MY Kartuz experience UGH!

Ok my Kartuz experience was NOT good.
I emailed them and asked if I should wait to order. They said in an email that is was not neccessary for me to wait since they ship to southern states year round.
Well I get my order today....one of the most expensive plants is NOT well....a variegated episcia.
On the invoice...hand written it says "It is too cold to ship episcia this time of year. This is shipped at your risk"
So I call them..I tell them I got my order..and I tell them what I was told in email.
He says he didn't say that...someone else at his greenhouse must have....I said, "well aren't you responsible for you employees?"
I told him that a couple of the plants didn't look to good fromt he trip and that I could send him the email that said it was fine.
He came back with ..You should have known better! I am not the greenhouse!
So I said, fine, but that I was a member here and was going to leave him negative feedback.
He countered with well...maybe we will ship you another one in May!
I said not good enough and that I would share my experience on the board.
So here is it folx...for those who were asking.
I will NEVER, NEVER order from them again
and this is the FIRST time I have ever left a negative feedback (which I am going to do now).
Now...I orperated on them before these pictures..to remove the truly rotten parts....and popped them all under a grow light.
Any other suggestions on saving the half dead Variegated episcia and the barely there sinningia?

Picture 2
Sinningia

This message was edited Feb 8, 2006 4:33 PM

Picture 3

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NO..you should send them the pics and a copy of the email......and tell them that you are returning them immediately and that you have contacted ebay and they will intervene and reverse your payment...the minute you keep them...you lose credibility...SEND THEM BACK AT ONCE....contact ebay to intervene....and send them copies of email as well....bob

I ordered from their website Bob..not from ebay
kartuz.com

hmmmm

did you pay by paypal?.....i still think you should send them back if it looks like they won't survive...since you have the email stating they would send to southern states year round...i would take that to be a "meeting of the minds"...

dear sirs (whomever).
..I know you want to have a happy customer as that insures the continuance of your successful business...It is in this regard that i am forwarding a copy of the email stating you ship to southern states year round , pictures of the plants , and the plants themselves...Please refund my total price so that I will have confidence ordering from you in the future..

something like that...or is there absolutely no possibility of resolution?

Lorry,
Oh my Goodness this is horrible. And you paid a lot of money for theses. Their prices were high but I thought if they were nice after I saw yours I order from them. But no way now.
They should and owe you a hundred percent refund shipping and all.
MY last order from Bluebirds Greenhouse was horrible nothing but trash material. Laurie helped me with a letter. I also left feedback in DG Garden watch.
They did give me a full refund of my last order including shipping.
Most people do not ship Epsicas if under 50-60 degrees but depending on where they are coming from and going. ? Where are they located ? They also told you they could ship. I shipped you and Bob Epsicas and Chiritas and more and have shipped them to other states with heat packs with no problem.
Their plants are so small and I noticed they charge big bucks for them. Shame on them.
They need to give you 100 percent refund even shipping as this order should never have been shipped.
I would leave a feedback on DG Garden Watch also.
I am so sorry . This is so frustrating to get a box of yuk or dead , or poor qulity plants.
Allison

Lorry they post right in shipping on their web
" Our shipping season extends throughout the year to mild winter areas of California, western and southern states "
And $13.00 for a plant. Too much. You should have got a big healthy basket plant for this amount/.
Now I notice they have under lined these plants sensitive to cold and will only ship when warm. They did not have this beroe if I remember right ?
And if so they should have waited.

Nope..they never said a thing to me about not shipping them now. Nor did I even say to them you NEED to ship now..I just placed the order.
I think and hope everyone will survive..the episcia has a couple viable leaves on it.


Sooooooo...keep your fingers and toes crossed :)

I did leave feedback here on it though! And won't ever order from them again!
You are right too, they are expensive...the only reason I ordered from them is to get the variegated episcia....which I only got one of....the other they didn't even have *growl*
Anyhow...live and learn

On bluebird...mine were wet but salvagable..I probably won't order from them again though..only because they always send me substitutes and I usually have the substitute..so I am paying more for the plants in a way.



And no Bob..I paid with a credit card. They guy was entirely unfriendly on the phone...so I don't see a resolution in the making here.

well Lorry...i'm sorry that it hasn't worked out...he doesn't sound like a very good business person....and you have let us know about it...AND..i do agree with you about not excepting substitutes....hope the ones survive...you do well with them...so i'm crossing my toes as well...8))

only other thought i have is going to your credit card and lodge a complaint etc...i did that with a person in Thailand....it went back and forth...and i ended up losing $795.00....the card company claimed the seller had done everything correctly even though the plants were held in customs because he sent them without proper paper work...so don't know if they favor business over individuals or not.

Lorry
When you pay good money for a plant they should come good size and healthy. You should not have to wonder if their going to make it.
Now my bargain plants for a dollar each plus shipping many went into the trash ASP all had to have roots cut and start back from crowns. They have been in isolation 2 months so far so good. Slow to root as their not under lights just window . But new growth . But they were only a dollar each and I did not expect them to be perfect.
But these plants cost you a lot of money and they should all be in excellent health and good size plants.
Violet Barn sells variegated Epsicas. And I love Gary's out of Africa plants link in our Sticky. I'm going to get some Streps and Epsicas from him in Spring. He starts to ship in April !

