Complaints

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

close

Find a Location

WebstaurantStore has 3 locations, listed below.

*This company may be headquartered in or have additional locations in another country. Please click on the country abbreviation in the search box below to change to a different country location.

BBB accredited

Near

Country

USUnited States

Please enter a valid location.

Filter

• 

  WebstaurantStore

  40 Citation Ln Lititz, PA 17543-7604

• 

  WebstaurantStore

  11 Industrial Cir Lancaster, PA 17601-5927

• 

  Webstaurant Store

  11700 mexico farms rd Cumberland, MD 21502-6616

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:11/26/2023

  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.

  Today, 11/25/23 I purchased on line merchandise from WebstaurantStore for a total of $38.56 plus tax of $6.02. I authorized these amounts on my **** cc. When I received the email confirmation, I noticed shipping of $30.64 (the package was less than 1 pound) and I immediately went on their web site, found my order was in processing status and in a chat and told them to cancel the order since I was never informed of this high shipping fee and did not authorize it on my credit card. I also responded to the original email confirmation and told them to cancel the order. They responded that it had already shipped and they will do nothing about the charge.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/01/2023

  We are sorry to hear the customer was unhappy with their purchase. The shipping costs are available for customers to view both in their shopping cart prior to proceeding through the checkout, as well as on the Review Order page before submitting the order. When customers place an order, they are agreeing to these terms and authorize the total charge. This item did not have free shipping and was not advertised as such. Our shipping charges cover the costs of processing, handling, packaging, and delivering orders. We do not include any of these charges in the price of the items like other companies do, so we include it with the overall shipping charge. The reason we were unable to cancel the order is the order already shipped by the time the customer asked for the order to be canceled. On our Terms of Sale page, we state "Once an order is placed, we cannot guarantee that it can be cancelled." This can be seen here: ***********************************************************. We do acknowledge the customer's concerns. Because all of the information regarding shipping costs and canceling orders was available for the customer to view prior to checking out, we will not be providing compensation at this time. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/01/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I did not get the enormous shipping cost prior to closing the purchase.  I did chat with their representative after I received the email and noted the shipping cost and explained that I wanted to cancel..  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/08/2023

  The shipping amounts were available for the customer to see in their shopping cart and on the Review and Payment page prior to checking out. Screenshots showing this process are attached. The customer even has to scroll past the shipping section in order to click on the complete order button. We were unable to cancel the order because it already shipped. By placing the order, the customer agreed to the terms of the sale, which includes all pricing/costs provided, and the cancellation policy. We will not be providing compensation at this time.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/08/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: shipping charge was excesive (over #** for less than 1 lb box).
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/15/2023

  We do acknowledge the customer's concerns. We do not include any shipping or handling fees into the price of our items like most places, so we do put it on at the end with the shipping costs. We are a bulk wholesaler designed to primarily ship to commercial locations. It is cheaper to ship to a commercial address. Buying in bulk also means the more you purchase, the less the shipping cost there is per item. We put all of the shipping charges up front for customers prior to them checking out. We recognize this business model is not best suited for all customers. Because we provided all of this information up front for the customer, we will not be providing compensation.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/15/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Keep on file to warn other individuals of this companies policies, so they can purchase elsewhere.
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/21/2023

  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.

  Item arrived damage and webstaurantstore.com wouldn't offer to replace the item. This happens when using cut rate shipping services like *****.  I was offered a 20% refund and countered with a 30% which was accepted by their representative. After the agent agreed to refund me 30% I was only sent a refund of the lower amount of 20%. I do not recommend this vendor as they're unwilling to stand behind their product when it's damaged by their shipper. I recommend and use *** for my business as the workforce is compensated more favorably which results in a better shipping & handling experience.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/24/2023

  We were sorry to hear that the product arrived with some dents. When customers notify us of damage, if the damage appears to be cosmetic, we will typically offer a partial refund if the customer is willing to keep the unit as is. In this case, the rep offered 20%. The customer replied with "Thanks I'll take a 30% refunded to the credit card." This may have been overlooked or was misunderstood since it wasn't asked as a question, and we apologize for this error. Because the rep said they would issue the refund, we will have the difference issued. The difference to be refunded is $32.90 plus applicable tax. The customer should see this on their statement in 3-5 business days. If there are any other questions, please let us know.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/28/2023

  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.

