Got an Ancestry kit from a family member who knew I’d been curious about our roots. Collected the sample, sealed it up, then paused because I wasn’t 100% sure if activation came before mailing. Took a few minutes to dig through https://ancestry.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html to be sure. Found that activation is a key first step—it connects your sample to your account so results aren’t lost or delayed. Once I registered the kit online, everything else was straightforward. The whole process feels smooth once you're past that small but important detail.