Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids)

Orchids

11039 Monte Vista Avenue
Montclair, 91763 (United States)
1-888-467-2443

Reviews:

positives
neutrals
negatives

Displaying the 50 most recent reviews

RatingContent
Negative
On Apr 13, 2021, SanFranOrchid (1 reviews) from San Anselmo, CA

Wish I knew about davesgarden before I ordered from Norman’s Orchids. I ordered a $55 “in bud/spike” orchid and got a plant in a 3” clear plastic pot with soggy sphagnum moss that had no visible bud or spike. The pot was haphazardly taped to the shipping box which was stuffed with paper. The packing slip said “DO NOT REPOT your orchids for 30 day. Doing so can severely damage the plant.” I worry that not repotting might be even worse. The only good news is that I specified that I wanted the plant on 4/13 and they shipped it via FedEx (my least favorite delivery company) overnight/two-day delivery and it actually arrived on time.

Negative
On Jun 24, 2020, designfanatic88 (1 reviews) from Granger, IN

Where to begin. I ordered a phalaenopsis Bellina var coerulea, and was instead given a phalaenopsis bellina... Upon reaching out to norman, we state they are the same thing. Completely untrue. I requested a refund and he said I'd have to pay shipping costs back, so I sold the plant instead for a profit. He was not happy about this.. The customer service of this company like others have said is horrible. They do not take responsibility for their own mistakes and continually ship out the wrong plants to people. I wanted to like this place. Save yourself the headache and do not order from them.

Negative
On Nov 27, 2018, saguaro13 (1 reviews) from New York City, NY

dreadful customer service. please heed the warnings, you've seen how many negative reviews this vendor has. they are deserved. they shipped me a mislabelled plant (this was a mericlone, not a seed-grown plant and wasn't even close). I sent them a picture to verify the mistake but they refused to reply to my emails or calls. completely fraudulent. if you purchase here do not expect to get what you ordered, and expect to get no reply from the vendor.

Negative
On Oct 1, 2018, landwhale (1 reviews) from Brooklyn, NY

I didn't receive any orchids from orchids.com simply because i was never able to finalize the order. I had just moved so my address on my cards were all updated recently and there were issues with orchid.com and i was blocked from paying online. I ended up calling them with the worse customer rep. I explained i had tried to pay three times already and was blocked from paying online and i explained about the move and he said there's nothing he could do so i was about to say well let's try a different card and he just starts telling me how he can't help me and i need to use the website without stopping to hear me tell him i already told him i'm blocked from paying on the website. and there was a note saying to contact them to pay. Then he hung up on me and refused to pick up again. My guess is that this operation is very small and run by too few people who aren't specifically trained at what they are doing. I'm glad i looked for reviews from a non-affiliated source and am feeling like a dodged a bullet. For the record, i've been using that same card with the new current address with no issue so to me the problem is on orchid.com's end. It's too bad they don't seem to like customers.

Negative
On Aug 1, 2018, teamfo5 (1 reviews) from Atherton, CA

I have been a long-time customer and had a good experience with their orchids -- sending them for gifts. But the last two times the orchids have arrived in bad shape with few, if any, flowers or buds. The latest happened a few days ago when I sent a nice orchid to my elderly aunt who was recovering from surgery. The orchid arrived without any flowers and two solo buds off of the plant. They also neglected to send the get well card. When I contacted them, they said they would only replace/refund when emailed a photo -- something my elderly aunt is unable to do. Even after being a solid customer, they would make no exceptions. Very poor customer service. Will never use them again.

Negative
On May 2, 2018, BellaK (1 reviews) from Westport, CT

I was very disappointed by my recent experience with Norman's Orchids. I purchased an orchid for my mom's 87th birthday. I have ordered from them before and expected to see a vibrant, beautiful gift for her. Including shipping, the total cost was $174.00. This was a big purchase for my mom. It arrived a week ago tomorrow... on a Tuesday. I went to visit her the following Monday (6 days later) and was horrified to see that the blossoms were all falling off and the plant had only two buds. Not sure that they will even bloom. However, these things happen, and I expected to resolve this easily with them. I called the company and asked to speak to someone in customer service. The receptionist would not allow me to speak to anyone. I asked to speak to her supervisor and again she refused, I asked to speak to someone in the sales department and she refused. This went on for 5 minutes. She said that customers were not allowed to speak to staff, instead I was to write an email to support@orchids.com and attach a picture. I was furious, after years in customer service I know how easy it is to turn customers off and this attitude did the trick for me. I had photos, so I sent an email immediately, within the hour with a picture as requested. I asked that someone call me back within 24 hours to discuss either refunding my money or replacing the orchid. At this time (more than 48 hours later) I have not heard one word. The company has my email and my phone, and they have not contacted me. To my mind, this is not a company that is customer service oriented.I certainly will not buy from them again.

Negative
On Feb 5, 2018, IvanaC (1 reviews) from Elmhurst, NY

Only buy IF you are willing to throw away your money. This is the second time I have ordered from orchids.com. First time I spent $140 a year ago. This time my friend and I place an orchid order right after the holidays. The original delivery was for dec29. They held it due to weather. We were okay with that. They finally shipped it on Jan 9. We have been in contact with them the whole time up to the day they shipped it. We received it two days later. On Jan 11. Now we decided to unbox it at my house because I have a YouTube channel. As soon as I put my hand in the box the orchids were dripping wet. The box and peanuts were soaking wet. We ordered 8 orchids. They only shipped 4 and charged us for two shipping. We only got one box. It was $270 worth of orchids. They invoice had two orchids marked as out of stock. Those they refunded after we emailed them. They never informed us it was out of stock. We spoke to them before they shipped the plants. Two plants weren't even in the box. They failed to include them. We called the customer service number. She said there was nothing she could do and to email their support. We emailed their support and included pictures. We told them we had it all on video if they wanted to see it and we told them two of the plants were missing. All we got were generic reply. They never called us. They never acknowledged the missing plants They never answered the phone again. They closed the account before we even got the return shipping label. We shipped the plants back to them in slightly better condition than they had arrived. The peanuts and box had dried out. The plants were still dripping water a week after they sent them to us.They received the plants Jan 18 Exactly one week after we received it Have yet to receive a refund or any reply. They basically stole the money. I have enclosed the link to the video. From what I've been told and from other people contacting me and researching. They love you if you have no problems but pretend you don't exist if you do. We were calm and nice to the lady on the phone. We were respectful in the emails and have no problem disclosing them. We just want a refund. A full refund including both shipping charges. It is now feb 5 and we have received nothing. Going to file a complaint with the better business bureau and the state attorney general of NY and California. Enclosed is the video. I also have pictures. The same ones they received when we emailed them. We received this box early in the day. They are a west coast company. After the first call they never answered their phones again. No one sends dripping wet orchids in winter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSzmtlJm54s

Neutral
On Jan 10, 2018, Amoena (15 reviews) from Nashville, TN

I ordered two hobby plants from Norman's in Sept. 2017: a Blc Siamese Doll and B Aristocrat, both listed as, "mature size." I was very unhappy with their packing, as the plants weren't wrapped at all- just dropped in the box with peanuts! Both came potted in a soggy, compressed nugget of sphag, and had to be repotted immediately. B Aristocrat was indeed bloom size, but the Siamese Doll was a small seedling, at least 3 years from bloom size, (I know this because I have a mature specimen of Siamese Doll- it's 12 inches tall.) What I received from Norman's is about 4 inches tall. Clearly, NOT, "mature size." Despite these issues, I can't leave a neg rating, because the plants did arrive healthy, and are now thriving. Some companies will "WOW" you with the size & quality of their plants, and the care they put into shipping them. Norman's is not such a company! But if they have that special something you MUST have, you will probably get a healthy plant. Just don't expect accuracy in terms of their size descriptions.

