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On May 13, 2013, timc61552 Antelope Hills, WY wrote:
last year i ordered 2 grafted plants from gardens alive.they were impressive!packaging was incredible plants arrived healthy and large. 8-10 inches tall.i bragged them up all year!!!several people made the decision to order this year.i avoid them at all cost!!the plants i ordered were almost dead or already dead.packaging was awful !!i was upset!!.i emailed them and they are sorry.so what?my garden is ruined.i have to buy from a greenhouse now.normaly i start my own plants from seed.the grafted plants last year were just see what they were like.i was so impressed there was no need to start my own tomatos and peppers.3 plants might pull thru but the san marzono was doa.last year the box proudly said gardens alive in large letters like they were proud of the product.this year the shipping label said gardens alive in very small letters.the old bait and switch!
On May 13, 2013, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 18, 2013 9:19 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for letting us know about the problem with your plants. I apologize the plants were not in good shape and for all your inconvenience. One of our customer service representatives will contact you for your account information and take care of this for you. I can assure you we are the same company and we will do everything we can to make this right.
Posted on May 5, 2013, updated May 12, 2013
I ordered online $250+ of grafted tomato and pepper plants from Gardens Alive. The health quality of the plants I received was pitiful considering they sell them at $9.95 a piece. All the tomatoe plants I received looked more dead than alive and were all rootbound in pots too small when compared to the height of the plant. The website advertises you will receive Brandywine and Mortgage Lifter varieties in 3" pots, but I did not. I have sense purchased a few more grafted tomato plants from my local nursery. These plants are from Burpee and the difference is night and day. The proof is in the pudding.
On May 12th, 2013, aacook72 added the following:
Dear Company Representative,
The grafted tomato plants weren't the only disappointment. Your grafted pepper plants arrived half dead, the leaves were yellow in color, and the majority of the leaves dropped off before I could transplant. The charge of $9.95 per grafted pepper plant is too high for the quality of plant you deliver. On May 12, 2013, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 8, 2013 7:35 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for letting us know about the problem with your tomato plants. I apologize the plants were not in good shape and for all your inconvenience. One of our customer service representatives will contact you for your account information and take care of this for you."
I ordered online 3 beefsteak tomato plants and 1 GRAFTED TOMATO CARMELLO in the middle of February .
When i get beefsteak tomatoes i was so damn badly shocked!!!!
I get 3 dead yellow sticks instead of plants. they advertised that plant come in 3 in. pots but it was 1.5 .
As for grafted tomatoes i get almost dead plant ,which costs me $8.46. For beefsteaks i payed $11.
Yesterday i went to Menards and find a lot of different kinds of tomatoes there hardy ,alive and the same size for $1.50 per 6 pack.
I HATE GARDEN ALIVE! STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY!
On May 10, 2013, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 11, 2013 10:24 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for letting us know about the condition of your tomato plants. I apologize for the problems. One of our customer service representatives will contact you for your account information and take care of this for you."
I've ordered from Baker's Seeds, Burpee, Johnny's, and Seedsavers Exchange with no problems whatsoever. I had to email Gardensalive over 6 times because they charged double my state tax, and they had difficulties inputing my address (adding a line for my apartment number!).
After the first 4 emails, each from a different representative, I asked them to send me a $3.95 packet of seeds to make me a happy customer. Rather than that, they wanted to send me a $5 gift certificate that would have required me to overpay on my next online purchase by $5, and then, trust them to deduct that $5 from my credit card. As if I would trust them again in the first place! I told them to please keep the certificate. In my final email, I requested that they unsubscribe me from their email list and to not contact me again.
A simple first-ever order of 4 smart pots should never be this difficult. I also nixed one phone order with Gardensalive when I called a few months ago. I didn't feel confident giving my credit card number to what sounded like an overseas call center.
There are better companies out there that listen to their customers, have better IT systems and better customer representatives. Let's find better companies and do our business with them!
We appreciate you letting us know about the problems you had with your order. One of our customer service representatives will contact you for your account information and rectify this for you."
I can't get unsubscribed from Gardens Alive. They send ads every day.
On Mar 12, 2013, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Mar 14, 2013 8:31 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for letting us know. I apologize for the inconvenience. One of our customer service representatives will contact you for your email address and make sure you are unsubscribed."
I have been a long time customer (over 10 years) and the last two times I have called because of an issue with their website ordering process, discounts, etc. (including not being able to sign in without a catalog), the customer service rep has spoken to me like a child and when I stop to tell her I understand the issue, I just want it corrected, her tone of voice very snippy and insulting. I will take my business elsewhere and I am called to be removed from their mailing list and website. They also spam you will catalogs by selling your name to other garden supply companies.
