ID from an eBay auction

Blomma, yes, I would think so, but who knows why someone pulls an attitude. Maybe he personally bought the iris from, say, Schreiners, and believes, therefore, it must be true to name. Or maybe he was just stressed out for some reason.

Did you look at his other listing to see if they look like true to name pictures?

IMaybe, if most of his irises are actually true to name, he just hasn't encountered anyone questioning him yet.

One of my customers scanned and emailed me a copy of an old AIS bulletin from 1947 that had a list of siberian irises in the back. Most of them I don't even recognize. My customers father was the man who hybridized Cool Spring, a 1939 siberian.

Some of the names: Matane, Helen Astor, Gatineau, Moonsprite, Ahalya. Never heard of most of them.

Dee might be interested in this. In the bulletin were listed quite a few spurias. Actually more spuria varieties than the siberians. Some of the names: Mrs. A.W. Tait, Harpeth Hills, Hazy Hills, Russett Flame, Monteagle, Euphrosyne. Washington and Nyes seemed to be the main hybridizers. Have you heard of those cultivars Dee? Are they still around?

Don't know what, if anything, this has to do with the subject but 'Radiant Apogee'
is a historic listed in the HIPS photo album. Has a description from Cooley's 1966
catalog and a very clear picture by Laurie Frazer.

Most of the historics are available thru the HIPS annual sale for $5.50 ppd but the
apogee was not listed so, if you have one, you may want to take extra care to
preserve it.

i'd be embarrassed at being so badly taken, but I'm too ticked. This is what I was sent by the boise iris person who supposedly grows and digs her own bearded iris.
I buy from regular nurseries too, but I have lots of areas I want to fill in (because I had to move) so I also buy off e-bay. There are some really good sellers on ebay but it seems to me that iris' are the new con game. (Many other plants you can see what variety you're getting sooner.)
Will e-bay even know how to find out that these were not what was pictured?
Seems to me sellers should complain more loudly when they won't do anything about frauds.....

oh midrashist that's just fraud.

They don't even look like iris rhizomes, midrashist. They look like daffodil bulbs. ?? I was taken by an Ebay seller too -- last year. Bought three each of six different varieties. Only three plants out of 18 bloomed this Spring -- they were all common lavender irises. The seller refused to answer my emails. Ebay (and Paypal) told me their records and protection only last 90 days. So -- no, Ebay won't know how to find these next year (or the year after) when they bloom. All records of the transaction will have been purged. You might keep your receipt from the seller, or make a hard-copy of the ad on Ebay and the Paypal pay-transaction. It probably won't do you any good, but you will have proof. Was your seller the-country-garden? Or the-iris-cottage? It's the same person, and is discussed in this thread near the beginning.

Ya know what? I wouldn't wait, if it was me -- I'd file a claim with Ebay and Paypal right now. Send your picture of what you received, along with a photo of what a proper iris rhizome looks like. Get your money back!!

No reason for you to be embarrassed. That is total fraud.

Creole Can Can is a Louisiana iris. That would have a skinny rhizome, and should come in a clump. The rest sound like bearded iris names, although I don't know them all.

Iris Hit and Miss should be just labeled Miss and Miss. What a fraudulent seller. You definietly need to report him/ her. What is their seller name on ebay?

Feel free to use my photo to show ebay what a rhizome looks like.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=2615675

Thanks for the sympathy!!!

Yes, it is fairly clearly fraud. And since they have lots of bearded pictures at the "store" they must know better.

They are not daffodil bulbs. I'm pretty sure they're dutch iris. (skin smooth and tight not flaky; about one half inch long; true bulbs) They were also listed (of course) as "fresh dug." They've clearly been in storage a long while, the tiny roots are totally dry. Can you even grow dutch iris in Idaho? (are they truly 'perennial' as also claimed?)

Here are two of the the web addresses from my "won" file. (Don't know if you all can access?) Making a hard copy is a great idea, I hadn't thought of that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemVersion&view=all&item=170382942125&tid=401844133007

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemVersion&item=170382942838&view=all&tid=401844419007


I've already filed a paypal complaint. (what I can't figure out is whether I should invest time/money sending them back.) furthermore I can't even figure out how to add info (I had to borrow camera) to the complaint file.

