Comments regarding Rogers & Webster Miracle-Bush™ Tomatoes (also dba PublishersChoice.com)

I did recieve my seeds late and only 6 of the twelve grew plants but after I put them in the ground they really took off. They were smaller than my other tomatoes but out grew them and became the heathiest plants I have ever seen. By the end of the season I had so many green tomatoes that I took the tomatoes in to ripen and still have some ripening in January. I hope to get my seeds early this year so I can get more ripened before the frost. The tomatos were tasty & beautifully shaped. I was disappointed at first but very happy in the end.

I ordered my MIracle Bush Tomato seed from an ad in the Sunday Paper supplement for $4.95 in March of this year (2005).

In April I received a small package in the mail that held a plastic container with 12 seperate partitions that held seed and seed starter; and instructions on starting the seed and then planting in the garden. The company cautioned about not worrying if the plants were small at planting time.

The partitions were hard to seperate at planting time and the plastic is not as soluable as one would like. Each individual plant had to be planted in it's own seperate partition - which had only a very small hole at the bottom for the roots to grow out.

After a long struggle and lots of water I was finally able to save 10 of the 12 plants.

Lo and behold - they are now waist high and growing wonderful tomatoes - that have a bright vivid red color and excellent taste.

The foliage is very heavy but makes a good looking plant.

Now that I know what to expect - I will try them again at the same price if they are available.

The address and phone number of the call centers for Rogers and Webster is NATIONAL CONSUMER MARKETING, 11655 Central Parkway, Jacksonville, Fl. 32224 (904) 642-3171. Or NATIONAL CONSUMER MARKETING 458 Osceola Ave., Jacksonville Beach, Fl. 32250 (904) 996-8101.

as of today 22 of Mrch 05
i got a email for these wonderful bush maters
sound too good to be true
well I am happy i check this site out before ordering!!!!
come to find out these compost filled anal scamsters wont get 1 red cent from me
THANK YOU FOR THIS SITE!!!!!!!
And i will RECOMEND IT TO OTHERS!!!!
thanks folks & dave for this

boomer

I sent the requested amount of money and was told in the advertisement that at the proper planting time I would receive the tomato bush. It never came. Nor have I any way of reaching these people. This is a scam and they should be taken to task by the proper authorities.

recieved 12 very dry pots of dirt and seed. Was expecting the plants. Nothing included as to how to get a refund or to return product. Had to go online to get any help. VERY DISGUSTED with product a big SCAM. Found out isn't even the parent company goes by a lot of different names.

FINALLY GOT MY $6.70 BACK.
I mailed a check on April 5th. The first week in June I called about my plants, was told their on back order.I was told it would be a couple weeks till I get them so I requested a refund.Was told OK & 6-8 weeks for a refund. So 8 weeks later I called, was given a song & dance and told 6-8 weeks. So once again 8 weeks laterI called again. I explained my sob story, again. Yes I do see a request for a refund and told it should be comming. I said I'll give it a week. It came before the week was up. It wasn't the $$$$$ it was the principal of the whole thing. Thank Goodness it was a toll free #. My 1st call was pleasant. My 2nd call there was qiute nasty.(%&#*) And the last call I just kept stating how totally disappointed and frustrated I was. I also e-mailed Parade Magazine about this ad with no response.

I placed my order in early April and my check was cashed on 4/16. I received my tomatoes in late June just before leaving on a weeks vacation. I e-mailed and called the company. Karen #768 said on June 10 that I would have the plants in about 2 weeks and they could be returned for refund. After getting back from vacation, I returned the tomatos and requested refund. I received my full refund of $14.95 and deposited on 24 July. I wish they had come in time for planting but if all went well, the expected date of first fruit would have been in November. Not good for Virginia.

We received our Miracle Tomatoes AFTER the planting season was over! On June 11th "Frank" said he would issue a refund check which we would receive in 3 weeks. It is now August and we have received NOTHING. This SCAM operation needs to be SHUT DOWN!

sent a check for $6.20 on 3-12-03, received a dry half container of dirt the middle of 6-03. after constant nurturning the so called miracle tomato has producted nothing and is still dry as a bone. what a rip off and i'm telling everyone i come in contact what a scam this is. i've already notified the bbc and consumer affairs offices. this company reminds me of someone that preys on senior citizens and mistreats children and small animals. i've contaced the company to either re-imburse my money or replace the so called product with something that grows as they said it does.

