ComplaintsforK-9 Ballistics, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased an XL elevated, indestructible dog bed from this company. Due to manufacturing defect, bed collapsed within sixty days of purchase. This bed was bought as an "open box" item, but obviously arrived in "as new" condition. Two of the metal, corner support brackets broke completely off the frame, rendering the bed useless. Company is aware of this design flaw, as there are customer complaints about it on social media. I believe the company has offered this product as an "open box" item to avoid warranty claims against the poor craftsmanship. These beds are not inexpensive, with a cost of $160. After several attempts to get the company to send the replacement parts, I have been met with no success.

  

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Hi there! We're sorry for the trouble; there was a bit of a misunderstanding over the warranties that Open Box items are eligible for on our team member's part. It looks like we put in the order for those replacement corners to be sent out to you free of charge yesterday and they will be shipping out shortly. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I ordered a bed for my dog on March 25, 2024 as they were having a flash sale and I wanted the discount. Unfortunately it appears that I clicked the incorrect size when ordering and was delivered a bed that I could not use. I immediately contacted K9 customer support about the bed asking for a credit (or even partial credit) as the bed is brand new and still in the original packaging. Was in contact with Kameka on the Customer Care Team and after several back/forth it appeared that I was going to be provided with partial store credit. However for no reason whatsoever, I was informed on April 3rd that nothing could be done and I was completely out the money. I then left a review on their website and it was immediately taken down. The reviews on the k9 website are misleading as they only allow "5 star" ratings to display and take all others down. This has been an extremely frustrating experience! Very dissatisfied customer!

  

  Business response

  04/18/2024

   

  The product purchased was  part of our clearance sale at the time of your purchase. The product page does state all sales are final and are not eligible for returns or exchanges. However, we understand the frustration of being provided with an option and then being told it is no longer available to you. We can proceed with accepting a partial return for your bed since it's personalized and we can only accept the mattress and bolster pillow portion of the bed. We will issue store credit per the warranty for the value of the cover. Our team will reach out to you via email shortly to process this for you. 

  Customer response

  04/23/2024

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21561343, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Please send me instructions for the return to [email protected]
  
  Regards,
  
  D**** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a 10 month old dachshund puppy that is a fairly aggressive chewer when in her kennel. Had damaged two beds purchased from local pet stores. I was seeking dog bed made for resisting such damage. Found this company online. Bought the Tough Rip-Stop™ Rectangle Bolster Orthopedic Dog Bed. List price $129, but 15 % off if provide them email. Did so and the price changed to $109 but discount did not carry over to checkout. Had to get with cust service, then refunded the discount. Bed delivered and puppy chewed through cover within 1 hr. Had opened warranty page on the site before purchasing, which opens with “120-Day Chew Proof Warranty™ If your dog damages their bed within 120 days after receiving it, we will issue you a one-time store credit that can be used to replace your damaged product.” I did not scroll down where there is another section “More Details On One Time Warranty Replacements” — “If you purchased a…Tough Rip-Stop™ Bolster Dog Bed…the warranty covers replacement value for the cover only..” I discovered this language later. I initiated the warranty claim process online. I was wanting to elect store credit for what I had paid for the bed, but site would not let me proceed unless I selected to replace the cover of the bed and have it shipped to me. Was at this point I read further online about the warranty realized how useless and unfair it is. Why would anyone want to replace the cover just to have the same exact thing happen? To me this seems unethical given what the company projects in advertising and selling their products. I have expressed all of this to a customer service rep who stands by the warranty language and they have indicated they will give me credit for the cover only once they get the cover shipped back from parcel company, but this does not seem like fair resolution and have concerns about their ethics given discount matter and online warranty claim process matter noted above, as well as the warranty provided for this product.

  

  Business response

  02/28/2024

  Before submitting the warranty claim we do advise to contact our customer service team if you would like a different outcome than one offered through the warranty claim portal. As mentioned, we do state our warranty policy in detail where it states the product purchased, Tough Rip-Stop™ Rectangle Bolster Orthopedic Dog Bed is eligible for a one-time replacement cover only. Per the photos submitted with your claim, there is only damaged done to the outer cover. Therefore, the inner mattress and bolster pillow are not deemed unusable. 

