Check this e-bay offering out

[Lanmark]

If I really wanted a plant from Hilltop, I'd deal with them direct & see if they were going to be at shows coming up, avoiding the shipping all together! My guess is that they'd do shows in western MI. & what vendor whould not bring a requested plant with them?

Good idea!

 

[gonewild]

Witch hunt?
Burn um at the stake!

In two days and 5 pages of posts this thread has convicted Hilltop.
Burned their reputation. At the very least charred it.

And all because someone else is reselling plants that they grew.

WOW!

 

[Lanmark]

Witch hunt?
Burn um at the stake!

In two days and 5 pages of posts this thread has convicted Hilltop.
Burned their reputation. At the very least charred it.

And all because someone else is reselling plants that they grew.

WOW!

Hardly a witch hunt. Hardly burning anyone at the stake. We've been discussing and commenting on what we have seen and uncovered to date. This eBay seller is representing himself as being an extension of the Hilltop Orchids business enterprise, not just as a reseller of their products, and true or not, it indeed reflects badly on Hilltop Orchids. That's just a fact. None of us want to buy from this eBay seller. Can you blame us?! But no one here, from what I've seen, has completely written off Hilltop Orchids just yet.

I guess you've missed the parts where some of us have said we would like to give Hilltop the benefit of the doubt, the parts where at least three people are making efforts at communication with the eBay seller and/or Hilltop's owners to ascertain exactly what affiliation there is between this eBay seller and Hilltop, and the part where one of those persons has already received at least some preliminary if not corroborated confirmation that there is an actual business relationship between said eBay seller and Hilltop.

Also, some of my comments were, in fact, directed directly at Hilltop's policy of charging a $10+ packing fee which is in addition to their shipping fee. I think it is excessive, and I am not ashamed to say so. I also agreed with Rose that a good way to do business with Hilltop might be to have them bring a plant to a local show so I could purchase it there. That hardly sounds like boycotting them to me. I'm keeping my options open.

A reputation is indeed a precious commodity. None of us have been spreading rumors. We have all simply commented on the facts as they've appeared before us plain as day on eBay's pages and on Hilltop's website. Why deny the fact that something like this gives me pause and makes me wonder whether or not I want to do business with Hilltop? It's the truth! I hope to learn more about this situation in the near future. This isn't the end of the story, and it could go either way. They may be totally exonerated. They might not. I don't have a crystal ball. Outrageous eBay auctions like those we've been referencing herein are going to make people talk. There's no way around it. I will neither blindly condemn Hilltop nor blindly give them 100% of my support. I'll wait until all the facts are in before my mind is made up. That's my two cents and then some.

 

[NYEric]

I dont think its a witch hunt, just someone pointing out some problems w/ an eBay auction. THe plant is miss-labled, teh shipping price is high (although that is an old way to make a profit on ebay), and it does present the image that it is from Hilltop directly.

 

[goldenrose]

What the heck is that thing?

It's a cultivator, of course. Probably awardable too.

:rollhappy::rollhappy: BTW Gary - I couldn't agree more, someone took great care, look at how nice & shiny & well groomed and it had to work about as hard as the cultivars on our benches!
Come on Lance - didn't you find this funny? at least worth a little chuckle? .........laughter is the best medicine!
That does bug me when someone has multiple gross spelling errors, I'm grabbing the dictionary all the time!

I dont think its a witch hunt, just someone pointing out some problems w/ an eBay auction. THe plant is miss-labled, teh shipping price is high (although that is an old way to make a profit on ebay), and it does present the image that it is from Hilltop directly.

I don't think it's a witch hunt either. At first I felt guilty but then went back & reread the whole thread. Well .....
I'm really trying ......
I can't bite my tongue.........
and how did Nick's auctions go? We were chastised for that too. Serious hobbyists are what's keeping alot of orchid growers in business, we're willing to pay the price if it's reasonable, there's nothing wrong with that. I work at Jewel (grocery store), they do have higher prices than competitors but they also have customer service & selection that the competition is not even coming anywhere near and that's what keeps the customers coming thru the door in these hard times! Sounds to me like Darren is maybe trying to get ahead & afterall ebay is the quick easy way to let your computer work for you while you do nothing but collect the money right? It's a learning experience for both, they both can survive but they need to make some changes, together or seperately ASAP.

