Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I received my Spud order on Feb 1st, 2024. Upon opening my tote I noticed that several items were missing. One of those items that was missing in my order was Organic Tomatoes, On The Vine (organic) - 1lb (454g) Bag. I reached out to Spud to request a refund immediately after my order arrived . After showing photographic evidence that many items were missing as well as the tomatoes that were not in my order, Spud issued a refund for the other items but still refused to issue a refund for the tomatoes stating that their Warehouse team packed the tomatoes in the order. When I asked for Spud to show me the photo they said they have of my order, my request was denied and my refund for the tomatoes was also denied. Spud has charged me for an item I did not receive and is refusing to issue me a refund. This is bad business practice.

  Business response

  02/02/2024

  Good Afternoon,
  
  We connected with ******** Feb 1st regarding the reported missing items. As was explained during that conversation, our warehouse teams take photographs of all orders once packing is completed to ensure all items are of good quality and nothing is missing. We have explained to ******** in the past, and again during this conversation, that these documents are for internal use only. Spud is reserves the right to keep this internal data confidential and is not obligated to share these records with anyone outside the organization.
  
  That being said, I had attached the pictures taken of all produce items included in ********'s order on Feb 1st, 2024. As can be seen in the photographs, the Organic Tomatoes, On The Vine (organic) - 1lb (454g) Bag is visible as it was included in the order. For this reason, as we explained during our conversation yesterday, this refund request was denied as the claim conflicts with our internal packing records. As per our terms and conditions, Spud reserves the right to deny a refund request at any time. We are well within our rights to do so in this case.
  
  I can confirm, however, that the refund credits for the mushrooms, broccoli crowns, and zucchini have been processed and the credits applied to ********'s Feb 5th order.
  
  Please let us know if you have any further questions
  The team at Spud

• Initial Complaint

  24/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the recent experience I had with SPUD.ca and their customer service regarding an unauthorized order. On 01/22/24 I discovered that an order was submitted without my knowledge or consent, despite being actively precent on their website the day prior. I received this information via text message saying an order was delivered to my door, with no previous messages from them regarding the transaction. Once on the phone with customer service, I informed them of the issue and had received a refusal for both a refund and an acceptance of a return. I was informed that a balance of $365.32 must be paid regardless. After informing them I do not have the funds for the order they proceed to inform me they will continue to attempt to take the money from my account until the balance has been paid. After attempting to escalate and talk to a superior, they inform me that they had no superiors available to speak with me and they could not further assist me with my issue. No attempt at pre-authorization or payment was made prior to delivery.

  Business response

  25/01/2024

  Good Evening,
  
  We connected with ******** regarding this order on January 22nd and advised we were unable to collect or refund the order as it had already been delivered as expected.
  
  As we explained during this phone call, if the order was unwanted, there is no record that an attempt to cancel was made. Here at Spud, we are very clear with our communications regarding deliveries and our records do show that several emails and text messages were sent to advise of this confirmed order and delivery. Two confirmation emails were sent on January 21st at 3:05pm advising the order was secured and set for delivery. Another email was sent at 7:16am on January 22nd, the day of delivery, advising of some items being out of stock but confirming again the order was still set to be delivered. A text message was also sent at 1:21pm on Jan 22nd advising the order was almost there.
  
  There is no evidence that any attempts were made to contact our community care team before the order deadline in order to help with the cancellation, or even after the deadline in response to any of the above mentioned emails and text messages to attempt to stop the order from being delivered before it left our hands. We are available by phone, email, live chat, and text message. Voicemails can be left and all methods of communication are available outside of our business hours which we will follow up with the next day. None of these various methods were taken advantage of, so the order remained in place and was set to be delivered. Both the confirmation emails mentioned above were sent well before the order deadline to allow for the correct changes to be made.
  
  I have attached copies of all email and text communications regarding their delivery below.
  
  As per our terms and conditions, order cancellation must be done before your order deadline to avoid your payment method being charged. It is up to the user to ensure that their order is correct. Changes to your order, including cancelling, must be made prior to the order deadline, which is the day before delivery. Should you wish to cancel your order after this time, users must call our Community Care team and do so, however the full amount will still be charged.
  
