Yankee Candle, the favorite holiday candle brand of moms everywhere, has infuriated hundreds of customers who bought up big in Black Friday sales but have not received their brightly colored candles in jars as Christmas approaches.
Angry customers are posting on the company's Facebook and Twitter accounts, complaining that they've received no response after inquiring about orders placed over 10 days ago that have not yet shipped.
Others say they've spent more than two hours waiting for someone to answer the customer service line.
When BuzzFeed News rang the line on Monday, a recorded message said, "Our hold times are exceeding an hour and the queue is too long," before the call automatically terminated.
Two hours now... I can assure you I will never be ordering another @TheYankeeCandle product again. This is awful service.
@TheYankeeCandle I have sat on hold 2.5 hours yesterday with no answer, I have tweeted and emailed you with no response. Where is my order? This is unacceptable and terrible customer service.
One person took a photo of her phone to show her two-hour call length.
At least two people posted on behalf of their moms.
my moms been on hold for 2+ hours trying to buy CANDLES. @TheYankeeCandle can y’all do something pls i want my mom back
@TheYankeeCandle y’all my mom has been on hold with you for almost two hours are you capable of handling your customers or
Missouri mom Cindy Spurgeon placed an order for eight holiday candles on Dec. 6. "It's kind of a running joke in my family that I always have so many Yankee Candles," she told BuzzFeed News.
But 10 days later, her order of Christmas Cookie, Red Apple Wreath, Christmas Eve, and Home for the Holiday candles still hadn't been sent.
She has shelves set aside in her rural home closet specifically for the 12–15 Yankee Candle candles she has at any given time and ranks them according to season. "I love the fall and winter ones. They are my absolute favorite," said Spurgeon, 61. "It gets to be September, and I start getting their pumpkin and apple. And then I slide right into Christmas. And this year I’m going to be without Christmas!"
She reached out to customer service and received no response before tweeting at them on Monday.
@TheYankeeCandle I am a VERY loyal, long-time customer. I have purchased so many candles in the past, my husband was not pleased. With that said, I placed an order Dec. 6, so I would have my faves for Xmas. So far, no candles, no response. #pissed
"What I really want from them is an explanation. Tell me what is going on," she said.
Spurgeon added, "I am a huge Christmas person. My kids are adults, and they come home for Christmas and expect to see those familiar smells. And that's what's so disappointing."
Tami Smith, a 42-year-old mom from Columbus, Georgia, told BuzzFeed News she has been hankering for the sweet scent of a Magical Frosted Forest candle. She likes it because "it's Christmassy" but "it doesn't slap you in the face when you walk in."
"It smells like Christmas trees but not too Christmas tree–y," she clarified. "I feel like I'm in a Magical Frosted Forest."
She purchased six of her beloved candles three weeks ago, but her order still hasn't been shipped.
"In the meantime, they’re sending me other offers to buy more candles," said Smith.
She emailed twice over the last week but got no response, so she tweeted at the company on Monday. “I really want my candle, dadgummit!" she told BuzzFeed News.
The candle is something she lights on Christmas morning with her daughter at home before they head to her husband's family to build a gingerbread house. "It’s not going to be so magical this Christmas," said Smith, laughing. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding — yes, it will."
She added, "It’s a candle; it’s not dire at all. But I spent money that I could have probably used on something else."
Jen Matrisciano, a mom from Green Bay, Wisconsin, ordered four candles on Dec. 5 for her daughters and mother-in-law: Steamed Vanilla Milk, Christmas Cookie, All Is Bright, and Holiday Lights.
Her two beloved daughters — aged 12 and 15 — live in Ohio; as she is spending Christmas apart from her daughters, Matrisciano wanted to send them the candles as a present. But the order wasn't shipped in time. "It throws a wrench in it a little bit," she said.
The package to her daughters was posted on Monday — without candles. "It's one less present," she said.
After hearing nothing back from her multiple attempts to contact Yankee Candle, Matrisciano began to worry she'd gotten scammed. "It’s the time of the year for scams," she said. "Made me start thinking, Was I on the official Yankee Candle link?"
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, Yankee Candle apologized for the shipping delays and lengthy wait times on the customer service line.
"While we anticipated a spike in demand this holiday season, orders have been even higher than expected and this was compounded by a systems issue that impacted order processing and confirmations," the company said, adding that the issue has now been resolved and it was working to address the backlog. "We know how stressful this time of year can be and we understand why our consumers are so upset."
The company also promised that all orders placed by 1 p.m. EST Dec. 14 would arrive by Christmas. It also vowed to "make it right" with all its customers.
After talking to BuzzFeed News, all three moms got word that their orders had finally shipped.
But Matrisciano will have to wait for the summer break to give the candle to her daughters. "It will be an odd midsummer Christmas candle," she said.