Renaissancefarms.com

[DK2021]

Originally Posted by R2rusmc

I’d be fine and patient if his page reflected my order as paid and if I received a receipt for my order. Those two things should be an automatic occurrence with his e-commerce program.

I had an issue with a seed company located on Long Island, which never delivered any of the seeds I ordered early last year, and did not respond to multiple emails/phone calls over at least six months. I even looked up the phone number of their grower and called her to try and find out what was going on, to no avail. Given the pandemic and all, I have tried to be patient with slower responses, especially from small businesses (which I do try to support), but this situation had gotten beyond acceptable. Now I am in the process of getting my bank to refund my payment.


Anyway, I learned during this process that a seller has several months (I think actually an entire year) to actually collect the payment even if Paypal shows a status of "paid". So there can be a discrepancy between what Paypal shows and the actual status with the seller--it's not, apparently, an "automatic occurrence".



I have had multiple positive experiences with Renaissance Farms, compared to the poor experience with the LI-based company. That's a customer sample of n=1, for what that's worth, but I certainly plan to buy again from Renaissance Farms. The LI-based company has lost my business, unfortunately.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by R2rusmc

I placed a huge order ($180) with this company last week, mostly tomatoes but some other seeds as well.

Why I say sketchy?

1. Took my money immediately (as expected) yet my order account still even a week later shows as being UNPAID.

2. No emailed order confirmation except from PayPal for payment.

3. I called the provided number to make sure they are aware the order is paid in full and get a generic voicemail. I ask for a return call, nothing.

4. Followup email with image from website showing them listing me as unpaid and image from PayPal showing I’ve paid. No response, not even an auto response to acknowledge receipt.

Complete failure in communication is no way too run a business.

I had a very similar experience with them (same unpaid even though my PayPal went through right away). I did receive my seeds about 2 weeks after I ordered. I agree though, a sentence or two answering an email goes a very long way and would be the ideal way to run a business.

[PaulF]

With the advent of Covid, more folks at home getting into gardening and the loss of several seed selling sites, a little patience goes a long ways.

I have not ordered from Curtis, but all the other sites experience a gap between orders taken and seeds sent out. Those sellers that are a single person can get a flood of orders when southern growers start planting now and it continues though the northern surge. I order early (but no so early since many sellers don't begin packaging seeds until the new year). That way a month from order to receipt is not a bother. A blurb on the website explaining their situation would certainly help explain the lag time. Since I am planning to spend the money anyway, I don't care when the check (or card) gets cashed. As long as the seeds get to me by my planting time.

One of my favorite sellers says on his site that they do not read or answer e-mails very often because they are busy sending out seeds. His turn around is generally a couple of weeks. Another favorite does send out an e-mail notice that the order has been received.

The good thing is that I have never been forgotten or had the wrong order sent except by one of the big catalog companies. That is why I deal with the smaller family organizations despite any small wait for delivery.

[AhSum89]

Originally Posted by R2rusmc

I placed a huge order ($180) with this company last week, mostly tomatoes but some other seeds as well.

Why I say sketchy?

1. Took my money immediately (as expected) yet my order account still even a week later shows as being UNPAID.

2. No emailed order confirmation except from PayPal for payment.

3. I called the provided number to make sure they are aware the order is paid in full and get a generic voicemail. I ask for a return call, nothing.

4. Followup email with image from website showing them listing me as unpaid and image from PayPal showing I’ve paid. No response, not even an auto response to acknowledge receipt.

Complete failure in communication is no way too run a business.

I've had a similar experience also. Combing through the comments in his facebook group (Heirloom Tomato Seeds And Pictures), it sounds like we're not the only ones. Average time it seems from paying to receiving goods is just over a month or so.

I put in another order just after new years, and finally got a confirmation email yesterday. Does seem legit, just REALLY slow.

[Fred Hempel]

One man bands are slow at times. When all the orders are coming in. And last night I found a couple of orders from last month that fell through the cracks. Glad they are not on Tomatoville.

I'm struggling to keep up right now too. Some of the larger seed companies are as well.

[D.J. Wolf]

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

One man bands are slow at times. When all the orders are coming in. And last night I found a couple of orders from last month that fell through the cracks. Glad they are not on Tomatoville.

I'm struggling to keep up right now too. Some of the larger seed companies are as well.

Fred, I was amazed how quickly you got my seeds out to me! Thank you so much. If I could be so bold, could you send me a PM here at your convenience please?