  These details surrounding our cancellation policy are listed in the website terms and conditions, on the confirmation page, and on every confirmation email. I have included a screenshot from the January 21st confirmation email showing this messaging. Further details on this policy are also listed in the self-help guide on how to cancel orders. ***************************************************************
  
  This policy is in place because last minute cancellations cause unnecessary work, increased labor costs, and create food waste. Our warehouse team members pack orders overnight as soon as the deadline passes, and our delivery team are on the road early. They are compensated fairly for their work, even if the order isn't delivered. From the minute the order is packed and on route, the food starts going bad. Shelf stable items have left our warehouse and are no longer considered food safe. We cannot resell anything after this point, and it must be donated or composted if it isn’t delivered as expected. Due to these factors, any orders cancelled after the order deadline are to be charged in full and we cannot take back any orders once they have left our hands.
  
  It is important for ******** to understand that the cancellation policy, along with other terms of service, are conditions that are agreed upon when the account is initially created, and again every time an order is placed and confirmed. These conditions are listed at the bottom of every page of the website, on every invoice, and every confirmation email. Should a user not agree with any of these conditions, they are well within their rights to choose not to order. However, should a user choose to move forward with their delivery, then these terms and conditions are to be adhered to as agreed upon.
  
  When ******** mentioned during the phone call on January 22nd of their concerns about affording the order, our team did apply a credit of $35 for first time orders in an attempt to reduce the owing amount. A member of our leadership team also reached out by phone on January 24th to discuss the outstanding balance, but they were only able to leave a voicemail.
  
  As of right now, there is an outstanding balance of $317.43 on ********'s account. I have attached verification of the delivery showing the order was delivered and received, as expected. Since the orders was delivered as expected, with no attempts to cancel, the balance does need to be paid in full. We kindly ask that ******** please update the current card online which can be done directly on the Payment Details page found in the drop down menu under the account name. Once this has been updated, a payment can be made on the Orders page using the “Pay Balance” button. The charge will be attempted right away and an email confirmation will be sent once the payment has been approved.
  
  Failure to pay the outstanding balance for the order that was received and delivered as expected will result in the account being sent to collections, as stated in our terms and conditions. 
  
  Please let us know if you have any further questions.
  The Team at Spud
  
  P.S - I have also included screenshots of the transaction pre-authorization, as ******** mentioned none were attempted. We can see in the attached screenshot that a pre-authorization was attempted, and this transaction was approved. Please note, some details were omitted for ********'s security and privacy. All relevant details are highlighted, specifically the transaction date, status, and cardholder name.

• Initial Complaint

  16/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We paid $12 for several salamis that we were really fond of, in May 2023. Their expiry date was a year away. We did not eat the salami right away. We ate one of them and that evening, both of us got sick with terrible, violent diarreha. We didn't know what caused it, so the matter ended there. Then, a few weeks later, one of us ate another of our beloved salamis - and got sick exactly the same way, again. So, we knew it had to be the salami! We contacted SPUD and were told that since we were reporting the issue more than 7 days after the transaction, we could not get our money back. These were salamis with an extended freshness date, until 2024 May! But we had to eat them (and get sick from them) within 7 days in order to get our money back? These salamis made us sick, and we want our money back. We have been dedicated SPUD users for years (at our old address, and now our new one) and cannot believe that they made us sick, and refuse to give us our money back.

  Business response

  17/08/2023

  Good Morning,
  
  We had connected with **** & their partner ***** on July 30th to advise of our refund policy. At the time of the purchase in question, all our customers had a full 14 days to report any issues. As per our terms and conditions, spoiled or missing items must be reported as soon as possible. The reduction down to 7 days as they mentioned in their letter above only began on August 14th, 2023, well after the first reported interaction and was not enforced in this case. We did, however, enforce the previous 14 day regulation as the customer initially reached out prior to the change in policy.
  
  We also spoke with **** & ***** on August 14th and requested photographs of the product in question so we could follow up with our merchandising team and the vendor regarding the quality concern. **** & ***** sent us pictures and these were passed along to the relevant teams. However under further investigation it was found that the pictures sent were not of the item in question (****** ****** ******* salami) but of an entirely different product **** & ***** admitted they had neither opened nor consumed. Unfortunately, we're unable to investigate quality concerns without the specific packaging details of the exact item that caused the issue. This was explained to **** & ***** in our reply on August 15th.
  
