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Business Profile

Online Retailer

Grove Collaborative

Important information

  • Customer Complaint:
    BBB’s business profile for Grove Collaborative was created in September 2016. A review of Grove Collaborative complaints was completed in December 2024. For more information about Grove Collaborative services, please visit the 

    How It Works
    VIP
    Subscriptions & Autoshipments



Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 85 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 38 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

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.

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Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:01/13/2023

    Type:Billing 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 debit card was hacked through the Grove Collaborative website. When I logged into the website (which I have never set up subscriptions), someone had set up a subscription and was using my debit card to make purchases. I have not been able to remove my card as a payment method. Their instructions/FAQ posted are inaccurate, and they do not provide live support other than through a chat bot. They're website workflows are purposefully built to make it hard to stop shipments and impossible to remove your payment method without cancelling you card. I have lost more than $300 this week alone due to a hacked account and an inability to remove my card. My bank is disputing this with them

    Business Response

    Date: 01/20/2023

    Hi ****,


    We are sorry to hear that your account was compromised by a bad actor and fraudulent orders were placed. Customer security is a top priority of ours.


    When you contacted us on 1-13-2023, your inquiry was handled with urgency. For the items in the suspicious orders, we refunded the order amounts of $139.21 & $104.85 to the payment method that was charged. We were able to refund these immediately as there was not a dispute on either transaction.


    Your method of payment was also removed from your account at that time and your account was deactivated by our technical specialist. A copy of our correspondence with you is attached.


    Our Grove Guides are available for live help via phone Monday through Friday, 9am - 5pm ET, or via chat 9 am - 5 pm ET everyday except Wednesday; Wednesday chat hours are 9 am - 2 pm ET.  We are also available at all times via email and text. You can read about all the ways to contact us on our FAQ here: *************************************************************************************************************************************


    With Grove, you're always in control of your shipments and all the items you receive. In the future, you can edit, postpone or cancel your orders right from your cart. Click here for more info on customizing your Grove orders: ********************************************************************************************

    Customer Happiness completed all actions requested by you in a timely manner upon receiving your inquiry.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:01/06/2023

    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.
    False advertising by the company. Groves advertises that if you buy a starter kit you will get free items with purchase. I did not receive all the items advertised. When I contacted the company they said I had to place a new order and spend even more money with them in order for them to fix their mistake. If a company advertises something and doesnt deliver, it shouldnt cost the consumer more money in order for the company to fix their mistake.

    Business Response

    Date: 01/16/2023

    Hi ********,


    We are sorry to hear that your first order experience did not go as well as we had hoped and that one of our initial purchase gifts, the Walnut Scrubber Sponges, were missing from your order. 


    During your email communication with us on 1-6-2023, we credited your Grove account for the value of the sponges ($4.99) in compliance with our Refund Policy incorporated in Grove Collaboratives Terms of Use.


    When that option was not amenable to you, the sponges were reshipped. Per the tracking information (1Z58962EYW23807641), these were successfully delivered to you on 1-12-2023.


    If for some reason you did not receive the reshipment, please contact our Customer Happiness team by email *********************************** or by phone at 1-844-GROVE75 ***************) so that we can further assist you.

    Customer Answer

    Date: 01/17/2023

     
    Complaint: 18699166

    I am rejecting this response because I did not like the way I was treated regarding my missing item. The associate acted like they were doing me a favor by replacing it. This is not acceptable customer service. In addition, they didnt agree to replace it until after I filed a BBB report. 

    I have finally received the replacement item but unfortunately, based on my experience, I do not plan to continue business with Grove, nor would I recommend it to others. 

    Sincerely,

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

    Business Response

    Date: 01/19/2023

    Hi ********,


    When you contacted Groves ***************************** on 1-6-2023, the Grove Guide that assisted you presented you with a resolution in accordance with our Refund Policy that is displayed on our website incorporated in our Terms of Use.


    When the initial resolution of credit being applied to your account was not acceptable to you, the Grove Guide escalated your issue to a more senior representative. The Team Lead offered to reship the items as a resolution. This reshipment was processed on 1-6-2023 and was shipped on 1-8-2023. 


    Grove received your complaint from the BBB on 1-7-2023 after our Customer Happiness team had already assisted you with the missing items and the reshipment was in progress.


    Both of our representatives replied to your issue in a timely and professional manner and in accordance with Groves policies. 