On Feb 15, 2013, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Feb 19, 2013 10:47 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for your feedback. I apologize for the problems you have had with our site and one of our agents. I will have one of our customer service representatives contact you so we can take care of these issues for you."
I placed a large order this spring with Gardens Alive, primarily because I'm an organic gardener and they have a variety of organic products. It's very difficult to find organic plants in my area, so I had decided to start and/or plant my own.
Mail order companies are a boon to gardeners, because they make it possible to find plants that we might not have available through local stores. So in that regard, I want to be fair to companies I've ordered from. On the other hand, I think it's only fair to warn others if I've encountered consistent problems with a company.
My main complaint is low/no germination of a number of the organic seeds/bulbs: most notably two types of onion, summer squash, spinach, garlic, arugula. Also, a raspberry plant that never grew.
It also took 2 months for all the items to arrive. I'm not sure how to prevent this--my order was placed in early April, which I guess is the busy season for nurseries. When I've ordered from other companies, I've never had quite as many items on back order or slow to arrive, but perhaps it has to do with the fact the items were organically grown.
I would not give this company an F; in fact, the tomato seeds all sprouted. But if you're ordering organic products, you might want to think twice about it and/or just order a few so that you aren't risking your whole crop.
I just contacted the company about the problems, so will update my rating after I hear from them.
Thank you for your posting. We apologize for the problem you has with the seeds and we would be happy to replace them for you or refund your money, whichever you would prefer. One of our customer service representatives will contact you for your account information and take care of this for you."
Ordered many packets of seeds and have been horrified at the germination rate - less than 10%. I've been gardening for over 30 years and have never had so much trouble. Out of the 450 seeds of corn I planted only 14 plants have come up over a month later. In Utah the growing season is VERY short so my guess is I will not see one ear before frost. Not ONE of the zuchini has germinated, not one. Butternut trees leafed out and promptly died, ditto for the rasberries. Canadice grape is doing great. I did contact the company (Gurney's) with my complaint and they are promising a refund. Happy with that but will never order from this company again. They also owe me a refund of $142 from a previous complaint, have yet to see that one
On Jun 20, 2012, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Jun 21, 2012 2:57 PM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for your posting.We apologize for the problems with your order. A customer service representative will contact you for your account information and check on your refunds for you.
On May 29, 2012, Annie321 Pleasant Valley, MO wrote:
I ordered a batch of 5 million flea-eating Nematodes on May 2 and waited...and waited some more. I received no explanation for the delay. I finally emailed customer service and explained I needed to cancel my order if they were unable to supply the item. A few days later I received an email that my item had shipped on May 23 (21 days after I ordered them--not including the actual time in route). Again, the email included no information regarding the reason for the delay and a simple "sorry for any inconvenience." Nematodes work best if introduced in the cool temps of spring before fleas get going, so a month delay is significant.
On May 29, 2012, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 29, 2012 1:17 PM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for your posting. It may be the nematodes were on backorder. We apologize for the delay. One of our customer service representatives will contact you for your account information and check on what had happened."
I have used Gardens Alive products in the past and the performed very well. The reason for my negative rating is that I suspect that some of their products, specifically, Tomatoes Alive, Vegetables Alive, and Root Crops Alive may contain high levels of dangerous heavy metals like Arsenic, Cadmium, and Lead.
My suspicion is based on the fact that I asked Gardens Alive to tell me the level of these heavy metals in the products listed above and they declined. They told me that the numbers were low but declined to give them to me even after repeated requests. The word "low" is good but it means very little without the actual number to compare to other products and my own acceptance levels. The only reason that I can think of for this refusal is that the numbers were not favorable.
Beyond this, I have nothing but praise for the company and the performance of its products. Unfortunately not knowing the heavy metal contents of the products make them too risky for me.
On Apr 22, 2012, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 3, 2012 11:55 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for your posting. We checked on this for you and the amounts of heavy metals in our products are so low they are below the minimum reporting amount."
