ID from an eBay auction

This message was edited Aug 17, 2009 12:53 PM

Ooh, just wanted to jump in here. I know of a lady in Englewood that has been selling irises on Craigslist, and there's also a lady in Littleton who sells them also on eBay, but what got me on the lady from Littleton is that she wouldn't allow local pickup (I live less than 10 miles away and I hate the USPS). That sounded a little fishy to me.

Glad I saw this!

Aside from essentially cheating a lot of people, the party in question is fraudulently
using the business reputations of legitimate companies. Both The Iris Cottage and
The Country Garden are companies from the UK and possibly Australia. She/he
just adds hyphens, the-iris-cottage and the-country-garden, and no one is the wiser.

Check with your local DA and see if the practice of shill bidding is illegal in your state.
Also, try sending a check for payment and let the mail fraud statutes come into play.

Otherwise, remember caveat emptor. My dictionary says "let the buyer beware:
the principle that a seller of a product cannot be held responsible for its quality unless
it is guaranteed in a warranty".

She does not accept checks for payment but I think you can still file fraud if she ships using USPS for delivery which she does. Shill bidding is against ebay's policy but I guess they do not enforce this as they should.

Another bad seller on ebay is Majesticgaint out of Demming, NM

Well, I did purchase another from Dollie-Diva and although the auction was for only one rhizome (Blaze of Glory) she included two and a great bonus Act of Kindness--all clean and of great size not too big and not to small:lol: Also sent a full page Iris Culture sheet which I'm sure a lot of folks would find full of great info:)

Yup--the good guys are out there even at eBay. Gotta look at tn-tiggers auctions now:lol: Like I need any more but I cannot seem to help myself!

Well I have been waiting for Cherry Burst to open that I got from Ebay last year. It is a tiny 2" yellow that appears too be poss,. Stella!!!. I will go back through my papers as saved most but not all and see who I got this one from. Very unhappy.

I know I'll have to wait until next spring or possibly the next one after that but I'll definitely be more aware of who I'm purchasing from in the future--ebay won't be a main option ever:)

dmac085

Tn-tigger and falcon_g put the commercial growers to shame. Their plants are exceptional and they are extremely nice to deal with. At least don't write them off because they sell on ebay. I ordered several irises from tn-tigger and she sent at least six huge bonus rhizomes and the same with falcon_g's daylilies, most of which bloomed profusely despite being held out of the ground for at least 3 weeks because of the weather this spring. The daylilies look like they have been growing in their spots for a few years and it was just this one summer!

I think it is a shame that these wonderful growers could lose out on business because of a few disreputable sellers. Both tn-tigger and falcon gardens are in the garden watchdog area with great feedback.

Sorry if it came across that I wouldn't purchase from all eBay sellers--just that having started the thread I get educated by everyone's great input even though some had the same bad experiences as it appears I may once my dud iris purchase blooms next season:lol:
With the mention of reputable DG member/sellers and other decent sellers here I know who to do business with in the future on eBay without worrying about being ripped off. I've bought way more this year than necessary and unless I love something it doesn't stay with me long which of course enables me to buy more next year and I will know who to do business with now that I have sellers names to go by and also who to avoid:)

I also got some great Iris from Tri-Tigger last year and would buy from again. It is the bad ones that Ebay and Paypal should be knocking out so the honest hard working ones can survive.

I am really glad that I joined Dave's Garden and have found a lot of great information here. I really like the Garden Watchdog area that really helps with picking out where to buy plants. I will always check here before spending my hard earned dollar on plants from someone who may not be what they try to present.

I have an interesting story about an e-bay seller. (I won't site names) I ordered from them and was quite pleased with the order, even though I wanted to tell him he was cutting the fan & roots down far too much. Because I liked the rhizomes and price, I decided to purchase a half dozen again. When they arrived 3 days ago I was 'stunned'! These rhizomes were 'peanuts' compared to what I had previously received. I fussed and said I wouldn't leave 'any' feedback. He didn't know what I was talking about! He was especially insulted about his method of cutting back the fans to 1-2". He wanted me to send them back for a refund but I didn't want to dig them back up, etc. I just know I won't ever purchase from him again.

S

the iris-fan and tn tigger you can never go wrong with either, both honest hardworking people, who love their plants and it shows always in what they send. This is just two of the many good sellers on Ebay it is a shame that a few bad apples ruin it for the many!

