Will I never learn??

Bought two AVs from ebay. I know, I know, shouldn't have done that.

Auction was for "mature blooming size" plants. They came with just two pots sitting in a box without protection or packing material. So....of course they were smashed. I rescued all the leaves I could, but even including the broken leaves, these plants are not "mature blooming size". Or at least I would not have listed them as such. (See picture) This plant lost maybe three or four small leaves, so you can see how small it was to start with. "Ready to bloom"? I don't think so.

I complained to the seller and she said she did not have any more and I should just start the leaves. I had already done that, but I paid for mature plants, not leaves. The one in the picture below had chunks of styrofoam stuck into the pot. Never saw that one before.

But today she said she found some more plants she had forgotten about, so she is sending a replacement plant. I told her I would accept that.

Not that it matters now, but what would "mature" mean to the rest of you? Perhaps I expected too much. Is it size or age or number of leaves........?

I look at all the beauties here on DG and watch all your trades going on. Why was I on ebay?? Who knows?? Will I buy again that way?? Nope!!! Gonna' stick with you guys. You're the best.

Diane

Oh my God look at all the green. That's not even a plant. Not are the leaves large enough to root for babies.
Those are not mature blooming plants. It's not ven a plantlet. This is what I hate small plants covered in dirt. Then even if they reimburse you your out of shipping money no plant. And then they want you to pay shipping again. What if the plant is yuk again. You'll be out of two shippings.
I think you should get a FULL refund.
A matrue blooming plant. Well this plant is blooming for the first time.

you know i would have to say that Jack is the only one i know that really sends large mature plants....most that i look at..on ebay...state what size..and in solo cup etc...but i for one am pleased with Jacks...and remember he even replaced 3 and he paid for the shipping...that's hard to beat.

Yes Jack replaced ten of my plants last year, no queation asked, no need to send him pictures and he paid the shipping.
I know Bufford, PJ's ( I think it is) and a few others I forget their names ship good size blooming plants.
I find it better to trade, share, or shop a vendor that
guarantee their plants 100 percent, their always more than good size , healthy and shipping low.

Who is Jack?

The description said "mature blooming size" and the picture was of a plant in full bloom that I would definitely call mature. Her feedback was good. Who knew?

This is the other plant.

jacks violets....go to ebay...community and type in jacks_violets...and it should come up

OK, thanks.

Who is this vendor? I'd like to know so I don't ever buy anything from them. Thanks. :)

Marilee

I looked at jacksviolets and he does have some beauties. Thanks for the referral.

You've got dmail.

I'm sorry you went through that experience. Didn't look like a mature plant to me.

Sad sad little plant. You saved me from buying a AV from ebay even though I really want it. Thank you so much but I know this doesn't help you and I am sorry.

I am so sorry about your plant. I have purchased plants off EBAY. Three different sellers. I have never had a plant that bad. Some of them were beautiful, some were average. That is..................really sad. : ( I don't buy from folks who don't post the picture of the actual plant I am buying. I think that helps some. Although lots of folks here say Jack's is a great EBAY seller. You might give him a try, or one of the commercial sellers.

The plant does not look healthy even and all that green stuff shame on them. I'll tell you right now 99.9 percent of the time people do not leaves bad feedbacks. And lot's of times the picture is not the one your getting...

You might be right about that, Allison. It's no guarantee that you get the plant in the picture. Overall my EBAY experience has been more positive than negative, but there has definitely been negative. Not to mention postage if you just get one or two plants. Ouch.

I bought a LOT of plants from ebay before I met DGers that are willing to trade and help newbies, which I am with AVs. I accumulated hostas last year by trading with DGers and buying from ebay and they were all really good ones.

I had two plant deals and one baby clothes auction go bad, both last year. I paid for the baby clothes and one plant deal with my Visa card and got my money back on both of those.

The other one was a very large order placed in April of last year for irises to be delivered at the end of summer. Three were left out. I wrote, they said they would send, I waited, I wrote and they said they would send, I waited, I wrote....well, you get the idea. Now they are not even on ebay anymore. I don't usually pay as much as I paid for those irises, but, oh well....There's only so much you can do to try to protect yourself.

I've noticed sometimes that the positive feedback on ebay says negative things. That way they don't have to deal with nasty retribution feedback.

I'm glad you all were saying the same thing I felt about those little plants. I was so disappointed, but if they live I guess it'll just get chalked up to experience and another lesson learned. Who knows? They might grow really fast and be perfectly lovely.

Diane

Diane,

I just found this thread. Maybe the bright side is that you found someone you don't want to trust again and it's far better that you lost out on two plants and not twenty two plants.

Being burned is never pleasant but if we can learn good dealers it somehow makes it less painful.

There are a lot of great vendors ! I love the plants I have bought from Violet Gallery. Can't to get some from warm I placed an ordered begining of Jan ! Yippee :)))
Also this forum has the most caring giving , sharing people always wanting to share !

1garden..If you buy from jack :) He has a referral thing going..For every 5 you buy..he sends the person that referred you a free plant.
I have gotten 4 beauties from him that way!
And I stand behind what people here say..my favorite sellers are rainbow, pjs, blufford and jacks

yes Lorry your so right they all have nice plants and package well too !

Thanks, everyone. The person I bought from is not listed as a member here, but I am going to enter feedback in the GW section. She promised a replacement plant, but hasn't sent it and now hasn't answered my email.

I tried to save some leaves, but (like Allison said) they are too immature. They aren't going to make it.