On Oct 11, 2011, lapaixfarm ALUM BRIDGE, WV wrote:
I ordered two lady bug traps from Gardens Alive within the last two months, and as the lady bugs (Japanese and not
really ladies) descended this autumn day, we read the directions closely and affixed (or thought we did) the two boxes to the windows as directed. Later that day (yesterday), I noted that the one which was attached to the window in my office had fallen - the sticky part on one side was not sticky at all. I re-placed the trap on the wooden frame between the upper and lower windows. This a.m., my helper, who had put the traps on the windows arrived and we examined what was wrong with the trap. The sticky part on one side was not sticky and trying to find another layer did not reveal any solution to the problem. In doing this I accidentally upended the trap and powder flew out and up my lungs. That was a good l/2 hour ago and I am still coughing and choking - I vacuumed up what was on the floor but have no idea what I have inhaled. I called the phone # of Gardens Alive and talked to someone in India who after hearing my complaint and getting my name and address and business name stated that I did not have any account with Garden's Alive nor did I ever order from them. Therefore, I did not exist and there was no help to be had. I wanted to let the company know that they had a defective product, one with unknown repercussions should the powder get in the atmosphere - that the sticky part didn't work - and I needed to know what was in the powder. Would it draw lady bugs to inundate my office? Was it dangerous? Do I need to go to a Dr. or emergency ward? Well, obviously I am frustrated. I will never order from them again. Their product is inherently defective and possibly dangerous. But the man in India didn't care - I think his name might have been Peggy. Throroughly disgusted and pretty much alarmed.
On Oct 11, 2011, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Oct 17, 2011 10:36 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for your feedback. I apologize that your account could not be located. A customerr service representative will contact you for your account information so we can locate your account and take care of this for you."
My negative rating is in regards to the online ordering. About a year ago I voiced my concerns to a representative, I recently checked their site and nothing has changed. Garden's Alive will not let you order online without creating an account with them - there is no way to proceed as a guest through checkout. This means that all your credit card info is stored on their web hoster's server - convenient, but dangerous. My second career led me to a job as tech support for a domain registrar. You can not imagine the barrage of attempts and the unpublished successes that hackers accross the globe have on "safe servers". I don't do online banking and I don't use companies online that will not allow checkout as a "guest". I can't keep them from hacking into my credit card company, but I can minimize exposure. Network Solutions is the original and oldest registrar in the world as well as the registrar for the domain gardensalive.com - the Washington Post headline in 2009 was: "Network Solutions Hack Compromises 573,000 Credit, Debit Accounts". The webhoster of gardensalive.com was also hacked in 2007 as shown by the infamous rewriting of googles whois info.
- it's time to start protecting the consumer, use "check out as Guest"!
Thank you for your feedback. We are checking this out and will let you know what we find out.
On Aug 8, 2011 11:13 AM, Gardens Alive! added:
This posting regarding online security at GardensAlive.com is both incorrect and baseless. At GardensAlive.com, any customer can checkout as a guest, sign-in and account creation are optional. Secondly, GardensAlive.com is a secure site and compliant with SSL requirements evidenced by verification from VeriSign.
I called to place an order. The rep refused to give me the 25% discount that was advertised on the site! I had to place my order online. That was mostly annoying. The worst part, and therefore what ensures I will never order from this company again is that the total on the order "overview" page that you look at before you confirm an order was different than the amount they charged me on the next page! They charged me MORE than the total for the purchase!! I saw this and immediately emailed and made them aware of the issue. They have not responded. There has been no contact with me, correction, or an apology. They have ignored me and therefore lost a customer.
We apologize for the trouble you had with your order. We will definitely take care of this for you. A customer service representative will be contacting you for your account information.
"
Terrible products, even worse Customer service.
I placed an order for Garlic, Asparagus and some fertilizers.
I paid $18.95 for Garlic and it is rotted and moldy.
I paid $14.95 for 12 Asparagus plants, planted them carefully and only 4 have come up.
I tried emailing the company about this issue on May8th, again on May 12th and again on May 16th. ABSOLUTELY no response from them other that an automated email saying they would reply SOON. SORRY but it is not May 20th - no response in 12 days.
I am afraid to use the fertilizers lest the quality is the same as the plants I received!
On May 20, 2011, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 20, 2011 4:35 PM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for your feedback, We apologize for the problem with your order. A customer service representtive will be contacing you for your account information."
I ordered their Stay At Home Ladybugs earlier this year (2010). It was very obvious that they did not send me the quantity they said (900). I called and told them about the problem and they sent some more. The total amount sent though was still less than the amount I was supposed to receive.
I called and told them about the problem and they refunded the total amount for the ladybugs. It was rather disturbing that they didn't bother to count or make sure that they sent what I paid for.
Now, I see at least on their Web Site, that they list the number of ladybugs you will be getting is about 900, which I think is misleading. How many are about 900?
If you order any, be sure and try to count them. The problem is---it's hard to do.
On Nov 15, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Nov 16, 2010 9:21 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
We appreciate your feedback. We use this information to provide better products and service to our customers."
My order did not arrive and they did nothing to help me track it down as to where it got to and in fact seemed rude when I asked questions. They acted like they didn't even care. They did refund my money but I will never order from them again. From here on I will buy local.
On Oct 27, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Nov 1, 2010 9:34 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for your feedback. Your comments are very appreciated and are used to provide better service to our customers. A customer service representative will be contacting you to find out what happened with your order.
