Complaints

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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/22/2025

  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.

  In April of 2023 I purchased two kits ($850) from Nebula Genomics for our family to sequence their DNA. The cost of the kits included a lifetime subscription to reports and data from those kits. Today, some social media accounts reported that the company is transitioning to a new website/service called DNA Complete, (***********************) and as part of the transition, are requiring current users to upgrade to a new subscription to retain access to their data, reports, etc.. Also, some of the original files that were released as part of the initial sequencing are no longer accessible. We were promised regular updates to the reports that were generated using our ********* but the reports haven't been updated in at least 6 months. We have not received any emails or other communication from the company that this change is occurring, much less the deadline to access/download our files.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2025

  Dear Nebula Subscriber,

  
  We want to clarify any confusionNebula is not shutting down. However, our Terms of Use have changed. You will continue to have access to the Nebula Library, Your Ancestry, Your Traits, and Oral Microbiome, but Genome Analysis and the Genome Browser will no longer be available. Your data will remain securely stored. Please refer to the updated Nebula Terms of Use for further information.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/10/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

   I was not informed of any change in the terms of service, and I most certainly did not agree to it. I understand that as it stands, I will still be able to access the files and minimal unchanging data interpretation (ancestry, microbiome, etc.).  The ability to investigate and parse my genomic data was a key part of my decision to purchase the lifetime subscription, and these account changes have made that subscription useless. I paid for a lifetime subscription and I expect it to be honored by either extending access for both of my kits to the newly created website, or a refund for said subscription.  

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/24/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

   I'm not happy with the response, but I can see that you're not willing to do anything to remedy it.  The lack of communication about all of these changes - the change in TOS and the fact that I had to find out in an online forum that we were losing our access to the services we paid for are my biggest complaint overall.  I had two days to try to do all of my research before the set deadline because there was no communication that the access to the tools was ending.  I only hope that your more forthcoming about changes in your new site - ************************ - than you have been with me.

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/18/2025

  
  Thank you for allowing us to address your concerns about your lifetime membership with Nebula Genomics.
  
  First and foremost, we want to reassure you that Nebula Genomics is very much here to stay! The message you saw was sent out in error, and we genuinely apologize for any confusion or worry this may have caused.
  
  As of today, all lifetime memberships are still fully active, and you can continue to enjoy all the reporting features and updates as promised. Your subscription terms haven't changed, and there are no extra fees required to keep your access.
  
  If you have any technical issues or questions about your account, please don't hesitate to contact our customer support team at ************************ We're here to help!
  
  We truly value your membership and appreciate your understanding as we improve our communication and services. Please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/27/2024

  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.

  I purchased the kit on 04/14/2024 for $568.95 in order to get full *** sequencing and the subscription on the results interpretation tools.When I was collecting my *** first time, I swabbed my cheeks for at least two minutes and sent them my sample the same day. I did this in the morning, on an empty stomach, with full oral hygiene the night before (flossing, brushing, and mouthwash). I was feeling fine, not sick, so it was unlikely the sample lacked *** material or was contaminated.When the kit arrived at their lab, I didnt see any updates on my profile on the Nebula website. Only after I contacted them did they update the progress bar to Arrived at lab and even that took a week after I reached out.After two months of waiting, the status was still stuck on Arrived at lab. So I decided to follow up again and asked if they had even started the *** extraction process. Their reply was the usual vague, copy-paste answer that my kit was still being processed. When I asked for specifics about the stage of processing (*** extraction, quality control, or sequencing), they suddenly went silent for a few hours. Then, out of nowhere, I got an email saying my kit had failed without any proof - it could be due to contamination, insufficient *** material, or their own mistake being attributed to me.After pushing for more details, they finally admitted that my sample actually failed in the previous week during a reprocessing attempt. So they were clearly lying to me about the kit status all along.I decided to try again, purchased another replacement kit for $35 despite the fact that it was not disclosed in their policy. During the collection, I followed the instructions exactly and sent in a second sample. That kit failed too. When I asked to clarify, they replied The lab does not indicate what the sample was contaminated with, just that there was high contamination (c)At this point, I find this unacceptable. I no longer trust them and am requesting a refund.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2024

   

  Dear Valued Customer, 

   