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

Hi Guys and Girls. I started this post and thought at this point it was my duty to chime in. Since I started this post Darren has apparently signed up as one of our members in order to defend himself. Apparently, once you sign up you can P.M. someone yet not be able to post for a number of days. In any case Darren like myself doesn't want to get into a argument with anyone. He read our posts and took them to heart and feels that most of these problems where possible created by himself rather then Hilltop Orchids. He is trying to change some things but will need the approval of the owner before changing anything. He however has already changed his listing and is working on drastically reducing the price of shipping. As we all know they will need to do that in order to survive in this rough economy. Darren also wanted me to mention that he is willing to communicate with any and all of us in order to make things better. Before, writing this I went to the members list and still don't see his name Darren0987 as a member, yet he has contacted me a few times. I suggest we all get together and try to give him as much help as we can. He is willing to listen and correspond with all of us.

 

[Candace]

Hi Bob,
I changed a setting on that user ID. For some reason it was in the wrong "group" and not showing up as registered. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[goldenrose]

Hi Guys and Girls.....
He however has already changed his listing and is working on drastically reducing the price of shipping. As we all know they will need to do that in order to survive in this rough economy. Darren also wanted me to mention that he is willing to communicate with any and all of us in order to make things better.....
I suggest we all get together and try to give him as much help as we can. He is willing to listen and correspond with all of us.

:clap::clap: Darren - consider bareroot shipping, on medium - large size plants it can make a difference in the weight & also the size of the box. Most experienced hobbyist are probably comfortable with their own mix & will repot the plant anyway. As a seller on ebay, I'm almost preferring bareroot as it tells me exactly what kind of root system that plant has, as a buyer, one of the first things I or they see is the roots, great way to make a first impression!
If a person wants it shipped inpot then there could be an additional charge. I had a seller request the empty pot, they had the potting media but wasn't sure on the pot size needed - that was no problem!

 

[nikv]

I think all-in-all this has been a rather informative and educational thread. And I would also like to welcome Darren to the board! Hopefully, this forum can help him learn about orchids an improve his eBay business. I've been growing orchids for over twenty-five years and I'm still learning from others on this board, too. As for eBay auctions, I find that most Paphiopedilums are in need of repotting anyway when they arrive, so bareroot is ideal.

 

[Lanmark]

Hi Guys and Girls. I started this post and thought at this point it was my duty to chime in. Since I started this post Darren has apparently signed up as one of our members in order to defend himself. Apparently, once you sign up you can P.M. someone yet not be able to post for a number of days. In any case Darren like myself doesn't want to get into a argument with anyone. He read our posts and took them to heart and feels that most of these problems where possible created by himself rather then Hilltop Orchids. He is trying to change some things but will need the approval of the owner before changing anything. He however has already changed his listing and is working on drastically reducing the price of shipping. As we all know they will need to do that in order to survive in this rough economy. Darren also wanted me to mention that he is willing to communicate with any and all of us in order to make things better. Before, writing this I went to the members list and still don't see his name Darren0987 as a member, yet he has contacted me a few times. I suggest we all get together and try to give him as much help as we can. He is willing to listen and correspond with all of us.

I'm glad to know that I was not jumping to conclusions or hunting witches as Lance asserted. Darren0987 is not simply reselling products grown by Hilltop Orchids, but in fact he represents the owner of Hilltop Orchids on eBay and must get his permission to change some things. I'd like to think any scorching that occured will only improve things in the end. I know grilled steaks can be very tasty indeed, and second chances are priceless.
_____________________

