The Orchid Garden

No to Mail Orders

Question:

OK, folks.  I think that profpam has been sufficient thrashed for her mail order vent.   She had problems with two orders and was angry. She probably doesn’t place hundreds of orders a year, so this represents a pretty high problem rate to her.   Rod, I’m sure if your bounced check rate was 25% you’d be a bit peeved as well. I think the group would be best served by simply letting her know that the real problem rate is much lower than what she saw and that most vendors will bend over backwards to correct any problems that do occur.   No need to run her off the group forever. deg p.s.  Rod – good to hear your health check went well.   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What do you expect to gain by giving all of us a black eye? Inventory problems "happen". Mistakes "happen". They shouldn’t but they do. Even Venger’s makes an error on occasion. Does that make us the devil? I think not. Human, perhaps. Y’know, there’s some people that can’t be pleased no matter what you do, right or wrong. Do we come out here and vilify all customers on that basis? Do I stop accepting all checks because once or twice a year some low-life screws me? No. Life goes on. I think your statement, while the feelings are based on fact, is blatantly unfair to all of us that bust our butts year in and year out. Get a life. -Rod- Well, folks, do you really want to  order by mail?  Yes, email is easy and results are immediate, but do you know who is at the other end of your transaction? It seems that reputable (?) businesses will screw you if they can. Early in November, I ordered two vanilla orchid plants, a weather station, and an extra transmitter for my greenhouse. In order to ship the orchid plants, the company said they had to send the extra transmitter but did not have the weather station in stock.  So, after two months, I never received the the vanilla orchid plants; I returned the weather sensor as it meant nothing without the weather station.  Then miraculously, the weather station arrived…but still no Vanilla orchids.  Two months later the Washington based firm said they would credit my account. Oh, mail order, how great you are! Well, I decided to give mail order another try.  Believe it or not! I, thus, ordered from a Pennsylvania firm.  Because I had conducted business with them previously, I thought they would be reliable.  Wrong! Wrong! Today, I received two of three items.  The third item, it seems I was billed at $30 for an item marked at $20.  In addition, the bill said the item was sold out; however, the item was not sent and the charge was not deducted. This ‘Takes the Cake’, people.  The item was charged; the item was not received but we still dare to send half an order and charge for the rest.  Well, does anyone know the recourse for charge cards? If so, please advise. After this, I cast my vote — NO MORE MAIL ORDERS!!!!! . . . Pam

Response:

I agree totally, Dewitt! — Ray Barkalow < First Rays Orchids         Secure Online Ordering        http://www.firstrays.com

OK, folks.  I think that profpam has been sufficient thrashed for her mail order vent.   She had problems with two orders and was angry. She probably doesn’t place hundreds of orders a year, so this represents a pretty high problem rate to her.

{Major cut here}

Response:

Some of my cousins and nephews   decided to buy me some plants as x-mas gifts…the  owner of place took the order and warned the kids about weather….the kids said they would pay extra for insulation and for Today…i received the box post marked.. DECEMBER 15..the box was clearly marked  KEEP AWAY FROM HEAT OR COLD…my address was legible , complete adn correct…when i opened the packing was superb…..insulation and everything… worthy  of a master what the kids and the retailer were not counting was the fact that somebody ( why is it  that is always "somebody"  or his friend ( ’somebody else") that screws up) ….in the USPS….lost track of my box…and it was kept almost 18 days in a dark and very hot place……on this one I cannot blame the seller I have been lucky (may be.)…or selective in  those I buy from…I had a very stubborn seller that retained my order in summer to prevent cooking of plants…I am gratefull he did..plants are growing happy since they traveled happy……. and when I have had problems with delivered plants…I have found that in 99/99% of cases a nice and coutreous call to  nursery resolcves the problem…. But as I said..I am lucky…Hey I even had a large nursery screw my order and sent me the order of another person…large order  when I call the gentleman who  talked to me said…our mistake keep them and 3 days latter I also received my plants…..the other guy ( my cousin) got also his plants….talk about luck…..and honest  people – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK, folks.  I think that profpam has been sufficient thrashed for her mail order vent.   She had problems with two orders and was angry. She probably doesn’t place hundreds of orders a year, so this represents a pretty high problem rate to her.   Rod, I’m sure if your bounced check rate was 25% you’d be a bit peeved as well. I think the group would be best served by simply letting her know that the real problem rate is much lower than what she saw and that most vendors will bend over backwards to correct any problems that do occur.   No need to run her off the group forever. deg p.s.  Rod – good to hear your health check went well. What do you expect to gain by giving all of us a black eye? Inventory problems "happen". Mistakes "happen". They shouldn’t but they do. Even Venger’s makes an error on occasion. Does that make us the devil? I think not. Human, perhaps. Y’know, there’s some people that can’t be pleased no matter what you do, right or wrong. Do we come out here and vilify all customers on that basis? Do I stop accepting all checks because once or twice a year some low-life screws me? No. Life goes on. I think your statement, while the feelings are based on fact, is blatantly unfair to all of us that bust our butts year in and year out. Get a life. -Rod- Well, folks, do you really want to  order by mail?  Yes, email is easy and results are immediate, but do you know who is at the other end of your transaction? It seems that reputable (?) businesses will screw you if they can. Early in November, I ordered two vanilla orchid plants, a weather station, and an extra transmitter for my greenhouse. In order to ship the orchid plants, the company said they had to send the extra transmitter but did not have the weather station in stock.  So, after two months, I never received the the vanilla orchid plants; I returned the weather sensor as it meant nothing without the weather station.  Then miraculously, the weather station arrived…but still no Vanilla orchids.  Two months later the Washington based firm said they would credit my account. Oh, mail order, how great you are! Well, I decided to give mail order another try.  Believe it or not! I, thus, ordered from a Pennsylvania firm.  Because I had conducted business with them previously, I thought they would be reliable.  Wrong! Wrong! Today, I received two of three items.  The third item, it seems I was billed at $30 for an item marked at $20.  In addition, the bill said the item was sold out; however, the item was not sent and the charge was not deducted. This ‘Takes the Cake’, people.  The item was charged; the item was not received but we still dare to send half an order and charge for the rest.  Well, does anyone know the recourse for charge cards? If so, please advise. After this, I cast my vote — NO MORE MAIL ORDERS!!!!! . . . Pam

Before you buy.

