Bariatric Advantage and BAD customer service
I opted to use Bariatric Advantage supplements because it was convenient to order everything I need from one place, and they came highly recommended by my nutritionist, surgeon, and therapist who specializes in people considering weight loss surgery. My first two orders went off without a hitch!
This last one though... I realized that I was getting low, but I had a week's worth of supplements, so no biggie. I hop online, and order my supplements. The last time I ordered, I wasn't in a hurry and I got my shipment in 5 days, but just to be safe, I paid an extra $10 for expedited shipping. That was June 15. It's now June 22, and I have no supplements or any way to find out my order status. There's no information on my account with them. No confirmation email. So, I call...
The woman I spoke to was terse to the point of being rude. I politely explain my problem and she puts me on hold. She didn't ask me for any information, apparently, she has everything she needs from my phone number... She comes back and says that my package will be going out today. Well, okay. Sooo if I actually get the priority shipping I paid for there's still a good chance that I won't get my supplements until next Monday, and as of tomorrow, I'm totally out and have no more cushion.
This is very frustrating. Sitting on an order for a week before shipping it out when you're dealing with products people need for their health is not okay, especially when they're paying for expedited shipping. Not cool Bariatric Advantage.
This last one though... I realized that I was getting low, but I had a week's worth of supplements, so no biggie. I hop online, and order my supplements. The last time I ordered, I wasn't in a hurry and I got my shipment in 5 days, but just to be safe, I paid an extra $10 for expedited shipping. That was June 15. It's now June 22, and I have no supplements or any way to find out my order status. There's no information on my account with them. No confirmation email. So, I call...
The woman I spoke to was terse to the point of being rude. I politely explain my problem and she puts me on hold. She didn't ask me for any information, apparently, she has everything she needs from my phone number... She comes back and says that my package will be going out today. Well, okay. Sooo if I actually get the priority shipping I paid for there's still a good chance that I won't get my supplements until next Monday, and as of tomorrow, I'm totally out and have no more cushion.
This is very frustrating. Sitting on an order for a week before shipping it out when you're dealing with products people need for their health is not okay, especially when they're paying for expedited shipping. Not cool Bariatric Advantage.
Once again, I repeat... these companies (BA is not the only one) are NOT in existence to make life better/healthier for WLS patients... they are in business to make money selling vitamin products. If they can do that by convincing people that they are there FOR YOU, that's better for their bottom line. They are no more concerned about your individual health than a new car salesman is.
Lora
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
Lora,
Well of course. I would no more think that Bariatric Advantage was there for my comfort and well being any more so than Walgreens was, or heck, even my doctor- while there are certainly kind hearted people in the world, most people do their jobs for the cash. That said- one expects to get what they pay for, and BA allowed me to pay for my supplements and expedited delivery, and they not only failed to deliver what I paid for, but they have been unhelpful in trying to resolve this problem. If Walgreens ripped me off while buying my supplements there, I'd post about to warn theor other targets too.
I don't know it it was your intention, but your reply comes across as a bit condescending and somewhat rude not to mention fairly unhelpful in an already frustrating situation.
Rachel
Well of course. I would no more think that Bariatric Advantage was there for my comfort and well being any more so than Walgreens was, or heck, even my doctor- while there are certainly kind hearted people in the world, most people do their jobs for the cash. That said- one expects to get what they pay for, and BA allowed me to pay for my supplements and expedited delivery, and they not only failed to deliver what I paid for, but they have been unhelpful in trying to resolve this problem. If Walgreens ripped me off while buying my supplements there, I'd post about to warn theor other targets too.
I don't know it it was your intention, but your reply comes across as a bit condescending and somewhat rude not to mention fairly unhelpful in an already frustrating situation.
Rachel
It was not my intention to be condescending. You would be suprised at how many people really believe that these companies exist because of their deep and abiding concern for the health of WLS pateints, however... and then get upset when the company does something "wrong".
If you feel like you did not get what you paid for in terms of expedited service, complain and ask for that money back... and, as someone lese, pointed out, you CAN get vitamins somewhere else to hold you over since you waited until the last minute to replenish your stock. They will not go to waste. "Stuff" happens all the time that delays online orders/deliveries...
Lora
If you feel like you did not get what you paid for in terms of expedited service, complain and ask for that money back... and, as someone lese, pointed out, you CAN get vitamins somewhere else to hold you over since you waited until the last minute to replenish your stock. They will not go to waste. "Stuff" happens all the time that delays online orders/deliveries...
