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jimt_2008

Aaron's Nursery Business Practices

jimt-2008
16 years ago

It is rare I would bother to publicize a bad experience with a vendor but others should really know about Aaron's Nursery, in Sumner, GA. I've bought from dozens of nurseries over a long history but have never confronted such a company before.

I bought a Plantation Pomegranate tree that was advertised as suitable for as far north as I live, just outside Washington, DC. Well, it died. There is a replacement policy, but the owner (Rick) takes this a bit far. He insists I send it back to him to "inspect under a microscope." Once back to him, he will only replace it with another and I again have to pay the shipping, some $26.

Overall, I am left feeling that I have been mistreated by this guy and the very least I can do is let others know that dealing with Aaron's Nursery is done at some peril.

A reputable nursery would not require returning the plant and would certainly allow, if not welcome, substitution, plus they typically will even pay the replacement postage in the interest of goodwill. Not Aaron's Nursery. Caveat emptor.

I have not decided whether to risk another $40 to follow $120 already wasted. Likely not.

Comments (17)

  • gdionelli
    16 years ago

    See the threads about the infamous TyTy nursery. They are one and the same.

  • wabikeguy
    16 years ago

    I ordered $200.00 worth of bare root stock from in them in November 07 for a March 22 delivery. Paid in advance. (ouch).

    No delivery as yet. Called on March 25th. They were out of packing materials, my order was located and would be shipped out the following day.

    Called them back today, the 31st to confirm my trees were shipped. No record of my order, but they will "check their files" and call me back tomorrow.

    I'm taking bets on whether or not they 1) call me back and 2) ship my order.

    Any takers?

  • christieb199
    15 years ago

    wabikeguy,
    If you paid with your credit card, I would call the company, tell them you never received your order and now it is too late for you to even want it. They should refund you right away, at most you may have to file a dispute form.
    Or maybe you really do want the bare root stock, but I would not risk it since they seem as though they have a bad reputation.

  • Embothrium
    15 years ago

    Clearly a company to be avoided, their multiple business names alone being a huge red flag. As soon as I saw that the subject of this thread was located in Georgia I wondered if it was them.

    Apart from sniffing around for information about a company before ordering - and this may not turn up much, some of the most useful sources for rare plants are tiny operations that don't have that much gab about them being circulated on the internet - a plant with unexpected characteristics (like growing way beyond the normal hardiness range for the species) should be checked out before ordering. This last is probably the most important.

  • wabikeguy
    15 years ago

    Paid with a debit card. In advance. Have made multiple phone calls. Have waited on hold over and over. Have been told everything form, we found your order on the desk under another order and we'll send it out tomorrow, to "we can't find your order, are you sure you orderd from us?"

    The debit on my account clearly states tye tye $148......(not 200 as I originally stated...my error).

    I'll give them another week, then file a formal complaint.

  • Embothrium
    15 years ago

    Probably little benefit in waiting, seems unfortunately you have joined a club of multiple others who have had similar experiences.

  • starquarry
    15 years ago

    DO NOT TRY TO BUY FROM THESE PEOPLE. They billed my credit card promptly enough, but NO merchandise. I called and begged, Begged, BEGGED, and finally got 1/2 of what I paid for.

    DO NOT TRY TO BUY FROM THESE PEOPLE.

  • hienkle
    13 years ago

    I concur with all posters about never doing business with them. Aaron's Nursery is probably a D+/C- local nursery of you live there in Georgia and buy from them in person. But as to their web business model, they have a very long way to go be be a better vendor.

    Case in point. I called trying to get advice about 2 fig trees from them that never rooted (ordered September 2009, arrived November 2009, planted immediately as instructed near a sunny South facing wall) and all I got was a this: we are not an answering service. Click! And I didn't even uttered the word refund!

  • iovalu_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    i was just about to place an order of about
    $200 worth of trees and decided to check the reviews for this company and boy am i glad i did,
    thanks to all of you on following
    up with your purchases and saving me big a headache.
    ps:bye bye Aaron's

  • ginnylane_embarqmail_com
    12 years ago

    I have never complained about a business before, but I will about this one. DO NOT FALL FOR THERE STORY ABOUT ONLY 1% OF CUSTOMERS ARE UNHAPPY. I fell for it and now am out $200.00. They will lie to you, and when it is time for them to live up to the bargin, you will be denied all claims. Please do not order from them!

  • maskhc_hotmail_com
    12 years ago

    Definitely a case of BUYERS BEWARE. I ordered 20 fig trees from them and 10 are fine but half of them never came out of dormancy. I've been growing fig trees for 15 years in my heated greenhouse so hardiness zone is not an issue but that was the reason they used to not back up their fake "guarantee". They offered me %5 compensation so I could take another non-guaranteed risk with them. Yeah, sure!