Negative
On Aug 10, 2017, PL7711 (2 reviews) from Newton Center, MA

My first purchase from this company was simply breathtaking. I bought three phalaenopsis orchids for my kitchen and they were thriving and a joy to behold. I wound up purchasing several pricey gift orchids for various recipients. I then made a second purchase for myself. The orchids that arrived did not resemble whatsoever the orchids pictured on the site. Firstly, I ordered three of the same. Two were matching the and the third was a different color. These were meant to be displaced all in the same location. Next, the orchids picture had 4 stems and I was sent two with 2 stems and one with one stem - sparse and spindly and not at all like what was pictured. Next, the orchids began to fail almost immediately - after one day. The blooms began to dry up and fall off and the leaves - many of them - started to turn yellow, droop and brown out at the tips. I emailed them, photos included, for six days straight - showing them the horrendous condition of these plants and how they were progressively getting worse each day. I received no response whatsoever. Finally, I called and they claimed they never received my emails. I was only requesting that they replace these three totally unacceptable orchids with three new ones - the same ones I had ordered the first time. They said they would send my request to "claims." Wow. Who was I dealing with - a national concern like Amazon or Walmart? Two days later they contacted me and offered me a $10.00 credit and I would have to repackage and send back the three dying orchids at my own expense. The order was well over $100. They told me the orchids were failing because of "direct sunlight." The orchids were never exposed to direct sunlight. I am only hoping that the several gifts I sent - over $150 each for one orchid - arrived in good condition. I would never know because the recipients would probably not tell me if they didn't. Believe me, you do not want to do business with this company. You could be lucky and receive healthy orchids, but if you don't, tough luck to you. Horrendous customer service. They will not back up their merchandise - even with explicit photos showing the failure of the orchids.

Positive
On May 14, 2016, (0 reviews)

Posted on October 10, 2015, updated May 14, 2016 i ordered a c. pumila 'dogishima'. it was sent in a flimsy plastic pot packed with sphagnum moss like they do for phal's from asia. this species does not grow well like this. all the old roots had rotted long ago and not even attached to the plant anymore; which by the way was literally turning around in the pot because the moss had compacted to peat. these plants are very difficult to keep alive if that seasons roots are damaged; which is what the 5 that were left were. The ends were shriveled and browning. I emailed them. Was responded to by there customer service dept. I sent a photo like they asked and was never responded to again. This seems to be one of those businesses where the people shipping the plants know nothing of what the plant should look like; healthy or not. I am wiser now to these companies that basicly are too big for their britches. I am not important to them. I removed what was left of the buds to try to save the plant but it dehydrated from no healthy roots to absorb moisture to finish growing.


On May 14th, 2016, peterorchid changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following: I was very frustrated with this order so I contacted norman through Facebook and he made all well by replacing my plant on my next order and only charging me shipping charges minus the original. My order was healthy and we'll rooted plants; all 8 of them. Thank you orchids.com.

Positive
On Apr 20, 2016, mgdsvegies (4 reviews) from Asheville, NC (Zone 7a)

I just placed my first order with this company, and I'm happy with their service so far. They were extremely prompt -- I ordered over the weekend, the plants were shipped Monday, and they arrived here in Asheville this morning. I wouldn't ordinarily order orchids in bloom, for fear the spikes would be damaged, but I saw a clone I really wanted at the local orchid show last week. When I realized Orchids.com had it, I couldn't wait to order. Their packing was excellent -- it took quite a while to get the plants separated from the packing material, but you would never guess these three plants in full bloom had been shipped all the way from California. I know I shouldn't comment on other peoples' experience, but I couldn't help but notice some of the problems seem to arise from customers not understanding what they were ordering. It is true as someone pointed out that the plants are in the thin flexible pots with sphagnum moss, and some of the roots are broken. However, in my experience this is pretty much what you see from all the large growers. It's a function of what they have to do to culture massive numbers of plants. The plants all look healthy and strong, and after they bloom, I will repot then in a bark mixture and different pots that are more suited to my growing conditions. Bottom line is, I would definitely order from these folks again.

Negative
On Feb 4, 2016, clyn (1 reviews) from New York City, NY

If you absolutely must order from Norman's Orchids, use an email address specifically for spam (everyone should have a junk email address) because they WILL spam you and there is no way to unsubscribe unless you close your account. Also, place your order with a credit card because you may need to do a charge back since that is the only way you will ever get your money back when Norman's refuses to refund you for their mistake. I ordered a bright yellow orchid with a red lip based on the description and photos on orchids.com. Well, when it arrived it was a greenish-yellow orchid with a magenta lip and obviously nothing like what was described or pictured. I emailed customer service with a photo and asked if I had been sent the correct plant and their response was that the plant is blooming like one of its parents. This made absolutely no sense to me. The orchid was clearly in bloom so they already knew it wasn't a bright yellow orchid with a red lip. How difficult is it to update your own website with the correct description, if not a new photo? Since their website looks like a Geocities page, I suppose updating the site was just too technically challenging. Interestingly, I noticed they took down the listing a few days later. I was offered either a full refund if I returned the plant at my expense or a partial credit for keeping the plant. Never once did anyone ever apologize. I had no interest in keeping the orchid since it was very ugly to me and--once again--it looked nothing like what I thought I was ordering and I was not going to pay any amount of money to return their plant. They're great at fulfilling orders since it involves taking your money and their plants are definitely healthy but if you have a problem, don't expect any satisfaction or even an apology. Their lousy customer service is not worth all the rare and beautiful orchids in the world.

Positive
On Jan 2, 2016, laf351 (1 reviews) from Tavares, FL

I have been ordering from Normans Orchids for 5+ years. I have never had a bad experience. I am very guilty of looking at photo and buying without reading description and have purchased things not appropriate for me, but that is on me. Everything I have received has been in great shape. Just placed another order, can't wait to recieve!!!

Negative
On Dec 29, 2015, gardenerinct (4 reviews) from (Zone 6a)

My review is nearly identical to trospero's review. This was my 2nd order from Norman's. The first order was fine, but this last order was very disappointing. I bought two in bud Cattleya orchids. The blooms lasted 3 day on one orchid and the blooms on the other orchid were dead on arrival. Both orchids also need re-potting. I will not buy from them again.

Negative
On Dec 22, 2015, trospero (20 reviews) from Corvallis, OR

Ordered two "in bud" Cattleyas. Two days after ordering I was told one was no longer available and did I want a substitute, and I said yes. The plant they subbed was 2X the price of the one I ordered and I was not told that at the time. I should have checked to see if it was the same price, yes - but how much effort would it have taken for them to say "by the way, the one you want as a substitute is twice the price - is that okay?" The other plant arrived in a 5" clear plastic liner pot, in old Sphagnum and had obviously needed repotting two years ago, as its growing lead was two growths over the edge of the pot. One of its leads had been hacked off, (disease, or just careless handling?) and most of the roots outside the container had been chopped to mere nubs. Overall, the plant had the look of one that had been neglected for a long time and had been carelessly prepped for shipping. I contacted the customer service to express my displeasure and was greeted with a response that essentially said to me they didn't care. Well guess what? Neither do I. Norman's will not get another penny from me. Oh, and the second plant? The buds have not developed and so I paid a premium price for an "in bud" plant for nothing. Uncaring customer service on top of that? No thank you.