  We ordered shelves from this vendor (54") and upon receipt they were damaged. We have attempted to contact the organization for replacement / exchange with no success. In fact we've worked to communicate via their online forms with no success. In fact we attempted to contact them five times.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/02/2023

  We were sorry to hear that the shelves arrived damaged! We have emailed the customer on 10/29, 10/30, and 11/1 but have not received any replies. It is possible the emails went to the customer's junk/spam folder. We have the photos supplied in this complaint, and are able to take care of this for the customer. A Customer Solutions representative will be reaching out through email to take care of this for the customer. If the customer has additional questions or does not receive the email by EOD 11/3, the customer can use our live chat and any representative will be able to assist.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/21/2023

  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.

  Order ID ******** my cakes arrived damaged and not frozen!! They had no dry ice or packs of ice in them I opened my package within 2 hours of being delivered since I wasn't home st the moment. When I checked temperature they was over 80 degrees and smelled badly!! I immediately contacted you guys the next working day which was today so within 1 business day. The agent ***** was very rude and said this was my problem?? Excuse me?? My problem when your company placed no ice?? 2 hours didn't do this, even a day wouldn't do this. I later chatted with ******* and was promised a refund I will attach that below!! Of course this still hasn't happened!!! I get denied managers and etc, this is unacceptable!!

  Business Response

  Date: 10/27/2023

  We do acknowledge the customer's concerns. On our Terms of Sale page, under "Shipping Policy" we state "You are responsible for checking the internal temperatures of refrigerated and frozen products immediately upon delivery to ensure they are received at food-safe temperatures according to the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) guidelines." This can be seen here: ********************************************************************
  
  While the customer did contact us within 1 business day, they did not check the temperature immediately. The customer is also incorrect in saying they checked the package within 2 hours of being delivered. The customer said they checked it at 8:45 PM and included a picture with that timestamp. However, according to the tracking, the item delivered at 4:03 PM, over 4  hours prior to the temperature being checked. Here is the tracking information showing when the delivery occurred: *****************************************************************************************
  
  Additionally, the customer stated that there were no dry ice packs in the packaging. In the pictures supplied by the customer, there are dry ice packs in the packaging. The dry ice packs are clearly labeled as such. The customer was chatting in multiple times speaking to multiple representatives, causing confusion after they had already been told numerous times that we would not be providing compensation for this issue. We can supply the chat transcripts if necessary. 
  
  The customer was not denied managers, multiple managers reiterated our position to the customer through email. If the customer wishes to pursue a resolution, they will need to reach out to [email protected]. We will not be the best supplier for this customer moving forward. 
  
  Based on the information provided, while we do acknowledge the concerns of the customer, we will not be providing any resolution outside of the policy review team at this time. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/11/2023

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  ordered product on 10/4/23 with quoted delivery between 2-4 business days. one week passed and item had not arrived. reached out to customer support. they said the product was actually out of stock. i said i shouldn't have been able to order it if it was out of stock. they said it was a common practice. they sent an email saying the item was out of stock and would not arrive in time and that was all they did. they offered to cancel and refund the order. I agreed to cancel because the item will not arrive in time. but the support personnel were not helpful and I could not speak to a supervisor to satisfy my questions. I was told no further escalation was possible. I would like to receive compensation for this inconvenience and treatment.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  We were sorry to hear that the items were out of stock. Our website permits orders based on current stock counts that are live. As we receive thousands of orders a day, sometimes stock counts will get depleted and we then notify customers if anything sells out. In this case, we emailed the customer on 10/5 to inform them that the product was out of stock. The customer only contacted us on 10/11 regarding this issue. We were able to cancel the order for the customer, so they will not be charged for the order. The customer did get to talk with a supervisor, a Customer Solutions Team Leader. We additionally provided the customer with a $50 store credit for the inconvenience.
  
  We do acknowledge the customer's concerns. They were permitted to talk to a supervisor, we canceled the order so we do not have any of their funds, and we provided the customer with an additional $50 store credit on top of that for the inconvenience. We will not be providing additional compensation. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/13/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  It is unacceptable to continue to take orders for items that are out of stock. The size of your business is no excuse. If you can’t handle basic inventory, it sounds like you need to scale down. 
  
