jferrier
Mame
I paid for Trident maple saplings and got Red maples (acer rubrum). Seller will not respond to my emails. Others have got the wrong trees also. Beware this seller!
Bad ebay seller- plantspluspines-beware
- Thread starter jferrier
- Start date
Same here...made a largish order of tridents from this same guy for a grafting project and got some other type of maple...big leafed...assume its a silver. Guy was even recommended from an acquaintance.
Tried to email and call him several times with no response. Pay Pal is a no go...he was selling these late winter so ID wasn't possible till early spring as buds started opening. Because of the time lapse even though a positive ID couldn't be made they said "sorry your period for recourse as elapsed, but we will sell send him a note to encourage reconciliation."
Lesson learned....don't order during dormancy from a person you haven't bought from before. Plantspluspines is a huge thumbs down and when I go up Massachusetts way later this year I'm going to tell him myself personally.
Tried to email and call him several times with no response. Pay Pal is a no go...he was selling these late winter so ID wasn't possible till early spring as buds started opening. Because of the time lapse even though a positive ID couldn't be made they said "sorry your period for recourse as elapsed, but we will sell send him a note to encourage reconciliation."
Lesson learned....don't order during dormancy from a person you haven't bought from before. Plantspluspines is a huge thumbs down and when I go up Massachusetts way later this year I'm going to tell him myself personally.
grizzlywon
Shohin
- Messages
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Ebay is a crapshoot although that is what the feedback is for. He has 9 neg in the last month. But he has sold over 10k items. I guess most don't know what they got in the mail? Or he made an honest mistake and doesn't care to fix it?
I will have a lot of Tridents for sale this year. I planted out hundreds of seedlings that are growing well right now.
I will have a lot of Tridents for sale this year. I planted out hundreds of seedlings that are growing well right now.
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jferrier
Mame
I bought mine while dormant too and was surprised to see that when the leaves came out they were not Tridents. But now he’s going to be the one surprised when the state nursery inspector I contacted shows up at his door.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Are you POSITIVE those seedlings are red maple and not tridents? There is considerable variation in leaf shape among tridents, including some that are a bit similar to Acer rubrum...
Just asking...
Just asking...
Marc, they look just like a silver maple and the way there growing (leaf size) their going to be as big as my hand. You'd think if it was some oddball variation of trident that the seller would have shot back a note stating that they were indeed a trident....he has buried himself deep and wants no contact
jferrier
Mame
I emailed another ebay member who left a negative comment for them also. Turns out she also received something other than the Tridents she ordered. Turns out also she is a certified arborist. I’m sure they weren’t Tridents. I’ve got other Tridents and a. rubrums to compare to also.
Klytus
Omono
I have seen these ebay plants,typically anything bought ebay style will have been dug from the cracks of a patio somewhere.
Or grown spindly fashion in a window,or sprouted from the compost heap,or fell off of something.
Seeds are not exempt from failing,no Tridents grew for me this year,no Amur either.
I did get a good crop of Rufinerve and Griseum.
I was surprised people with a business would buy plants from ebay.
Or grown spindly fashion in a window,or sprouted from the compost heap,or fell off of something.
Seeds are not exempt from failing,no Tridents grew for me this year,no Amur either.
I did get a good crop of Rufinerve and Griseum.
I was surprised people with a business would buy plants from ebay.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
I ordered 10 JBP from him a couple years ago and they arrived dead. They were bare-root (although they were shown in red "Solo" cups) and 9/10 of the replacements arrived dead too. One made it, but I threw it away this spring because it wasn't worth fooling with. I've never gone back. I noticed they've made their feedback profile private too...
For maple seedlings, I had a great experience with Maplestone Ornamentals: http://stores.ebay.com/maplestoneornamentals but I don't see any maples listed today.
For maple seedlings, I had a great experience with Maplestone Ornamentals: http://stores.ebay.com/maplestoneornamentals but I don't see any maples listed today.
