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The Saga of Bodybuilding.com

Pseudonym

By Pseudonym
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Pseudonym Veteran member

Pseudonym

Posted
Posted

If you were looking for a short, happy story, you've got the wrong article. This is a long, sad tale of woe. It talks of dashed hopes and shattered illusions, spanning seasons and continents. This is the sorry saga of my order from Bodybuilding.com. So grab a cup of tea, sit back, and pay heed to this cautionary tale...

Once upon a time, about May 18 actually, I went to Bodybuilding.com and ordered the following:

1x RD Millenium Hooker II Lifting Strap

1x ISS Research Satur8, 1.05 lbs, Orange flavour

Really, all I wanted was the straps, but since the freight was going to cost as much as the straps did, I ordered the Satur8 (a creatine product) as well.

Shipping was via International Postal Service, and so my order would arrive within 7 - 14 days. Or so I thought...

On May 26, they sent this:

Hello Pseudonym!

It has been seven days since your order was shipped and it should be delivered any time now. We made sure to ship your order as QUICKLY as possible! I hope our service will beat your expectations.

Good luck with the order and let me know if there is anything we can do for you!

Sincerely,

Tommy Zarate

Customer Service Manager

Bodybuilding.com

I knew this was an automatic email, but it pleased me all the same. However when my order hadn't turned up after 20 days, I contacted them.

Hi there -

I was told my order #xxxxxx had been shipped by International Postal Service (7 - 14 Days delivery time) on Thursday, 19 May.

I have not yet received it. Could you let me know what has happened to it, please?

Regards,

Pseudonym

They replied:

Hello,

Your order was shipped on 5/18/2005. It was scheduled to reach customs in New Zealand on 5/28/2005. I will contact them today and ensure they have the necessary information to quickly get the package forwarded to you.

Unfortunately, we can't control what customs does in your country and it is frustrating for us as well. If you have any questions or if there is anything else we can do for you, please feel free to respond directly to this e-mail or call our toll free customer service line at 1-877-991-3411. I will personally make sure you get your package as quickly as possible!

Thank you Diet Down Debbie! Bodybuilding.com

Five days later, and still no word, I decided to take matters into my own hands, so I contacted New Zealand customs myself, and passed their reply back to Bodybuilding.com.

Hi. My order #xxxxxx still has not arrived.

I contacted New Zealand customs today, and they tell me they have no records under my name - so the product has not been withheld by them. Therefore either the package never reached them, or the problem is with the mail system. Do you have a tracking number I can take to NZ Post to find out where my shipment is?

Regards

Pseudonym

Hello,

We checked on the status of your shipment, and customs in New Zealand advised us that your order was stopped for inspection. We were electronically notified that our bodybuilding.com package with a reference #xxxxxx and order #xxxxxx was stopped. It had to under go a series of ingredient checks. Some of the items were considered to be questionable products to import. I am sending some necessary information on the ingredients of your products and will continue to work on this end to help your order to clear through customs. I will keep you updated on the progress of your shipment and ensure you receive your order in a timely manner. I apologize for the delay!

Thank You!

Bicep Becca

Bodybuilding.com

A bit strange, I thought... I was pretty certain there was nothing in the Satur8 that could be considered bad. I'd ordered it before from a different company, and customs had opened it, checked it, and given it a pass. Still, it couldn't take long for an ingredient list to be sent out to them, could it?

On June 18, one month after I ordered, Bodybu8ilding.com sent me this email:

Hello Pseudonym,

It's been 30 days since your order #xxxxxx shipped from Bodybuilding.com all the way to New Zealand. I am just writing to let you know how much I appreciate your business! I hope that the products you purchased are helping you to meet your fitness goals. Our only goal is to make YOU happy no matter what it takes!

I was especially curious about your opinion on RD Millenium Hooker II Lifting Strap.

Help others by posting your experience with this product on our forum at http://forum.bodybuilding.com. You can also search and see what others think.

Reply to this e-mail or call us at 1-208-377-9002 with any questions or comments regarding your order! We welcome any feedback.

We just added a ton of new training, nutrition and supplement advice to our huge site. Check it out when you get a chance!

