* UPDATE 2007 - PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU BUY AT BURPEE!
Written: May 03 '07
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As a long-time customer of Burpee Seed Co., Henry Field, Mountain Valley, and other Seed and Nursery Companies, I feel that I have a good knowledgeable grasp on them as a whole. They do offer a fairly diverse stock of plants and seeds, so I tended to return to them on occasion.
Burpee has been one of the first to grasp a full online catalog of their stock, so there is not a complaint there. Specifically, in the last five years, I had placed about 60 orders with various seed companies, Burpee being one of them. Overall, my opinion has been formed that they have changed ownership or have cut back so many jobs, that they no longer can deliver the quality OR product of what they used to.
Up to most of 2004, Burpee's Plant Stock selection, Customer Service, and Shipping had all been good. The size of the plants were consistently small, but most everything would survive. During the fall of 2004, I was preparing to do my end of season planting, so I had placed a couple orders with them a few weeks apart. Both orders had issues in the interim. #1 issue: Packing - plants were broken and twisted, and there was little packing material to keep the plants from banging around in the box. #2 issue: Customer Service Inquiry - the CS agent did not have thorough info or updated information about my order, and had to call me back. #3: Shipping complete orders - My order was received in two shipments about 12 days apart, and I was never informed that there was a delay OR that the items were being shipped at different intervals.
2005, I placed one order with Burpee, and they came through, although I had ordered over the $100 minimum to get free shipping, and I ended up being charged. After about 3 weeks of phone calls and emails, I finally gave up, since Customer Svc. could never locate the online promotion I had entered, in which I was basically blamed for not correctly entering it. The plants were of sound quality, so I didn't pursue it, and chocked it up to a $24 loss. I had pretty much stopped using Burpee through 2006, because of this.
For the first time in two years, I thought I would give Burpee Seed Co. yet another attempt, since they carried a plant at a decent price that I had been looking for. Ordering online March 12th (Monday), I received an order confirmation that same Wednesday, which was two days later. Apparently, their online system had been through some streamlines since I had last ordered with them. In the email, it stated that my order would be processed quickly, and I would receive another email confirmation of the Tracking Code for shipping. Three weeks go by, and no Tracking Code. I email Burpee CS, in which they write back to me a week later, mentioning that there was a two week delay in the order, and they would be shipping out the items within the same week. One week later, I receive a free pack of seeds (Wildflowers - nothing special) in a LARGE empty box. At that point, I called Burpee, and spoke of this issue, in which they said that my order was held back, because it did not pass inspection upon shipment (I am thinking to myself - "Wouldn't they have waited to send me everything together instead of waste shipping on a big 20 X 14" box that had nothing but a pack of seeds in it?").
Finally, a week after I received the box, I received a Tracking Code, and the item was 'said' to have shipped. I wait until the following Monday evening to check the info online, and find that the item JUST was received from the shipper on that day! I just received the shipment yesterday (May 2nd).
Upon opening the box, I find that 3 of my plants have completely slipped out of their wrapping, dried out and dead. Everything else was in good shape, albeit still much smaller and younger plants than I get from other nurseries in the same size pots (ie: 'seedling plug' sized plant in a 3" pot), but I guess you do get what you pay for.
I speak to the Customer Svc. agent in regards to the 3 failed plants, and they asked me to take a picture and email it to them, so they can replace them. I am thinking that after all the trouble that they ALREADY put me through, they should be HAPPY I didn't ask for all of my money back! I can't even imagine if I was someone who wasn't computer savvy and didn't know how to transfer a picture from camera to computer - or if I didn't own a digital camera, what then?
All in all, it has come to a head, and the 9 week ordeal of getting plants has been more than I could handle from such a large company. The business practices that they have displayed were what I would expect from some nickel and dime business. I am appalled and I am shamed to have given them my money.
After all of this, I had a strand of patience that I gave to the CS Agent, in which she was completely detached and unapologetic to the situation. Almost, as if she were reading from a script. I cut it short after a discouraging ten minutes on the phone, and hung up. I sent the email off with the photos, so we'll see if I get a quality replacement, which I hope arrives before Fall.
I certainly will not be returning to Burpee in the future - nor will anyone in my sphere of influence, including my plant hobbyist group OR people associated with the California Rare Fruit Growers Association. I will make everyone in my reach aware of their shady business practices - rest assured. I am sure they are not the company they used to be, and probably have changed ownership/management.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, as I wish everyone to know what situation they might be getting themselves into BEFORE they buy from Burpee. I sure wouldn't order from them, if you expected to receive something in a timely manner.
Recommended:
No
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Plants, Bulbs, Seeds
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About the Author
Member: Rob Lange
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me: "Never get bored or cynical. Yesterday is a thing of the past." -Walt Disney
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