What's your experience in mail-ordering orchids?

[JanS]

I own several fragrant orchids and got into the "sticky-note" Fragrant Orchid List thread on this site...and decided it would be cool to increase my fragrant orchid collection. So right before the holidays I surfed the net and found a (seemingly) very large mail-order orchid seller from the Los Angeles area who has a very thorough web site where you can actually limit your search to fragrant species.

I went a bit nuts and ended up ordering a bunch of plants in the $25-40 range for a total (with Fed-Ex shipping) of well over $300. The plants showed up in a few days, very well packaged....but:

On several of them the web site has a choice of different ages/stages of the plant including "in flower/spike" - for which you pay $10 extra. Oh heck! it was Xmas and I figured me and my wife would enjoy the instant gratification fragrances.

A Cattleya that was supposed to be in bloom or bud (?) arrived with one bud the size of a small peanut...which turned yellow and died in a matter of 3 days. A Phal. arrived with a stalk that must have earlier held some 6 or so flowers with nothing but the last very aged flower with no scent, which fell off a week or so later. A Paph. that arrived with a relatively well-formed bud had the bud die off within 2 weeks. The only success from the "flowering/budding" plants that I paid $10 each extra for is a Phal. that came with a nice stalk of flowers and buds and continues to bloom and open its new flowers...although it has no scent (a mislabel??)! All the plants continue to look good but turned out to be a very expensive purchase.

I feel ripped off and disappointed. I live in San Diego so it was a short, no-freezing shipment. I believe much of the bud drop had to do with just the usual shock of transporting plants to a new environment, but they should know better than to send either an almost out of bloom plant or one where the bud is just starting and charge extra 10 bucks. This was my first mail order and is likely the last - I would very much like to hear others' experiences.

Thanks!!

[RobS]

Did 2 orders so far and I wasn't dissapointed with mine.

[bullsie]

I get the bulk of my plants through the mail (I can't wander too far from the farm). I've had great success, but I order from companies that I have used before with good results or have been recommended to me by others.

A good rule I learned in school (many many years ago!) is that a first order should always be inexpensive. If all is ok, ordering again is a joy. If not ok, loss isn't so bad.

Have you contacted the company you purchased from and made a complaint? If they charged extra for something that was finished blooming, you should be entitled to a refund. But shipping plants in bud can be tricky, but shouldn't be as disappointing as this shipment sounds.

Hope you get some satisfaction from the company.

[Pilot]

I believe I know of the vendor of which you speak and from what I understand this is what other's have experienced as well-- on the flip-side, I've also heard great things about them too. But like Bullsie said, start small... expand your business with them if it's positive, end it if its not. But I would definitely complain!!!!

I really want one of the plants they have on their website but have never ordered from them, either-- but I plan on ordering anyway....as a test plant ;oD

[CTB]

So sorry to hear of your bad luck, I know how exciting it is to wait for arrival of new chids. If your contact to the vendor is not successful, You should post in the vendor-feedback column, using the vendors name, so others are warned. I have had great success but who know if it was the same vendor. I haven't read many complaints about Calif. vendors.

How many days between shipment and delivery? It sounds like a whole lota shock went on, usually its one plant or so. You really need to take it up with the vendor and see what they have to offer and report back. If many are having this kind of experience I don't see how they could remain in business very long. Good Luck

[Daethen]

I order most of my chids through the mail as I live in the middle of nowhere. I usually have great luck and if I don't I let the vendor know. Most of the time they will make it right. Good luck and keep us posted.

[NeoNJ]

Without knowing who the Vendor was I can't really say if I've had the same experience with them ......
however, I can only say that the only 'negative' experiences I've had with mail-order of orchid plants has been from Sellers from Ebay! I've had horrible experiences and have received plants that were in bad condition, and certainly not as advertised.

As for mail-order Orchid vendors and nurseries, I've had great experiences!

[Eyebabe]

I have ordered about half of my plants mail order/ebay and you must be cautious.
Don't be shy to pick up your phone or shoot them an email. Their knowledge regarding your questions and their availability to respond will tell you loads about how they will process your order.
My initial orders are usually small...yes, it is sometimes hard to do!
Then as my experience with the vendor grows more positive, so do my orders

[Angurek]

If you're buying plants in bloom, try to keep several things in mind: cargo handlers aren't the most gentle of folks, and the stress of being shipped can cause some plants to drop their flowers.

I wouldn't worry too much about the loss of flowers. If you take good care of the plants, they'll reward you with years of beautiful flowers. However, do take note of the condition of the plant itself. You wanna make sure it's pest-free and healthy. If I were in your shoes, I would have felt more ripped off if they had sent me a plant in poor shape.

[Ray]

As someone who sells a moderate number of plants (supplies are SO much easier to pack), and has done so for 17 years, I've gotten pretty good at packing them, and don't hesitate to ship in even cold weather (I have successfully shipped to Alaska in February).

While I DO guarantee the condition of the plant, I never do so with spikes, buds or blossoms, as they are simply too sensitive. I do try to get them to their destination intact, and if it doesn't happen, I'm usually as disappointed as the recipient.

However, if I have plants that are supposed to be in-bud or bloom, and the customer has ordered late, meaning the flowers are close to being "on the way out", I do not sell them as "in bloom" and discount the price, making it a "positive disappointment with a small bonus", rather than what I would consider a rip-off. That though, can be a matter of opinion, so if my customer is unhappy, i make amends, even if i felt everything was on the up-and-up.

I think all good vendors should do so.