"
I emailed Gardens Alive twice with this inquiry and, as yet, have received no response. Sent a third one tonight.
On line they offer the following:
Item # 2837 Wow Supreme 40 lb bag 48.95 (2 -4)
or
Item # 2958 WOW Supreme 40 lb bag Buy 3 bags get one free $195.80
It doesn't compute... 3 bags at 48.95 is $146.85, not $195.80
Seems like false advertising to me, especially since they won't respond to my emails. Too bad since it is a great product!!
On Aug 3, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Aug 10, 2010 9:55 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for your feedback. We had an error on our site and we have corrected the pricing. The item 2958 is now $146.80. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention."
I ordered my usual items, as well as several additional items that would be covered by the $25 coupon in their brochure. The items I wanted are apparently no longer available, so they just sent and billed me for the remaining items, which I only ordered because they were 'free' by using the coupon. They didn't even have a record of my complete order, only an altered order, listing only the items they had. They shipped them with no explanation or notation that the other items were no longer available. After several emails, letters and calls, this problem still has not been resolved. I have sent subsequent emails, but they no longer respond. I strongly recommend to SHOP ELSEWHERE. I know I will.
On May 17, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 18, 2010 10:35 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for taking the time to post. We apologize for the confusion. A customer service representative will be contacting you for your account information."
Several times I have asked that the hardiness zone be corrected on my mailing label for this and the sister companies. I am clearly in zone 6 - quite close to 6A. These catalogs have me in 7B. I have to remember each time I order to change the shipping dates. The order takers seem to get quite frustrated with me and are often rude about this issue. One order taker said that the USDA sets these zones - and I agree with this. He should have looked to see that all of the state of VA is not in zone 7. From sister companies, I have lost sweet potato and other plants because they were shipped when I still had snow on the ground. Beneficials from Gardens Alive did no good since it was too cold to release them before I learned they had me pegged for shipping in a much warmer zone. Each time I have ordered on line or on the phone, I have requested that they correct this issue. They never do - and so I simply refuse to order from any GARDENING company who cannot read the USDA hardiness maps. Any serious gardener knows his/her hardiness zone. These GARDENING catalog people don't seem to care that they are wrong.
On May 8, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 11, 2010 11:12 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for taking the time to post. We base your grow zone on the USDA Hardiness Zone Map. We understand there are micro zones which causes the temperature to be slightly different within the same grow zone. Unfortunately, we are unable to determine these zones based on zip codes, which are used by the USDA. A customer service representative will be contacting you for your account information. We apologize for the inconvenience."
I'm definitely an unhappy customer! I ordered a bottle of IRON X! last week. The catalog stated that a bottle of concentrate makes 3.125 gallons and should be applied at a rate of 1 gallon per 2,500 square feet, meaning a bottle of concentrate would treat 7,812 square feet of lawn. (This makes it reasonably economical product!)
When I received the product the instructions on the bottle state that the bottle of concentrate makes 3.125 gallons and should be applied at a rate of 5-10 gallons per 1000 square feet. That translates to a bottle of concentrate treating only 300-600 square feet. That is a HUGE DIFFERENCE from what is stated in the catalog.
At that rate it would take about 17 bottles of concentrate to treat 7,800 square feet of lawn! That would come to $510.00 instead of $35.00.
Below, I have copied, exactly, the ad from the catalog followed by the instructions from the bottle.
Copied from the March Catalog I received in the mail.
IRON X! Selective Weed Killer for Lawns sup-
presses weeds quickly and effectively without
killing your lawn. Dying weeds will turn
black or brown within hours of application.
People and pets can enter the treated area as
soon as the spray dries. It even works in cold
weather and is safe to use on new lawns, one
week after grass emerges. Lawn areas may be
re-sown within one day of treatment.
Mix 5 ounces of concentrate with 1 gallon of
water. Apply the mixed solution with a hose-
end sprayer at a rate of 1 gallon per 2,500
square feet of lawn or spot treat with a hand
sprayer. 16-ounce concentrate makes 3.125
gallons. There is no unpleasant odor and the
solution is rainfast in 3 hours. Repeat treat-
ment in 3 to 4 weeks for best results..
#3721 16 oz $34.95, 2-4 @ $32.95 each,
5+ @ $29.95 each
**********************************************
Copied from the instructions on the bottle.
Application Directions
Shake well before using. Mix one part
Iron X! Selective Weed Killer for Lawns
with 24 parts water (5 oz. in 1 gallon of
water). Apply the mixed solution at a rate of
5-10 gallons/1000 sq. ft. (5.75-11.5 fluid
oz./sq yd.) Any standard hand-held or
backpack sprayer can be used. Thoroughly
spray weeds. Use a coarse nozzle setting to
reduce drift. Uniform coverage is important
Repeat treatment in 3-4 weeks for best
results.