  A member of our support team replied to your message today on our ticketing system .We cannot tell what it was contaminated with because we do not test for that. The way the team identifies contamination is by a combination of metrics not being met. In this case, there was a high amount of positions on the collected sample that could not be aligned with the human reference genome. We have very strict metrics in order to provide the best results possible. 
  We allow for ***** level of contamination, your sample had *****, which is significant. Additionally, You should have brushed your teeth and rinsed with water in the morning prior to swabbing. even with a good brushing, bacteria does grow overnight in the mouth, so not brushing in the morning is likely the reason why your sample was contaminated as you did not follow the instructions properly. In this case , a refund would not be granted.
  
  Kind Regards, 

  Nebula Support Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/02/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  1. Undisclosed fees:
  Upon submitting my initial sample, which failed during reprocessing, I was charged an unexpected $35 replacement kit fee. This fee was not included in my original purchase of "Deep Whole Genome Sequencing" and "Nebula Explore Reporting Membership" (see the receipt attached initially). The fee was neither communicated in advance nor explicitly stated in their policy: ***********************************************************************. This is an undisclosed fee.

  2. Lack of status updates:
  My first kit arrived at their lab on 05/29/2024. The progress status on my Nebula profile remained unchanged until I contacted them. Only after my inquiry did they update the status to "Arrived at lab" which took until 06/07/2024 - a week after my contact. It seems they do not prioritize keeping customers informed about the sample processing status. (see email conversation attached)
  

  3. Lies about kit status:
  After two months of waiting, with the status unchanged at "Arrived at lab", I inquired about the *** extraction process (08/05/2024). Their response was vague, stating the kit was still being processed. When asked for specific processing stages (*** extraction, quality control, or sequencing), communication went silent for several hours. Eventually, I received an email stating that my sample failed. Only after pressing for details did they admit the sample had failed during reprocessing the previous week. This means they had been misleading me about the kits status all along. (see email conversation attached). I no longer trust them and refuse to endure the same unprofessional treatment with further samples. 
  

  4. Lack of transparency:
  Failed samples are always reported without specific evidence of the cause. It could be due to contamination (bacteria/viruses), insufficient *** material, or even their own errors being attributed to me. Without transparency, they cannot be trusted.
  

  5. Incomplete collection instructions:
  When I was having the conversation prior to contacting the BBB, the Nebula Genomics support team provided me with the following "additional insights" for my 2nd failed sample:

  - not eating or drinking anything for at least sixty minutes prior to swabbing
  - rinsing your mouth with water about sixty minutes before you are ready to swab
  - producing a bit more saliva before collecting the sample by gently rubbing your cheeks against your teeth
  - swabbing your cheek for a bit longer than 60 seconds
  - pressing a bit harder when swabbing while making sure you are rotating the swab

  However, the original instructions (see attached photos) did not include "producing a bit more saliva before collecting the sample by gently rubbing your cheeks against your teeth".

  As a customer, I should not have to clarify "additional insights" only after my sample failed twice. The instructions should be complete and aim to help the customer collect the first sample successfully without wasting time and money on kit replacements. The instructions should be updated according to customers' experiences with swabbing. Otherwise, from my perspective, it feels like they are scamming me into paying $35 repeatedly for replacements.
  

  6. Poor customer reviews:
  Consistent negative feedback appears across the Better Business Bureau website (***************************************************************************************************************************************************************), TrustPilot (*************************************************************************), and ****** (**********************************************), indicating ongoing service issues.
  

  7. Unprofessional communication:
  Apart from lack of updates and lies about kit status, my refund request was ignored when I was having the conversation prior to contacting the BBB. And instead, I was issued an invoice for a replacement kit that I did not ask for. They dont seem interested in building trust or maintaining professional relationships with their customers. (see email conversation attached)

  Based on the above, I request a full refund for the *** testing and subscription fees ($568.95) as well as the cost of the replacement kit ($35). (I am not including shipping and customs expenses which were caused by me residing in the EU.) 

  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/02/2025

  Dear Valued Customer,

   

  Thank you for choosing our services. After two unsuccessful sequencing attempts, we believe it is in your best interest not to proceed with a third attempt. As a result, we will be processing a refund for your order, which you should receive within 5-10 business days, once confirmed.
  
