ebay orchids

[armagedon48]

i see many very nice looking orchids on ebay that are very low price, and if buying multiple plants, should cost about 2-3$ per plant.
is this to good to be true sorta thing? what can i expect when ordering orchids off ebay? does anyone else do this?
if ebay is the devil, where else can i find very nice orchids for very nice prices?

[daemondamian]

I would say yes and no . When I first started buying orchids I bought from Ebay and it was a matter of impulse buying and what I liked I bought. Probably 40-50% of my collection is from Ebay.

I no longer buy orchids from Ebay as my great friend up North says they are not worth it- that they are mostly dogs I don't think you will generally get any orchids that are showbench worthy or will win awards but you can ones that are still pretty nice and will give you personal pleasure which IMO is as important as whether or not someone else will tell you if it is a worthy plant or not.

IME quality depends on the seller, I have been extremely happy with many, satisfied with most and only dissapointed a few times. Same with commercial orchid nurseries I have bought from.

You should always check the catalogues and prices of nurseries and compare with the prices -division/plant size of orchids you find on ebay.. you may find for example a plant that is selling on ebay for some price such as $30 or more can be bought as a $10-$15 seedling from a nursery .

Another thing to beware of is getting sucked into to the whole bidding and winning against someone else thing- it can be as bad as gambling

Set a limit and stick to it!

Unless you know the quality of a seller's plants, it is preferable to see the *actual* on auction that you are bidding on and if won will receive. If they don't have a photo of the plant, ask them for one.. if they can't be bothered taking and sending a photo then forget about it!

Check the wording and info on postage cost and responsibility. Sometimes there will be a picture of a bloom and a plant in a pot but you're not bidding on that actual plant in that picture! Also some sellers will not take responsibility if the plants go missing or get damaged in the mail- find out how much it costs [from the delivery company/service] and offer to pay the extra for insurance/registration.. in Australia it only costs $2.60 for up to $100 of goods.

Hope that helps

[armagedon48]

yea, this is going to be a personal collection.
and thankyou for your advise, but where can i find catalogues to look through?

[smartie2000]

In canada, the selection on eBay is poor but I know there is a lot of good auctions in the States.

For the the economic costs of buying on eBay were exactly the same (maybe more) as those from large vendors. Plus large vendors sell much healthier plants

In Canada Cloud's Orchids has the lowest pricing, while still maintaining quality

[IdahoOrchid]

Originally Posted by daemondamian

but you can ones that are still pretty nice and will give you personal pleasure which IMO is as important as whether or not someone else will tell you if it is a worthy plant or not.

That is the MOST important thing, actually.

I have learned you cannot believe the pictures unless it states specifically that the plant in the pic is the one you will receive. I recently even tried to verify that the pic was the actual plant, got a confirmation and STILL got a WAY smaller seedling. I was compensated only because I sent the message to the person, so save all communications until you are certain the deal is done to your satisfaction.

Do not be afraid to ask for compensation if the plant (or any item actually) is not to your liking. One time I just notified the vendor of a problem and she refunded me the cost of the plant even though I did not ask for it. Worked out for the best though as the plant has struggled.

[cb977]

I have a number of 'chids purchased from ebay and have, so far, been lucky

Damien summed up all the details you should pay attention to What he says about setting a limit and sticking to it is very good advice...sometimes, the competition for a plant becomes more than the plant is actually worth so when you "win" it, you're really paying more than you would've elsewhere.

Read through the Vendor Feedback forum here http://www.orchidboard.com/community/vendor-feedback/ and see if there are any specific vendors mentioned...for good or bad

Good luck

[daemondamian]

Originally Posted by cb977

I have a number of 'chids purchased from ebay and have, so far, been lucky

Damien summed up all the details you should pay attention to What he says about setting a limit and sticking to it is very good advice...sometimes, the competition for a plant becomes more than the plant is actually worth so when you "win" it, you're really paying more than you would've elsewhere.

Read through the Vendor Feedback forum here http://www.orchidboard.com/community/vendor-feedback/ and see if there are any specific vendors mentioned...for good or bad

Good luck

Thanks cb977,
I have to admit there were a few times I set a limit, met it, went past it, totally forgot about it and then felt very bad afterwards

One time I was bidding on a paph division and I won it but I found out a friend of mine could have gotten me a division of the same species that had actually been awarded

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by daemondamian

One time I was bidding on a paph division and I won it but I found out a friend of mine could have gotten me a division of the same species that had actually been awarded

That is very sad. Be more careful and selective next time.

[daemondamian]

Originally Posted by Shadow

That is very sad. Be more careful and selective next time.

yep.. it goes to show that while you might find an orchid on Ebay that is worth showbenching or is of award quality, you are far more likely to obtain showbench worthy or awarded plants through personal private and somewhat priviliged contacts..

I am lucky to know my friend up north who knows other people but I'm only just becoming familiar with the members of my local orchid club.. it all takes time I guess and patience.. nothing to do but sit back and watch those
orchids bloom!

[smartie2000]

Has happened to me too. I purchase stuff from eBay and I see that someone closer could have sold me something better!