Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  10/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I ordered books on May 15th of 2024 and Abeka's website said my items were eligible for return with in the 90 days. August 13th. I printed the label and it the directions said I had 7 days to mail it out. I mailed it out with track they have received it on August 22nd my books and told me my return has been processed on Aug 30th. With zero dollar credit. So I chat with a representative who tells me I am going to get a paper check. Weird because I paid with a credit card but she assured me it was on the way and that the installment payments would stop. 138 dollars a piece. I waited 2 weeks and I called back spoke to another representative who told me I won't be getting a paper check so more misinformation. I was told the money should be returned to my card and that he is going to expedite my account because the payment for books I do not have are still coming out. I wait a week called again was told that expediting accounts its a thing and my return is still being processed and that they are backed up on returns so they do not know when I will get it even though their website states 4 to 6 weeks I am on week 7 at this point. I emailed today and was told I will not being getting a refund because they received the books after the 90 days. Even though the directions on the return form told me I had 7 days. So I called again today and I said ok if I am not getting my money back where are the books ? I also asked when the status changed bc I have been calling and the rep said they can not see when things where updated. So if they do not time stamp how do the know when things are requested? I told the representative that if I am not getting my money back I want the books. The representative then told me they can not send things back. So they are holding my books and my money and continuing to send me statements to take MORE. Almost 900 dollars and I am out of books and money?? For books that I haven't seen in 2 months?

  Business response

  10/22/2024

  Thank you for reaching out. We have reviewed your request and a refund has been issued less the restocking fee per our return policy even though it was received a bit after the 90 day window. Please feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions or concerns. Thank you. 

  Customer response

  10/22/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22426623, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

• Initial Complaint

  10/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This conflict is regarding standardized testing that our son is required to take by the state. When we first found out that our son needed to take his standardized test as mandated by the state of Maine, I called right away ( in June of 2024). We were informed that the standardized testing block was closed until the fall- October timeframe. This created an issue as the state's deadline for these tests is September 1st. I had to contact my local town office and the Department of Education, explain the situation, and request an extension for our son to be able to take these proctored tests. Since they are proctored and done remotely, I had to also request time off and shift changes accordingly with my job, so I can be there during these tests.I was told over the phone that the testing days would be October 7th and 8th. I emailed the school twice-once on July 11th as well as August 31st for more information on the testing process. I received emails that I would be contacted closer to the testing dates. After receiving no other communication, I contacted Abeka asking what the testing process was the friday before the test (October 4th) and they informed me that Ayden was not on the schedule and that it did not show on their end that he was scheduled at all, despite me receiving two response emails telling me that they will contact me closer to his testing date. I then had to reschedule his test dates to the 22nd and 23rd of October, and I asked to be sent an email with the testing details, verification of testing registration, as well as the contact information to the person I was speaking with. I was told I would receive an email with all of the aforementioned information the next day (October 5th). I am struggling to shift around work schedules AGAIN to be able to take the neccessary time off, as well request another extension by the state. Today is October 12th and I have yet to receive any word on wether or not they even scheduled our son for these tests.

  Business response

  10/22/2024

  I show that you are all set for testing on October 22-23 and that reminder emails were sent on October 14 and 16. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We submitted our tax exempt paperwork to Abeka on 7/12/2024. It was repeatedly rejected due to it being sent to the “wrong email” address that was provided by Abeka itself twice. We were successful the third time. We were hesitant to purchase because our 2 orders were right over $4700. We were afraid we would miss the lower pricing because they were getting ready to annually raise their supplies cost.. Abeka assured us that they would apply the tax exempt status to the order and we would be refunded all the tax we paid. We have all of our times we tried and failed to submit the tax exempt status in email. We also have that the paperwork successfully got there in email and we have it in writing in an email that they will refund us the taxes. However, they are no longer responding to email and if you call them, they take your info and promise you a call back same day/next day and they don’t call. They tell you that it’s marked “high priority/fast tracked”. Presently they respectively owe us a refund of $351.59 and $38.83.

