This is an independent consumer review archive. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Kinnickinnic Bees or kinnibees.com. All reviews quoted are from public sources and linked to the originals.
Kinnickinnic Bees is not BBB accredited and holds an A rating. Its profile records three complaints in the last three years, one closed in the last twelve months. All three concern orders that were paid for and not delivered as expected — one in each of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 seasons.
The full text of each complaint, the company's formal response, and the customer's reply are reproduced below as published by the BBB. Words shown as REMOVED are the BBB's own redactions of order numbers, dollar figures, carrier names and personal details; they are not ours.
Complaint filed 05/13/2026 — Order Issues — status: Answered
Better Business Bureau · the only one of the three not marked resolved
I ordered a 3 pound bee package order #REMOVED purchase price REMOVED and shipping REMOVED for a total price of REMOVED On February REMOVED with shipping date of late April 2026-Early May 2026 The bees were shipped on May 6, 2026 and still to this day May REMOVED they have not arrived. He is not willing to reimburse my money or send more bees. Through messages he says that he will only ship them by REMOVED to my area to assure that they arrive within 3 days. The bees were shipped REMOVED Priority. After speaking with REMOVED they will only guarantee the 3 days delivery if its shipped Priority Express. He said that Im stuck with this and he has no responsibility in the matter. I would like a total refund
Business response — 06/10/2026
Bees were shipped out and we provided them per our terms that were agreed to. Individual picked up package May 14, 2:18pm, as we have proof of REMOVED tracking number REMOVED. Complaint is fraudulent and we will not refund his money. He can try to seek reimbursement from REMOVED if he chooses.
Customer answer — 06/14/2026: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID REMOVED, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.
Complaint filed 05/15/2025 — Product Issues — status: Resolved
Better Business Bureau
I ordered, and paid in full, 3 packages of bees. They were supposed to be shipped middle it end of April. I have not received the bees. I have called at least a dozen times and sent multiple emails without any response. It is getting late in the season to get bees and expect any honey. On REMOVED theres a post saying that almost all bees have been shipped. For the few that havent the delay is due to the heat. 7 other people have not gotten their bees either. My complaints are: 1. Absolutely no communication as to what is going on. 2. No way to contact them. 3. The bees are late. What do I want. 1 Some communication as to what is going on. 2. The bees 3. A total refund of I dont get them in the next week. 4. Or substitute bucks for the bee packages
Business response — 05/16/2025
He ignored our update emails, the owners cell phone number was provided in one of them to call if he wasn't hearing back via email, as this is our busiest time of year. We saw his panic and false claims on our REMOVED page, which we are now taking an account for any revenue lost from them, and we refunded his card and cancelled his order immediately. See the screen shot of his refund.
Customer answer — 05/16/2025: I didnt ignore their emails and I did call the cell number provided with out any response. The first i heard from them was when I responded to an REMOVED post complaining about lack of communication from them. Their response was to blame me, cancel my order and refund my money. They also did this to another customer who complained on the post. I would have preferred to get an explanation of what was going on and received the bees. However it appears that it isnt going to happen. I am satisfied that I am getting a refund. Just disappointed
Complaint filed 07/26/2024 — Delivery Issues — status: Resolved
Better Business Bureau
On April 17th I ordered 2 packages of bees from kinnickinnic bees order @ REMOVED for 334 dollars. I received 1 package of bees on May 18th. I contacted and talked with REMOVED on the 23rd and was told that he would send me out a NUC of bees to replace the package that I never got. On June 5th I had complained that I still had not gotten my bees. REMOVED e-mailed me saying "I am super behind on orders and will get your out ASAP. You will also receive a tracking email once the label is printed. Sorry for the delay." Now it is June 25th and after trying to call many times with no response and e-mailing many times I get no reply. It is over 2 months since I ordered my bees and am being ignored. I am out over $200 with no reply or response. I want my money refunded. I paid REMOVED for the package of bees and REMOVED postage for the 2 packages so my refund should be $222.
Business response — 07/29/2024
We understand this customers frustration and we acknowledge we have some communication mishaps due to the way our phone system works with out website. We also provide individual details to our paying customers on how to communicate with a assigned individual. We did have a few customers that did not get that memo, and this year we did not have the staff to manage all the communications, so we relied on the communication to the assigned contact person. We will refund you for the one product you did not get due to our bee shortage from our supplier.
Customer answer — 07/29/2024: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID REMOVED, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
BBB Scam Tracker report — 27 July 2026
Separately from the formal complaints above, a report naming Kinnickinnic Bees was filed with the BBB's Scam Tracker on 27 July 2026 (Scam ID 1370259), reporting $399 lost on the Host a Hive service. Scam Tracker publishes consumer accounts as submitted; the BBB states that its content "is based on victim and potential victim accounts" and it does not represent a finding by the BBB. It is reproduced here on that basis.
Scam Tracker report — Online Purchase — $399 — reporter in Lake Geneva, WI
BBB Scam Tracker · reported 27 July 2026 · Scam ID 1370259
I signed up in early May to get bee hosting services for the year. I filled out the application, payment was made, but services never implemented (they kept cancelling and pushing dates into August) because they were too busy serving existing customers and had no commitment to deliver our hosting boxes. I cancelled the service since it was obvious they were so far behind and this season would be pushed back for several month's. The service tech for our area agreed to refund our deposit because of the delays but when the boss saw that, he said he would try to get our refund back but I should read the fine print in the services I signed up for and after 30 days, they were not required to return the deposit. When I argued for the refund to be expedited, he said he would not and didn't want us as customers. He's obviously over his head with sign ups he could not fulfill but wanted to keep the money!
The report lists no response from the business. Contact details published in the original report are omitted here in line with this archive's method.
The account matches the Host a Hive complaint posted to Google by B Carter, who described paying a $99 deposit in February and a further $200 in April, cancelling after installation did not occur, and receiving a 50% refund under the same terms clause.
Two things worth noting
In the 2024 response the company acknowledged the problem directly: "we acknowledge we have some communication mishaps due to the way our phone system works with out website... this year we did not have the staff to manage all the communications." That is the company's own account of the failure that customers continued to describe in 2025 and 2026.
In the 2025 response, the company wrote of the customer's public posts that it was "now taking an account for any revenue lost from them." Prospective customers may wish to weigh that alongside the reply to Andy Chase on Google — "We are reporting this review" — when deciding what to expect if they post a complaint of their own.
The BBB's own note on its profile: "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."