Positive
On Oct 30, 2014, Sariah (1 reviews) from Independence, MO

I received an orchid from this site as a gift, but the friend who gifted it to me understood that I knew more about orchids, and what I want from them, than he did. So he had me point out the one I wanted, rather than try to surprise me with something that might be unsuitable. After some research, I chose Dtps. Purple Martin 'Champion'. It was very securely packaged when it arrived, and the plant was-and remains-healthy. I have had no contact with any of the site's representatives, so I cannot speak of their conduct, but I am happy with my plant.

Negative
On Aug 1, 2014, dontbuyfromthem (1 reviews) from Toyko,
Japan

I purchased some orchids from this company. It is my second order. Some of the orchids is of different color then on the website. The color is much different then the site. Let say I order white and they gave me an orange color. I contacted them to have this resolve, and to send the correct orchid. The company said I will have to pay for shipping return to them. I disagree. i did not order an orange orchid so i should not have to pay for return to get a full refund. I call the next day to get a resolution. There was no resolution, because they stand by their rule to have me pay for return shipping. When I try to get in their website to check on my orders and log in to my account, I can not get on, because the company block me from their website. The orchid I order is not a seeding orchid. It is a mericlone orchid. The supervisor refused to come to the phone to resolve this matter. Horrible experience I have ever had with an orchid company.

Positive
On Feb 2, 2013, Goyo (1 reviews) from Fairview, CA

I have bought orchids by mail and in person for over a decade at Norman's Orchids. I have found the personnel to be always attentive and polite. My orders have been sent on time and the plants have been excellent. The showroom always has a large number of plants in bloom. I appreciate the correct labels on the plants. Well grown, correctly labelled orchids are not as cheap as the ones you can buy in the big box stores but are worth it.

Positive
On Sep 30, 2012, eafisher (1 reviews) from Houston, TX

I ordered plants for our local orchid society raffle table. The plants were nice sized, packed very well (no breakage, missing tags and came when promised) - we got our money's worth.

Positive
On Sep 29, 2012, carol_okc (6 reviews) from Choctaw, OK

Norman's Orchid Nursery 3.0 star rating 14 reviews Rating Details Category: Nurseries & Gardening [Edit] 11039 Monte Vista Ave Montclair, CA 91763 (909) 627-9515 we have flowers all year long for your special occasions. A corner of our show room stocked with wide varieties of orchids. Production Department is fullfilling an wedding cut phalaenopsis orchids order. Norman's Orchid Nursery, Montclair, CA Norman's Orchid Nursery, Montclair, CA Add Photos Hours: Mon-Sat 9 am - 5 pm Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Price Range: $$ Parking: Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Dogs Allowed: Yes First to Review Photo of Valerie H. Valerie H. Edit Business Info Send to Friend Bookmark Send to Phone Edit My Review Yelp Ad Orchard Supply Hardware 3.0 star rating 10 reviews Photo of J. W. J. W. said: "Staff is very helpful - ask for George , he knows everything. The prices are very helpful to my wallet." read more » Reviews (14) About This Business 14 reviews for Norman's Orchid Nursery Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Useful | Funny | Cool | Total Votes | Friends' | Elites' 14 reviews in English Review from Carol D. Photo of Carol D. 0 friends 1 review Carol D. Choctaw, OK 5.0 star rating 9/29/2012 I've been a long-distance customer of Norman's for more years than I want to count. His plants are consistently well grown, offer a wide diversity of genera for any orchid-aholic's tastes, and provide both known and not-yet-known species and hybrids. I primarily grow phalaenopsis, though have a diverse collection of other genera. Yes, there are phal specialists, and I purchase from several of them. But Norman offers such a wide range of plants - including some really quite rare and appropriately expensive items - that he will always be a prime source of additions to my collection. The packing is meticulous - I've never received a damaged plant. I've heard that some people had some difficulty with customer service, but in all of these many years I've never experienced any problem and have always been treated courteously and professionally. I have no experience with the gift side of the business, since I'm a confirmed hobby grower with a willingness to grow things for several years before seeing bloom spikes. I'd be very surprised if that side of the business were any less professionally handled. If all you want is a pretty coffee-table plant and don't care to actually GROW it, you might be happy with the big box store NOID offerings. A real orchid supplier doesn't sell no name short-lived plants that might make a brief impression before heading to the compost pile. A real supplier offers quality, well-grown, interesting, and rewarding plants you want to have in your collection. And Norman is a real supplier.

Positive
On Sep 25, 2012, LDean (1 reviews) from Lewiston, ME

I've placed multiple orders in the past and have never encountered a problem. If I have questions about plants I call and speak to a courteous young lady that helps me chose the perfect plants. I tell her what I am looking for and I receive exactly what I wanted. I just wish they were much closer so I can go visit their premises. I give them a 5 star rating and they have wonderful service.

Positive
On Sep 20, 2012, genetobia (1 reviews) from Magnolia, NJ

Posted on September 20, 2012, updated September 20, 2012 fast and easy


On September 20th, 2012, genetobia added the following: I've gotten a lot of quality plants from Norman's Orchids. The website is easy to navigate and they ship their products well packed and quick. Speaking as a serious orchid grower, Norman's Orchids offers so many quality and hard to find orchids. The plants always arrive undamaged and healthy. I like buying seed grown plants from Norman's, as most of the seedlings I get gives me a variety of quality forms and colors. To date, I managed to get 2 plants awarded by the American Orchid Society. The first one was Phal. Princess Kaiulani (flava) 'Gene Tobia' JC/AOS. And recently, Phal. violacea 'Gene's Magenta' AM/AOS. I highly recommend Norman's Orchids as a source of quality orchid plants.

Positive
On Sep 12, 2012, cosmos4577 (1 reviews) from Social Circle, GA

Posted on September 11, 2012, updated September 12, 2012 I ordered (SO# 5130460) a Yu Pin Lady ‘Rev Velvet’ Phal – MC1522. It arrived in 3 days. The plant is not what I ordered. It was in bloom and not the color of the photo on thier web site. The flowers were bruised and within the week of arrival the petals dried crisp and dropped off. I sent an e-amil asking them to check thier record so we could solve the problem. No response. My phone calls have been re-routed until disconnected. I have also sent an e-mail through this site. I will still try to solve this mis-order but I strongly recommend purchasing from another dealer.


On September 12th, 2012, cosmos4577 changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following: Today I received an e-mail response and called the co. They were very professional and we came to a good solution. I was so pleased with thier willingness to solve the problem that I ordered two more plants and am looking forward to future purchases from them.

Positive
On Jul 21, 2012, crhorchids (1 reviews) from Bryn Mawr, PA

Plants arrived in tip top condition, in bloom or bud, as described. All leaves and roots in healthy, actively growing condition. Shipping promised and delivered within 2 days. Really appreciate the "hobbyist" listings.