    We are happy to hear that your replacement sponges arrived successfully and again are sorry that your first experience with us wasnt as good as we would have hoped.


  • Initial Complaint

    Date:01/01/2023

    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.
    hi i was simply browsing the website and added some items to my cart. little did i know these items were going to automatically ship and my credit card charged. i put them in the cart to save not to purchase. i never authorized a purchase. also, i havent lived at the address in file for a year. i sent an email to cancel the order immediately after seeing it was placed. and they told me they would credit my account. i dont want my account credited. i would like a refund.

    Customer Answer

    Date: 01/04/2023

    hi id like to cancel my complaint the company resolved my

    issue 

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/18/2022

    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.
    I cancelled my membership and vip services in 2016. They only cancelled the membership and keep charging me $21.63 yearly. I cancelled membership and services in 2016.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/20/2022

    Your first order was placed with Grove Collaborative in 2017 which was when you were enrolled in their *** Membership trial. As noted in Grove Collaboratives Terms of Use: 

    *** Program. With your first purchase or as part of a special offer, you may receive an offer for a free trial to the Grove Collaborative *** Program (the *** Program). Members of the *** Program are eligible to receive certain benefits like free shipping on orders over $29 and free full-sized gifts available during the subscription period. The *** Program membership is limited and may not always be available.
    If you enroll in the *** Program through a trial membership, at the end of the trial period we will automatically charge you a one-year subscription fee (plus applicable tax based on your zip code) using your stored method of payment, and your membership will renew each year thereafter, unless you cancel your trial prior to the end of the trial period. If you cancel your trial, you will be charged applicable shipping fees with your future orders under $49." "You can find your then-current annual *** Program subscription fee in your Account Settings.

    If you sign up for the *** Program, you authorize us or our Payment Processors to charge your payment card for the applicable *** Program subscription fee and applicable tax (if any) on an annual basis until you cancel. The *** Program subscription fees are non-refundable, however if you feel that you were charged in error and contact Grove at ********************************* within 30 (thirty) days from the date of the charge, Grove may refund the subscription fees, at its sole discretion. Taxes may apply on *** Program fees based on your delivery location and will be added to your annual subscription, if applicable.
    You may cancel your membership to the *** Program at any time, but your cancellation will be effective at the end of the then-current annual subscription period unless cancelled within the 30 days from the charge date for your current subscription period. This means that if you cancel your *** Program subscription after 30 days or more of the charge date of your current subscription, your *** Program subscription will continue for the remainder of that subscription period and you will not receive a refund. You may cancel or renew your membership to the *** Program or find out more information about your *** Program subscription, including your annual expiration date, by accessing your Membership on the Account Settings page or contacting *********************************.

    On August 11, 2017 you contacted the *************************** for ********************** with a question about the upcoming scheduled shipment notification you received. The *************************** provided you with information on the shipment service, and provided you with information on how to adjust moving forward. In that correspondence you did not mention canceling anything or your *** membership. You have not contacted the customer service department again regarding that account until 12/18/2022. Since contacting the customer service department on 12/18/2022 the representative informed you that your membership has now been cancelled and no further yearly renewal charges will occur from this point on. 

    Due to what is outlined in their Terms of Use, Grove Collaborative will not be able to refund any of the *** membership charges that have incurred.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/09/2022

    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.
    On Dec 5 2020 I asked for my "VIP Membership" to be cancelled and refunded, I asked them to remove my credit card from the system, they agreed. I was again charged on Dec 7 2021 and 2022. I did not consent to being charged again. There is no way for me to remove my credit card from their website without replacing it with another card. I shouldn't have to cancel my credit card to get them to stop placing charges. I ended my subscription, they had no right to restart it. I've tried calling customer support and no one answers and the line eventually disconnects. I want a refund for the unapproved charges on Dec 7 2021 and 2022.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/12/2022

    Hi there,

    On Friday December 9, 2022 you called into the Grove Collaborative Customer Support team, and spoke to one of the representatives and a supervisor. As promised your inquiry was then passed to one of the internal teams to look into from there. You received an email response back from that internal team the same day notifying you of a refund from the most recent renewal charge, and informed you the others were already previously refunded. 

    At this time there is nothing more to refund since the Grove Collaborative team was able to resolve that fully. 

    Grove has recently implemented new privacy technology to help in fulfilling these types of requests. Please visit the ************** here https://privacy.grove.co/, and click the panel for "Delete My Data." You can then follow the brief on-screen instructions to verify your email address, and the process will be started. You will receive an email confirmation when your deletion request has been completed.