Well from the comments I see on this company, I wont be looking for my miracle tomato bushes any time soon. They cashed my check in May and it is now July!!!! What a SCAM!!!!

I live in California and ordered the plants in March. Finally recieved them in the middle of June. The seedlings had to be spray watered at least three times per day. It is just to hot to start seedlings in June and they died after many attempts to revieve them. I emailed the company requesting a full refund. No response. What a scam.

I ordered on March 31 (12 plants @ $14.95). Contacted them
a couple times during the next 2 months. They did respond, saying their orders were greater than expected, but that I would receive them. Finally came on the 16th of June.
I guess I didn't read the ad thoroughly, because I had expected growing plants! Instead received tiny pots with
dirt and seed in them. According to directions, it would be mid to late October before they would produce, and by that time we'll probably have frost, or maybe even a freeze.
So I Emailed back and said I wanted to return them, and would like to be reimbursed at once. They haven't replied,
so I still have them. I've been told that they probably won't grow if I keep them until next year. If I do send
them back, do you think I'll ever receive my money back?
Shirley fischer (central Ohio)

I sent a check for $8.40 TO R.& W. Miracle Bush Tomato on
3/31/03 for 3 of their tomato seed plants & after 10 weeks I had not received my order or the refund check that they said they would send me a month ago.
I finally received my refund after sending several
letters to the B.B.B.Bureau of N.Y.C., Consumer Affairs
(SOCAP), the D.A.of N.Y.S.,& to the Postal Inspector about
my not getting my refund & included the 48 complaints listed here with Garden Watch in my letters to them.
I think at least one of them contacted R.& W. Tomato
with the information I gave them & that's why they sent me my refund. They had no intention of sending me my refund
until I sent out complaints against them & they were forced
to send me my refund.
I think everyone who didn't get their refund should
keep sending out complaints until they get their money
back.I sent out at least 10 complaints before I got my
money back. I think the Postal Inspector is the best one
to write to because they are using the Mail System to commit
Fraud & Theft and they will get your money back for you.
Good Luck, Frank Perna - 90 Lake Ave.- Middletown, N.Y.
10940. My E-Mail address is ( fhp307@citlink.net )

Hello
I ordered 12 tomato seed pots the first week of February.
After 3 emails and no responce today June 16th 136 days after placing my order I recived my 12 tomatoe seed pots in a cardboard box far too small for the seed pots.They are crushed and one of the shrink wraped packages of 2 pots has been ripped open and contains nothing (there are cut outs in the sides of the box so the contents of the one pot are most likely in several post offices across the counry).I emptied the contents of the remaining pot onto a paper plate and unless there are some type of new invisible seeds that I am unaware of there is no seed in the pot.It is now 37 days past the frost date here well into the growing season it will take at least 4 to 6 weeks for these plants to reach transplant stage to the garden which means late July or early August before I can plant them. On the instruction paper they sent with the order it states the plants will mature in 90 days unless these are frost free tomatoes they are doomed if I start them now.Being that I was a asistant manager of a large greenhouse complex for 5 years before I left for a career change I know how important it is when you guarantee plants or seeds to the pubic on or before the frost date that you deliver them.There are now several thousand poeple with no seed pots or worthless pots to late for planting.I myself intend to return my order with a stern letter and a demand for a full refund of my money.I hope that all others that are unsatisfied will do the same and when this company has thousands of returned seed pots sitting in their mail room they may learn to respect the consumers.

Mailed a check for $14.95 around March 5, recieved product on June 16, to try and start tomatoes from seed in mid June in NE Ohio no way, the growing season will be long gone before these reach maturity. Before I completely condemn this fly by night I only started 2, am going to try and keep the others in a cool dry place till next spring, but don't hold much hope. Definitely a rip off.

My in-laws mailed a check to these people, in the amount of $7.90, on March 21, 2003. Today is June 15, 2003, and they have YET to receive the alleged "Miracle" tomato plants. The only miracle that I see is that this company has managed to survive this long when they seemingly scam people. $7.90 isn't a lot of money, but it's the principle that matters. And just imagine all of the other consumers that have been ripped off. I am filing complaints with the BBB, the United States Postal Service (for mail fraud), and the Attorney General's Office. I think that a class-action lawsuit should be initiated as well! This company needs to take responsibility for their actions. Calls to their so-called customer service number only results in frustration, as the people they employ don't seem to have English as a first language.

