very, very mad

[missann]

I was mad because I recieved an orchid with huge spots on it, and my post was a big rant about it. However, I sent the guy a pic of the plant, and he called and told me that it is heat damage, and that they never would have sent an orchid out with spots like that. He told me to keep it and that he would send me another one on Monday. I am very, very pleased with how he is handling this problem. I am especiall stoked that this plant is an award winning clone, and I get to have two of them now.

[kid a]

OMG! Is this a Den? I have never seen anything like that before on leaves!!! I would be pretty mad too! Will they accept returns and do a refund? Email them this picture too if you haven't already and see what they say. As far as what is wrong with it I have no idea, sorry Maybe someone else can tell. It looks like the black area is depressed a little bit, but I can't really tell. They should surely fix it and make it right. What is the name of the plant?

[myorchid]

I would definately ask for a refund!

[Brooke]

That is the most bizarre thing I have ever seen. It almost looks artificial - it looks like someone spilled ink on the leaves. I've seen black spots, black leaves, black pbulbs but never anything like this.

Brooke

[solay]

Really, that is a very weird looking. Never seen that either. Does it go through to the bottom too. I would definitely complain.

[missann]

It is a cattleya. Yes they take refunds, but it pisses me off to no end that they would even sell something like that. The black spots are not depressed. I thought it was the leaves, like some leaves are suppossed to be spotted, you know? But then I thought.."no, this is a cattleya, I don't think they have leaves with spots like that." I mean, I don't even want to touch the thing, and I sure as **** am not going to put in in with my other plants because if that is a fungus, we all know that fungal spores can become air borne real quick, and I don't want that on my other plants. I called them about it and I am going to e-mail a pic of it to the guy. Oh, I don't know if I should say the name of the company, but if you want to know, send me a pm and I will tell you.

[kid a]

Good Luck, if they are a good company they will refund or replace immediately.

[Sharyn]

The only time I've seen black leaves like that were on a catt I accidently left in the sun. Two of the leaves looked exactly as yours. They didn't just burn a little brown and then turn black - they turned black in a matter of hours.

If it's fungal or bacterial, that's even worse. I can't imagine that anyone would have the nerve to pack and ship that to you. Too bad this took the joy out of receiving your new plant. Hopefully, you'll get a replacement plant.

[PhalPal]

My first thought was sunburn also; if that is not the problem then I have no idea. Does anyone know if heat damage in transit can cause this? I would keep it separated just to be sure. I don't know why a company would send you such a marred or unhealthy plant. Send it back!

Please don't let this hinder you from ordering orchids online. Probably half of the orchids I have I bought online and I have only been unhappy once. It's just not possible to get the variety of orchids I want from shows. I would be very curious who this grower is; please PM me!

Pssstt......Moderators??? Can we mention names of companies that we are not happy with?? We very often talk about the GOOD growers, how about the bad ones??

[articuno75]

It looks like sunburn. Weird sunburn, but sunburn none the less. Missann, have you contacted the company for an explaination?

Usually a good company will back their product. Regardless of what the issue may be. Contact the company first.

[patticake]

I've ordered 95% of my 80+ orchids on-line. I've never seen anything like this! Did these people have an explanation? Could it have gotten "cooked" in shipping? It gives me the willies.....Good luck.

[Jerry Delaney]

By any chance was the plant sent via USPS. As others have mentioned, it is most likely heat damage or perhaps somehow some water collected in packing material and got hot in that spot. All small boxes delivered here by USPS are put in a metal box where the letter arrival/drop is located. Since many days in the summer here are 100 degreed plus, I have had some similar looking plants. Some mail carriers are very good and following the warning on the box will bring it to our door, but others- - - - - - !!! If that is what it is, the plant will recover but I would contact the shipper anyway keeping in mind that they may not be completely at fault.

[katrina]

Can't say I've even seen anything like it either. I'm going to have to side w/the theory of heat damage during shipment because I can not see a reputable company sending out anything looking that bad. I just don't believe it would happen.

I've done most of my buying online and only had one minor problem last year which was made right immediately.

As for the heat damage...if not packaged properly (dried out) the orchid can cook very easily in a box in summer heat. It's like steaming it in a microwave if it's shipped wet and the heat is really high.

Definitely contact the co.

[Ron]

Hi.
A shocker, never seen a plant in such condition.
Either frost or heat damage, but hard too make it out properly from the photo.
I would definatly say not virused.
Send them the photo and asked for a refund or exchange plant before naming them.
Most nursery in Aussie land are good but a few rouges exist, they also may have an idea on what went wrong with the plant.
Best of luck
Ron

[missann]

I sent a pic and he said it is heat damage from being in the box. He is sending me a new one, and I am very happy about it because I get to keep both. He said they would never have sent a plant out with huge blemishes like that, so it happened when it was being shipped. He said he was really glad that I sent him the pic. I think I will make a complaint to the post office and let them know that the need to keep plants cooler next time. I know it didn't happen on my porch, becase I am always home when the mail comes, and I run out to get my plants as fast as possible so they don't cook.

[solay]

Great. Two plants for the price of one. Glad it worked out for you.

[kmarch]

I would be very surprised if they sent a plant looking like that (unless they are, as Ron would say, a rogue). This looks like damage resulting from some sort of extreme temperature exposure, very hot or frozen either of which cold happen if the plant had been shipped air mail. Except for the black patches the plant looks fantastic, plump bulbs, beefy, vigorous new growth, sheaths, etc.