How does paypal know what bearded iris should look like? Let alone which was pictured? It seems to me that honorable sellers might send them an e-mail attesting to 1) what was pictured was bearded and 2) what was sent was not.

No, this seller is from Idaho. (I got them listed here so I could write a bad review to save others from disappointment.) What makes it worse is that I'm waiting now for an order from iris garden/country cottage, so I'll get burned twice! (I've had some great ebay dealing with non-iris plant folk!)

I usually manage to let things like this go faster but between the two above I will have wasted $100.

And no one has answered my question (other thread?) about "gardening judy728 on ebay. Is she dubious too? what about stanton from CA? I didn't see them on the list of honorables.

I really do wish there was a sticky, because I had read quite a few threads but not seen anything about ebay 'til after I ordered.

Did you pay through Paypal with a credit card? You might have better recourse there.

I am not an Ebay seller, but I have a lot of business come through my website on Paypal. I would be willing to send a letter to Paypal, that the irises in your picture as packaged are not the irises represented as bearded and Louisiana. You could dmail me the complaint number, and I would reference that. I would also need the name of the seller, as your link does not work.

I'm sure a lot of people on this forum would be willing to do the same.

And no, Dutch irises are not reliably hardy in Idaho.

Thanks Polly. (I'd noticed you were a grower.)

I swear they make the complaint process difficult. (And from lots of what's been reported on this thread it seems it may well not be worth trying.....

the thing that's making me nervous right now is the directions say I have to click "resolve complaint" in order to add info like your tuber pictures. (I guess resolve does not mean close though?)

Midrashist, in addition to filing with Paypal, you should write to Ebay's Trust & Safety team under Safe Harbor. They address issues of outright fraud. Attach Polly's photo of an Iris rhizome with your email. They will investigate it.

No idea. But make sure you call them rhizomes, as to not confuse Paypal or Ebay. The correct term for the bearded and the Louisiana both is rhizomes. What you received is bulbs.

I purchased from Staton Iris Gardens CA this year and was VERY pleased. Nice big rhizomes and good communication. His Iris are pricey but you can find him on E-bay where he is selling some at a reduced price. I look forward to purchasing from him next year.

If there is outright fraud invovled, Ebay and Paypal will extend the 90 day period for filing a paypal claim. However, you have to go through the fraud department. I've done it and have been repaid by them.

It is FRAUD, either deliberate or from ignorance. Some of the names are TB's.
If the bulbs are irises, they are Dutch iris. Breck's have them for 50/$17.99 and
they typically are among the most expensive of the mail order vendors. $.36 ea.

You can use this pic of a rhizome (s) dug today. I trimmed the leaves to about
3 inches to keep the wind from blowing them over--too late for normal planting.

The transaction number is #PP-793-680-452. (no louisiana; one "Siberian" I bought three of; 11 more whose pictures were clearly bearded.

And I will make sure to call them rhizomes not tubers. What I received is botanically a bulb. (Seller is now selling dutch iris.)

and this is linked as the seller's web site: http://s1.webstarts.com/Seeds4u/may_2009_specials.html

thanks all of you.

Cancel your order with the-country-garden/the-iris-garden, if you can. You will not get what you ordered. Wait till you see what SHE sends you in the way of rhizomes!! You might be the person who can finally bring her down. Ebay is VERY interested in fraud, and will close down the account of someone perpetrating it. I called them by phone, myself. They couldn't help, in my case, because the transaction was over a year ago and no longer in their records. But you are catching this early!! You GO, girl!!!!!!!!!!!

I would have cancelled but she had mailed the day I read this. Besides, ebay seems to make cancelling difficult.
But they can't tell if they are the wrong variety!?
And besides, people have apparently documented that she uses stolen photos.

(the little dried bulbs came from Idaho, not from her. I do think if they care they should be able to stop her.)

Midrashist -- When you get them, what you will receive is totally denuded rhizomes -- no roots, no leaves. They will look like little skinny potatoes. Email her immediately and tell her this is unacceptable. And that you will return them for a full refund. If she refuses, then take it up with Ebay. By the way -- I made a mistake in my post above -- her business name is the-country-garden and/or the-iris-cottage.

