Arena Ethnobotanicals was a Carlsbad-based kratom vendor that sold all kinds of organic products.
This vendor’s kratom selection was quite limited, and its prices were prohibitive, but it was considered trustworthy thanks to its years in the industry. However, it had an outdated, lackluster, and poorly designed website.
As time passed, Arena Ethnobotanicals’ service declined, and many customers noticed. It simply could not keep up with the fast pace of the kratom industry and eventually closed its doors.
In this article, I will discuss what products it carried, its service, and what alternatives you have in Carlsbad for quality kratom.
Best Alternative Kratom Vendors
Although Arena Ethnobotanicals is no longer in business, there are a massive number of vendors that ship to Carlsbad and across the US. These are the ones that offer the best service and carry quality, lab-tested, AKA-approved products.
1. Star Kratom
Star Kratom
Star Kratom’s speed of delivery is unparalleled. On top of that, its products are of excellent quality, and you can ask for a full refund if you’re not satisfied with your purchase.
This vendor offers affordable prices across its entire catalog. Star Kratom focuses particularly on classic strains, so expect to find only a few exotic varieties in its selection.
Pros:
- Fastest shipping available
- High-quality products
- Lab tested goods
- Great customer service
Cons:
- Limited strain selection
2. VIP Kratom
VIP Kratom
Thanks to its premium kratom, VIP Kratom has become one of the leading vendors in the market. This store carries excellent products and maintains the strictest quality control standards.
VIP Kratom offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for opened and unopened products to ensure your satisfaction. Its prices may seem steep, but they are worth every penny.
Pros:
- Premium-grade kratom
- Strict quality standards
- Lab tested goods
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Expensive
3. Kona Kratom
Kona Kratom
Kona Kratom has earned a place among the top vendors thanks to its excellent overall service. This store is run by kratom enthusiasts who put in extra work to be the go-to shop for the kratom community.
Kona Kratom offers an impressive selection of strains, both exotic and classic. In addition, all of its batches undergo strict testing to ensure consistency while maintaining affordable prices.
Pros:
- Solid strain selection
- Competitive prices
- Third-party lab results available
- Bespoke customer service
Cons:
- Somewhat slow shipping
About the Company
Arena Ethnobotanicals operated for an impressive number of years. The store began operations in 2007 and shut down in approximately 2021, completing a commendable 14 years of business.
The company started after the owners had a bad experience with a well-known US vendor. The order the owners placed took almost 20 days to arrive, was poorly packaged, had no labels, and was low-quality.
After such a rough experience, they set out to create a store that would offer high-quality products and, above all, ensure customer satisfaction. During its time in business, this store carried kratom, kava, kanna, and many other herbs.
It’s no news that maintaining a kratom store is a highly challenging task. The number of years in the industry began to take a toll on this vendor’s service, which became more erratic.
If you search for reviews online, you will see that some Reddit users began to notice a decrease in the quality of the vendor’s kratom. Shortly after that, during the hard pandemic, Arena Ethnobotanicals ceased operations, unable to compete with the new vendors in the kratom landscape.
Arena Ethnobotanicals Product Reviews
Arena Ethnobotanicals offered a tremendous assortment of herbs, but its kratom catalog wasn’t extensive. By the end of its run, this vendor only carried four strains in powder and capsule form.
Keep in mind that this was not a specialized kratom vendor but rather the opposite. The store’s forte was to offer a small assortment of different herbs and seeds. If you wanted a variety of kratom, Arena Ethnobotanicals was not the place for you.
Strains Offered By Arena Ethnobotanicals
Was Arena Ethnobotanicals Legit?
Yes, Arena Ethnobotanicals was legit.
Surviving more than ten years in an industry as complex as kratom shows that the team behind Arena Ethnobotanicals took things seriously.
During that time, this store made a name for itself and was considered one of the most recognized vendors on the Pacific Coast.
However, Arena Ethnobotanicals’ service was far from perfect. The AKA didn’t approve its products, and the vendor showed no signs of testing its batches.
Regardless, this vendor claimed to treat its kratom with equipment that complied with the AKA’s Good Manufacturing Practices. With its website deactivated, it’s rather difficult to check these claims.
What You Were Expected To Pay
Arena Ethnobotanicals’ prices were absurdly high, and its inability to compete with the growing number of cheaper vendors significantly led to its downfall.
To give you an idea, 1 oz of Premium Maeng Da was $18.99 when, based on the industry average, it shouldn’t cost you more than $6 at any other store. These prices were tolerable only when there was not so much competition.
Nowadays, maintaining such high prices would be impossible, as you can find many online stores with affordable but high-quality products.
What Other Customers Said About This Brand
Having been in business for so many years, Arena Ethnobotanicals didn’t go unnoticed on Reddit. Many users commented on their experiences with the vendor, the most recent being negative.
Most of the reviews mention the weakness of its products. User “Power_of_night” stated their disappointment with their purchase, “I ended up taking way more than I would normally take and felt literally nothing.”
“So, I wanted to give everyone a heads up in case anyone else might have heard about them, or would ever order from them. Stick to the vendors that others can vouch for. For all I know, I’m eating a bunch of grass clippings at this point”, concluded the client.
Similarly, user “TheKratomKid” made a post called “Bought some kratom from Arena Ethnobotanicals. Hour and a half later, and nothing”. The customer claims to be confused, as they felt no effects after trying the store’s kratom.
Overall, online reviews agree that Arena Ethnobotanicals’ products were sometimes frustratingly weak and too expensive for their quality.
Final Thoughts: Limited & Expensive Selection
Arena Ethnobotanicals was a Carlsbad-based store that offered a large selection of organic products. However, its kratom catalog was not extensive and was mainly focused on four strains in powder and capsule form.
This store was active for over 14 years in a very complex industry, which is a commendable fact. However, some significant flaws affected its reliability as a kratom vendor, leading to the company’s downfall.
Mainly, its prices were unreasonably high. There was no possible explanation for why 1 oz of powder would cost $18.99, especially considering that they were not AKA-approved products.
The only possible reason is that Arena Ethnobotanicals was taking advantage of its position as one of the few kratom vendors at the time. However, as a large number of kratom vendors began to offer cheaper quality products, it was unable to compete.
You can get pure, fresh, and AKA-approved kratom from many online stores. The best on the market today are VIP Kratom, Kona Kratom, and Star Kratom, which offer a straightforward purchasing experience and high-quality products.