    Please note, that requesting to delete your data will result in loss of access to your Grove account and ordering with Grove. 

    Customer Answer

    Date: 12/13/2022

     
    Complaint: 18549729

    I am rejecting this response because:

    As you can see from the attached screenshot of my account order history I have not been refunded for the 2021 charge as promised. I am not going to cancel my account until this charge is refunded as promised. I expect a refund because it was company error. The customer service agent I spoke to said they "did not know how my account was reactivated as they saw in the ** notes that I requested my account be cancelled." I believe this is predatory to the consumer.

    Sincerely,

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

    Business Response

    Date: 12/14/2022

    Hi there, 

     

    When the Grove Collaborative **************** Representative stated, your refund was processed for that VIP membership renewal. They also provided a screenshot, that we also included in this message as well. It may not show in your Grove Collaborative account, however also as stated by the representative in that communication "You should see that $19.99 refund back in your statements within a few business days depending on your bank or credit card company."

    The screenshot provided in todays response reflects all three renewal charges have been refunded as Grove Collaborative stated. You will have to check with your bank statements for confirmation of the refund. 

    At this time, there are no further refunds to process on behalf of Grove Collaborative. 

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/19/2022

    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.
    Made a purchase after seeing a special deal advertised online. I added a few extras and barely used the products. Fast forward a month or so later and I received another package- contacted after seeing they took more than double the original amount out of my bank account without permission. This is an unauthorized transaction. No response to the request to return the merchandise which has not even been opened. How do I prevent this from happening again? How can I be sure my bank account is safe? Please respond.

    Business Response

    Date: 11/21/2022

    As noted in the Grove Collaborative Terms of Use and Return Policy which can be found here https://www.grove.co/policies/#refund-policy

    Following your first purchase with Grove Collaborative, you automatically may be subscribed to the Grove Collaborative Subscription and it will renew automatically for additional intervals unless you cancel auto-shipments, modify your ship date, or remove or unsubscribe to product(s) in your Grove Collaborative Subscription.

    You currently have two accounts; one previously had two orders manually placed by you in 2020 nothing since has processed on that account, and this most recent account which you stated you opened in your late dogs name when you reached out to Groves **************************** We can confirm that the most recent account was successfully deactivated upon your request during that conversation. 
    The Grove **************** team also provided you with information regarding the request to remove any collected data. You can submit your request here https://privacy.grove.co/ 

    If you would like to read the privacy policy for information relating to collection, use, storage and disclosure of your information. The Grove Collaborative privacy policy is incorporated into and is subject to this Grove Collaborative Terms. You can read the Grove Privacy Policy here https://www.grove.co/privacy 

    As explained in your communication with the Grove Collaborative **************** team, they would be more than happy to to help you further with your request for a refund as stated in the refund policy (https://www.grove.co/policies/#refund-policy) using the return label that was sent to you on Saturday 11/19/2022 to return the items you do not want for a refund when they are confirmed being returned to Grove Collaborative.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/31/2022

    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.
    Grove Collaborative automatically adds to monthly subscriptions all product purchased once during a promotional trial. No clear notice is made of the enrollment. No notice of the automatic renewal and automatic purchase is sent to customer until after the order has processed.While these practice may be covered under their Terms, these are deceitful practices.Grove Collaborative must:- Clearly communicate that all one-time purchased are added to automatic renewal subscription - Send multiple notice emails informing the customer of upcoming purchase, along with a direct call to action for canceling subscription.There is nothing "collaborative" or worth of a B-Corp certification in these pathetic business tactics.

    Business Response

    Date: 11/03/2022

    As outlined in Grove Collaboratives Terms of Service which can be found here https://www.grove.co/policies/#terms-of-use


    Following your first purchase with Grove Collaborative, you automatically may be subscribed to the Grove Collaborative Subscription and it will renew automatically for additional intervals unless you cancel auto-shipments, modify your ship date, or remove or unsubscribe to product(s) in your Grove Collaborative ********************************** IS OFFERED TO YOU SUBJECT TO YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE GROVE COLLABORATIVE TERMS OF USE. PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING GROVE COLLABORATIVE TERMS OF USE CAREFULLY. BY CLICKING I ACCEPT, BY SELECTING PLACE ORDER, OR BY ACCESSING OR USING THE SERVICE IN ANY MANNER, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE GROVE COLLABORATIVE TERMS. IF YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE, OR AT ANY TIME, DO NOT AGREE TO THE GROVE COLLABORATIVE TERMS, YOU MAY NOT USE THE SERVICE.  