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
As Lora said - it is a business ... nothing else. As you know - they have a recall - so most likely some products have been destroyed and they are scrambling now to get things together.
That and the price issue - I buy my vitamins and minerals where I can easily find them and some that are cheaper.
The BA may be good - but they are loaded in a lot of artificial stuff that can't not be good for anyone. I buy now multi from CVS (I still use chewable) and use the CVS brand - CEntrum Equivalent (I buy them when they have BOGO sale) The centrum mega pills (multi) i get from Costco... or I get the Costco brand Centrum Equivalent. (so cheap)
Same with other vits and minerals. Why pay premium + shipping, get upset... when I can pick on the one I want , when I want,. Using "generic" vitamins and minerals makes you independent from just one source. And thy are so easy to get when you travel and realized ... oops - you forgot them.
That and the price issue - I buy my vitamins and minerals where I can easily find them and some that are cheaper.
The BA may be good - but they are loaded in a lot of artificial stuff that can't not be good for anyone. I buy now multi from CVS (I still use chewable) and use the CVS brand - CEntrum Equivalent (I buy them when they have BOGO sale) The centrum mega pills (multi) i get from Costco... or I get the Costco brand Centrum Equivalent. (so cheap)
Same with other vits and minerals. Why pay premium + shipping, get upset... when I can pick on the one I want , when I want,. Using "generic" vitamins and minerals makes you independent from just one source. And thy are so easy to get when you travel and realized ... oops - you forgot them.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
Even with shopping at Walmart, Kroger, etc. rather than someplace like Costco or Sam's, I now spend only a third of what I was spending my first year post-op on vitamin supplements. The special, expensive "bariatric" items just really are NOT necessary. I can buy my multivitamins for an entire month for LESS THAN the shipping charge of a single internet order.
I would much rather spend my money on higher quality food.
Lora
I would much rather spend my money on higher quality food.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
or cute clothes... or new haircut...
I completely understand, Me too. I do buy my multi chewables from CVS (I still gag on the multi pills..) And now I donot pay more than $4 for month of multi chewables (BOGO). The pilsl are cheaper ...but I still hate them... I can take the calcium or capsules.. but the multi- sit so heavy...
I completely understand, Me too. I do buy my multi chewables from CVS (I still gag on the multi pills..) And now I donot pay more than $4 for month of multi chewables (BOGO). The pilsl are cheaper ...but I still hate them... I can take the calcium or capsules.. but the multi- sit so heavy...
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
I take the Centrum chewables (I kind of alternate the regular and Silver). For calcium, one of the daily doses is the Upcal D powder mixed into a beverage (usually my morning SF hot cholocate, along with a scoop of protein powder), and the other two doses are either the Citrical petites or Vitamin Shoppe calcium citrate capsules (they are long, but the capsule is thin). Periodically the VS brand are buy-one-get-one-50% off. Sometimes one dose is a Calcet Creamy bite for a treat.
Yeah, I had forgotten how annoying it can be when you have a Chow to have to remember to grab the clothes brush before you leave the house all the time (we had Chows when I was growing up), but Khan is a really good dog. His guarding instincts are kicking in and he has a VERY big bark, so I feel safer with him in the house. He's just now 10 months old and 58 pounds, so he'll probably be 65-70 full grown!
Lora
Yeah, I had forgotten how annoying it can be when you have a Chow to have to remember to grab the clothes brush before you leave the house all the time (we had Chows when I was growing up), but Khan is a really good dog. His guarding instincts are kicking in and he has a VERY big bark, so I feel safer with him in the house. He's just now 10 months old and 58 pounds, so he'll probably be 65-70 full grown!
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
Yes, I get that they are a business, and as a business owner myself, and a former business major, I've learned that ripping people off isn't a great way to stay in business... and I didn't know about the recalls, or I would have looked into this purchase better.
I have four kids, two of which are only two years old and special needs and a husband who works at a start up working 80+ hours a week. Plus the above mentioned business that I run. I order my groceries online for delivery. I order the majority of my clothes (though these days I'm finding I actually need to try stuff on, lol!). I even order my toddlers diapers. Ordering my supplements makes sense for me... and I expect that I will continue to do so, but probably not from BA! ;-)
I have four kids, two of which are only two years old and special needs and a husband who works at a start up working 80+ hours a week. Plus the above mentioned business that I run. I order my groceries online for delivery. I order the majority of my clothes (though these days I'm finding I actually need to try stuff on, lol!). I even order my toddlers diapers. Ordering my supplements makes sense for me... and I expect that I will continue to do so, but probably not from BA! ;-)
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