  Business response

  08/13/2024

  We would be happy to credit back the sales tax if the tax exempt form covers the timeframe that the order was placed. The delay in getting this processed is due to a delay on the customer's end. They have submitted a photograph of the tax exempt form as proof but were advised due to a legal requirement that a scan of the document must be sent.

• Initial Complaint

  05/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased their programs for my brandnew school and I was under the impression that i would be getting books but instead i recieved my package with loose leaf which are single sheets which was a complete mess and unorganized. I requested a refund from my understanding they were going to send me a shipping label with another form. a week went by like as if i've never called. I call again to request a shipping label and they said they dont provide them so i ship them out and $400 just to ship i already paid $2900 so thats an additional funding that my school wasnt looking to spend but i sent it and they have the audacity as a "Christian" program to refund me $2100???? because it arrived past the 30 day mark when they did their job wrong? This was no buyers remorse. This was a messy purchase. i called and they stated they would investigate and here we are 30 days letter with no full refund so i am requesting full refund and reimbursement for my shipping because it was their fault they sent out the wrong program to me.

  Business response

  05/29/2024

  We apologize for the misunderstanding regarding the type of product you ordered. After reviewing the call, we confirmed that unbound is what was requested. However, we have removed the restocking fee and credited you back for the items returned at 100% of the original purchase price.

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  A few years ago, I purchased a science book for my son. He did not end up using it, but this year my daughter finally did. Page 338 of the book is followed by page 347, continues on to page 354, and then is followed by 347 again to the end of the 464 page book. I reported this issue, stayed on hold and spoke to several people including supervisors, for more than 50 minutes, and this was my second try at resolution. Last time they said there was nothing they could do because more than 180 days have passed from the purchase date, and this time I explained that I'm not asking them to replace the entire book--I just want the missing pages so my daughter can finish her book, and a PDF is fine. The finally offered to charge me $5 for a 6 page pdf. This is unacceptable, as the book has been damaged since its printing--the error was only recently found, but the incorrect binding of the product has existed all along and is Abel's responsibility to fix. Mailing 6 pages of printouts or emailing the PDFs should not cost a customer anything when it wasn't their fault, and correcting the company's own mistake should not have a time limit on it, especially when the time passed is irrelevant. I've bought homeschool curriculum from Abeka for 5 children for the last 10 years; this is terrible customer service and especially disappointing for a "Christian company," as it shows a real lack of integrity, something their curriculum encourages and applauds.

  Business response

  05/28/2024

  We apologize for the response you received when contacting Abeka. We would like an opportunity to make this right and desire an to send you out a new copy of the science book. Please provide us with the title you purchased from us. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid for one semester of independent study video lessons with Abeka. They have blocked me from completing the videos. They said I only had 6 months to complete them. This was independent study I was not aware he had to finish in 6 months or we would have complete the videos first. I asked them to allow me to finish the videos I purchased and they refused without extra money, they refused to let me speak with a supervisor. I asked if one could call me back at a different time and they said no they do not do that. I did not receive what I paid for, they were unwilling to help so I feel that I deserve a refund.

  Business response

  03/13/2024

  Nicole,

  
  Thank you for reaching out for a resolution for your issue with Abeka Academy. In reviewing your order, I was able to determine that you placed this order via Abeka.com. In the product description for the one-semester independent study enrollment, we state that the purchase includes “6 months to complete 85 lessons for a semester.” This period begins for all Abeka Academy students on the selected beginning date during our enrollment process. Beyond this description, we offer a digital record of your student's begin and end dates via the “My Students” section on the Parent Dashboard that is accessible throughout your child’s enrollment period and remains for historical record after further grades are purchased. Because of the information that was accessible and provided to you, we are unable to honor your request for a refund for this enrollment purchase.
  I am happy to answer any further questions that you may have.

