Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/19/2023

  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.

  I submitted payment of $2,346 USD an order for 15lbs of vanilla beans to be shipped to Antigua in the Caribbean on the 13th April 2023. It is now the 19th May 2023. I have yet to receive any order confirmation or update regarding the shipment of the beans. I have been in contact via email with a representative every week from the date the payment was sent to request a progress update on the order but haven't heard anything substantial. I've tried calling them 5 times but the phone hasn't been answered at all. The last email was sent a week ago on the 11th May 2023 but I haven't gotten a reply.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/20/2023

  Thank you ****. We apologize your vanilla fly and arrive to Antigua island faster and we moreover apologize if you had been trying to contact us and somehow weren't reach us. We check messages and work to be on top of customer comms everyday so we want to make sure that never happens so will check yet again for some message we may have missed.

  As explained, as Antigua which is a remote difficult and rather out of the way Caribbean island took you months of chatting and asking us questions before you ever paid anything, and lots of requests for paperwork for importing locally just a small amount of vanilla which we had the patience to put up with...Likewise in order to ship there it literally comes all the way from small town storehouses and farm vine-post fields we have in areas like Antalaha, Maroansetra, and Mananara via the US from Madagascar island, which is also remote - and takes time to assemble these special documents and cases you request if you want it direct. - That's why you have a good price. Faster vanilla is always available from Antalaha and Antananarivo, Madagascar ; Narita city, Japan ; or Philadelphia and Chicago, USA.
  
  Fortunately, as we already said, the vanilla is shipped and that (6.8) kg arriving to Antigua customs in June. Please enjoy it. Sorry if you had been reaching out more on email or phone as we don't have any recent record of emails or calls from you, and we have responded to all emails and sent updates but could be a recent switch to ****** ***** of all the business email or your spam filters catching it. In any event, we value and appreciate your business, and you are getting GREAT vanilla.
  
  We would appreciate also if in exchange for our patience with your multi-month question and req list, for a very small very cheap order to an obscure far place, you would not as soon as paid reverse this view and nervously nudge urgent shipment for vanilla that is very cheap from a very remote tropical island on literally the opposite side of the planet.
  
  In any event, we can ship your next order sooner from Madagascar, as this document red tape parade for the Caribbean customs and the airfreight chain has been solved.
  
  Thank you for your understanding, and enjoy the vanilla. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/30/2023

  [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,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/11/2023

  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.

  Unfortunately, I ran into a lot of similar issues as the other complaint. The poor communication seems to be a pattern.I placed my order with Madagascar Vanilla Company for 1/4 lb. of vanilla beans on 1/29 in part because of the advertised quick 2-3 day shipping on their website. My credit card was charged immediately. Three business days passed without even a shipping confirmation. So on 2/2, the fourth day, I called the phone number listed on their website and left a message. No one ever returned my call. On Monday 2/6 I wrote them an email. **** replied that they were completely out of stock of vanilla and would ship in several weeks. I replied immediately that was an unacceptable resolution and asked for some concessions if I were to wait that long. I received no response and had to forward the email a second time to finally hear back. I was only offered a small discount on a future order. Again, I replied promptly and asked for a refund, since they were unwilling to offer any kind of compensation for the order taking 10x longer than advertised to reach me, with no communication of the delays on their part. In fact, their website still shows that the product will be delivered in 2-3 days when they are aware that they dont even have the product in stock. I also asked for an acknowledgment when the refund had been processed. I have not heard back, and my credit card statement shows no evidence of a refund being processed. I would either like a full immediate refund, or a partial refund for my troubles along with the product. I would also like the company to keep their website current as to stock, as them having no product available when advertising that they do seems to be a recurring issue.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/21/2023

  I am writing in regard to the complaint we have received, # ********.

  
  

  The customer had already been refunded back in February and I have screenshots of this action attached. We take those complaints seriously and do not hold anyone's money hostage. We did have delays in shipments due to stock arriving late from Madagascar. However, we are working on making our communication with the customers better and delivering on our promises. 

  
  

  Thank you for your attention to this matter and have a wonderful day~

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/04/2023

  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.

  I inquired with Madagascar Vanilla Company about purchasing vanilla beans and they responded almost immediately. After a couple of e-mails all of which they were very quick to respond I was given an invoice and then was able to get the wire transfer done a couple of days later. Since then, I've not been able to get responses except from an individual named ***** who only says it's on the way, or asking other to step in and answer my questions, all of which have been ignored.Date of first inquiry : 12/15/2022 @7:53pm filled out web form from their website Date **** first replied: 12/16/2022 @4:43am Date I replied: 12/17/2022 @12:45pm with the specifics of the order Date **** replied: 12/18/8:48 pm After that I switched the order from Grade A beans to mostly Grade B beans and **** sent a new invoice on 12/20/2022 @10:36 pm Wire transfer was sent out on 12/21/2022 around 12:00 pm.Sent confirmation wire transfer was successful at 12/21/2022 @4:01 pm.Sent e-mail on 12/26/2022 asking for update, but understanding it's the holidays. This e-mail has still not received a reply.I filled out another request from their website on 12/27/2022 ***** responded saying should be shortly after new years, not to worry on 12/28/2022 @9:28am I replied to this e-mail on 12/31/2022 @1:39 pm asking for a tracking number, still have not received a reply to this e-mail.I sent an e-mail on 1/2/2023@6:43pm to several people in the company who have appeared in the e-mail chain, including but not limited to **** and *****.***** replied on 1/2/2023@11:56 pm asking **** and ********** to get this out and into ********************* I replied on 1/3/2023 after no one else responded I sent an e-mail directly to ***** on 1/3/2023 @9:17 am letting him know I needed the tracking # or for my order to be refunded.I gave the benefit of the doubt during the holidays, but am unsatisfied thus far with the lack of communication and either want a tracking # or a refund.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/22/2023

  Re:   Complaint ID  ********; Madagascar Vanilla Company
  

  
  

  They have resolved the issue, beans were delivered and received.