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:07/18/2023

  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.

  I had a pay as you go subscription to Smalls. My cat stopped eating the food. I recived a box in June and logged in to cancel my subscription on June 24th, well before necessary based on their policy. They do not have a great system. You cannot log in and can only get in by requesting a link. I have attached the email that day proving I had logged in to cancel my order. Their online system is not great. I navigated to profile, then filled out each step, including stating why I was cancelling checked the box and attmpted to cancel my account. I wasn't given a confirmation number but it looked like it worked. I was out of the country from July 1st to 15th. When I returned I saw I had an email on the 10th that they were shipping me another box. I attempted to contact them as soon as possible by responding to the email and requesting this not be shipped or charged. I didn't recieve a response (attached). Since I didn't hear anything back I reached out to their text line and was told it was too late and they wouldn't refund the product. I am not sure what happend but its clear there was a system glitch. To not refund the product I tried to cancel is not a good business practice. I have read their policy and did everything in my power to stick to it. I shouldn't be charged because their website didn't process it. I have let them know I think this is more than an inconvience, its essentially theft and I would like my money refunded. I also let them know that if this didn't happen I would file a complaint with BBB and dispute with my card company. Any lack of documentation about my cancelation is proof of their systems failure and failure to cancel my account, not proof of my attempt to cancel. Please note that absence of evidence in this case is not evidence of abcense. If this was a small charge I wouldn't be as upset, but this is a lot of money for a company to refuse to give you based on an error they made.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2023

  I apologize for the inconvenience you experienced with our subscription cancellation process and I understand your frustration. Our utmost priority is to provide transparency and clear communication throughout the cancellation process.
  
  Firstly, I want to acknowledge the difficulties you faced in accessing our online system, and I apologize for any inconvenience caused by the limited login options. I truly appreciate you attaching the email showing your attempt to log into your account on June 24th to the BBB complaint.
  
  Regarding our cancellation process, I want to assure you that we recognize that you followed the necessary steps outlined on our website. After completing these steps, I wanted to confirm if you typed "CANCEL" in the box that popped up?
  
  We understand your frustration, and it appears that a missing step prevented your cancellation request from being processed successfully. Considering your efforts to adhere to our cancellation policy, we are willing to make an exception and issue a refund. I have already taken the initiative and processed the refund for you. The funds were immediately released from our system, but please note that depending on your financial institution, it may take up to 5-7 business days for the refund to reflect in your account.
  
  Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience caused and I genuinely appreciate your understanding. If there is anything else we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to let us know.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/21/2023

  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:06/15/2023

  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.

  Assumed that we wanted more cat food sent to us. Charged card, sent cat food without notification to sending prior to shipping product. Never authorized product purchase. Company charges card that I did not give authorization to keep on file. Told me I had to accept order because it was perishable. We refused product. And just want refund if monies charged on card ******

  Business Response

  Date: 06/18/2023

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. To assist you effectively and provide a resolution to your complaint, we kindly request the email address associated with your Smalls account. Once we have this information, we will promptly look into the matter.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/10/2023

  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.

  In early April, I ordered a starter kit of their food to see if my cats would eat it. One of my cats has digestive issues and this product advertised that it would help with digestive issues in kitties. The starter pack was approximately $32 , I received it on April 14th, and I tried it several times with my cats. The cat, who usually eats anything, would not eat the food. The cat with digestive issues ate it and promptly threw up the food. On April 24th, I received an email that a box of food had shipped. ****, from Smalls, claims they sent me an email on April 18th alerting me that they would be shipping this box on the 24th. However, I never received this email, even though I had received previous emails from the company. When I received the email on the 24th, I immediately emailed them back and told them not to send any more boxes that I hadn't had time to really try this cat food with my cats. **** emailed back and said that he'd canceled my subscription for future shipments. When the box from the 24th arrived, it contained 40+ packages of food, and $178.08 was charged to my credit card. Since I never received their "Heads up" email about the amount and cost, I had no opportunity to stop this shipment. I would never have paid $178 for cat food, especially when I had not been successful in feeding it to them. Now they will not allow me to return or give me a refund. I have checked all of my folders on my email and I did NOT receive the "Heads Up" email that **** referred to in his email to me. They also suggested that I give this food away, but I am fearful that it is defective since my cats rejected it. I have uploaded a couple of the most recent emails between **** with Smalls and me.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/28/2023

  ******************************* made a purchase of a sampler from Smalls on April 5th, 2023. By authorizing this transaction, the customer agreed to our terms of service, which includes receiving full, automatic, recurring orders based on the trial, starting two weeks after the initial purchase. We prominently display this information on our website, during the checkout process, and in the email confirmation. Additionally, we send a "Heads Up" email prior to the first full order being charged.
  
  According to our records, a "Heads Up" notification was sent to the customer on April 18th, 2023, informing them about the upcoming order. This email clearly states that any changes to the order must be made by 8pm EST on the Thursday before the order is charged on Friday and shipped.
  