  As far as being able to speak with a supervisor, I spoke with someone who said they were a supervisor. She was not able to answer my questions about inventory policy and I requested her supervisor. She denied me the ability to speak with someone who had knowledge about company policy. As a result I wanted to file a complaint about her poor performance as well. But she refused to give me contact information for her superior or anyone else who could help me. In this matter and in the matter of inventory policy / shipping dates I remain unsatisfied  
  
  The credit of $50 to my account does not compensate for the wasted time, effort, and energy this ordeal has caused. I had to find an alternative product from another site and have it rush shipped to me because Webstaurant’s inventory and shipping dates cannot be trusted. To guarantee faster and free shipping, I requested to be compensated with a year subscription of their “Plus” service. Without this compensation I will remain unsatisfied and I will refuse to use their services again.
  

  Regards,
  
  *******************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  Both the original representative and the supervisor provided information regarding the stock policies multiple times. It is the very first item on our Terms of Sale page, found here: ****************************************************************;

  Under "Orders" we state, "In-stock items generally ship in 1-2 business days. For items shipping from the manufacturer, estimated processing times are listed on the items page. If we do not have enough stock on hand to fulfill your order, we will send you an email notification within 24 business hours. If you have a time constraint on your order, please respond to that email so that our team can work on a solution for you." We followed through on this policy by emailing the customer the next day (order was placed 12/4, we sent the email on 12/5) and the only available resolution based on the customer's need by date, which we were told of on 10/12, was that we could cancel the order so that the customer could try and source the sporks elsewhere. We canceled the order and do not have any of the customer's funds, and even went above the norm and provided the customer with an additional $50 in store credit. 

  We do understand our business model is not for everyone, and we recognize that we may not be the best supplier for this customer. We will not be issuing any further compensation.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/13/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I am not satisfied with the customer service provided. It is bad business practice and there is no accountability. The supervisor I spoke with could not even point me to the Terms outlined here. I am unsatisfied and will remain so unless my request is met. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/17/2023

  We acknowledge the customer's concerns. We do not have any of the customer's funds, have provided all information available, and in fact went above and beyond by providing a $50 store credit the customer can use at anytime. We will not be providing any further compensation. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/17/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I am not satisfied with the customer service provided, during the initial interaction and during this process. It is bad business practice and there is no accountability. The supervisor I spoke with could not even point me to the Terms outlined here. I am unsatisfied and will remain so unless my request is met. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/10/2023

  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 bought these online 2 weeks ago. I constructed them 4 days ago. They do not hold even the lightest. of elements When I asked for return I was offered the opportunity to pay ***** to ship the shelves and about ~$7 dollars back. It would cost me more than $7 dollars to ship the shelves back. This is a defective product.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  We are sorry to hear this is not what the customer was expecting. The customer ordered dunnage racks, which are not stackable shelves. Dunnage racks are single level shelves that lift food and other items off the ground to keep food and other products dry. This is not advertised as being something that can be stacked, and the pictures on the item page additionally show how this is intended to be used. The customer would need to order regular shelves, not dunnage racks. We are going to make an exception for this customer and issue a refund for the items. They do not need to be returned. The customer will receive an email shortly, and the refund will appear on their card in 3-5 business days. There is nothing further we can provide at this time.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/14/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the product is defective. This could be posted, etc, etc, Going through BBB seemed rational and ethical. But look at your product. I expect a full refund credited to the card.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/17/2023

  The product is not defective, it is a dunnage rack. Dunnage racks are not stackable shelves as evidenced by the photos provided on our website here: ********************************************************************************************************************. The customer is using the products incorrectly for an unintended purpose.

  We have made an exception for this customer and issued a refund for the product to the original payment method on 10/13. The customer will be seeing this on their statement in 2-3 business days.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2023

  They reimbursed 80 of 135 dollars spent. This is inadequate. 

