What's your experience in mail-ordering orchids? - Page 4 - Orchid Board

NeoNJ · #31 02-04-2011, 08:46 PM

I guess I thought the purpose of using "HEAT PACKS" was so that vendors COULD ship in Cold weather and not have to Hold an order for 3-Weeks........but now I'm finding they won't ship Period. So I'm going to wait now until the end of March before I place any Orders......

The one thing that really REALLY bothers me is not receiving replies to Emails that are sent to the Orchid Vendors ...and it's happened to me on numerous occassions. And the vendors are all the large well-known vendors in the country! I've had better response and courtesy from Sellers on Ebay !

JanS · #32 02-10-2011, 07:41 PM

A bunch of you wanted to know if I get any resolution from orchids.com/Norman's Orchids for my initial complaint about my mail order, so here's the answer:

They keep avoiding/ignoring me, so my advice for all of you is stay away and order from someone else. Following my initial e-mail a long time ago that was completely ignored, I sent another one last week..and resent it twice. It contained a detailed description of what was wrong with the order. As if to make fun of me, I finally got an answer back: "Sorry to hear you are not happy with your order. What was wrong?"

So I attached the original text describing the problems and sent it back as a reply. I also tried to phone and only got voicemail. Then I got another e-mail on Monday from a person named Fabby saying they "had trouble opening my e-mail" and will get back to me by Tuesday at the latest. And that was that!

I am done with Normans forever, and likely will not buy orchids via mail order again unless I absolutely have to.

Pilot · #33 02-11-2011, 12:58 PM

Well part of the issue of mail-order plants falls on the shipper, too. FedEx had my plants from orchids.com in Denver this morning. I live minutes from Denver. Where are the plants now? Cheyenne... hours and hours away. I paid for overnight and now my orchids get to take a tour of Wyoming! Not a happy camper.

Zoey · #34 02-11-2011, 04:16 PM

I order most plants online. Have had great success with Norman's and Seattle Orchids. Have also ordered on eBay with mostly success. If it wasn't for the web I would be 'Orchidless in PA'. Zoey

Zoey · #35 02-11-2011, 04:18 PM

Wow! Have never had a problem with them yet. There is always a first time.

NeoNJ · #36 02-11-2011, 04:19 PM

What I don't understand is why some Vendors can't seem to ship this time of year - while others will ship your order promptly. I have four (4) orders currently on hold for shipment due to Temps, all from different vendors.

I can't seem to understand why these large, big-time orchid nurseries don't have the means to properly ship plants in the Winter! If one vendor can do it, than they should all be able to do it. Are "Heat Packs" really useless?

I guess just some vendors have the skill to properly and efficiently package plants and ship them safely this time of year. I'm in the Northeast, and I've gotten orchids this week, and last week.....delivered and arrived in great condition !

It's very frustrating !

Zoey · #37 02-11-2011, 04:41 PM

Hi. I know what you mean. I live in Carlisle, PA south-central part of state. If plants are sent FedEx they seem to get through the cold fine. USPS left last order on the cement and the HEAT PACK was no longer a HEAT PACK. Will wait now to order until March. There are no local growers or an AOS group anywhere near here.

Pilot · #38 02-11-2011, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoNJ

What I don't understand is why some Vendors can't seem to ship this time of year - while others will ship your order promptly. I have four (4) orders currently on hold for shipment due to Temps, all from different vendors.

I can't seem to understand why these large, big-time orchid nurseries don't have the means to properly ship plants in the Winter! If one vendor can do it, than they should all be able to do it. Are "Heat Packs" really useless?

I guess just some vendors have the skill to properly and efficiently package plants and ship them safely this time of year. I'm in the Northeast, and I've gotten orchids this week, and last week.....delivered and arrived in great condition !

It's very frustrating !

Well heat packs won't do much when the temps are so extreme. Here in Colorado, we saw -18F a few days ago and a heat pack would be like beating back the sea with a broom.

I don't blame Norman's for this-- its on the hands of FedEx. They claim my box was sent to Cheyenne because of weather, but its a beautiful 43 and sunny here. So if the problem was at Memphis, I get it. But the box obviously left Memphis...by why go to Cheyenne and not Denver? Denver has more business and people than the entire State of Wyoming so it can't be an equipment issue. It makes no sense. They have until 430Pm today (really doubt they'll make it) before I hit send on my email asking for a full refund of shipping (and for the contents of the package if they are frozen!).

Our local FedEx delivery person is great... but today on the phone I got some of the meanest customer service ever. Of course I was angry but I always start off catching flies with honey. But I got vinegar back!

Zoey · #39 02-11-2011, 04:43 PM

Who do you order from that will hold your shipments? All my vendors just want me to pay for heat packs. Do you have a favorite vendor?

NeoNJ · #40 02-11-2011, 05:21 PM

Hey Zoey ---- I know Carlisle ! I'm from Mechanicsburg, PA. Not far from you really ! WOW!

Well, any Vendor WEST of me here in New Jersey would not ship the orchids. And forget the California orchid nurseries.....They laughed at me ! So I don't even waste my time ordering from California orchid vendors! So, the vendors in ILLINOIS, MINNESOTA and CALIFORNIA and CONNECTICUT (odd, right?) said they were NOT shipping this Week due to Low Temps!

I agree, these Vendors should be using FEDEX Next Day Delivery and there would be no problem. The Vendor needs to know to appropriately wrap and package the plants! That's the key!