Positive
On Jul 20, 2012, CW5280 (1 reviews) from Denver, CO

Unmistakably the best source for quality orchids for the hobbyist or if you are just shopping for that special gift! Gorgeous, healthy orchids, many crosses quite unique. Fantastic quality, fair prices, careful packing, and fast shipping. Norman's Orchids has one of the best online store in the business; user-friendly with robust search features and accurate photography and detailed descriptions of their plants. Highly recommended.

Positive
On Jun 14, 2012, Robwestergard (1 reviews) from Garner, NC

After purchasing my two plants and ordering them. I emailed the company and Norman replied to me quickly with my answers. After receiving the plants, I was totally amazed about the size and even one was in full bloom and it was just awesome. Shipping was fast and concrete as stated when expected delivery of the plants. I will buy again from Orchids.com Thanks Norman!

Positive
On Jun 9, 2012, dotspups (1 reviews) from Fort Lauderdale, FL

I have bought plants from Norman's Orchids for 2 decades and the plants ALWAYS arrive in perfect shape because they are packed to travel across the country. The plants are of a quality that can not be found at the big box stores and I know from visiting the nursery that plants will not arrive here with hidden weed seeds or insect pests. Norman has a full time employee whose job it is is to pull weeds in pots and under the benches. My orchid benches always hold at least 100 of Norman's very special orchids. Dot- Fort Lauderdale

Positive
On Jun 4, 2012, FrankC80 (1 reviews) from Oakland, CA

It is always the negative reviewers that always bother in even leaving such nasty comments for such an awesome company. I can say I've been ordering from Norman's Orchids for over 5 years now and not once have a had any issues with them. I call speak to customer service and always get the answers I am looking for. Without a doubt they are the best and they know their stuff. People have to realize orchids from this company are live and of course some are not perfect but I can guarantee you they are not "SICK", sick are those of you that come in sites like this and leave your nasty comments. Really though if this company could get all their positive customers to review I can guarantee you it will be much much more positives than negative because they really know what they are doing and they have the best out there.

Negative
On Jun 4, 2012, zia_farrell (1 reviews) from Huntington Beach, CA

Be aware that they only honor claims for 7 days. They sent a sick orchid to my mom for Mother's day. It died just after the 7 days.

Positive
On May 24, 2012, NCORCHIDS (1 reviews) from Weaverville, NC

My last several purchases from Normans Orchids have been outstanding! Customer service was excellent, on time responses and zero problems with my order from start to finish. Plants arrived as scheduled per shipping policy, foliage and roots on all plants were very strong and healthy. Spikes arrived as mentioned, 1-3 per plant and some plants in bud, another in flower. Norman has really been offering a broader, diverse selection of some of the most recent, cutting edge hybrids. I will continue to watch the website weekly for updates and look forward to future purchases.

Negative
On May 18, 2012, WCG (1 reviews) from Park Ridge, IL

I have to admit that I am shocked by so many negative reviews on this website. I had an unpleasant experience with orchids.com. I am now wishing I had come here first as I would never have ordered through them. I had placed an order through the website and my interpretation was that it was a two day delivery. Right or wrong, I am obviously not the only one who has had trouble interpreting this, please reword your website. The true trouble began when I phoned them to tell them I was unhappy with the delivery date. The man I spoke with would not listen to me, he spoke over me and when I told him I was upset that he would not listen, he hung up on me. I was a bit stunned. I wrote to them and have tried to follow up with phone calls, but they do not answer and their mail boxes are full (of complaints, I am wondering?). In reading all of these reviews and the very unprofessional attacking responses to others' responses, I can see that it is best to take my business elsewhere. I am guessing by so many dissatisfied people that they just don't care. What a shame, my mother-in-law collects orchids and I had hoped I had found a source for gifts. Customer service is very important and they fall quite short.

Positive
On May 12, 2012, meljim1327 (1 reviews) from Cinco Ranch, TX

Made order Thurs; delivered Sat; beautiful, clean and healthy plants received in excellent condition. This has always been my experience with Orchids.com. They ship quickly. Their website is excellent with good photos and descriptions. We will also be trying their product Mega Thrive as a growing aid.

Positive
On Mar 22, 2012, Phal1 (1 reviews) from Nacogdoches, TX

I received a shipment of Phalaenopsis from orchids.com yesterday and as always, was very pleased. The condition of the plants was excellent, good root systems, most in spike or in bud. The packing was also excellent. Three plants were shipped in bloom and they looked great on unpacking. I have grown Phalaenopsis for 20 plus years and consider orchids.com as a premier vendor and grower.

Positive
On Mar 14, 2012, lwbanks (1 reviews) from Cleveland, GA

My wife and I are 'newbies' in the orchid collecting experience, having only 3 or 4 phals for the past 6 years or so...sometimes they bloom, somtimes they don't. After discovering the diversity of the orchid species (I purchased a Sharry Baby at a local grocery store (!) and immediately realized how much I underappeciated the orchid genus/species), we began to order orchids online, ultimately from four different growers (we now have 19 orchids, comprised of 10 genus). All of the growers provided satisfactory plants and service, but one stood "head and shoulders" above the others: Norman's, (orchids.com). Their plants were the best "bang for the buck". But more importantly, being the neophyte, I had some concerns that I needed addressed and when I dealt with their customer service rep (thanks Fabby :-) ), I was treated as a valued customer with respect and concern for my complete satisfaction....I can't recommend their organization highly enough.

Positive
On Feb 9, 2012, SkanadianIce (1 reviews) from Buffalo, NY

I received the two orchids I ordered with orchids.com today, and I was very pleased. The packing was carefully done and there was no sign of damage on either plant. The in bud/in spike Dendrobium I ordered had about 20 fully formed buds on it, and the mature Paphiopedilum actually came not only in flower, but with new leaf growth as well. It was a pleasant surprise. Both plants look very healthy with no sign of fungus or infestation. I'm not an expert but I have a little experience with orchids and I would say their condition is as good or better than any orchids I have bought in nurseries or plant shops. This was my first time buying orchids online and it was a great experience. Despite the negative reviews, I would recommend orchids.com and I would order from them again.

Negative
On Aug 31, 2011, tomikm (1 reviews) from Alamo, CA

I greatly regret giving negative feedback, but after 3 poor quality plants on 3 separate orders, I feel I must comment. One, an intergeneric oncidium was infested with scale. The second was a phalaenopsis with broken roots. The last was a species phalaenopsis that turned out to have mites. In all fairness, I admit I did not contact the company partly because of their difficult reputation and partly because I try to fix plant problems myself. I kept thinking I'd give Orchids.com another chance, that perhaps I was just unlucky. After I realized my last orchid had mites, I decided that, unfortunately, I could no longer buy from them no matter how wonderful their orchids look online. To clarify: I am not and cannot comment on their customer service only upon their plants.

Positive
On Jul 29, 2011, orchid_queen (1 reviews) from Portland, OR

I love Norman's Orchids and had purchased at least two time from their very organized web site : Orchids.com . Just received one one their July special with two beautiful blooming and very unusual phalaenopsis which you can only found from this company. I received a instant order confirmation right away and another email of UPS air tracking next day. With limited orchid resource at Pacific Northwest , this is a A+ source for quality and unusual orchids.

Positive
On Jun 20, 2011, starrynaya (1 reviews) from Chestnut Hill, MA

BEAUTIFUL HEALTHY ORCHIDS! I recently ordered several orchids in bud/bloom from this company. They arrived super fast and were clearly lovingly packaged with a great deal of care. Two of my plants were in bloom, simply gorgeous, with approximately 10 open flowers each! I was impressed by how healthy the roots were and love their huge online selection. I have only positive things to say; fortunately I was not deterred by all the negative comments posted here otherwise I would not have been able to acquire such beauties. Given how lovely the flowers were I decided to place another order right away!