  If an order is charged when the customer is not ready, we provide a limited window over the weekend to address the issue before the order is scheduled for shipment. Any order processed on Friday can be canceled if we hear from the customer before 3pm EST on Sunday. However, after this time, our warehouse prepares a manifest of all orders for the week, making it impossible to recall or cancel any order for a refund. We always strive to hear from our customers before this final deadline and take steps to minimize the risk of unwanted orders.
  
  It should be noted that the customer has only shared a partial conversation with us. We have attached the complete email exchange, along with evidence of the Heads Up emails being received and the refund being issued as per the customer's request. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/05/2023

  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 ordered cat food on 3/1/23. The online status kept switching back and forth from shipped to processing and I couldnt talk to anyone by phone, only email/text which were ignored. I filed a dispute with ******** card on 3/7/23 and after that the cat food was shipped and received on 3/9/23. ******** closed the dispute and considered the charge valid and reversed the conditional credit. There is a moneyback guarantee for this product. I filed for a refund on 3/23/23 and it was approved, and I was told by email that the refund was sent to ******** but it was not. Since then, I have sent over 25 emails/text for the status and am being told that the previous dispute is preventing a refund. I sent documentation that the dispute was closed. You cannot talk to anyone there and every email/text is answered by a different representative who says something different. ******** states there is no reason that a refund cannot be submitted. Each rep from Smalls says something different, cannot get a straight answer and they are not refunding me even though they have a public statement of a money back guarantee and I have an email confirming I am entitled to a refund. The original dispute was because they did not mail the product-once the product was mailed the dispute was closed. This is an entirely separate issue. I have dozens of emails so I will attach the pertinent ones. They keep asking for documentation from ******** which I sent which is irrelevant anyway. This is a refund due to a moneyback guarantee. I want a refund of $33.90. The order number is *******.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/23/2023

  We would like to address your concerns regarding the dispute and refund of your order with our company. We understand that you had previously disputed the charge by claiming that the product was never delivered. Our team responded to the dispute on 3/19 with evidence proving that the merchandise was delivered to your address.
  
  However, we acknowledge that you reached out to us requesting a refund, and we informed you that we were unable to issue the refund until it was cleared on our end. We had requested proof from your bank showing the disputed amount was rebilled to your account, but unfortunately, you refused to provide us with this information.
  
  We would like to inform you that we were able to issue the refund on 4/19, and it should reflect on your account soon. We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion caused during this process
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/21/2023

  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.

  Difficult to get into account. Difficult to get a hold of customer service. The number provided on the website and here as well does not work. They are sending too much product and I need to change the frequency of delivery. This is the 3rd time I've tried and I'm losing patience as I now have a freezer full of cat food and now reasonable means of changing the delivery schedule.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/22/2023

  We appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that you may have experienced.
  
  We would like to assure you that we take all customer complaints seriously, and we are committed to finding a satisfactory resolution to the problem you have encountered. We have investigated the matter and we understand that you have experienced difficulty accessing your account and reaching our customer service team. We apologize for the frustration that this has caused you.
  
  To address your concerns, we received your email on 3/20 and are waiting for your response. Please let us know what your new chosen shipping frequency is and we'll get that set up for you!
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/14/2023

  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 subscribed to the Smalls subscription box in February and have received 2 food shipments but my cats are getting sick from the food my Vet even said that they shouldnt be eating the food. The company also just sends whatever flavors they have in stock not what you actually order online. I have reached out the company asking for a refund on my second shipment and all they replied back was ways to incorporate the food into my cats diet and since have stopped replying all together.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/08/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, I have not been contacted by Smalls regarding complaint ID ********.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************
  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/09/2023

  We apologize for any inconvenience caused to the customer and their pets. Our top priority is the health and well-being of our feline customers, and we take all complaints seriously. We understand that the customer's cats have had an adverse reaction to our food, and we apologize for any miscommunication on our end, as we were unaware of the issue until the customer contacted us on 3/12. We immediately began investigating the issue and asked for more information to help us better understand the situation. We also requested batch numbers for the recipes that were causing the customer's cats to get sick, and upon receiving the information, we refunded the affected products.
  
  Regarding the customer's concern about receiving different flavors than what they ordered, we would like to clarify that our sampler boxes are designed to provide a variety of flavors based on the proteins/textures selected upon signing up. However, we understand that some cats may have specific preferences, and we offer the ability to customize their subscription to exclude certain flavors from future orders.
  
  Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience and remain committed to providing high-quality and nutritious food for our feline customers. 
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/06/2023

  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.

  Purchased a 'sampler pack' of Smalls cat food for my cats to try. Smalls then billed me approximately 300 dollars for my first 'subscription shipment' which I DID NOT sign up for or request. They set this up on a weekly recurring charge of approximately 300 dollars per week, and now I have been charged almost 600 for cat THAT I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED AND DO NOT WANT.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/07/2023

  ******* purchased a trial from Smalls on 2/10/23 The customer authorized this transaction agreeing to our terms of service of receiving full, automatic, recurring orders based on that trial starting two weeks after the initial purchase. This information is flagged on the site, checkout process, and email confirmation for customers to review, as well as a Heads Up email that we send prior to the first full order charging.

