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  • Vitacost

Vitacost

Overview

Vitacost has a rating of 2.1 stars from 407 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Vitacost most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and long time problems. Vitacost ranks 586th among Vitamins & Supplements sites.

  • Service
    136
  • Value
    125
  • Shipping
    126
  • Returns
    91
  • Quality
    111

This company does not typically respond to reviews

Positive reviews (last 12 months): 8%
Positive
4
Neutral
2
Negative
44
35
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What reviewers want you to know

Positive highlights

  • Free, three-day shipping without paying for such perks is an excellent example of great customer service!

Critical highlights

No critical highlights yet

How would you rate Vitacost?
Top Positive Review

“Excellent sales prices on Bob's Red Mill products.”

Susan O.
1/23/24

Excellent sales prices on Bob's Red Mill products. Great and fast free shipping. Best packaging I have seen from any online seller for flour products. Never any problems with orders.

Top Critical Review

“Waste of time!”

Sharin M.
12/9/23

Spent two hrs putting items that showed up on website, it went trough and I even got charged. I received an email for delivery date and tracking. After few days Vitacost I for me trough email that 19 items out of 20 is out of stock. Huh? They sending me only a can of coconut creamer for now. I had plans to bake and cook for the weekend. They ruined my plan. Vitacost if you don't have the stuff why you put it on website and why you allow people to waste their time. Are you going out of business?

Reviews (407)

Rating

Timeframe

Other

Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (173)
Thumbnail of user susanr3675
1 review
3 helpful votes
December 16th, 2023

I have ordered from Vitacost because I really like the products they have BUT each package arrives with something broken or spilling. Going back to Thrive Market!

Thumbnail of user 813mnich
1 review
4 helpful votes
August 16th, 2023

They claim quick international shipping. I paid extra for shipping to Colombia South America. Package went to Germany then mailed regular mail from there. Took over 6 weeks. Customer service said call back after 75 days DHL had no record of tracking number. Package was received but frustrating process.

Thumbnail of user craigm853
1 review
12 helpful votes
January 31st, 2022
Verified purchase

Sent wrong items (packed with care by Maria R), called customer service and they were useless. As soon as I asked to talk to a supervisor, they hung up on me. Called back and supervisor Tracy told me that it would now be 7-10 business days to reship my items due to a "Bin search" that is Vitacost policy! Since when did their mistake become the customer's problem?

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user gk161
1 review
5 helpful votes
September 9th, 2023

Don't ever order canned anything from them- the cans arrive dented- badly so in y case, even though the badly dented cans were wrapped in many protective layers. So... the cans were dented BEFORE they were wrapped. When I asked them to replace two of these cans, my replacements arrived - one of the cans was badly dented. I ended up throwing out three dented unusable cans. What a waste. I'd rather pay more and bring home intact merchandise

Products used:
Cans

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user nancyh2809
1 review
2 helpful votes
October 14th, 2023
Verified purchase

I had ordered successfully from Vitacost in the past so didn't hesitate to order again when they had an item I wanted but couldn't find anywhere else. The order arrived promptly and all contents were intact (including a glass jar of vitamins). Then I discovered my charge card had been billed twice. I immediately filed a dispute with my credit card company so I wouldn't be charged interest on the double amount and then opened a chat with Vitacost. I was told the amounts were pre-authorization billing and actual billing. This is common practice with online retailers but usually the pre-authorization charge is reversed when the actual charge goes through at shipment time. I was told by the Vitacost rep that the pre-authorization charge should roll off in 7-10 days. It is now day 9 and still on my account. I don't find this to be a business practice with which I am comfortable. Be aware if you order from them that this is how order charges are done.

Service
Value
Shipping
Thumbnail of user johnb10567
1 review
5 helpful votes
February 24th, 2023
Verified purchase

Last week I received an order from Vitacost. When My wife opened it the order must have been for someone else as nothing in the order was items we ever order. I have emailed vitacost two different times in side of a week and have heard nothing. Very frustrating. Poor customer service.