    Grove Collaborative is primarily a subscription service. On a recurring basis at intervals set forth on your Account Settings Page or as otherwise selected by you, we automatically charge your stored method of payment for your purchase of products in the ***************** and ship those purchased products to you (the Grove Collaborative Subscription). From time to time we may add certain products or samples to your **************** that you will be charged for unless you remove them prior to the order being charged. We also may add certain products to your **************** as gifts, at no charge to you.
    You may modify the products in and shipment dates of your **************** at any time. Visit your Account Settings page to see and change the then-current shipment date.

    You may also cancel automatic payments (and corresponding automatic shipments) from the Account Settings page. Doing so will also cancel your Grove Collaborative Subscription. You do not need a Grove Collaborative Subscription to purchase products from us.
    Your first order which you placed on 9/30/2022. Groves free gift sets for new customers do require a minimum purchase. This is outlined in the welcome offer on the website when it brings you through how Grove Collaborative works before you are able to browse the site. You can read more about that here https://community.grove.co/hc/en-us/articles/6887329852308-How-do-I-get-a-free-starter-set-

    Your second order was also able to be canceled and refunded when you contacted the Grove Collaborative *************************** on 10/31/2022. Along with that communication it was confirmed that your recurring shipments were turned off along with your Free VIP membership Trial. 

    Grove Collaborative sends out reminder notifications through email before shipments process. You were sent a 7 day notification on 10/24/2022, which you opened the same day it was sent. You were sent a 1 day notification on 10/30/2022 which you did not open until 10/31/2022 which was after that order was processed. 
    There were also welcome emails that are sent to all new customers to inform about Grove Collaboratives services, how to adjust your account where you need/want it, and also how to opt out of services which include information on subscriptions and VIP memberships. You received three of those emails, the first one on 10/4/2022 which you opened on 10/4/2022, the second one on 10/7/2022 which you opened on 10/7/2022, and the third one on 10/9/2022 which you opened on 10/11/2022. We have attached examples of those ***** communications to this response for your reference. 


  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/29/2022

    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.
    About 2 years ago I unfortunately ordered some items from Grove and, unbeknownst to me, apparently enrolled in their VIP program that 1. Charges me a $19.99 annual membership 2. Automatically sends me monthly deliveries of items I didnt order I canceled my VIP membership, and disputed 1 or 2 unauthorized deliveries of items Ive never ordered before (they refused to refund). More than 6 months after confirming that my VIP membership was canceled Im once again billed the $19.99 membership.Theres no accompanying email, no attempt to re-enroll me in automatic deliveries again, nothing. Just a quiet $19.99 charge. Im sure many people dont notice the charge, but I hope Grove is held accountable for their unethical practices.

    Business Response

    Date: 10/31/2022

    Hi ******,

    Noted in Grove Collaboratives Refund Policy found here https://www.grove.co/policies/#refund-policy, it is noted; 
    If you enroll in the *** Program through a trial membership, at the end of the trial period we will automatically charge you a one-year subscription fee (plus applicable tax based on your zip code) using your stored method of payment, and your membership will renew each year thereafter, unless you cancel your trial prior to the end of the trial period. If you cancel your trial, you will be charged applicable shipping fees with your future orders under $49.
    If you sign up for the *** Program, you authorize us or our Payment Processors to charge your payment card for the applicable *** Program subscription fee and applicable tax (if any) on an annual basis until you cancel. The *** Program subscription fees are non-refundable, however if you feel that you were charged in error and contact Grove at ********************************* within 30 (thirty) days from the date of the charge, Grove may refund the subscription fees, at its sole discretion. Taxes may apply on *** Program fees based on your delivery location and will be added to your annual subscription, if applicable.
    You may cancel your membership to the *** Program at any time, but your cancellation will be effective at the end of the then-current annual subscription period unless cancelled within the 30 days from the charge date for your current subscription period. This means that if you cancel your *** Program subscription after 30 days or more of the charge date of your current subscription, your *** Program subscription will continue for the remainder of that subscription period and you will not receive a refund. You may cancel or renew your membership to the *** Program or find out more information about your *** Program subscription, including your annual expiration date, by accessing your Membership on the Account Settings page or contacting *********************************.

