Blind Depot, The

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
[Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
Regards, Mr. [redacted], We received your additional sample and I had it sent directly to the lab and requested expedited handling. I assure you we are working to ensure that you receive complete, accurate, results even if it means taking additional time.  While I understand your frustration, tests do fail for a variety of reasons. Our terms and conditions clearly state that lab delays may happen, and that refunds are not issued for lab delays. We don't explicitly state that we also don't compensate for delays, but we are clear about the fact that they may occur. However, because we want you to have a positive experience with DNA testing, we will offer you the option of either a free Family Finder autosomal test, an $89 value, or an upgrade to 67 markers on Y-DNA, a $99 value, whichever you prefer. Just reply to this notice, or email me directly at [email protected] and I will be happy to assist you.  Thank you for your patience, Janine [redacted] FTDNA  Janine,The upgrade , to 67 markers , would work for me. IF, they are actually completed in a some-what timely manner. The Web page, never updates any info for me, except to change the date of when results "MAY" be available..............Thank You,   [redacted]

[redacted] 
 I can understand your frustration and apologize that you were not given better information about the progress of your test. I will be addressing that issue with the customer service manager to ensure that additional training is provided for CSRs to better address...

situations such as yours.  I spoke with one of the lab managers regarding the amount of time it's taken to process your sample. She reviewed the situation and said that while your sample passes initial quality analysis we do before attempting sequencing, it did not sequence at all. She was not sure why the second vial had not been pulled as is the standard practice after such issues, but is going to use a different sequencing process now to attempt to complete the test. Because of the inconvenience you've experienced, I'm going to have a refund of the full purchase price issued for you, and we will get results for you as quickly as possible. I would love to be able to tell you it will be possible in the next two to three weeks, but unfortunately there's no guarantee the sample will sequence even with the other method so we may need to get more sample from you at that point if you're still interested in receiving the results. The refund will be processed on our end in the next two business days, then it depends on your financial institution as to how long it will take them to post the credit to your account. Again, I apologize for the delay and the lack of communication about the situation. That's not the level of service we want to provide for our customers. Please feel free to contact me directly at [redacted] (either will work) if you have any further questions or concerns.   Best regards, Janine C[redacted]Group Projects Manager

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  Hello Tom,Thank you for taking the time to speak with me regarding my issue. I appreciate the effort you put in to expedite my pending results. I can see my results posted online now and have been able to download my raw data. Appreciate your help in getting this resolved.Best Regards,Saqib

Hello [redacted],I'm sorry that we could not connect on the phone. I will do my best to help you with your tests.  We received your biological sample on February 11, 2015.  Testing started then. We expect our [redacted] tests to be completed in the time that we post. I apologize that yours is not...

done in that amount of time. When a sample does not pass our Quality Control it can add time to the completion of the test. Unfortunately, we do not know ahead of time if a sample will pass all out tests.  We are only able to go forward with the information we have on hand.  In our efforts to keep you notified, our people who post expected wait times to your kit had information that was, at the time, unavailable to our Information Specialists on the phone.  No one here is deliberately telling you anything untrue.  Communication between the lab and the rest of the business is clearly not up to the standard you expect.  We are continuing to test your sample and it is still in the lab. I am hoping tht this test will pass our Quality Control but I can not make promises.  We hope to have your test done in 3-4 weeks from today.  We do not charge extra for continued testing until we get your results.  If we have to ask for more sample, we will pay the shipping both ways. I'm sorry but the lab will not publish your results until they are certain that they have the right results. I wish I could get your results but until we know we are right we will not be able to produce any results.  I have looked at the order of events for you and I can see where you might believe you were overcharged.  You were not overcharged. The order in which you bought your tests defined the costs.  On Aug 26, 2014 you bought the [redacted] for $69On Jan 26, 2015 you bought the [redacted] for $69 +$9.95 shipping. You also bought the [redacted] for $139.  Then you cancelled the [redacted] and we refunded your $139 for this test on Jan 28, 2015.  Please check your account for that date to see the refund was put into your account.On Jan 31 you ordered the [redacted] again for $139.If you would like I will refund the $69 for the [redacted] and we will continue to work to get your results through the test and Quality Control.Thank you

Hello [redacted],
Thank you for speaking with me today. I'm sorry your experience
with Family Tree DNA is not what you hoped.  Unfortunately, a small
percentage of our tests do not pass all of our quality audits.
 Specifically in your case, the markers in panel 1 required...

