What do you do when vendors don't respond?

[merc]

I have been trying to reach a couple of orchid vendors about unshipped purchases for a few weeks now with no reply. I also don't have FB or Insta. Feeling really extra super crappy about having to reach out via Paypal dispute just to get a response. One order was a pre-order purchase made back in December and another order was made in the last week of Feb but I never even got an order confirmation but was charged. I am getting ready to travel and would hate to be informed an order has been shipped but am not around to receive it. I have asked the vendors please hold or cancel the order in my attempts to contact them but not a peep. What do you do when vendors don't respond?

 

[big923cattleya]

I don't think that there is much you can do.
AND never order from them again!
But the only thing that I can think of is to post right away, here, the names of these orchid vendors and hope that some one here has a direct line of contact with them and can help you to get in touch. And if you need to get Pay Pal involved, what are you waiting for??? Get them involved! You certainly have that right in my mind.

 

[Ray]

I agree. Contact PayPal. It sounds like they have left you no choice.

 

[Paphluvr]

In defence of the vendor, I would never order and expect delivery at this time of year. However, I also wouldn't expect to be charged until shipment was made and they could at least reply to your e-mail or text explaining why it has not been made. If or when the plants do arrive, depending on their quality and condition, you can decide if you want to do business with them again.

 

[Ray]

For what it's worth, people purchasing stuff at firstrays.com are charged upon order placement, which is quite common. It happens in the background and I never see the payment details, which makes security better than if the card numbers were provided to me.

Of course, I try to be about as responsive as possible, acknowledging with a follow-up to the automated email as I document the order in my system.

Just recently, I did something I've never done in more than 28 years of business - an order was placed, the payment processed, I got the order and entered the customer info into the system..... then apparently did nothing else! I usually print the paid invoice/packing list and if I know the weight of the order, the shipping label too, then go pack it. It took the customer right at about a month to contact me. He got a free bottle of Kelpak as an "apology" to go with the K-Lite.

 

[big923cattleya]

I have been ordering a few plants from certain vendors all winter long. I just ordered 7 Phrags. from a vendor that I use a few times a year. I mean, they were inactive this winter, posted plants yesterday and I was all over those suckers!!!
I had one package where I had a couple of plants get too cold. They might not survive. But in some 12-15 winter orders over the last two winters, that was my only issue. AND it was my fault. I did not check my e-mail to see that they were delivered late one day. They were out over night in 21 degrees!
Most vendors include a ‘heat pack’ for about 3 dollars more.

 

[BrucherT]

It’s the nonresponsiveness that sucks. The order process sounds normal.

 

[merc]

i have ordered plants all winter long and have had no problems with reaching vendors and receiving shipment. i also have no problem with vendors not wanting to ship during the winter, but a confirmation they got the order and/or will hold shipment is all i ask. of course now that i'm scrambling to get my affairs in order for my overseas trip is when i get ghosted. the universe clearly thinks i need some additional chaos in my life right about now. lol!

i am having trouble reaching the following vendors:
the orchid fix
orchid dynasty

if anyone is in contact with them on social media please let them know to check their spam folders for 'merc' or 'mercedes'. i totally understand my name is constantly flagged as spam so it all could be a crazy misunderstanding caused by an overzealous email filter.

 

[Tony]

i have ordered plants all winter long and have had no problems with reaching vendors and receiving shipment. i also have no problem with vendors not wanting to ship during the winter, but a confirmation they got the order and/or will hold shipment is all i ask. of course now that i'm scrambling to get my affairs in order for my overseas trip is when i get ghosted. the universe clearly thinks i need some additional chaos in my life right about now. lol!

i am having trouble reaching the following vendors:
the orchid fix
orchid dynasty

if anyone is in contact with them on social media please let them know to check their spam folders for 'merc' or 'mercedes'. i totally understand my name is constantly flagged as spam so it all could be a crazy misunderstanding caused by an overzealous email filter.

I sent your info to the owner of Orchid Fix.

 

[merc]

I sent your info to the owner of Orchid Fix.

Thank you so much!

 

[big923cattleya]

I have not dealt with either one.

 

[merc]

I just want to say this is by no way me trying to crucify any vendors out there. There are too few and far between. I absolutely understand that my name/email has an unfortunate tendency to end up in the spam folder of many so I really really really appreciate the help and support offered up by ST folks!

 

[merc]

I got a hold of the folks at Orchid Dynasty! Yay!

 

[merc]

I got a response from the owner at The Orchid Fix as well. Thanks for all your help ST!

Also worth mentioning, it sounds like mother nature has dealt The Orchid Fix a serious blow so I would expect delays for anyone else waiting for an order or correspondence from them.

 

[big923cattleya]

Am I the only one who thinks that their prices seem high? I mean spend your money as you see fit but $8 for a 2 1/2” plastic net pot?
I order orchids during the winter often adding heat packs. They want $6 for a heat pack when I have been paying either $2.50 or $3.
I apologize if I upset anyone.

I just checked the Green Barn Orchid Supplies in Delray Beach Florida. They want $.25 each for that size net pot.

 

[dbarron]

The one thing that I find intolerable from a vendor is silence and no reply. I have cancelled two orders (one involving Paypal dispute) over the last four months due to this. The other was supplies and she cancelled my order herself when I asked when she was shipping them.
*lol*