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gdionelli

Growquest/A Better Plant Grower

gdionelli
17 years ago

Do not be tempted by this outfit's website! You probably will not get your items, and you probably will not get your money back. This guy has been arrested in California for his fraudulent business activities, but he just keeps coming back.

Comments (15)

  • ceterum
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yes, stay away!

  • ceterum
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Read about their past 'activities'.
    http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/3143/

  • User
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I thought they were fined and put out of business!

  • rebeca_rambal_biz
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Stay far, far away!!! I've been trying to get a hold of those people for 2 months! My order, of course, has not arrived. I hope they put him in jail again.

  • markmich
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    After much delay they delivered the wrong tree - I immediately notified them of their error and despite numerous attempts to resolve this matter they have refused to do anything.

  • fraudquest2010
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    As another person stated....step away from your keyboard...step away and RUN!

    I actually met Chris back in 2004 on a landscaping project, he probably does not remember me, but he left a lasting impression on me. IMHO....I have never met anyone so rude and filled with hubris! I ordered some hard to find roses from him, but after many, many emails and phone calls they never came EVEN THOUGH HE WAS PAID IN FULL and has had MY MONEY for 6 years!!

    It is hard to believe that this man can remain in business. However, he DOES change the name of his company as often as most of us change our underwear. I was SHOCKED to see the article in the Ventura County Star Newspaper in early April 2010 - see link below.

    http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/apr/08/santa-paula-web-based...

    He has been conning people out of their hard earned dollars since 2003 and continues to do so. I thought we had seen the last of him when he was arrested in 2006 for labor code violations. Alas, the Phoenix rises from the ashes of all the people he has BURNED - yes, pun intended!

    When I heard through the grapevine that he was up and running again now in Santa Paula, I was shocked and decided to see if he REALLY did have a nursery anywhere since I was making a trip to So Cal anyway. I went over to his office located at 134 Davis Street in Santa Paula, CA. When I arrived I found a house that had been converted into a number of small offices. There was no sign saying "Growquest" ANYWHERE and I was not sure that he actually has an office in that building. There were some dead trees in the back parking lot (about 4 plants). After some investigating/researching I set out to find "his nursery down the street." I stopped at anything that looked like a nursery and asked anyone I could find if this was the Growquest nursery - NO LUCK.

    I sincerely doubt that he has ANY nursery space located in Ventura County or anywhere else for that matter! After many years, I have come to the conclusion that Christopher Morgan Gilcrest is NOTHING MORE THAN A (BAD) PLANT BROKER and he runs a stock-less inventory. I often wonder if he buys his plants, trees, roses, etc. from Home Depot and then just re-sells them to unsuspecting customers.

    I ordered a few more times from him over the years just to SEE what would happen - small orders of course and I used a prepaid credit card (to keep my losses to a minimum)! No Chris, I WILL NOT give you my order number so you can send me more incoherent and rambling emails. I don't care about your family problems or ADMITTED debilitating mental health issues! Sure, I feel some compassion for your family, but that should not interfere with running a business. If you can't stand the heat, get the H*LL out of the kitchen!!

    You continue to BLAME everything and everyone under the sun for your COMPLETE LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. The mere fact that YOU personally respond to the complaints on GW tells me a lot. I AM confused as to why you don't respond to the BBB complaints about your biz??? You seem to have all the time in the world to go online for everything else - why not respond to all of your BBB complaints...huh?

    You know what Chris? I DON'T CARE ABOUT "your new love" or any of your other problems. I also don't care about your stupid youtube videos - in fact, I find them rather annoying. You seem to have the time to find a new girlfriend, make 400+ youtube videos, and to send offensive and rambling emails to your scammed customers. Tsk...tsk..Very unprofessional Chris!

    If you spent half the time to respond to your customers instead of making videos, sending bulk emails that have nothing to do with pending orders, suing people for defamation, and the list goes on..you might actually establish a satisfied customer base.

    Just for fun, I ordered some Ladybugs from Growquest this year for my niece's birthday party and a tree rose for Mother's Day. Guess what??? Nothing came! Do you feel any remorse when you miss your shipping deadlines for gifts?? Sheesh! I am still waiting for my roses from 2004! Luckily, I double ordered the Ladybugs and tree rose from someone else as to ensure my gifts actually showed up when expected. Fool me once Chris...never again!