  • codeblue3638
    11 years ago

    We bought a total of 9 trees and one bush from aarons in georgia.... april 2011..2 bald cypress and a red crabapple made it...the others never showed signs of life....i contacted aarons and must tell you people on the other end of phone very rude..and didn't sound like they had any training and didn't want to be bothered...to make a long story short...they sent replacements..of 6 and only 2 made it...and they are the bald cypress only growth is 1 inch from the ground...the 4 ft tree has no other signs of life...we also talked to them about replacement policy...couldn't believe what i was hearing ....sending dead plants back at my expense with new ones shipped at my expense....we're seniors that probably won't see these trees grow really big...but wasting 2 years watching dead trees has really cut the time short.

  • cwnw7938
    11 years ago

    Ordered 4 Windmill Palms on June 8, 2012 from Aaron's Farm. Three were 5-6 ft. and one was 4-5 ft. They were suppose to be ball and burlap. Paid $534 on credit card. Received invoice showing almost $900 and wrong address. During ordering I asked if they were the same as TyTy. I was told they were a sister company but they were not "that kind of business". Unfortunately, I believe people.
    I was told 7 day UPS ground. Eleven days later they shipped. I received supstantually smaller trees than I ordered. Also they were bare root, poor health, and one wrong tree.
    I've wasted a lot of time trying to contact them, they never tell you the truth. I've been told I got the wrong shipment. Todd (supervisor) said he would re-ship the whole order on the 27th of June. I called to get a tracking number and after I rebutted all their untrue statements I was told they didn't have a tracking number. But, Steven who answered the phone was 100% sure my correct trees had been re-shipped. They never arrived. At the same time, I received a message from the GA BBB that Ryan (Aaron's manager) had processed a refund for all except $150, due to me receiving the wrong order. I haven't received a refund. Furthermore, why should I pay $150 for the wrong trees. I had specific type and size requirments for my landscaping project. I have since replaced the trees from a local nursery ( Country Gardens in Memphis). Far better quality and price.
    AARON'S IS REALLY TYTY. THEY OPERATE UNDER MANY MANY ALIASES. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY. TO BE SAFE, I RECOMMEND YOU DON'T PURCHASE ANY PLANTS FROM GEORGIA
    P.S. I've saved their wrong trees in case they want them back, but I don't think they are going to survive.

  • dirtbomb
    9 years ago

    Bunch of crooks. I once worked at TyTy aka. Aaron's. It was a fairly common practice to "substitute" one plant for another when something was out of stock. They just want to get an order filled... with something. I cannot begin to tell you how many Granny Smiths were sent out as Orientals or Stuart Pecan's were sent out for Papershell's ect, ect. And sometimes we'd even send out a peach tree for a pear or an raspberry for a blackberry. You get the idea. Anyway, I once asked the manager how the place stays in business. I was told that Mr. Malcolm said that if he could screw over everyone at least once, he would make a good living. Nice business model.

  • wag1_gw
    9 years ago

    Peach trees DOA, cost $18, have ship back and replaced by Aaron's... total cost $40 for $18 replacement...what a racket!

  • STAN2852
    9 years ago

    I ORDERED 3 MULBERRY TREES THIS SPRING AND PAID $23.50 FOR 4FT TO 5 FT TREES . RECEIVED THREE TREES THAT MASURED 32 INCHES FROM THE TIP OF THE ROOT BASE TO THE TOP OF THE TWIG. TWO HAD A FEW BUDS ONE HAD NONE AND THE ROOTS WERE DRY BRITTLE. THE TWO WITH BUDS ARE GROWING THE THIRD HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING. THEIR POLICY IS TO RETURN ME TO PAY FOR RETURN POSTAGE AND SEND A MINIMUN $20.00 TO GET A NEW TREE EVEN THOUGHT THEY SENT A DEAD TREE.

  • PRO
    daniel_anschuetz
    8 years ago

    Thank you all for your comments! I was about to place a $500 order and I decided to look for coupons codes to save a few bucks! Luckily I found this thread and have now saved myself $500!! The sad truth is I was so excited by what they had to offer, the rare bananas, rare bamboos, etc I was so ready to order, if I had not discovered this thread I know I would be in trouble since I doubt given the above info thatt they even have the rare items they advertise! So thank you all so much for your feedback! You have just saved me $500+ dollars and countless headaches!! I really appreciate it! Thanks to sites like this hopefully we can put thieves like these out of business!!

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