Need to rant

[TZ-Someplace]

When I place an order I expect maybe one of the plants will have root rot or some other problem unseen to the grower and then die on me later, or maybe some of the seedlings will be on the weak side, and I will legitimately kill them. I'm usually paying fairly low prices, and more often than not I get a few plants that can be divided due to a clump being planted out of the flasks, or I get some big health plants that are worth a lot more than I paid, so it all works out in the end.

I recently got an order from Louisiana Orchid Connection that arrived with a couple of plants with slight visual problems. I reported it to them when the plants progressed and started going bad after a couple of weeks, asking what the best course of action might be. They asked for pictures, which I was unable to send. I was OK with a dead plant or two if they had been nice enough to give me advice to treat. I was pie-in-the sky dreaming they might send me some 3336 fungicide on the sly or replace the plants. They refunded the whole order!

Sunset Valley sent me two wrong plants from a tag mix up (one number was flipped) and Fred Clarke sent me three of the correct plants instead of two. High Desert Orchids was a week late in getting my order out, so Kelly McKracken put in a free plant. Shout out to those three vendors.

Now for the rant. The next place. I won't say who because I'm not that guy and the plants aren't going to die, but I paid a lot for these (around $30 instead of my usual $15). A pair (species - 4n cross, not junk) had the front leads freshly snapped off, missing, not shipping damage = one year's growth lost on both. One other plant of a different species pair was either mislabeled (so they say), or the wrong plant. The pot design matches the picture of the wrong plant and is different from the correctly tagged plant of the pair. I'll suck it up on those three plants because the mislabeled one was sort of on my list to maybe get in the future and the other two will live.

A third plant (big seedling size mericlone Catt hybrid) has dark material running though its leaf vascular system of all mature leaves, and dark specking (nothing I have ever seen on a healthy seedling size orchid before). Fungus, virus or genetic, it doesn't matter. I don't want that plant any where near my other plants.

Total for the order of seven plants; Two OK, two mutilated, one mislabeled, and one scary ugly,

What was their entire delayed response to the pictures I sent of everything?

"Checked-just mislabeled. Plants look healthy."

They are a big well known firm that I think might make most of their money from selling bud/bloom orchids to businesses and they don't need me or my good wishes, so I'm not surprised with the treatment. It just makes me appreciate the people who care about their plants and their customers all that much more.

p.s. Not Carter and Holmes. My order from them went smoothly, and they shipped the plants out before my check had time to arrive and clear.

[stonedragonfarms]

There is one vendor that comes immediately to mind [both from the description of the plants as received & from the response]; aside from bring the sore state of items to their attention, did you request any sort of rectification to the mistake/issues?

[Ray]

Avoiding and Handling "Problem" Orders

This will be in the January issue of AOS Orchids magazine.

[TZ-Someplace]

Originally Posted by stonedragonfarms

There is one vendor that comes immediately to mind [both from the description of the plants as received & from the response]; aside from bring the sore state of items to their attention, did you request any sort of rectification to the mistake/issues?

With so many things going on with that order I wanted to see what they thought was fair. I was willing to accept replacement of the ugly plant (I said I was going to burn it asap) or money back on it. I fear I may have burned my bridge with my two word cattle themed reply to them. Luckily it was the cheapest plant so I'm only out about $15, $23 if you count buying batteries for the camera.

---------- Post added at 05:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:39 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Ray

Avoiding and Handling "Problem" Orders

This will be in the January issue of AOS Orchids magazine.

This is good advice.

[SouthPark]

It's okKKKKKK TZ ----- you can tell us heheheh. Tell us which vendor it is.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

It's okKKKKKK TZ ----- you can tell us heheheh. Tell us which vendor it is.

Actually, the OP can read, and follows the rules
https://www.orchidboard.com/communit...uncements.html

You don't get to change the rules no matter how curious you are...(Likely that this is not even relevant to you unless the vendor ships to Australia) This is not a joke, the rules were set by the OB owner for very good reasons.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Roberta

You don't get to change the rules no matter how curious you are...This is not a joke, the rules were set by the OB owner for very good reasons.

TZ can possibly tell us later ------ after the post count of 100 or so is exceeded, and six months membership, etc. This is not a joke as well. Just as you mentioned, you don't get to change the rules.

Whether you disagree or not ------ I reckon the part about "Also, please state your full REAL name at the bottom of the post" ------- is inappropriate.

The full name should only be provided to mods in private. Otherwise there may be compromised safety for members to have their real (full) name revealed.

Originally Posted by Roberta

(Likely that this is not even relevant to you unless the vendor ships to Australia)

It isn't up to you to mention whether or not this is relevant to me (or not). Also - I recommend that you take a diplomatic approach when you respond to members that haven't done anything 'bad' in the forums.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

TZ can possibly tell us later ------ after the post count of 100 or so is exceeded, and six months membership, etc. This is not a joke as well. Just as you mentioned, you don't get to change the rules.

Whether you disagree or not ------ I reckon the part about "Also, please state your full REAL name at the bottom of the post" ------- is inappropriate.

The full name should only be provided to mods in private. Otherwise there may be compromised safety for members to have their real (full) name revealed.

It isn't up to you to mention whether or not this is relevant to me (or not). Also - I recommend that you take a diplomatic approach when you respond to members that haven't done anything 'bad' in the forums.

Pretty sure you're barking up the wrong tree SouthPark. In Roberta's defense, that rule was changed a ways back and no longer requires a member's full name. She has been here a lot longer than when those rules were revised, and likely forgot.

As well, you are incorrect that the administrator and moderators by consensus cannot change the rules with permission of the board owner. That comment is directed to you, not elsewhere.

I recommend you not chastise moderators doing their job. Roberta was doing her job. And I'd already made the choice to let your last go-round of "rule-breaking" slide. Don't go there SouthPark.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I recommend you not chastise moderators doing their job. Roberta was doing her job. And I'd already made the choice to let your last go-round of "rule-breaking" slide. Don't go there SouthPark.

I recommend that you both watch yourselves and avoid power tripping - and avoid conjuring up false information about us good members WW.

Recall this thread here? LINK

We have been down this road before ..... remember?

[WaterWitchin]

Unfortunately, you have refreshed my memory even more. And I say Watch your own power trip. That link says nothing to me other than you like to occasionally rage against the machine. Didn't agree with you then, don't now. I'm not gonna continue to argue with you SouthPark. PM Marty and/or Camille and have me removed.