retesting
because they did not pass our quality control standards.  As I explained
over the phone, your sample passed the initial quality control checks and
started testing. The quality control audit at the end of the process is where
it stopped moving forward for a few markers. We did not get enough coverage of
a few markers and we went forward with our process of retesting.  Your
final markers are in testing right now and we expect them to be complete,
however I do not have a date to give you.  
I have discussed your sample with the manager of the [redacted] line of
testing and she is well aware. Your sample is already testing on the highest
priority and we will keep working with it until we can get your results.
 I'm sorry but we are unable to publish results until they are complete
and we are 100% certain of the accuracy.  
There is no place on our web site that guarantees the test will be
complete in 5 weeks.  We do not guarantee the time frame.  We have
been running at a delay on our [redacted] tests and we have published the reasons
for this delay.  The sample arrived here for testing on February 3, 2015.  When retesting is required the time to publish
the results lengthens.  I am sorry that
it is taking longer than anyone hoped to complete the testing on your sample.
When you ordered the
kit you were advised of our refund policy.  Specifically: "After a kit has been returned to our lab or where we
use a stored DNA sample for testing, we limit options for issuing refunds and
credits."  
[redacted]
 
Thank you,
 
Tom [redacted]
Customer Support
Manager
Family Tree DNA

Tell us why here...[redacted] Please accept our condolences on the passing of your father. Losing a parent is never easy. We apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you've experienced with the [redacted] you ordered on your father's sample. We understand how frustrating the...

wait must be. Unfortunately, the sample has failed multiple times. By this point we would normally have asked for fresh sample, but as you've noted, your father is deceased and cannot provide any further sample so we're trying to get the test completed from what's available. As much as we'd like to be able to deliver the results, we're unable to do so if we can't complete the sequencing. [redacted] requires a more robust sample than other types of testing, such as the Family Finder autosomal test, so even though we were able to deliver Family Finder results in about four weeks from the time you ordered, and [redacted] results in less than six weeks from the time you ordered that test, the [redacted] is proving to be much more difficult. We will do our best to complete the test for you as quickly as possible, but please keep in mind that this is a scientific process using a biological sample and we are limited by the suitability of that sample for sequencing. Please feel free to contact me directly with any further questions or concerns you may have. Best regards, Janine C[redacted]Group Projects Manager[redacted]

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I understand that samples fail. If my sample did not sequence, after two attempts it should be mandatory that the customer be contacted, informed, and offered a new kit, no more than 6-8 weeks out. I am puzzled that they attempted re-sequencing many more times on a sample they know is a "dud." To what purpose?At this point I certainly do wish a refund, since I have nothing to show after 4 months and at this point have no desire to start all over again only to suffer the possible frustration of having the same thing happen again, handled the same way, with the same robo-responses. [redacted] that is very bad business and very bad customer service.I'm disappointed in that I had always heard that Family Tree DNA provided the most information possible and I was looking forward to my results. But the frustration I have experienced due to their non-customer service isn't worth it.[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
I would like a full refund and information removed as its of no use to me.

Dear Mr. [redacted], We apologize for any inconvenience and frustration you've experienced. Because of the volume of sales we've experienced, there is a delay between the time the tracking number is created and the time the kit is scanned out at the post office. In your case it was scanned out on...

Dec. 17, and appears to have been delivered to you yesterday, Dec. 21st. Had the kit not yet been delivered, I would have made sure you received the full refund and the kit deleted, but since you should now have the kit, I will offer you the option of continuing with the test at no additional cost. If you choose to continue with the test, I will mark it paid and you can send the sample. If you would prefer to have the $15 refunded, let me know and we'll refund it and deactivate the kit you received. Please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected].  Janine C[redacted] ManagerFamily Tree DNA

Hello Mr. [redacted],Thank you for speaking with me today about your sample.  As we discussed, there are a couple of markers that did not get enough coverage and we are retesting them.  I'm sorry but when we have to retest the process takes longer.  Our lab will not publish results...

until they are certain and, in this case, we did not get enough coverage on all the markers to post your results to your kit.Our estimated completion times are predictions based on the information we have at the time of publishing. Most of our tests pass on the first try and the tests are complete in the time range.  We update as new information comes in.  Your test was already placed in the highest priority status as part of the retest process.We are certainly going to get your results to your kit.  When we do, you can have confidence that we have only given you the correct information.  Our policy states: "Testing times vary between products and may vary depending on lab volume and biological sample quality.  Expected result dates are predictions and not a guarantee of delivery."  [redacted]I will send you an email so you can contact me directly and I will monitor with the lab manager of our Y-DNA line.  Thank youTom [redacted]Customer Support ManagerFamily Tree DNA

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  
From: [redacted] Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2015 9:48 AM To: drteam Subject: Complaint ID #[redacted]   I filed complaint #[redacted] against Family Tree DNA in early July. The company  proposed a resolution and never completed the resolution. I'm asking to have this complaint re-opened until the company satisfies the original resolution they proposed and I agreed to.   Thank you, [redacted]
Regards,

You should be able to reach [redacted] by calling [redacted]Monday...

through Friday, 9am – 7pm EST.  Our address is on the envelope because we process the test in our lab, but we have nothing to do with their Customer Service. There's a slim possibility that, if you send your [redacted] kit number to me at [email protected]) that I can get with one of our contacts for them on your behalf. I can't promise anything but I am happy to try. Sincerely, Janine C[redacted]Family Tree DNA

