Re: Bad Experience
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] Bad Experience
- From: M* T*
- Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2000 02:25:55 -0400
No, Jennifer, I would not let it go. I am a big supporter of
mailorder nurseries, but I do think - even understanding the
incredible task of sending out huge numbers of orders in a short time
- that they should - if they are a reputable nursery - be very
willing to try to solve reasonable problems that develop. Plants
that are DOA, missing parts of orders and extreme waiting time are,
IMO, reasonable problems that a nursery should deal with.
Now, you don't mention the nursery. Medium and small nurseries, even
well-known ones, have staff problems. There are often only one or
two people doing everything and sometimes there are snafus - human
error. Sometimes, they just can't get to dealing with things when
they should. But, they should be willing to help you out, even if
the problem lies with the shipper. Once plants are in the hands of
UPS, for instance, their safe arrival is UPS's problem. That said,
if it is a small nursery, you should be able to communicate with the
owner and get the problem solved satisfactorily.
Mega sized nurseries have problems in other areas - and some simply
don't give a hoot....they'd rather give credit or back order than do
it right to start with. If it's one of these, communicating with
someone who can actually do something about anything will be more
difficult, but if you are persistent, you should eventually work your
way up to a person - supervisor or something - who has the authority
to actually take action.
Whatever the situation, you really owe it to yourself and to the
nursery to pursue the matter until it is sorted out. Nicely, but
persistently. It does little good to blow up and yell at them,
whatever size they are. If you don't tell them that you are
dissatisfied, how are they to know. If you don't tell them your
plants arrived dead...they won't know it and won't do anything about
it.
If you ended up with less than half your order arriving in living
condition, you should get a refund, at the very least. You need to
write them a letter, setting out the situation, describing the
problem and indicating what action you think should be taken. Keep a
copy of this letter and all correspondence concerning the problem.
Keep a record of any phone calls and who you spoke to and what they
said and the date. Keep any emails on the subject with the nursery.
If you cannot get the nursery to pay attention, call your credit
card company and get them in on the act...at that point, you will
need to be able to provide them with copies of all correspondence,
etc.
If you are concerned about getting it solved to start with, call your
credit card company right away and tell them that you are having a
problem with this - they will - or should - take action to stop
payment until it is sorted out....one of the good things about using
a credit card:-)
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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> From: Jennifer Sheppard <Jennys2@AOL.COM>
> Date: Thursday, July 13, 2000 12:46 AM
>
> Hi, if you had a bad experience with a nursery, that is well
known... would
> you let it go? I don't know if I can say the name on here. But my
shipment
> arrived late with half the order and two plants dead. I called the
company
> and asked them why they charged my credit card for the whole order
and about
> the dead plants. They said they would ship the rest of the order
and replace
> the two plants. I was happy. The rest of the order took six weeks
and this
> time there were only two surviving plants!! I have not called them
again. I'm
> not sure it would do any good. <sigh> I'm thinking the company is
having some
> problems. The two plants ' clematis' both (C. x Jackmanii)
> are not doing well at all. They are in the same coconut planter
they
> suggested they stay in. They seem to be dormant!!!
> I allow myself 200.00 a year to spend on plants... well I blew
150.00 with
> this company. Should I just write to them and explain that this is
a bad, bad
> situation and hope they make it right... and then blow it off or go
further
> and tell them off! Kidding..
> what should I do?
> Thanks for any comments!
> Jennifer Sheppard
> zone 8
