Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/11/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Adam, owner and operator of A&Z Apiaries and is also president of **** ************. I contacted Adam on 1/6/25 about purchasing some bees and equipment. Adam responded (1/13/25) by stating he had ***s, equipment, and went a step further to encouraging me to sign up for his community class, which was $45 dollars ($30 for the class and an additional $15 for the year membership). Per the **** website “These classes will help you avoid the pitfalls.” “Don’t buy  anything until you participate in this indispensable class!” On the website it is advertised as 4 classes. It does not mention anywhere that these classes are part of a complete scheme of continued education throughout the year, often cancelled without reason, which is the truly indispensable knowledge that is not shared during the initial scheduled class hours.
  
  This class was anything but informative. After 2 weeks of classes, on Jan 23, 25 I paid Adam $444 by check for a *** colony with a returnable *** box and just the 8 frame kit advertised on his page: *************************.
  
  The following week Adam held class and cancelled all ordered *** colonies and said he would replace them with packages bees. Adam stated to the class he was keeping the ***s for himself. The newly offered product was not what I paid for and was not the product I wanted. I felt like this was a bait and switch which was all part of a master plan by Adam to prey of uninformed beekeepers and take their money.
  
  I reached out to Adam for a refund. I reached out to him on 6/26/25 after he’s held onto my money for over 5 months.. I asked for a check to be mailed to me since Adam continues to cancels **** community classes and does not reschedule them. Adam continues to tell me he will refund me but no check has arrived and communication has since been terminated.
  
  I want others to be aware of the scheme: the **** classes are false advertising and a direct way for him to take money for promised products and ultimately not deliver.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2025

  In response to this complaint, I need you to understand that I wear two hats in this issue.  One is a President of the ******* ** ********** **** ( ****) and the other is as owner of A&Z Apiaries. As President of ****, and lead instructor of the beginner classes that the club offers. **** has provided introductory classes to thousands of potential beekeepers for over twenty years. Our classes are considered to be in the top tier of all beginner classes in our region. It should be noted that myself and all other officers and instructors are volunteer. Because I am the focus of this complaint. I will say that during my 40+ years of involvement in ****, I have provided thousands of volunteer hours in Leadership, instruction, and public outreach. This has occurred in meetings, classes, workshops, agricultural fairs and one on one consultation in the beekeeping world, all done in a volunteer capacity. The **** classes that Marissa refers to are four nights with two hours plus each of instruction. The fees (45.00) paid to **** include the class and membership in ****. **** holds 6-7 meetings/workshops per year with attendance being between 50-100 attendees per event. These events are seasonally appropriate, and guest speakers are provided as their schedules allow. I also need to include that the classes include written materials on-line, one page includes links to major suppliers of beekeeping supplies and bees for purchase. My name is included as I have provided honeybees for sale as well as supplies for over thirty years. 

  Now to address her complaint directed to my business. Marissa placed an order for a beehive and a ******* colony, pre-paying me with a check for $444.00. This was the last time that i saw her or had any correspondence from her until Jully 2025. As the winter progressed, I, along with nearly all beekeepers in North America discovered that we were facing record losses of honeybees. This meant that I would not be able to provide the ******* colony but that I would be able to provide a substitute package of bees that I also offer. These bees would be sourced from *******, a process that has been used for 100 years to provide bees in the spring to beekeepers in the ******** ******* of the US. 

  I sent Marissa and approximately 50 other customers an email stating that I was unable to provide the ******* colony and that I would substitute package bees and refund the difference in price of refund her entire purchase price. I received no response from her, so I sent a reminder, still no response. As the season progressed, I called the phone number that she had provided, left a voicemail and got no reply. I had no mailing address so I figured that eventually she would reach out. When she did in late June, I replied that I had been concerned because she had not replied and told her that I wood refund her money if she sent her address. On August 10th, I mailed a check for $444.00 to the address that she now provided. 

  In closing, I need to say that I have a customer base of over three thousand beekeepers. This relationship with the beekeeping world has been cultivated for decades and Marissa is the first time that I have had such a complaint. I consider this issue closed, and naturally, I will not accept any additional orders from ******* *****.