********************************************************
I have emailed Gardens Alive about this issue twice but have never received any reply.
On May 7, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On May 11, 2010 2:39 PM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Thank you for taking the time to post. We apologize for the mis-print in out catalog and this will corrected. A customer service representative will be contacting you for your account information."
It began in January when I ordered my seeds at a pretty good price. Turns out price is not so good when stuck on the phone with someone from India. Any how, I payed with my credit card and most of my seeds showed within 2 weeks the rest is Garlic which is shipped later. About a month later I had more money come out of my account through Gurneys with no explanation. I called India for an explanation & it turned out that they didnt charge me for the garlic at that time. Another thing that really ticks me off is that gurneys has me listed as zone 5. USDA, Burpees and everyone else has me listed as zone 7. All my other garlic is up except for what I ordered from gurneys because they refuse to ship before the date they have listed. I am canceling my garlic and re-ordering from burpee which I should have done in the first place. Absolutely will not order from Gurneys ever again. Because of this experience my friends will no longer order from them either. 2 have canceled orders and have been refunded. Sorry Gurney but I hope you lose alot more than just the six of us. Extremely poor customer service.
On Mar 28, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Mar 31, 2010 1:34 PM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
We appreciate you taking the time to post this. We are always here to assist in any way we can. A customer service representative will be contacting you. Our zones are set according to the USDA and we can always change the ship date on orders if a customer request it."
I have done business with this company for years - no problems - love their products. Last week, I placed a large order (14 items) with them, including a membership fee to receive a 10% discount on all future orders - clearly intending to continue purchasing from them. Several days later, I had not recieved a confirmation, so I emailed to inquire and included a screenshot that I had saved of my order with the order number on it. Yep, you guessed it. They had lost my order, and wanted me to call or mail them a copy of my order! I sent a second email asking that they initiate the order from the screenshot and just got a canned response telling me to call or mail my order. Unbelievable - any company that wants to keep their customers would have been all over getting my order in their system. I'm taking my business elsewhere. Now, how much you want to bet they reply to this with another canned response about "striving to provide 100% customer service"?
On Mar 12, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Mar 15, 2010 11:41 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
We appreciate you taking the time to post this. We are always here to assist in any way we can. A customer service representative will be contacting you to help locate your order and have it shipped to you right away."
On Mar 11, 2010, ellejacob76 Phoenixville, PA wrote:
I have attempted to order twice from this company's website. The first time was using the account number from the catalog sent to my PO Box. I wanted the shipment to come to the house, so I changed the address to my home. After not receiving any confirmation email, I was told that it was my fault because I changed the address and now the order couldn't 'find' my name (? um, ok). And then I was told to call back in a few days, which I did, and after speaking to the nice lady in India, I was told to put another order in. OK, so I did, and I started without a catalog number, used my home address, and again, I have not received a confirmation email, I can't get anyone to answer my emails, and no one can tell me where these orders are going to. And they aren't small orders.
I ordered from here because of Mike McGrath and NPR - what a disappointment.
On Mar 11, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Mar 12, 2010 8:25 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
We appreciate you taking the time to post this. We strive for 100% Customer Satisfaction. We are always here to answer any questions you may have or assist in any way we can. A customer service representative will be contacting you to help with your order."
After receiving a $25 coupon in the mail, I placed an order with Gardens Alive! over the phone since the web site did not respond to the coupon sucessfully. I reached a pleasant customer service agent that had a strong, clipped accent. When I asked where he was located, he responded, "in India." I told him I thought so (from his accent). I went ahead with my order, hating to waste a $25 coupon, and only had to pay for shipping. The order arrived quickly and was well-packaged. Since I have not yet tried the products, I can't elaborate on their performance. However, I am posting this to let everyone know that Gardens Alive! has outsourced customer service to India, and because of that, I will NEVER purchase from this company again. The outsourcing of American jobs is a huge problem in this country; we have many Americans here that need the work. Buyers, support American companies that keep the jobs here!!! Also, a note to Gardens Alive!: at the end of my order, your customer service rep was giving me the spiel to try and sell me something else before closing the order. Due to his heavy, clipped accent, I could not even understand what he was trying to sell me. I later finally figured out that he was trying to say vegetable, but pronouncing it in a very hurried, strongly clipped way as "ve-ge-TAY-bul." Hard to sell someone something when they don't understand your sellsperson. Sometimes it really pays in the long run to keeps the jobs at home.
On Feb 17, 2010, Gardens Alive! responded with:
"On Feb 26, 2010 10:52 AM, Gardens Alive! responded with:
Gardens Alives strives to provide 100% customer service. We want to be available 24 hours a day for our customers therefore we do have call centers outside of the US."
