Switching from tap water to filtered water was a total game changer for my starter! My city water must have something in it that the yeast didn't like. I was getting weak bubbles and a weird smell for weeks. Using a simple Brita filter made it active and happy almost overnight. It's crazy how one small change can make such a huge difference.

Harper's "take the skill out of it" reminds me of what jakeb25 would say about using a GPS instead of a map.

Ugh that's the worst, @gray6. Did you try contacting their customer service or just cut your losses?