Positive
On Mar 16, 2011, wenokur (1 reviews) from New York, NY

I placed an order and right away I received an email stating that the order was going to be delayed due to severe weather which was absolutely fine with me since I didn't want to receive frozen orchids. 2 weeks later Customer support followed up with me and informed me it was safe to ship order but some of the items I choose were sold out and no longer available and gave me other item numbers that were similar to the one I choose. I was happy that they went out of their way to ship out my orchids and make sure they arrive safe. I've purchased orchids from other companies in the past and the experience with them was awful, orchids arrived frozen and very damaged. Their heat packs work great my orchids arrived safe, healthy, and very happy its been over a month since I received my orchids and I'm happy to say its still blooming. This company really knows what they are doing and Customer Support is always very helpful. Its sad to hear other people past experiences and all I have to say is you really have to be a true orchid grower to know what this company is about. They are one of the few standing that have such a big variety in exotic orchids. My joy.

Positive
On Mar 6, 2011, fraying (2 reviews) from San Francisco, CA

I've placed dozens of orders with Norman's over the years and have always been 100% satisfied. Their plants are healthy and happy, and they're shipped with so much attention to detail it's amazing. If it weren't for Norman's Orchids, I might not be the gardener I am today.

Positive
On Feb 14, 2011, Mfacci (1 reviews) from Schenectady, NY

I ordered an orchid from Norman as a Christmas present at the end of December. I had my heart set on a few and decided to not get a gift orchid and choose one that I really liked (MC246). Not even choosing a 'gift orchid,' an astute worker noticed this plant was bought by (male name -me) and was being shipped to (female-name). Like most 'complaints' I promptly got an email stating my orchid was not in flower and that it was 'not recommended as a gift' and I would need to call to confirm I still wanted it. On Monday, I called and the woman I spoke to was pleasant and reaffirmed that nonflowering plants were recommended as gifts, but after I told her I was really interested in the one I chose and was willing to wait the time for it to flower, she said it would be shipped out soon. The plant was received 2 days later (on a Wednesday). I also followed up with fedex to see when about the drive would be in my area so it would not sit on my front porch for long in the Pittsburgh winter. Upon opening the box, the plant was hearty and full. It was promptly replanted as it was growing out of it's container! I waited to write this review until the plant has done well in my possession. It has been about 2 months and the plant is growing and doing fine. I have nothing but good things to say about the folks at Norman's. This is my first review, but I ordered my orchids from them in spite of some of the ridiculous claims left by others and wanted to share my exceptionally positive experience. They were courteous and looked after my best interest in regard to plant selection and gift ideas. The shipping was prompt and my plant arrived unscathed. I enjoy the letters from Normans telling me what flowers are available and will be making more purchases from them in the future. If anyone reading this has questions - feel free to email me - liquidburn12@yahoo.com

Negative
On Feb 4, 2011, jz123 (1 reviews) from San Gabriel, CA

I ordered an orchid from Orchids.com, but received a wrong plant. I told Orchids.com that I would like to return the plant sent by mistake and receive a replacement without extra charge. Although Orchids.com admitted that they sent the plant by mistake, they told me that they could send me a replacement, ONLY IF I pay the shipping and handling. They also told me that they could refund me for the price of the plant, but not the shipping and handling in connection with my order. When I asked why I had to pay extra fees because of their mistake, the customer support of this company told me that: "It is our policy."

Negative
On Jan 18, 2011, rrupe (1 reviews) from Albuquerque, NM

I rarely complain. But I spent much time and thought into selecting a gift, only to receive an email that would inform me that my gift would not be shipped because it didn't have flowers on it. THEN I was told that if I wanted to ship something without flowers it would take up to seven days. That said, while trying to understand more about how the website and ordering worked, the first gentle men that I talked to was so unbelievably rude to me that I couldn't even finish a sentence... not sure why I waited on the phone while he transferred me to someone else, only to find that the second person wasn't very kind or had much interest in listening either. Is this what people in the Oakland area are like normally? Wow.


Company representative comment on January 18, 2011:
On Jan 18, 2011 3:44 PM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) responded with:

The courtesy email below is what RRupe received. The reason that we send these emails is because we get many complaints from gift recipients if they receive a gift that does not have flowers or decorative container. Basically, they will get a plant with no flowers and just leaves. The item that was ordered for gifts going to 2 different recipients was MC69 Mature Size. It states on the website that a Mature Size is capable to bloom within one year and "usually ships 1-7 days." The items in the General Catalog where she ordered from takes that long to fulfill because we have acres of greenhouses to go through to fulfill orders. As the email stated, only the items in the Gift Basket & Arrangement Section ships out the same day if ordered before 1pm PST. We can do this because we only offer about 8 pages of these items rather than the hundreds of pages that our General Catalog has to offer. We feel that we have done everything we can to provide the best customer service and its unfortunate that she was not satisfied.


"Hello Name of Buyer,

The item you chose is not recommended as a gift since it will not come with flowers. The only items that we can guarantee to have flowers are the items from the Gift Baskets and Arrangements section. These items are also the only ones that ship the same day if ordered by 1:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, and in accordance with FedEx/UPS service rules. Please advise, WE WILL NOT SHIP YOUR ORDER UNLESS YOU CALL US AT 888-467-2443. Mon - Sat 9-5 PM PST. DO NOT E-MAIL, during high volume period, we are inundated with e-mails and can not respond to them in a timely manner.
This is a link that will be blinking for the Gift Baskets and Arrangement Sections in the middle of our home page at http://WWW.Orchids.com if you would like to change your order.

Yours truly,
Sales Department
Norman's Orchids/Orchids.com
1-888-4-orchids"


Positive
On Jan 14, 2011, docknitter (1 reviews) from Brookline, MA

I ordered 5 orchids online. After placing my order I read the reviews of the company listed on this site and am greatly relieved that I didn't read them before I ordered, lest they influenced me to order elsewhere. My experience with this company was flawless. All 5 orchids arrived carefully and lovingly packed. I ordered in midwinter and had them mailed to me in the Boston area without any freezing issues. I unpacked my orchids and allowed them to acclimate overnight and then repotted them all. All have been thriving. In fact, I was expecting them all to be young and without spikes and was pleasantly surprised to be mailed one in bloom. I think it is important to know that this is a site best utilized by orchid enthusiasts who know how to treat these sometimes tricky plants properly. Orchids are living organisms and if they are mistreated, they can begin to show signs of suffering within two days in your home- and it may have nothing to do with the company of origin. Also, this is a plant supplier...not just a florist. Each plant is labeled online to indicate whether it is to be shipped in bloom. Do not be detracted by critics who wanted to mail a pretty orchid in full bloom and tried to buy the less expensive option, without realizing that it would be mailed as a less mature plant. I am very impressed with the large number of orchid varieties offered by this retailer...many are extremely rare. I was also pleased that they indicated whether each orchid would be better grown in a home or greenhouse. With all due respect to those people who had negative experiences with this company in the past, I can safely recommend this company (based on my limited experience) very highly.