Response:

<a rather disturbing story of two mail-order deals gone bad After this, I cast my vote — NO MORE MAIL ORDERS!!!!! . . . Pam

Well, I, for one, must chime in and say that I’ve only had good things so far when dealing with mail orders.  I’ve gotten plants from Vengers Orchids; First Rays Orchids; Orchids, Limited; and MAJ Orchids with no problems.  I’ve always gotten the plants expected at the expected price.  In fact, in Rod Vengers’ orders, I’ve gotten an interesting extra seedling included at no additional charge. So, my vote — use mail orders…but be cautious, and remember, if credit cards are involved, you have the power of the almighty charge- back…I would recommend contacting the dealer and trying to resolve the issue prior to escalating to either a chargeback or discussion in a public forum. AFAICT, in First Rays’ case, it was a mistake and Ray has tried to resolve the situation already.  Don’t be too hasty to lump everyone in the same group. And…as an aside, three separate posts in the newsgroup, each identical except for slightly altered subject headings is quite excessive. — Prem – Animator, programmer, and orchid and fossil nut extraordinaire… – DNRC Title: Minister of Lightwave 3d Plugin Design Foolishness – Home – http://www.PremDesign.com "We in our foolishness thought we were wise He played the fool and He opened our eyes We in our weakness believed we were strong He became nothing to show we were wrong." "God’s Own Fool" – Michael Card

Response:

What do you expect to gain by giving all of us a black eye? Inventory problems "happen". Mistakes "happen". They shouldn’t but they do. Even Venger’s makes an error on occasion. Does that make us the devil? I think not. Human, perhaps. Y’know, there’s some people that can’t be pleased no matter what you do, right or wrong. Do we come out here and vilify all customers on that basis? Do I stop accepting all checks because once or twice a year some low-life screws me? No. Life goes on. I think your statement, while the feelings are based on fact, is blatantly unfair to all of us that bust our butts year in and year out. Get a life. -Rod- – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, folks, do you really want to  order by mail?  Yes, email is easy and results are immediate, but do you know who is at the other end of your transaction? It seems that reputable (?) businesses will screw you if they can. Early in November, I ordered two vanilla orchid plants, a weather station, and an extra transmitter for my greenhouse. In order to ship the orchid plants, the company said they had to send the extra transmitter but did not have the weather station in stock.  So, after two months, I never received the the vanilla orchid plants; I returned the weather sensor as it meant nothing without the weather station.  Then miraculously, the weather station arrived…but still no Vanilla orchids.  Two months later the Washington based firm said they would credit my account. Oh, mail order, how great you are! Well, I decided to give mail order another try.  Believe it or not! I, thus, ordered from a Pennsylvania firm.  Because I had conducted business with them previously, I thought they would be reliable.  Wrong! Wrong! Today, I received two of three items.  The third item, it seems I was billed at $30 for an item marked at $20.  In addition, the bill said the item was sold out; however, the item was not sent and the charge was not deducted. This ‘Takes the Cake’, people.  The item was charged; the item was not received but we still dare to send half an order and charge for the rest.  Well, does anyone know the recourse for charge cards? If so, please advise. After this, I cast my vote — NO MORE MAIL ORDERS!!!!! . . . Pam

– Rod & Susan Venger, Venger’s Orchids http://www.vengers.com/ ICQ # 54828117 Our IRC (Chat info) http://www.vengers.com/page.htm

Response:

Good rebuttel Rod,and one I hadn’t thought of before.Being in retail,I should have,cuz I deal with ‘difficult’ customers on occasion. Home Depot has a policy of a one year return policy on plants….but would any of you bring a shopping cart full of dead plants,without the pots?Or reciepts??It happened just two days ago,I was there and all I could do was a computer search to try and find the prices.I would rather go back and pay 3.50 for a flat of pansys then go thru that!!! Kim

Response:

Well, folks, do you really want to  order by mail?  Yes, email is easy and results are immediate, but do you know who is at the other end of your transaction? It seems that reputable (?) businesses will screw you if they can. Early in November, I ordered two vanilla orchid plants, a weather station, and an extra transmitter for my greenhouse. In order to ship the orchid plants, the company said they had to send the extra transmitter but did not have the weather station in stock.  So, after two months, I never received the the vanilla orchid plants; I returned the weather sensor as it meant nothing without the weather station.  Then miraculously, the weather station arrived…but still no Vanilla orchids.  Two months later the Washington based firm said they would credit my account. Oh, mail order, how great you are! Well, I decided to give mail order another try.  Believe it or not! I, thus, ordered from a Pennsylvania firm.  Because I had conducted business with them previously, I thought they would be reliable.  Wrong! Wrong! Today, I received two of three items.  The third item, it seems I was billed at $30 for an item marked at $20.  In addition, the bill said the item was sold out; however, the item was not sent and the charge was not deducted. This ‘Takes the Cake’, people.  The item was charged; the item was not received but we still dare to send half an order and charge for the rest.  Well, does anyone know the recourse for charge cards? If so, please advise. After this, I cast my vote — NO MORE MAIL ORDERS!!!!! . . . Pam

Response:

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