Burgess Seed & Plant Company

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2016/05/25) */
Dear Mrs. [redacted]:
We are in receipt of a recent inquiry regarding your order with us. Please know that we show that we have received several emails from you and responses were sent on all. If we have a problem receiving emails we would like...

to look into the matter and would appreciate clarification on the email(s) to which you did not receive a response.
In regards to the order - it was processed and then shipped on March 28th via ground [redacted] Trace results clearly show that it was delivered to you on March 30th and to date the order has not been returned to us. Through a series of emails, we have provided you with this information. You,however, stated that despite the trace results you had still not received the order.
We escalated the trace and begun processing a new shipment on 4/22/16. Processing generally takes 1-2 weeks. In addition, new stock for these plants has just recently arrived for us to ship.
The reshipment has, at this time, been shipped and should be arriving at any time via [redacted] Ground (tracking # XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX). We would like to apologize for any frustration and are unsure where FedEx had delivered the original package if not to you. We have, however, processed the reshipment which will e to you very soon if it hasn't already arrived.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed & Plant
[redacted]
Customer Service

I am rejecting this response because:
If your plants were not so pathetic you would have seen that I returned 4 plants and the package of cat grass along with the free seeds you sent.  I did attempt to plant these so called elephant "bulbs" where were merely a root, you will see this in photo labeled Elephant Ear No. 2.  I also believe that I should at least get my shipping refunded because I have $25 into shipping cost ($9 come and $15 returning).  If I had known how terrible the plants would have been, I would have never ordered from this establishment.  I also found out that you can not even answer your own phones and that you have a call center doing all the work and they mentioned that there are MULTIPLE completes against Burgess so there must be an issue some where.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2016/04/25) */
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
We have received your inquiry regarding and order you placed with us. You state that you have not yet received your order.
We regret that you have been inconvenienced in any way. However, we have checked with our shipping...

room and find that your order has been shipped. It should reach you in the very near future, if it has not already done so.
Thank you for your interest in our merchandise and we shall look forward to serving you again soon.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed & Plant
[redacted]
Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 12, 2016/04/27) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I did receive my order, but it was very late. received on 4-20- 16.

[redacted]1270 Indian Creek Rd.Sadieville, KY 40370-9565Dear Ms. [redacted];We have received your inquiry regarding an order you placed with us.You state that you have not yer received your order.We regret that you have been inconvenienced in any way. However, wehave checked with our shipping...

room and find their your order wasshipped on 5/19/18 and according to a trace, was delivered 5/26/18 at12:15 pm to the address shown above.You should have received an email with your tracking number on 5/21/18.We also let you know on 5/22/18 in response to your emailed inquiry thatthe package had shipped.Thank you for your interest in our merchandise and we shall look forwardto serving you again soon.Very Truly Yours,Burgess Seed & Plant[redacted]Customer ServiceSP:KC

[Page 1/2]RE: [redacted]#12208374Dear Sir or Madam:Thank you for your inquiry concerning a complaint from one of our customers, [redacted] of [redacted], **.We are enclosing a copy of our letter to Mr. [redacted], which we feel is self-explanatory. Thank you again for your inquiry and we hope...

our method of handling this matter is satisfactory. Very Truly Yours,Burgess Seed & Plant [redacted]Customer ServiceSP:RR-enclosure-[Page 2/2]Dear Mr. [redacted]:We have received your inquiry regarding an order you sent to us.  You state that you have not as yet received your replacement order.We regret that you have been inconvenienced in any way.  However, we have checked with our shipping room and find that your replacement order was processed 6/9/17 and was shipped 6/15/17 (tracking # [redacted]).  It should reach you in the very near future, if it has not already done so. Thank you for your interest in our merchandise, and we shall look forward to serving you again soon. Very Truly Yours,Burgess Seed & Plant [redacted]Customer ServiceSP:RR

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 13, 2016/04/28) */
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
As stated in our catalogs and on our website, our cancellation policy is "We can only guarantee cancellation of an order if it is requested the same day the order is placed. All other cancellation requests must come to us...