Buying from this company was one of the worst on-line purchasing experiences I've had, not just once but twice. Their Web site has technical problems, which can be frustrating. Their order system "looses" order information. Telephone support was inconsistent, some were rude others polite. I received no email replies, despite their claim "we'll respond in 24 hours". On both occasion, the products ordered did not ship "the next day", contrary to their published statement. I had to contact them about problems they caused. Their products may be good, but their sales and service are poor.
Early in July I ordered a couple of items from GA. One was sent promptly and they said the other would be sent when it was time to plant. Well, it is time to plant but no shrubs!!! I e-mailed them and was told they didn't have anymore. The e-mail was rather "flip", sort of tough luck, teehee attitude. I am unable to find this same item now from any of the RELIABLE companies so will have to do with out until next year.
Lousy customer service from a company that was once very good. Too bad.
1.) I placed an order for 3 species of beneficial insects from GardensAlive.com on 6/17/2009.
2.) I paid an additional fee for expedited shipping, so as to stem the tide of insects that were destroying my south plot.
3.) After watching the order status intently for several days, I noticed the date to ship kept moving out again and again.
4.) The estimated delivery date moved out a total of approximately 5 times.
5.) The delivery date will now be just shy of 1 month after I placed the order, DESPITE the fact that I paid an expedited shipping fee.
6.) There was NO information on the website about insects being backordered.
7.) After discovering that it was going to take A MONTH to receive the insects I ordered, I tried to cancel my order. I was told that it would be impossible, as the order had already shipped and my credit card had already been charged. This is suspicious, because my bank’s website posts pending debits against my account as soon as they are received, as far as I have ever seen in the past.
8.) It was another week before the shipment finally arrived.
9.) I again attempted to cancel the remainder of my order and was once again told it would be impossible, that the order had been shipped, and the subsequent emails I sent on the same subject were ignored.
10.) The reason I ordered these insects was to fight the harmful insects that were destroying my crops. This late after ordering them, my crops are all but destroyed.
11.) Despite the expedited shipping charge, I have not received but 1/3 of the insects I ordered. Nothing told me that these insects were on backorder, or I wouldn’t have ordered them.
12.) I have ordered from PlanetNatural.com in the past, and the shipping was quick and responsive. In addition, when they were sold out of lady bug beetles, they prominently displayed that they were and wouldn’t have any more until mid June.
13.) The company finally offered to cancel my order after I had to get EXTREMELY rude with the customer service representative over the telephone. I will say, however, that the customer representative I spoke to was polite and helpful once he understood how upset I was with the service I had received theretofore.
14.) Mike McGrath and GardensAlive.com are running a shoddy operation in my opinion, and I would highly suggest ANYONE looking for the type of products they sell look to other sources before ordering anything from them.
Thank you for your inquiry. Please accept our sincere apology for any inconvenience we may have caused. Our Customer Service Team is checking into the issue you had with your order and will do our best to rectify the problem in a timely manner. We will be contacting you directly with a resolution. "
This company buys email spam lists, sends unsolicited email spam, and tries to scam customers with fake "your order is being processed" emails when nothing has been ordered.
Thank you for your inquiry. Please accept our sincere apology for any inconvenience we may have caused. Our Customer Service Team is checking into the issue you had with your order and will do our best to rectify the problem in a timely manner. We will be contacting you directly with a resolution. "
On Jul 3, 2009, DoubleBubba Schenectady, NY wrote:
I have bought many things from Gardens Alive and love their products. But their customer (no) service is so horrible I don't know what to do.
Their customer (no) service is in India, you can't talk to real people that know what is going on, and you can't ever resolve anything. There is a problem - they don't tell you. You have to wait and wonder - why did that order never show up - trace the order back to find out that there is a problem and then you are stuck in customer (no) service hell - and can't ever resolve the problem!
The bottom line is - I want to find other retailers to buy the same stuff from because Gardens Alive customer (no) service is so bad.
Can anyone suggest other online retailers that sell the same things?
Thank you for your inquiry. Please accept our sincere apology for any inconvenience we may have caused. Our Customer Service Team is checking into the issue you had with your order and will do our best to rectify the problem in a timely manner. We will be contacting you directly with a resolution. "
On Apr 11, 2009, plantaholic2 N Middlesex County, MA (Zone 5a) wrote:
They would not honor my coupon for $25 free with no minimum order. Earlier I cut out the coupon and threw the book away. Can you say TOO-MANY-CATALOGS coming to your house???
Most coupons have all the information one needs on the coupon. Theirs does not and not even a warning on it to refer back to keycode. Even with my account number (from an old catalog), they would not provide me my keycode.
