Considering buying online...

[Bud]

I opened a Paypal account just for my online purchases. If within a month you have a problem with your purchase, then file a credible complaint with pictures and your money will be refunded but minus the shipping costs.

[RandomGemini]

I haven't bought online yet.

I've avoided it because this winter has been brutally cold and I expanded my orchid collection quite a bit in the late fall when I took a trip over to Seattle Orchid. Just last weekend, our local OS just hosted a show and most of the plants on my wish list for this year were available there and I got them for a lot less than I would have spent online.

I have also purchased from big box stores and my second favorite place to buy orchids after a show, is actually Trader Joe's. I just check my plants carefully before I bring them home.

That doesn't mean I won't order online. I will, I am getting to where I want very specific plants. I'm trying my hand at neofineta falcata, which isn't something I see around a lot and I have two mini phals that I really want that I am trying to track down from a reputable seller online because I haven't seen them locally at all.

Speaking of that, if anyone knows of a reputable vendor with Phal. Kenneth Schubert and Phal Mini Mark in stock, and blooming size or near blooming size, could you shoot me a PM?

Thanks!

[TelTel]

I would highly recommend Orchids by Hausermann if you're curious about buying online. They have beautiful plants and send you very healthy ones and are shipped very well. I just put a review for them in the vendor feedback section. I bought a I-Hsin Sun Beauty from them and it;'s already begun to bloom and came with two spikes all for the lovely price of $16.99. Their orchids are very affordable. I also swear by those Just Add Ice Orchids you can find in Home Depot. The one in my avatar is so healthy and robust and has tons of huge thick roots, has two spikes, and it's growing another one! Just don't put ice in them and they tend to be healthy as soon as that shipment is put out.

[Subrosa]

Just got a first time shipment from another vendor, Meyer's Conservancy today. Highly recommended! His main thing is flasks, but he sells plants as well. BIG plus is he has pics of each individual plant so you can see what you're getting.

[RandomGemini]

I like the just add ice orchids too, I have a bunch of those, but you have to check the plants before you buy them. Home Depot and the other stores that sell these, tends to water their entire plant department daily, so often, when you see these orchids, you will find them water logged and in some state of rot. So make sure you check the roots and that the leaves are not floppy before you buy one. Also, watch out for plants with a terminal spike. I have seen more than one Just Add Ice orchid with a terminal spike be left out on the shelf.

[DweamGoiL]

I have purchased from a couple of vendors online. For the most part, it is better to be able to inspect the plants personally rather than to rely on the vendor to select one for you. Interpretations of size, condition, and age seem to be a gamble at times. I once received a plant from a well established vendor that had mealy bugs in the media and it took months to get rid of them. Not to mention that this particular Paph had hardly any roots to begin with. I tried hard to save it, but had to let it go almost a full year later. Its care was way too much time and effort intensive and for all that time, it barely clung to life. I only keep 8-9 orchids so losing one after all that to not have it recover eventually was a major blow.

On a positive note, Carter and Holmes was a pleasure to deal with. They are very honest and stand behind what they sell. I highly recommend them, but they are a bit pricier than some.

[Fairorchids]

On Ebay you get a photo of the plant, and many vendors grant discount on shipping costs if you buy more than one. A few offer a flat shipping cost, no matter how many plants yoy buy.

BUT, don't bid without checking price at one of the known vendors.

[Ray]

Understand the vendors policies, too. Being able to file a complaint with PayPal or the credit card company is one thing, not having to is better.

I, for example, back my stuff 100%. Many years ago I shipped a plant, apparently hadn't wrapped it well enough (I do now!!!), so it got beaten up in transit. I refunded the money, let the buyer keep it as a "consolation prize", and the person raised that plant to an FCC.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

On Ebay you get a photo of the plant, ...

I KNEW I forgot to mention an important point in regards to Ebay .... though it holds true for most online vendors:

Be aware that the photo(s) in their ad is often NOT that of the actual plant for sale. (And, at least with Ebay, may not even be the auctioneer's own photos. Many of them seem to think it is "okay" to steal other people's pictures off the web.)

[Corsetière]

Paul, yep! That is exactly why I started watermarking my images.