Negative
On Nov 20, 2010, TC13 (1 reviews) from Reston, VA

Posted on November 17, 2010, updated November 20, 2010 I never leave feedback, but my experience with them was so atrocious that I feel compelled to do so. I ordered an orchid for my mother's birthday, and it must have frozen during shipment; leaves began to spot and fall off within two days of arrival. She called them twice, and each time the representative was rude, insisted she take a digital picture of the plant and send it to them (she is elderly and does not even own a digital camera), and they refused to send a prepaid shipping label for return. They disputed that the plant could possibly be damaged, and one of the reps, actually hung up on her. I spoke with another rep, a woman, who insisted on talking over me while I tried to explain what had happened, and who also refused to send a shipping label for return. She eventually hung up on me as well! I truly don't understand how this company remains in business with such terrible customer service. A gracious, "I'm sorry you had that issue, we'll send a return label right out" would have earned my return business despite the problem with the plant. Instead, I am disputing the charge with my credit card company and telling everyone who will listen, including my local orchid club, how awful this company is to do business with. STAY AWAY!


On November 20th, 2010, TC13 added the following: One only needs to read this company's so-called "rebuttals" to know never to do business with them. It certainly proves their terrible attitude and deplorable customer service, and perhaps also that they hire people with serious psychological disorders. And calling out their customers by their full names on a public site? A possible violation of privacy laws, which I intend to fully pursue.
Company representative comment on November 21, 2010:
On Nov 18, 2010 9:31 AM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) responded with:

It's unfortunate that happy, satisfied & REASONABLE customers never leave feedback either. If they did, I can guarantee that we have plenty of those.

The buyer's mother called on Nov 10. She claimed that the plant was dying. It is a Company Policy that we ask for photographs as proof of damage. The reason is because we deal with live orchid plants. They all grow differently. There has been many instances when customers thought that they received the wrong product or they thought that they didn't get what they purchased. By recipients sending a photograph, we are able to determine if there is indeed a damage or if there is a real problem or not. By the way, the item that was chosen for the recipient was a plant an In bud/spike item from our Hobby Section. It clearly says on the top of the website that "

If we sent a plant that was dying, obviously she would notice it the same day she received it. It was actually left at her front porch on Nov. 5 at 3:11 pm. Who knows how long it sat outside before the recipient brought it in? We asked the


On Nov 18, 2010 10:10 AM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) added:

THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE TO SAY BUT THE REBUTTAL WAS POSTED BEFORE I WAS FINISHED SO HERE IS THE REST OF THE TRUTH!

It's unfortunate that happy, satisfied, & REASONABLE customers never leave feedback either. If they did, I can guarantee that we have plenty of those.

The buyer's mother called on Nov. 10. She claimed that the plant was dying. It is a Company Policy that we ask for photographs as proof of damage. The reason is because we deal with live orchid plants. They all grow differently. There has been many instances when customers thought that they received the wrong product or a damaged product. By recipients sending a photograph, we are able to determine if indeed there is damage or if there is a real problem or not. If we determine that there is a real problem, we always send replacements or we refund the buyer. By the way, the item that was chosen was an In bud/spike plant from our Hobby Section. It clearly says on the very top of the website, " NOT RECOMMENDED FOR GIFTS." The reason we say this is that recipients who do know the many different species of orchids will have a hard time taking care of them, getting them to bloom, and keeping them alive.

What she failed to disclose and maybe her mother failed to tell her is that she was asked to take a photo. When she said she couldn't take a photo the representative did not insist. When the mother asked for her to be refunded, she was clearly told that she would have to send the plant back, that is another Company Policy. At the end the representative asked the mother to give it a week and if it does not get better then we will send another one.

Nov. 13, three days later, not a week like we asked, the mother called again demanding that she be refunded, she did not want another one and she refused to send a photograph. Why is it okay for anybody to just demand a refund for no reason? As an example, can anyone just go to a market without the product in hand and say the item I purchased was not good. Give me a refund?! Is that REASONABLE?

Nov. 17, when she called, I who answered the call tried to explain to her that we do have a Company Policy that we ask for photos of damaged products. If we are sent a photo, recipients are not asked to return anything. If something is damaged then we replace it because they sent a photo. If a person cannot send a photo and they want a refund, it needs to be returned and it is a Company Policy that we do not pay for returns. At this point, the buyer started yelling that she is very upset and we need to make things right and do something for her. Then it comes out that she has already disputed the charge with her credit card company. I then told her that there was definitely nothing we can do for her if she has already disputed the charge since she is refusing that we get paid. She started yelling more that we had to do something for her and her mom. At that point, I did say that there was nothing else that we could do for and that we will just have to wait to deal with her credit card company and I did say that I was going to hang up. What is the purpose of me staying on the phone, with her yelling at the top of her lungs, when clearly she is being UNREASONABLE.

The bottom line is she sent a gift that was not recommended. Her mother who I do not know if she is familiar with orchids claims its dead. We do not know if that is the case because she refused to send a picture for proof and she refuses to send it back as another proof. Now she will not pay for her purchase because she already disputed the charged with her credit card company. Yet, she wants us to send another item for free?

Unfortunately, we have to deal with unreasonable customers all the time. We try to do the best we can. Sometimes, customers no matter how hard we try to bend the rules and make them happy are never satisfied!

Positive
On Nov 19, 2010, hunky1234 (3 reviews) from Pleasant Hill, CA

I PLACED A ORDER FOR 3 PLANTS FROM NORMANS ORCHIDS. THEY WERE RECEIVED 3 DAYS LATER AND ALL IN GOOD SHAPE. I HAD NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. YOU ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT THE BAD EXPERIENCES BUT SELDOM THE GOOD THINGS. I GIVE THEM 5 STARS FOR FAST FRIENDLY SERVICE AND GOOD PLANTS.

Negative
On Nov 18, 2010, kshante (1 reviews) from Fort Lauderdale, FL

Horrid Company and putrid attitude. They work with a constant chip on their shoulder not to mention rubbish service.

Negative
On Sep 22, 2010, Viane (1 reviews) from Lexington, MA

I placed a large order ($350+) with orchids.com, only to receive an aggressive phone call in the evening, (during a family dinner) saying that the order could not be processed because one orchid was not available and had to be exchanged. I asked to do it the next day, or online, and was treated so rudely that when I suggested perhaps I would just cancel the order the woman agreed enthusiastically! I sent a complaint the next day to the website, and heard back from that very woman, who was still aggressive and reminded me that she had happily canceled my order with them. Clearly, this is a one person firm and very, very poorly run. I will never order from them again, and have told this story to a group of orchid lovers in the New England area. What an appalling site!


Company representative comment on September 22, 2010:
On Sep 22, 2010 11:13 AM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) responded with:

I find it sad that customers have the ability to complain at websites such as this but there is really no way of knowing if what they say is true. They off course will make themselves look like victims when it is the other way around.

This is how the conversation went: I called and asked for the customer, the female on the other line said right away, this is dinner time, what is this in regards to? I introduced myself and the company I am calling with and stated that one of the items she ordered was sold out. She made a snide remark and claimed that she had gotten a notice that it had shipped already. I informed her that we do create airbills in advance and at times items are sold out, our growers will let us know.

Again she repeated, this is dinner time, can you help me or what can you help me with? Obviously, I was calling to try to resolve an issue. She stated that she will look online later and asked how she can take care of the problem on the website. I notified her there was no way to do that on the website and I would have to change the order manually. She became more irrate and stated, "this is too much of a hassle. Cancel the order!" Since, she had been very short and didnt want to deal with me, I did say, "Will do. Thank you and proceeded to hang up.