The are happy to offer me a different (less valuable) coupon but not the coupon that is sitting in front of me on my desk. Do they think I am making it up???
Not suprised to come here and see so many negative ratings!!!
On Apr 8, 2009, dheck1961 Stafford Springs, CT wrote:
This was our second (and last) year ordering from Garden's Alive. I was very specific regarding the order of 3 "sets" of lady beetles when I called them, then placed the order on-line. We needed them inside our greenhouse to help control a small aphid outbreak. I was assured that if I put in the comments the request for an earlier ship date than is usual for our zone they would ship out.
After they didn't ship as requested I e-mailed them. A week later I received a response that they were shipping, however the order showed another week before they shipped. I called and was told that the date on the order status was when they "processed" the order (which to me was two weeks before) and they would ship in another week.
When they didn't ship I called, then e-mailed a couple days later specifically asking if the lady bugs were back-ordered and was finally told that they were. When I called to cancel them (my other item arrived fine) the rep on the phone just about argued with me that they couldn't ship because of our zone, then finally admitted they were back-ordered anyways and refunded my money.
While I got my money back I think it's pretty poor service not to tell the customer up front when an item is back ordered. I had to ordered my lady bugs from another vender (Hirt's) yesterday with 2 day shipping to get them here. Their website shows you right away if something is in stock or not and they have already processed and shipped the order.
I phone ordered 3 of the topsy turvy tomatoe planters on a friday night (3/13/09). Minutes later they were advertised on TV 2 for the same price. The catalog said any orders taken after 5pm on friday would be shipped the next working day. I called Customer service on Saturday morning only to be told that my order had already shipped. When I received my order I followed up on the UPS tracking number and found that it didn't get picked up By UPS until Monday afternoon.
Customer service told me after complaining again that once my order is taken, it can't be stopped. I think they just make up an excuse and try to push the order or are too lazy to make an effort and change it. With computers today, a few short key strokes should take care of it.
I ordered from their catalog in March 2009 that had a buy $25 get $25 free coupon. I ordered their "Flow" natural drain cleaner, some seeds, and some tomato plants. I explained that though I live in zone 6 I have a greenhouse and could accept delivery of the plants now.I was told after giving my info twice to their rep, that it all would arrive in a few days. It did except for the plants,which had a ship date of mid-April. When I called back their rep said they would enter an earlier ship date into their system but had no way of determining when the plants would actually be ready, since they were coming from a different location. Let me repeat that--they had no way of determining when the plants would actually be ready. I could check their web site on my order status in a few days to find out if the shipping date had been changed.I did so and it still said April.So I called again and after the rep checked with a manager I was told that the plants would not be ready until April.I canceled the plants and ordered something else.
I remain amazed that the person taking my order did not know when an item could be shipped.We'll see how their "Flow" works on my drain.
I have had two occassions in the past week to deal with the customer service of Garden's Alive. Regretfully, I recently lost my father. I found an invoice that was serveral months old amongst his paperwork. It showed that he had paid for a subscription to a newsletter or something there. I called to have the subscription stopped and to request a refund. At first I was told that he hadn't paid for a subscription, I said that it was clearly stated on the invoice that he had, after research on their part they realized that it had been paid...he then said he would put a credit on the account. I then had to again explain to him that my father had passed away, therefore it would be highly unlikely that he would be able to use a credit on his account. After speaking with a supervisor, I was told that they would in fact be able to issue a refund. From the same invoice, I found products that my father had purchased and due to his illness had never even opened them. I was told that it had been too long since the order had been placed to return these items and that there was nothing they could do. I understand that it has been several months since the order, but my father was not in good health at the time he placed the order and just put the product in the closet. It is truly not the money, it is the fact that this company is unwilling to work with people in extenuating circumstances. If I sold a product that I believed to be an excellent product, I would certainly in a case such as this accept a return of unopened product. It does not have any expiration codes....for me, I have lost my father and now I have the unfortunate task of dealing with his affairs. I have been in contact with many companies that have gone above and beyond to make these things easier on my family, regretfully, I can not add this company to that list.
Here is a response to roflcopters (a former employee of Gardens Alive) message below. I happen to be one of their customers who had their account frozen not so much for business with Gardens Alive but for their sister companies BBrecks, Springhill etc. These companies say they offer a lifetime guarantee so I put them to the test and I told them so. They advertise that if I am not satisfied for any reason with their plants for as long as I garden I can get a refund. I take this to mean that I can order plants also for as long as I garden--especially since I am a lifetime member of one of their affiliated organizations. Shortly after I sent a list of all the plants I wanted a refund for I could not order again nor could I reach their websites on my computers nor even contact them by e-mail. These companies have this great advertising but they do not live up to it. As for Gardens alive I found their products to be a bad joke-- I tried one of the pest repellents and it was like nothing at all. I tried the mosquito repellents in the USA and Japan in a variety of situations and it was better NOT having anything to repell the pests--I would have saved money.
