"Rip-Off" Gardening Express

It's 5 months on and I am still chasing 'gardening express' for my order. I have called but they never answer, I have emailed but no reply.
as soon as my exams are over I am going to drive up there and get a refund!!
This has completely put me off of internet plant shopping

 

Site looks genuine enough.

Their T's&C's.

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"When you reach the final billing page and Submit Your Order, our automated systems will immediately contact your bank/card issuer for authorisation to take payment from your account.
If the payment is authorised, you will receive an e-mail within a few minutes confirming your order, and payment will be taken from your account shortly afterwards. "
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As already said, taking money upfront is common practice over the internet, although Visa rules for mail order always used to be not until dispatch. Just ask for a refund, if no joy phone your CCard company and ask them to retrieve payment for non delivery of goods.

On the basis of this part of the T's&C's I think you will be waiting till next year, its very open ended.

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"If the order does not arrive in this time it can be considered that items are out of stock/out of season, these will be delivered as soon as possible when fresh stocks arrive or at the best seasonal planting time."
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Quote from Banana Man:

"Just ask for a refund, if no joy phone your CCard company and ask them to retrieve payment for non delivery of goods."

Havn't looked it up, but I think there will be a sting in the tail with the CCard co. probably charging for this service more than the value of the goods?

IMHO

 

AG - I think the order has to be more than �£100 for credit carde, try ringing Trading Standards 0845 404056 they are extremely helpful and will look into bad traders if there is a problem.

 

I wish they would answer the phone in order for me to ask for a refund
I also paid with a visa debit card so i guess i've lost control of the situation
I'll keep calling them and emailing i guess

 

Nope, depends on the outcome. If it is a genuine breach by the retailer (and you need to have read the T&C properly) you are perfectly entitled to request your money returned through the CC system thats what VISA et al. have rules for. I used to work with them.

However if the retailer can prove that the goods have been delivered ie signed for, or that the delay is reasonable and not in breach then you would be charged a nominal fee for the administering of your request. This in my experience has been about �£5.

Just seen this, Our full address and contact details are:
Gardening Express
Bridge House
Bridge St
Writtle
CM1 3EX

This is just down the road from me. If this is their operating address there is no bricks and mortar gardening premises this is someones internet business operation from home.

Why don't you phone them 08000 33 61 61. If you continue to have no luck I will PM you Chris Bonnett�s phone number from the local directory. :D

 

allye you sneaked in while I was still typing.

Debit Card, oh dear, not quite as easy. Best bet is to keep persuing the companies sugested cancellation process

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If you wish to cancel an order prior to despatch, we request that this is done in writing through the post for security reasons. We will then confirm this upon it's receipt.

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Allye,
You are not alone in having problems, my sister ordered goods on 29 March from this company. Still no sign of the delivery. They have responded to her emails by stating that their supplier has let them down and they are not using that supplier anymore until the backlog is cleared. They have not offered to cancel the order, refund the money or given any alternative solution to this problem. :(
Please let me know if you are sucessful in a refund or recieve your plants.

 

I know they do business on Ebay,

here is the link

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUPERB-Buxus-sempervirens-hardy-box-topiary-balls-S_W0QQitemZ7769070138QQcategoryZ2033QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

in the past month they have had 9 negative feebacks and in the past six months it went up to 76 so your not alone!

Good luck

 

I will send the boys round!

 

Allye - It is now May, and delivery of the ordered plants should have occurred at the latest by now - or reason for the delay provided, I remember your list.

As a last resort if nothing else works - write to them stating the facts,
. that you have allowed a reasonable time for them to fulfil their contract with you.
.that in the absence of communication from them,either in terms of delivery of the ordered goods, or reason for the undue delay, that you deem them to be in breach of their contract with you.
. that you therefore require either a delivery date when you may expect your order, or a full refund of amount you have paid within the next 28 days.
. that in the absence of such delivery date or refund that you will have no option but to take the matter to the small claims court.


You have your order, your proof of payment, and an account of your trying to contact them to see what is going on with no joy. You don't need a solicitor to take a matter to the small claims court - the court office will provide you with the paperwork and advise, BUT you have got to make reasonable attempts to resolve the situation first.

If their supplier let them down, it is up to them either to provide your order from another supplier, advising you of the delay, or offer a refund your money. In any event they should provide an explanation and an apology.

By the way Garden Angel - to keep things in balance, as well as the negatives there were a considerable number of positives as set out in your link.

[ 22. May 2006, 11:47 PM: Message edited by: Fran ]

 

Thank you, I really appreciate all your feedback.

After calling Gardening Express and leaving messages and emailing them with still no reply I called my bank and they refunded my money immediately! I was sure that it is only credit card holders who are protected by this service but it is any visa card holder. . . Hooray the nightmare is over!!!

I think i'll revert back to visiting the nurseries

Plantless and a bare garden but happy

cheers

[ 23. May 2006, 03:01 PM: Message edited by: allye ]

 

Result, really pleased you walked away with your money back. Others beware.

 

Agreed Fran, that's why I posted the link, so that she could get the full picture!!

 

Excellent Allye, glad it worked out - and interesting to know. I have a visa debit card, nice to know that there's the same protection as credit cards, or maybe your bank was just being kind?????