Garden WatchDog really works!

Garden WatchDog really works!

See this link concerning a rating I did on a company called: 4 Tropical Plants.

Posting http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/1893/

Within the same day I recieved an E-mail from the owner. This does prove that Garden WatchDog is an important feature here. It says something about the owner as well. A plus I would suggest to you all.

Here is his letter:

Hello, I'm an internet company and have a very simple return
policy. If it is no a live it will be replaced. I have been
having phone problems for the last month but the email is still
working. Why not drop an email(this is how you ordered) and see if we can complete your transaction. This is a part time hobby for myself and I do not have a single negative feed back on over 400 transactions on eBay! I think you should have given it a little harder try. Yes plants arrive broken from time to time and I replace them. It is the nature of shipping long plants in boxes that can foldup. Enjoy your gameing.
David Reed
Owner
4 Tropical Plants

My reply:

David,
Sorry about your phone. As a business person I assure you I keep mine working. Given your spotless record up to this point I'm surprised you have not address your non-working phone of one month....amazing to say the least. Next, I have called twice. Surprising enough your answering machine is still working! I believe two calls is enough effort on my part.

You owe me one Nino. The others were ok. What is interesting is the box was not bent. Strange uh?
Send it to:
Raye Minor
xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxx xx
xxxxxxx

Upon reciept of plant I will repost concerning this matter. BTW I do enjoy gaming. Not many my age have the talent for it! If you are a gamer then I suggest MechWarrior4 Mercs. You can always find me in a Brawler or CTF game 8-10pm EST. Just look for DoW-Oldman.

Thank you for your reply in this matter. I will be looking forward to the plant. I'm just so sorry it took a posting before I heard back from you.

Have a great day.
Raye Minor.


Now folks maybe I should have E-mailed him. However, when I called his answering machine said all calls would be returned after 5 pm. Never came to me that his phone was broken. What do you all think? I called twice over a three day period. Do you think I should have also E-mailed this owner?
Olds

This message was edited Sep 14, 2003 2:39 PM

Hmmmm, that phone thing is a little fishy.

I had a similar strange experience with an ebay purchase, but the problem turned out to be my own email malfunctioning. Nevertheless, they did not return my calls, and it looked to me like my emails were being ignored, too. It turned out he got my phone messages, put them together with my email messages and sent out a replacement - emailing me to let me know. I never got the email. I was upset.

Before I left bad feedback, I called one more time and caught the guy at home. He was astounded that I was upset. Sure enough, the package arrived the next morning.

I think they just don't like to return phone calls. Maybe because of the cost, or maybe they don't want to get yelled at. Bad business, either way.

Cheri'

Puzzeling> if he could get emails, and not phone calls. Most emails, go thru the computer that is hooked up to the phone lines. Kinda sounds like a filmsy excuse to me.

Did you try contacting him via e-mail before posting to Garden Watchdog about the transaction?

gardenwife

QUOTE Now folks maybe I should have E-mailed him. However, when I called his answering machine said all calls would be returned after 5 pm. Never came to me that his phone was broken. What do you all think? I called twice over a three day period. (sic) Do you think I should have also E-mailed this owner?----This question is retorical.

What is there to make me think that 6 or 7 days after the first phone call, and 3 or 4 days after the second phone call that if a business will not return my calls they will answer my E-mail?

Not returning phone call(s) to a customer is just flat out bad business. Especially after the second one.

Debby, he could be cable connected to the net. (as I am. thus no phone is needed.)

Oh ....sorry gardenwife, I did not directly answer your question. No I did not E-mail him. I called long distant to his business twice in a 3 day period. Plus I waited another 4 or so days before I posted.

BTW Not for one minute do I buy into his I've had a broken phone now for one month. Especially after leaving two messages. Doesn't sound too broken to me.
Olds

This message was edited Sep 14, 2003 9:31 PM

I recieved another E-mail today...he said the plant is going out in the AM.

Olds

Well, that's good. Looks like he reads Garden Watchdog, that's for sure. It's funny - I am much more likely to e-mail a business than I am to call them. I wonder if the problem would have been resolved differently had you contacted by e-mail first. I like having a paper trail (be it electronic, LOL). Guess it's hard to tell!

Debby: As DoW Oldman says, a lot of people are cable connected. My internet connection has nothing at all to do with my phone.

Ditto, etexbill. It's our saving grace sometimes! ;)

Oops, I forgot all about cable connections. Still if his answering machine was working, even in the remote possibility that he couldn't call out. He could of tried to email DoW. Glad you are getting your plant DoW.

Hey look all as I re-read what I wrote it now looks like a flame. That was and is not my intent. If it sounded that way please forgive and excuse me.

Debby you are correct about one thing. He knew how to get a hold of me.

gardenwife...maybe but I have good faith doubt about it. I will go this far and say the man just did not check his answering machine.

If I was not to keep up with current events by not checking my answering machine I would have one of my facility managers climbing up my backside. That is just bad business. Period. No exceptions. No business man worth his salt can justify not returning a custome's calls.
Olds

I suppose it's possible he had voicemail hosted by his telco, and that would be beyond his own phonelines. But probably not, and he could have checked that from any touchtone phone.

Please let us know how it turns out. I know that I tend to get nervous if I have tried to contact a seller several times with no responses, especially if they already have my money. Mabye this is because I got burned my first time on ebay. I've been very suspicious ever since.

Did you get your plant okay?

Got it Saturday. I've taken a couple of pictures of it. When I get a chance to have the film devoloped I'm going to post the picture and ask everyone: "What is wrong with this plant?"


Olds