Beware the dewormer at SLT.... [Archive]

View Full Version : Beware the dewormer at SLT....

camohn

Mar. 24, 2009, 09:16 AM

Argh. Back at the end of 08 I bought a box of 10 dewormers from State line Tack. I went to use them this weekend...I bought them early since they were on sale cheap. Well 5 of the boxes were empty when I went to use them. That never happened before. So I contacted customer service to inform them of this fact. They told me "but dewormers have expiration dates on them". Huh? I asked the lady what on earth that has to do with getting empty boxes of de wormer. I am not trying to RETURN the stuff. I am saying I did not GET the stuff I paid for. She said "you are telling me that you got this order over 2 months ago and you didn't check it when you got it to see if your order was correct?". Now I am getting hot under the collar. Yes, I looked to see if there were 10 boxes in there. It did NOT occur to me to open each box and check to see if the de wormer was actually IN the box. I kinda assume that if I see a de wormer box that the dewormer is in it................so the long and the short of it is that SLT is still refusing to replace the non existent dewormers that I paid for on the basis that the dewormer dates might be expired by now (a train of thought which I STILL do not understand.........).

deltawave

Mar. 24, 2009, 09:18 AM

Sounds like State Line is the problem, not the dewormer that you didn't get. :)

I haven't bought anything from them in ages. Way too pricey, and their shipping rates are atrocious.

Lulu

Mar. 24, 2009, 09:24 AM

State Line's customer service is horrible. There are some other threads in the Hunter/Jumper forum about how terrible the company has become in general. Sorry for the mix-up, but don't hold your breath for a resolution. I'm still waiting for a manager to call me back about a missing blanket and it's been four months!

trubandloki

Mar. 24, 2009, 09:33 AM

It for sure seems that when the company that owns Country Supply (horse.com) bought SLT they decided to move over their crappy customer service theories instead of keeping what SLT had before (which was not that bad at all).

Having dealt with the crappy customer service from horse.com I can totally see them saying something as stupid as the date being an issue.

I vote call back and ask to speak to a supervisor if the CS rep you get is just as brain dead as the one you already talked to.

camohn

Mar. 24, 2009, 09:33 AM

Ha ha, they employ geniuses there. I called again hoping for a better resolution. Nope. This time the lady tells me that I can't expect to get a replacement on an order that is a year and 2 months old. Huh? Since when is the end of 08 a year and 2 months ago? I gave the dolt my catalog number and told her to please take me off the mailing list. They might as well save a tree and the postage on me.

gabz

Mar. 24, 2009, 09:46 AM

I bet they could tell by the weight, if the package was weighed prior to shipping...

but I agree, it sounds like phone lines are open, but nobody's on the other end ;) :cool:

ThoroughbredFancy

Mar. 24, 2009, 09:53 AM

I was nervous ordering my Power Pack from them. But it was $52.00 with free shipping so I went for it. It arrived 3 days later and everything was there and not expired so all went well. They've always been great...in the past.

However, think of it from their point of view. (I work in retail) They are automatically supposed to believe you, some random customer that you received the boxes and some were empty. How do they know that you're not trying to scam them into getting more dewormer for free?

That might be their train of thought. So just think of it from the other perspective for a moment even though the situation is frustrating to you.

Although, at my work, we're pretty good and the customer usually gets what they want and we would have probably given you the item...maybe.

But I understand where you are coming from and where they are coming from too. But the expiration date thing was weird. Maybe the person was just trying to figure out why you didn't open the boxes sooner?

dwblover

Mar. 24, 2009, 10:23 AM

I never would have checked inside the boxes either. Yes, I would have checked that all the boxes were in there, but I wouldn't check each box. I just ordered Ulcergard recently and I just opened the box and checked that the correct number of Ulcergard boxes were in there. I usually don't open the little boxes until it's time to use them. I bet most people don't. I think if they had any customer service they would replace those tubes. It's not like you are claiming you didn't receive a saddle or something. It's just a few wormer tubes and not worth losing a customer over it. Shame on them, IMO.

txladybug

Mar. 24, 2009, 10:34 AM

I bought several boxes of wormer once TSC and the tubes had been used! I am guessing someone used the tubes and then returned them to TSC for a refund and the TSC employees didn't open the boxes. The customer probably just said "I bought the wrong kind." They looked at me kind of cockeyed but I got my product.

msj

Mar. 24, 2009, 03:21 PM

It isn't JUST State Line Tack. :(

A while ago I ordered some Dia-gel from Jeffer's. The order was for a box of 6 tubes. I opened up the box and there were only 5 tubes. I went back to the catalog to see if I had misread and, nope, it was supposed to be for 6. I called Jeffer's back and told them I had only received 5 instead of 6. The service rep told me that someone else didn't get any in their box! :eek: Jeffer's IMMEDIATELY sent me another tube.

