Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Smalls's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Smalls

  285 Avenue C Apt 6H New York, NY 10009-2328

• 

  Smalls

  49 Elizabeth St Fl 4 New York, NY 10013

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:01/05/2024

  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 have been buying smalls cat food for over a year. My cat has enjoyed the cat food the company calls smooth bird which is actually chicken.I ordered nine packages of the smooth bird and when I got it it did not look like the previous packages I have been receiving. I contacted the company and they said the recipe has changed.My cat will not eat the new recipe and they never notified me about the recipe change prior to my order. I would have only ordered one package to see if the cat still liked it, but now I am stuck with nine packages that my cat will not eat.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/08/2024

  Hi *****, we are so sorry to hear your kitty isn't enjoying our new recipes. We sent announcements via email that our new recipes were rolling out last summer, though I'm sorry to hear you didnt receive them. 
  
  From all the cats we've studied (for work and for fun), we've found that though cats can be creatures of habit most can be convinced to try something new with some transition tips. If your cat is having a hard time transitioning to the new recipes, we recommend warming the food with some water or adding your cat's favorite topper (like their favorite treat or low sodium chicken broth) to pique their interest. Warming up Smalls is a great way to increase its aromas and highlight all the tastiest changes we've made.
  
  Well follow up with you via email and issue a refund for those recipes now. If there's anything else we can assist you with please let us know.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/03/2024

  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.

  The phone number and email listed on their website for customer service are non responsive. The email doesnt even appear to exist. They changed their recipe after 6 months of no issues, but the new one literally stinks and animals wont go near it. No way to get help, and it is very difficult to cancel.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/03/2024

  Thank you so much for reaching out and I'm so sorry to hear about your experience with our updated recipes. We definitely have heard reports from our customers regarding the change in smell from our new recipes, which came about as a results of the changes we've made to the ingredients of our recipes. Stronger smells typically made a food tastier for cats, as they rely on their sense of smell to tell them whether or not a food is good, and heating the food will additionally increase the potency of the scent. This is great for getting your cat excited at meal time, but we are sorry to hear that it's not as palatable for your own nose. We stand by our commitment to making quality food for cats, and we've worked closely with our veterinary nutritionists to improve our recipes (while keeping the core ingredients the same) to make them even more nutritious and appetizing to our feline friends. The cat panelists in our comparison study voted four-paws-up for the new recipes, but we understand that every cat is different.
  
  It appears that our email was down on January 1, but that has been fixed. 
  
  In looking over your account, we received a text message from you on January 1, **** but we were closed for the New Year. We did respond on January 2, **** and proceeded with cancelling your subscription and issuing a refund for your order.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/21/2023

  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.

  They get you to try a sample of their product not telling you that this automatically signs you up for a full price subscription. Then, try to cancel on their website or even get a phone number so you can speak to someone human, forget about it! They rope you in and bate n switch. First you are just sampling to see if the cats would like it, and before you know it you have some 25 or 30 packets of food sent to you. I want to cancel but cant ** their website just is for new customers they want to bate n switch! I guess I will have to cancel my credit card.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/24/2023

  Thank you for reaching out, and I am so sorry for any confusion or stress here! When you purchase a sampler order through Smalls, you are also signing up for a recurring subscription that starts two weeks after your sampler purchase. As a visibility measure, we ensure this is noted on the check out screen before purchase, as well as in follow ***************** regarding your transition process, including Heads Up emails sent out before your first full box ships. It looks like we reached out via email on 12/10 to alert you to this upcoming order, and the email was opened, but I do not see any requests to cancel or postpone. 
  
  In the spirit of open communication, we encourage our customers to reach out to us directly with any concerns or requests. It seems there might have been a misunderstanding in this case, and we wish we had the opportunity to address your concerns before they escalated to the BBB. Well follow up with you via email now. Chat soon!
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/15/2023

  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 ordered the sampler to try this cat food out but I did not agree to a subscription. Today I see a charge of $170 for the first box of a subscription. The sampler was to see whether my cats liked the food and they hate the food. They won't touch it or go near it. I still have 6 or 7 packages left in the freezer unopened. The other packages I tried to feed them mostly went down the garburator. I've written Etna many times and told her of the challenges I had with feeding my cats the Smalls food. They do not like it or take well to it. They are ultra picky cats. I warned ***** rep before I purchased the food and told them my cats are very very very picky. They encouraged me to give it a try but regretfully my cats don't like it. Please refund and cancel the subscription that I did not agree to. I bought the sampler but no where in the purchase did I ever agree to a subscription. I thought the sampler was first to let your cats try the food. If they like it then subscribe. You should not take advantage of customers by having them automatically subscribe. I offer to return the 7 packages from the sampler order still left in the freezer untouched.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/17/2023