Here's the iris listings from the ebay seller midrasgust is having trouble with, that sent the bulbs. From the looks of her listings, she knows exactly what she is selling. Notice she refers to some as rhizomes. I feel this was deliberatly fraudulent.
http://shop.ebay.com/208seeds4u2009/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25


Anddddddd, she's another picture thief! Very Victorian siberian, I knew I'd seen before. It came from our very own Plantfiles. So did Kalamazoo. Very Victorian was taken by Flowerfrenzy, Kalamazoo was posted by Joan, courtesy of Iris City.

Ok guys and girls. Since Ebay and Paypal will not do a thing about iris garden/country cottage, or whatever else she calls herself, I have an idea. I wrote to her last year about her Wearing Rubies that is actually Cat's Eyes and her attitute was what you can expect from her. Unfortunately, many have bought the same iris this year.

How about if all of us who are registered with Ebay contact her and tell her we are on to her fraud regarding her irises, especially Wearing Rubies. adding that it is being circulated all over Daves. You don't have to buy to contact her. Just go to her page and click contact seller. It may not do much good, but I bet it will make her a bit nervous, especially if she gets many such messages. There is satisfaction in that. And just maybe, Ebay will notice. If she complains to Ebay, so much the better. She can't block messages. I think you have to be registered with Ebay to contact a seller. I'm not sure if going as a guest allows it.

Those of you who sell on Ebay, block her from purchasing your irises. She is blocked from mine. I also suggest that you put a copyright notice on your iris photos. Place it so that no one can copy your photo without including the copyright. On a petal is good.

Too late in the season to do this but I wonder if sellers can put Daves web address in iris and plant listings. Not as a link ofcourse since I know that is not allowed. Instead of a dot before com, it can be spelled. Casually mention the great information found at Daves. I'm sure many would visit, then discover this thread. Actually, the link can be included in a invoice. Something to think about for next iris/plant season.

Lets band together and get rid of her and others like her. She gives Ebay a bad name, which affects honest sellers.

Meanwhile, if any of you notice a plant that is missnamed report it here with the seller's name. I have seen many over the years, now forgotten.

Lilly

And when you're done with her, go after the one above. 208seeds4u2009

Her picture of Broome Sunset
http://cgi.ebay.com/Broome-Sunset-Iris-bulbs-corms-3-LABOR-DAY-SALE_W0QQitemZ170386742783QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item27abd75dff&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

Barry Blythes from plant files

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/177645/

Her picture of Bugaboo

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bugaboo-Iris-bulbs-corms-3-LABOR-DAY-SALE_W0QQitemZ170386743223QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item27abd75fb7&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

Plant files

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/103143/

Her picture of Berlin Purple Wine

http://cgi.ebay.com/Berlin-Purple-Wine-Iris-bulbs-corms-1-LABOR-DAY-SALE_W0QQitemZ170388024962QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item27abeaee82&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

Plant files

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/110827/

pollyk Great info. Thank you for sharing. Let's go after all of them. Don't delay since many stop selling when season is over.

I for one will gladly do so. Let's also include their answers here. Be interesting to read what the seller writes. I am on my way over.

Lilly

pollyk
I did it!! Here is what I wrote:

I don't have a question for you. Just a statement. You are a fraud. Not only do you steal photos from Daves Garden that are copyrighted, you also don't ship what buyers bought from you. Instead of an Iris rhizome, you shipped some kind of plant bulbs. One is your customers the other posted the link to your listing and a link to show the same photo on Daves. Now we are all spreading the word in Daves about you, and other sellers like you. How do you live with yourself?

Anyone wanting to use the above statement in contact to her. Go for it!

Edited to add that when I went into her listing I noticed a link on the right hand side below her seller name and "see other listings" that there is a link to Ebay that states "Report This". Have anyone who have bee cheated by the seller (or other sellers) tried that route.

Lilly

This message was edited Sep 27, 2009 10:16 PM

o.k., I am now preparing a complaint for e-bays fraud department. Can someone tell me the size the rhizomes range when good growers send them? I'm trying to make it very clear (even if they can't see my picture that well) that they are not the same thing. (Assuming the fraud department doesn't know the difference between a bulb and a rhizome.)

