements that went out today and my smartperks
And USEF discounts didn’t apply. The rep was quick to help me and it sounds like they’re having all SORTS of issue right now. Including the login one I experienced which was a known issue.
@vxf111, I am glad you posted that.
I had a similar log in issue recently and I figured it was just something I was doing wrong and I simply exited and went on with my day and did not do what I wanted to do on their website (review my horse’s Smartpak contents and look into changing to something else).
Now that I know it was not me messing things up I will follow up with a call and figure out what I want to do with my order.
Changing my ship date also means changing my billing date. It was not a feasible option to pay double the cost, for more than on month. That give me an extra what, 2 weeks? If they continue their shenanigans, that buffer will disappear within 3-4 months. Why should I have to pay 4 billing cycles every 3 months, just to make sure when they mess it up, that I’m covered?
I stand by my original statement. We need to stop making excuses for poor service.
As I said, I do not disagree with you taking your business elsewhere. I think it is a good plan.
I was just offering up a solution for those who like the supplements their horse is on and do not want to change them.
Yes, you pay more quickly for more products, which you get and use.
I guess it’s a principle thing for me. We are supposed to get them in time, and not be required to have a buffer because they’re handling time more than doubled. It used to be on time, with good customer service. Now it seems big business like.
They will kick you out or the colic care program if YOU create too much of a lag between supplement shipments but apparently their lag is not a problem? That doesn’t make much sense.
I have so many of these “sorry, here have $10” codes that I could open a business selling them. I’d rather just get my supplements on time!
Same. And currently kicking myself that I forgot to use the coupon on my last order…which has now generated its own delayed shipment coupon 
They’re still shipping super late. I think my smartpaks are almost two weeks late now.
I was willing to give them a few screwups but now I’m done. It’s been every month for the last 4-5 now, and I pay over $300/mo in supplements for 4 horses.
I own my barn, so not a big deal. Just was convenient. Not if they can’t ship on time.
What other issues? I miss using SP but I’m not willing to restart until they improve.
Various problems with making the website function
Has anyone ever been able to use their $10 off coupons? I have at least 6 but they aren’t applicable for a single thing I’ve bought. I don’t even know why I get them at this point.
Trying for good PR I guess?
If the new owners are a private equity company, what we’re seeing here is par for the course. The goal is NOT to make SP functional; it’s to milk every last penny out of it until it dies.
That said, after a few bobbles earlier this year, the service I’ve experienced from SP has been great recently. (I’m fairly local to them. I wonder if that makes a difference.)
I’ve snoozed my SmartPaks for the time being while I decide whether or not to continue putting up with the multiple-week delays in shipping. I used to buy supplements in bulk and pre-pack 2 weeks of supplements at a time. I may go back to that.
They’ve also oversold inventory the last couple of times I’ve tried to order from them. Had two separate orders get canceled after they were placed because items were out of stock.
I’ve used them. But I was buying very boring stuff like SP brand bell boots, SP brand fly boots, and supplements in containers. Nothing that might be subject to an exclusion.
Oddly, some of mine came “pre-owned,” when I put in the code it appeared to have been already used?!? But I have so many of them, I just pivoted to a different one. Some of them worked.
What is such a mystery to me is that all of the non-auto-ship orders seems to be going out quite normally. It’s only the auto-shipping that is all screwed up. Maybe that’s a totally different warehouse or something? But I’ve ordered the above boring supplies a couple times and those orders came lickety split without issues.
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