ComplaintsforInsect Lore

• Initial Complaint

  05/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I redeemed a voucher for a cup of 5 caterpillars on May 2nd. On May 6th I received my order with only 4 caterpillars. I emailed the company on May 6th with my order number and a picture of my cup which was missing one caterpillar. The website specifically states that they will get back to you in 48 hours. I got an email with confirmation of my email stating I will get a response within 3 business days. We are now on the 5th business day and I have yet to get a response. They also do not answer there customer service line as I have called during business hours and sat on hold with no person ever picking up.Additionally, the website guarantees that 3 of the 5 caterpillars will turn into healthy adult butterflies. As of now, we have 1 caterpillar that has turned into a chrysalis and the other 3 have died. We have followed all of the instructions carefully: did not open lid, did not place next to a window, kept cup at room temperature. I have also tried contacting them on Instagram with no response. I have not sent a second email as they said they answer emails in the order they come in and sending additional emails will put my case to the back of the line.

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Created an order that was a gift using Apple Pay not realizing it finalized payment and changed the shipping name, unlike PayPal where you can review. Emailed- within 24 hours they claimed to corrected the error. I placed a second order for my daughter adjusting the address prior to placing the order. The company sent both orders to the boy instead! Order #IL1016587 WI Order #IL1016578 LA I have sent several emails without any response to correct this! I just wanted my daughter to have the kit at the same time as her brother. Never did I mention or request a CHANGE of address, just the name on the address and withhold any payment information from the LA. Complaint email has first order number included. I placed the second order well after this email! It never should have been confused. (Why would I pay shipping twice instead of putting everything on one order.) Anyways, seeking a replacement order #IL1016587 to be sent as the order was placed. I have emails as documentation from their first response they corrected Order #IL1016578 but actually changed Order #IL1016587 instead.

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received the Butterfly Garden which was damaged in two places.I sent photos of the damaged boxes to Inset Lore. The contents of the cup of caterpillars were more advanced as they should have been. I reported this to them and they said they were at the correct stage. There are only two live caterpillars which are hanging ,again i sent photos of these and the she said she could see one on the bottom which looked cristalized, obviously she has better eyesight than me i have them in from of me and the other three are dead. They guarantee 3 out of 5 to survive ( the guarantee is very hard to find in small letters) I have made numerous requests for just the caterpillars to be replaced with no result and feel I’m just being stonewalled. Thank you for your help in resolving this matter.

  Business response

  04/24/2023

  Insect Lore guarantees that three of the five caterpillars received by the customer will transform into adult butterflies. When we last spoke to the customer, the images she sent us indicated that she was on track to meet the guarantee. If the customer's project does not culminate with three adult butterflies, we will stand by our guarantee and will provide a replacement.

  Thank you,

  
  

  *****

  Customer response

  04/25/2023

  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. Only two butterflies survived so providing Insect Lore stand by their guarantee and provide and extra larva I will be satisfied

  Customer response

  05/04/2023

  Hi ******,

  Re the above case number on the 24th April you sent an email saying Insectlore would stand by their guarantee.  I replied that if they were to do that and send at least one replacement as only two originals survived then I would consider the case resolved.  To date I have heard nothing from Insectlore that would indicate that they are honouring their guarantee and consequently I feel that the case has not been resolved.   

  ****** ********

  
  

  Business response

  05/08/2023

  Hi ******,

  
  

  A replacement has been sent to ****** ********. The customer has been notified and tracking has been sent to her as well.

  
  

  Thank you,

  
  

  *****
  

  
  

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

  Customer response

  05/11/2023

  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.

• Initial Complaint

  06/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On March 7, 2022 I purchased 3 items from insect lore, order# IL57**58 1 cup of caterpillars (BOGO) $17.99 1 pack of stickers for $1.25 and 1 butterfly garden with voucher $27.99 . I paid shipping and taxes, order totaling $61.01 USD. The butterfly kit was supposed to include a voucher to redeem butterflies for future use. My voucher did not come in the kit. If it did, I did not see it nor do I have it, so I was unable to redeem the voucher for the cup of caterpillars. When I called insect lore to tell them I did not have the voucher, but would like to redeem, they were unable to help me or offer a solution. They told me to send in the barcode of the box, however I had already opened the box (it's almost 3 months later! ) and did not save the box as I already used the butterfly house (for the 1st set of caterpillars we got) . The company will not send a new voucher, or caterpillars, or refund me the money I spent on the caterpillars (that I did not receive). I asked the original phone operator to escalate care, and the "higher up" , ********, was not kind or customer service friendly at all. She essentially told me it was not their problem if the voucher wasn't included, and that she couldn't help me and didn't care what I did. I am seeking either financial recompense for the cup of caterpillars, or for the company to just send the item! I paid in full, I would like the product. They should not be selling a product they will not send out to clients. Thank you.

  Business response

  07/25/2022

  Insect Lore is very sorry the customer is dissatisfied; we do our utmost to provide excellent customer service. However, it is our policy that Insect Lore is not responsible for lost or stolen vouchers. This policy is clearly listed on our website and on our vouchers. When the customer contacted us on June 10, they informed our staff that they had lost their voucher.

  
  If a customer indicates that they have lost their voucher, we do offer the customer another solution, which is to send us the barcode from the box. Once we receive the barcode, we will send the customer a Cup of Caterpillars. Unfortunately, the customer had thrown their box away. Insect Lore cannot provide a Cup of Caterpillars without a valid voucher code or the bar code from the box as proof of purchase.

  Customer response

  07/25/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  There is no resolution offered! Their response says,  "yes we took your money and charged you for a voucher,  however we are not going to deliver you the product!" It is unclear if I ever received the voucher in my packet. Insect Lore took my money and had not provided me with the good/ service promised for the money I paid. They owe me either a refund,  a cup of caterpillars,  or something! Even a discounted offer to buy more,  compensated shipping,  an apology- anything! It's been over a month and their response was- "we state on our voucher that you have to use the voucher" however,  they cannot even confirm that I received a voucher in my package- and neither can I!
  
  

  Business response

  08/01/2022

  Insect Lore’s policy states that Insect Lore is not responsible for lost or stolen vouchers. This policy has been in place for decades and is clearly indicated on our website, product pages, and vouchers.

  When the customer contacted Insect Lore on June 10, she shared with two Insect Lore Customer Service representatives that she had lost her voucher. Our Customer Service representatives suggested that she send us the barcode from her box; with that proof of purchase, we would be able to send her a Cup of Caterpillars. The customer then stated that unfortunately she had thrown the package away.

  Since the customer told our staff she had lost her voucher, Insect Lore cannot stray from our policy and provide the customer with a Cup of Caterpillars without proof of purchase.

*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. ↩