I would like to say "Welcome" to Darren too! I'm not looking for impossible bargains when shopping at eBay. I am actually quite happy to pay fair and reasonable plant prices and fair and reasonable packing and shipping fees, provided the plants are reasonably healthy, reasonably well-protected inside their boxes and promptly shipped. I do expect someone who sells me orchid plants to be at least somewhat knowledgeable about what they are selling to me. We all make mistakes, but the appearance of the listings in question seemed to reflect not only a poor level of knowledge about orchids but also an alarming level of carelessness when spelling proper plant names and other words. A seller who takes the time to get it right when spelling cultivar (not cultivator) names such as 'Ching-Ruey' (not 'Chain-Huey') will keep me from worrying that my package might get lost in transit due to an address label filled with gross spelling and numerical errors. I hope you can get your listings cleaned up, Darren. Doing so will present a much better image and greatly help to improve sales. Be very careful as well not to mix up the plants, the plant photos, the plant labels and the auction titles. It's heartbreaking to purchase one thing, wait expectantly and then receive something altogether different. Following through to make sure every customer receives what they have paid for is essential if you hope to build a base of happy, satisfied customers who return again and again and who tell all their friends about how wonderful it is to do business with you.

I like his statement under ebay description for the plant of the month club- "Take this opportunity while you can because it is not very often that you can do business with an accredited AOS judge when you have tough questions"

I know Dick and Sandy quite well. They wouldn't do their own eBay sales. You're lucky if they return an e-mail. If I want to talk with Dick, I have to call Dick.

As a customer I'd also like to know that Dick would actually return my emails and answer my questions if I were to have any.
_____________________

So that's what I have to say about all of this at this point in time. Again, welcome, Darren, and good luck with getting your eBay listings all sorted out. I'm a reasonable sort of guy, and I offer my sincere apologies if my prior criticisms offended you.

I happen to take my orchid hobby very seriously. I expect someone who grows and sells orchids to do the same. Every penny counts in this economy -- and that's where I was coming from.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Bare root paphs are always best. For one thing, if the seller sees that the roots are bad then amends can be made before a customer gets upset.

 

[Ernie]

Yes. It's good to have some of this cleared up. I hope it turns out for the best.

 

[etex]

I'm a recent convert to bare root shipping. You know what the roots look like, and save enormous amounts of money over shipping in pot!


Darren,
Welcome to the forum! You'll find there are many helpful people here! I have only been growing orchids for 2 years and I am so grateful to the other serious hobbyists here who answer all my questions.

 

[Lanmark]

names such as 'Ching-Ruey' (not 'Chain-Huey')

'Chian-Huey' is actually more likely what you were trying to type. Both 'Ching-Ruey' and 'Chian-Huey' happen to be valid cultivar names. :wink:

 

[darren0987]

Hello everyone. I am Darren0987, and I am finally able to post on a forum. As Bob has indicated, Hilltop Orchids now has a store on Ebay. Since I am pretty good with a computer, Dick Wells took me in to run an Ebay business not even a month ago. I look forward to speaking with anyone that has issues, problems, or general questions. If I can not answer it with 100 percent confidence, then I will get the answer for you within a day or so. Please give the store a visit and give me some input. I am still learning as we all are, but I think most problems have been hammered out. I have grown orchids for 7 years, and have a collection that is well over 300 plants. I have Orchid Wiz to find information about 98% of the plants I sell. I have a masters degree in economic geograhpy from Indiana State just to let some of the posters know I am not stupid. (It has been indicated in past posts) I have known Dick Wells for over 5 years now, and he and I discussed how internet sales was a good thing for business. The more product we move the more breeding we can do and expand hybridizing to bring everyone new crosses. So this is the relationship I have with Hilltop, a little about me (because some think I am stupid according to posts), and finally a way to contact me for information. We are still evolving, however I think if you all visit the store, you can see vast improvements. In addition, I have taken bare root shipping under advisement, however it is not my call. I would say if the plant is in bloom we would not do it, but all others I feel is possible in my thoughts, I just need Dicks approval. I will try to get back to anyone who messages me within 24 hrs, however it may take longer due to other obligations and the simple everday bumps life throws at you. I would like to close in saying thanks to Bob for taking the high road and speaking for me when I had no voice to defend myself even though he had legitimate complaints about the web site that I have changed already for the most part.