  Customer response

  02/28/2024

  
  
  Complaint: 21312915
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  K9 states in their response:

  “Before submitting the warranty claim we do advise to contact our customer service team if you would like a different outcome than one offered through the warranty claim portal...”

  My response to above:

  Where do you all state this? You all open with the following when navigating through your site to the warranty information:
  
   “Warranty

  120-Day Chew Proof Warranty™

  If your dog damages their bed within 120 days after receiving it, we will issue you a one-time store credit that can be used to replace your damaged product.

  Manufacturer's Warranty

  If the bed, bed component, or accessory arrives with any defects from the manufacturing process or damage from transit, we will replace the affected item free of charge. Claims must be submitted within 30 days of receipt of the order. Dog and use-related damage to the item is not covered under this warranty.”
  

  Again, you all state “We will issue you a one time store credit” and not something like what it was: “but your only option to select when going through the warranty claim process will be to have us send you a replacement of the part of the bed that was damaged. If you don’t select this, you will not be able to advance in filing the warranty claim.”

  There is then a radio button in yellow/black that says “Submit Claim.”  
  

  Now, if you do scroll down from there, THEN it says:

  “More Details On One Time Warranty”

  And below that discusses that for the item I purchased, and I’ll bet most if not all of the must commonly purchased items, the warranty only replaces the cover of these beds if all that was damaged by the dog.
  

  I am asking K9 to comment on the logic of this and how they feel it could be sufficient means to correct and/or restore their product so that it performs as intended/implied by 1) the name of their company and 2) the adjective sublabels attached to the products - ie - “Tough Rip-Stop™.   If a dog chews through the product, THE DOG IS GOING TO ALSO CHEW THROUGH THE REPLACEMENT  PROVIDED OF THE SAME ITEM. 
  

  The above are the most concerning points to me with regard to potential ethics issues at K9. The other, regarding the discount they were offering during the order process that didnt carry over to check out, if not for matters above, I might chalk up to accidental error.

  I’m not wanting anything I’m not entitled to. And, despite the, imo, questionable placement of the warranty language and clearly ridiculous warranty benefits, I’ll accept a store credit for the cover of the bed per the, essentially, somewhat embedded language on the site. Though I think likely I’ll just receive a vague, boiler plate response, I really just want K9 to respond truthfully to the matters I note above and for BBB to keep eye on them, and the quality of their products.

  Regards,
  
  L** ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  Customer has been issued full store credit for the value of the bed purchased. The store credit code has been emailed directly to customer as of this morning on 3/7/2024. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Item was out of stock on their website. I place a request to be notified when in stock. I get the notification and place my order. They sent me the wrong item and even the wrong size. I fill out the return request online. They take over 48 hours to respond and say they are now out of stock again on the item I originally ordered and they will not commit to overnighting me my original purchase, which has been paid for, when they are restocked. Absolutely no accountability or sliver of customer service. They got their money and could not care less about correcting their error and the customer suffers.

  

  Business response

  11/14/2023

  We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are not able to overnight packages as the cost well exceeds the value of the original item. We did put in an order for the replacement item and will get that shipped to you as quickly as we can, but if you prefer a refund instead we will cancel the replacement order and issue the refund. Please just let us know if that is what you would like to do and we will take care of it. 

  Customer response

  11/14/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 20853320
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I do not care about the cost to you. I have stated multiple times I need the item and will not cancel my order. I should have had it over 2 weeks ago but due to your failures here we are and you are refusing to make it right regardless of the cost. Profit over customers. Your position is clear, wrong, and should be known publicly. Thank you for making that so with your response. Now send the item immediately.
  
  Regards,
  
  K**** *******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  11/15/2023

  We apologize again for the inconvenience, and we will get the replacement item sent out to you as quickly as we can. 

  Customer response

  11/15/2023

  
  
  Complaint: 20853320
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Empty Apologies with no action mean nothing. Give concrete details and decisive, read that as overnighting the product regradless of the effect on your bottom line, action to own and correct your failure and do right by your customers. Well, former customer(s), as this will be my last transaction with you, and I am sure others will follow suit or avoid you from the start. So, saving a few dollars on slow playing this issue but losing much more in future business due to your handling of this situation sure seems to make business sense. Good luck with that.