  If they are able to provide images of the exact packaging in question, we would be happy to investigate this further. As we have heard no complaints or feedback regarding quality concerns for this product from any other customers and the item was received in good condition with an appropriate expiry date, the refund remains denied.
  
  Please let us know if you have any questions.

  Customer response

  18/08/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  We find it strange that for the products that have expiry date a year from the manufactured date also have a deadline of 14 days to be reported in case of a defect! The mentioned salami was consumed and the packaging disposed off as anyone would do. The picture provided was of the unopened one but bought together with the defective salami. After the initial communication with Spud complaining about the defective salami, we were traveling  without enough opportunity to check our emails.

  We have been members of Spud for many years and we respect the company but we would like a positive and supportive response. We paid for the membership even when we didn’t use it.
  We would like to be credited for the defective product and like to be back as Spud members as we have been members for over eight years!

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *** & **** ******

  Business response

  18/08/2023

  Good evening,
  
  It is important for **** & ***** to understand that the refund policy, along with other terms of service, are conditions that are agreed upon every time an order is placed and confirmed. These conditions are listed at the bottom of every page of the website, on every invoice, and every confirmation email. Should a user not agree with any of these conditions, they are well within their rights to choose not to order. However, should a user choose to move forward with their delivery, then these terms and conditions are to be adhered to as agreed upon.
  
  As previously mentioned, we would be happy to investigate this further and reevaluate the status of the refund if **** & ***** are able to provide the requested images of the exact packaging in question. As we explained on August 15th, we are unable to investigate quality concerns without the specific packaging details of the exact item that caused the issue. Since the request did not meet the requirements of our refund policy, was received in good condition with an appropriate expiry date, it was and remains denied.
  
  Please let us know if you have any questions.

  Customer response

  27/08/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Well, I don't reject their response entirely as understand the Spud Company's point that they want to see the exact package and I am attaching the image of the package of the defective salami. I finally found it in the recycle bin. **** and I hope to be members again. 
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****** & *****

  Business response

  28/08/2023

  Good Morning!
  
  We truly appreciate **** & *****'s cooperation here. 
  
  Unfortunately, the image shown does not contain the specific package details needed to begin our investigation. We kindly ask for another photo showing the expiry dates, lot and batch numbers, likely found on the back of the packaging. This is necessary for the vendor to be able to investigate any potential breaches in production that may have occurred at the exact time when that specific bag was packed. Our warehouse team will also be able to use the expiry date to track exactly when the product was received in our warehouse. Without these details, an investigation cannot occur. We had initially asked for these details in one of our first replies back on August 14th.
  
  Once we have these details, we will forward them to our procurement team, who can work with the vendor to conduct a thorough investigation into any possible manufacturing breaches. Please note, this process can take time, and while we take these investigations very seriously, they do not guarantee a refund. Should the investigation discover no other reported incidents or breaches in manufacturing, then the refund will remain denied.
  
  We look forward to your reply and hope to begin the investigation with the correct images as initially requested as soon as possible.
  
  Please let us know if you have any further questions.

  Customer response

  05/09/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Hello,

  I am attaching the back of the packaging as suggested by the company representative. I hope this gets resolved soon and we can enjoy being members of Spud.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****** & *****

  Business response

  07/09/2023

  Good Morning!
  
  We have forwarded the photo's to our merchandising team and the vendor for investigation. However they have informed us that, once again, the images provided are not of the product in question, the ******* Salami. As we explained on August 15th, we are unable to investigate quality concerns without the specific packaging details of the exact item that caused the issue. This is now the second time where an incorrect image has been submitted under the guise of being the offending product.
  
  Since we are unable to conduct a suitable investigation due to being repeatedly given incorrect packaging details, the refund remains denied. We have done everything possible here to attempt to resolve this issue, so we will leave the conclusion of this complaint in the hands of the BBB handler, as we have no further information to offer at this time.
  
  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  23/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought 3 milks from this terrible company that were not delivered. The total was $26.97. They refunded the money to my account and then closed it. I told them to refund the money back to the credit card because i would not do business with the again and they refused to do it. This is basically stealing someone's money. They know fully well that I'll never do business with this awful company again and they should have refunded it back to my credit card because that's where they charged it.