Today she wrote an email about how our conversation went: she claims that she explained that it was dinner time in Boston and she had guests, claims I was hostile and suggested I cancel her order. Actually, she did repeat it was dinner time and that was the only truth to what she said. She never said she had guests and she never asked if she can take care of it another time. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what I would have suggested if she had given me the time of day to get a word in. Rather, she was very short, very annoyed with me and downright belittling by the way she spoke.

It is truly sad that companies like ours have to get negative bad reviews because of dishonest customers who make it seem like they are the victims when it is simply not the case. I guess we will just have to be satisfied with the fact that we know everything has been recorded in our system and things did not transpire how she claims they did.

Negative
On Mar 25, 2010, Golfnation (1 reviews) from Irvine, CA

Posted on March 24, 2010, updated March 25, 2010 Posted on March 17, 2010, updated March 24, 2010 Posted on February 20, 2010, updated March 17, 2010 I bought an orchid on this website for my wife as a gift. I was very unsatisfied with what she got, it was unpresentable and looked nothing like the picture from their site. I'm not buying anything from them anymore.


On March 17th, 2010, Golfnation added the following: I made a follow up call to them last week because some of the spikes and flowers have fall off. The lady looked up my info and asked me if I was the one who wrote a negative comment about them. Not sure why she asked me that but then she said a manager will get back with me soon. Til now, I haven't received any phone calls about this issue and why am I not so surprised!? Very poor customer service skills that's all I can say!
On March 24th, 2010, Golfnation added the following: We decided to keep the orchid because it was a gift for my wife; she wanted to keep things simple. However the orchid was dying so we needed help. I wasn't complaining the second time; simply wanted to get information on how to take care of our orchid that was purchased on their company's website. It seems like someone is making false assumptions based on the first phone conversation. Also, why bothered telling me that a manager will get back with me if he/she was not planning on calling me back? Seriously, if they truly care about their clients or orchids sold from their store they should at least make some kind of effort. This company has completely failed in taking care of a once loyal customer.
On March 25th, 2010, Golfnation added the following: I think the rep still have our first phone conversation or complaint stuck in his/her head. Like I said in my previous posting, we've decided to keep the plant but now we have a completely separate issue. Also I have never asked for a free plant and I did pay for this one! Sure, I can find all the orchid care there is in the world online, at the same time, I wanted to make them aware of the issue since it was purchased from their company's site. This is an open forum about orchids.com so I welcome any feedback you may have. Lastly, please don't compare yourself with Nordstrom, I think they have professionalism and great customer service.
Company representative comment on March 25, 2010:
On Feb 22, 2010 3:36 PM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) responded with:

There was no mispresentation at all. The item that was purchased was called a Rare Fragrant White Angel Phalaenopsis. The description on the website states, "Perfect for anyone who has very little space but loves an abundance of flowers. Our white angel Phalaenopsis bears multitudes of heavy substance flowers on COMPACT SPIKES. During the warmth of the day, it produces a light fragrance from the flowers that can last for weeks. Beautifully presented in our decorative cache pot and finished with Spanish moss. Comes with 1-2 spikes."

When the buyer called, his complaint was that the orchid arrangement that he purchased was too small. He was told that the description on the website states it is compact and that it is perfect for very little space. The orchid was not mispresented at all. He simply did not read or pay attention to the description. We did offer for him to exchange the plant at our nursery if he drove in since he is local, but he refused. Upon looking at the buyer's history, 2 years ago he did purchase an item called a Premium Double Delight White, this is a 2 spike large phalaenopsis that is about 28-30 inches tall. I believe the buyer thought he was getting something like this and was dissapointed when what he received was a compact orchid with very compact flowers. He was sent exactly what he ordered.


On Mar 24, 2010 10:49 AM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) added:

Once again, this buyer has posted a review and left out factual details. The facts are: since the buyer was unhappy with the purchase, the Manager did offer to exchange the plant if he returned it by mail or if he drove to our nursery. The buyer refused. Two weeks later, he called again and this time with a different complaint. I am not sure if he was hoping to speak with someone else and accomplish a different end result.

Our company does make notes everytime a representative speaks with a customer. We simply made him aware that we knew who he was and that he had already spoken to a Manager and there was nothing else to discuss. We also did make him aware that we knew he had been on this website writing negative reviews which by the way he left out factual details both times.


On Mar 25, 2010 10:03 AM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) added:

Our company will no longer post any rebuttals after this one. This is a petty attempt by the buyer to have a he said, she said battle with us and I will choose to be the bigger person.

The fact is during the 1st phone call, the company did offer to replace the plant, if he would return it. He refused, because he wanted another plant for free. There was nothing wrong with the plant. It was just not what he expected. During the 2nd phone call, his attempt for a free plant was once again denied. Honestly, if he was really just trying to get "orchid care" would he really call back a company that he was trying to trash on the web knowing what he had done? Off course not! There are many ways to get orchid care. The fact that he knows about this website and is very familiar with posting in it goes to show that he knows how to get around the web to get orchid tips and orchid care. By the way, these are not assumptions, these are facts because everyone who works in the office has been alerted about this person.

He has purchased 2 orchids from our company. These posts are the results of the 2nd purchase. If every loyal customer was like this person, I think that we would be out of business. We did make an attempt. We were willing to replace the plant. He did not want to return it. He wanted another plant for free. Let's put it this way, if you walked into Nordstroms and purchased a shirt and complained about it, would they give you a new one and say here you go. Here is another one on us! Probably not!

Negative
On Mar 25, 2010, madchad (1 reviews)

Posted on March 25, 2010, updated March 25, 2010 Posted on March 23, 2010, updated March 25, 2010 Posted on March 23, 2010, updated March 23, 2010 Tried to place an order for a mature orchid plant (NF1612 Zygo. (Prospect Hill 'Purpl M.S.). I placed the order to be sent to a friend who tends tons of orchids. The email I received (which is filled with typos/English you'd find in a scam email from Nigeria, or the like) told me that they would NOT ship my oder (sic) unless I called them. Then, they wanted to upsell me on gift baskets, and such. The girl, with whom I spoke, was rude and condescending and I will never place an oder...er...order with them again. I would recommend that others do the same.