  
  Regards,
  
  K**** *******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Customer response

  11/20/2023

  Second item received, not shipped overnight, and again it is the incorrect item. Over 36 hours since reported to company and no response. They have my money. I do not have my product, they refuse to respond or correct their failure in a timely manner.

• Initial Complaint

  02/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have contacted this business numerous times regarding the failure of their "ballistic" beds they repeatedly claim "last a lifetime". All five of the "lifetime" beds I purchased failed within a year or two of use, unable to hold up to normal washing. The fabric just rotted away and once the waterproof coating fell off, the beds just disintegrated. At first K9 Ballistics denied it was possible, then admitted it's common, but still offered no realistic resolution. To this day the company shows dogs digging and scratching at the "lifetime" beds. The final straw is this reply the company made to my BBB review: "it sounds like you're referring to the waterproof coating on the underside of the bed. This coating does wear away with time as the bed ages and gets used, and while it does mean that water can start to pass through the material more easily, it won't affect the integrity of the ballistic material itself." So they ADMIT the problem but still claim the material is strong - yet all four beds I purchased failed completely once the coating fell off (see pics). The 5th bed was a different fabric (mesh) and failed even more quickly just from normal use. This company is NOT HONEST and is falsely advertising the strength and durability of these beds. At this point a full refund is warranted due to the continued dishonesty of the company and its advertising, poor quality, changing narratives, and continued false claims.

  

  Business response

  02/15/2023

  We apologize that the water-proof coating has worn away from the bed, but this is considered a normal effect of wear and tear and will happen naturally over time as the material flexes from use. The coating prevents water passing through the material but does not affect the strength of the ballistic sling; please note that if your dogs are scratching persistently at the material over a long period of time, this can lead to the fabric slowly wearing out. We offer a 120 day warranty on the bed (****************), but unfortunately we are not able to replace the beds if the material is wearing out past this time frame. However, we do sell replacement slings for the beds which can save you substantially over purchasing entirely new beds; you can find the material here: *************************03

• Initial Complaint

  02/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We bought a Kennel pad and cover from K9 Ballistics because they guaranteed it was chew proof. Our dog chewed through the cover and also damaged the pad- I contacted K9 and they said they only would replace the cover 1 time and that the replacement would not be under warranty. They will not replace the pad or give me credit so I can get the now suggested pad. They were terrible at getting back to me - I had to email them several times and threaten to contact the BBB before they replied. This company is complete False advertisement and their products are expensive. We bought it because of the warranty just to find out we were scammed. I first reached out to them on Jan 11 2023 and I just today Feb 13 2023 got my code for a replacement cover.

  

  Business response

  02/15/2023

  Hi there! We're sorry about the experience you had with the warranty. We weren't able to pull up your order information based off the details you provided to the BBB and we haven't received any emails from the email address you used for this complaint so unfortunately we can't look into the exact issue further, but our warranty is for 120 days and we do provide a one-time replacement or store credit of the item or cover (depends on the item type) and this information is presented before purchase on our warranty page here: ****************. We aren't sure which bed you purchased, but please also be aware that the only beds we consider to be chew proof are the beds labeled as "Chew Proof Armored"; these are the metal frame beds and the only ones designed for heavy or persistent chewers. Our other beds (the Tough Rip-Stop beds) are considered chew resistant and will withstand scratching and some light to mild chewing, but aren't described as chew proof. If you do have a more persistent or destructive chewer, we recommend checking out our Chew Proof Armored beds: ****************

  Customer response

  02/16/2023

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:The email used for the order was [email protected]

  the order was under Joe Grimaldi 

  
  Regards,
  
  J****** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  02/21/2023

  Thank you for providing that information; we believe we were able to locate the order being referenced. This order was for a Tough Rip-Stop Orthopedic Dog Crate Bed, which our 120-day warranty promises a one-time store credit for the value of the cover of this item. This is stated if you click the "120 Day warranty" link on the product page, and it is also stated under the general warranty guidelines that can be found under the warranty link on our site (****************); we've attached screenshots of the policy as it is stated online. A warranty claim for this order was submitted on 1/10/23, and a member of the warranty department responded back and provided the warranty credit for the cover on 1/11/23, within 24 hours of the claim being submitted. There was mention of the mattress also being damaged, but the photos provided showed minimal damage to the mattress with the item being intact enough for its function to not be impacted, so it was not eligible for an exception to the warranty (please see the attached photo for the extent of the visible damage to the mattress we received). At this time, since the warranty credit for the cover was issued on the 11th of January as per our policy, the warranty has been fulfilled for this order.