For those interested (and 'most everybody seems quite disgruntled), this is the URL for the Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Complaint form:
[HYPERLINK@www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov]
Nothing to lose that you haven't lost *already*, right? Let's sic those gov'ment watchdawgs on these rascals!

Check cleared April 14th. Today is June 14th. No plant yet.
See my name.

IN APRIL I ORDERED 2 TOMATO PLANTS FROM ROGERS AND WEBSTER.
I FOUND THEIR AD IN THE USA WEEKEND SUPPLIMENT IN THE DETROIT FREEPRESS SUNDAY PAPER. JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, THE PLANTS NEVER ARRIVED BUT THEY WASTED NO TIME CASHING MY CHECK. I'M SURE THEY MADE A FORTUNE FROM ALL OF US SUCKERS THAT RESPONDED TO THEIR AD. MULTIPLY AN AVERAGE OF $10.00 X ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ORDERED PLANTS. NICE HEFTY PROFIT FOR THEM. I DISCOVERED THIS WEBSITE BY ACCIDENT AND I AM SO GLAD I AM ABLE TO ADD MY COMMENTS TO ALL THE OTHERS. I WON'T EVEN BOTHER TRYING TO GET MY MONEY BACK. LOOKS LIKE NO ONE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. I SURE LEARNED A LESSON. SIGNED: SHARON FROM MICHIGAN

After months of waiting, and just last week visiting this site to see so many people without their orders, I was surprised yesterday to find my plants in the mail box!
I hope everyone else gets theirs as well. Just wish the company would have notified me of the extreme delay.

ON MARCH 5TH I ORDERED SIX TOMATO PLANTS.. I WAITED AND WAITED.. I GOT VERY UPSET THINKING I WAS SCAMED.. ON OR ABOUT 7 JUNE SURPRISE SURPRISE.. I GOT THEM.. NOW I HOPE THEY PRODUCE AS THEY ARE ADVERTISE.. I GUESS THE OLD SAYING GOES.. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.. HANG IN THERE, THEY MAY COME ANYTIME..

I too ordered Miracle Grow tomatoes ($11.25) on Feb. 12. I had not yet received them by the end of April, so I wrote asking them to cancel the order and refund my money. I did not hear from them until today, June 9, 2003. They sent the cups of seeds, which are probably just dirt. I am returning them. Who wants to bet I never get my refund? Live and learn. This company is also DBA Publishers Choice. I emailed Parade Magazine about the bogus tomato offer. I hope everyone else does so they drop them as an advertiser. http://www.parade.com Just tape sucker across my forehead. Glad it was only $12. I also intend to call the Better Business Bureau.

We ordered the Miracle Bush tomato plants on 4/2/03 (check received and cashed by Rogers & Webster). It is now June 9 and the planting season is well underway. I just took a chance and typed in the R & W name on the internet to see if I could find the phone number to contact them since we haven't received our tomato plants. Imagine my dismay to discover this site!!! I called the customer service phone number listed and was told the plants were delayed in shipping and I should be receiving them in about 2 weeks. I proceeded to tell her what I was reading on the website with all the negative remarks and it was like she had earplugs in her ears....I'm sure she's trained very well in how to respond. Anyway, I asked her what good the plants would be now since by the time I get them summer will be half over and she responded by saying they will probably be half grown for me!!! RIGHT! Anyway, I'm glad we only spent $7.90 but it's the principal and the fact they others have been duped by this company. What a shame! No wonder they haven't advertised in our paper since that time.

Well, I guess I too now know, that these dirt bags have NO INTENTION of sending ANY TOMATOES! They cashed & took my MONEY on March 5th or so. I already have several Plants in the ground I had to go by from the store! Price isn't the issue, the SCAM IS!
Why are these people still able to get away with this is what I want to know!!!!!!

This is a first for me.Gone,$11.25,no biggy.I just wish no one had to deal with this much dishonesty.