in writing. Once we have begun shipping for the season, it is difficult to cancel an order."
Once we have received an order for merchandise, we immediately make arrangements for preparation and shipment. Based upon the above it is almost impossible to cancel an order.
Your order was processed on 3/16/16 and shipped on 4/2/16. We did respond to your 3/28/16 email that we would attempt to cancel your order, but could not guarantee it as it was already in our shipping area.
Our guarantee is a follows: "If any item you purchased does not live, for a FREE REPLACEMENT just RETURN THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL along with your written request within 1 year of receipt...Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL is returned. For a REFUND of the purchase price, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with correct postage affixed, within 14 days of receipt."
Therefore, if you no longer desire the merchandise, you may return it per the terms of our warranty, along with the original shipping label, for a refund.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed & Plant
[redacted]
Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 15, 2016/05/03) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The reply received by the Revdex.com is the exact letter we received from Burgess. Due to the inferior product they sent out, they should be willing to reimburse us. We have no desire to receive more inferior products from them in exchange for the inferior products we now have in our possession. Obviously Burgess does not train their customer service reps adequately as we were specifically told our order could be cancelled by the representative. The fact that we were told we could cancel the order and then not having Burgess stand behind what we were told by the customer service rep pretty well shows you that Burgess does not even know let alone care about customer service. We [redacted] not be satisfied until our money is fully refunded.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 23, 2016/05/09) */
Dear Sir or Madam:
Thank you for your inquiry concerning a complaint from one of our customers, [redacted] of [redacted], KS.
We have offered a refund to Mrs. [redacted] multiple times but she has not yet returned the product. Therefore there is nothing more we can do at this time.
Thank you again for your inquiry and we hope our method of handling this matter is satisfactory.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed & Plant
[redacted]
Customer Service
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 25, 2016/05/10) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I have asked for a call tag or a postage paid shipping tag. It's the least they can do for shipping such inferior products. Or if they would guarantee to refund my shipping charges, which they haven't, I be more than happy to consider this resolved.

Dear Mr. [redacted]:Our records show several order from 2015 and 2016, as well as several replacements requested 6/29/16 which were shipped 7/5/16. Please note, our guarantee is as follows:If any item you purchased from us does not live, for a FREE REPLACEMENT just RETURN THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING...

LABEL along with your written request within 1 year of receipt... Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL is returned. For a REFUND of the purchase price, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with correct postage affixed, within 14 days of receipt.At the end of June 2017, you contacted us requesting further replacements. A replacement order from the 5/24/16 order was processed 6/27/17 and shipped 6/29/17. You also requested additional replacements of some items that were already replaced 6/26/16. These additional items requested were from orders placed in 2016 and 2/26/16. Since they were well over the one year guarantee time frame, no adjustment is due.Very Truly Yours,Burgess Seed & Plant[redacted]Customer Service

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I cannot thank you enough. I have never dealt with a mail order company that takes money prior to shipping. In this case, I was billed on August 31. The package arrived on October 30. I panicked for two reasons: I received horrible customer service...in that I was not supported and the customer service was well...seemed untrained. I don't need you to argue with me, I need you to tell me when it will be shipped. I never could get a response to that until I saw this Revdex.com message. (and by then I had received it.) The second reason I panicked is because I saw horrible reviews for this company. HORRIBLE!  Including your site. I saw entire gardening blogs dedicated to this company's poor business practices. I saw nothing but bad outcomes from other consumers. I learned my lesson for sure and I will only deal with companies I know well from now on. I really wonder how they stay in business. I would never have complained to Revdex.com (have never done it before) if I had not had such poor customer service. If someone had kindly said, "We are waiting for supplier...sorry, we'll get to you before DATE, but I got nasty responses, bad attitude and argumentative communication. It alarmed me that maybe they would never ship it. I really had a bad consumer experience and I have warned others to not deal with this company. My first and last order from Royal Dutch. But I am relieved to have your service and appreciate your help tremendously. Thank you.

Dear Mr. [redacted],As stated in our catalogs and on our website, our cancellation policy is: "We can only guarantee cancellation of an order if it is requested the same day the order is placed. All other cancellation requests must come to us in writing. Once we have begun shipping for the season, it is...

difficult to cancel an order."We have received an email from you on 5/2/17 to cancel your order. Unfortunately, we were unable to stop the 2 packages, which were already in shipping, as they were sent on 5/2/17 (delivered 5/6/17) and 5/3/17 (delivered 5/9/17). We do not show having received and phone calls from you on 5/2/17.Please note, our refund guarantee states: "For a REFUND of the purchase price, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with correct postage affixed, within 14 days of receipt." Therefore, if you no longer desire the merchandise, you may return it per the terms of our warranty, along with the original shipping label, for a refund.Very Truly Yours,Burgess Seed & Plant[redacted]Customer Service