DaveG
Mame
eBay gets a bad reputation with a lot of people for the reasons identified in this thread. And I'll admit it has its own unique problems. But I think most distrust in eBay exists because the Internet is still this nebulous thing that will always be to some extent new to everyone who was born before it was. We shouldn't kid ourselves; few stores are perfect, including nurseries and I would almost bet that this guy does the same stupid stuff at his brick and mortar store. I conduct a lot of business through eBay and I usually have pretty good luck with it. My worst experiences have actually been as a seller, not a buyer, because I can't choose who buys what I'm selling.
Here are some of my typical assumptions about eBay:
* Feedback isn't reliable, because people in general are rock stupid.
* People are more likely to leave positive feedback if they get the wrong thing than they are to leave negative.
* For 100 or less feedback, anything less than 97% positive should be considered highly questionable.
* For more than 100 feedback, expect 99% or higher.
* Obviously, near 100% positive feedback is always highly preferred.
* Feedback of Chinese sellers should not be trusted, because too many of them fake it.
* Don't buy from China or Hong Kong unless you could lose the money and not care at all.
* Chinese sellers are never selling real antiques. Never.
I agree that it's more complicated to buy plants and be sure you're getting what you ordered though. It really is a crapshoot, so what's important is to make sure the potential benefits outweigh the risks. In other words, don't buy there unless it's just a good deal for some reason. For instance, it may be because you haven't been able to find the same item locally or the price is just fantastic. I've bought rooted crape myrtle cuttings there and they've been the cultivar I ordered. There's not a lot I could have done about it if they hadn't been, because it took me a year to verify it. But there really are honest sellers on eBay. The trick is finding them.
I think a good way to start would be to look into the reputation of the brick and mortar nursery run by the seller. If they have a good reputation in person, they're more likely to care about their reputation on eBay. Buying while the plants have leaves is another way to lower the risk of the purchase. Usually, I don't purchase plants of high value there unless I can see pictures of the exact plant I'm buying, taken while it has leaves.
Here are some of my typical assumptions about eBay:
* Feedback isn't reliable, because people in general are rock stupid.
* People are more likely to leave positive feedback if they get the wrong thing than they are to leave negative.
* For 100 or less feedback, anything less than 97% positive should be considered highly questionable.
* For more than 100 feedback, expect 99% or higher.
* Obviously, near 100% positive feedback is always highly preferred.
* Feedback of Chinese sellers should not be trusted, because too many of them fake it.
* Don't buy from China or Hong Kong unless you could lose the money and not care at all.
* Chinese sellers are never selling real antiques. Never.
I agree that it's more complicated to buy plants and be sure you're getting what you ordered though. It really is a crapshoot, so what's important is to make sure the potential benefits outweigh the risks. In other words, don't buy there unless it's just a good deal for some reason. For instance, it may be because you haven't been able to find the same item locally or the price is just fantastic. I've bought rooted crape myrtle cuttings there and they've been the cultivar I ordered. There's not a lot I could have done about it if they hadn't been, because it took me a year to verify it. But there really are honest sellers on eBay. The trick is finding them.
I think a good way to start would be to look into the reputation of the brick and mortar nursery run by the seller. If they have a good reputation in person, they're more likely to care about their reputation on eBay. Buying while the plants have leaves is another way to lower the risk of the purchase. Usually, I don't purchase plants of high value there unless I can see pictures of the exact plant I'm buying, taken while it has leaves.
grizzlywon
Shohin
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- USDA Zone
- 9A
Klytus, where did you get your seeds? I have been collecting tridents and amur seeds here in town and they are very easy to grow if stratified.
I ordered some trident seeds a few years back and they did nothing! They were dried up and useless! I will be selling tridents and amur's when the weather gets cold. A recent friend told me to wait at least until Nov or so.
I could also sell some seeds as it will be time to harvest them by then.
I ordered some trident seeds a few years back and they did nothing! They were dried up and useless! I will be selling tridents and amur's when the weather gets cold. A recent friend told me to wait at least until Nov or so.
