Question about Ebay sellers...

I have seen several plants that I would love to have and am interested in purchasing from Ebay sellers. I was wondering if they (the Ebay sellers) are state inspected and/or certified....I just don't want to put out a lot of money for nothing is all.

Thanks,

I have ordered from this company via ebay and they are generous and very nice to deal with.

You can always check the seller's feedback and find out how well they have dealt with others in the past.

lindenlady,

The best answers is some are, and some aren't. Depending on what' being sold, some don't need to be. If it's bulbs, rhizomes, corms, and other dormant bulb types, our state doesn't require an AG license. Just a business license.

Needless to say, if the auction says something lie, "My yard is just over flowing with these", it's probably an individual gardener like your self, and there won't be any inspection or certification.

If it's an inspected and certified commercial nursery, most will state it in their auctions.

Your best bet is still feedback though, as even inspected and certified nurseries, can ship garbage. The inspections and certification are for pests and disease. Plant quality, shipping, handling, and transportation issues aren't anything that's checked.

Chris

i sell a lil on ebay. If anyone is ever interested, I'd be happy to email a pic of my plant license.

I have serious doubts about most ebay plant people being registered growers.
In most cases it seems like just that... people are pulling plants out of the woods or thier yard and selling them.

drew

We've done a little over 1000 transaction on Ebay in the last 3 years, and I don't think I've had a single person ask if we were licensed or inspected.

We're not, because we import only, and don't grow anything our selves. Not intentionally anyway. The Eucrosia present a unique challenge for us each year, as they'll sprout with no soil or water, when they're ready to go.

Chris

I agree with the above posts to check the feedback. You can also email the seller with a question concerning a plant you want to bid on, and they usually respond back in a very reasonable amount of time.

Thanks folks, you have given me a lot of information.... I will check feedback and see what they have to say.

I have purachsed several plants from individuals on E-bay and the plants were bigger , better and less expensive than from the nurseries that sell on e-bay. I always check feed back and have never been disappointed with my purchases. Lou

lindenlady,
My recommendation is to know what you are buying first. If you know that you can order from an online source, lets say for $8 then why buy it for more on Ebay. I've seen many times how people get into the bidding war and end up paying much more than if they placed an order online. Then another thing I've noticed is that 'some' sellers but not all like to make the statement that the plant is rare. This can mean different things to different people but if you've done your homework then you should know if its hard to get otherwise. Just recently I wanted 4 named Canna bulbs. I found a company that sold them for a fair price but they were out of the two I wanted. I checked Ebay and found a seller that had all the four varieties I wanted so I bought them off her. I got some good sized bulbs for about the same as if I had ordered from the company.

Another thing is if they don't mention something in their listing, write them and ask your question(s). Don't always assume that the seller will do combine shipping either. It is important to read all the selling terms for each auction even if you're looking at several auctions by the same seller. Some plants require more for shipping, etc.

When I read the sellers feedback, I read some of the comments made by other buyers. This can give you an indication of how their plants are.

Gemila is right! A lot of people use the same name on ebay that they do on forums, sometimes you run across somebody that you already know selling (or bidding) on ebay. Another thing is that some nurseries sell the same things on ebay that they do through their nursery, but start the ebay bid at a lower price, so if you're the only bidder, you get a bargain!

ALWAYS email them if you have a question, or if they don't have shipping charges listed. Give them your zip code in the email & they can give you a shipping cost - & don't forget to ask if they combine shipping. Most do, but some don't. If they do, it's often worth buying an extra plant or two, the shipping on them is practically free!

Thank you all for all the advice and information.... It is much apreciated.

I have been surfing Ebay a bit and have seen lots of items, What I am doing is making notes of the auctions and then checking elsewhere to see if it is available for a lesser price. I ran into one bidding war for a plant that finally sold for more than twice what they could have gotten 3 of them from a grower. Wish I had been that seller !! lol Not too long ago, a Southern Living Cookbook went for over $100 in a bidding war. That same cookbook was available from the publisher for less than 1/3 of what it finally sold for. Go figure...

