Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/03/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They are spammers. I never signed up for their emails nor I have I ever done business with them. In addition, they hide their contact information. They are violating the CAN-SPAM act.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/04/2024

  Hi there and thank for reaching out. We're sorry to hear about your experience and we'd be happy to further assist you. We were unable to find any accounts associated with the email that was provided. You can reach us by clicking on the "help" button found on our website and then selecting "FAQ's and Support." From here you can email, call, or chat with us 7-days a week during our posted business hours.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/12/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  12/09/2023 I noticed on my account that I had a charge of$66.62 from KIwiCo on an order I did not purchase; called them and their representative told me it was ordered using my dead husband's (2 yrs) email address. I checked while I was on the phone and the only correspondence from them was that a delivery was on its way. I asked for refund and was told I couldn't get one because package is on its way. I checked my KiwiCo account and their are no active monthly subscriptions. It makes me angry

  Business Response

  Date: 12/13/2023

  Hi there, and thanks for reaching out. We're sorry to hear about your experience. We reviewed the interaction you had with the agent and confirmed that this was an auto-renewing, 3-month subscription that was established in Feb 2022. We did send two different auto-renew reminders (the first was 7-days before the first renewal in May 2022, and the most recent was 30-days before the annual renewal in Feb 2023). During the call with our agent, we see that you accepted our offer to refund you $44.41 for the two unsent crates and we canceled the subscription for you. If you have any additional questions we can help you with, please let us know.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/28/2023

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/08/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Have multiple times tried to cancel the account. The company has even locked me out of my online account. However, I continously get charges on my credit card that they cannot understand or refund and I need to dispute with the credit card company. Each $225 - $240.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/11/2023

  Hi there, and thanks for reaching out. We looked into your account and only see one charge for an auto-renewing subscription for this year (which we have since canceled and refunded), and confirmed that you still have access to your KiwiCo account. During a conversation with our team, you shared that you had spoken to someone else at a different company about these charges. Since we've confirmed that no other charges are on your account from ******************, we're unable to assist you further with this complaint. We encourage you to reach out to that other company who is billing you the extra charges and see if they can remove those charges for you. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/21/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased two kits from the site for a party that was happening on November 18. I was diligent about checking to ensure that the gift would arrive on time, and made sure to purchase the fastest shipping option which stated the gift would arrive by November 17. The items did not arrive by November 17, which forced me to buy a new gift for the party. I reached out to the company about the situation and asking for help getting a refund for the shipping and items. The provided a refund for the shipping costs I paid to get the product by Nov 17, but stated I have to personally pay to return the items to get a refund for items. I stated that this was penalizing me for the company not delivering on what I originally paid for, and asked for them to send me a return shipping label or cover the return shipping cost in the refund. They refused to do it, so I'm asking BBB for help getting a refund for return shipping and a refund for the items - which are still in the original shipping box and unopened. I also feel that their shipping menu should change to note the customer will still be responsible for all costs if they do not deliver gift items on time.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/21/2023

  Hi, thanks for reaching out and sharing your experience. In reviewing your order history and interaction with our team, we've confirmed that you did purchase the gift in time for the delivery, but it was delivered a day later than expected. We apologize for the delay in receiving this order, and for not offering a return label when you reached out to our team. We've requested the return label to be sent to you and are coaching the agents involved for improved quality going forward. Please accept our apologies for this oversight and we thank you again for bringing this important matter to our attention.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/22/2023

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/21/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We were gifted a sub on my child's first birthday and bought our own in her 2nd birthday last year. Each box we received included a stand alone book based on the boxes' character and related age group (i.e. the panda box always included a small book about the panda and the koala book included one about the koala). A book has always been included, except for the last two boxes where the book itself appears to have been discontinued and instead has been absorbed by the information packet. No information was sent out and no changes to the cost of the box has been made. They seriously cheaped out and refuse to lower the price point.In addition to this issue, the quality has gone significantly downhill in the last several months that's we've received the koala crate. The materials are flimsy and easily come apart.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/21/2023

  Hi, thanks for reaching out and sharing your experience with your subscriptions. In looking at your current subscription, we see that your child has graduated into an older age group which does not always include a book with the crate. While we're always updating the crate offerings and do include books whenever possible, we know that we don't always hit the right **** for some customers. We don't see that you've ever reached out to our team to share your feedback. We invite all customers to contact our team if they're not happy with the quality or content of any of our products, and we'll see if we can find something else that *** be better suited for the child. Thank you again for sharing your feedback.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/08/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This company's products are good, but they engage in deceptive billing practices. After I purchased a three-month subscription, I eventually received an email alerting me that the subscription would be auto-renewed if I did not cancel by a certain date, which is fine of course. So I canceled by that stated date -- but it turns out they had already charged another three months to my credit card. When I chatted with their customer service, they tried to blame me for the error, even though their own email explicitly gave a day/time deadline that I met. Rather than acknowledge the error, the customer service rep lectured me with information about their renewal policies that directly contradicted the information they had sent me by email, even after I quoted their own email to them. ******* did state that a refund would be issued within a week (we'll see if it comes through), but given the nature of these responses, I could only conclude that the company's practice of giving false renewal information by email is a deliberately deceptive attempt to trick people into paying for additional subscriptions.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/09/2023