  Customer response

  02/21/2023

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:The cover failed and because it failed my mattress got damaged - i paid a lot of money for it and should not have to have a damaged mattress because of the failure of your product. How do you offer such a warranty if the product cannot produce. Obviously you dont stand by your product since you dont warranty the replacement.

  You feel right taking peoples money and making them keep damaged products to use for their animals? Your advertising is a joke.All you are doing is baiting people and then suggesting a more expensive product - You dont stand by your products otherwise you would at the very least enable the customer to get the suggested product with a store credit

  Absolutely ridiculous 
  
  Regards,
  
  J****** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On November 25, 2022, I purchased (Order number K913*****06) a Tough Rip-stop rectangle pillow dog bed (large) for $178.09 with Black Friday deal (original price $209.) I received the product on December 7, 2022, at 11:34 am. On December 8, 2020, I requested a warranty replacement because my 20 pounds 7-month-old French bulldog bit through the bed. On December 10, 2022, I reordered a bed cover for the bed (warranty) and received it on December 22, 2020. On January 21, 2023, I resubmitted another warranty claim reference my dog was able to bit through the bed again. On January 23, 2023, I received a email from K9 Ballistic refusing to replace the cover for the bed. This company who advertises solely on their beds being tough, chew and rip proof. It is obviously what they are advertising and providing customers is not true. The "rip and chew proof bed failed within a day of use. I tried to work things out with them, and they simply refused.

  

  Business response

  01/25/2023

  We're very sorry for any confusion, but the 120 day warranty is a one-time replacement or store credit for the damaged item, and replacement items that are ordered using warranty credit do not come with a new warranty of their own. Since we had already provided you with the warranty replacement for this bed, we weren't able to offer additional warranty options once the replacement was damaged. Our policy can be found here: ****************

  If you have a more destructive chewer we strongly recommend our Chew Proof Armored beds (****************) instead, as those are the only chew proof items and the only items that will withstand heavy or persistent chewing. The Tough Rip-Stop bed that you ordered is durable and will hold up to digging and occasional bouts of mild chewing, but it isn't considered chew proof and it isn't intended for heavier chewers. We apologize again for the confusion and any inconvenience that it caused. 

  Customer response

  01/26/2023

  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Regards,
  
  R****** *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 3, 2022, we purchased the Tough Dog Car Seat cover from https://k9ballistics.com/collections/accessories-car-seat-covers/products/tough-dog-car-seat-cover?variant=17434********* based largely upon the FAQ info at the bottom of the listing section "What are the covers made from?" which states "this fabric was made for the wear and tear of a dog's lifestyle and will hold up well against chewing & scratching. In a recent third party test, our ballistic fabric tear tested better than 1000D Cordura fabric!". We previously had a low cost cover made from 600D oxford, a much lower grade material which was no longer useful after 5 months. From K9-ballistics, we found this much more expensive model advertising resistance to chewing and scratching. The front portion of the cover was chewed through 10 minutes into the first drive with absolutely no resistance. We contacted the seller/manufacturer on 5/16/2022 looking for a refund and were told this item does not fall under the 120 day chew proof warranty. I understand this product is not chew proof, but it was intended to resist, which it did not to any measurable degree. Within a week, our dog 's claws tore completely through the bottom of the protector, something that never happened with the cheap version. In addition to fraudulently representing the product and not standing behind it, we had left a review following an invitation as a verified purchase with pictures. After noticing our review was never posted, I noticed there are NO reviews at 1-star with over 200 reviews, and only a couple 2 or 3. This company is intentionally deleting any reviews that speaks against the quality or may lower the rating.

  

  Business response

  06/30/2022

  We are very sorry for the confusion, but not all of the items on our website are considered chew resistant and as such not all are covered by the 120 Day Chew Proof Promise. As we state on our warranty page https://k9ballistics.com/pages/warranty:

  "Accessories and mattresses are covered by the 30 day manufacturers warranty only. They are not covered by the Chew Proof promise one time replacement. They are extremely durable and made to last a lifetime but are considered very easy for a dog to chew if unsupervised. As will any product you give a persistent chewer, supervision is suggested."