I am rejecting this response because: I have sent the information to them 2 times already.This is what they are good at-doing anything but standing behind their so-called warranty.They know what I have purchased by their own records,so what is the big deal! I have told them my plants and trees did not grow,3 times on the phone and twice in correspondence.As I have stated before,burgess has no intention of upholding any kind of warranty.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2016/10/21) */
Dear Ms. [redacted]:
We are in receipt of correspondence regarding the order you place with us on 3/13/15 $198.85, which shipped in 3 packages on 3/24/15 & 4/30/15. Please note our guarantee is as follows:
"If any item you purchased does not...

live, for a FREE REPLACEMENT just RETURN THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL along with your written request within 1 year of receipt...Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL is returned. For a REFUND of the purchase price, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with correct postage affixed, within 14 days of receipt."
Replacements (value $95.68) were requested 7/14/15 and shipped in 3 packages. The majority of the order shipped on 7/16/15. The potatoes shipped directly from the supplier in Spring 2016, and the Kieffer Pear shipped 3/3/16.
On 3/18/16 we received and processed a 2nd request for replacements from the shipment made 7/16/15) value $71.70, which shipped 4/5/16. Again, on 6/29/16, we received a 3rd request for replacements. We are only obligated to replace once, yet have already replaced the requested items twice. In addition, your order was past the 1-year timeframe of our guarantee when you corresponded to us in June.
Therefore, at this time no further adjustment is due on your 2015 order.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed & Plant
[redacted]
Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 12, 2016/10/26) */
Hello, I'm not sure what I do next. Burgess did reply with a letter saying they sent replacements twice. My complaint still is they sent dead sticks the first time and 2 more times as replacements. I have seen other complaints about this same problem, unfortunately after the fact. How does this company get away with this practice? I still say replacing dead tree/sticks with more dead tree/sticks is not a one year guarantee. Thanks

Dear Ms. [redacted]:We are in receipt of recent correspondence regarding the order you placed with us 3/7/17, which shipped in 4 package. Please note, our guarantee is as follows:If any item you purchased from us does not live, for a FREE REPLACEMENT just RETURN THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL along with...

your written request within 1 year of receipt... Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL is returned. For a REFUND of the purchase price, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with correct postage affixed, within 14 days or receipt.Each package that is sent has an original shipping label which lists the items in that package. That shipping label is the closet equivalent to a receipt for those items.We previously sent you documentation requesting additional labels as the label you returned did not list all of the items you referenced. Therefore, please return the original shipping label(s) that contain the items for which you need an adjustment, along with a list of how many of each item is dead. Be sure to return all of the original shipping labels for the products that list the items that need to be replaced.Please submit the required information to my attention for quicker processing. As soon as we receive the requested information we will be happy to make an adjustment.Very Truly Yours,Burgess Seed & Plant[redacted]Customer Service

[Page 1/2]June 7, 2017 Revdex.com8100 N UniversityPeoria, IL. 61615 RE: [redacted]#[redacted]Dear Sir or Madam:Thank you for your inquiry concerning a complaint from one of our customers, [redacted] of Walters, OK. We are enclosing a copy of our letter to Mrs. [redacted], which...

we feel is self-explanatory. Thank you again for your inquiry and we hope our method of handling this matter is satisfactory.  Very Truly Yours,Burgess Seed & Plant[redacted]Customer Service-enclosure-[Page 2/2]Dear Mrs. [redacted]:We have received your inquiry regarding an order you sent to us.  You state that you have not as yet received your replacement order. We regret that you have been inconvenienced in any way.  However, we have checked with our shipping room and find that your replacement order for 8-Tomato Plants was processed 5/26/17 ad was shipped 6/5/17 (tracking #[redacted]).  It should reach you in the very near future, if it has not already done so. Thank you for your interest in our merchandise, and we shall look forward to serving you again soon.  Very Truly Yours, Burgess Seed & Plantsigned:: [redacted]Customer Service

I am rejecting this response because:
When we first called them for a refund we were told to wait 6 weeks to see if anything grows.  They did not.  So after 6 weeks like they told us to wait we called and wanted our money back.   We were told to wait.  I do not want any more of their product it is apparently of very poor quality.  I want the money back

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2016/01/04) */
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
Our records show that you placed two order with us. The first on 7/7/15 for $110.88, which was split into two packages. Package 1 shipped 7/9/15 and package 2 was scheduled to ship in Spring 2016. The second order was placed...