  Thank you for reaching out regarding the auto-renewal of your subscription. We reviewed your concern and found that an incorrect date was listed on your renewal notification. We apologize for this error and want to assure you that it has been corrected going forward. We were able to cancel your renewal and we issued a full refund which you should see soon in your account. We're sorry for the frustration this caused and confirmed that the agent you worked with acted quickly to resolve the issue for you. Thank you again for reaching out.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/26/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered from Kiwi Co approximately 1.5 weeks ago. I received no confirmation email that the products had been ordered, but the money did come out of my account. Out of nowhere with 0 explanation from the business the amount was refunded to me today, and I ordered items for Christmas. Unsure why I am being refunded, and wish I would have never ordered from them because clearly they can't follow through with items that are ordered.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/27/2023

  Hi there, and thanks for reaching out to us regarding your recent order. In looking at your order details, it appears that we needed to verify your shipping information prior to completing the order. We sent an email to the same email address used for this BBB complaint on 10/17 and again on 10/24, but never heard back from you, so we canceled and refunded your order. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to our ************* team and we'd be happy to assist you.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/15/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My package arrived with rips and all the contents in the bags were poured out. I contacted kiwico using their contact form and it said internal server error but then it changed and it said submitted. No one reached out to me and I requested credit because of all the mess in my crate.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/15/2023

  Hi there, Sorry to hear that your crate was damaged during the delivery process. We see that you sent us an email advising us of the condition of the crate on Aug 8, and the agent apologized and asked for a description of any missing or damaged parts that we could replace for you at no cost. You confirmed on Aug 9 that nothing was missing or damaged within the crate, that you were able to complete the crate with no issues, and that you only wanted credit for future shopping. Since you've confirmed that the crate did not have any missing or damaged parts and that you were able to complete it with no issues, we're not able to provide any additional credits for future shopping at this time. Thanks again for reaching out.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/05/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I paid $157.10 for the table on June 9th and it took almost three weeks to actually receive it. But right after I received the table and even before I open the package, it is now offered at $130.91 on their website. So I talked to an agent and kindly ask for a price adjustment and was refused very rudely. Kiwico intentionally want to charge more from the customer for a product that is not even available to ship. Then when the product does become available to ship, they refuse to refund the price difference. It is NOT the right way to treat a customer.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2023

  Hi there, and thanks for reaching out about our recent July 4th promotion. We confirmed that you made a purchase on June 9 and that you received the item on June 23 (two weeks later - not three weeks as mentioned in your complaint). The July 4th promotional offer began on June 29th (20 days after your purchase date and 7 days after you received the item). When you reached out to our team on July 1st for a price adjustment, our agent explained that because your purchase was made more than 7 days ago, we would not be able to adjust your purchase price. While we could not adjust the purchase price for you, the agent offered you a $20 credit for your feedback about our policy, which you accepted and used toward your next purchase on July 4. We do not feel you are owed any additional refunds and the agent treated you with respect so there is no service issue to look into, but we do appreciate your thoughts on our price adjustment policy, and thank you again for reaching out.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/10/2023

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/30/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have received several emails from KiwiCo advertising a Memorial Day sale. The advertisement states that you can "lock in $16.95/**" on "3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions". The advertisement then lists all 9 lines of kiwi crates, including the Eureka Crate. At the bottom, right after the Eureka crate, it once again shows the promo code. When I tried to place an order with the promo code, the $16.95/mo rate was not being honored for the Eureka crate that I was trying to order for my son. I chatted with a customer service representative about the issue. They said the Eureka crate is a different price, so it is not one of the lines eligible for the $16.95/mo rate. I said the email listed all the crate lines and made no indication that the Eureka crate was different than any other crate, and none of the fine print in the ad stated otherwise. The agent said they could not honor the price stated in the advertisment. I told the agent I would be reporting this to the BBB. Since then, I have received two more emails with the same advertisement implying that all lines (including the Eureka crate) are eligible for the $16.95/mo rate with the Memorial Day promo code. I think this is misleading and I think the advertised price should be honored. I also think the advertisement should have been revised after I contacted customer service. The agent said they would send me an email, so I can forward them the exact advertisement I was referring to, and they never followed through on that either.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/31/2023

  Hi there and thanks for reaching out about our holiday promotional offer. In the offer and there are two different locations that will let you know that prices are different. The first in in the top section that has the promotional pricing, "$16.95 a month... reg. $23.95 a month" Please note that the Eureka Crate line is regularly $32.95 a month, so this is the first area that would exclude the Eureka Crate line. The second location is in the fine print at the bottom of the offer. We did include the line, "prices may vary between crate lines". We apologize that you felt these two sections did not clearly state the price of the Eureka Crate line specifically, however, the information was shared in the promotional offer was correct. The offer of $16.95 a month for crates regularly priced at $23.95 represents a $15 savings for a 3-month subscription. The Eureka Crate line also gave $15 in savings for a 3-month subscription (which we see you were able to take advantage of). Thank you again for sharing your feedback.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/01/2023

   
  Complaint: 20118746
  

  I am rejecting this response, because, despite what is stated in the reply from KiwiCo, I still believe the advertisement was unnecessarily and obviously misleading.
  
