Very Disappointed in familytreedna

[mikechilds54]

As the weeks have turned into months of waiting for results, my disillusionment and frustration have grown, and I have almost no confidence in this company. There seems to be a real lack of integrity in the way that they deal with people. Makes one wonder how accurate their results are.

I certainly would not recommend them to anyone at this point. Perhaps my opinion will change.

[lgmayka]

What test did you order, and when was it batched (sent to lab)?

Here are the latest time estimates for testing:
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As of April 22, 2015, current test times are estimated to be:
Family Finder – 5 to 6 weeks

mtDNA – 11 to 13 weeks

Y-DNA – 11 to 14 weeks

Big Y – 8 to 9 weeks

SNPs – 8 to 9 weeks
---

FTDNA is now updating these estimates roughly every week.

[MikeP]

Maybe those are "estimates" for new orders ... many existing orders for y-dna are already in week 15 or 16 ...

[Tenn4ever]

I'm in week 16.

[selah]

The estimated dates should be correct from the beginning and not assign the same date to the different tests in the batch. That is misleading and is the root cause of everyone's agitation. My FMS should have had the correct estimated results date from the beginning, not the same date as a FF in the same batch and then bumped out. These dates are changing weekly and it's ridiculous. I want to purchase two Y tests, but will probably purchase from yseq.

[Valmac11]

I share your frustration my Mtdna was due 15 April to 29 April and lo and behold it is now 27 may to 10 june for Batch 612.

[gtc]

The estimated dates should be correct from the beginning and not assign the same date to the different tests in the batch.

Yes, a batch is an internal construct that FTDNA ought to keep to itself. It doesn't help the customer because a batch of orders can contain a wide variety of test types, each of which has different average processing times.

If it is going to provide ETAs at all, then yes those ETAs to be based on the individual orders, regardless of the order batching scheme.

FTDNA publishes estimated processing times here:

https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/testing-process/return-kit-long-will-results-take/

... but that table does not take account of the tsunami of orders it receives every time it runs special offers (and the associated logjams in the lab), or lab processing problems, or staff shortages, or whatever else.

[selah]

LMS. Clearly what the lab has (if anything) isn't working. Plus, I personally know several people whose FMS took 20 weeks. FTDNA needs new lab management.

[Tenn4ever]

Yes, a batch is an internal construct that FTDNA ought to keep to itself. It doesn't help the customer because a batch of orders can contain a wide variety of test types, each of which has different average processing times.

If it is going to provide ETAs at all, then yes those ETAs to be based on the individual orders, regardless of the order batching scheme.

FTDNA publishes estimated processing times here:

https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/testing-process/return-kit-long-will-results-take/

... but that table does not take account of the tsunami of orders it receives every time it runs special offers (and the associated logjams in the lab), or lab processing problems, or staff shortages, or whatever else.

I can understand somewhat but it doesn't explain, for example, Batch 603 and 604 which were purchased at the tail end of the big sale in December being delayed while batches such as 607 and 608 getting their Y results already.

[gtc]

I can understand somewhat but it doesn't explain, for example, Batch 603 and 604 which were purchased at the tail end of the big sale in December being delayed while batches such as 607 and 608 getting their Y results already.

That's one for FTDNA. Darren, can you enlighten us?

[Darren]

Responded to in the other thread that brought this up.

-Darren

[mikechilds54]

A big improvement would be

Personally, I think a big improvement would be if Familytreedna received half the payment when the kit is ordered, and the other half when the results are ready to be downloaded.

[jbarry6899]

Personally, I think a big improvement would be if Familytreedna received half the payment when the kit is ordered, and the other half when the results are ready to be downloaded.

On YFull you don't pay until your results are complete. Not long ago a competing company gave a free upgrade to customers whose results were delayed (although that was a very small number of customers and probably not a big financial loss).

[mikechilds54]

Resultsdelayed again

DNA kits sent in late February and early March are delayed to July - this time.

I will recommend that people run from this company. Disappointment has turned to disgust.

[263026]

In the good old days of FTDNA:

batch 520

Y-DNA12
Batched 06/12/2013
Completed 06/21/2013

batch 538

Y-DNA25
Batched 10/16/2013
Completed 11/03/2013

batch 562

Y-DNA37
Batched 03/25/2014
Completed 05/07/2014