I receive Parade Mag in my Sunday paper.There was an ad for tomato plants from Rogers and Webster.I ordered the plants and sent the check with the order on March 19.The check was cashed on April 9 and guess what?Today is June 7th and I still have not received my plants.I also tried to email Parade Mag advertising dept and received no reply.I want my money back.14.95

6/04/03

I ordered this item and some pampas grass fromn their website back in early April. When I still had not received the plants a few weeks ago I phoned them to see what had happened. The woman with whom I spoke had trouble with English but she explained to me that they had neither shipped nor charged my Credit Card because the plants were out of stock. I asked her why they had not notified me but she didn't know so I asked her to cancel the order and close the account. 2 days ago my account was debited. We shall see if they ship the plants.

I ordered 12 Miracle Bush Tomatoes out of a flyer in a Sunday Washington paper on 4/8/03. I have not recieved them yet and my check was cashed on 4/18/03. The paper I ordered them from had no phone no. only a e-mail address. Funny, or really not so funny that e-mail address is not longer valid. I guess I can give up hoping for my tomatoes after reading all these comments. Can't anyone do anything about this kind of scam????

I am from Alaska and saw the article in parade. My boss and I sent in our money in early March and still have not received the plants. They did cash the check in early April.
Would either like my plants or money back. I am very dissatisfied with Parade for not checking out the ads they place more carefully.

I ordered tomatoe plantson 01/27/03.They cashed my check on 02/04/03.I finally called and they said the order was processed 03/17/03.They said it would take about 4 weeks from that date,I waited,called them back,They said to wait another week .I waited 2 weeks and called back and they said they had to back order them. I told them to cancel my order and refund my money,I haven't receive any thing yet.They owe me $14.95. This started in January.looks like i'm the one they took first.Ihope somebody can do something about this.

I too was taken. Ordered the "Amazing Tomato Bush" on April 11, 2003. As of today, (May 25) the only amazing thing is that I have an open space in my vegetable garden for my 6 plants and nothing to put there.
Fortunately, I found this site, so that I now have a phone number to contact these "people". (I use the term loosely)
It's not a lot of money, it's the principle of the thing.
Shame, shame on you, Rogers and Webster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My 72 year old mother ordered this product on 3-3-03. Her check was cashed on 4-14-03. She has not received her order and is now only interested in obtaining a refund of $14.95. Meanwhile, I visited the Rogers & Webster website where unsuspecting consumers may still be ordering their product. Buyer beware!! I will be calling the customer service line @ 800-932-8570 to demand a refund.

My Parents sent there check for $7.23, on March 23,2003, and it was cashed on, April 18,2003! They have not received there order yet! I just sent a complaint to Pubishers Choice today! May 24,2003. I will wait for a response and then come back here with details! If this is a fraudulent company, then there needs to be some kind of class action againest this company, and the advertisers! I will be sending a mail to Parade also!

I also ordered plants from this company. I sent them a email, no response yet, I ordered my plants on April 11, and got my cancleled check back, which was deposited by them on April 21, 2003.

For those of you ripped off by this company (and this company goes by many names) please read all of the following: The first address is where you can complain about the company (PublishersChoice), the rest of the information is about the problems with the company. They are not new to the BBB of New York. Please read all the way to the bottom - there is huge list of affliate companies you should avoid also, but bottom line, take the time to make an on-line complaint to the BBB of Metropolitan New York. It only takes a few minutes - keep it short and don't forget to tell them what you want (like a refund!):


BBB of Metropolitan New York, Inc.
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010-7384
(900) 555-4222

NATIONAL SYNDICATIONS, INC.
230 Fifth Avenue - Suite 2010
New York, NY 10001
View Location Map


Original Business
Start Date: 1/1/1984
Principal: Mr. Bud Pironti, President
Local Phone Number: (212) 686-8680
Fax Number: (516) 939-2365
TOB Classification: MAIL ORDER & CATALOG SHOPPING

The information in this report has either been provided by the company, or has been compiled by the Bureau from other sources.

Customer Experience

Based on our files, this firm has an unsatisfactory record.

Complaints to the Bureau allege that consumers order and pay for merchandise that arrives late or is never received. In addition, consumers have filed complaints regarding difficulty in obtaining refunds or adjustments for problems associated with overbilling, incorrect billing, and/or dissatisfaction with merchandise received.

This firm has failed to eliminate the underlying cause of its complaints.