  
  Sincerely,

  Jared ******

• Initial Complaint

  01/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I bought a curriculum for prek4 from Abeka which had video streaming. I bought them on May 23 and got an email that my order was received on 5/28/23. After that I had to call and email a few times because I didn’t get them within the advised time period. Then I had to exchange material. I called and they sent me a label to send the material back to receive the new one. This started at the beginning of July and didn’t get them until September. They put my start date around September 7 which I got the new material a week later after the start date. After all of this I had problems with the video streaming of the program. It would always say unable to connect contact Abeka’s customer support. I contacted them numerous times. They never fixed the problem so the last resolution I got by one of the agents was that “customers with MAC computers would always have that issue and that maybe it was better for me to purchase the dvds. Also, I was told I had a year to use them from the moment I got them delivered and that I just had to call them” well to my surprise I got them delivered on January 13th that was a week after purchased. However, when I called them they told me I had only until October 2, 2024 to have them shipped back to them because they could only change the date a few more days from the start day I had which was on September. So, now I had to pay for a program that their videos didn’t work, lost all these months which I couldn’t use the program to homeschool my child. Had to purchase dvds that now I can’t even use for the full year from when I got them. No one in their customer support seems knowledgeable. They tell you different things and then the next agent has no idea about the information that was previously given to me.

• Initial Complaint

  12/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I am in a position to get reimbursed by the state that I live in for my homeschooled students tuition costs. I wanted to be able to take advatage of that, so I reached out to Abeka to see if they could provide me with monthly statements that prove that my student is enrolled in Abeka each month and that I am paying for the student to be in school each month. I did not think this would be an issue - however, since I had paid the balance in full ahead of time on my credit card - they said they could not issue me monthly statements, but the best they could do would be to provide a receipt. My state will not accept that, (they will accept monthly statements though) so I am being penalized for paying ahead of time (according to Abeka) because they cannot provide me with monthly balances or invoices that show what it would cost a month and that I paid the balance. Therefore, my state will not refund me any amount of money. I asked Abeka if I could get a refund then and be set up on monthly payment plan so I can take advantage of my states willingness to cover the costs of homeschooled students - but they will not issue me a refund, nor will they set me up on a montly billing plan. They already have my money - the tuition has alrady been paid - and I am failing to understand that no one at Abeka could provide me with what I am asking for so I can submit to my state. I understand that Abeka has a system - and whatever is in the system cannot be changed - and that I was asking for a special request, but the request is not crazy nor is it unheard of to ask for monthly statement, as they do offer this for people that do not pay in full at the beggining of the year. I would think that a multi million dollar company could understand that homeschooling is expensive, that homeschoolers never get breaks on anything, and that if someone is reaching out to them with a request for a great opportunity to the customer that they would be willing to provide something or help.

• Initial Complaint

  08/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I ordered from Abeka on August 3, 2023. I ordered Grade 1 Child Kit and Grade 3 Child kit. These are not cheap kits but I had always heard Abeka was the best for home schooling and this is my first year doing so and I want the best for my great grand children. When I received my order, I was going through both boxes and checking off each item I had received, There was a paper inside the box that told what all should be in there. For my Grade 1 kit I had received 2 of the health, safety and manners book and did not receive the Discovering God’s world book. I contacted Abeka customer service online chat on August 11th and they did not know how to help me. I then called the customer service phone number and they said they would have it shipped to me. I asked them if I needed to send one of the health safety and manners books back since I had received 2 and they said not to worry about it. I checked my bank account today on August 25th and I had an over draft fee from my bank and a $30 “return fee” from Abeka that was withdrawn. I do not have money that can unexpectedly be taken out. I am a widow and on very little fixed income and get paid once a month. This fee really hurt me. I do not know what this fee is about and I need for it to be deposited back into my account as soon as possible so my bills do not get messed up. $30 is a lot for me and this is something I can’t have happen. I have to pay monthly for these kits so I can give my grandchildren the best education. This company is suppose to be Christian based and from the experience so far I have had I don’t feel like this hassle is worth spending an arm and a leg for. I feel taken advantage of and like the company thinks I am made out of money. I was frustrated when I was missing a book apart of my order because this is extremely expensive but I understand accidents happen. But to have money withdrawn and disappear from my account without being told so has hurt me financially. I pray you help me figure this out.

• Initial Complaint

  08/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I ordered a book for school on August 9, 2023. I have been waiting and waiting since this for school. The order showed it would be shipped today finally. It’s STILL not shipped. Almost two weeks now. I chatted with a representative, and they were very rude. Saying it could be another week. I need this order now!

*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. ↩