  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and regret that you were unable to fully benefit from the quality of our services. We greatly appreciate your trust in us and hope you will consider working with us again in the future.
  
  A member of our billing team will reach out to you once the refund has been processed. If you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
  
  Kind regards,

  Nebula Support Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/03/2025

  To Nebula Genomics: 

  Thanks for the update. Please proceed with the refund process and let me know once it has been completed. Let me know if theres anything else I should do on my end.

  To 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 and the matter has been resolved.

  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********
  
  
  
   
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/29/2024

  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.

  This company is scamming customers who purchase a subscription out of money. If you cancel the subscription on the last day of your active account or later they will charge you $149.99. I canceled BEFORE the expiration date and they still charged me. I understand if it was after it expired but it was not. It was a day in advance. I will never be a member again!

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2024

  
  Here's a more professional rephrasing of your message:
  
  Dear ******,
  Thank you for choosing Nebula as your sequencing provider. We appreciate your engagement through our ticketing system and have responded promptly to your inquiries regarding your subscription renewal.
  We shared our policies with you to clarify that the terms of the subscription are provided prior to purchase. Since your subscription was canceled after the renewal date, the associated charge was incurred. Had it been canceled the day before, no charge would have applied. This is not your first subscription renewal, and our website clearly indicates that auto-renewal can be canceled at any time to prevent charges. We prioritize transparency and strive to ensure that our customers are well-informed about our services.
  We have processed your subscription cancellation, and your data deletion request has been submitted.
  Your request for a refund has been escalated to our Executive team. Our policy is designed to maintain consistency and fairness for all our customers, and as such, we are unable to issue a refund in this instance. However, I can confirm that your subscription has been canceled, and you will retain access until the end of the paid period on October 24, 2025.
  Thank you for your understanding.
  Best regards,

  Nebula Support

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/28/2024

  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.

  Hi,I purchased a genetic testing kit a year ago. In order to get results they force customers to sign up for a subscription. I signed up and was not able to cancel until after receiving results were very delayed. I noticed a charge on my card and notified the company that I was not interested in subscription and to please issue refund because I am not interested in another full year of their services. They do not want to refund even though I have canceled and have not used their services at all since last year. They know they are taking advantage of their members and it it not right. If the company knows I will not be needing or using the work subscription they should provide a refund whether or not I canceled one day late since the second year just started and I will not be using services. And because I was not able to cancel earlier since their product was severely delayed. If they expect customers to be flexible with timelines, they should be to. And they should act in good faith.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2024

  Hello *******,
  Thank you for choosing Nebula for your sequencing needs. When purchasing a kit, it is clearly indicated that a subscription is required. Customers can select from various subscription options, and the option you chose is a yearly subscription. This is specified at checkout, indicating that the first charge will occur upon completion of sequencing, followed by annual charges thereafter. Our refund and cancellation policy is also linked for customers to review prior to purchase, clearly stating that we do not issue refunds for subscription charges. We provide these details at checkout to ensure our customers are fully informed about their purchases.
  Your request for a refund has been escalated to our Executive team. Our policy is designed to maintain consistency and fairness for all customers, and as such, we are unable to process refunds in this instance. However, I can confirm that your subscription has been canceled, and you will retain access through the end of the paid period on October 23, 2025.
  We hope this information clarifies your concerns.
  Best regards,

  Nebula Support Team

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/30/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [as you stated, I did not have the option to subscribe, it was required and I was unable to cancel because you require it until dna is sequenced and it was very delayed. I reached out on the very first day of the new year subscription saying I am not interested in the service. If you acted in good faith you would give me a refund as I canceled the first second of the first of 365 of subscription. Since I will not be using your service for any of the days of the full year, you should provide a full refund. Otherwise you are knowingly charging me for a product you know I will not be using. This is the second time you mention escalation but have not provided results of escalation.]

