First, I have had no dealings with Bulb Crate.

It does look like something may be happening at Bulb Crate. Their website is not current. Recent reviews on Garden Watchdog have been negative.

This year I had problems with orders from two different places. Both times I was able to get a refund after opening a dispute with the credit card company. The credit card company said that opening a dispute does not harm a company, such as giving them a bad rating or anything like that. If you do get the product after opening the dispute, you may undo the dispute.

Good luck, I hope everything turns out OK,
Cowboy

Here is a link that might be useful: One of my Orders where i got a refund

Philomena,
I am glad I saw your post. I have had, in the past few years, good results with The Bulb Crate. This year, however, has been very disappointing! I really am wondering if Alice is just getting TOO OLD/CONFUSED to run the business anymore, or if she is having some kind of other personal issues.

I ordered 3 Orienpets from her in August. I paid with a check. It was promptly cashed on her end.
By November, I hadn't heard a word from her, so I emailed her and asked when to expect them, as it was getting almost too late to plant. Alice emailed back on a Friday that she had my order (no apology for not having sent it after 3 months), and said that she'd "FED EX the bulbs on Monday", and I'd "have them by Wed" (in 5 days). I waited and waited (2 weeks) and finally emailed her back. I told her I hadn't received them yet, and asked her to just wait to send them til May 2008, as snow was about to fly here. She wrote back, quite upset, putting the blame on ME. She said the bulbs were showing signs of drying out and that she "couldn't accept responsibility because the bulbs were your (my) choice" (Wwwhhhaaa?) She said that several people had called and were going to get them planted (almost Dec), but that she was not going to "rescue" them, as she "had not ordered them". Then she left a message on my answering machine asking me to call her. I didn't bother, but emailed her instead.
I forwarded all my email correspondence with her over the past few months to her (as evidence/proof of her promises), and told her that I just didn't understand what the problem was. She then changed her tune, offering a refund, then in a subsequent email said she'd send me the bulbs at the end of April or so. I am keeping all my emails for proof of her promises.
No, I do not plant to order from her again. Hopefully she will turn the business over to competent family members or just close it. I almost wrote a negative comment on gardenwatchdog.com (had previously given a glowing report), but I just think maybe she's getting old and forgetful.
Hopefully she'll send me my bulbs in the spring.
:0) Phyl

OK, glad it's not just me :-) well, not glad that you had problems, but I was wondering what was going on.

I also had a couple weird emails from Alice, complaining about pushy customers (what, like the ones who wanted their products ?!!?), about the fact that she is a senior citizen, etc... . And then, I would get completely factual emails, as if from another person. In fact, I often got 2 replies to the same email. But so far, no $$ for my refund. She also complained about the Lily Garden delaying her bulb shipment, which I was taken aback by, as I thought Bulb Crate grew all their own stuff. I hadn't yet tried to call, but will do that next week and see what happens. I hope they get back on track.
I was so disappointed, as I had ordered just 9 bulbs this year, including some Black Beauty, which I was so very looking forward to - guess that will be for next summer!

It is good to see that I am not alone in this matter in dealing with the Bulb Crate last fall. I am a person who really likes to give the benefit of the doubt when it comes to small companies and their business. In my dealings with Alice between September and November, I would have to tell you guys that what you say, especially about thinking you're dealing with two different people, definitely resounds loudly here with me.

I rated her in the Watchdog and left my entire experience there, rather than re-type it, I will direct you there.

She really hurt my feelings with things she said. I'm over it, but the whole ordeal was a strange one. Perhaps her health is deteriorating. If that is true, I wish her the best and that she has some family or friend who will step in to help her close this business.

Thank you for posting this and for all your responses, it always helps to know that others have had identical experiences.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bulb Crate Dave's Garden rating

I too am currently trying to get a refund for bulbs that were ordered in early Nov and never received. I spoke with her on the phone in early Nov and she said the bulbs would be at my door the next day. 3 days later, I emailed her because they did not arrive. She said they had shipped on the 7th by Fed Ex and would arrive in 4-5 days (completely different from what she said on the phone previously). She also was very rude in her response and blamed the Lily Garden. After numerous emails, I have still not received the bulbs (it is now Jan) and no response via email. I am disputing it with my credit card company.

I will echo the above advice and steer clear of this vendor. My rating is on the watchdog also. Something is not right there.

Alice had six positive feedbacks (how Alice was), followed by three negative feedbacks (how she is now). It looks like there are even more negative feedbacks that could be given.

IMHO, it may be a good idea to leave feedback, like the feedback already given, with the facts of what has transpired. It may help to give people that could help her more information about her situation.

