Shipping and handling charges

[PaphLover]

Newbie question:

I'm ordering 7 plants and 1 flask from a Taiwan nursery for pick up at my local orchid show. All plants are 'flowering size'. Since this is my first time doing this, I'm not sure of what to expect/ what are reasonable charges for shipping and handling.

Does $30USD fall within normal range?

Also, what if plants are damaged, smaller than stated, or otherwise disappointing or unacceptable? Do vendors generally allow you to choose another plant that you prefer or are you stuck with what they've picked out for you?

Have you found that vendors generally do really pick "the best plants" for pre-order?

Thanks for your replies!

[orchidsarefun]

If this vendor is selling at your show, then there shouldn't be a shopping charge? I prefer a mix n match and have done so in the past - picking the best from the for sale and combining the best from the order.
The $30 may be for a cites certificate. I have paid that but my plants were mailed to me.

Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk

[silken]

As mentioned, there should be no need for shipping. I pre order from Ching Hua (from Taiwan) almost every time they come to the Edmonton show which is usually the closest show for me. The price they quote is U.S. Wholesale so I do end up adding more to each one. Often the plants are $10 or $12 and at the end of the day that will be more like $15 or $16 Canadian. With our dollar being so low now, the price of each plant might go higher.

I am assuming you may be referring to Ching Hua so I will tell you what I experience every year. They don't bring every plant listed to sell at the show. So if you want it, you should pre order it. They only bring what is blooming at the time. Since it is a pre order you will have to take that one as there may be no others to swap it with. Once I ordered a Den and when I picked mine up, I saw he had the same kind for sale in bloom. I asked but he said those would cost more. Pre order is a good price but I find the roots often not as good as the ones bought at the show in their stalls. I always make sure I have a good seaweed product at home and get my plants soaking in some as soon as I am home and get them un packed. Most of them survive and some look like rootless wonders when unpacked and a few months later are crazy with roots.

[PaphLover]

Thanks orchidsarefun and silken.

silken, yes, it is Ching Hua. It is confusing to me why there is a shipping and handling charge since they are coming here already and one would assume they are getting a bulk rate for transporting so many orchids at once. But then, I don't know if it's weird of me to think shipping and handling should be their cost of doing business. So if this is an abnormal charge, how do I as a consumer contest it? Or can I?

[silken]

Originally Posted by PaphLover

Thanks orchidsarefun and silken.

silken, yes, it is Ching Hua. It is confusing to me why there is a shipping and handling charge since they are coming here already and one would assume they are getting a bulk rate for transporting so many orchids at once. But then, I don't know if it's weird of me to think shipping and handling should be their cost of doing business. So if this is an abnormal charge, how do I as a consumer contest it? Or can I?

Have they sent you a bill with this charge? I sometimes group order and other times I just pre-order on my own. I forget what their invoices look like but there are some handling fees. They still do have to pay to put them on the plane for heated cargo space. And they will need to pay for Phyto sanitary papers and other import papers etc. If you were placing an order out of country it would cost a fortune. You would need to do all the paperwork and pay for it. So they may sum it up as 'shipping and handling'. It is just the cost of getting the plants here. They need to make money too. I still think it's a pretty good price in the end and they have such a huge selection. I will be ordering at least a couple from them for the Edmonton show too. Last spring I bought a L. purpurata. Because it was a bloom size species, it did cost $40.00 Can in the end. It has just been a petrified thing slowly dying. I have bought many from them and this isn't normal. So I took a few photos over the first 9 months and they are willingly replacing it for me when they come back. I have no complaints with them. You will get some that the roots are questionable (maybe) but just make sure to have seaweed. My friend buys root builder. A product she gets in Surrey. It is awesome.

I expect you will also have Canadian vendors like ForestView and Paramount and Tropical Gardens Orchids at the show as well. They have some good selections and you will be able to know exactly what you are paying right from the start. If you need links to their websites, I can provide them.

Edit to add:
I just looked up one that I bought last year from Ching Hua. The list price was $10.00 for a blooming size plant (it was 14 or 16 pseudobublbs and a hefty size!) My finish price was $16.00 Canadian so that is still half the price you would pay at many vendors for a named good size Cattleya. My notes say most the roots weren't too good. You should see it today. I don't know what to do with all the roots! Some are 8 inches long and hanging out the pot and the pot is full of gorgeous roots!

[PaphLover]

Thank you, silken. I know Forestview Gardens well and love them! Beautiful plants and excellent customer service. I just recently bought a plant from Paramount as well. I would love to know more about the root builder your friend gets in Surrey. That info I'll gladly take.
I have a seaweed fertilizer from Orgunique I've been using. The plants seem to love it.

[silken]

Originally Posted by PaphLover

Thank you, silken. I know Forestview Gardens well and love them! Beautiful plants and excellent customer service. I just recently bought a plant from Paramount as well. I would love to know more about the root builder your friend gets in Surrey. That info I'll gladly take.
I have a seaweed fertilizer from Orgunique I've been using. The plants seem to love it.

Here is the link. Green Planet Hydroponics. She has sent me some and it seems to work even better than most of the other ones I have used. And I thought they were good!

https://www.google.com/search?q=root...PMkgqmd7iaM%3A

[PaphLover]

Thank you, silken, for your excellent, informative replies.