  This is because even though many of our accessories do incorporate ballistic material, their design still leaves vulnerabilities that a more destructive dog may exploit. In the case of the car seat cover, the relative thinness of the cover, combined with the accessible edges and exposed straps, leaves it open to damage from chewing. For that reason, we keep this item listed under the Accessories section to make it clear that it is not a part of the Chew Proof and Tough bed collection, and the product page for the item additionally only lists the 30 Day manufacturer's warranty for this item. The FAQs you referenced are generic and the same ones appear for every product; the one regarding the cover refers to the bed cover of our Tough bed, which is why it is described as sleeping cool and why the questions after it refer to the bed mattresses (which this particular item does not have). For product specific information, it is best to refer to the product descriptions higher up on the page. 

• Initial Complaint

  12/06/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a bed on 11/25/21 and still have not received it

  

  Business response

  12/14/2021

  This order was shipped on 11/26/21 via FedEx Home Delivery. With the holiday and with it needing to cross the country it did take a bit longer than usual to arrive, but it was delivered on 12/4/2021. The tracking number for the package is *********440 and it can be tracked directly through FedEx with the following link: *************************440&trkqual=12022~*********440~FDEG

  Customer response

  12/14/2021

  
  
  Complaint: 16328433
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  i never recieved package. I have several emails showing suppose be delivered everyday for week
  
  Regards,
  
  D*** *********

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  12/15/2021

  We're sorry to hear that the item hasn't been delivered. FedEx has confirmed it was left at the front door at the address that was provided on the order. As such, we are not able to offer a refund but we can have a replacement sent out. If there is an alternate address that you think would be more secure to ship it to, please let us know and we will get it sent there instead. 

  Customer response

  12/15/2021

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 16328433, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  Why can’t you just have it delivered where I can sign for it. This way both know I received it
  
  Regards,
  
  D*** *********
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  As I read on their site they have alot of complaints like mine.So I have a 7 month old Australian Sheppard...his name is Toby and I had problems with his tearing cheaper dog beds apart.So I pursued into looking for something better obviously spending more so I found K9 Ballistics Inc....I looked up the mattress and cover type...I saw the 120 day warranty...if dog chews it you can be refunded for the same or towards a better product. Well I looked for size I needed a medium...it said out of stock but said will email as soon as restocked then received a email almost 3 weeks later your dog bed is on its way. Well I received a small...my dog hated it..yes they received pictures he started ripping away within 2 days...after 3 weeks he had both corners ripped on the corners and then into the mattress he kept pulling the stuffing out. Again they have tge pictures.Yes they have my emails because they said well we can send you new stuffing and new cover...I don't sew...then they said we can credit you 67 dollars towards the same or another product...I spent 120...not 67...they Saifd the warranty covers the cover not the mattress...ok let's do tge math if my dog didn't get through the cover he wouldn't of gotten into the mattress am I correct? All ask is to get me money put back onto my credit card that is whatever I actually paid not 67 dollars.After seeing all the complaints I would of never ordered anything from them. They are very misleading in how they advertise just saying. I think this is a simple solution to just refund my money I lived and learned and I have a better solution and much cheaper to do myself and build a bedding box for him to lay in. Have a great day.

  

  Business response

  12/17/2021

  Hi there! We sent out a small bed to you originally because you ordered the small size. This may have been in error, but you would have received the order confirmation email that showed the small size selected, and your card statement would have shown that you paid for a small-size bed. As such, we shipped a small bed out. The warranty on a Tough Rectangle Comfort dog bed applies to the cover of the bed, as we state on our website under the warranty page and also on the product page for the bed when you click the warranty button. We did provide you with warranty credit for the cover as per that warranty, and we asked you for photos of the mattress on November 22nd to see if that part qualified for an exception. We did end up making a one-time exception and we sent out a Chew Proof Armored bed to you as a free upgrade, which was worth more than the total you paid for the original bed. 

  Customer response

  12/20/2021

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 16193583, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  K****** *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  well not sure where I was supposed to type...but after putting my complaint to the BBB..K9 Ballistics gave me a better bed at no cost...and I was satisfied...so far it works for my dog.Thank you

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