  Business response

  27/06/2023

  Good Morning,
  
  We spoke with **** on Friday, June 23rd regarding the missing milk and refunded the items back to the method of payment that same day. As per our refund policy, listed within our terms and conditions, all refunds are by default account credits. This was explained to **** on Sunday, June 25th. However, an exception was made and we refunded **** to his method of payment, as mentioned above. We confirmed this information with **** during several subsequent interactions. The account was then closed as per ****'s request.
  
  I have attached several screenshots of the above mentioned interactions where we confirmed the method of payment on file would be refunded, as well as ****'s requests to have his account closed immediately. I have also attached a screenshot of the refunded transaction itself, as processed on June 23rd, 2023. While this was processed on our end immediately upon request, it may take upwards of **** business days for **** to see this reflected on the card on file, depending on the financial institution. 
  
  I would like to offer a warning to whoever may open the attached screenshots. They were included for verification and transparency, but unfortunately they do contain quite a lot of abusive language. Regrettably, after several warnings stemming back several years regarding such behavior, we were ultimately forced to suspend all account access and block **** from communicating with us further due to his aggressive nature and treatment of our ************** staff.
  
  Please let me know if you have any further questions and have a great day.

  The Team at Spud

• Initial Complaint

  12/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I Called into Customer service as there was a $99 charge plus a .99 cent charge from them out of nowhere today i have not made an order with them and they claim i am a customer from Feb 3 2020 I did not even live in Canada then. I explained clearly i am not this person and i am newly signed up and they need to return my money . DEE the lady was super resistant to give managers information or anything. She kept falsely claiming i am someone i am not. I am filing a police report on this company and reporting them to BBB and fairtrading act.

  Business response

  14/04/2023

  Good Morning,
  
  We have connected with the customer and explained that what they are seeing is a pre-authorization for the order we had on file for April 12th, 2023. We cancelled the order in place and reached out to the email on file to let them know as the cardholder had reported its use was fraudulent. We thank them for doing so. No actual charges have been processed and the pre-authorization will release itself automatically.
  
  We also assured them that the only way we can receive payment details is when they are manually entered by the account holder on the user end. Based on what they're describing, we suggested they follow up with their bank regarding the misuse of their card details.
  
  While investigating the matter, we found two accounts associated with the name and phone number on file. One of these accounts, has an outstanding balance of $98.30 for an order from February of 2020. Since the accounts appear to be connected by way of payment details, account names, and phone numbers, they have now been linked and access to both accounts has been suspended until a new method of payment has been added and the previous outstanding balance has been cleared. We explained this to the customer when we reached out on April 11th as well.
  
  We apologize for not using the customers name in this correspondence. Over the last few days, we've received contact from them under the names ******** ***** *** ******, all of which are also names referenced on their account. We're unsure what the correct name is and when we asked the customer to clarify these details, our question remained unanswered. In an effort not to use the incorrect name, we will simply be referring to them as our customer.
  
  Please let us know if you have any further questions
  Thank you and have a great day!
  Spud Customer Care

• Initial Complaint

  29/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchase date was November 24th issue is poor quality process in which products other than what I ordered being substituted when I have for the past couple of years have in fact no substitutions on my account also refunds you don’t refund customer even well before the actual billing time only a company credit which I’m fact is not ethical since myself as a customer may not choose to return and therefore resulting in you keeping my funds which is not right , also constantly dealing with managers who argue and use the narrative that it screws up your inventory . I spoke with the manager Mara I have no substitutions in my account was sent cashew nut cheese substitute for what I actually ordered was feta cheese somehow this is my fault for not stating my personal medical history nut allergy again I have no substitutions on my account so therefore I take great offence to this , constant screwups shady business practice regarding customers money and managers that give rude responses to issues that are in fact quite serious in the past I have received a refund long before the billing time before midnight and don’t appreciate credit policy , I will state your forcing me to return to you or you simply keep my funds

  Business response

  29/11/2022

  Good morning.
  
  
  We have spoken with ***** to explain that adjusting invoices the day of delivery does not follow our operating procedures. Invoices are not to be altered after our order deadlines and all refunds are only to be processed the day after delivery, after the order has been charged. This is to ensure all invoices are processed as accurately as possible. Approved refunds can then be applied the next day as a store credit, as per our refund policy. We have spoken with the team members involved to ensure they are only processing refunds the day after delivery to ensure a consistent experience that is in line with our company policies.
  