Thumbnail of user nancyelizabethg
1 review
3 helpful votes
February 9th, 2022

Vitacost>The worst customer service ever
The worst customer service ever! Ordered 7 large jars of zoup bone broth. Arrived on doorstep( fed ex) in soaked, smashed up carton.
Immediately called vitacost. Was told my order didn't exist on their site; Then magically appeared with a tracking # from USPS (the tracking number went to Texas. I am in Georgia.) The heavily accented woman gave me a fake tracking number! Each time I try writing to customer service: I am told" no such order exists!" I have the receipt in front of me with that exact order#.
Today spoke to another "agent" whom I could barely understand. She informed me she is caribbean
( arrogantly) I am out $53 and realize
Ceo Jeffrey J. Horowitz keeps prices down by hiring non American rude agents!
What an absolute mess!

Tip for consumers:
Be very careful of damaged or expired items. No quality control.
Owner/ceo Jeffrey Horowitz a person all about profit, .not about customer satisfaction.

Products used:
Vitamins. Natural foods

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user mimih44
1 review
3 helpful votes
February 9th, 2022
Verified purchase

I was given a 20% discount to return as a customer so placed an order for $230 worth of goods. I received no notification of any delay and placed another order of 3 items that came within the 4-5 day window. I called 2 days ago and the customer service rep stated it would be shipped later that day. I checked today and still no notification and nothing has shipped after 11 days!
I called and cancelled my order and will be buying items needed from the store and not ordering from them anymore.

Tip for consumers:
If you place a large order you can wait >10 days for shipping

Service
Value
Shipping
Thumbnail of user tsjgeneral
1 review
3 helpful votes
July 14th, 2023

Well, they save you a couple dollars, you have to wait a long time to get your goods. They promised three days and it's typically three times that length or longer to get a delivery. Their customer service is really slow to respond and hold times. Are hours if you try to call. You have to ask if the money you save is worth the hassle. Sometimes they shipped the wrong product or make you buy a minimum no product and sneak in that fact. They have really gone downhill in the last months

Tip for consumers:
For a very slow shipping times, they will not take responsibility, as they have subcontract it with a delivery service that is extremely slow

Products used:
Grocery items

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user gilbertd72
1 review
6 helpful votes
July 28th, 2021
Verified purchase

I ordered just some real expensive vitamins at the beginning of July. Today again contacted vitacost for the 2nd time. Shipment still in process and they told me international shipping terms will take 70 days according to their policy? This is totally crazy. I ordered more times before but always fast delivery before the covid-19 pandemic! Never ever again for me! Ordered more vitamins a Iherb and other stores later this month and got them all within a week after ordering.

Products used:
Solgar omnium 180 caps

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user adamf830
1 review
1 helpful vote
August 2nd, 2023
Verified purchase

Orders are held up for 1-2 weeks after placing, no response on return request, unhelpful customer service staff.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user loisl204
1 review
0 helpful votes
December 23rd, 2022

Vitacost's prices are good. However, there is no customer service - it doesn't exist. I'm a long-time customer with a PayPal account. Today, for no apparent reason, my order wouldn't go through PayPal. After multiple attempts and checking the PayPal site - with no issues at all, I called the Order phone number. The first woman who answered hung up after about 5 seconds. On the second call, the 2nd woman hung up after I gave her ALL of the information of 6 products, AND my address, and before giving her the payment info, she hung up. So, one star is for good prices, the other star is not at all deserved.

Thumbnail of user maggiew166
1 review
1 helpful vote
May 31st, 2022

I purchased a 4oz bottle of Vitacost Stevia extract drops last year from their website. I opened the bottle several months ago and the product looked fine. Now the liquid is cloudy and when I contacted Vitacost about the issue I was told there is a 60 day window to request refund or replacement after purchase. The product has an expiration date of 04/26. I didn't open the bottle until well past the 60 days and even though the product is defective, received no resolution.
The product is inexpensive and clearly something has gone wrong. Any level of positive customer service support should have been able to rectify the situation in some way to my satisfaction. This company has been my "go to" supplement supplier for many years. I will never purchase from them again.