  Business Response

  Date: 11/06/2023

  Because the product is not defective, but instead was being used incorrectly/in an unintended purpose, the original shipping amount and shipping tax is not being refunded. We refunded the customer the subtotal of the order, $73.98, and the applicable tax of $6.57. The order total was $106.43. We acknowledge the customer's concerns. We have refunded the customer appropriately, even though the dunnage shelves are not defective. We refunded the price of the items as a courtesy to the customer without requiring the items be returned. The customer will not be refunded the original shipping amount as they are not defective. Dunnage shelves are not stackable, nor do we list this item as being stackable, and the picture on the website shows the item fully assembled: **************************************************************************************************************. We will not be providing further compensation. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/06/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
  
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The advertising shows stacked shelves. The shelves are stacked in all photos.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ******* ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/28/2023

  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.

  Items order came thrown in boxes with out any packaging inside. Bounced around and broken due to no protection and clearly not damaged from outside from ******. No direct line to call customer service and no reply to email about replacing order, scheduing a pickup of damaged goods or refund of money. Will never do business with this company again as it seems to be not consumer friendly or helpful. Shipping also expensive.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/28/2023

  The company has emailed me and I am sending pictures as they offered to make it right. So please close the case.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/10/2023

  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 set of bowls from Webstaurantstore.com to complete my table service. The bowls were shipped without close to no padding - just thin paper-like separators - and 3 out of the 6 bowls arrived broken. I reported the damage to the vendor the day I received the order. The representative with whom I spoke said I could donate the unbroken bowls and that she would issue a full refund, but I received only a partial refund - for the broken bowls only.I've called the vendor repeatedly asking for a refund of the balance - for the 3 bowls I couldn't use that I have, indeed, donated. The 5th and most recent time I called, the representative emailed me a notice showing the amount they were charging me instead of refunding to my card. I explained once again that I could not use the partial order and had donated the unbroken bowls, per Webstaurant's recommendation.The amount due me is minor, but I should not have to pay for goods the vendor essentially failed to deliver. The bowls would have been lovely on my table, but Webstaurant's "service" is a disaster. I am asking for the refund I am due.The Webstaurant case number is **************

  Business Response

  Date: 09/18/2023

  We were sorry to hear that half of the bowls were damaged. Originally, our Customer Service rep had said we could refund for the broken bowls or reship them. When the customer asked for the refund, the representative missed that the customer wanted to donate the remaining 3 bowls. This was why the rest was not originally refunded. We typically would only refund for the broken items or reship the quantity needed to complete the order. We did provide the rest of the refund to the customer on 9/11. The refund in full has been issued.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/25/2023

  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 purchased a work table with undershelf and overshelf (Item #**************). The box arrived with zero padding between the outside of the box and the main table top. When I opened the package it was apparent that there were a few dents and scratches which I wasn't happy about. I spoke with customer service via chat they agreed to refund me 20% of the price of the table itself. After buying "Kits" like this one, Webstaurant splits up the item by sub-items and everything ships separately from all over the country. This amounted to a little over $50 for a $700+ unit that I purchased. After removing the "protective" film from the top two days later, I discovered that there were in fact much more damage than orginally realized. I immediately got back with customer service and was told that it was still just cosmetic and there was nothing else they could do. There was also a substantial dent in the overshelf, and since that wasn't on the original refund, they agreed to replace that unit, but that does little good with the main table has issues all over it. The agent refused to let me contact a manager and would not assist me any further because of the incomplete resolution that had already been reached, despite me provided several additional photos of the extensive damage. All I wanted was a replacement top sent (with adequate packaging to protect it) but they refused to assist me with this. The scratches in this are not just cosmetic, but rather lend to possible bacterial contamination which is a serious issue in the food industry (we run a bakery). They refused to acknowledge this, insisting that it was only cosmetic. If a new top cannot be provided, then I would simply like a refund for the entire unit (minus the ~$50 refund they already provided) so I can purchase a different table that is packaged better.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/01/2023

  We were sorry to hear that the unit had multiple damages, and are glad that we had been able to resolve this. The reason we are not able to reship the top to the customer is they had already agreed to, and was issued, the partial refund for the damage. The customer indicated the refund amount was acceptable, so we went through with that to address the customer's concerns. A reshipment of the product would mean the customer had been refunded for more than the table top. What we can do is issue a store credit for the price of the table top (item *********), minus the amount already refunded, to the customer's account. The customer can then purchase the table top on its own with that store credit. To have this issued, the customer can either respond to this message, or they can reach out to our Customer Solutions team. We acknowledge the customer's concerns, and are able to provide this resolution. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/01/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/06/2023