    Three days before your free *** trial was up you should have received an email stating you could cancel and how to do so. 
    As stated in the Return Policy, previously mentioned; 
    If you enroll in the *** Program through a trial membership, at the end of the trial period we will automatically charge you a one-year subscription fee (plus applicable tax based on your zip code) using your stored method of payment, and your membership will renew each year thereafter, unless you cancel your trial prior to the end of the trial period. If you cancel your trial, you will be charged applicable shipping fees with your future orders under $49.
    If you sign up for the *** Program, you authorize us or our Payment Processors to charge your payment card for the applicable *** Program subscription fee and applicable tax (if any) on an annual basis until you cancel. The *** Program subscription fees are non-refundable, however if you feel that you were charged in error and contact Grove at ********************************* within 30 (thirty) days from the date of the charge, Grove may refund the subscription fees, at its sole discretion. Taxes may apply on *** Program fees based on your delivery location and will be added to your annual subscription, if applicable.

    You may cancel your membership to the *** Program at any time, but your cancellation will be effective at the end of the then-current annual subscription period unless cancelled within the 30 days from the charge date for your current subscription period. This means that if you cancel your *** Program subscription after 30 days or more of the charge date of your current subscription, your *** Program subscription will continue for the remainder of that subscription period and you will not receive a refund. You may cancel or renew your membership to the *** Program or find out more information about your *** Program subscription, including your annual expiration date, by accessing your Membership on the Account Settings page or contacting *********************************
    Your first purchase with Grove Collaborative was on 8/13/2019 which is when your *** trial membership began. Before your *** membership was about to renew for the annual charge, Grove emails you to notify that this is about to happen, which is a notice of the charge that is about to occur. 

    You have been refunded the most recent *** renewal fee on October 29, 2022 of $19.99 when you contacted Grove Collaboratives Customer Support.
    When you contacted ********************* **************** team on July ******* and also on February 7, 2021, they provided you with all the information needed to adjust/turn off your scheduled shipments and to cancel your *** membership. 
    Your scheduled shipments have been turned off since February 7, 2021 which also was the last time you received an order, and your *** membership was canceled when you received your *** refund on October 29, 2022. At this time your account with Grove was successfully deactivated as you requested when you contacted the **************** department last on October 29, 2022, and they also provided you information on how to request to have your data deleted if you wished. 

    At this time additional refunds are unable to be processed due to the Grove Collaborative Terms of Use stated above and attached. The Terms of Use was agreed upon at time of first purchase and creation of account on Grove Collaboratives website. 

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/17/2022

    Type:Sales and Advertising 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 ordered products from Grove Collaborative in July and was pleased with products. A couple months later (maybe September, not sure), I was notified that a "delivery" was on its way and I had not initiated the order. When I called to complain and cancel, they seemed surprised as their "business model includes automatic orders". (why is this allowed as a business model in the first place??) So they changed that. Evidently their "business model" also includes enrolling customers into "VIP Memberships" and charging $19.99 for the ability to send products free over $29...." Again, I did not initiate any request for a membership and have requested a refund - and I'm sure they will give it. However, as a business, they should not be allowed to initiate charges on customers' credit cards without their knowledge or request! Their "business model" should not be legal and needs to be changed. Also, really ALL of the "automatic renewals" that happen in so many of our subscriptions. Your attention to this specific complaint and efforts toward CHANGE in this automatic renewal area of business would be welcomed. Thanks,

    Business Response

    Date: 10/24/2022

    Hi *****, 

    Here is some information about the Grove Collaborative services mentioned in your notice. 

    The Grove Collaborative privacy policy is incorporated into and is subject to this Grove Collaborative Terms. You can read the Grove Privacy Policy here https://www.grove.co/privacy and also request your data to be deleted which will close your accounts. 

    Following your first purchase with Grove Collaborative, you automatically may be subscribed to the Grove Collaborative Subscription and it will renew automatically for additional intervals unless you cancel auto-shipments, modify your ship date, or remove or unsubscribe to product(s) in your Grove Collaborative Subscription.

    At this time you were not charged for anything additional except your first order which you placed on 7/22/2022 on your most recent account. The other account you hold with Grove Collaborative has not been active since 2019 after the fourth recurring order was processed and refunded.