  Thank you for reaching out, and I am so sorry for any confusion or stress here! When you purchase a sampler order through Smalls, you are also signing up for a recurring subscription that starts two weeks after your sampler purchase. As a visibility measure, we ensure this is noted on the check out screen before purchase, as well as in follow ***************** regarding your transition process, including Heads Up emails sent out before your first full box ships. It looks like we reached out via email on 12/12 to alert you to this upcoming order, but I do not see any requests to cancel or postpone.
  
  In looking over your account, I can see that you spoke with our team on 12/15 and this order has been cancelled and refunded. I can also confirm that your account has been closed and you will not be charged for any further orders. Please let us know if we can assist with anything else!
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/08/2023

  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 had ordered the Smalls cat food sample pack. At no time was there stated info that ordering small sample would automatically become a monthly subscription and charges. After small charged $171.00 the first time I contacted thru both email and text that is shown on the Smalls web site . I also tried to phone, and was told to email, text and go thru the link to cancel . Which I did all Then I have again had another unauthorized charge of $171.00 on my debt bank card . I did not at anytime knowingly sign up for nor do I want any smalls cat food . After trying what was sent in the sample pack my cats will not eat not even a single bit when mixed with anything they love to eat.. I would like a refund and I would like to never again have any more charges from smalls.( at this time I can not imagine I will in the future wish to knowingly purchase any of the SMALLS PRODUCTS/foods the company has to offer !) Thank you for your time and consideration. I have now read and seen that what I have experienced is a general complaint for others, and though it seems this is not unlawful it seems to be dishonest and unethical.. I would think that smalls would believe that their product is such high quality that those purchasing the sample would come back to order without being unwittingly conned to do so it is quite awful to take advantage of people like this .. why would anyone order a sample pack and not even trying that sample pack out sign up for monthly orders .. Very very shady in my opinion. Again thank you for your time and consideration. Warmest regards to all at the BBB. *****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 12/10/2023

  Thank you for reaching out, and we are so sorry for any confusion or stress here! When you purchase a sampler order through Smalls, you are also signing up for a recurring subscription that starts two weeks after your sampler purchase. As a visibility measure, we ensure this is noted on the check out screen before purchase, as well as in follow ***************** regarding your transition process, including Heads Up emails sent out before each box ships.
  
  Our records show that we email the customer on 12/4 to alert them to this upcoming order. This email was opened the same day it was received, but they did not take action and cancel their subscription or reach out to our customer service team for help until after the order was processed. We strive for transparency, and your feedback helps us improve. We see that your most recent order has been canceled and refunded, and your subscription has been closed, so you will not be billed for any future orders.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/30/2023

  Type:Billing 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.

  Online catfood company enticed me to purchase a "sample order" that in the fine print automatically signs you up for a subscription claiming they are transparent. However, when you go back to their website to cancel the subscription you cannot get into your own account to cancel. You get thrown into a text/e-mail system that does not allow you to get into the very account they set up for you and cannot cancel the subscription. You only have access to the company by text or e-mail which they do not respond to. So, they leave you hanging and keep charging your account while staying inaccessible to you. This should be illegal.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2023

  Thank you for reaching out, and we are genuinely sorry for the frustration you've experienced. We understand how important it is to have easy access to your account and to manage your subscriptions seamlessly.
  
  To access to your Smalls account, you can request a Magic Link by visiting our site here: **************************************************** and entering the email address linked to your account. We'll email you a link that will take you straight to your Account Portal.
  
  If you'd like to cancel your subscription, it can be done at any time through our Account Portal. Simply log in at ******************************************, and navigate to the "Subscription" section under "Profile". If you encounter any difficulty, our Cat Concierge team is here to assist.

  Smalls is a subscription-based service that begins 2 weeks after your sampler purchase. We communicate this on our website and email communicationswe are sorry this was not more clear. We strive for transparency, and your feedback helps us improve. We see that your most recent order has been canceled and refunded, and your subscription has been closed, so you will not be billed for any future orders.
  
  If you need further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our Cat Concierge team. We're here to help. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/07/2023

  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.