Linden, I found a fantastic seller of "own root roses" on ebay, although I gave the name on gardenweb(not friendly) and they kicked me out I don't think that would happen here. Anyway, some ebay sellers offer free shipping with orders and that helps save time and gas money.

You're welcome to share the name here, and by the way, welcome.

something else you want to look at when looking at the feedback is make sure they were the SELLER and not the bidder. A good payer isn't always a good seller.

I've found good people on the auctions, and I've found bad people... just like everywhere else. Just do your homework.

Be VERY careful to check and/or inquire about shipping charges! I have a friend who bought a stone japanese lantern and the shipping was $300.

I agree with Darius. I once found a wrought iron plant stand. The seller in NY (I'm in NE Indiana) said buyer would pay for shipping and handling charges. Since one never knows exactly how much they mean by handling charges, I wrote and asked. Well, the lovely stand which I wouldnot have paid over $20 for plus I figured wouldn't be more than another $15 for shipping, seller then replied it would be $75 for shipping & handling charges. I was so relieved I didn't hurry and bid. I learned my lesson that day to always ask if they don't state it.

someradiantpig, don't feel bad. I was kicked out for a similar reason. Anyhow, the way I look at it, this gave me the push to join this garden community.

smilin, which company?

someradientpig -- I love Charlotte's Web, too! :D Love your username.

I sometimes visit that "Other" place, but got reprimanded 5 times in one day for pete sake. I used an inappropriate word or mentioned a name or whatever. I agree, it is NOT a very friendly site. There are some nice peeps there, but you really have to watch your verbiage. I have purchased a few items on Ebay and so far so good. Now I shall scout for some plants. I want a few LARGE ferns and a few other items. the only thing that made me hesitate and ask about being inspected and/or certified is the transferance of varmints or disease. Just feel a bit safer with folks that are certified. But that is just me. I usually treat any plants that I get anyway. Oh just call me paranoid, but I got a nice trade of plants once that was totally loaded with aphids. I very quickly dunked that plant right into water with a touch of bleach and then let it soak and then sprayed it with a rather forceful spray. I reckon it worked because I have not seen an aphid since.

LL

I have sold seeds, bare-root plants, and succulent cuttings on e-bay. I'm just a Joe-Schmo with a very productive yard so I am not "legitimate" in any nursery sense, nor do I pretend to be. My husband is out of work, so the extra money can't hurt, plus he's home and can take the stuff to the post office. Since this is low volume, I wash off all of the plants and inspect for insects and I don't bother to offer any plants that are prone to insects in this climate. I won't send anything that I wouldn't be happy receiving myself. I have not recieved any complaints yet (knock on wood!).

I guess that the bottom line is that one can get just as good plants or services from an amateur as from a certified nursery. A low-volume amateur can be as careful and concientious, if not more so, than a high-volume pro. Read the comments that other buyers have written about the seller to get an idea of how pleased the buyers have been.

This is my opinion and not to insult or discourage door yard vendors…

When I first started selling trees I purchased from plant brokers who delivered to me. I had to purchase a certain amount to get the discounts. I had some bad experiences I won’t get into, but I feel badly about some of the trees I sold and have been steadily making up for it. Since then I invested a lot of time learning as much as I can. I spent countless hours with University people, local extensions, growers and experts. I only deal with two growers and I made it a point to visit their nurseries and look up their inspection info. I also wanted to see how they grafted and grew plants, what kind of fertilizers and pest control.

I am licensed and certified. A live person comes out every two months and inspects my trees and their surroundings. The stock areas of my growing is not open to the public but I do allow people to come view whatever I am shipping that week.

When I have a customer that customer depends on me to supply them with information and a proven healthy plant that WILL bear flower and or fruit. Since I know the original source there is no question. They buy from me because they know I’ll stay with them and help them, not sell them something they don’t need and it helps the animals. Everyone wins.