Sincerely,

Tommy Zarate

Customer Service Manager

Bodybuilding.com

Hah. I'd love to write a review for you, but my product still hasn't arrived. :P

You've told me it's been pulled aside by customs (although there is no reason there should be a problem with it, and customs have not contacted me).

Are you able to give me a track-and-trace number for the package so I can chase it from this end? Alternatively, can you get customs to split the package, and send the wrist straps to me separately (since it's only the Satur8 that would be of concern)?

Regards

Pseudonym

Hello,

I apologize, that is an automated email. Your order is in customs.

Unfortunately, there is no way to seperate anything and although everything may be legal, they may still hold it for a while just because they have many packages to go through.

Thank you

Deadlift Devon!

Bodybuilding.com

So the problem was caused by a backlog of bureaucracy, was it? Customs officers swamped by the sheer volume of mail that needed checking? Well, it wouldn't have surprised me. I resigned myself to waiting further.

Somewhere along the way, I spoke to Bodybuilding.com through their live chat support, and discovered a crucial fact...

Deadlift Devon: Thank you for visiting Bodybuilding.com. My name is Deadlift Devon. How can I help you today?

Pseudonym: Hi there. Just making another enquiry about my order #xxxxxx which still hasn't arrived.

Pseudonym: In fact, it's been so long now, I can't even access it from your website any more :-/

Deadlift Devon: I apologize, it is still in customs

Pseudonym: Could I have the Track-and-Trace number you used to track it, please?

Deadlift Devon: I believe Becca explained that to you already but maybe not. We do not have individual tracking numbers for our international packages unfortunately, unless they are express. They are all sent out bulk so there isn't a way to track just your package.

Deadlift Devon: Customs electronically notifies us when that bulk shipment reaches them

Pseudonym: I see. Can you give me some sort of ID# for the shipment, then?

Deadlift Devon: Unfortunately, no. All information supplied to us is automatically updated electronically through a series of bar code scans that the package undergoes under transit

Pseudonym: And so is it this whole bulk package that's been stopped?

Deadlift Devon: Correct

Pseudonym: That must be a bit of a worry. How many customers would that affect?

Deadlift Devon: i am unsure of exactly how many went out in that one, Id assume around 10

Pseudonym: wow, ok.

Pseudonym: Any idea when the package might be released?

Deadlift Devon: I am not sure, I don't know how many other packages they have on top of that. It is frustrating. I would assume about a week

Pseudonym: I will await delivery anxiously, then!

Deadlift Devon: Okay! And I apologize for the delay

Pseudonym: Thanks for your help.

(emphasis added by me)

Well, 60 days came and went, and still no sign of my order. I went back to Bodybuilding.com again...

Hi.

It is now more than two months since I placed my order with you (#xxxxxx). Over a month ago you told me the bulk shipment had been stopped by customs, and was awaiting confirmation of ingredients. Whatever the reason, my package STILL has not arrived. This is hardly the 7 - 14 days delivery time you advertise.

I have two questions:

- What progress has been made on the matter since I last spoke to you about this issue?

- Will Bodybuilding.com be offering compensation for the delay?

Regards,

Pseudonym

Notice how my emails are getting more abrupt?!

Hello,

I do apologize for the delay, however the package is still at customs due to inspections! As soon as it is released it will either be allowed to import to you or refused entry and sent back to us. If we do get the package back we will contact you right away! Thank you for your patience! For additional customs information please refer to this link: http://bodybuilding.com/store/help/customs.htm

Thank you

Deadlift Devon!

Bodybuilding.com

Which didn't really answer either question satisfactorily. Are you seeing a pattern emerging in their replies yet? At this point I started gnashing my teeth angrily.

We're now up to July 24 - roughly 65 days after placing my order. And guess what? Those caring souls at Bodybuilding.com want to know how I'm doing. So much, in fact, that none other than the CEO, Ryan DeLuca himself, wrote to me personally.

Hello Pseudonym!

We miss you! I noticed that your last order was way back on Tuesday, May 17, 2005.

Are you still working out? How is your supplement program going? Hopefully it is going great. Otherwise, now is the perfect time to get back on track.