  In response to the points made by the KiwiCo representative, I would like to point out the following:
  
  Firstly, the ad including the line "Reg. $23.95/mo does not actually indicate anything. It simply implies that the regular price of all the crate lines listed below in the ad is $23.95, perhaps as a way to show what a great deal the sale price is. The ad does not say that the sale price applies only to crates that are regularly priced $23.95, which would imply some aren't that price. It would have been helpful if it did say that.
  
  Similarly, in the fine print, saying "Prices may vary between crate lines" also doesnt really mean anything to a regular casual shopper when the main bold section says $16.95/mo and specific crate lines are listed directly below that. "Prices may vary between crate lines" is not a meaningful statement. It's throwaway boilerplate language. Is it saying prices may vary between crate lines not listed in this email? Is it saying regular crate prices may vary before the promo is applied? Or the sale price may vary? Its just not a complete meaningful thought. It's vague.
  
  I can think of many very simple tweaks to the ad, if KiwiCo had actually wanted to be clear and not misleading. They could have put an asterisk next to $16.95/mo at the top and in the fine print said except the Eureka line which will be $x.**. Or, they could have only listed the crate lines the stated sale price applied to, instead of all the crate lines. Or they could have had a separate section for the more expensive crate lines with a different price listed. Or they could have put the reg and sale price in small print next to each crate line name in the bottom section where they list all the crate lines.
  
  Finally, in the reply KiwiCo sent, they state that I still got the sale price, because I got $15 off over the 3 month subscription, however, again, that is not what the ad stated. The ad stated that 3mo, 6mo, and 12mo subscriptions were $16.95/mo. Then, the ad listed a bunch of crate lines, including the Eureka crate. I apparently got "A" sale price, but I did not get "the advertised" sale price, which is the whole point.
  
  Based on the ad, I had already told my kids we would order these crates for the summer and had them look at which ones they wanted. It was very disappointing to find I was mislead. Regardless, I followed through on my promise to my kids. It would be great if KiwiCo could follow through on their promise to a customer. I am a pretty savvy shopper who reads fine print. I have been almost duped by your ads before. Had I not promised my kids we would get these crates, upon learning I was mislead I would NOT have made this purchase. I think this is sneaky advertising and seems to be the approach KiwiCo has chosen to take. I think it's important to highlight that this is a sneaky practice and have KiwiCo be more honest and clear in their advertising.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  Business Response

  Date: 06/01/2023

  Hi there, and thanks for your reply. As we shared in our response, we feel that we did make customers aware of the details of the promotion both in the larger print on top of the ad and in the fine print below. Aside from this customer, we did not receive any escalated complaints regarding this or previous promotions which are similar in design. We've also confirmed that the customer made the purchase three days after speaking with our team in which we explained the details of the promotion, so, the customer did not need to move forward with their purchase if they did not want to. While we appreciate this customer's feedback and will share it with our marketing team, we don't feel that the customer's personal interpretation of the promotional offer warrants any additional discounts above and beyond the promotional offer that was already applied for their purchase. Thank you again for sharing your feedback.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/01/2023

   
  Complaint: 20118746
  
  I am rejecting this response, because the fact is that the promotion was obviously misleading. Just because not every consumer who has been misled is willing to open a case with BBB, does not mean the advertisement is not misleading. If you asked a bunch of random people on the street to read the ad and asked them what they thought the various crates would cost, I'm pretty sure all of them would be surprised by the cost of the Eureka crate.

  I know I still purchased the crate 3 days later, because I promised my kids I would, based on what I thought the price would be. Had I discovered that I had been misled earlier, I would not have purchased the crates.

  KiwiCo can choose to not do anything about this. I am sure KiwiCo's lawyers will say they don't have to do anything, unless I put my energy towards a class action lawsuit. I can also choose to continue to not accept a non-resolution to my complaint and to share my experience with my friends and family that have children in their target audience.

  I expected a company like KiwiCo to be more honest and have more integrity. Apparently, KiwiCo has a different moral compass.

  Sincerely,
  

  *********************************

  Business Response

  Date: 06/02/2023

  Hi there, while we understand you're disappointed that the promotional offer did not allow for a larger discount on our more expensive crate line, we do appreciate your time in sharing your opinions and have added a $10 credit to your account. This credit never expires and can be used for any future subscription or individual crate purchase. Thanks again for your feedback.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2023

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

  The main point of the complaint was to point out the advertisement was misleading based on any best practices document you look at, whether from the BBB or the **** for example here: ****************************************************************************************************************************

  I feel I have sufficiently made that point and hope KiwiCo adheres to best practices in their advertisements in the future.

  Sincerely,
  

  *********************************