8/4/15 for $41.36 and was shipped 8/11/15.
Please note our guarantee is as follows:
"If any item you purchased from us does not live, for a FREE REPLACEMENT just RETURN THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL along with your written request with 1 year of receipt... Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL is returned. For a REFUND of the purchase price , RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with the correct postage affixed, within 14 days of receipt."
In November you wrote stating that some of the items were dead. No product was returned. In accordance with our guarantee, we issued a merchandise credit certificate for $108.62 on 11/16/15, which reflects the amount of the dead items.
In addition, we will now have package 2 cancelled and will issue a credit to your charge card in the amount of $9.92.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed and Plant Co.
[redacted]
Customer Service

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/04/11) */
Dear Ms. [redacted]:
You sent us an order for which we wish to thank you. However, we shipped this order to "7009 West Gun Club Rd, Fayetteville AR XXXXX," which was the address you gave us, only to have the package returned by the delivery...

service marked "Undeliverable." Being of perishable nature, by the time the package was returned to us the merchandise was of no value.
Due t the address being incorrect, we were required to pay for return postage on the package we received back. Even though we have no obligation in this matter, since we shipped your order to the address you requested, in the interest of customer satisfaction and as a final settlement we are willing to reship your order.
We would simply ask that you send payment in the amount of $10.10 for the fees we paid when the package was returned. Please, also, provide us with the address to which you would like the order reshipped and to which the U.S. Postal Service and FedEx can successfully deliver.
Please send payment, proper address and signature below, showing that you are accepting the reshipment, to my attention and the order [redacted] be processed in a timely manner.
Very Truly Yours
Burgess Seed & Plant
Susan Phelps
Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2016/04/12) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
My physical address is 7009 west gun club road which both fed ex and ups ship to without difficulty. Note there web site [redacted] not accept delivery to a post office box. But only accepted physical address, which does not recieve postal delivery thru the United States postal service. Ordered 14 trees, two of which were potted, thought it would be delivered ups or fed ex. Recieved no notice that they had been shipped or how they had been shipped i.e. fed ex, ups, or United States post office. Their communication is pathetic and I have no faith in getting 14 trees of any value by paying more money. Their accusation that I ha e them an inaccurate address is a lie, it very much is my physical address and is appropriate for fed ex or ups delivery. It is there web page that does not accept po box addresses. And it is there company that does not inform customers when or how they have shipped items ordered. And there web site that doesn't inform one how items are going to be shipped so appropriate address can be supplied. Or in my case with their web site only offering shipment thru United States postal service and forced to use physical address not deliverable post office box I would never have paid or bought theses items. Full refund for items ordered. I am unwilling to pay anymore, and have no faith in there ability to ship to me. I live the same place as I did when order was placed. They have had no difficulty sending me letters or catalogs to post office box. But yet there web site when you order items won't let you use a post office box!!!!!
Final Business Response /* (4000, 12, 2016/04/25) */
Dear Ms. [redacted]:
We are in receipt of your recent correspondence regarding your order and the problems with delivery. We responded directly to the Revdex.com in reference to your original complaint, however it does not appear they shared that information with you. Therefore, we have included a copy of all the additional correspondence.
Please take note of the screen shot of the "check out" page from our website. the bottom portion that asks for "Customer Shipping Information" clearly states that we ship using multiple carriers and to provide a complete address including PO Box. In addition, the address blanks include a line that is labeled "PO Box (if applicable)."
Given the above, we feel that our shipping methods were clear and therefore when a customer provides us with their "shipping" information it is safe to assume that they have provided us with valid information to which we should send their order via either the Post Office or FedEx.
Accordingly, as we stated in our 3/31/16 letter, even though we feel we have no obligation to do so we are willing to reship your order. We would ask, however that you pay the $10.10 we paid when the package was returned marked "Undeliverable."
Please send payment and acceptance of this final shipment to my attention for quicker processing.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed & Plant
[redacted]
Customer Service
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 14, 2016/04/27) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
My address is not incorrect. The po box I gave is the only one accepted by United States post office. Not their web site does not accept post office boxes. The physical address I gave is used by fed ex and ups. I felt that ordering 14 trees, two of which were potted. I might be ok and they would ship fed ex or ups. I have no confidence in receiving any of these items. And they have accepted no responsibility for their web site forcing no po box, sending no email when shipment was made. Their insinuation that my address is incorrect is unacceptable behavior. Hmm I have not moved ups and fed ex find me without difficulty. And United States post office continues to refuse to deliver any mail to that address. I feel that I should get a full refund and removed from their catalog/ mailing list.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/26) */
Dear Ms. [redacted]:
We are in receipt of your recent inquiry. Our guarantee is as follows: "If any item you purchased from us does not live, for a FREE REPLACEMENT just RETURN THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL along with your written request within 1...