Polly wrote a great letter. And zan stanton says he will too. Thanks you all.

Well the last year I sold bearded iris on ebay, she stole pictures of mine and my friend, Paul Black of Midamerica we BOTH did all of the above...not a word from her or Ebay.

I contacted her this year on both her ID and told she had Cat's Eye which is highjacked photo listed as Wearing Rubies which we all know it is NOT, contacted her about her rebloomers and you name it I contacted both her and ebay again NOTHING>

I told her she had a bad rep which she herself as done, on Ebay and Iris Forum, nothing.

So I hope you idea works.

I have just blocked her totally from buying.

D

I was going to post about the seller 208seeds4u2009 yesterday but my internet went down.

Yes I noticed the picture of Broome sunset and other pictures belonging to Blyth, Schreiner and the one of Joans for fashion Queen

I am sorry misrashish this is happening to our members, I have dealt with some of the fraudulent ones, I have filed also with the IC3 internet fraud unit they are part of FBI

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

Midrashish here is your chance to give Country-Garden negatives and tell others what you know, I do believe you already left 6 neg for 208seed.

I have called ebay so many times telling them about the fraud being used on there site and they do nothing I think every one that had been taken by a seller on ebay we should all file a complaint with IC3 on ebay themselves in allowing these sellers to sell when they have been told by so many.

as far as awesomegems I never done business with him but I noticed his picture and description of Radiant Apogee do not match the picture is more in the line of Spiced Custard, I think he should remove that listing as people who buy it will not be getting a true to name iris.


208seeds4u2009 picture of fashion queen

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170379963764&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

paris and dawn


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170379340788&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


she offers a group look at the picture of Crystal Gazer

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170377747497&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Now look at this picture from this seller who can not even give you any information on the iris Crystal gazer of yr ect.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300344702735&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

OK FOLKS - been in the "Internet Marketing" business. KEY HERE ON THIS SELLER Midrashist has mentioned above - - - -
http://s1.webstarts.com/Seeds4u/may_2009_specials.html

PLEASE NOTE THAT NO WHERE ON THE WEBSITE IS A "CONTACT US" BUTTON.

that's a dead giveaway. They don't want you to contact them, and they are making it difficult for you to make a complaint. Because it is well known in marketing that you need to make it easy for folks to complain about the problems they experience, that way it's very easy to nip problems in the bud. called "good customer relations". every marketing firm KNOWS that one disgruntled seller can cost you 20 sales, so they are not worth it, and 99% of problems are very very easy to fix.

by the same thought process, scam artists know that they may not get your business again, but if you don't have a way to complain or ask for a refund that's easy, chances are 95% of the time you won't, you'll just eat your loss. THE INVISIBILITY THE WEB GIVES THEM MAKES IT JUST THAT MUCH EASIER. when the situation starts getting hot, or folks figure out who they are and start posting it to sites like DG, they change their business name and start it all again. The beauty of the Web for them is that they can do this all over the world without leaving home. before the Web, they would have had to move or leave town each time things got hot.

IF YOU SEE AN INTERNET BUSINESS WITHOUT PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED CONTACT INFORMATION, A PHONE # AND A STREET ADDRESS, DO NOT BUY THERE. I don't care how great the bargain might be, the risk of being scammed is too great. With a phone # and a street address, you can file a claim in small claims court if need be, or at least contact a state attorney general's office about a fraud, or at least a better business bureau.

Heck, with a street address, you can go to googleearth and check to see what they look like from the air!!!! if they don't have a big garden showing up from the air, where are the plants coming from? (I don't do business without a street address anymore. Nope, if all they'll give me is a PO Box, I inform them it's a dealbreaker.)

I now realize there's other weird things about that site as well as the lack of contact info. From the name I suspect she used to sell seeds but now finds selling iris a much better scam. I should have worried even just because it said Boise which is a city. But it's the first time I've been burned on ebay. And I didn't know pypal was often not much use.

well, here is her name and purported address: Nicole Clover, 897 s. curtis st., Boise Idaho 83705.

Google earth, what a great idea. Much simpler than my idea which was to look for dave's members in that zip or nearby....