  
  The feedback regarding the poor quality produce have been passed along to our produce team for review, along with all photographs received. Our Inventory Control team has investigated the picking location for the feta cheese and cashew spread and has ensured everything is stored in the correct location to ensure packing errors like this do not happen again.
  
  
  
  Regarding the food allergies, we have discussed with ***** the importance of being informed and how offering this platform for open communication of needs is vital in reducing risks. As a food primary service, we rely heavily on these types of details to ensure the safest experience overall. We've explained that much like a restaurant kitchen, we operate in a fast paced environment and cross contamination is always a possibility when key allergens are stored in the same facility. Part of our company allergen policy is having a dedicated section of the website within every profile where our customers can share these details.
  
  
  I can confirm that 1 month of free SPUD Membership has been added to *****'s account and the refunds for the onion, zucchini, and missed feta cheese have been processed. The credit is visible on the account and will apply directly to the next order.
  
  
  Please let us know if you have any further questions, and have a great rest of your day!

  Customer response

  30/11/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *******.      You are not a restaurant you are a grocery store to say this is an over reach on your part is a understatement again you have no right to profile any customer nor ask there medical history all grocery stores carry nut products and non nut products you are never required to provide your personal information to them. Your policy of keeping peoples return money if they don’t come back to you is a *****ble policy and you have several complaints if this nature against you as you well know 

  Business response

  01/12/2022

  Good Morning!
  
  
  We can understand *****'s hesitancy in wanting important information like food allergies listed on their account. We have removed these details, as requested. However, we would like to note that this will also remove the flag on the account that would prompt the warehouse team from double checking the order for any allergens. Since the previously mentioned incident was a packing error, and not a substitution, these types of allergen flags are vital in ensuring the safest possible experience.
  
  
  While we may not be a restaurant, we are picking and handling food on behalf of our customers, making this experience quite different to that an in-person grocery store where the consumer has direct control over all their items. We work in a fast paced environment, without direct contact, and by nature this can be prone to human error. Should ***** wish to heed our advice and return the allergen flag to their account, they can opt to do so using the allergen fields available directly through their account. as per our allergen policy.
  
  
  Regarding our refund policy, it is important to note the Government of Canada's refund & exchange act clearly states that it is up to the consumer to read and understand all terms and conditions surrounding refund policies prior to making a purchase. In Canada, businesses are never legally obligated to provide cash refunds and have the right to dictate their personal refund policies. We have provided a link to the government document for reference here:
  
  ************************************************************************************************************************
  
  
  Please let us know if you have any further questions.
  SPUD Community Care

• Initial Complaint

  25/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  1. A SPUD employee agreed to provide me with a refund to my credit card for some items that I found to be unsatisfactory quality. I never received this refund. When I spoke to another employee over the phone, she told me they issued a refund on July 22 (approximately). I let her know that this didn't happen. She called me back and summarized to me that her supervisory had unilaterally refused this refund, as it was paid for by credit. In truth, I had actually paid $78.97 with my credit card for this order in question. When I reviewed this order, no credits were applied to the order with the items in question. Even if the items were paid for with credit, that is still no grounds for them to refuse me a refund. I had received confirmation from the first employee that SPUD would issue me a refund, and for the supervisor to then refuse to refund me on grounds that were illegal and dishonest, is violation against my rights as a consumer. 2. SPUD has a policy that states that they only deliver orders over $30. Normally, when I don't meet that requirement, their system deletes the item. If I don't want the order, then I make sure it is under $30, and then I normally leave the unwanted items in the cart for their system to automatically delete. For the third time, SPUD had delivered me orders that were under $30. I had received an email, each time, that they would delete my order and thus, it would not be delivered. They had charged my credit card on the first two occasions. I had asked for the order to go back to their warehouse on the second occasion as there was a delivery fee. They then issued a refund. However, for the most recent order, they had delivered an order without my knowledge, despite me warning them about the precious wrong delivery, and them admitting it was their error. They had charged me for the order as well as a $5 delivery fee. When I had discovered the delivery, the driver had long gone and it was past their operating hours.