Companies should find ways to be sure their products arrive safely. If they cannot they should not be in the business of shipping products. Simple fact. Of course it is profitable for greedy companies to take their chances and replace some of the products that get damaged but it is such a bad business practice to not package them securely, then blame customers for complaining makes customers even more angry. Again, what about the 'for any reason' guarantee that these companies are advertising? Although if you think these companies are bad you should try ordering from ones in Bloomington, Ill. You are lucky if the plants arrive alive.
As for Gardens Alive's guarantee the customer should get the product replaced if satisfaction is the guarantee. You may be an ex-employee but a customer sees these advertisements and believes them If Gardens Alive does not want to fulfill this promise they should not advertise it. You admit the company needs improvements. The replacements should be hassle free--after all the company made the policy to replace things. I never bought plants from GA but for the products I did try I would want the company to respect its own policy and there should be no reason that I should be stopped from trying other plants (which is my case with the other affiliated companies) except bad business practices. Telling customers to go to another company is ridiculous--I can understand why you are mo longer there. If Gardens Alive and the others were doing what they were supposed (promised) to do, everything would be fine. I guess you give customers reason to complain.
If people who answer the phone cannot help customers they should be in the fields and someone who can help customers should be answering the phones. Even I know this and I am a simple person. Again how ridiculous to say no one in the company can do anything about the shipping on one of the company's products. Why does the company even exist then if cannot help customers?Oh I know--profit!!
I wonder if the company coupons clearly state only one can be used at a time. I have seen this on some coupons and offers but not always. Another company trick!!! If it is not clearly and openly stated a customer is lead (purposely?) to believe: Wow! A double deal!' The customers excitement seems only natural and companies should know this although many still play tricks anyway so do NOT tell the customers to stop complaining. Stop giving them reasons to complain--oh you can't you do not work there anymore. How brave to write when you are out of the picture!
Good advise to keep the keycodes.
Whether the company messes up royally or not so royally, guarantees that the company brags about should be followed through without former employees ranting him/herself about customers' behaviors. Decency as you speak of goes both ways.
Gardens Alive not only sends plants that do badly but repellents as I mentioned earlier. After a few I did not try anymore. What was the use after the first 3 or so were useless and so zones etc have nothing to do with this and yes mosquitoes may vary but the products did absolutely nothing in a variety of situations. Should I really be stopped WITHOUT any warning that my account is being closed?
I know many companies replace plants for free and almost all of them have some kind of guarantee. Many go to great lengths to pack them so they arrive in VERY good shape--even if the driver sits on them.
Instead of telling customers to go somewhere else you should have stayed at Gardens Alive to tell them how to satisfy customers. I am one customer who has really had it with this group of companies and it seems I heard rumors of bankruptcy--it is no surprise really
I've been a Garden's Alive customer for over 10 years and have had generally good experiences. I order 160 to 200 lbs. of WOW! Supreme twice a year to cover my acre yard. Inevitably ever fall after I order they drop the price and I email them and they refund the difference. Well this week they dropped the price $4 per 40 lb. bag and I emailed them to request a refund. The customer service rep emailed me back and said "Thank you for your email. I apologize for the inconvenience. We run different promotional offers at different times. I can offer you a $25 discount, if you place an order for $50 or more. Please leave a note in the “special instructions” box concerning the discount/coupon, and we'll be happy to deduct it from the order." They didn't acknowledge my request and sent a form response in return. Not very customer friendly and I feel like they didn't read my correspondence very closely. I emailed back to customer service and indicated I was rejecting their offer and would pursue it with the Indiana Attorney General office.
On Jul 8, 2008, kqcrna Cincinnati, OH (Zone 6a) wrote:
Talk about an eye opener!
I had a special offer from Gardens Alive and went clicking through their website. Most products do not list the ingredients, which I found odd for a company who claims to be earth friendly.
One interesting product I found was Plantskyd at $36.95/lb. Claims say it will repel deer for 6 months. I emailed them to ask what it is, what the active ingredients are. Today (2 or 3 weeks later) I got a reply stating that the active ingredient is blood meal!!! Can you imagine $36.95 a pound for blood meal???
Don't bother trying to order on line. I have not been able to submit my order to them the last 4 tries.
When I called in this last order my return email stated that my order would take 13 to 27 days to be delivered. I emailed back that I needed the nematodes for my irises now.
I have to agree with the others who say that this company's
practices have slipped dramatically. No more orders from me.