I think she needs help.

John

rats - so much for disputing the charge! As I have luckily not had to do this before, I didn't know there was a 60 day limit from when the transaction took place to dispute the charge - and it's been way past 60 days, with my attempts to resolve this amicably. Ah well, I guess one lives and learns. Will look into any other options, but outside of small claims court, I think I'm out my $$.

Philomena,

Check with your credit card company. The first dispute I did was at about five months from the order date. The credit card company said I had up to six months. It is worth a try.

It would also be a good idea to rate her on Dave's Watchdog to help prevent this from happening to others (if you haven't done so already).

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Dave's Wathcog for Bulb Crate

Hi John,

That was the info I got from my bank, about the 60 days. I guess that timeframe can vary from card to card. I did go ahead and post a rating/review on watchdog after that - it seems thats the best I can do for now.

Thanks !

It doesn't sound like she is a well-person to me; however, I sent an email to the police department in Riverwoods, Illinois to see if someone could check on her well-being and this is their response:
"Thank you for your concern. She is ok, but I think she may not be in business anymore.

-Chief M.H. Weinstein
Riverwoods Police Department"

So, what does this all mean? I don't know.

Philomena, sorry to hear you may be out some money. Can you double-check the 60-day limit with your credit card company? The review on Watchdog may help someone recognize that something isn't right with Alice (whether it is mental illness of some type or her taking people's money without sending a product).

John

ps - today I could not access Bulb Crate's website; Before when I checked, it had 2006 information on it.

Hi John,

The credit card I used is thru my bank, and they told me of the 60 day limit. I saw that on another non-bank card I have also. I may try to call again and plead my case, as you never can tell. I also noted that the website was down yesterday, and so called the Bulb Crate number and left a message. I am not expecting a call back, but I figured it couldn't hurt.

When I had placed my order earlier in the year, Alice had said they were planning on updating the website in January, and so had not updated anything in 2007, since pricing and stock had not changed. She sent an update list to me prior to my placing the order. It seemed reasonable enough at the time. Oh well !

After reading all your posts, I decided to write Alice (or whoever she has appointed to do the correspondence for her) to tell her I wanted my $ back, instead of getting the 3 lilies I ordered last August NEXT SPRING.

I advised her that I would be reporting my results to Gardenweb and GardenWatchdog, and that I didn't think they were a reputable company anymore. I notice that she doesn't even have a website anymore. I'll let you know if she IGNORES my request or refuses to reimburse me, then decide what to do from there. I have all computer records of correspondence between myself and her company for the past year, and I have my checking acct. records, so I have proof she took my $.
Venting here!
Phyl

Ok, I am feeling like a heel this morning....I do hope Alice returns the money she owes to everyone, but I do understand that it does sound like she is getting maybe old and probably having lots of personal problems...so I am going to just let it be and not beat a dead horse, so to speak. Sorry for having sounded like such a mean, angry customer. Usually I try to extend mercy, but have had people walk all over me in the past, so am also learning to be assertive. Phyl

Phyl,

I don't see that you have anything to apologize for. If there are some type of problems with Alice, then the proper thing to do, as a business, is to inform customers of what is going on. I can't believe she was running that type of a business which requires a lot of physical labor all on her own, so other people have to be aware of the situation. Simply ignoring what is going on is not the thing to do.

The next thing I was going to do is also send a letter by certified mail, reiterating my request for a refund, as that is the only reasonable thing to do. The Bulb Crate is/was a business, and that's how I am treating this. My money was taken with no service required. If the website was posted with a notice that she was going bankrupt, or something like that, then I will know for sure that I am simply out of luck, and will stop pursuing this.

Phylrae,
It may be a good idea to add another rating to Watchdog. The negative ratings given have all been factual and not given in a mean spirited way. The more information available as to what Alice is doing may help someone determine that all is "NOT OK" with Alice.

I don't know how much the police/social services checked on to find out Alice was "OK". It may have only been a phone call. I also don't know if they looked at the Watchdog link, which I provided.

Philomena,
The certified letter may be a good idea. If someone does actually stop by Alice's, they may see the letter. Two good things could come from it: you get your money back and/or it helps Alice get some help.

Good luck to all. We may never know the outcome but I think we are all trying to make the situation better. I don't think Alice is trying to take anyone's money (my opinion, but I have been wrong before).

John

The benefit of a certified letter is that someone with proper ID has to sign for it, and you get proof back of the signature. If no one ever comes to pick it up, then the letter just gets returned. So, I'll see what happens with that, and if nothing comes of it, then that will be that ! Chalk it up to experience and wish them well.