  Business response

  27/10/2022

  Good Afternoon,

   

  We are sorry to hear that **** feels their consumer rights have been violated, however the Government of Canada's refund & exchange act clearly states that it is up to the consumer to read and understand all terms and conditions surrounding refund policies prior to making a purchase.
  
  
  https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/office-consumer-affairs/en/business-practices-and-consumer-concerns/refund-and-exchange
  
  
  We have conducted a full investigation into the matter and have found that while some refunds were denied, others were processed and applied to ****'s June 15th order. As these credits have been used, we are unable to process them back to a method of payment.
  
  
  Of the items requested on the June 4th order, only two photographs were sent of the items items in question. As an online company, photographs are a requirement for investigating refund requests. The two items with clear photo's provided were refunded and the credits applied to the next order. We had asked for further pictures of the remaining items to be able to review them.
  
  
  After asking several times, we did receive images and a video. However, the images were blurry and the video's did not show the damage or mold as was reported. We are unable to provide refunds for items that appear to meet our quality standards and arrived as ordered. In accordance with our refund policy, SPUD reserves the right to deny a refund request at any time.
  
  
  Regarding the unwanted orders, all confirmed orders within a shopping cart such as these were will be delivered as expected. Our records show the orders were placed and confirmed by **** directly, and were not an error in our system. As we've previously explained to ****, should a customer not want to receive an order, it is up to them to communicate these cancellations before the order deadline. Upon investigation, we have found only one instance where a cancellation request was communicated. This order has been refunded back to ****'s method of payment. The remaining two orders we unfortunately have no record of a cancellation request and our delivery team reported the items were accepted. Therefore, we are unable to process any refunds for these two orders that were delivered as scheduled.
  
  
  In conclusion, we have found that SPUD is within it's rights to deny these refund requests as they do not meet our refund policy requirements.
  
  Please let me know if you have any questions and have a great day

  SPUD Community Care

  Customer response

  28/10/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  I never received a refund for the watermelon that was missing from an order. I never received a refund for other items including blackberries, lemons, cucumber and potatoes, etc.

   

  It is false I had received credits for the above. I also paid for the order in question pertaining to these items with my credit card.

   

  SPUD should not rely on on false information to legalize their actions

   

  Based on the grounds that a SPUD employee agreed ro give me a refund, you are violating an agreement. This is ********** and not backed by the government.

   

  For SPUD to go against their own promise is not "up to the consumers interpretation"

   

  I will continue to pursue this matter until I have received compensation.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  03/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  For three years, my orders from the Edmonton Spud team have given me nothing more than repeated headaches and frustration. Nearly all of my dozens of orders have been repeatedly plagued by rotten produce, inadequate substitutions, damaged items, cracked eggs, bloody eggs, expired dairy products, leaking bottles. and the list goes on and on. (Some pictures are attached.) I never expected perfection, but rotten, inedible produce from a company that claims to supply the best from local farms is unacceptable. I am not talking about a one time issue; this happened to our family dozens of times. With each issue, I was required to take pictures and go through customer service to get a credit. Beyond the pale. They don't do refunds. They only offer you a credit on a future order. What SPUD doesn't do is make recompense for leaving you dry without the groceries that you need. The manager Donovan is good with his words, but ultimately insincere. He continually promised to fix the problems, but we just never got there. Reaching out to him became an utterly frustrating exercise in futility. When my latest order arrived with rotten tomatoes and mangoes, crushed bananas, leaking bottles of olive oil, I finally had enough. All of the groceries were returned in the bins in which they arrived, and the company has the gall to continue to try and charge me for this ****. I am so done! I want the company to refund me for the last order and stop contacting me immediately.

  Business response

  04/10/2022

  Good Morning
  
  
  We have actioned all of *******'s concerns to the best of our ability. All photo's received have been passed along to our warehouse teams to improve experiences moving forward. We also added ongoing bin quality check to better ensure fresh products were received. As per our terms and conditions, photographs are often required in order to improve the quality of products, as is ongoing direct contact. These are standard procedures implemented as an online grocer used to gain visibility and improve quality.
  
  
  We are unable to provide any further refunds beyond what has already been given as the most recent order has not been paid for. There is currently an outstanding balance on the account of $293.60.
  