D

Dear D, Exactly! I was so new when the passion started/struck! I started with Iris Sisters out of Omaha (Robin Shadlow) and she sent me quality rhizomes. The next year she stopped on e-bay (now I know why) and I spent the next two years trying to figure things out. My Mother was Scottish and it passed on to me. That's alright! I've learned that quality only stings once. The beauty of Iris goes on forever.

Sha

Note that rhizomes bought here are much smaller than those on the west coast, however 'tiny' is not right.

Size really does not matter, as genetics of some iris will only produce small rhizomes such as But Beautiful while others produce almost trees such as World Premier.

Robin is a cool lady! She is like myself will very seldom if ever sell on ebay again.

But if ever you question come on here and ask as they all will be honest.

D

You are right, irisMA, They were both from OR/CA region. This is one part of learning about Iris that I have not considered that much. I've looked at the giant size, thinking that they will be so great when they bloom, when here in the mid-west it's not all important. Nice but then it evens out over the years. ??? I need to understand this.

S

You can tell something about the plant when they have been in your gaden for a year. I bought 2 SDBs from Sutton in 2008. The rhizomes were the biggest I've seen--probably because they irrigate their plants.They were like potatoes. With all our extra rain this yr, there has been no sigh of rot in either one of them. My own MTB seedling sent to AIS convention game back with huge rhizomes, but no rot there either. They have all been dug & sent to the new person who will introcuce them for us. We have very sharp drainage, but we can vote for a plant which doesn't rot. There have been plants with smaller rhizomes which have rotted so know not to go on with those.

you all were comparatively lucky!!!! (those that got noids). I got puny little dutch bulbs.
I wish there would be a sticky with warnings about (and recomendations) for ebay. I didn't find this info until it was too late.
this is a boise idaho seller.
I was sent about three dollars worth of bulbs as opposed to what was pictured (which would have been worth about the fifty I paid). I sent an e-mail to seller; no response.
What was pictured were clearly bearded iris. Some had well known official cultivar names. The difference between bearded iris and dutch iris is unmistakable. Bearded iris and siberian iris are largeish tubers. Dutch iris have little tiny bulbs worth ten to thirty cents apiece.
Since these sellers purport to have a whole site selling bearded iris, it would seem unlikely they didn’t know the difference. (And if they don’t know the difference, they have no business selling either.)
One of the pictures did not have a beard. Seller e-mailed me it was a Siberian iris. It too was a bulb which can not be a Siberian iris.
Furthermore, they didn’t even send me the correct amounts. Of the fourteen plants I ordered, nine were missing.
I could try returning them, but I suspect it’s not even worth my time or postage as this appears to be a scam.

Sorry to hear of that happening to you! At least you know a few good places/people to shop with in the future:) I got some gorgeous iris from members here who advertised in the Classified Ads in July, August and Sept. eBay purchases will be with caution and only from the places mentioned here in the thread and of course, the many good iris growers I've found through this forum:)

The one a seller on Ebay calls Wearing Rubies is not correct. I have written to her about it but she ignore it and swears it is correct. She just don't want to know. Who knows what you will get when you purchase it. Actually the photo is stolen from Scheriners catalog. I know this because I have the iris and it is Cat's Eye, a SDB iris and grow to 15" high. It has a big red thumbprint on rose. A pretty little Iris that blooms early. I will include MY photo of Cat's Eye below.

There is another seller with the same attitude that sells Radiant Apogee. Another stolen photo but the photo is not that Iris. I have that iris also.

Be careful when you see photos of Irises. If the iris is not posed in a garden, instead have a blurry background, or it is dark, the owner don't own the photo and God knows what iris you will be buying. It is easy to copy and paste a photo claiming you have it for sale, then send any kind of iris. It takes 1 year before you know and then can't leave feedback.

Anyone that sells irises should have their own photos of the iris. If not, I would not buy from them. I buy only from Shreiner and Cooleys. Never Ebay for irises for the reason mentioned above. I get so mad when I see this because I also sell plants on Ebay and would never consider being dishonest that way. I love Irises too much.

You can go to Scheriner's website and check it out in search. They should still have it.

Here is Cat's Eye photo taken May 20, 09.

