Issue with a new shipment from OrchidsAmore.com
 

Ok, I just got an orchid I've been wanting a long time. The place that I ordered from had them at a very good price and they were actually one of the few that had any in stock. I placed the order and it arrived here in 3 days. This is the email I sent the vendor.


Now, I know some of you will want to know the name of the place but Im holding off on that until I get a reply back. Im just curious as to what some of you guys/gals have had happen when you are unhappy with the quality of the orchid.

It's been a mixed bag for me. One plant arrived with massive root rot. I emailed the vendor and requested a replacement. They repotted all of that particular hybrid and sent me the best one. I offered to return the one with rotted roots but they told me not to bother. So they got an A+ in my book.

A different vendor sent me a Brlla. that was encrusted with scale!! Seriously??? It would have been impossible to miss while boxing it up. I sent an email and never ever got a reply. Needless to say the plant was tossed eventually and I will never buy from that vendor again.

What happens with your order will depend entirely upon the vendor and if they care about their reputation. A reputable vendor will offer a replacement or refund.

Pardon the quality of the pictures as I just snapped them really quick.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...y/P1050652.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...y/P1050651.jpg

The new pbulb in this on the far right is the ONLY pbulb that looks remotely healthy.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...y/P1050650.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...y/P1050649.jpg

It does look pretty rough. Hopefully they will do something about it for you.

Wow! I know for certain that didn't come from Hausermann's, Carter & Holmes, or Al's Orchid Greenhouse. These guys would never send anything that looked like that.

Nope, not from any of those. My order from Carter and Holmes hasnt shipped yet and Im actually not sure when it will due to the cold front coming through next week.

Hope it gets to you before the cold hits. At least you know they will treat you well. :)

That is totally unacceptable and it looks like there's some scale on the bulbs as well. Those look like backbulbs off an old plant that have just been shoved in a pot.

That sure does look like scale!

There is no scale or other pests but it's Isolated from the pact. The dark spots are mold.

WOW! I would be scared to have that plant remain inside my place. I would repack it in the same postal box and label it 'return to sender', then email the seller and demand for a refund or a healthy clean plant.
What kind of bussiness are they running??!!

Wow that looks terrible!! How do you sell a plant like that??

Ewwwww! That isn't shipping damage for certain. I'd be having a conniption. Send it back and demand either a healthy plant or a complete refund.

What a disappointment.

Still nothing as of yet. I didnt expect anything over the weekend but Im giving them until 9am CST to write me back. If not, I'll be calling. I dont want to waste postage sending it back if Im not going to get anything in return.

I've been following this thread. Younger way to give them until noon given time differentials and amounts of email they may have, but yes I'd call if you don't hear back. I had a bad experience a while back and they totally made it right. They weren't the quickest to respond but I was thoroughly pleased with how they responded. I just rally hope they can make this right!

I'd like to say, not younger... Not sure how auto correct did that. Sorry.

They are EST so it'll give them 3 hours to get back to me according to their business hours.

Paul, you really messed up that post. lol

Good luck!

LOL... Yes, I did mess that one up! Add that to the massive list of auto correct text errors, many NSFW, lol...

That plant should have never been shipped, it should have gone to the garbage bin.

I doubt I would throw it away if Im told to keep it. I'd likely do some surgery to get rid of the crappy pbulbs but I've nursed some bad looking orchids back to health.

That's probably where they scrounged it from....the dumpster!

Agree.

Called them and it seems they are going to make it right. Offered to even give me a 4" pot with a couple spikes on it.

I'll keep you updated.

It is possible that they are a great place but have a new employee that isn't as careful. Or, perhaps that was the only one in that size and they were in a hurry and didn't see the problems. Mistakes do happen. Seems like all will be well and they care about making you a happy customer. That is what matters.

I know how tough it is to be in a small business, and I'm sure most orchid places qualify for that title. So, hopefully they'll make it right and everyone is happy. Even the best places can make wacky mistakes from time to time.

Apparently they were having some issues with the owner and he recently had surgery. The woman I talked to was very nice and said she we talk to him and see how he wanted to fix the issue. I havent got an email back but hopefully I will know something by tomorrow.

How's the plant now? Just seen the thread, and that really looks like scale! Not the black spots: the white fluffy bits and round brownish bits... A plant I have with a scale problem also has black bits: apparently the honeydew from scale can encourage mold. If not I guess photos can be deceptive!

Its not scale. I've really made sure. I gave it a good bath and most of the fluffy white mold came off along with a few more leaves. The only pbulbs that look decent are the two newest. All the black and brown stuff is really old damage from something.


I didnt get an email by the close of business so I can only imagine that it is being dealt with.

I am glad they are sending you a healthy spiking plant....

the picture you posted of the plant you received is frightening....

She said she MIGHT send a healthy plant. That has me a bit worried that I might be stuck with this one. I really purchase many and this was a birthday gift to myself so Im hoping they truly make it right.

:( I really hope they make it right, and it would be really wrong of them not to do so. That plant looks like it's gone to hell and back. All vendors can make mistakes, but I also judge a vendor on their response in such a situation.

A little off-topic, but Camille, I love that photo of the duck. So characteristic a look. I miss the ducks I used to have...

Thanks :) She and her siblings and parents were much loved pets (our shadows and cuddle monsters). They were killed by a fox 4-5 years ago, and I still hate to take that pic down...

Sorry for the off topic Josh!

This is from P...... Coast Farms in Florida, right?
I received exactly the same plant in exactly the same condition last winter. I tried to clean it up and repot and it just fell apart into 3 pieces.
I thought maybe my standards are too high compared to a large-scale grower so I didn't contact the seller.
I used to rescue rootless stuff from big box stores but the plants from this particular guy are not salvageable; half of them ended up in trash bin a few month down the road. I'm still trying to grow this Twinkle although I couldn't eradicate the scales completely.

You would be correct. Mine doesn't have scale (looked at it through a lope) but I'm not sure if I could save it. I'm calling again in the morning and asking for a refund.

Sad part is that I can't challenge the purchase because I used a gift card. I'll call to make sure I can't tomorrow as well.

Very glad to hear it's scale free now, but more I think about it, more I'm betting that's what it had. If you look at the first pic at the top of the nearest bulb there's two little whitish blobs look very like adult scale (I have scale hiding in just that spot on mine), and in the last I can see what looks like an adult scale partway down the bulb. My plant also had the 'black holes' and white fluffyness (young scale).

Mine's been divided (big plant) and the divisions kept bare root in bags and treated several times. At present I think only one division out of originally four is scale free, and I'm going to have to ditch the others. So please be careful!

I agree with Rowangreen. I know you said you've been over it with a loupe. But in the last photo I would swear that is an adult round scale disc on the large bulb upper left right where the one in the forefront crosses it. It is exactly what any scale I have seen looks like.

I see what you are talking about. It does look like scale but its a weird round patch of mold. I've taken off about 5 of them and there is nothing too it, literally. Noting to squish or destroy. Its just a small flake. However, the plant is isolated and will likely be chunked.

Regardless, its dropped another leaf today. No call back yesterday to get a resolution. Cant dispute the purchase through my gift card either. Ugh.

Just got an email saying they are shipping a replacement plant today.

However, I already ordered from a different vendor and have seen pics of the exact plant that I will be getting.

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...1&d=1355242532

Now, compare this to what I got at first. :((:((