Dr. Foster and Smith "customer service"

[PDR]

I purchased 6 boxes of LA salt on sale back in September. Three of them arrived busted and so they sent three replacements, which honestly was more than I was expecting, and I didn't even ask for replacements. So I think they did great on this front.

The problem is my first batch had grossly elevated magnesium and calcium consistent through the entire box. I have two different brands of each test and they both told me approximately the same thing, calcium 500+ and Magnesium 1800+.

I emailed them about it starting in mid-August and like usual they asked a lot of questions, which I was happy to answer. Then it just died. I followed up three different times. The first two times they said they were still waiting to hear back and this last time they responded saying that they had tested the batch and determined the levels were fine and that I could send them a sample of the salt to verify.

Two problems here. I threw out all the boxes as I store the salt in 5-gallon buckets, so I didn't have a UPC to provide the batch number to them. Second, was that I started using this salt over 2 months ago and no longer have any salt from that box (fyi, the new box tests fine).

I was not looking for a refund. I was just trying to bring something to their attention. They actually offered me a refund if I was "not satisfied with the product" which I turned down. They subsequently pulled the offer without me even asking about the refund. Why would you offer a refund then pull the offer?

I called to ask them about how they determined the salt was correct if they didn't have a batch number and they said they looked it up through my order #. Why it took them over 10 emails and 2 months to do that, I have no idea. So the only assumption is that all 6 boxes (three of which were replaced 3 weeks after the original order), were from the same batch. They could not confirm this.

I was not and am not looking for a refund. I was just trying to get some answers and bring a potential issue to their attention and it seems like after a few emails they just blew me off. The lady I called to ask about it was quite defensive and kept saying the "verdict was final" and there was nothing she could do, even though I wasn't asking for anything, I was just asking how they came to that conclusion and that it seemed fishy to me.

Idk, maybe I'm wrong in this and they really did do everything right, it just seemed like a CYA copout kind of response after so long of communicating with them.

Edit: 12/9/18 I would also like to point out that according to the website description the salt "Mixes clean and clear, producing superior, residue-free saltwater". Unfortuneately, that is just not true. My mixing container gets absolutely filthy after every batch and it leaves a nasty film on the top of the water. Not quite as bad as IO, but not consistent with the description at all.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Per @PDR 's request, this thread has been moved to vendor feedback. Outside comments are not permitted other than to link to your own feedback thread

Thanks and make it a good day

Crabs

 

[PDR]

So I really was just going to drop the issue with them, but I decided to reach back out to them and after several emails (all from different employees who do not seem to know the entire problem), I received an email telling me that since after repeated requests, I have refused to send them a sample of the salt that they have been instructed by management not to do anything about the issue. They also told me not to email again since they could not "assist" me until they had the sample.

I know that sounds like I was being a jerk, but I promise that wasn't the case. I'm generally a pretty nice person I was however persistent, mainly because they kept referring to the wrong issue, saying I said things I never said, etc. I wanted to get the facts straight.

Some problems with that last email is that they only asked for a sample once, from a specific box, that I had already used since this process took almost 3 months. I was asking them about an entirely different issue (see the edit at the end of the first post). They also said they sent me a shipping label, which they hadn't.

At this point, I'm done with Live Aquaria and Drs F&S. I should have stuck to @Bulk Reef Supply for my dry goods as usual. I have never had issues purchasing livestock from LA, but after how they handled this, I'm going to need to find another vendor for livestock.