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I placed an online order for a heliconia and fertilizer to go with it from Stokes in January. I was careful to order a plant that was listedas being in stock, as it was to be a birthday gift. Stokes contacted me a few days later to say that they would not guarantee that the plantwould arrive in good condition if they shipped it right away due to cold weather. Although the plant was shipping from south Louisiana to southFlorida, I figured they knew what they were talking about and told them it was ok to wait and ship it when they felt it was safe. Several weeks later, I inquired about the order and was told they would be getting more of that item in soon and would ship it then. After another month or so, I inquired again and was given adate (a few weeks later) that the plant would supposedly ship. Still no plant. I sent another e-mail inquiry a couple of weeks ago but got no reply. I phoned today (June 4) to ask about the order status and was told, again, that they would be getting more heliconias in soon and that my order would probably go out in about two weeks! I finally cancelled the order.
I ordered some banana plants from Stokes back in October and was told they would ship out in about 4 weeks. Well, 4 weeks passed and I did not see the plants. I e-mailed them and got a response two weeks later stating that the plants would ship out in 4 to 6 weeks! 4 weeks later, I receive an e-mail stating that they would not ship until March 2001 because of the weather.Well, I live in California and these are shipped from a climate that is similar to mine, plus the banana plants I ordered are cold hardy to belowzero. I sent them a reply plus at least 4 other messages (once a week) and have not heard back from them. I will also report them to the Better Business Bureau. This was in the net, LOL! These people have no idea what customer service is!! "The Stokes Tropicals Web site at http://www.stokestropicals.com has received Lycos Point's Top 5% of the Web award that is given to those sites that best epitomize the best of the Internet. Besides allowing Internet visitors the ability to order over 300 varieties of tropical plants on-line, the StokesTropicals Web site offers growing tips for a variety of tropical plant groups including Bananas, Bromeliads, Plumerias, Gingers, and Heliconias."
There was once a time when Stokes Tropicals were considered on of the best mail order nurseries. NOT ANYMORE! I have placed three orders with them this year (2 in the spring, 1 in Summer) I never heard from them after that. I tried calling several times to straighten out my orders, all I get is the run around. Several of my online friends have had the same experiences with them. The general consensus is that they put out a wonderful catalog but they don't have enough stock or man power to cover the orders. I will never buy from them again!
I ordered 2 Tacca plants from Stokes many months ago. Neither plant lasted but a few weeks, they were root rotted upon arrival. I've been trying to get a refund with no success. They don't answer their email promptly, if at all. Each email is from a different person who has no idea what is going on. I will never order from this company again. The owner emailed me once stating he stands behind his company's reputation and I haven't heard from him since.
I've had a negative experience with this nursery and won't do business with them again. I placed an order in April through their online service and by mid-June I still hadn't received my plants or any sort of explanation. They were unresponsive to e-mails, and I phoned on numerous occasions. The general response was that they would look into it and get back with me. I never received a return call. Eventually I learned that my order had been recorded in their computer as sent, but I never received anything and the payment was never debited from my credit card. After approximately 5 calls, I cancelled and placed another order elsewhere.
I recently ordered six different bananas from them. They sent me 3 within the week, along with an invoice for all six. It indicated that only the three I received had been sent, and it billed me only for the three. But it did not tell me where the other three were, or if they had been back-ordered. I emailed them many times, asking what happened to the other half of my order, and they never sent me anything back. I'm going to have my credit card company withhold payment to them for what I did get until they resolve this dispute. Their shipping charges depend on how much money you spend. And if something gets back ordered, they charge you shipping twice if you want it sent separately from the rest of your order. The three bananas I got cost together $25.33, so I'm guessing they decided to back order the other 3 bananas so they could bill me shipping twice. But the problem is that one of the bananas I didn't receieve was a musa basjoo, the most common hardy banana in the country. There's no way they could have honestly put it on back order. I have just reported them to the better business bureau, and hopefully I can get the other half of my order without paying any extra for shipping. I have asked them many times in the past few weeks what happened to the rest of myorder, and they won't say anything. The thing is, there's a box you have to check on the order form to get them to ship your order in two parts if anything is backordered, and I didn't check it. I just want the rest of my order.
I hate to be negative about a company that I have ordered from only once. I ordered a Canna and a 'Jungle Gold' ginger. Both were undersized and apparently still dormant. The 2 -3 inch Canna rhizome never produced the first root. I'm still waiting to see if the ginger is going to come up. The company did agree to replace the plants even though it had been longer than their ten day guarantee. I have not gotten a replacement at this time. I'm waiting to see if the ginger is going to come up before asking for replacement. My biggest complaint is that they would send such small rhizome/plant in the first place.
On Feb 1, 2000, DonnaSullivan Brookfield, MA wrote:
I ordered gingers from Stokes and was very pleased with the plants they sent me. One of my orders not only had the ginger plant but an additional unlabeled tuber. I called Customer Service about the tuber and was told that the person packaging my plants had decided the plant didn't look up to their standards so they included an extra ginger tuber. Both the plant and the tuber have done beautifully. I thought that was a good story to pass along. I will definitely order from them again this spring.
I found Stokes Tropicals on your web site. I have been looking for a place that I could order cannas this late in the season. All the usual companies I order from could not fill an order until spring of 2000. Here in Central Texas we have another three months of hot weather. This company had a certain Canna that I had been looking for a couple of years. I was so excited. I ordered from them and although they said it would be 4 weeks, I received them in a few days. They were packed wonderfully and in great shape. I just wish I had found this company years ago.
I have been buying plants from these folks for years. They have the largest selection of gingers to be found anywhere as well as plumerias, bananas, heliconias & other exotics. Prices are very competitive and all plants I've received have been healthy & vigorous. A wonderful full color catalog is also available for $3. A real find!