    Groves free gift sets for new customers do require a minimum purchase. This is outlined in the welcome offer on the website when it brings you through how Grove Collaborative works before you are able to browse the site. You can read more about that here https://community.grove.co/hc/en-us/articles/6887329852308-How-do-I-get-a-free-starter-set-

    Grove Collaboratives Refund Policy can found here https://www.grove.co/policies/#refund-policy, it is noted; 

    If you enroll in the *** Program through a trial membership, at the end of the trial period we will automatically charge you a one-year subscription fee (plus applicable tax based on your zip code) using your stored method of payment, and your membership will renew each year thereafter, unless you cancel your trial prior to the end of the trial period. If you cancel your trial, you will be charged applicable shipping fees with your future orders under $49.


    If you sign up for the *** Program, you authorize us or our Payment Processors to charge your payment card for the applicable *** Program subscription fee and applicable tax (if any) on an annual basis until you cancel. The *** Program subscription fees are non-refundable, however if you feel that you were charged in error and contact Grove at ********************************* within 30 (thirty) days from the date of the charge, Grove may refund the subscription fees, at its sole discretion. Taxes may apply on *** Program fees based on your delivery location and will be added to your annual subscription, if applicable.


    You may cancel your membership to the *** Program at any time, but your cancellation will be effective at the end of the then-current annual subscription period unless cancelled within the 30 days from the charge date for your current subscription period. This means that if you cancel your *** Program subscription after 30 days or more of the charge date of your current subscription, your *** Program subscription will continue for the remainder of that subscription period and you will not receive a refund. You may cancel or renew your membership to the *** Program or find out more information about your *** Program subscription, including your annual expiration date, by accessing your Membership on the Account Settings page or contacting *********************************.


    You have been refunded the most recent *** renewal fee on October 18, 2022 of $19.99 when you contacted Grove Collaboratives Customer Support.

    At this time there is nothing more than can be resolved at this time for this matter. 

    Customer Answer

    Date: 10/24/2022

    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. I just won't do business with you anymore.

     


    Sincerely,

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

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/12/2022

    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.
    I HAD ORDERED SOME ITEMS FROM THIS COMPANY TODAY BUT I DIDNT KNOW THAT THEY AUTOMATATICTLY SIGN YOU UP FOR A SUBSCRIPTION TO THEM. I DONT WANT IT THAT WAY. WELL I WANTED TO CANCEL MY ORDER AND SHE SAID THAT WAS TO LATE SO I WANTED MY CREDIT CARD TAKEN OFF AND SHE SAID THEY COULDNT DO THAT EITHER. I TOLD HER THAT I WAS HACKED THAT WAY FROM CHEWY AND THAT WAS THE REASON I TOOK MYSELF OFF AUTOMATIC. SHE SAID SHE HAS TO EMAIL HER SUPERVISOR TO GET MY CREDIT CARD OFF FILE AND THIS IS ALL IN LESS THAN 5 HOURS I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME

    Business Response

    Date: 10/13/2022

    Hi *******, 

    It looks like the Grove Collaborative Customer Support team was able to resolve deactivating your Grove account and removing your payment method on 10/12/2022 when they responded to your correspondence with them. There is nothing further that can be done there.

    As for Grove Collaboratives subscription service, as outlined in their Terms of Service: 

    Following your first purchase with Grove Collaborative, you automatically may be subscribed to the Grove Collaborative Subscription and it will renew automatically for additional intervals unless you cancel auto-shipments, modify your ship date, or remove or unsubscribe to product(s) in your Grove Collaborative Subscription.

    At this time you were not charged for anything additional except your first order which you placed on 10/12/2022. Groves free gift sets for new customers do require a minimum purchase. This is outlined in the welcome offer on the website when it brings you through how Grove Collaborative works before you are able to browse the site. You can read more about that here https://community.grove.co/hc/en-us/articles/6887329852308-How-do-I-get-a-free-starter-set-
    The Grove Collaborative team would be more than happy to to help you further with your request for a refund as stated in the refund policy if you would like (https://www.grove.co/policies/#refund-policy) Please contact the Customer Support team with that request by submitting an email to *********************************. 

    If you would like to read the privacy policy for information relating to collection, use, storage and disclosure of your information. The Grove Collaborative privacy policy is incorporated into and is subject to this Grove Collaborative Terms. You can read the Grove Privacy Policy here https://www.grove.co/privacy 

    At this time because the Customer Support team was able to move forward with removing the payment method and deactivating your Grove account, there are no other actions to be taken. 
     

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