Sent Wrong Items (seeds) - Seller IGNORES

[renevish]

Normally I would be upset with myself for this problem - after all I am a firm believer in "BUYER BEWARE", but this situation is different and exceptional due to the goods ordered and the time frame necessary to actually see the goods.

In the winter of very early 2013, I ordered 150 Echinacea seeds (Coneflower) in six very different varieties / six very different colors from a seller in Quebec Canada, .  My order was for the following varieties:

25 'Secret Passion' (bright pink, fluffy center, small bright pink petals)

25 'Leilani' (yellow, green/yellow centers, large yellow daisy like petals

25 'Glowing Dream' (pinkish purple – basically standard purple  coneflower)

25 'Raspberry Truffle' (pale pink – fluffy pink and dark red center, small  pale pink petals)

25 'Milkshake' (white – fluffy white and yellow centers, small white petals)

25 'Canteloupe Supreme' (peach – fluffy peachy and orange centers, small peachy petals)

EVERY SINGLE SEED I WAS SENT IS STANDARD PURPLE CONEFLOWER.  I had a 85 to 90% germination rate and all plants were placed in a large garden bed according to a professional landscape design that had been planned for a year.  Anyone familiar with coneflower knows that they take two seasons before they will bloom - so I had to wait to see the beautiful colors of the 6 different varieties I had ordered.

3 weeks  ago they all started blooming ... ALL PURPLE.  120 huge 4.5' tall 2' wide mature plants - ALL PURPLE.  Not 1 of a different color or variety.  All six packages that came were labelled the different varieties, but not a one was anything but standard purple coneflower.

I sent the seller a note letting her (or him) know this problem, and all I wanted at that time was an explanation and an apology, but I received NOTHING.  I understand that on this sellers site it states that no complaints will be accepted after one week post receiving and I understand that germination is never guaranteed.  If not a one plant germinated, that would have been OK - those are the risks of gardening.  But i truly feel this situation is strangely unacceptable.  I feel in this case, I did  and do have the right to complain.  Next Spring I will have to transplant all these plants into new beds (I refuse to kill a plant just because of THAT person's complete negligence).  New beds will have to be made to accomodate such a large number of plants as well.  A huge task - time consuming and costly and labour intensive. 

Being so blatently ignored by this seller is even worse than the negligence itself.  So now my annoyance and reasonable hope for an apology has turned into anger.  I contacted eBay in the hopes that I could at least remove the very positive feedback I had given this dishonest and/or negligent seller and they told me they couldn't do anything about it - which is completely understandable I suppose, looking at the time frame, but they were kind enough to offer to contact the seller themselves and request that she (or he) contact me to try and sort this problem out.  I accepted their very kind and professional offer.  I would like some kind of compensation for this really unacceptable situation and rudeness.  I'm not expecting any decency at this point, but getting an explanation and apology would be nice.  However, this seller has shown her (or his) true colors (PURPLE ONLY) - of rudeness, dishonesty, and really bad customer service.

I have heard NOTHING BACK!!!

So in closing - please please please beware when buying seeds through anyone that isn't a reputable dealer/distributor.   Buy your seeds at the store, or from known dealers that sell what they say they are selling.  And for goodness sake, stay away from a seed "seller" in Quebec

[pierrelebel]

'"I would like some kind of compensation for this really unacceptable situation"

Your only alternative at this stage is to start a claim in a court of law.  You have the name and address of the seller in your PayPal account.  Start there.

...and rudeness."

There is no evidence of "rudeness" in your post.  Simply silence. There may be many valid reasons at this time of the year.  Have you tried contacting the seller by telephone?

[renevish]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and thank you for yours.  It is valid; absolutely.

It is my opinion, however (which I am also entitled to) that --- for whatever reason --- I was wronged.  Maybe by negligence - maybe by very honest mistake - I don't know.  No matter what - I feel I am owed something for this.  An apology at the very least.  To not be offered at least that ... IS rude.  If in fact the "silence" is being ignored, that too IS rude.  If the "silence" is due to vacation or some other reason ... the store should - IMO - be temporarily closed and/or there should be some disclaimer on their storefront stating such.  Part of running a business is being responsible to customers and keeping them informed of things such as inability to make contact .  As upset as I am, I'm not going to go out of my way to call the seller.  It may seem strange to others, but tracking someone down to that degree and calling them in what may be their home, to me (IMO) is also rude.  I won't do that for flowers.  I would do it to save a life, but not for flowers.  I hope you understand my reasoning there.

I also will not take someone to court for flowers.  I'm a reasonable person and won't resort to such drastic and silly measures due to flowers. 

 I don't care about the money - it cost hardly anything in the first place.  It's the principle of the thing.  I have a massive garden filled with thousands of purple coneflower.  I have an enourmous amount of work ahead of me to try and correct it.  There may be those out there that disagree with me.  If it were something important to them however, like a wedding dress, or a priceless Star Wars action figure, it would be a very different matter. 

I posted my situation as a warning to others considering ordering seeds through anyone that is not a reputable dealer - to alert them to what MAY happen. 

But thanks for your opinion. 

I hope this doesn't open some can of argumentative worms - I won't respond further.  One post in defense of my opinion is enough for me. 

Have a great day 🙂

[toby_le_pue]

See you didn't leave a follow up feedback comment.

to your original feedback

[renevish]

I can do that???

[toby_le_pue · Accepted solution]

Yes you can.

click on site map on the bottom of this page

and then under the feedback section click on

follow up to feedback left.

[renevish]

WOW -  toby thank you!!!  I had no idea I could do that.  You have helped so much and made my day. 

[renevish]

Yup, thanks!!!  Just like you said, I was able to add a follow up to my original feedback.  I feel so much bettter now.  That is the next best thing to getting just the simple explaination and apology I wanted from the seller.