I was returning some birthday gifts the other day and the woman next to me had a dead basket of flowers. It had obviously been hanging in the heat with no water but they gave her a refund. When I questioned it, they said 1 year, no questions asked.

That was my understanding, too - one year. But when I returned a shrub 6 months later - they gave me a hard time, and reassured that 3 months is a max. So, I figured either policy changed, or they did not know.

Hi Natalie, according to the return policy currently posted on their website it's one year. Here's the exact wording and a link to the policy:

All perennials, tree and shrubs must be returned within 1 year with a receipt to obtain a refund or exchange.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wal-Mart Plant Return Policy

I knew it! Thank you Franny - I have printed their return policy and will show it to them in case they give me a hard time again.

I heard a story that was supposed to be true about what Sam Walton did when he heard that one of his store managers refused a refund on an abused lawnmower. The manager had a good reason for not making the return, but, because the customer "wasn't satisfied", Mr Walton determined he was due a full refund. He called the store manager and told him to go personally and mow and trim the customer's lawn. After that, he was to leave their best model with the customer for free. Guess things have changed (and probably for good reason).

Oh, please. I think it takes an incredible amount of gall for customers of a big-box retailer to kill, or otherwise let die, perennials, woody ornamentals, etc., purchased from said big-box retailers and then return to that store, dead plant in hands, and expect a refund for their purchase. Where is that old-fashioned ideal of assuming personal responsibility for the plant's demise and, thus, simply forgetting about it? When I kill a plant, I'm not going to expect the seller to replace it for me, unless the seller of that plant happened to be a professional landscaper who installed it in my garden, in which case I would expect him/her to assume the responsibility of replacing the plant if it should keel over. It's not as though you've purchased a defective Waring Blender from the merchant. If you kill the vegetation, please buck up and let it rest-in-peace without expecting a money-grubbing refund. The plant was probably robust and vigorous when purchased. If it weren't robust and vigorous, I'm sure you would have left it in the store. You win some; you lose some.

You're welcome, Natalie!

Happy Gardening,
Franny :)

Jay,

I tend to agree with what you wrote and generally follow the same advise myself, but there is another side to the coin. Sometimes people may buy a plant from the big box stores ONLY because of the warranty. The warranty is PART OF the value of the plant purchase. The big box stores realize this and that's how they choose to do business (for better or worse). There are also a few other reasons I can think of that someone might consider returning a plant in this situation, but you get the idea.

What I'm saying is...I'm generally with ya, but the situation isn't necessarily as clear cut as one might assume.

If I buy a tree or shrub, I give it most of the year to try to acclimate. if it instead dies, despite my best care, I will take it back. Perennials not so much, it's generally obvious before that.

Had a beautiful live hemlock for the holidays one year, but after we had used it indoors for a couple of months, keeping it very well watered, and got it outside to open the burlap, the roots had been hacked beyond all belief. We planted it in hope, but it was a lost cause.

"If I buy a tree or shrub, I give it most of the year to try to acclimate..."

The thing is, almost all trees and shrubs (and probably most perennials), that die during the first year, die because of improper planting or improper aftercare. It's almost NEVER the fault of the nursery (yes studies have been done). Stress or other nursery-derived problems do occasionally occur, but they are by far the exception. I'd have to go back and see if any of the studies took into account big box store nursery stock, but I'd bet it wouldn't be much different.

Big box plant warranties are not about "who's fault it is", it's about the stores offering to hedge the customer's bet about whether the plant will survive no matter what it happens to be put through. There are positives and negatives to this business practice. Some believe it untimely will lead to few if any quality, local nurseries that offer excellent service and the best selection. But, the customer must ultimately decide whether to participate in this business model.