   

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *******
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2024

  Hello *******, 

   

  Thank you for your response. We appreciate your understanding. As mentioned earlier, we clearly outline the subscription terms, including our refund and cancellation policy, which states that we do not offer refunds for subscription charges. This information is made available prior to purchase to ensure that all customers are fully informed about how subscriptions renew.
  Like many subscription services, our charges are based on the selected timeframewhether yearly, monthly, or otherwiserather than usage. We strive to be transparent with our terms, and we ensure they are easily accessible before you finalize your purchase.
  We did escalate your refund request; however, it was unfortunately not approved due to our policy. Thank you for your understanding, and please let us know if you have any further questions.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/30/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [As mentioned previously. I will not be using subscription I was forced to sign up for and have canceled and would like refund since I have not and will not be using service.]

   

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *******
  
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/22/2024

  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.

  I purchased the Nebula Genomics Sequencing on June 5, 2024. A collection kit was sent to me shortly after. Once recieved, I promptly completed the sample collection following the instructions exactly as listed on the sample collection kit. My sample kit was received by Nebula shortly thereafter.Now, after 9 weeks of waiting for my results, I received an e-mail requesting another $35 to be sent another sample kit, because my sample was not viable. After 9 weeks since receipt of the sample, this is an unacceptable, unreasonable timeline to determine the reason for the non-viable sample was the consumer's fault. If Nebula responded promptly to the arrival of my kit noting that the sample was not viable, this would have been a different conversation; however, after 9 weeks it is unreasonable to assume that the sample was made non-viable by the consumer. Improper storage on the part of Nebula, mishandling over the nine weeks its been in their possession, or any other myriad of issues since the time it was been under their care may have resulted in a bad sample.It is fraudulent, inappropriate business practice to request more money, and ask the consumer to wait another 9-12 weeks to see if the sample will work, or if they will just want to price ***** another $35 out of consumers. Act promptly if you want to try to blame your customer. You cannot wait three months to determine its the fault of the consumer.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/22/2024

  Hello, 

  We have reviewed your sample with the lab prior to requesting the fee for replacement which does not apply to all sample failures, however for low concentration of DNA which is due to collection method we do charge $35 to replace and send. The concentration of DNA in your sample was very low. We did not just fail the sample right away, we do attempt to run the sample a second time to try and pass the sample before requesting the customer recollect. That process takes time to run again, hence the 9 week waiting time which is still within the ***** week turnaround time. One of our team members will be following up within our client support system in an effort to resolve with you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/22/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  

  The company has agreed to resend a collection kit at no cost. I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  
  
  
   
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/30/2024

  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 initially paid for the 30x whole genome sequencing on April 25, 2024. Only after 9 weeks wait did I receive notice that my sample could not be processed. I was then told that it was user error even though I followed the instructions to the ** For this, they said I have to pay another 35 dollars to send a ***lacement s ample collection kit. I did not receive the invoice for an entire week, forcing me to email them asking for it on July 9th. They send the invoice the following day, which I paid immediately.After paying the invoice, the customer service *** informed me that they have contacted the fulfillment team to send the ***lacement kit. However, for 3 weeks, I received no package or tracking number. I emailed the customer service again, they acted confused and said I need to send proof of the paid invoice, either their fulfillment team has no ability to see customer payments or there is gross incompetence at this company. The same *** then said they will contact the fulfillment team to send the ***lacement a second time. I have yet to receive a confirmation email nor tracking number for the ***lacement kit. I suspect after this I will have to wait yet another 14 weeks. This company truly has no care for doing honest business.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/30/2024

  Hello ******, 
  
  
  Your replacement has been processed. The confirmation number was sent to you. In the correspondence we have had, we did not indicate we were sending the kit prior to an invoice being paid. There was a message saying we would contact for another invoice to be sent, but nothing of a note to send a replacement prior to being paid. The billing representative did indicate to show proof of payment at the time paid so that one of our representatives could process the replacement. You did not provide the proof of payment until 07/29/2024.  Because we value customer privacy, we do not provide access to every team member to view invoices and billing information hence why we did ask for a proof of payment to be provided. You will receive an email when the order ships out so that you may register your new kit ahead of its arrival.
  

   

  Best, 

  Customer Support Team

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/01/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  It has been 14 weeks since I paid for the product, with an additional 3-week delay due to issues with either the customer service or fulfillment team.