I'd contact them and let them know what happened, send the photo as some have suggested. Don't approach them in anger though. I'll be surprised if they don't replace the plant or refund your money.

[kmarch]

Looks like I was typing my message as your problem was being resolved. Good to know they came through with excellent customer service.

[articuno75]

Originally Posted by missann

I sent a pic and he said it is heat damage from being in the box. He is sending me a new one, and I am very happy about it because I get to keep both. He said they would never have sent a plant out with huge blemishes like that, so it happened when it was being shipped. He said he was really glad that I sent him the pic. I think I will make a complaint to the post office and let them know that the need to keep plants cooler next time. I know it didn't happen on my porch, becase I am always home when the mail comes, and I run out to get my plants as fast as possible so they don't cook.

It's not the Post Office nor carriers responsibility for keeping plants cool. Unfortunately, this is the risk of shipping live plants. LOL, I just had a shipment of See's candy sent to me by UPS from California. Although See's went out of their way and even used a styrofoam cooler and frozen cooly packs, my chocolate still got hot! I had to stick it in the freezer to save it!!!

Know what the weather is going to be like when shipping plants. If needed and necessary, expedite your shipping to ensure that plants arrive safely.

[jay]

I recently had a package from Cindy show up 3 weeks after it was sent priority mail. Keep in mind it was sent from northern CA to southern CA. We actually decided that the box was a lost cause and she sent another box, which showed up in 2 days. Then the original box showed up. I believe it was actually my lazy mail carrier because she said she tried to deliver it, but I was home waiting.

[Anton]

That's one of the latest designer plants,...... with camouflaged leaves !

[solay]

Yeah, the mail service is hard to predict. Some days they're good, others not so good. Today's delivery looked like someone stomped all over the box. Good thing the plants were OK.

[kmarch]

solay....have I ever told you about my horrors with the courier service her ein Australia that ran over my orchids with a truck?

[solay]

Nope. Sounds like an interesting story. Do tell!

[kmarch]

It was my first order of paphs I made after I moved to Australia. They were sent via independant courier. It's one of these deals where you have to be home between 9 and 1 or 1 and 5 for them to deliver so I stayed home from work and they did not arrive. I called and said "What's up?" and they said it didn't make it onto the truck and could I stay home tomorrow to receive delivery. I said yes. No delivery. I was mad. I called and I insisted they deliver the next day to my office. They didn't want to deliver to a different address but they finally agreed. Spend all day at work....no delivery. I called. "Where's my parcel?" "We don't know, let me check.....(long pause)...We don't know." "Let me speak to your supervisor." "She's not available at the moment." "Have her give me a call asap." Couple of hours goe by, no call. I call again, "Manager please." Got the manager, "Where's my parcel?" "Let me check....(long pause)...It's here in our loading bay. It got run over by one of our trucks."

Insert here a very long recount of every bungle the courier company made, a description of how the most basic level of competence at any one of these junctures would have avoided my orchids being run over by their truck, and a thorough account of their overall lack of professionalism and competence.

Then they asked if I wanted to still receive the shipment (by this time I'd already contacted the seller who said to lookat the plants when they arrived and go ahead and take the plants, report to him their condition and he'd file a claim with the couriers) and could I be home the next day between x & y. I told them they'd be delivering my crushed package to me now. They didn't want to because it was nearly closing time. I reminded them of how many times and the extent to which they had inconvenienced me and reiterated that they would be delivering my orchids to me immediately and that I may or may not agree to accept the delivery, I'd make that decision after I had inspected the orchids. They very begrudgingly agreed and at 5:15 that day a delivery guy showed up at my office with a crushed box. I inspected the orchids. I had ordered 6 Paphs. 2 were a mess, crushed, 2 were damaged but might be ok and 2 has suffered only minor damage. I took the plants, reported their condition to the seller and he filed a claim and replaced the bad ones.

End of story

[solay]

Wow, I can't believe that. The nerve of them. You must be an angel not to have been tempted to punch the delivery guy in the face. I would be so pissed off too.
So far I haven't had that much bad luck with deliveries yet. Knock on wood.

[articuno75]

I would have been furious on day two with no package.

How many survived overall?

[kmarch]

solay, I'm rarely if ever tempted to unleash physical violence on someone but I'm never shy about laying out the facts of a situation and my expectations for the outcome.

Jenny, the 2 that arrive mostly undamaged are fine and growing nicely. One spiked last December but the spike blasted when the plant was moved to my friends house to take care of my orchids while I visited the states. The 2 moderately damaged ones died, and the 2 horribly crushed ones were replaced.

[missann]

Yes, if you are super mad about something you got in the mail, it is best to wait a day to cool off so you don't go chewing out some phone guy who doesn't even pick the plants, or it was the post office's fault, etc. Most times compaines will give you a refund or whatever. I try very hard to just say "I am upset, or dissapointed in this product" instead of flying off the handle. I am sure the guy is going to go pick a special plant out just for me after getting to know me on the phone about my issue. And I am very glad I sent him the pic. When I called the first time and told him about it he said "it is very rare for any orchid to not have a few spots." And I was thinking, "if this is his idea of a few spots, he is crazy cause 2/3rd of this plant is black." Anyway, I am happy with it now.

[Sharyn]

missann: I'm glad you were able to resolve your problem. It may take a long time, but those nasty black leaves will eventually fall off. You still have a beautiful plant.

So, I knew what sunburn looked like - now I know what heat stroke looks like. Guess we all learned something today. Anyone up to seeing frozen catts? I've got some of those too.