Unfortunately this is a QC issue at the factory where these materials are being manufactured and there is some pretty sloppy work being done. Now, I don't know where your wormer was produced but Dia-gel was made in Orange City, IA. Maybe we are finding out why some companies are sending their products to be made out of the USA. :(:( :( It isn't just cheaper labor either and believe me, I hate seeing it happen. :( :(

esdressage

Mar. 24, 2009, 04:59 PM

That's rediculous. Isn't the customer always right? They should send you the dewormer you were shorted, for customer retention if nothing else. It's a bummer, because when I was a kid I loved State Line Tack!

camohn

Mar. 24, 2009, 05:00 PM

spotmenow

Mar. 24, 2009, 05:30 PM

It for sure seems that when the company that owns Country Supply (horse.com) bought SLT they decided to move over their crappy customer service theories instead of keeping what SLT had before (which was not that bad at all).

Aha-that's the problem. Country Supply customer service is absurd. (I started a thread about them awhile ago and REFUSE to do business with them anymore)

I never use State Line because their prices suck and their shipping charges are ridiculous. Smartpak & Jeffers, with a few orders to Dover and Valley Vet thrown in for variety :) Seriously, though, I spent over $2000 with Country Supply when we first bought our place-I pointed it out to them and they could have cared less that they were losing me as a customer. Over $6.00 worth of broken double end snaps. I feel your pain...

camohn

Mar. 24, 2009, 05:38 PM

The dewormers are about the same many places though lately SLT has has the free shipping for orders over 49.00...with 12 to 13 horses here it's not hard to spend over 49.00 even if ALL I do is order de wormer!

Lulu

Mar. 24, 2009, 05:43 PM

Forgot to mention, a couple weeks ago, I was trying to buy the year's worth of wormer from horse.com (same company, yes?) and the website said they were out of stock. Now, I'm not seeing it at all -- there or on SLT. I'm wondering if the proud professionals who work there were having difficulty getting the right number of round tubes in a square box, so to speak.

camohn

Mar. 24, 2009, 08:16 PM

yes...horse.com is the same thing too

On the free shipping note...the free shipping (which was there as of yesterday) is apparently already a thing of the past. The banner on the website promoting the free shipping over 49.00 is now gone and the stuff I had saved in my cart (sans shipping) yesterday now has the shipping added on when I looked at my cart.

equusus

Mar. 25, 2009, 08:37 AM

It's just a few wormer tubes and not worth losing a customer over it. Shame on them, IMO.

Yeah, THIS!

Jumpin_Horses

Mar. 25, 2009, 08:58 AM

well, after reading this post (and some others) about SLT, Ive decided to never to order anything from them ever again, even if they are having a "great sale". You can tell them they have permenantely lost ME for a customer. It angers me that you would have to threaten them, just to get them to make it right. why couldnt they just "make it right" :confused:

In all the years Ive been ordering online, Ive discovered that ValleyVet ROCKS. :yes: Ive never, ever had a problem with them, or things Ive ordered from them, I will stick with them from now on.

thanks for the heads-up

happyhorse3

Mar. 25, 2009, 09:34 AM

Ugh! Thanks for letting me know horse.com now owns SLT. Not that I have ordered ffom SLT in the last few years because I think the quality of items they have stinks and their shipping is outrageous.

I hate horse.com. About a year ago I ordered some brush boxes to install in my barn. The picture in the catalog showed a solid black brush box. I ordered 6 of them and also paid the outrageous shipping cost. Well boxes come and not only are they crappy flimsy quality but there is a giant company logo on the front of the boxes. It is imprinted in (like painted) and cannot be removed. It looked really tacky and the word PLASTICS was printed huge on it. I call horse.com to tell them the picture in the catalog was not what I got. She tells me "oh well, that's what we have in stock." I said I didn't want them and expected them to pay the return shipping since it was "false advertising". Of course, she said no, they wouldn't do it and when I went to the post office for a rate to send them back I decided I might as well keep them since they would cost more to send back including they money to ship them to me it would be a wash.

Well they lost a customer for life and now I know never to buy from SLT. I did notice about a year ago SLT had a small corner in some of the PetSmart stores but are now gone from PetSmart. Anyone know their association with PetSmart.