If you order again by July 31st, I will give you an extra 10% off your order! No strings attached. We just want you to come back and get the best results that you can.

To get your discount, simply go to this page that we created for you:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/comeback.htm

You'll be surprised at all the new products we've added since you last ordered!

Thanks!

Ryan DeLuca

CEO, Bodybuilding.com

Isn't that nice of him?! I sent a terse email back. Sadly, my Hotmail account has lost it, but it was a very good email indeed. I pointed out that a 10% discount wasn't a lot of help if the product never turned up. They didn't reply. :(

On August 15, I decided to try the formal approach.

To whom it may concern.

It is now approaching three months since I placed my order with you. Despite more than a dozen emails going back and forth between us, it STILL has not arrived.

As far as I am concerned, this is completely unacceptable for a package that was supposed to arrive within 14 days.

If Bodybuilding.com was at all sincere about customer service, you would have offered to refund my purchase, or fast-tracked a replacement out to me long ago.

I run New Zealand's largest bodybuilding forum, and I would be very interested to hear from others who have received the same appalling service.

I am extremely disappointed.

Pseudonym

(Coincidentally, it was about this time that Deegee also complained about BB.com's poor service)

Hello,

I am terribly sorry for this incredibly long delay on your order. I will start a trace on your package right now so we can locate it and forward it to you as soon as possible. Again, I apoligize. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you. Have a great day!

Thank you Meathead Mike Bodybuilding.com

Incredible! Nearly 90 days, and suddenly they can start a trace on the package! Also, we've moved from “sorryâ€

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Growth Veteran member

Growth

Posted
Posted

I find this quite outragous!

Let me get this right,

Not only are they not willing to accept that they have tried to cut costs by shipping multiple customer orders in one big bulk package (this is what i gathered from the emails) and in doing so it seems that some of the products in the bulk package are prohibited, so that leads to the whole bulk package beinn detained for some reason, is that correct?

I find it discusting that a company such as they would only offer a 10% discount on a further order when the first one didnt arrive, and what if they seend another of these bulk shipments, what if it again contains someone elses order which is prohibited.

How crazy is it to send multiply customer orders in one package. Whats crazier is that customs wont release the packages that arent prohibited, i assume although all the orders are in the same big box that it contains seperate boxed orders inside that one????

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Cornfed Member

Cornfed

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Posted

It seems to me that Customs and Medsafe are likely to be those most responsible. Just because there is nothing prohibited about your package doesn't mean that bureaucratic scum won't delay or steal it. If people would acquire more contempt for anyone who works for the Wellington regime then we might begin to make some progress, as those sick bastards are really ruining this society.

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Pseudonym Veteran member

Pseudonym

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Not only are they not willing to accept that they have tried to cut costs by shipping multiple customer orders in one big bulk package (this is what i gathered from the emails) and in doing so it seems that some of the products in the bulk package are prohibited, so that leads to the whole bulk package beinn detained for some reason, is that correct?

That's correct.

What really gets me is their statement "some of the items on your order are prohibited to import" - which is a blatant lie. Someone else's order may be prohibited, perhaps, but that should not impact on me.

I have to say, Cornfed, I was really impressed with the guys at NZ Customs and MedSafe. They've been incredibly helpful, trying to track down my order when Bodybuilding.com refused to send trace numbers despite repeated requests. I found both of them friendly and efficient.

There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. I rang VISA this morning to see if there was anything they could do. Apparently, they can reverse the charge if an order is not delivered within 30 days. So they're sending me a claim form to fill out. I'll let you know what happens.

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Growth Veteran member

Growth

Posted
Posted

What really gets me is their statement "some of the items on your order are prohibited to import" - which is a blatant lie. Someone else's order may be prohibited, perhaps, but that should not impact on me.

:nod: Its stupid, how can they possibley continue to use this as a shipping method?!?

I have to say, Cornfed, I was really impressed with the guys at NZ Customs and MedSafe. They've been incredibly helpful, trying to track down my order when Bodybuilding.com refused to send trace numbers despite repeated requests. I found both of them friendly and efficient.