This thread, or a general one on ebay sellers should be a sticky. (anyone know how to do that?) I read parts of many forums but did not find this thread until after I ordered. let's try to protect people better.

So do I file an internet fraud claim A.S.A.P or do I give ebay a chance to do something???

AND SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME A REALISTIC SIZE RANGE FOR RHIZOMES; I ONLY KNOW THE OLD HISTORICS IN MY YARD ARE HUGE.

thanks everyone!!!

Eastern ones are smaller than those from the west coast. However they are a stem so do not look like bgulbs.

Some years ago, a Cajun comedian named Justin Wilson told a story of a farmer
who had a wonderful white mule which he intended to sell by raffle tickets. The
day before the sale, the mule died. He sold the tickets anyway. In skipping a
lot of the story, he said "out of a thousand tickets sold he only made one person
angry and he gave him his money back". Think about this and you can see the
rationale for the e-bay operations. If you have enough sales, you only need to
cheat them all once. They don't care about return sales. Quite a bit like the
guy driving through neighborhoods telling an old woman her roof is in terrible shape
and if she gives him the money to buy new shingles he will repair it at a cheap
labor rate.

Midrashish Rhizomes usually tend to run smaller out here in the northern states due to our growing season which is short and it also depends on the iris as some plants do have smaller rhizomes since you bought all tall bearded a good rhizome tend to run silver dollar size here look like a baking potato not a tear drop

You can reach the Ebay "contact us" from several places on Ebay including the Help areas. It's never on the first page of a section.
Here's one way to get there:

Go to My Ebay.
Scroll down and on the left, click on Buyer's tools.
Scroll to bottom and click on Resolution Center.
Scroll to the right & click on Resolving Buying Problems
Contact Us is on the right. Click there.
Item #1 list a host of sample issues to choose. Above the questions is a field to type in other comments. In that field, type a request to speak to someone.
Scroll to right and click Call Us
You will be given a temporary phone # and a PIN ID# for the call.

Bonjon, I always thought that too, until I started dealing with a lot of internet based plant sellers. Then after contacting many of them by email, I've found that they often are out in the fields and don't have anyone to answer the phone. So they prefer to communicate via email. Often, I've found that once they get to know you, they'll give you a phone number, but some never do, they only want 1 avenue of communication.

When EarthSpinner first posted that Burseen website for her co-op, it had absolutely no contact information. I had to search around on the web to find out information about and the location and phone # of his business.

well, I downloaded google earth and put the seller's address in. Doesn't make it clear which side of road, but one side seems to be a trailer park and the other side and office buildings maybe on the other.

The good news is that I did manage to get a person at ebay, get directions for sending more info and then they re-directed me to security at ebay. I've finished sending most of the info.

thanks for help and encouragement!

AGAIN, Stormy, if they WON'T give you a phone #, don't do business with them.

a lot of sellers are out in the field. small, large, internet and otherwise. IF THEY WON'T GIVE A PHONE #, then you have a problem about to occur. They should give you an email addy, a street address and a phone # to call. and a fax # if they have it. That's Business 101.

yes, a lot of hobby/sellers don't. they haven't learned the protocols of business.......yet. or they are like many plant folks and don't want to take the time to talk, or shy about talking. They will discover, or go under, that talking to folks is the best way to promote business. the best business promotion in the world is talking person to person.

even Keith Keppel has his phone # on his catalogue, and he's the busiest small grower I know. He's never available exept after dark, and then only when he's in town, which isn't much!

If a great one like Keith, who gets inundated and hounded by the public with iris questions, can put his # on there, then anyone can, and should.

Here is the message back from 208seeds4u2009

"I talked to the owner of Daves garden about the photo. My aunt had sent me some photos for the ones i hadnt taken pictures of this year. I already removed it. So i would appreciate it if you wouldn't say things that you don't know anything about."

That is bull. If she had permission, she would have left the copyright notice and given credit to the owner of the photo. Besides, Dave has no connection to the photo listed on Plant Files and can't give permission for her to use the photo since it isn't his. I will point this out to her in my next message.

Lilly

Lilly,

How about letting admin know about that statement? I think they probably have a pat answer when someone wants to use photos from DG. And I bet, 'sure go ahead, and it's Ok to remove the copyright', isn't it!