  
  Thank you and have a great day.

  Customer response

  05/10/2022

  
  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: All groceries were returned as per ******'s email on Friday, September 2, 2022, with the bin pickup. Her is copied herewith:
  ****** from SPUD <*****************************> Fri, Sep 2, 5:41 PM
  
  
  to me
  
  
  
  ** ******** *** ** ***** ** **** ***** **** ********** **** ***** * **** **** **** ** ***** *** *** ******** *** ******** **** *** ********* ***** **** ** *** *** ******* ** ***** **** ** *** ********** **** ** **** * ******** ** ***** *** ** ** ***** ********** ** *** **** ******* **** ****** * **** *** * **** **** *** *** ****** **** *** **** ** ********* ******* ** *** **** ***** * **** **** ***** *** ** ********** ** ******* ** ********** ******* *** **** **** *** **** ** ** ********* *** ********* ********** ******* ********

  Business response

  06/10/2022

  Good Evening,
  
  
  While we can confirm we have a pending request for the above mentioned returned produce, we are unable to provide any refunds for an order that has not been paid for. Attached are screenshots showing the invoice in question and the subsequent repeated declined payments. As the order contained more than only the produce mentioned above, it will need to be paid in full prior to any refunds for the items mentioned in the September 2nd email thread.
  
  
  Thank you and have a great day.

  Customer response

  06/10/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the entire order was returned in the six bins that were picked up by the company. After being disrespected and *****d for three years, I had made it clear to ****** that I was done with Spud. I owe this company nothing. To the contrary, they owe me an apology for repeatedly ******* my good will and willingness to keep giving them more chances. But clearly they do not have the business acumen to understand that they have made grace errors. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********

  Business response

  13/10/2022

  Good Morning,
  
  
  Unfortunately, the last correspondence we have with ******* does not support that the entire order was returned, only the aforementioned produce items. We are willing to refund these previously discussed produce items as mentioned in the email, but are only able to do so once the order has been paid in full. I've attached the email in question as a reference. It was not replied to due to the foul language used, which is a behavior that is not tolerated.
  
  
  As it appears we are unable to come to an understanding and have exhausted all efforts available to us, we will leave the resolution in the hands of the Dispute Resolution Counselor.
  
  
  Thank you and have a great day.
  
  

  Customer response

  17/10/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I find amazing that what this person deems as "foul language" is unacceptable; however, ******* my trust and stealing my money for three years with rotten produce and poor service was entirely acceptable. Pot meet kettle. I suggest this person go back and figure out how to de-escalate a situation, rather than make it worse. For three years, I was the consummate gentlemen, accepting terrible food and service from SPUD, trying to support local farmers. Is it any wonder that after three years of this ******** and ***** I am fed up and angry?  I wonder how anyone else would feel given the circumstances. Did you see the pictures of the food sent to me. Their FOUL enough to make anyone vomit; and yet  I put up with this for 36 months and dozens of orders, with failed promise after failed promise to correct their wrongs. Never happened! SPUD got every single item back from this order. They will not see another penny from me. In fact, I am seriously contemplating filing suit in civil court to recover monies lost over the past three years. I will also invite all the news stations in the area and nationally to see what this company sends to its customers. They are liars and only intent on ********* and having the last word. This will guarantee their failure in business. I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********

• Initial Complaint

  22/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Unfortunately this is a bit late as I thought it had been resolved until recently it came up again. spud.ca offers a delivery program as well as a reoccurring delivery program. During 2020 I had multiple back surgeries and I used their delivery program. As I started to heal I stopped using the program and started going to my local grocery again. For weeks they continued to deliver me items that I had not ordered. I called five or six times to cancel and I also tried to cancel on my online account. After about two months of orders still coming in that i didn’t want and being charged for them, there was multiple calls to cancel and we still getting charged. eventually I got upset on the call and they finally actually cancelled it and stop sending me these orders. They refunded me for a couple of the most recent orders and that was my last contact with them for a while. 6 to 8 months later I got an email saying I owe them $30. I asked them to provide me with a receipt or an order transaction to show me why I owe them $30 since it had been so long since I spoke to them or got anything from them. They came back and said actually I owe them $175, again I asked for proof which they did not provide. Eventually after my continue asking for proof their final amount that they got up to was $116. I asked for proof that I owe them this money which they did not provide, they just said it was an outstanding balance. I told them I would not pay unless I was shown proof of why I owe them that money and they said if I didn’t pay they would send me to debt collections and I said OK then just show me why I owe you this money, what I bought. They never replied so I assumed they had dropped it but recently it came up on my credit bureau sewing $116 and so I followed up with them again ask for them to please show me the paperwork as to what I got that made me out of this money and again they refused. Now I’m really frustrated because they refuse to give me the records&affect my credi