Another view of Cat's Eye
Edited to add that Angel Kiss is a commercial photo not the seller's

This message was edited Sep 24, 2009 6:13 PM

Blomma, while I agree with you that a seller should have a picture of their own I must disagree that a picture of an iris that is not posed in the garden does not necessarily mean the seller does not have the correct iris. I pose some of my irises in front of my hydrangeas to get good contrast for my website, and the background is blurred. Also, some lovely friends on DG share their pictures with me for my website, and I use them, as their pictures are so great. I never sell an iris that I have not verified to be true to name, but I will gladly use the pictures of the lovely DG people that provide them to me, if they are better than mine. I always give the person taking the picture credit on my website.

Few of us ever forgive when we have been duped because this is the exact opposite of what Iris lovers are about! It is one thing to be sent the 'scum' of an iris rhizome, example from 'HutiKo, (Jules Roberie from Owenton, KY) another thing to receive a lovely rhizome....tend to it all year, maybe two, believing that what will bloom is the picture of what we have been 'talking' to, and then have a brown border Iris bloom. (I hope I'm not the only one to 'visualize'. :o) ) I understand an honest mistake. But when it becomes 'fool me twice', and it's over.

pollyk There is nothing wrong in posing your iris in front of another plant. It is still outside in the garden. I know what you mean about contrast. Many of mine are photographed with a fence behind since that is where I grow most of them. Not the best background but the color of the cement driveway helps.

I was referring to the typical background that may be leaves or plants that are extremely blurred or dark, which is the way Schreiner takes many of theirs. I have even seen photos taken (or scanned) of packages that iris roots came in from Walmart. How stupid is that? The reason I recognized it is because years ago I could not afford to buy Irises from Schreiner, and had no intention of selling them. This is long before Ebay started. I now have 169 different varieties all from Schreiner and Cooley.

I'm glad that you are able to use photos with permission and give credit. Good photos are extremely important for the visual element. I always take many shots of the same flower from different angles and never in sunlight. I do it every year even though I may have many photos of that variety. I always include 2 photos from different angles in my listings. I edit all during the winter and delete those that can't compare with another. Always looking for that perfect photo. Must be the photographer in me.

In addition, I have seen photos of plants on Ebay that were taken from Daves, including the copyright notice. That is the reason mine have my copyright on them.

You're right, always looking for the perfect photo. Some irises just don't seem to want to give it. But we keep trying.

I'd run hard and fast if I saw an iris with a picture of a scanned in photo from the bag from Walmart, LOL.

Here is the seller I mentioned above who sells what he calls Radiant Apogee. I have sent a message to him about the wrong name. If I was incorrect in names of my irises, I surely would want to know.

His seller name is awesomegems.com

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160358281828&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Here is his message back to me:

Just thought I'd like to know? I beg to differ, I personally took that photo, and I carefully label each row of plants as I grow them, they are never mixed, and that flower was on a Radiant Apogee rhizome. I too purchased the rhizome quite a while back, and it was labeled as "Radiant Apogee" by the grower.
You see, I too have been growing for many years, and in my experience I have seen many plants produce flowers that may look very different from the other blooms, depending on when it blooms, or reblooms, and other factors. If you have never seen this I am surprised. I am quite taken back that you would accuse me of lying, or false advertising, just to sell a $1.50 rhizome. Sorry, but I don't do that, not at any price.

It is a he, judging form the photo he has posted. Read the bold print again. Is he nuts? The same variety would bloom the same flower no matter how many plants you have of that variety. What an excuse.

I wrote back and did then accuse him. Told him the photo wasn't his. Even has someone's name on the photo. I went to that link at the bottom of his listing and that company had the photo which was also wrong. He just don't want to know the truth. Grrr!!

Below is my Radiant Apogee. Quite a difference

Edited for spelling


This message was edited Sep 25, 2009 9:45 PM

Hi Mainecoon Fancy meeting you here but where else would we meet. Just a note to thank you for including my name for honest and true to name irises. You did have my name a bit wrong. That's ok. Add a 2, after my Daves name and you got it.

blomma

blomma, why do you think that is not awesomegems.coms photo? I would think he and the business that has the picture are one and the same. Not saying the picture is correct, but I would guess the person on ebay, and the business name on the picture are one and the same.

Maybe a simple suggestion to this man, that he check the pictures on DG plant files against his irises before he lists them for sale would help. I sure do check mine in the plant files.

This message was edited Sep 26, 2009 12:16 AM

My 2 cents worth: I have purchased from Awesomegems for the last two years. They have always given me lovely rhizomes!