   

  However, I would like to make note that the magic link they tell you to request does not work making it impossible for you to stop these subscriptions the way they have stated.  Although I wad refunded and the subscription cancelled it was only AFTER I contacted the BBB AND the ** state attorney generals office to file formal complaints.  Cancelling the subscription is not straightforward, transparent or simple as they state.  They make it as difficult as possible.  Crooked, crooked business.  Beware!!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************
  
  
  
   
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/24/2023

  Type:Product 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 reached out about a week ago to let them know my cat did not like their new beef and wondered if there was something that could be done about it. I never heard anything back. Today I made my second attempt to speak to a human and told them of my complaint and I just received an email that they canceled my subscription.. I did not want to cancel but I guess they thought it would be easier to cancel me than try to fix the problem. Im not happy and was not going to report them until they did this. I dont see how they keep in business with this customer service or lack there of.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/25/2023

  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:10/20/2023

  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 ordered the cat food sampler for $34.68. Then realized they had two recalls and I emailed to cancel within ***************************************************************** They stated they cancelled any future subscriptions but would not return my money.This was all done on Friday the 20th.That dont ship until Monday the 23!So more than ample time to refund me considering it was canceled within 10 minutes of me ordering it.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/24/2023

  It looks like our team cancelled and refunded this order on 10/20 when the customer reached out via email. Please let us know if theres anything else we can assist with!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/02/2023

  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.

  Issue with cancelling subscription.They sent me an email saying I have a new order coming in, which Im pretty sure I cancelled my subscription before. With the email order there was a link to go to your account which I used, I logged into my account I filled out a long survey and afterward and they ask you to type Confirm to cancel the subscription which I did. Once again it didnt went through because when I logged in again the subscription was still on , I tried to cancel multiple times but never got an email about being cancelled. So I entered in Safari and went to their website and manually entered in my account with my username and password and cancelled the subscription. Afterwards, this time it did went through as I got an email saying was cancelled. I escalated the issue to **************** asking please to be refunded and for them to cancel my order, which I escalated right away when I got the email I had a new order. They said through email they cannot refund me, even thought that In their website says they have a 100% policy of satisfaction and money back guarantee. I tried the sample kit which I paid for it, and my cats didnt like it; so I gave the food away instead of complaining to the business. But now Im being charged a $100 for something I never ask and that I tried to cancel many times, the most confusing part is that their customer service through text message says I did in fact cancel my subscription in June 3rd and what I got was wrong email and that I wil not be charged. And on the email customer service rep says she cannot help me. I never complaint or ask money back when I first got the sample kit, and I just simply cancel the subscription which it seems it doesnt went through the first time, or either the many times I tried yesterday using the email link to access to my account. Which Im pretty sure is recorded my trying to cancel because they ask you to fill a LONG survey before canceling and that gets recorded in the account.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/02/2023

  Upon further review, we have identified that the customer has two separate accounts with us. The account associated with the email address *********************** was closed on 6/3, while the one linked to *************************** is the account under which this complaint was filed, and it was closed on 8/1.
  
  We understand the customer's concerns, and we would like to clarify the situation. On 6/11/23, the customer made a purchase of a sampler order using the email address ***************************. Prior to that, they placed a sampler order on 5/24 under the email address ***********************. It is important to note that our system treats each account independently, and it is essential to use the correct account when managing subscriptions and orders.
  
  By authorizing these transactions, they agreed to our terms of service, which includes enrollment in a recurring subscription starting two weeks after the initial purchase. We take care to flag this information during the site checkout process and provide email confirmations for customers to review, along with a Heads Up email before the first full order is charged.
  
  Based on our records, we can confirm that the customer did not attempt to cancel their subscription for the account attached to the email address *********************** via our website until 8/1/23. Attached documentation supports this information.
  
  Regarding refund requests, we do have a limited window over the weekend to address orders before they are set to ship. For unshipped items, we can process refund requests received by Saturday at 6 pm EST. However, once our warehouse receives a manifest of all the orders scheduled for shipping, typically after the aforementioned deadline, we are unable to recall any order for refund or cancellation. Nevertheless, we always strive to minimize the risk of unwanted orders and encourage customers to contact us as soon as possible if they encounter any issues.
  
  Our money-back guarantee applies to instances when a kitty cannot find a single recipe that they enjoy from the sampler. While infrequent, this happens from time to time and we would never want some to make a purchase that they got no use out of whatsoever. Again, the sampler is a variety pack to see what your kitty will like, just how you might buy a variety snack pack or beauty box for yourself. Additionally, our money-back guarantee kicks in 2 weeks after your sampler lands since it takes most kitties 2-4 weeks to come around to lifestyle changes, especially with their diet. 
  