The company's size, volume of business, and number of transactions may have a bearing on the number complaints received by the BBB. The number of complaints filed against a company may not be as important as the type of complaints, and how the company handled them. The BBB generally does not pass judgement on the validity of complaints filed.

Closed Complaints
Total number of complaints processed by the BBB in last 36 months: 670
Total number of complaints processed by the BBB in last 12 months: 363

Complaints Concerned (Please understand that complaints may concern more than one issue)
Advertising Issues: 227
Credit/Billing Issues: 507
Delivery Issues: 330
Defective/Damaged Merchandise: 25
Failure to Provide Service: 197
Delayed Service: 173
Workmanship/Repair Issues: 2
Warranty Issues: 2
Failure to Provide Promised Adjustment: 76
Selling Practices: 188
Miscellaneous Issues: 64

Outcome of all complaints
Resolved -- The consumer received what she was seeking: 638
Resolved -- The consumer received a portion of what he was seeking: 9
Administratively Judged Resolved -- The business made an effort to resolve the complaint, but the consumer was not satisfied: 21
No Response: 2

Additional Business Names

Always Cassette
Amazing Breakthroughs in Health
Amazing Discoveries
American Family
Diamond Direct Marketing Corp.
Fernando Dalie Chequebook Wallet
Fibromyalgia Book
Garden State
Gem Finders
Genuine Emerald Ring
Hard Hat Harry's Videos for Kids
Helena Windsor
Lady Royale
Mt Vernon Mint
N.S.I. - NSI
National Collectibles
National TV Outlet
Nutritional Health
Preferred Consumer Marketing (PCM)
Publishers Choice
Publishers Choice Video
Rogers & Webster
Run Free
Travel The World
Tripledge Lifetime Wipers

Additional Phone Numbers

(212)433-3800
(800)215-8703
(800)713-3166

Additional File Information

Parent Company: Cross Media - 800-713-3166
37 11th Avenue Huntington Station, NY 11746
P.O. Box 11229 Des Moines IA 50340
P.O. Box 4154 & 4165 Huntington Station, NY 11746
P.O. Box 4177, Huntington Station NY 11746
PCM -889 Waverly Ave., Holtsville 11742 & 12 Commercial St, Hicksville
889 Waverly Avenue Holtsville N.Y. 11742



Report as of: 5/20/2003

Copyright: 2003 BBB of Metropolitan New York, Inc.

As a matter of policy, the Better Business Bureau does not endorse any product, service, or company. BBB reports generally cover a three-year reporting period, and are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Information contained in this report is believed reliable but not guaranteed as to accuracy. Reports are subject to change at any time.

The Better Business Bureau reports on members and non-members. Membership in the BBB is voluntary, and members must meet and maintain BBB standards. If a company is a member of the BBB, it is stated in this report.

I want to sue these guys!!! Even though I only lost $6.70, the rip off must be stopped. This is cancerous to our free market system. I will contact a lawyer in Malden, Mass. This is where my check was cashed. Please email me the info on the back of your check and I will give the info to the attorney.

I wish I had known about this web site before I ordered the Miracle Bush tomatoes. We assumed the ad being in Parade Magazine was legit. Well, I don't need to tell anyone what assume means. Like others, we saw the ad and placed an order in early March '03. Here it is the end of May. No tomatos. I e-mailed Parade Magazine and Miracle Bush to find out what happened. I didn't expect to hear from Miracle Bush given all these complaints I've now read. And I was right, no response from Miracle Bush. However, I'm more upset that Parade did not respond. Parade should hold some type of responsibility for advertiser's claims. If nothing else, Parade should consider publishing an apology or warning or something that will expose Miracle Bush for what they are doing to customers...stealing our money. Miracle Bush is playing psychologist. They know most people buy a few plants and are out $10 or less. It's takes too much time and trouble for me and others to worry about $10. We just write it off, cuss Miracle Bush, and go on about our business. All the while, Miracle Bush is laughing all the way to the bank. When you multiply the amount of customers that send in $10 and just "write it off"...Well, you do the math. I'm just surprised that this company has not been investigated and prosecuted. Well, I feel better! I guess I'll just have to buy my 'maters at the country roadside stands this year.

I paid for one plant back in the end of March and the check went through the 4th of April. I did not get by plant or money back. If someone can find them please let me know so I can try and do something. Maybe we can pull togther and get a lawsuit going.