Curaleaf - Philly-Passyunk
11/19/2020
I want to be very clear that this review is entirely based on my experience with Ellen, one of the managers at Herbology on Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia.
At my last visit to the dispensary, I was told upon arrival that they were helping patients place their orders via ipad in the waiting area & then calling them back to complete their purchase, to avoid wait & manage social distancing for COVID. The employee showed me their flower selection via tablet, I told them what I was looking for in strength & terp profile, & we selected a flower strain based on the information on the tablet re: the THC level & terpene profile -- despite it being a grower I'd not purchased from before, & it being one of the highest price-point flowers on the menu. I was then called to the back, paid for my purchase (& was told that customers are not permitted to touch anything prior to purchase), & left the dispensary.
Upon arriving home & examining the label on the flower, I saw that the information on the label did not match the information on the tablet. The THC level was off by nearly 4%, the terp levels were significantly lower than advertised.
I then called the dispensary & explained what had happened, & was transferred to Ellen, one of the managers. Ellen told me that the information on the website was controlled "by corporate" & they had no power to change it. I said that I understood this, but that no one told me that when they were using the website information to direct my purchase. Ellen then said it was my fault for not checking the label before I purchased the flower. I reminded Ellen that this wasn't possible, since I'd been told that customers are currently not allowed to touch products due to COVID precautions. I told Ellen that I rely on the information provided to select the strains to manage my chronic illness (& that medical marijuana is just that: medicine), & that I would not have made the purchase had the information been accurate, & asked how to prevent this from happening again.
Ellen then raised her voice & began yelling at me that she had done nothing wrong, & that she could tell I am a "detail-oriented person" but that there was "nothing in it that's going to hurt you" & "no one forced you to buy it." & then she hung up on me.
I was & am well aware that an exchange or return would not be possible, given that the purchase was medicine, & communicated this -- my question was: how did this happen, & how can I keep it from ever happening again. I expected something along the lines of: "Hey, we're sorry that happened -- the website information isn't always updated, & we'll be careful to remind folks to double-check before completing their purchase so we can catch discrepancies. We're adding 5 loyalty points to your account for the inconvenience." Instead, I was yelled at, told it was my fault, & then hung up on. By Ellen.
I have been a patient-client at Herbology on Passyunk since they opened their doors, & found this interaction stunning. No one else I've ever worked with there would suggest that I treat my medicine so cavalierly. No one else I've ever encountered there has been anything but helpful, conscientious, & responsible in their recommendations. Shout out to Ajay, Bill, Matt, & Mike especially for always being helpful & professional & friendly in my interactions with them there. Their customer service is impeccable.
Ethos Dispensary has better product, a wider selection, longer hours, & a superior online ordering system that allows you to pre-order even when the dispensary is closed. The only reason I've been frequenting Herbology on Passyunk is because the team members mentioned above are such lovely humans.
The only reason I will not be returning is the way that I was treated by Ellen.
I have not heard back from anyone at Herbology or Curaleaf HQ, so I have gone to the dispensary, cashed out the 37 loyalty points on my account, & will not be returning after my encounter with Ellen.