    Watching your drama unfold over the last 6 years has been mildly entertaining, but I REALLY FEEL BADLY for all the other people you cheated and disappointed over the years!

    Posting YOUR PERSONAL drama on your customer service page was jaw dropping and completely inappropriate. What in God's name were you thinking?? I was EMBARRASSED for you! Psst....NO ONE CARES about your personal problems!

    P.S. My husband is a lawyer Chris...so sue away!!! It won't cost me a dime, but it may put you away for a long time. It might also save a few customers from getting screwed! I actually feel guilty for not posting sooner :(

  • mcgardenertx
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A lot of what happened to people above is the same type things Growquest tried to pull on me.
    Short breakdown- placed order, paying two day priority shipping and after a week I began emailing, a lot. I did end up getting my ladybugs (crawling out of the shipping box-you should have seen the UPS guy) but he overcharged my credit card for three times the amount I agreed to pay for shipping and remember this is weeks late already. Email, after email of the run around, excuses, personal issues, but still denying that he did anything wrong.
    Related? I get a call from my bank that there looks to be fraudulent charges to my card I used on this order. I have since had to cancel my card and are dealing with these charges. I don't have any problem believing this was him as well.
    Please beware of this business, it has been one headache after another.

  • fbf343
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My nightmare with Growquest is documented in a video you can watch at (copy and paste this url) You wont believe what you see....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7W2W9KCO7s

    This video upset Chris to the point of stating that I should be sued and trying to barter for its removal........

    Watch for the sequel coming soon......

    Here is a link that might be useful: Growquest - Nightmare

  • duran_cheryl_hotmail_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This guy is a conman. He is a thief and a liar. Do not place orders for anything. He is not concerned about prosecution but his time is coming. He has tried to scam the wrong person this time. I am filing charges with the district attorney and looking into what federal charges I can file against him.

  • minifarm
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have been waiting two months for my order even though I prepaid (as requested) with a check. Furthermore, they haven't responded to my emails. I would not recommend ordering from this company.

  • mlaiuppa
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Growquest: The worst plant grower ever.

    Biggest con artist out there.

    Yep, didn't do my due diligence and I'm out $60. Good ol' Chris says he's gonna send me a summons about my complaints. You go, Chris. I so want to stand in front of a judge with you. As long as I'm in Ventura, I'll swing by the D.A. and add my complaints to the list.

    From what I've been able to find on the net, and it's really easy, I'm surprised this guy isn't in prison for fraud.

    Speaking of fraud, those 600+ videos he has on YouTube? All fake. He drives out to nurseries and blabs about this and that implying that this is his inventory. It's not. One location is behind a small house, the other is in the median of a busy street. All that landscaping he blabs about? I'm sure it's installed by some other company. I think he just drives around with a video camera and takes video of people's yards while they're at work.

    Don't buy from this guy. Ever. You'll never get your order, you'll never get a refund, and you might just get some deranged ranting threats in between the lame excuses and extended silence.

    I've got sixth graders with more maturity and honesty than this tool.

    Here is a link that might be useful: One of three blog posts. Also on Wordpress and Livejournal.

  • kayjones
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It sounds as if all of you need to file a complaint with your state's Attorney General's office. Get this guy off the streets!

  • Stallionman
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Chris Gilcrest is a total fraud. He should be in jail. He stole my money. He is a lier, calls you names and steals from you. He disconnects his phones from time to time and then adds another address to his business. He bounces around from place to place after he got kick out of Tulare country. Now he is in Ventura Country. This LOSER, LIER, THEIF should be in jail. Someone needs to put a stop to him.

    NEVER USE GROWQUEST GROWERS AT ALL. BE CAREFUL HE HAS MANY WEBSITES OUT THERE. WRITE TO BBB AND THE FBI LIKE I DID. When you call his bluff or write something bad, he will get very mad at you, call you names and treats you like a child. Something is totally wrong with him mentally. Seriously many people have stated this.