  The customer service representative has attempted to shift blame onto me for not providing proof of payment for an invoice issued by their fulfillment team. This raises serious concerns about internal communication, as the fulfillment team that sent the invoice apparently cannot verify payment status themselves. The claim of "privacy concerns" preventing the fulfillment team from accessing invoice status information is puzzling and seemingly contradictory, given that they already possess my contact information and shipping address, and were responsible for sending the invoice in the first place.

  Two business days ago, the service representative claimed a replacement order had been filed and that I would receive a confirmation email. Predictably, I have received no such update. The kafkaesque levels of bureaucratic encumbrance between departments have resulted in inexcusable delays and mounting frustration.

  This complaint will remain open until I receive the product I paid for over 14 weeks ago. I expect timely updates on the status of my replacement order and improved internal communication to prevent similar issues in the future.

  
  Sincerely,
  ***************
  
  
  
  
   

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/21/2024

  Hello ******, 

   

  As per our conversation on the latest ticket , we did ensure your kit was received and confirmed in the system and was delivered and returned back to ** in a timely manner. Sent out on July 30th as an order and received back to our Lab by August 10th. Please feel free to contact us for any questions or assistance.

   

   

  Kind Regards, 

  *******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/21/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  Though the replacement kit has finally been sent out after a month of back and forth, the terms of the original complaint to "finish the job" have not been met. This complaint will be resolved when I receive the data in a timely manner, and confirm the data integrity with genotyping data I have from my healthcare provider.

  I have stated in our previous communication that I am happy to provide extracted DNA to your desired concentration, size distribution, and 260/230 metric if that makes it easier, as the 7 week average for extraction to find out if a sample passes QC or not is very extreme, especially for a high-throughput environment.

   

  Sincerely,
  
  ***************
  
  
  
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/03/2024

  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.

  I ordered 30x WGS on Aug 13, 2023, and my sample arrived at their lab at Sep 6. I followed all the instructions for sample collection correctly and did not make any mistakes. However, after reaching out to the custumer support several times, I received an email on Mar 7, 2024 (6 months later!) that my sample could not be processed because not enough DNA has been collected. I wonder how this wasn't noticed earlier... They sent me a new kit which I returned at lab after reading again twice all the instructions. Again, I did not make any mistakes and followed all instructions correctly. However, today I received another email that my sample could not be processed "due to poor quality and quantity of the collected sample by the customer". After reaching out again, they told me:"The lab determined that DNA was contaminated during collection of the sample, preventing it from being mapped to the reference human genome used. We waived the first replacement as a courtesy, the cost to replace the kit is $35 USD. We can only urge to you closely follow the instructions included in the kit. If you could please send your full shipping address, we can send a replacement kit out to you once invoice is paid."I understand that it can happen that a sample doesn't pass quality control even though it was acquired correctly, but I just can't believe that this happens twice. Nebula's excuses also seem to contradict each other. In any case, I didn't make a mistake and think that the problem must lie somewhere with the company.If they are really not able to provide me with my results using one of the two correctly acquired samples they already have, I would give Nebula a third chance if they send me a free replacement kit and process it faster. However, I'm not willing to pay another $35 for a service I've already paid for.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/03/2024

  Hello *******, 

   

  We have processed another replacement kit at no cost as a second courtesy. 

   

   

  Kind Regards, 

  Nebula Support Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/08/2024

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/20/2024

  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 first purchased DNA sequencing through Nebula Genomics in July 2023. I sent my DNA sample in, and the website claimed I should expect results within ***** weeks of them receiving my sample.After months of emailing back, and more than 24 weeks after them receiving my sample (double the posted time), I made a BBB complaint. Immediately they took action and said my sample was deficient and I would need to send another sample, which would be considered VIP Sample.After Nebula Genomics received my new sample I was promised that I would receive my results sooner than the standard ***** weeks time since my sample was VIP. It is now 12 weeks later and I have still not received my results.So now, here I am, 45 weeks after first sending my first sample, four times the expected timeframe, having paid hundreds of dollars, with no results.There is no way my second sample received VIP status, and it was not expedited in one bit. I had to constantly email back and forth to even show my sample status on the website, and I see no results.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/21/2024

  Hello *****, 

  We have reached out to our laboratory and the sample is expected to be completed on 05/24/2024. We also have requested a free lifetime membership as we have messaged you about. We apologize the sample was a couple of days behind, our team has worked hard to complete in a timely manner.