  
  After your Trial Purchase, subscription prices vary depending on how many kitties you have, their weights, and ages, with the smallest plans available including 28 packets of Fresh food ($112 + shipping and taxes). This is enough to last an average 10lb kitty for 4 weeks. This customer has 7 cats, and all were signed up to be fed 100% Smalls.
  
  The customers first full order processed on 2/24/23, and their ***** tracking number indicates that it was delivered on 3/4/23. Unfortunately, once your order has shipped we are unable to issue a refund for that box. All sales are final. This is noted in our returns and refunds policy in our FAQs on the website.
  
  The customers second order was processed on 3/3, but we cancelled and refunded that order on 3/4/23 as requested.
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/17/2023

  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 a sample box from the Smalls company for Cat Food. They shipped the box and I received it. They then took the liberty without my consent of sending a large order of cat food and billed my credit card $182.63. I never, ever gave consent to do this. I wanted to try their cat food with my cats first.To me, this is illegal. I am demanding that they refund my money within 24 hours and will pursue legal action as necessary if my money is not refunded.Please help me with this situation. I feel like I have been robbed. I have tried to call them and they do not take phone calls. I have emailed them twice and they have not responded. I have also posted on their ******** site about this. No answers yet. Please assist me with this. Thank you *********************

  Business Response

  Date: 02/23/2023

  Thank you so much for flagging these issues with us - we'd be happy to help dispel some of your concerns. ********************* purchased a sampler from our company on 1/29/23. The customer authorized this transaction and agreed to our Terms of Service which gives us permission to charge them on a recurring basis for their subscription until the cancellation of their subscription is confirmed. 

  Smalls prides itself in our transparency, and ensures communication at several points before an order is no longer eligible for cancellation. To start, in the Account Portal your Upcoming Order can be postponed for up to 2 months at a time - the deadline for this, or any other changes, to apply to your next order is the Thursday before your order is set to ship, at 6PM EST.
  
  We send our Heads Up emails to customers who have a scheduled order early in the week - Monday or Tuesday - letting them know that their order is set to process on Friday, as well as important information such as out of stock announcements, and the subtotal for their upcoming order. On Thursday at 6PM EST, all changes to your order are locked in, and your order is set to charge, if you did not choose to postpone it.
  
  If your order charges when you weren't ready, we do have a limited window over the weekend to take care of this before the order is set to ship. Any order that is processed on Friday can be cancelled as long as we hear from you before Sunday at 6PM EST. After this time, our warehouse receive a manifest of all the orders shipping out for the week, and it is only at this time that we are unable to recall any order for refund or cancellation. Of course, it's always our hope that we're able to hear from all of our customers before this final deadline, but we're happy to take as many steps as we can to minimize the risk of an unwanted order.

  This customer received a refund the same day they reached out to us. Please se attached conversations.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/20/2022

  Type:Delivery 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.

  Joined Smalls and the first orders were perfect then came the nighmare !They sent the wrong food for 6 shipments and each time you can email NOT PHONE them. Each time different person. I ordered a certain type of food and for 3 shipments in a row I was sent a totally different order, then the next order not enough packets, then in two weeks when due to ship NOTHING. Each time I email them and they assure me the right order will be sent and again it is the wrong order wrong texture. I actually am so upset and disappointed and the cats end up suffering for their mistake. I would ask this, the ability to contact a supervisor or the *** which is impossible. Each time they assure me it will be fine and once again for 6 or more long weeks it is WRONG. Each time I ask for a supervisor or manager and nothing! They were supposed to send pulled turkey and chicken and they sent BEEF. They were to once again to send pulled turkey or chicken and sent SOFT food which then they sent out they don't have the texture pulled?? Ok if you have a chicken why can't you "pull the meat"?

  Business Response

  Date: 12/20/2022

  It appears the customer has received incorrect product in some of their orders due to mispicks (human error) in our warehouses. We have set up free replacements for these incorrect items but unfortunately the confusion has persisted. We will be following up with the customer directly to correct her orders.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/20/2022

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/05/2022

  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.

  The company Smalls charged my account ****** for a monthly subscription to receive fresh cat food. I reached out to them promptly, the day I was charged to tell them that I will not be needing the order and to cancel the shipment. Which was on Friday December 2nd, and got a reply from an automated message saying that I would be put in a queue and they would resolve my issue in the order that it was received. The next day Saturday December 3rd and 4:39pm, I received a reply from ****** asking how she could help. I replied within a few minutes and told her that I wanted to cancel my shipment, receive a refund, and gave her my order number. I have not heard anything back from the company since and it is now Monday December 5th. My order will be shipping out tomorrow and apparently once it ships, there is no way to cancel or refund the order. I do not think this is right considering they give the opportunity over the weekend to cancel the order and receive a refund before they ship, but have not processed my request. I would like the order to be cancelled and a refund given, because I reached out in a timely manner, and it was the fault of their own that they did not cancel it on their end.