Terrible Customer Service, Shipping Issues, and Inadequate Resolution
I am deeply disappointed with my recent experience with ALPAKA, a company I previously trusted and had spent several hundreds of dollars with. This review details a series of issues that demonstrate their poor customer service and shipping practices.
After my original order was severely delayed beyond their promised 8-12 business day delivery window, I was forced to place a second, expedited shipping order ($40 extra for <5 business day delivery) on December 20th, 2024 for the same item. Just 7 minutes after placing the order, I emailed their support team requesting cancellation. Despite the immediate notification and the fact that UPS hadn't even received the package yet (as evidenced by tracking), they refused to cancel it, claiming it had "already been processed and shipped."
The order, which was time-sensitive and meant to be delivered to a temporary address in Orlando (where the recipient would only be until January 4th), wasn't delivered until January 6th - a full 17 days after ordering, well outside their promised delivery window even for standard shipping, let alone expedited. This massive delay rendered the $158.69 order completely useless, as the recipient had already left the delivery address.
When I brought this to their attention, their solution was to offer a $20 gift card for future purchases - not even half the cost of the wasted expedited shipping, let alone the total order value. This inadequate response came without any consultation about what would make the situation right.
The company's response to my request for a full refund was to direct me to their returns portal - completely ignoring the fact that I can't even access the package to return it, as it was delivered to an address I no longer have access to. The entire order value of $158.69 is essentially lost.
This experience revealed several critical issues with ALPAKA:
1. They won't honor cancellation requests even minutes after ordering
2. Their shipping promises are consistently unreliable for both standard and expedited shipping
3. They forced me to pay twice for the same item due to their shipping delays
3. Their customer service team lacks the authority or willingness to properly remedy serious issues
4. They show little regard for loyal customers who have spent hundreds with their brand
I've now been forced to consider filing a bank dispute and pursuing this through small claims court or consumer arbitration. Save yourself the headache and shop elsewhere - this company's customer service has deteriorated significantly.
Customer Service Representative: Eshia
Order Date: December 20, 2024
Delivery Date: January 6, 2025
Order Value: $158.69 (including $40 expedited shipping)
Reply from ALPAKA
Hello A F
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration you've experienced with your recent order. We truly value your loyalty as a customer and deeply regret that your experience did not meet the high standards we strive for.
We understand how upsetting the delays and the lack of proper resolution must have been, especially considering the time-sensitive nature of the order. We also acknowledge the miscommunication regarding the cancellation request.
To make things right, a full refund for your order has already been processed including the expedited shipping fee for the order.
You should see the refund reflected in your account shortly.
Again, we truly apologize for the trouble this has caused and appreciate your feedback, as it helps us improve our services.