By the way, the best deals are with SmartPak and they have great customer service!:yes:

trubandloki

Mar. 25, 2009, 10:00 AM

Well they lost a customer for life and now I know never to buy from SLT. I did notice about a year ago SLT had a small corner in some of the PetSmart stores but are now gone from PetSmart. Anyone know their association with PetSmart.

I do believe it has been over a year that SLT has been owned by the same company that owns horse.com (Country Supply).

SLT was previously owned by the same company that owned PetSmart. That is why there used to be a SLT spot in many PetSmart stores.

Auventera Two

Mar. 25, 2009, 10:24 AM

Update: I have to post the good with the bad.
I see the point of the person that said maybe I was just CLAIMING to have empty boxes....but it would kinda weird for me to tell them that 5 of the 10 boxes I got were empty.
I was miffed a little about the missing dewormers and a lot about the snotty tone the CS rep took with me.....so I told her I was cancelling the order of the other 144.00 worth of stuff I had just ordered from them (jump cups, a girth and a couple odds n ends) and said I would be happy to take my order to Dover. My 5 "non dewormers" are now being replaced.
I don't doubt the issue is a factory one. All the boxes with missing de wormers have the same lot number on them. I was surprised at SLTs unwillingness to make it right.

It seems like ALL companies are getting stingy in this bad economy. I mailed my credit card payment on time from my office, but for whatever reason, it got to them 1 day late. ONE DAY. Next cycle comes around, and I see that they jumped my 0% interest rate to 17.99%, and gave me a $39.99 late fee. I have NEVER not even once in my life, ever been late on a credit card payment. My credit history is exemplary. I called them and said, come on please, this is crazy. One day???? I mailed that payment 2 weeks in advance. You guys say you received it 1 day after the due date????? Look at the date written on the check. Where's the envelope with the post marked date on it???? What the bleep?? The customer service person refused to make it right. I asked to talk to a manager who told me that there was absolutely no way they could reverse that late fee and the 17.99% interest rate. NO WAY. Sorry can't help you. Goodbye. :eek: Un freakin believable.

I believe its a 2-way street. With jobs tanking and the economy in the toilet, consumers will probably try to get whatever they can from companies, if that means lying. So companies have to protect themselves. But on the flip side, I think companies will start to take advantage of consumers also. It's just a bad deal that we're stuck in right now. :(

Ambrey

Mar. 25, 2009, 11:32 AM

ChocoMare

Mar. 25, 2009, 11:42 AM

You know, I can understand the disappearance of the free shipping. Afterall, every company is trying to cut expenses wherever possible.

HOWEVER, you'd better back up your business with amazing customer service to make up for it. Alas, Country Supply (aka horse.com), SLT, Equestrian Collections, etc. just don't cut it anymore.

Business will get tougher and tougher as competitors duke it out for market share. You've got to have the customer service to be a stand out. SmartPak sure does.

camohn

Mar. 25, 2009, 02:52 PM

Well they lost a customer for life and now I know never to buy from SLT. I did notice about a year ago SLT had a small corner in some of the PetSmart stores but are now gone from PetSmart. Anyone know their association with PetSmart.
yes:
They were in PetSmart when it was still SLT. The tack sales thing was not going well at PetSmart....they left the PetSmart stores when they were sold to CS.

Auventera Two

Mar. 25, 2009, 03:14 PM

HOWEVER, you'd better back up your business with amazing customer service to make up for it. Alas, Country Supply (aka horse.com), SLT, Equestrian Collections, etc. just don't cut it anymore..

There's one answer to this problem - Smart Pak Equine! :D They should get a Tack Store of the Universe award or something. I've been buying stuff from them for years. I can remember when they sold practically nothing except the supplements in smart-paks, and now they've grown into a huge tack store. They're just awesome!

gabz

Mar. 25, 2009, 06:32 PM

There's one answer to this problem - Smart Pak Equine! :D They should get a Tack Store of the Universe award or something. I've been buying stuff from them for years. I can remember when they sold practically nothing except the supplements in smart-paks, and now they've grown into a huge tack store. They're just awesome!

For the English-style rider, yes. But not so much for the trail or western or even endurance rider in the tack department.

Maybe they will expand.... or maybe not.

I'm very happy with KV Vet. SUPER SUPER shipping. Great prices. Wonderful CS. GREAT assortment of products. Not much in the way of tack though.

camohn

Mar. 26, 2009, 07:57 AM

Banging head on desk.
So....yesterday the replacement SLT dewormers arrive. Gosh that was fast for folks I had to battle with to get it replaced!! It was here in a day! I am happy. UNTIL I open the box. There on the packing slip is....ta daaaaa.....a bill. "Please remit x dollars"....with the unit price times 5.