  I have not yet received the credit that was agreed to onto my account. Please facilitate with the business. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/07/2023

  The store credit has been added to the customer's account, and is for the remaining amount of the table top plus tax. The customer can use this at any time to order the table top. We do not need the damaged unit returned, it can be discarded. The customer should be receiving an email confirmation as well regarding the store credit, as well as instructions on how to use the store credit. We appreciate the customer working with us on this, and this has been resolved.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/17/2023

  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.

  On Aug 2nd I contacted Webstaurant Store before purchasing a vending machine to ask how much they charged in fees for credit cards. The representative told me I had to set it up myself and they had nothing to do with fees. The correct response should have been that it would be mandatory for me to use **********. I paid an additional $318 for the credit card reader thinking I would be able to use any POS. The machine arrived on Aug 15th with instructions to set up POS with **********. ********** sent me electronic docs stating I would be charged a monthly fee but did not include the fee. I emailed them back asking the rates and was told $9.99/month plus 5.5% per transaction. This machine is for my small office and I probably won't even make $10/month. I called Webstaurant and told them it was too expensive and asked if I could use a different company. They referred me to the manufacturer ***** who stated they don't know why Webstaurant didn't include this in their website details. I called Webstaurant for a refund and was told I'd have to pay for a shipping label as well as a 20% restocking fee. If the information regarding the fees for the POS system would have been included on the website and/or told to me when I asked about the fee prior to purchasing the machine I would not be out over $65. I would like to not have to pay a restocking fee since they did not give me the proper information when I was researching buying my 1st vending machine. The company can check live chats on the dates I mentioned through their website from **************** ******************** Order ********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/19/2023

  The company initially said I could a refund and return the card reader but now sent an email stating it is non-refundable. None of this is on the website. I am military in a small office that works with army reservist. I won't be able to cover the $9.99/month and 5.5% +.10 fee without overcharging these Soldiers who are only there one weekend per month. The company stated "********** has the lowest individual operating costs, and transaction fees in the industry" which is not true because I researched before I purchased the vending machine. If the company told me I had to use ********** when I called them prior to buying it I would have went with a cash only option. I am out $318 for a card reader that will never get used. I want a refund and the company should update their website for this product. ***** Vending Machine Model ******

  Business Response

  Date: 08/25/2023

  We are sorry to hear that this item is not what the customer was hoping it would be. WebstaurantStore does not control the fees provided by point of sale systems in the vending machines. We are strictly a distributor and sell products with the information that is provided by the manufacturer. As such, customers are expected to do their due diligence and make sure the product they are ordering will fit their needs. The customer only asked us what the fees were, and we informed them that we did not know the fees because that is not something that we control. We did look into a return with the manufacturer, and they informed us that because this is a special order item it is not able to be returned. This information can also be found on the item page, under the item details section, here: **************************************************************************************-**********************. We do acknowledge the customer's concerns. At this time, we will not be providing compensation nor a return for this item that was shipped as ordered. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/25/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  The company has a responsibility to place this information on their website. They will continue to trick buyers into purchasing this vending machine with no  upfront information and use the excuse they do not charge the fees. At this point they are fully aware of the fees and even when asked they are shady with the response instead of saying customers MUST use **********. 
  
  Regards,
  
  * ******

  Business Response

  Date: 09/01/2023

  We are in the process of updating the website with the information for future customers. We are going to make an exception for this customer and allow a return of the product to our warehouse. In the future, the customer must ensure they are getting all of the information they need prior to purchasing the product. They had asked about the fees, which our customer service team answered. They did not ask about the point of sale system setup itself. Because this is an exception being made, the return will be a standard return. Once the item is received at our warehouse in undamaged, unused condition, the customer will receive a refund, minus the restocking and return shipping charges. A representative from the returns team will be reaching out to them to coordinate a return. We acknowledge the customer's concerns, and will be making an exception and issuing a return of the product to our warehouse.