  For refund requests, we require that you make them within 30 days of your sampler box being shipped to you. This policy applies specifically to samplers, not full orders. If you need to make changes to your order, we ask please do so before 8 pm EST on the Thursday prior to your order charging on Friday and shipping. You can find your shipment date at any time by logging into your Smalls account at www.smalls.com/account and selecting "Upcoming Box."
  
  Once your box has been shipped, we regret that we are unable to make changes, cancel the order, or issue a refund for that box. All sales are final. This information is also noted on our website.
  
  As a courtesy, we have issued a refund for the customer's most recent order associated with their account at ***********************.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/19/2023

  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 have ordered the trial food supplies for my cats. Both of my cats refused to eat this food. Not a big deal. They just do not like any ****-style food, they like their food in small pieces.I believe the food is of good quality, but since non of my cats does not want to eat it, I did not order anymore.Today I discovered that I have a subscription for this food, it shows up at my door, which I never agree to do. I did not make any accounts with them and checked out as a guest. Plus, my bank account is charged ************ I finally logged in with my email (no password, because I have NEVER made one), I found out that they will deliver this every three weeks.BUT! There is no way to cancel this subscription! And no refund policy after the food was shipped. I found out that the food was shipped post-factum. I never chose the amount, type of food, or delivery frequency.They do not have the proper way to communicate, the phone number is for text only.I wrote them a letter, but I am not sure I'll get any response.I did not intend to throw away $200 in a trash can.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2023

  We apologize for any confusion or stress caused. When you purchase a sampler order through Smalls, it automatically enrolls you in a recurring subscription that starts two weeks after your sampler purchase.
  
  To ensure transparency, we make sure to clearly state this information on the checkout screen before you make the sampler purchase. We also include this information in subsequent communications regarding your kitty's transition process. This includes a Heads Up email sent on Monday or Tuesday before your first full box is scheduled to be charged, as well as notifications after the order is charged and when it ships. Our records show that the heads up email was delivered and opened on 7/11/23 (please see attached screenshots).
  
  If your order charges when you weren't ready, we do offer a limited window over the weekend to address this before the order is set to ship. Any order processed on Friday can be cancelled as long as we hear from you before Saturday at 6PM EST. After this time, our warehouse receives a manifest of all the orders shipping out for the week, and it is only at this point that we are unable to recall any order for a refund or cancellation. While we always hope to hear from all our customers before this final deadline, we take as many steps as we can to minimize the risk of an unwanted order.
  
  Unfortunately, as per our returns and refunds policy, once your order has shipped, we are unable to issue a refund for this purchase. These terms were agreed upon when you purchased the sampler, and our decision remains final.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/20/2023

  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 still do not know what to do with expensive and unwanted cat food my cats refuse to eat.

  If you ever have a cat, you probably know that sometimes cats can be quite stubborn and refuse changes, especially older cats. Unfortunately, I have to change their food brand they use to love. I believe it is a reason that people order trials (which was a paid option, not free) - to make sure the cats will like it or will eat it. As a person, who lives with cat all my life (over 40 years) I can state that food changing proses can take several weeks. Changing the cat's diet completely in 6 days is impossible, if we talk about loved home cats. It is a different story with feral cats - they will eat everything. This is very strange for me that the cat food company does not know, or most likely refuses, this simple practice. Fortunately I do love my cats and do care about them. I do not judge the food quality, I believe my cats just do not like this type of food. I've slowly tried to mix *****'s food with the food they use to eat, and we did some progress. And I wanted to continue this way up to fully switching my cats to this brand. I do not want to do it anymore. I still have half of the trial packages they sent me.

  As you can see from the attached files I'm not the only one who involuntary and unwantedly fall into their subscription. The picture I attached are screenshots from Smalls FB Page (***********************************************). Also you may notice that this problem is going for over 6 months, or maybe even further. The company, that clams to ensure transparency would find a several minutes to fix it (I know what I'm talking about because I am a WEB Developer. I can voluntary with no charge fix this problem in 10 minutes to make clients to put a checkmark by hands if they do want a subscription).

  Small collected all my contacts including the phone number. They did not mind to send me a text massage on my phone when food had been delivered (which is a very good thing since the food ships frozen with dry ice packages). But they did not wanted to send me a text or live the voice massage (which can be done automatically and does not require any human hours) that my order is waiting for approval, at least once before the first "subscription" shipment. They decide for my cats how often, how much and what kind of food they are going to eat based on amount of my cats (two) and their names.

  I still want to get a full refund.

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

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