On March 23rd, 2010, madchad added the following: I forgot to add that they had already charged my credit card for the purchase, even though they sent an email stating "WE WILL NOT SHIP YOUR ODER UNLESS YOU CALL US".
On March 25th, 2010, madchad added the following: Wow. You modify your email that was sent to me to dispute my claims, while claiming it to be an exact copy of the one that you sent to me. The actual email states "Hello Chad The item you choose is not recommended as a gift since it will not come with flowers. The only items that we can guarantee to have flowers are the items from the Gift Baskets and Arrangements section. These items are also the only ones that ship the same day if ordered by 1:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, and in accordance with FedEx/UPS service rules. Please advise, WE WILL NOT SHIP YOUR ODER UNLESS YOU CALL US AT 888-467-2443. Mon - Sat 9-5 PM PST. DO NOT E-MAIL, during high volume period, we are inundated with e-mails and can not respond to them in a timely manner. This is a link that will be blinking for the Gift Baskets and Arrangement Sections in the middle of our home page at WWW.Orchids.com if you would like to change your order. Yours truly, Sales Department Norman's Orchids/Orchids.com 1-888-4-orchids" This is not edited, as is the one that you posted as a response. If anyone wants a screenshot, it's here: //www.chadmad.com/img/orchids.jpg As for the charge, my card did not show it as pending, however, I cannot dispute this claim as I do not have any access to any more information to do so. In regards to the "shouting obscenities" and "the representative could not even get a word in edgewise" I would simply state that I remember it quite differently, hence my statement about her being condescending and rude. Going back and forth on this point would seem to be a waste of time, so I will let the factual statements speak for themselves. In conclusion, in disputing my claims, you use a deceptive/modified version of the email sent to me...claiming that "The template below is the exact email that we send to our customers when they purchase an item that is not recommended for a gift." and that my "accusations are completely untrue and uncalled for." My accusations are not untrue (as I can easily prove) and are not uncalled for. Your company is, in my opinion, shady and should not be trusted. Your response, dishonest as it is, simply lends credibility to my claims and shows people exactly what they can expect should they wish to have the misadventure that I had when attempting to order from your website.
On March 25th, 2010, madchad added the following: "The template below is the exact email that we send"..."We did not say it was the exact email!" These statements are contradictory. The flashing link in the email (both your corrected and uncorrected versions) and the fact that your representative did try to get me to purchase gift baskets contradict your statement that "We were not trying to up sell. Any normal person can see that.", as well. I stand by my comments that this business seems shady. The fact that you attack me personally, which I will not respond to in kind, demonstrates, at the very least, a lack of professionalism. The typos were merely proving a point. The email that I received, along with the demand that I call you, are reminiscent of scams that I have seen in emails for some time. Then, you corrected the email so as to dispute my claim to the contrary. Changing it back, or admitting after the fact, does not change my original complaint. I was nervous after receiving the email and the requirement to call, even though we had already agreed to a contracted sale. After your responses in this forum, I do not feel reassured that this is the kind of company that I would do business with, nor is it one that I would recommend that others do business with. As far as "this buyer has the capability of letting his emotions get the best of him and maybe over reacting before thinking things clearly."... I haven't read anything that I would see as me getting emotionally involved, at all. My comments have lacked the personal attacks, exclamation points, all caps (outside of direct quotes from your emails and comments), and other indications that you would find in a text-only setting which would provide clues as to the inclusion of any emotions. (Unless, you are referring to my screen name. That's "mad" as in crazy...not "mad" as in angry. It has to do with the "Mad Scientist" shows that I have been involved in creating over the years. Sometimes, I get to blow things up and get paid. Not a bad gig, if you can get it.) One might argue that we all have the capability of letting our emotions get the best of us, but I can tell you that I am not emotionally anything, as of yet. I, also, find it strange that your business has complaints on here, but you seem to believe that everyone else is wrong, or not normal as you alluded to. So...your business has complaints, but your response is to attack the customers. This is evidenced in your previous posts. My advice is to address the cause of these problems and not attack the lifeblood of your business (your customers). Unless, of course, you have more customers than you need. An enviable position, however one that I believe will soon change, if you continue to do business as usual. While it is true that you cannot please all of the people all of the time, you can make an effort. And, by all means, charge the credit card. I entered into to my part of the agreement in good faith. I will carry out my obligations in the same manner. I expect that you will respond. I will leave the last word to you. People can read this and form their own opinions as to whether I'm some lunatic or just a customer that felt he was treated very poorly. They'll also have a chance to form their opinions on your company and how you do business. They might like what they see here or they might not. No matter which they decide, I hope that you do look at the way that things are done and decide what amount of customer service is good enough. Good luck and I yield the forum to you.
Company representative comment on March 25, 2010:
On Mar 24, 2010 10:14 AM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) responded with:

We do not charge until after an order has shipped out. The charge that this buyer is referring to is an "authorization or pending charge." I am sure anyone who uses a debit or credit card understands how this works. When a person attempts to make a purchase, the bank needs to make sure that there is money in the account to cover the purchase. They usually set it aside for a few business days until it is collected. In our case, we actually do not collect the funds until the order has shipped out. We do have two sections on our website. The first one is the General Catalog or hobbyist section. There are thousands of orchids to choose from there. They arrive in a nursery container and vary from 2 years away from blooming to already blooming. These items can take up to 7 days before we can ship. The second one is Our Gift Baskets and Arrangements section; these are live orchid plants in decorative containers and are guaranteed to be in bloom when they arrive. They ship out the same day if ordered before 1pm PST. These are the ones that we recommend for gifts.

The buyer did make us aware that he knew exactly what he was sending when he called. The problem that we often come across is that numerous customers are not aware that they have chosen a non-blooming plant. They are under the impression the gift that they are sending will have flowers when it arrives and comes in a decorative container. We send out courtesy emails and sometimes even phone calls because it has been our experience that most gift recipients get upset when they receive orchid plants that are chosen from the General Catalog. It causes many problems for the company and for the buyers as well when gift recipients are unhappy.

Quite honestly, the usual response is to thank us for notifying them. I am amazed that this buyer can claim the girl he spoke with was condescending and rude because the moment someone from the company answered the phone, he was yelling obscenities because he claims the email implied he did not know what he was doing. He was told that it was simply a courtesy email and that we would send out his order as soon as we were able find out what his name was. The representative could not even get a word in edgewise. The template below is the exact email that we send to our customers when they purchase an item that is not recommended for a gift. His accusations are completely untrue and uncalled for.

“Hello Chad,

The item you chose is not recommended as a gift since it will not come with flowers. The only items that we can guarantee to have flowers are the items from the Gift Baskets and Arrangements section. These items are also the only ones that ship the same day if ordered by 1:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, and in accordance with FedEx/UPS service rules. Please advise, WE WILL NOT SHIP YOUR ORDER UNLESS YOU CALL US AT 888-467-2443. Mon - Sat 9-5 PM PST. DO NOT E-MAIL, during high volume period, we are inundated with e-mails and cannot respond to them in a timely manner.

This is a link that will be blinking for the Gift Baskets and Arrangement Sections in the middle of our home page at http://WWW.Orchids.com if you would like to change your order.

Yours truly,
Sales Department
Norman's Orchids/Orchids.com
1-888-4-orchids”


On Mar 25, 2010 2:25 PM, Orchids.com (Norman's Orchids) added:

All this email proves is that this buyer has the capability of letting his emotions get the best of him and maybe over reacting before thinking things clearly.

This is the statement that we used on the post " The template below is the exact email that we send to our customers when they purchase an item that is not recommended for a gift." We said it was the exact template. We did not say it was the exact email! Yes, I do admit that I can see 2 typos. How petty! I showed the template so that I can give the readers an idea of what the email contained. We were not trying to up sell. Any normal person can see that.

The email proves that we were sending a courtesy email. What is shady about sending an email and asking a customer to call us if they want it shipped? The reason we do that is explained in the email. We do not have time to check our emails every second. By asking the buyer to call us if they want their order shipped will ensure that the item can be pulled as soon as possible and shipped out the same day. The item that the buyer purchased was from the general catalog, these items can take up to 7 days before shipping. Since he did call us within minutes of the courtesy email we sent him, we were able to ship out his order right away and was received within 2 days of ordering the item. Our courtesy emails obviously serves a purpose because we were able to get a response within minutes. By the way, we are a little behind on collecting funds so the credit card has not even been charged yet!

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