If a person has a hobby garden and they sell plants to help offset, that’s very cool but they should reveal this for people who want to know. They also should not give advice on plants they really don’t know about. There’s a lot of incorrect information out there.

We sell plants on EBay. We ship trees weekly. Out of all the trees we lost maybe 4 which is pretty good. Two of those times we’re obvious buyer neglect. Our shipping and handling is higher, yes, but there is a process in shipping bare root to make sure they arrive safely. There’s also all kinds of fees with mail order, Pay Pal, Credit cards, etc. If you think about the gas these days and trying to find tropical fruit trees in MAINE (laughing) it all is still pretty affordable. If you do find these trees in the north you’re going to be paying 3 times so it works out.

BuriedTreasures
Sebring, FL said: The best answers is some are, and some aren't. Depending on what' being sold, some don't need to be. If it's bulbs, rhizomes, corms, and other dormant bulb types, our state doesn't require an AG license. Just a business license."

BuriedTreasures are you sure about that?

Tamara

I agree with shipping... that's why we state the flat rate right in the ad. I know they are high, it covers fees, handling, packing, etc. but they know about it if they read the ad. Sometimes shipping is more then the tree itself. I keep my tree cost down because I know the shipping is high and my customers can buy more trees.

Tamara

"If a person has a hobby garden and they sell plants to help offset, that’s very cool but they should reveal this for people who want to know. They also should not give advice on plants they really don’t know about. There’s a lot of incorrect information out there."

I totally agree TamsTrees, in my view they shouldn't be selling plants they know very little about but I know of an awful lot of professional growers who do that too!

Like many here I'm an active eBay buyer and purveyor of the occasional green item. Annoyingly I've seen some excellent (and some cribbed) write ups for plants and yet this isn't a good way of knowing if the seller knows ther plants so I hope the feedback a seller has counts for much more than whether they are a professional grower or not.

Unfortunately for us amateur growers in the EU, the rules and regs on selling plants and seeds are becoming prohibative :(

I think you find a few good sources and stick with them. The best way is to do a little research on what you want to grow. Then ask questions and see if the seller knows the plants. I've had customers tell me some real horror stories and let's face it, some people are just bad with email. I hate asking a question and getting back a two word reply never answering my question and by the time it's resolved a week has passed.

Customer Service is key no matter the product. Dealing in live plants requires some special considerations.

One customer purchased a plant and didn't really look at it ... at first anyhow, then he noticed it was loaded with amphids which can be hard to see.

Imagine if I bought some trees and brought them back here and they were infested or maybe a fungus...awwww or worse CANKER (I am certified for citrus-growing and selling) and wiped out a bunch of plants. Can't afford to do that.

lol- oh then there are the people who grow trees from seeds... they tell the customer it will fruit in a few years when actually it might not fruit for 10 years, IF it fruits at all. Avocados, for instance will grow a nice tree from seed but there's a good chance you'll wait 5 years and it will never produce.

Hi Tamara,

Yes, I'm 100% sure of it. As long as they've never been grown on buy us, or held in soil , an AG license is unnecessary.

Now if we were to plant our left overs at the end of the season, and then harvest, rinse, and sell them the following year, we'd have to have an AG license. Because we don't grow ANYTHING, it's not required.

Any left over stock at the end of the season is planted in my yard, given to family and friends, or dumped.

I checked ebay for iris rhizomes yesterday and find that there are some iris nurseries just as cheap if not cheaper. Some of the less-expensive nurseries are Enchanted April, Iris City Garden, Sutton's and Iris Test Gardens. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there too.
I have done a lot of buying and selling on ebay over the last 5 years and have enjoyed the results, but most of the time, I don't see bargains in Irises.

Chris dont you dare throw the end of the season bulbs out.I'll be gald to take them off your hands..lol
Folks all kidding aside Chris is a great seller on ebay !

Elva

Thanks Elva.