Medsafe also really helped me out, i had a package seized which was sent to medsafe for testing a couple of years ago, i rang them and ended up having a 30 minute chat with some guy there about bodybuilding, steroids, ph's, i was suprisingly shocked.

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deegee Veteran member

deegee

Posted
Posted

Well I never knew about the bulk shipment thing, what a stupid way to ship things when there can so easily be a problem with some of the items.

However I think Customs here are being extremley unreasonable and as I have ordered this way before myself and know that each persons order is independantly packaged, WHY are they hanging onto the whoe lot because of one problem?

Seems like madness on behalf of customs.

Not very good customer service from bb.com to say the least.

Growth would be interested to know more about your conversation with medsafe though.

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Pseudonym Veteran member

Pseudonym

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I think Customs would have helped me more if they could. They looked up their database on every piece of info I could give them, but because it was a bulk package, it wasn't addressed to me yet. And because bb.com couldn't/wouldn't give me a tracing number, there was no other way to find it. :roll:

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brock_solid Member

brock_solid

Posted
Posted

Did you use a credit card? can't you use that whole if the goods don't arrive then you go to the bank and they refund the money and take it out of the bank account of the place you purchased the product from? or something like that.

Just a reminder to me after reading this, i'll never buy anything from bodybuilding.com.

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  • 4 weeks later...
BrooklynBB Junior member

BrooklynBB

Posted
Posted
Brock - I rang Visa the other day, and they're supposed to be sending me a claims form. It sounds like they'll organise a refund for me, but I'm not celebrating until the money hits my account!

Some story, and enjoyable to read with your commentary. :)

So what ever happened? Did you manage to fill out the claim form and get your money refunded?

I find the idiotic names that Bodybuilding.Com uses - Diet Down Debbie; Six Pack Sarah; Metabolic Melissa.

Geez, they're mocking the industry that llines thier wallets! Those names sound like those used in the old "Garbage Pail Kids" trading cards that mocked Cabbage Patch Kids in the 80's, pathetic!

Either way, I hope you get your order and/or money. And next time, get your straps from http://www.prowristsraps.com. :)

-BBB

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  • 4 weeks later...
DaveG New member

DaveG

Posted
Posted

Have to say, I had a very similar issue to the one above.

The blame was pointed squarely at customs.

The problem is - they have a 'secret and direct' line to customs that enables them to track your package. You, as a mere mortal cannot be allowed to know this information. Utter bollocks.....

I had whey held up for 5 weeks (and it should have taken just 1 week to arrive)

After talking to a bro in the industry, the blame seems to more lay with duetche (sp?) post (the cheaper option) as they use different and slower methods getting into the country and are right pricks to get through customs.

Using FedEx - you always get a courtesy call when the package is held by customs (and a better service) , with Duetche you dont.

So whilst the response from BB was pathetic in the least, the carrier is worse....

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  • 5 weeks later...
Bohawk Junior member

Bohawk

Posted
Posted

pseudonym, yikes, man. what a ripper! i'd be ballistic too.

well, i guess i've been one of the "lucky" ones too. when i lived in the states, the orders arrived sometimes in less than 3 days. i now order from here in 3 months supplies. the first few orders got here in less than 2 weeks. the longest i had to wait was my last order (this month) which took 21 days. none of my packages has ever been opened by customs, yet none would have contained any product that would be banned. i can't see how they would refuse factory sealed protein powder. i mean nz exports this stuff to the rest of the bloody world anyway! :?

my experience so far has been that maf is the real buggers. they stop anything organic. my family have sent sealed foods here and every single time, maf opens the package.. and a few times have had my precious sunflower and/or flax seeds destroyed (or given to the auckland airport beagle for afternoon tea) :pfft:

anyway, i guess customer service is really tested when things go wrong. pseudo's order was definitely handled in an extremely poor fashion.

some others here suggested nutraplanet. i looked there, like his philosophy, but his prices and/or selection just isn't the same. we'll see.

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deegee Veteran member

deegee

Posted
Posted

I think bb.com has just got so big they dont really care about individual customers anymore.

MAF are fine with most things coming from the States, if it is food and from Asia you are going to be in for a hard time with MAF,

bulk nutrition is another suggested by soimw people on here.

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