    The trees that Chris LOSER sold me were diseased and DIED. I had them checked out by a true professional. The trees he sent had too much salt, bugs and was root bound. I found out that he never grew this himself. These are knock off trees from a discount place. Basically, these trees were trashed and he sold them to me. He doesn�t even ship them to you, but throw them in an old crappy van laying down in the hot sun. He damaged these trees. It is on purpose. Check out BBB. Don�t buy from him!! HE CHARGES YOU FOR UPS SHIPPING BUT NEVER SHIPS THEM. THIS IS BAD!!!

    He has many you tube videos that shows his plants, DONT believe it. Look at all of them, every video is from a different nursery. He goes around taking videos, post them on You tube as his own, which is a crime and then he sells you crap. He doesn�t sell you these trees at all that you see on the videos. What a TOTAL JERK AND SCAM.
    HIS BUSINESS IS MAINLY FROM YOU TUBE SO PLEASE DONT BUY FROM HIM AND IN FACT CHECK OUT WHAT TRUE CUSTOMER POSTS.
    I KNOW HIS GAME. WHAT A TOTALL LOSER AND JERK.

    I know his game well and here is the story. You can confirm everything by going to you tube and reading all the negative things about him. None of this is made up at all by me. THIS IS THE TRUTH. READ ON.

    This guy is a thief big time. He has no nursery at all. He works out of a garage with an apartment. He drives around from nursery to nursery taking videos and then post them online to sell you items. His wife left him. His family is mad at him. His children, well, I won�t go into that. Recently his brother is in trouble. Chris Morgan Gilcrest has been in jail, and has to pay a fine. He was required to cease and decease order by the FBI. Now he is being investigated by the FBI and BBB. BBB also has alert out on his business and name. Please look online, you will find everything. I am not making any of this up.

    He will either send you trees that will die or not send you anything at all. My job is to stop him and post whatever and whenever I can. There are many customers doing the same thing. We have the right to as freedom of speech. In fact what he is doing is breaking the law and is a federal crime, since he stole over $1,000.00 from customers. I hope he is jailed. I have called the FBI and BBB.

    CHRIS LOSER GILCREST, I HOPE YOU READ THIS, LOSER. YOU KNOW ALL THIS IS TRUE. DONT DENY OR LIE. BE HONEST AND BE A MAN. YOU ACT LIKE A CHILD.

  • NMendell
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    FRAUDULENT WEBSITE ��" THEIF ��" STAY AWAY!
    DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM CHRISTOPHER MORGAN GILCREST ��" AKA CHRIS GILCREST -AKA GROWQUEST
    Growquest and its owner Christopher Morgan Gilcrest aka Chris Gilcrest are fraudsters pure and simple. We placed an order of more than 30 rose bushes, only after an email exchange to confirm his ability to fill the order, he offered a discount for a check, which we then mailed. The check was cashed upon receipt and endorsed by “Heather Andrews” It was NOT endorsed by any business. After time had passed we began emailing asking for tracking information ��" ZERO RESPONSE ��" Daily emails from us asking the status, then a reply saying it shipped and daily emails did not help ��" we received four plants ordered and a mystery plant, Chris claimed was a gift (Yes a gift that cost us over $500) ��" he claimed the rest would be shipped within a few days, that was a month ago ��" back to the daily emails asking for details of the shipments ��" no response ��" then a marketing/spam message claiming all outstanding orders would be shipped as he was getting in a large shipment ��" big surprise ��" NO EMAILs ��" No Tracking Detail ��" and NO SHIPMENTS ��" no replies to any email ��" the phone number he provided are all burn phones with the exception of his toll-free number which is just an ultra-annoying rambling that gets you nowhere. We demanded a refund after missing most our planting season ��" NO REPLY ��" We’ve now filed police reports locally and in California. There is no business, there is no nursery ��" he is a middleman sometimes at best and very deceitful. Though we’d love the flowers ordered to arrive ��" we now would settle for a refund, alas assuming the best at this point all we can do is warn everyone else to stay away. If you’ve been unfortunate enough to do business with him, file police reports, though each order on its own is small the sum of the parts is huge and amounts to Mail Fraud, Grand Larceny and a few other criminal charges will inevitably land this man in prison, which he most definitely deserves.