Mr. [redacted], I will apply the upgrade to 67 markers for you. I cannot make any guarantees about when your current results will be complete because we can't give results if the sample doesn't yield them, and we won't give results if we can't be confident that they're accurate. We give expected completion dates, not guarantees and we're quiet clear about that in our refund policy, which is linked at the point of purchase. "Delays in testing do not entitle customers to a refund since scientific procedures may be delayed for a variety of reasons. Testing times vary between products and may vary depending on lab volume and biological sample quality. Expected result dates are predictions and not a guarantee of delivery. We will make every effort to ensure that results are delivered for every order, but we do not offer any assurances that we will be able to provide specific results."Still, I completely understand how frustrating it is - I'm a customer as well as an employee, and I have had to wait on results, too. It's never fun, and I'm sorry you've had to go through it.  Regards, Janine [redacted]FTDNA

[redacted]  Our normal protocol in these kinds of situations is to pull the vial of sample from storage and test the first 12 markers on that sample for a re-test fee of $75, refundable if the results are different. In this case, however, I will waive that fee. When the results of the retest are complete, I will notify you of them. Will that work for you? If not, let me know and I will work with you to make sure we provide you with a satisfactory resolution. In addition, I've reported the puzzling issue of you having no [redacted] matches despite  having actual matches at the [redacted] because we need to be sure that 1) the issue is fixed and 2) no one else has been affected by whatever glitch caused that problem. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. Again, feel free to contact me directly at [email protected] or [email protected].

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and find that, as long as I receive all test results by July 10, 2017, this resolution would be satisfactory to me, even though I believe Family Tree DNA should have kept me informed as to the reasons for the repeated delays well before now. Therefore, my acceptance is contingent upon future action by Family Tree DNA, but since they responded with my requested information, I'll consider the matter closed for now.

Hello Bonnie,I'm sorry you are not having the experience you wanted.  I can see the two kits and I have double checked the results.  One can see in the matches section that the two kits you are discussing match each other at the highest level of the test you ordered.  The Y-DNA 37...

test is an advanced genetic test that we often recommend for individuals to follow the paternal line of their ancestry.  DNA testing is one tool in a genealogist's tool kit.  We have a learning center (https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/) that has answers to all the questions you ask in your complaint.  It is our guide and has listings for surnames and privacy.  We have tools in your dashboard to give visual and text information on your matches and haplogroup.  We have a page that lists what you get when you order a Y-DNA test. https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/y-dna-testing/y-str/receive-get-teste...⇄ are a business for profit and we do put advertisements on the free page you get as your dashboard.  If you have any problems with tests ordered inadvertently then please call us at 713-868-1438 and we will work with you.You hired us to perform two Y-DNA 37 tests and we did as you asked. We sent the kit.  We received the kit and we tested the sample to produce the results.  We will be glad to have someone go over the tools you have in your dashboard and how to use them over the phone.I'm sorry but we are unable to refund your test.  Here is a link to our refund policy:  https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/ftdna/payments-refunds-policy/       Thank youTom [redacted]Customer Support ManagerFamily Tree DNA

Dear Ms. [redacted], We apologize for any frustration or inconvenience you experienced with your DNA test. We did have a large number of tests arrive in the mail about the same time yours did, and while we added extra staff, it did still take longer than normal for a kit scanned as delivered by the...

[redacted] to be checked in to the lab. Once in the lab, it took longer than normal for the sample to be extracted and run, and once completed in the lab, took longer to upload than normal. Each of those delays have generated a higher-than-normal call and email volume. I will discuss your concerns with the Customer Service manager so that he can use your feedback for training. Your results have posted now so you should be able to view your matches and ancestral origins, and use all the features of our site. Please contact me directly at janine*@ftdna.com if you need further assistance.  Best Regards, Janine [redacted] Group Projects ManagerFamily Tree DNA

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.

Dear Ms. [redacted],  We apologize that you've had such difficulty in getting your matches from your Genographic Project transfer. I am investigating to see what the issue is and how quickly we can get it resolved. While I do not know specifically what's preventing your kit from displaying...

matches, I believe that we've had some similar issues before and it's something in the pipeline rather than in your data that's causing the glitch. Regardless, I will get back to you within 48 hours with a followup. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at janine*@ftdna.com.  Best regards,Janine [redacted]Family Tree DNA

Hello, We apologize for any confusion but you've directed a complaint about the MyHeritageDNA test to the processing lab, rather than the company that sells it. We do not sell, nor do we handle customer service for this product, our lab processes the tests. However, when I highlighted the link you provided and right-clicked on it, I was directed to an activation page: https://www.myheritage.com/dna/activate where it appears that you should be able to register your product. If you have any difficulty or if you have any questions, that page includes the information that their customer service number is +1 877-432-3135 and hours are Monday through Friday, 9am – 7pm Eastern Time. Failing that, please contact me directly at [email protected] and I will try to find someone in their organization to contact you.  Best Regards, Janine [redacted]Family Tree DNA Group Projects Manager