The episcia crown looks ok, so given decent care it will be fine. You don't say if the Sinn is a mini or standard size - in either case, leaf growth is often about that size this time of year (or even less - I have some that are almost dormant) so that one should grow fine as well.

It is a mini and that is good to know Key :)
I do believe the the crown of the episccia will be fine *I hope*
One leaf on it is a little soggy but trying to coax it back :)

I will deinfitely look at out of africa and the violet barn for episcia :) I would like to have some healthy variegated ones :) especially if this one doesn't make it.


I should know in a couple days if it will come back or not.

Yes and it seems Kartuz charges more for them ?

That is unbelievable!!! I can't stand when businesses take advantage of their customers. To me that means they are just interested in the bottom dollar - not the product they are selling. Come to think of it - there's not much thought to the bottom dollar, because they lost a repeat customer and several word of mouth customers as well!

They sure won't be getting any orders from me! I'm sorry you had to deal with this. I would still follow up with a written request for a full refund. If you enclose photos of the damamged plants, there should be no need to send the plants themselves back (no other mail order company I've done business with requires the corpus delecti as proof of failure to arrive intact; they just issue refunds or replacements). In any case, I wouldn't spend the shipping to return anything to him... I'd do as you've done, and see if you can nurse any of them along. I agree that what is left of them does look viable -- but at those prices, you should have more than starter scraps of plants.

My Epescia 'Unpredictable Valley' put up a new leaf last week.... if this is a sign of actual growth & happiness from this plant (it's been barely hanging on for me), then I'll cheer it on all the more in hopes that it'll produce babies to share!

Oh way cool critter :) The variegated are very cool and I am eager to try this one.
I did send them an email as a follow up full with photos of the aftermath of my devastation to these plants.
I also explained to him that I was never warned that they do not ship without heat packs and that their extended shipping season was only for certain plants.
If I hear anything back from them...I will let you all know..but not holding my breath.

They are expensive and as everyone said..I won't do business with them again. I also told them I left feedback here. I think it is important that they know that this type of service has its drawbacks!

Lorry I read other people left feed backs with problems and small plants and wanting refunds and months later still not hearing back from them. Very sad . You wonder how they stay in Business so many years. I was going to order if your plants were nice.
No way now not ever.
Sorry it had to happen to you.

Oh well ! Live and learn! Though the episcia seemed to have perked up some so I have hope that everyone will survive

Wow, I am sorry that you had problems w/ them I have ordered from them and so has my daughter w/o any problems. Truth be told I put Gardino's and Kartuz on the same level and I like Gardino's a bit better, but would not expect to have any problems w/ any of them. Did you tell them you were going to spread the word on Dave's? Sometimes the thought of bad press pushes folks to act in a more generous and business like way.

I'm sorry about your plants Lorry. I agree that you should be able to send them back, but I don't know if that would work with Kartuz. From my plant-loving friends, about 50% say he's a great guy while the other 50% dislike him for his arrogant attitude.

Lorry's experience is why I don't order from Kartuz anymore. It took 2 months to get my one and only order and when I called once a month to check status (who wouldn't wonder what was going on with their order when he charged my card two months earlier and I had no plants??). I was very nice to him, but he was snippy to me. When I finally got my plants, several were substitutes in completely different families that I had no interest in (I primarily ordered hoyas). In addition, two were barely rotted and were smaller than twigs. They immediately died. I believe that only two hoyas out of the seven plants that I ordered survived and I'm not a novice. As nice as his plants look on his website, I won't order again.

I hope your plants make it.

Most places like Violet Gallery, Violet Bran, Bluebirds they don't charge my card until day shiiped. This charging and two month wait is crazy.
I am wondering about Select Gardens ( think their name ) they sell the Optimara stuff. I ordered one plant some special miniature food couple pots to try. They charge my account right away twice. They have no phone number , thanks to Laurie I was able to call after 5 days and several emails unanswered. Now they have on their web sight they have no phone number as they can answer emails faster ? But they don't answer any emails period. Get this the lady owner on the phone said maybe the emails went into her junk mail . Customer Service ?
So I am hoping and waiting and wondering how long my order will take.

my box from jack justg arrived at 530...i haven't opened it yet..

Yippee Bob I can't wait to see pictures of your plants !

Two words: Garden Watchdog

Exactly Kenton
And after Garden watchdog
Stickys

I think it's better to put comments on your experience with companies in Garden Watchdog and not in the sticky. Companies change, sometimes quickly, and the best way to find out what's currently going on with a company is to check the Watchdog.

Thanks, Lorry, for your truth! (In GWD)
Kenton

I think Allison means that a person should seek sources from our finely compiled stickies.

True enough!

Thanks, Kenton, I wasn't reading that right.

Miscommunication seems to be common about this place, myself included.
Jill, do you grow Cobaea? It seems like your sort of style.
Kenton

Thanks Kenton ! Yes i'm always saying sticky another
important word like your 2 words !

So true Kenton :)) Can't put comments in the stickys Jill. lol

I just had a wonderful experience with Rainbow Violets - I ordered some micro-minis. Her packing was incredible!

WOW what plants did you buy ! Any pictures !

You bet - http://rainbowviolets.com/id5.html

I ordered:
1. Chantaspring
2. Little Chippery Trail
3. Tiny Wood Trail
4. Teeny Bopper
5. She gave me Gold Coins as a gift plant!!

I was so impressed with the packing. I'm actually going to save all the packing material for future trades.

I will take some picks of the plants I got tomorrow.