Allivet is repeating the reason Walmart PetRx failed
Think twice before agreeing to auto-ship agreements, especially pet prescriptions
Writer’s note on December 12, 2023: After Allivet confirmed my information was removed and my Better Business Bureau complaint was closed, I got an email 48 hours later saying the website would re-open my auto-shipping in two weeks and start charging me. Again. I’m floored by the way this company skirts around closed accounts. My BBB complaint was re-opened.
Writer’s note on November 22, 2023: I got another reminder that Allivet would restart my shipments even after I repeatedly asked for them to stop. After contacting a phone rep, I was told my credit card information was still saved with Walmart PetRx, which makes no sense considering Walmart PetRx is closed and there is no way to log into my old account. I asked for my account to be completely shut down, but the rep said that she could not send a confirmation email to confirm it was closed. I filed a Better Business Bureau complaint. How their ordering and cancellation process works the way it does but their rating is an A+ is anybody’s guess.
Whenever a company offers a percentage off for using auto-shipping, my immediate reaction is skepticism. For consumers who won’t always need a specific item on a particular day or month, buying it when need be is sufficient. However, for those who will always need a specific item, there are limited downsides to paying for its purchase and shipping on a regular basis. That is, unless companies (in this case, Allivet and Walmart PetRx) continue to repeat the same bad e-commerce habits: trying to ship and charge for items even after the online purchase cancellation is completed.
Let’s use my real-life example of ordering Simparica Trio for my Hound mix, Junee. A veterinarian prescribed this to be given to her once a month. And pet owners who also purchase this product know it can be a juggling act to get good pricing on pet prescriptions.
Recommended Read: “Dog vet rebates: Are they always worth it? ~ As with human doctor visits, understand the pros and cons of dog treatments”
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A veterinary office may charge slightly more to get a profit from the prescription. Online pet “reward” companies may force consumers to buy in bulk instead of providing individual points. And this leaves pet owners trying to find a way to just buy the product as needed. In my case, Walmart PetRx (once upon a time) was cheaper than both Chewy and Petco. Unfortunately, the shipping games were such a nuisance that I tapped out altogether.
Can you see the problems with this email versus the account?
Even after Allivet allows consumers to stop and start an order, the site ends up creating “new” orders. So consumers then have to make sure they know which one has restarted and which ones are still stopped.
Even with all three orders stopped several weeks ago, I still received an email today stating that the order would auto-ship within 24 hours.
The only way to stop auto-ship purchases is to remove your credit card info altogether.
In regard to auto-shipping as a regular consumer versus a first-time shopper, it’s imperative that pet shoppers make sure to shop around. What may seem like a great deal is not always the case, specifically when a partnership ends. Here’s why.