  Business response

  22/04/2022

  Hi,

  We have been in contact with the ****** over the last few days and she has not been satisfied with our response.

  The outstanding balance still owing of $174.41 on her SPUD account are for orders delivered on:
  July 14, 2020, Order number: ***************, Invoice Total: $116.39
  August 18, 2020, Order number: **************** Invoice Total: $29.01
  September 15, 2020, Order number: ***************, Invoice Total: $29.01

  These invoices were unpaid. Multiple emails would have been sent at the time to inform the customer of declined payments and requesting an update on the card on file. This was never resolved. We then proceeded to send 3 additional emails requesting they settle their bill before their debt was sent to collections in April of 2021.
  
  
  At the time of the deliveries, she would have had full access to her invoices on her SPUD account and would have been emailed a copy of each invoice when the deliveries had occurred. I have gone ahead and emailed her a copy of these unpaid invoices for her records.
  
  We will not be removing her credit file as we have proof these were delivered to her address. If she would like to resolve this amount, she would need to contact *** Credit which has been communicated to her.

• Initial Complaint

  01/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Recently Spud went to a paid membership for delivery. Their site says "SPUD members get unlimited free delivery. Whether you forgot to add something to your shopping list or need to top up on some fresh produce, as a SPUD member you can order as many times as you need with no delivery fees." and "Yes of course. You can cancel your membership at any time by contacting us." I tried to adjust my order and they would not deliver it as it was under 30$. I contacted them and said that was not acceptable as I was paying a fee for the delivery. I was told to bad. I asked to cancel my subscription and told no problem and that I would have the use of the service until March 5 2023 as I was already billed for that and they would not refund any portion of that. This does not sound like cancel any time to me. I would like a prorated refund for the rest of the year. I will also need them to pick up the last of the bottles and containers and include the deposit to the refund to my credit card as a credit will not be acceptable. I do not intend to use their services again.

  Business response

  01/04/2022

  Good Afternoon,
  
  We have recently refunded Lars $65.03. This refund is for the membership minus any delivery fees or discounts they would have been charged for without the membership. The refund will be processed back to their method of payment in approximately 5-10 business days. We hope that Lars is happy with this outcome.

  Please let us know if you have any questions.
  Melissa - SPUD Community Care Assistant Manager

  Customer response

  01/04/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  This is not acceptable. I would not have made those orders if I had to pay the additional cost of delivery. I would like a pro rated refund based on the month to month cost. I had the membership and used it for a month so keep the one months worth of cost. Spud will also need to pick up the containers and bottles that are here and refund my deposit for them. As they were delivered while under the membership I do not expect to be charged a delivery fee for the pick up. 
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

  Customer response

  08/04/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I paid $99 dollars for the member ship. As per the terms I agreed to (included in the attachments) the membership will be refunded "*** ******** ****** **** ** ***** **** *** ****** *** ***** *** **** * ******." I took 6 deliveries (1 week apart) for roughly 1.5 months or 1.5 times 8.25 per month for $12.38 or if we use full months only $16.50.  $99 minus $16.50 is $82.50. We will have the bottles out for pick up 19 of 1L and 1 or 500ml bottles and two totes to refund.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

  Business response

  11/04/2022

  Good Morning,

   

  We believe the pro-rated refund given is a fair outcome and in line with our advertised terms and conditions. We will leave this with the BBB Dispute Resolution Counselor to review.

   

  Please let us know if you have any questions and have a great day.

  Melissa - SPUD Community Care Assistant Manager

  Customer response

  11/04/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have given my response based on the written terms in Spuds agreement. Their only response it seems is ,to bad for you we are not honoring out own terms. These are despicable business practices.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

*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. ↩