Hi everyone - Has anyone ordered from Bob Smoley this season? I put in an order April 10 and haven't received it yet...and he's not responding to email or phone messages...I'm afraid I've been duped and am about to ask for my $ back.
I ordered from him a couple of years ago, and it took about a month to receive the shipment. Now it's 2 months and counting, and incommunicado. I guess I shouldn't have strayed from my usual supplier...it's just his prices are so cheap.
Julia
Bob Smoley
I have never ordered from him. Sometimes it takes a while for shipments, but I personally feel that a grower should not list plants for sale that are not available within a few weeks of the order. They should indicate on their site or in the catalog that the plants are in short supply or that it may take some time before delivery. And not getting back to a concerned customer is just bad business - and makes me wonder how I will be treated if I have problems AFTER I get my plants.
Julia, Bob Smoley is notoriously slow with the orders. He usually sends an invoice with an expected ship date, which usually is overly-optimistic. And he is very bad at responding to customers, it's true.
But I have ordered from him at least six times over the years, and I have always gotten my plants eventually. I usually just try and forget I have an order with him, and by and by it will turn up. It's usually a surprise, as the plants can be on the small size or sometimes quite large and well rooted, even if you ordered cuttings.
Why order from someone like that when there are so many others to order from?
Smoley's doesn't seem so bad to me, just disorganized or chronically short-staffed. And they do have a good selection of plants. The one to really avoid is Glasshouse works. If you look at their ratings in the Garden Watchdog you will see that many people have had problems with them. Also disconcerting is Glasshouse works attempts at bribing dissatisfied customers who have posted negative comments in the Watchdog lists to change their rating. Shockingly, a lot of people there have, and seem unashamed to admit it freely.
Some people have had good experiences with Glasshouse, and good for them, but that is the luck of the draw.
Slow, I understand, but over 2 months? In prime hoya-growing season? Egads.
I'm wondering if, when he gets an order, he takes cuttings from his mother plants and waits until they root before sending them out. What else would take so long? Sigh.
I almost placed an order with Bob Smoley a while back, and I did hear that he was notoriously slow at shipping. But after emailing him with a simple question, I got such a rude reply that I vowed to never buy from him. He doesn't deserve my business.
I hope you get your order Julia. And I'm sure you will, but I agree that you shouldn't have to deal with this long waiting period and no replies to emails.