I could also sell some seeds as it will be time to harvest them by then.
I too have ordered from Matt, Steven Koenig and others as well as from commercial nurseries. I prefer to spend my money with the members of the community if they have what I want. I have always had a good experience till now.
Growing seedlings is not my thing but are a commodity that I prefer to buy for projects requiring this special type of material. There are only so many hours in a day and I find it economically efficent to buy and support people from the community that do.
Growing seedlings is not my thing but are a commodity that I prefer to buy for projects requiring this special type of material. There are only so many hours in a day and I find it economically efficent to buy and support people from the community that do.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I find it rather odd that people order seedlings from Ebay in the first place. Ordering from known reputable bonsai sellers is the way to go--you not only get excellent reliable quality, you support the community.
Take note of the sellers Tom and Cquinn mention. Add BIll Valavanis, Brent Walston
Take note of the sellers Tom and Cquinn mention. Add BIll Valavanis, Brent Walston
I totally agree, I see it as almost my duty to support people that have given so much to this community, and it's not like they're selling junk
I'd like to add one more seller. I bought a beautiful Scots pine from Chris Kirk of Telperion Farms this Spring. Buying a tree from across the country, and by email can be a pain, but Chris was there for every request I had. When it arrived from it's journey across the country, although it was packed very well, it started to get some yellowing of it's upper needles. It didn't look like any sort of disease I've seen and I emailed Chris some pictures to see what he thought. He said it was most likely the shipping, but if it not only survived, but didn't also thrive, he would replace it.
It's seems to be doing fine now, but I have to give him props for standing behind his product
Klytus
Omono
I order stuff from Chiltern Seeds every year,there is the possibilty of mislabeling the seeds as pencil or indelible marker never really last through the year.
I trust to nature for germination ripening and the seeds spend the autumn and winter doing their thing potted up outside.
Last year they sent many free Ginkgo seeds that would probably not grow and only last week i had fresh unshrivelled seeds arrive to complete the order.
It was timely as the Mice made of with the freebies,at least i assume it was Mice.
I trust to nature for germination ripening and the seeds spend the autumn and winter doing their thing potted up outside.
Last year they sent many free Ginkgo seeds that would probably not grow and only last week i had fresh unshrivelled seeds arrive to complete the order.
It was timely as the Mice made of with the freebies,at least i assume it was Mice.
DaveG
Mame
And what would you do if a known reputable bonsai seller decided to regularly sell some of their stock on eBay?
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Oh for cryin out loud. I didn't say I wouldn't buy from ebay sources. I have, but I know WHO is selling it (i.e.-know which sellers sell under which names). There are tell tale signs of funny business from fly by night outfits-not showing exact photos of what they're selling, showing photos of mature trees, showing STOLEN photos of mature treeds. Anyone who sells seeds...
I don't buy from ebay sellers who aren't knowledgeable about bonsai for the very reasons listed by these folks-- With seedlings there is a lot of room for screw ups from people who don't know what they're selling, don't care about what they sell...etc. Seedlings are the easiest money in bonsai. They're mostly cheap and easy to produce--which means ANYONE with a brain can do it. It won't mean they're competent at it, but they can do it...
I don't buy from ebay sellers who aren't knowledgeable about bonsai for the very reasons listed by these folks-- With seedlings there is a lot of room for screw ups from people who don't know what they're selling, don't care about what they sell...etc. Seedlings are the easiest money in bonsai. They're mostly cheap and easy to produce--which means ANYONE with a brain can do it. It won't mean they're competent at it, but they can do it...
DaveG
Mame
I attempt to clarify this because of the inherent telephone game quality of such a general statement. You know what you mean. Maybe some experienced eBay users know what you mean. But to a person reading this who hasn't bought trees on eBay, such a statement is an all-encompassing reason to not buy trees through eBay from anyone at all. This is something that can't be corrected with further experience because the choice prevents that experience from occurring.
In other words, I'm not just picking on you. So don't let it get to you.
In other words, I'm not just picking on you. So don't let it get to you.
