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| i am aware of D****gard** as a good source for merchant ratings. but what ought one to do if there are a lot of positive AND a lot of negative ratings for a specific dealer?? i am really torn whether or not to place an order with R**ts&Rh*z***s, which is a pity as they have a lot of things i'd love to get and can't find easily elswhere. i merrily place just about $100 worth of plants in my shopping cart, and now wonder if i should place the order or not. help! "what would YOU do?"
roxanna (watching the intermittent but heavy snow flurries here in Massachusetts while the pre-March winds are howling) |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by gardenweed_z6a 6a CT (My Page) on Sat, Feb 25, 12 at 16:38
| I wouldn't hit the submit button after reading several of the reviews on that site you referenced. There are too many good quality online nurseries that stand behind their products. I work hard for my $$$ and am very careful how I spend it. I admit I shop for bargains but not from an outfit with such mixed reviews. There aren't many plants I think I "must" have and I'll wait to find them at reputable nurseries before taking chances with those that have lousy customer feedback. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Feb 25, 12 at 17:12
| if you hesitate to think about it.. dont you already have your answer???? ken |
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| thanks, gardenweed and ken ~ you are both thinking more clearly than i, and rightly so. darn it. i really hate when i find stuff i'd like to have all nicely collected in one location (and one shipping cost!). hunting for all the plants at other locations becomes such a problem. ratz. phooey. humbug. but -- thanks for saving me from myself! =) |
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| Based on my experience some years ago with that place, paying premium prices and winding up with tiny or dead specimens (and getting another dead specimen when I requested replacement), I think you've made the right decision. In my view, online nurseries with a sufficient number of ratings should have at least 80% or so positive ones (types of complaints do matter somewhat - poor communication is not as bad as dead plants). Once you get down towards 50-50 positive-negative ratings, there's something definitely wrong with the place and rather than risking that crapshoot it's much better to buy locally or grow your own from seed. |
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- Posted by prairiemoon2 zone 6a/MA (My Page) on Sun, Feb 26, 12 at 11:04
| I will often try to stick with only those companies that have very few negative ratings. And I will read the negative comments to make sure there is actually a problem that was not specific to that customer or to the mail or if it is something to really be concerned about. Of course, sometimes, you can't find a company you need with very few negative comments, then it is a case of reading as many comments as possible and something someone has to say, will usually make up my mind for me. |
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- Posted by plantladyco z5Colorado (mkc02@pcisys.net) on Sun, Feb 26, 12 at 11:52
| I have ordered from them in the past, but never again. Nuff said. |
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| I'm also willing to take a risk when poor communication comes up alot... but when dead and dried out plants are mentioned, that's a real bad sign... and that's coming from someone who will try to nurse something along for years because he got a good price on it. They do have a tempting catalog and a real nice selction though, and the prices are reasonable..... but I have never actually broken down and ordered. What I REALLY hate is nursing something along for a couple seasons and then finding out it's not even true to name.... or buying mixed colors and only getting one. I'm thinking of a certain chapter 11 company right now. |
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| Roxanna: Just for the fun of it, post a list of the plants you're "lusting" after, and maybe Carl |
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- Posted by magnoliasouth 8b - Mobile AL (My Page) on Mon, Mar 5, 12 at 23:37
| Wait... is there a reason why roxanna's naming of companies are edited out? I thought we were allowed to discuss various companies. I am in need of a good perennial supplier, but I'm seeing bad reviews of one that used to be a highly popular one. I came to this forum to find another one but now I see strange and mystery edits. That really bothers me. We should have the right to voice our opinion, even if it is or is not favorable to any particular company. I don't mind saying that the bad reviews I'm finding is with Bluestone. Let's be frank here, please. gardenweed_z6a, care to share those reputable folks? |
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| Magnoliasouth - I am not Gardenweed, but here are companies I have been quite pleased with and would order from again. (As someone else mentioned, if I can get it locally, I try to, both to support local businesses and to save mailing costs, which allow me to get more or larger plants for the same $. I live in a rural area, though, so there often isn't the variety I would like.) Lazy S's Farm Nursery www.lazyssfarm.com all types of ornamentals I have also ordered from Bluestone http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/index.html for this spring. While they had a lot of issues last fall with their new system of growing and shipping, they are a company that has been in business a long time and has great customer service and a guarantee. They have made modifications based on last fall's customer feedback, and unlike many companies with bad reviews on GWatchd*g I trust them to treat me well. With coupons, I found their prices quite reasonable compared to many mailorder & online nurseries. |
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