Thumbnail of user paulp777
2 reviews
8 helpful votes
May 22nd, 2020

It took nearly two weeks to receive my order. The shipping slip showed all six items "in box" however, one (i. E., Vit D3) was missing. I called and was told that if I wanted to receive the missing product, I would have to purchase it again at the same price paid and Vitacost would subsequently credit my card.
Shipping delays are understandable these days however, this absurd policy is not,
I simply opted to receive credit for the missing item. You're slipping, Vitacost.

Thumbnail of user gerryc61
1 review
9 helpful votes
May 19th, 2020

Vitacost is very, very bad on customer service. Ordered several jars of honey. Two came broken and leaked over entire order. Spent an hour cleaning up the mess and another hour trying to reach customer service. They offered me a small refund on an $80 order for their bad packing job. Never buying from this poorly run company again.

Tip for consumers:
Don't waste your time or $$.

Products used:
Honey and vitamins.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user williamh104
16 reviews
50 helpful votes
March 12th, 2022

Vitacost sent me an email with a 12 percent discount code. I logged in to the website, placed an order and entered the code. It didn't work. Tried multiple times with no success.

Tip for consumers:
The discount code is BS!

Products used:
Vitamins.

Service
Value
Shipping
Quality
Thumbnail of user dianeo616
1 review
0 helpful votes
March 11th, 2022

I have been shopping at Vitacost for more than 15 years and, until the last 2-3 years, would have given them 5 stars. There have been increasingly frustrating order deliveries (nothing to do with supply/demand). Deliveries are delivered to wrong addresses, left at the back of my apartment on parking lot/driveway in weather and easily stolen if someone was inclined. This is in spite of a large sign asking that deliveries be left at front door. Most of the Vitacost deliveries in my area are by OnTrac. FedEx and Amazon have never done this and I am a frequent online shopper. In addition, with more frequency, is leaving my Unit # off of the label (contributing to the delivery issues). I have chatted, called, emailed multiple times with Vitacost Customer Service. They are happy to send the order again or refund but I have been unable to get them to address the core issues. An example would be letting them know the Unit # was not on the label. They say they see it in their system so don't believe it is not there. At one point I took a picture of the label sans Unit # but they did not want to see it. My latest order (placed on 3/1/22) was within 20 miles of my home and sat there for 7 days then sent back to Vitacost. When I talked with a supervisor, there was no apology, no explanation, just offer of resending order in another 4-5 business days. The most frustrating is their unwillingness to address the basic reason for the delivery issues. I am now researching alternative sites to order from. I may not be their highest spending customer but I average $150 - $200 per month.

Tip for consumers:
There can be significant delivery issues and poor customer service.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user gregs158
1 review
3 helpful votes
September 16th, 2017

Beware of ordering canned food items! I ordered 26 cans of Eden organic beans. Nine or about one-third of the cans had a large dent across the seams which compromises food safety. Three more with small dents, but not affecting the top, bottom or side seams, So, I called asking for nine replacements, which Vitacost sent. Of course, three of the replacements were also badly dented on seams, Goodness! Either they don't know how to handle/pack their products or their delivery service is careless with packages. Just decided to forego the bad cans and not go through this again. Won't order from them again.

Thumbnail of user timm1576
1 review
0 helpful votes
June 21st, 2022

Joint Health pills@ Vitacost $90/100 pills, compared to Sams Club $20/100 pills
Calcium-Magnesium-D3@ Vitacost $4.72/100 pills, compared to Sams Club $1.50/100 pills
IRON@ Vitacost = $4.25/100, compared to Sams=$2.51/100
Glucosamine Chondroitin@ Vitacost = $13/100, compared to Sams = $8/100

Tip for consumers:
Do price comparisons. Most of the time Vitacost is MORE EXPENSIVE

Service
Value
Shipping
Quality
Thumbnail of user dianed498
3 reviews
15 helpful votes
April 18th, 2020

I just don't understand why Vitacost doesn't address their packaging problems. Recently I was mailed 11 glass jars and there was no padding on the bottom of the box so many of them were broken. We receive crushed boxes of crackers pulverized even though the boxes look fine. I have been on eBay for 20/20 years and have had one glass item broken and all that time. I guess I'm just going to have to stop ordering from Vitacost. I don't have problems with Amazon, Lucky Vitamin, and Walmart. I am sure I am not the only one who receives items broken or crushed? Now of corse the items on reorder are not available or I've filed too many complaints so they just refund my account. It's a shame because I have been buying from them for years (even before they were purchased by Kroger).

