Plants from gardeningexpress.com

pippa_r

Thanks to everyone who has added their comments about GardeningExpress.
I have now been offered a refund by this company, but I'm not holding my breath after such poor service so far. I don't trust them to process it after my experiences to date.

It's says a lot about the company that they were to busy to respond to our efforts to contact them until we started complaining on here. Now they have time to continuously apologise to us and write excuses on this website.

Isn't there something about horses bolting and stable doors....?

GardeningExpress

good afternoon,

I can assure you that we are a professional company, and your refund will be with you as promised.

In terms of customer service, we are working hard all the time to improve this, and response times. Please be assured that all orders are handled in accordance with our terms and conditions that clearly state delivery of items is at the season best for the particular plants. This is common place in the mail order plant business.

With regards to the payments - these are taken instantly for security, and to reserve stock in advance. This is clearly stated on our FAQ's pages, available to view before, during, and after purchasing of our plants. The link is on every single page of our website. Most people read our terms and conditions, faq's etc prior to ordering, and therefore clarify any questions they have in their mind. Again, this type of payment processing is a common feature of other online plant retailers. As I am sure you can undertsand that plants are produced in limited quantities each year, so it is the early birds that reserve and pay in advance who get their plants when they come into season, where others may miss out.

skapoor1

Anyone that has had a bad experience with this company can ensure that other customers are made aware of thier business practices and procedures, that are causing so much distress:

Keep a record of any dates and names and events that are relevant to your situation. Take screen dumps, keep all email correspondence.

Sum up in a word document what has happened and save it, so you know exactly what you have written.

Copy the text containing your complaints to the following authorities and institutions:

- Trading Standards: http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/search/dbase/searchlocal.cfm

- BBC Watchdog
http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/contact_index.shtml

- BBC Gardeners World (they have a link for gardening express on their website!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/

- Your local press, and the Essex / Chelmsford press (web or paper)

You may want to consider contacting the MP that serves the Chelmsford area also.

skid112

In order to obtain a full refund plants must be returned to us as stated on our website, under our FAQ's page. Here it also states what we can do if a product despatched from ourselves fails to reach you

this is the email i got this morning regarding the lack of delivery on my order placed in March.

GardeningExpress

if anyone is experiencing problems please call us on 08000 33 61 61, monday to friday, lines are open between 10am and 4pm, you can also raise a support ticket on our website, but please allow 3 working days for a reply.
Alternatively, you can write to us - Gardening Express, Chelmsford, Essex. CM1 4UA

We want all our customers to be happy, so please do not hesitate in contacting us.... we appreciate your patience for our reply.

skid112

oh give it a rest, there is no answer 3 working days? i have been waiting nearly two months

GardeningExpress

skid112 - let me know your order number, and i will deal with your problem personally.

I have just checked the support system, and the support tickets are all up to date.... there are no new messaged older than 36hrs which have not been replied to....

skid112

216680245
i won't hold my breath

GardeningExpress

thanks Mrs S.

your order placed on 17th March left us on 23rd March, and according to our couriers tracking system was delivered 26/03/2007 11:55:00

your order now comes under the following FAQ:
My order is marked as despatched in my account but has not arrived
In the unlikely event that your goods do not arrive after they have been despatched from us, please inform us within 5 working days after the despatch e-mail has been received. We will reship your order, or issue you with a credit note if stock levels have fallen. The credit note will total the full value of the goods not received, including shipping. Please note that refunds will not be made for goods shipped and not received, only Credit notes will be issued – this is for your and our protection to reduce instances of consumer fraud. It is your responsibility to correctly enter your e-mail address so the relevant emails from us can be received.


I will therefore call you, and arrange a credit note for the full value of the order or a reship.

GardeningExpress

just tried to call you mrs S.... you weren't in. I will try again after 5pm.