year of receipt... Replacement guarantee is VOID unless the ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL is Returned. For a REFUND of the purchase price, RETURN THE ITEM AND THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL, with correct postage affixed, within 14 days of receipt."
Please note that several types of items were ordered including bulbs, perennials, and trees. In accordance with our guarantee, return the original shipping label and a list of how many of which items are dead for a replacement, or you may return the items along with the original shipping label for a refund.
We have cancelled package 2, per your request, and a credit to your credit card in the amount of $29.96 is being issued.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/05/04) */
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
We are in receipt of your recent correspondence regarding the order you placed with us. Please note, that you ordered choice (not premium) Northland Blueberries which should have been at least 6" tall.
If this is not...

what was received, please return the original shipping label along with a letter specifying ow many are the incorrect size. You may send this information to my attention and please state whether your are requesting a replacement, of the correct size, or a refund.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed & Plant
[redacted]
Customer Service
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2016/05/05) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
How can you sit there and say that the above is a copy of the email confirmation that you sent me and it clearly says 6 to 12 inches there's no disputing that that's exactly what it says have you looked at what your catalogs and what your website? How can you sit there and watch so blatantly again in my original complaint here I copied and pasted the order section you can clearly read that it says 6 to 12 inches if that doesn't mean the plant should be 6 to 12 inches what does it mean? And this was your mistake not mine if you want the items back I'm more than happy to get them back to you but you need to pay to have them shipped back send me a prepaid label and I'll send them back to you but one way or another I want a full refund if you don't want to cooperate with me in the Revdex.com I [redacted] dispute with my credit card it's up to you clearly shows what I ordered there's no disputing that
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2016/05/12) */
Dear Mr. [redacted]:
We are in receipt of your most recent correspondence regarding your order from March, however we are unclear as to the confusion. We agreed that the plants your order should be a minimum of 6 inches in height. Our current stock is a minimum of 6 inches, so we are not sure how you received items that were too short.
Nevertheless, we simply asked that your return the original shipping label from the package (not the plants) and let us know how many are the incorrect size and need to be replaced.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
Very Truly Yours,
Burgess Seed & Plant
[redacted]
Customer Service
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2016/05/13) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Well I realize we're at the end of the process for the Revdex.com I clearly just need to dispute this with my credit card now you're acting naive as though you didn't understand the issue to begin with the plants should be 6 to 12 inches it was your first response you said that that was not the case now you say yes it is the case you keep changing your story each and every time and God knows I've sent multiple emails trying to work this out with you before I brought it to the Revdex.com attention and you have continued to argue with me none of the plant you sent me war of the quality that they should have been I told you every one of them or broken and Dad and you said I'll just plant The Roots and see if they grow those were your exact words I have a copy of the email I didn't order a bunch of root I ordered plants that you did not provide and if you want them sent back you should send me a prepaid shipping label why should I pay more to ship your defective product back to you explain that to me and I don't want any Replacements I never plan to do business with you again I want my money back anything less than a full refund as unacceptable and I'm not going to stop and go away

Revdex.com:
I accept the refund from the business but I do not approve of their letter ultimately stating that I am falsely saying I didn't receive my order. If they would like to say that, I would like to see the documentation, besides a print out of tracking information (which anyone can get) from FedEx. I personally have contacted [redacted] and spoke with a local owner of multiple [redacted] routes who states that there is no way to, as Burgess states "guarantee that it was delivered at the correct address." This is a violation of my personal rights and a defamation of my character. Please request that new documentation be written removing that statement. Also, after contacting corporate FedEx, they stated that Burgess has a claims agreement with [redacted] so that in the event that this happens, they can simply refund the customer and be reimbursed. This is a scam in my opinion and I would like this email publicized.
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.I have today received the strawberries that I ordered. I thank you for your help. I had given up because they wouldn't answer their phones. Thank you, [redacted]