Crystal Star Orchids? - Orchid Board

FairyInTheFlowers · #1 12-26-2011, 10:20 PM

Ok, so I have been surfing the net over the winter looking for new vendors or vendors carrying items I am interested, and Crystal Star Orchids is one of them that caught my interest. I know that they import orchids from vendors out of the country, and when I saw on their website that they are Canada's official representative of SVO (at least for the Catasetinae) I became extremely intrigued, having just been drooling over the Catasetinae from the SVO website. So, I want to know what you people that have dealt with Crystal Star think. I know that since they import from out of the country, prices will be a little higher, but I don't think that is going to stop me!

Lady_Vamp · #2 12-27-2011, 12:11 AM

I like them, they are always nice to me and their plants are usually in good shape and size, and flowering.

I buy from them at shows and haven't noticed higher prices, although I don't buy Catasetinae (yet)

FairyInTheFlowers · #3 12-27-2011, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady_Vamp

I like them, they are always nice to me and their plants are usually in good shape and size, and flowering.

I buy from them at shows and haven't noticed higher prices, although I don't buy Catasetinae (yet)

Thanks! I read on their website that a person placing an order from a foreign vendor through them has to add an additional 50% to the price listed to cover things such as CITES, phytosanitary, etc. I would assume that since they specifically order the plants they have at shows for the shows, you would pay lower costs.

Merlyn · #4 12-27-2011, 12:39 AM

If I'm not mistaken, Blazer is right. All they have to do is pay for one cites certificate and they can import 50 (or however many they want) of the same orchid from the same source. You have that quantity option also as a consumer, like buy 10 same plants and only need one cites paperwork.

Cavs n' Orchids · #5 12-27-2011, 12:40 AM

I havent ordered from them before, but thanks to your post I definitely will be trying them in spring!! They have an amazing cattleya selection!!

FairyInTheFlowers · #6 12-27-2011, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cavs n' Orchids

I havent ordered from them before, but thanks to your post I definitely will be trying them in spring!! They have an amazing cattleya selection!!

Lol, I would love to do one GIANT group order, as you get a 10% discount on orders over $1,000. Maybe we Canadians should do an order together, as I'm sure they would be able to send the appropriate 'chids to each person, as their orders go to them first.

Cavs n' Orchids · #7 12-27-2011, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlazingAugust

Lol, I would love to do one GIANT group order, as you get a 10% discount on orders over $1,000. Maybe we Canadians should do an order together, as I'm sure they would be able to send the appropriate 'chids to each person, as their orders go to them first.

Great idea!! I would totally go in on that! I wanted to do a big spring order, and will still get some from Clouds, but I really want to invest in a collection of show quality cattleyas, or at least with the potential, and they have alot of awarded clones.

Lady_Vamp · #8 12-27-2011, 01:24 AM

It's an interesting idea, and there's still a lot of time to convince other people to join in on the order!

FairyInTheFlowers · #9 12-27-2011, 01:37 AM

Yay!!! I know I will he doing a giant order from them come spring ($300+), so why not try to do a group order to get over $1,000 and get a %10 discount. Thankfully, most of their listed plants come from Ching-hua, so it will he great to order a lot from them. I know I will be ordering Catasetinae from SVO, and there is a billion Catts from Ching-hua. I noticed a lot of Catts that Cloud's has was on the list, so I might not even do an order from Cloud's for a while afterwards, and just go on a Catt binge also. If we do do a group order, it would be best to do it a little later, so we all have a longer time to save up.

silken · #10 12-27-2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlazingAugust

Lol, I would love to do one GIANT group order, as you get a 10% discount on orders over $1,000. Maybe we Canadians should do an order together, as I'm sure they would be able to send the appropriate 'chids to each person, as their orders go to them first.

We have ordered twice from them as a society, once very recently-not sure how you missed that! We likely won't be ordering from them again tho. It took forever for the stuff to get to them (6 months) and then a lot of it was a lot smaller than was supposed to be and they couldn't lower the prices accordingly. Our society person in charge of orders had some back and forth with them and months later when we sort of figured we weren't getting any of the order it arrived out of the blue. But there was so much frustration and uncertainty that we won't order again. The first time we ordered, only a few of the ordered plants came and not promptly either.

They are pleasant enough and I think have good intentions, but they have to wait until they have a huge order to place the wholesale order to Taiwan or U.S. The price lists on their site are pretty much the wholesale prices from the vendor (usually Ching Hua) and that is why it is double when it gets here.