   

  Kind regards, 

  Nebula Support

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/04/2024

  Type:Delivery 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 November 22, 2023, I ordered a 100x Ultra Deep package for $1194.00 with intention of determining the cause of a serious unknown illness that is horribly affecting me currently.Because they claim to have had some sort of internal error, the shipment of my kit was delayed, so it was not until December 22 that my kit was received at their lab after I shipped it back to them (from a ************* location not incredibly far from their facility). Nebula claims that the estimated time to receive results from arrival at their lab is ***** weeks. At this point, 15 weeks have passed since arrival at lab (19 weeks total), and it does not appear that I am close to receiving results (per Nebula's tracking portal for samples).The company claims that this is a relatively rare instance for when samples do not meet quality metrics, giving generic responses about being "committed to ensuring the highest standard of accuracy and quality"; however, after looking further into the company and its turnaround times, I fear that this long processing time is not the exception, but the norm. If that is the case, then there appears to be clear evidence of a systematic attempt at false advertising, because I and many others would likely pursue the business of a competitor if turnaround times were more honest. It seems possible that the reason the test is affordable is the same reason results are consistently overdue. What is worse is that the 100x Ultra Deep package is specifically marketed for individuals wishing to discover rare diseases, which would mean that the company is profiting at the expense of individuals like me, who desperately need to uncover medical mysteries in an urgent manner.I have suffered a great amount at the expense of this company, but all I ask is that I receive my results AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I would like for the company to try and come close to meeting their stated time frame. When I receive results, I will have reached a satisfactory resolution.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2024

  Hello ******, 
  
  
  We apologize for the delay on your sample. As far as the time frame it took to deliver the sample and for us to receive back, a month is about the time expected to deliver and receive a sample back on US orders as stated in our refund and cancellation policy that US orders take about 14 business days.  We did receive your sample 12/21/2023 and had it processed into the lab promptly . The average turnaround time is indeed ***** weeks for samples that pass all metrics. It is not uncommon for a sample to be ran again to collect more DNA to meet the level of metrics required for that sample to pass depending on the coverage as we want to deliver results with accuracy that you expect and paid for . You are correct, we are currently in week 15, a week over the turnaround time estimate as this sample needed to be run again. The sample is in post analysis from the second run which is the final stage before data is released. We appreciate your patience in this matter and our team is working diligently to complete the sequencing and get the results to you as we understand the importance to our customers of receiving their DNA sequencing. We are also sorry to hear of the health condition you are dealing with but just a friendly reminder that we don't test for specific ****s or conditions. Instead, we decode the entire genome and identify all variants. Customers are provided with their data and tools to look into any **** or condition of interest. So, the ****s of interest will be decoded, the customer would need to look them up to see what variants they have and then determine what those variants potentially mean. Additionally, genomics shows what predispositions there are, but it does not take into account lifestyle or environment that also affect conditions being present. Please feel free to contact us for any questions or concerns.
  
  
  Best Regards,
  *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/27/2024

  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.

  I paid for a Nebula Geonomics sequencing kit and was due to have my sample sequenced and reported back to me by December 7th 2023. As of Dec 7th my sample was still listed as being in the "Extraction of DNA" stage on their website. Their site makes it particularly hard to find their customer support. Once I was finally able to contact them, they told me there was a quality issue with my sample. They never once tried to reach out to me regarding any issue, and I'm sure if I hadn't reached out to them - I never would have gotten my results. We're now almost in April 2024 and I still do not have my results. The sample is now listed as being in the "Quality Control" stage. I have repeatedly pressed them for my results, a refund, or at this point- both. After seeing the numerous complains about from other dissatisfied customers online I decided this needed to be reported. They are scammers and I doubt I will ever be getting these results.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/27/2024

  Hello ******, 

   

  We apologize for the delay in results. The sample did not have enough DNA collected to meet the level of metrics required to pass and result a sample. We also offered a new kit with VIP status. Since it has been sometime and a refund is requested we are going aheadwith a refund which will be initiated today and takes about 5-10 days to reflect. We hope to better serve you in the future for your sequencing needs.