There will be very little left over this year, and moving to the new house, there's lots of room for display gardens. I did have to dump a number of Hymenocallis though, as they didn't hold as long as I planned for.

I'm actually hoping to be off of Ebay within the next couple of years. We'll do some items one at a time, I'm sure, but I hope to end the large volume dutch auctions. It's just become to expensive, and Ebay seems to be on a course to attract large sellers. It hasn't happened on the plant side, but after watching what it's done to the book, music, and video categories, it'll only be a matter of time.

Kelli, or others who are selling, do you have anything for sell now that would be suitable for southern nevada, hot, dry and windy. Just started my veggie garden this year (discoverd Dave's Garden about 2 months ago) and DH is starting cacti, succulent garden in front yard. I too have bought and sold (not plant stuff) on ebay for years with very few negative experiences........Can you all share your ebay id's ?

I have some Euphorbia hybrids and Jatropha arriving this week. That's about all I have that would do well in those conditions. They're not on Ebay yet, but they're on our site.

Our Ebay ID is buried-treasure.net*

Chris

deeprootsnursery*com

i just sell ferns on ebay

deeproots, have you seen the new Microsorium 'Crocodyllus'? Our main company introduced it to the states a couple of years ago, and stock is finally coming out of the labs.

Here's a close up of the leaf. You can see how it gets it's name.

ok ok... whatcha want for one? I'm a sucker for a Microsorium

Though I do have one my self, I'm not quite ready to part with it. Our main company is a wholesale company that sells them as liners to commercial growers. They're in 72 cell trays and packed 4 to a case. They've just started arriving this summer to the growers, so expect them to start showing up in 6" pots in about 6 months and 8" pots around 9. The numbers aren't huge on them, but we've commited to about 100k of them the 1st year.

As a small regional broker, we were pretty excited to have the chance for an exclusive introduction of it. The breeder is out of Australia, and he has a couple of others in his labs that could be equally exciting.

Chris

Faronelm, my id is towhee19. I don't have much for sale at this moment but will add things later this week or this weekend. You can look at the buyer feedback and see what I have sold in the past. There are a lot of postage stamps, but you'll find the plants in there, too. The succulent plant cuttings have been particularly popular. Unless my husband finds work, I'll have iris rhizomes and probably a few daylilies later in summer and into the fall. I have a "real" 8 to 5 job, so DH takes the stuff to the post office. It makes him feel needed. ;-)

Several years ago we wanted some xeriscape plants for our yard and couldn't find what we wanted around here. so we bought some plant in Las Vegas. We got Texas rangers, which we really love, and hesperaloes. the Texas rangers came from Amargosa nursery which is way out on the northwest end of town, across from the Santa Fe Casino. The hesperaloes came from a nursery that I think was run by a community college. I don't remember exactly where it was, but it wasn't too far out of the way when coming back from Red Rock Canyon. Is there a street called Rainbow?

You should visit the Desert Demonstration Gardens in Las Vegas if you haven't already. The water company runs it and it is free. You can see the mature plants used in landscaping. When we were there, they weren't selling any plants but they do give out fliers on xeriscape growing. I think they teach classes sometimes too.

Anyone reading this, if you want seeds, check my Dave's Garden trade list. I'll send you want you want in exchage for a padded envelope and postage.

Well I'm back on Ebay for a couple of more rounds after todays shipment. We just got in some awesome Musella and Euphorbias.

Chris, I love your picture of the Croc. Although mine is not big yet, it is starting to get some growth now. Little by little.

:^)))

Faronell, click on my name here, then click on the links to my 2 favorite web sites. Maybe there might be something there you would like.

Bt, didja get my email through here?

I sure did, but it doesn't sound like you received my reply. I'll copy and paste it, and send through DG.

edited to say it's sent. If you don't get it, please let me know. If your ISP has a spam folder, you might check that for the original.

Chris


This message was edited Jun 16, 2004 9:32 PM