Thanks,
Darren
Hilltop Marketing Director

 

[Lanmark]

I have a masters degree in economic geograhpy from Indiana State just to let some of the posters know I am not stupid. (It has been indicated in past posts)

Welcome, Darren! I sincerely mean it. You've made a lot of improvements to your auction pages, and it shows. You are on the right track, but now comes my constructive advice. I don't know a more kind or gentle way to state this, so I will simply be blunt. Believe me, I wouldn't bother to tell you any of this if I simply didn't give a rat's ass. I do care, however, and I am trying very hard here to be fair and honest with you and to help you understand something very important about marketing. Read the auction title for eBay item number 200518650983. What is an unbollomed orchid -- an orchid which is unsullied by the touch of Gollum's evil brother, Bollom? If you think calling an orchid "unbollomed" doesn't make you look stupid, you need to think again. Your Store description at eBay, furthermore, still states:

"QUALITY ORCHIDS GROWN AND SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO YOU FROM HILLTOP ORCHIDS. WE CARRY RARE, ONE OF A KIND, AND SPECIMEN QUALITY ORCHIDS. ON A FEW OCCASIONS WE WILL BE OFFERING DIVISIONS OF AWARD WINNING PLANTS AND CULTIVATORS."

Fix these things if you want people to take you more seriously. You may have an education and you may be knowledgeable about orchids, but at eBay, you and your grammar aren't doing a very good job of showing it yet. Call me rude. Call me crude. Call me whatever you want. At least I am being honest with you, and I am trying my damnedest to help you improve your game. You can get defensive about it, or you can try to improve. You will look much more professional if you clear up all of your spelling errors.

Good luck with your eBay sales! I do hope Hilltop succeeds in its business ventures.

Over and out. :sob:

 

[GaryB]

As a customer I'd also like to know that Dick would actually return my emails and answer my questions if I were to have any.

It could just be a generational thing regarding email. If you called him, he may talk to you all day.

 

[Lanmark]

It could just be a generational thing regarding email. If you called him, he may talk to you all day.

True. Maybe he could tell me why the name on the tag on the plant shown in the photos for this auction still doesn't match the name given for the plant in the title of the auction even though I pointed out this error several days ago. oke:

Darren has obviously put a lot of effort toward clearing up the confusion over shipping charges, but so far he hasn't addressed some of the other really important issues including plant photos not matching the auction titles and descriptions.

I think I'll just shut up now and watch what happens from here on out. I've already said way too much. You'd never know it, but I'm really not a snarky person. I admit I've sure come across that way lately. I like to call things as I see them. Sometimes being painfully blunt and honest is a good thing, but there's also something to be said for politeness and tact. I realize as well that my opinion is not always desired, requested nor appreciated, and I'm thinking that it's probably best if I just shut my mouth and live and let live. Those who will succeed shall succeed, and those who will self-destruct shall self-destruct, myself included.

 

[darren0987]

I am still hammering out all the details that everyone has shared. I have made some progress as far as shipping. You will notice some offerings now have different shipping methods. Bare root, spike cut, or both. The plants we will do $17.00 shipping on (bare root and spikes cut if needed) are determined by an elevated standard shipping rate, weight of the plant, irregular box, or a combination of everything. Much above $25.00 and we will offer it. However, we do reserve the right not to offer it on certain items. We will share why if anyone inquires, but it could be several reasons; it just depends on the plant. Each listing will have a statement if it meets the criteria.

Also, a few posters have been interested in certain spellings ect. A few are just plain mistakes. But large amounts are due to character limitations. Sometimes you can get your point across by spelling a word incorrectly to save characters, but you still get your point across. I think everyone would agree it is not the greatest grammar; however they understand what you are saying. On the mistakes in spellings, well I keep trying spell check and it never shows any thing. I actually don’t think it is working at all. So I will start my ads in word and paste them in to ensure proper grammar and spelling. Well I have been very busy so I must go now. Check out the improvements and new selection at the store. There are some real fine plants.

 

[darren0987]

Yep, you were right, and we were able to pull them quick enough that nobody bought one. When ever there is any question we do a verification. The error was done while flasking at another facility. The actual plant is:
charlesworthii Top Hat X Black Cherry
X
charlesworthii Top Hat
3/4 charleswothii, and looked very similar to some and very different from others. Well hope this sloves any quesions about that subject.
Darren0987