Money Moral Dilemma: Should I return the refund I got for 'dead' plants I revived?

Ldawson52

Yes you should pay it back. It was probably Royal mails fault they were late and you have the benefit of the plants. We all need to help local businesses and keep them going

staggered

Ordinarily, if plants arrived late and in poor condition, that would be entirely the company's fault.  But during lockdown, particularly during the early stages, delivery services were really badly affected.  Maybe they did their very best to get the plants to you quickly and the delays were out of their control?

If I felt they'd done all they could, and had had no problem getting a refund from them, I'd probably offer to pay the refund back.  If I thought they could have done more, or were slow or reluctant to refund me, I wouldn't.

AliceSAysNo

Given the way things are for small companies now, I would offer the refund. A larger corporation can both absorb the loss and their insurance will cover it as they budget for refunds, however, a smaller company perhaps offered the refund so quickly in order to build up a good client relationship and are likely struggling right now.

queenienan

I think you should since you got what you paid for. I would call them up, tell them what happened and offer to pay the refund back. You’ll make their year. Good karma and goodwill.

Frostyman

I would contact the company and offer them the money I felt the plants were worth to me - taking into consideration the time, effort and expense that “bringing them on” has cost me.

[Deleted User]

No wouldn't do anything except leave a good/positive review. Other companies of the non product type arrange free of charge service calls to remedy work so I wouldn't bash yourself. I remember a sports supplement company when deliveries went wrong and were completely replaced or refunded, we used to tell customers to keep the delivery for 28 days (in case we did want to collect soiled products after that the customer could do whatever they liked. Last week I had a customer demanding £124 refund because they have read an invoice wrong after logically showing them genuinely they were only due £16 I couldn't believe the reply was to donate the £16 to a charity of our choosing. I also brought some Easter-themed gifts before Easter which arrived 10 days late - I asked the company concerned to refund my postage - and retained my custom.

Saragon

Yes
the delay in receiving them was not the company’s fault. As the plants are now thriving they supplied goods and do you should pay for them. 

PeterbiltTrucker

I think this opens the flood gates to the fraternity who try to get something for nothing by bogus claiming. Having said that, I am in no way inferring that this is the case here. I think you are entitled to do nothing in this case. The claim was genuine, they have probably claimed against Royal Mail anyway and it appears they didn't ask for photographic proof so as most people would have thrown them away anyway, good on you. Ok, it was difficult times but that should have been factored into their delivery arrangement. Enjoy your plants and don't feel guilty.

jrmorton

Easy one. Of course you should pay them, and a brief apology for your lack of faith would be a bonus. You wanted plants. You bought plants. They delivered plants. You have plants. Simples! Others have posted irrelevances.

adeo

-taff said:

No. If they came looking half dead they shouldn't have been sent out.

I wholeheartedly agree, I've received quite a few plant's from you garden and garden express. They both kept sending emails apologizing for extended delays weeks after they estimated there would be a delay. When they dispatched the plant's they informed me via email that the plant's would be carefully selected and packaged by our caring nursery staff and handed over to courier within 24 hours and estimated delivery within a couple of days. The plant's where delivered quite quickly but courier Yodel ignored my request for me to inspect plant's before they just chucked them over backgate. This happened several times. Some plants were inevitably. damaged But most plant's were not as advertised eg ordered two cordyline pink passion, the website shows very vibrant bright pink plant's that obviously have been Photoshopped, as the actual cordyline were almost green and dull. Most plant's in very bad condition IE yellowing,dead, damaged,diseased leaves and stems. Flowers completely spent. Spindily, tatty, moss, algae and weed's in compost. Plant's hanging out of compost. In several deliveries plant's missing in numbers or altogether missing. They had blatantly just picked out whatever plants was within easy reach, didn't check over plants to tidy it up or do basic health check! Threw them into cardboard box in most cases up to a week before courier collected from nursery, hence the yellowing leaves etc.
I phoned was given refund without having to return on every single order! No exaggeration! In some cases was offered replacement plant's with promise they would do better........
Guess what......... They were in same god awful condition!
A lot of the plant's are recovering and some even flowering, but only because I've been giving them the TLC they so obviously were not receiving in the so called nusery!
So it's a big FAT NO, I will not be offering any money back to them, as they don't deserve it! Covid19 or not! I will never ever ever order from them again! Absolute jokers!