A story: Two years ago I purchased a package deal from them on E-bay. When they arrived, they were beautiful but I was sent the wrong pkg. deal. I didn't care but I did write and tell him. Right away, he wrote back that my original order
was being sent and he chalked it up as 'old age' brain f...! You have to appreciate his honesty in this. I received 16 Iris
for the special deal of 8 that I bid on. I believe that he tries to be as honest as he can. There is no reason for him to represent himself otherwise.

I'm not an authority. I do trust them however.

pollyk, the reason I don't think it is his photo is that his name is not on the photo, plus it has a year 2005 on it. I asked but he never said that it was his business. I looked for a connection but found none. Nor does he have store on Ebay, which most businesses have.

My first message to him was friendly. His attitute was not one from a business man operating a nursery. If he grows that many irises, he would not make the statement that I have bolded above in his message. He may be selling for someone's else. Who knows. In either case, I would not recommend him. His price is too cheap for an iris. You get what you pay for.

husker11, his rhizomes that you received may be beautiful. The question is were they true to name and did they look like the photos?

If you look at my comment above, a seller can have a web site (with tons of photos) without it meaning a single thing.
I suspect the idaho people who burned me just bought (or possibly hijacked) a defunct web site. Why send dutch bulbs if you have actually gone to the work to set up a whole bearded iris web site?
The guy above could be connected, or not connected to the original business.
I just wish ebay would clean up serious proven offenders.

Personally I doubt Ebay gives a hoot, as since they opened to now it is a different company and place. Like any company all they care about money and making lots of it.

D

I didn't know you could hijack a defunct website. Learn something new everyday.

And while we're on the subject of websites, why do some smaller companies just do a new website every year, and leave the older ones out there in space. I search sometimes for a website, and see 2007, 2008, and 2009 sites for the same company. Is it that hard to update an old site, that it's just easier to go on to a new one?

Blomma, I looked at the website for iris rodigue, and their phone number is a Lompoc Ca #. That's where the ebay seller is from, so I suspect it's the same people. From their website do most of the irises look true to name, or are a lot of them incorrect.? If most are true to name, it could just be an honest mistake on the sellers part. It looks like he's selling that one so cheap, as he had a lot of them left over (probably as no one bought them, as they are wrong named, LOL).

http://iris.rodrigue.org/

And why do you say most businesses have an e bay store? I don't. I've never seen one for Superstition, or Mid America, and if you do a search on Gardenwatchdog, as to the top sellers, along with Dee, they are up there near the top.


I'm not trying to be argumentative, blomma. I'm just thinking this man might have made a mistake, and needs a second chance, and maybe some iris education. He could be invited to DG, and learn a lot. Or at least be notified of the plant files, so he could look up the pictures of the irises before he posts them to be sure they are true.

I agree, Dee. We cross posted. Ebay is becoming very poor, in my opinion. I'm really glad I have nothing to do with it. My husband sells on there, and has a store, and he's pretty fed up with them, too.

Yes Blomma, they were labeled correctly. I purchased 6 from him this year. I wrote & asked him if he remembered
me from the mix-up that happened and he wrote back laughing about it. He also sent 2 nice bonuses. We'll see next
year if/when they bloom.

pollyk, don't you think that if it was an honest mistake, his attitute would be different. Would he not want to know if it is the wrong name and do the research on Google that I suggested.

I have Schreiner's catalog from 1984 and Cooleys from 1982 and 1986 and both have the photo of Radiant Apogee. I mentioned that to him also. So he is right and Schreiner and Cooleys are wrong. When somone gets defensive, it means guilt.

Speaking of old catalogs, how I wish these companies would bring back some of the beautiful Irises from those catalogs. I emailed Schreiner about that and asked what did they do with them. I even suggested that they print a special catalog for those who are interested in the varieties offered back then. I asked what did they do with those varieties. They told me they destoyed them. What a shame!! They do offer some old ones in their catalog. Unfortunately, they are the same everyone else keeps around, like Immortality, Silverado, Mary Francis, etc.

Looking at prices from those catalogs the average was $2.00. A price of $7 or more was considered very high. Radiant Apogee was selling for $2.50 back then. The well known Beverly Sills (Melrose 1979) was selling for $12.50 in 1984.

We have some 1946 catalogs belonging to DH's grandmother. She was getting plants available after WWII. The Schreiners last catalog from MN is one of them. Look at the Winterberry & Argle Acres catalogs for historics.