Thumbnail of user carolk99
1 review
3 helpful votes
March 5th, 2018

I have been purchasing from Vitacost for years and years. I have always purchased my Alive Whole Food Energizer vitamins from them because of their fast shipping and low prices. I have never had a problem with the customer service it has always been great! But the last supply I received tasted very different and smelled different. Like I said I KNOW what these vitamins taste and smell like because I have been taking them for years! So I called Natures Way and she told me nothing had changed in the ingredients so which leads me to think these vitamins were old or not stored properly. I'm only buying from my local vitamin shop from now on and have some peace of mind. None the less Vitacost refunded my money no questions asked. I just wont be using them anymore. Id rather pay the extra money and know what I'm getting.

Thumbnail of user jimj40
1 review
8 helpful votes
February 19th, 2014

This site is a total scam. Stay away from it!

On their site, they claim "Order by 1 p.m. & receive your order in 3 days!*". However, I placed my order, and they still have not shipped out after 48 hours, even though I paid for upgraded shipping!

Their "online chat" is broken and does not allow you to enter text on Safari or Chrome. The customer service line has such a long wait. I would never use them again.

Thumbnail of user scottr69
1 review
4 helpful votes
April 15th, 2016

The company now does not inform you of an item being out of stock until AFTER you place your order. Then they send an email informing you that they are drop shipping to arrive 9 days later. And then it doesn't show up at all.

Thumbnail of user lisak38
2 reviews
7 helpful votes
February 24th, 2014

I have been using Vitacost for several years, and had some problems with poorly packaged products in the past, for which I always received rapid replacement of those products and excellent customer service. Their prices are usually (note--NOT always) lower than other sites, and they have traditionally stocked hard-to-find specialty products.

However, lately I have been very disappointed in this company. I have been waiting for over 10 days for a package that clearly is not going to show up, and have wasted hours on the phone with vitacost and lasership trying to track it down. I have a more recent order that is also delayed. I received one product that arrived separately from the rest of my order in totally decimated condition due to ridiculously inadequate packaging. Vitacost is replacing that damaged product, but they are not rushing to ship it to me, in spite of the fact that they are responsible for the problem. No, they actually chose the LONGEST possible shipping window to re-send the product. I should receive the replacement item in approximately TWELVE days from request, as per UPS tracking info.

The first customer service rep I spoke with about all of this was unknowledgeable and mocking on the phone. He kept telling me that the delay was because of snow. No, it has not snowed since my packaged was shipped. Also, the tracking info shows that my package was out for delivery when it mysteriously disappeared, so clearly it made it to NY from NC. The second, third and fourth reps I've spoken with have tried to be helpful, but still I have made no progress.

I could go on, but no point. In addition to their deplorable shipping habits, Vitacost is introducing more of their own lines of products and ceasing to carry name-brand items that I rely on.

I can see that I will be shopping there much less in the very near future!

Thumbnail of user dannyt28
2 reviews
5 helpful votes
July 26th, 2020

I have tried five times to call Vitacost customer service about an issue with an order and after holding on long times (average of 20 minutes and being told countless times that how a customer service rep would be with me right away), I got disconnected each time before reaching anyone! I tried live chat three times during open chat hours and never could get anyone to even come onto the chat. I have emailed (3 days back) and gotten no reply as yet. I will not order again from this company.

I gave two not one star because I was for the part satisfied with products and availability of items on previous orders. But this current issue, which involves the use of effective, current coupon codes has caused the loss of significant discounts due me.

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Vitacost is your online source for nearly 40k natural products from top brands & hard-to-find favorites? All up to 50% OFF & delivered to your door.

Company Representative

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Catherine C.
Typically does not respond to reviews

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