My negative shopping experience (seedlings being sold as trees)

onlyrey

I recently posted a positive Bonsai tree online shopping experience. I will now post a negative that happened just before that one.

It started with a "find" on Amazon in which I saw a Tree discounted by 99%! (from $900 to $10) It was a collected Ponderosa by Brussel's nursery. Well, I thought, if it is a mistake the seller will contact me and tell me that it was a mistake and not take my money (or immediately refund it), and if it really was some kind of once-in-a-lifetime-promotional offer, I'd be very very lucky.

Well, as it turned out, this was a Nursery from Naples, Florida (which I'd rather not mention) which sells seedlings (NOT related to Brussel's nursery), but links their seedlings to actual trees sold by Brussel's nursery at Amazon. This is if not illegal, very immoral, because this nursery is not only causing confusion with greedy/avid online shoppers like myself, but also diminishes the brand that Brussels tries to build.

At this very moment, they have a Redwood tree linked to one of Brussel's trees. The brussel tree sells for $54, and they say they sell the same tree for $12.95 (76% discount). Well, this nursery from Naples, actually sells a seedling for this price. When you are in the checkout page, he has a message that says that it is a seedling, and not the actual tree as advertised. When I tried to buy the tree, I did not see this message.

This link might not work later on, but right now you can see the falsely advertised Redwood:

http://www.bonsaitalk.com/shop/Tree...onsai_Tree.html

The link says "bonsaitalk", but it is an Amazon zShop which you access through bonsaitalk-shop. Neither bonsaitalk nor Brussel's are affiliated to this zShop.

At the end the guy returned my money, but never, not even once, apologized for the confusion.

I used to have an online store, and treated my clients with much more respect, and tried by all means to avoid confusion. If confusion arose, and I couldn't meet my offer (mostly the item would be out of stock), I would apologize and give a discount on future transactions with a coupon of some kind.

I've seen seedlings and photos of the trees being sold in eBay, but these merchants actually say that this is not the actual tree in the same page at least, sometimes in red letters to emphasize the fact that you are buying a very young tree and not the one in the photo.

So my advice is that when you are buying a tree online, do it very carefully.

Best

Jose (onlyrey)

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cbobgo

you should really email this to Brussell - as I imagine he would be less than pleased.

- bob

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OKbonsai

Already did

pootsie

You would not believe the trouble I've gone through to find a phone number for these lying sacks of fertilizer.

By the way, "Empire National Nursery, LLC" is not a registered LLC in Florida (or in Oregon, the only other address I've found), nor is its fake "parent co.", Empire National Co. LLC.

I would not trust these dirtbags as far as I could spit the "Christian website" links on their webpages. WWJD? He would not engage in trademark infringment and unfair competition using a fake front company!

pootsie

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JohnQuinn

I saw a Tree discounted by 99%!

Caveat emptor!

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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
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Interplast

Sivananda Center

Victrinia_Ensor

Oh Jose.... Is this that tree you showed the chat babies a couple of weeks ago If it is... I am sorry to hear it. I know you were excited about it.

We all live and learn... Sorry you got taken for a ride.

Yours,

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Ms. Vic

Le belle cose prendono tempo...

www.elandangardens.com

rockm

Online buying is probably the biggest source of bonsai rip offs aroun, eBay, Amazon, or wherever. The rip off here isn't uncommon. Pics of established bonsai are pirated constantly from reputable bonsai sites and used to sell crap, seeds, or scruffy seedling stock. I would buy stock trees like the one in the link (Brussels' tree) only from a "name" online source. There are a few that are listed here quite often.

Just as for most deals, unbelievable prices for spectacular trees are a trap, pure and simple. No honest bonsai artist or grower will let a tree go for a 75-90% price reduction. Just like a reputable merchant of any product won't.

Will_Heath

Who Wants Jelly Donuts?



Sorry about the rip off, thanks for spreading the word,

bonsaikc

Personally, I always ask myself, "What would Scooby Doo?

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