hazeltons baskets toronto

Customers angry after Toronto company fails to deliver gift baskets and ghosts people

A Toronto gift basket company is being called out for failing to deliver orders and respond to concerned customers. 

Hazelton's Baskets specializes in luxury gift baskets for all occasions. They are known for their free Canada-wide delivery and same-day GTA delivery deals, which entice many of their customers. 

The company specified that "most orders placed by Dec 15th should arrive by Christmas except to remote locations, but there are no guarantees."

However, some customers who put in their orders prior to the 15th say that they have still yet to receive them and want answers.

Hazelton's Baskets is a part of The Gift Group, which owns 12 unique gift basket brands.

The Gift Group was founded by Mark Roberts in 2012, who is linked to multiple questionable and negatively-reviewed businesses, such as Toronto Blooms.

The company claims to be the number one gift basket delivery business in the United States and Canada, however, many customers strongly disagree.

People took to Twitter and Instagram to voice their concerns, and soon realized that they were not alone.

Lyn Wilkinson told blogTO she has been happily purchasing food baskets from Hazelton's Baskets for the past three holiday seasons. She says their delivery and quality is actually what kept her coming back, but this year she was not so impressed.

Wilkinson ordered a basket on December 11 to be delivered to Calgary before Christmas Eve. 

"According to the tracking report, it has been sitting in the Toronto sorting facility since Dec. 22. It still has not moved since then. I am concerned about the quality of the items as well as the delayed delivery," she said.

Despite reaching out to the company on multiple platforms, she says she has yet to receive any response. "I'm not sure if the issue is theirs or their delivery service but the lack of customer service response is infuriating."

While not all experiences were bad — one customer told blogTO they received their order and were happy with it — this is not the first time people have complained about Hazelton's Baskets. Customers have been raising concerns on complaintsboard.com since 2014.

The Better Buisness Bereau (BBB) is a non-profit organization that provides services and information to consumers about companies and organizations. Currently, they have given Hazelton's Baskets an F rating, which is the lowest a company can recieve.

According to BBB, Hazelton's Baskets have received 228 complaints in the last year alone.

Issues discussed ranged from late delivery to items arriving damaged. Last year, the company faced backlash after one of their baskets came with rotten fruit and dead flowers. 

In an automated email response, The Gift Group's customer service addressed customers' frustrations.

"We understand; nobody likes waiting, and the fear of being forgotten/neglected is only human. Although sending multiple e-mails/chats may seem like a natural approach to getting a faster resolution, in reality this could actually be counterproductive."

On the company website customers are encouraged to reach out through phone or their live chat service. When calling, customers hear Hazelton's Baskets' pre-recorded voicemail, which states: "We are grateful to continue operating amidst COVID-19 and we have adapted well to the many challenges during these times, including snowstorms, courier delays and product shortages."

Hazelton's Baskets did not respond to blogTO for comment.

Lead photo by

Hazelton's Baskets


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