T and M now charging 'protection money'?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Scrungee, May 25, 2018.

  1. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

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    I was amazed to read this on the Order Form with T and M's latest catalogue.

    They actually want an extra pound for your plants order to have healthy roots, green leaves and to arrive un-stressed!

    I expect stuff to be like that without having to stump up an extra quid. What are they going to say when you complain about pale leaves, poor root systems and dying plants - "sorry but that's what you get if you don't pay the extra pound" ?

    Sounds like a protection racket to me.

    tandm protection money.jpg
     
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      Last edited: May 25, 2018
    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      It doesn't quite put it that way - but I see your point. :blue thumb:

      They're asking for the £1 for them to add a fertiliser to it. Although they shouldn't need it at plug plant stage it's an interesting concept that they're proposing. It will cost £1 whether you order one or a dozen (or more) packs.

      I can do it cheaper than that :blue thumb: Just bring them along and it will be a 'while you wait' service - just like I used to offer when doing hair cuts. :snorky:
       
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      • HarryS

        HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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        Just another little add on as used by most firms to up their profits . I think they must treat all the stock with Maxicrop. It would be a post and packing logistical nightmare to treat this order , don't treat that order, treat the next three orders.......:gaah:
        Are you still doing the mail order haircuts ? I can post mine off to you tomorrow :snorky:
         
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        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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          No problem but have you read our charges for our Bank Holiday Weekend haircuts? There's a 50% surcharge.

          Don't forget to log on to our website to read our GDPR Statement. Oh! Whilst your on the site, you might as well read our Equal Opportunity Policy as well and our Health and Safety Policy and our COSHH Risk Assessment.
           
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          • Doghouse Riley

            Doghouse Riley Head Gardener

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            Not the same, but it reminded me.

            It's decades ago now, but when I used to insure my cars through Swintons, they came out with a "nice little earner" for them, charging "commission," on top of their policies. I rang them up and pointed out that they got their commission from the insurance company, why did they think I was willing to also pay it? They dropped the charge, but I dropped them and went elsewhere.

            Wasn't it Ryanair, who said recently they make half their profits from the "add ons?"

            As for GDPR, I'm still getting e-mails from previous suppliers, pleading with me to register, despite the fact that for most I've opted for "unsubscribe" months ago. Fat lot of notice they take then. I just delete the e-mails.
             
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            • sandymac

              sandymac Super Gardener

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              I never use T & M for anything now due so many wrong seeds and damaged plants.
              I thought the whole idea of a plant supplier was to deliver good healthy plants this is just extortion
              However my recent purchase of Tomato plants were a disaster (not T&M) they were healthy but extremely small. When plants costs a fiver apiece with postage you expect decent plants, mine were so small and are still so small I will be lucky to taste a fruit by September if at all.
              That is the last time I buy plants online
              Regds Sandy
               
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              • Doghouse Riley

                Doghouse Riley Head Gardener

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                Conversely, we've never had any problems with T & M which weren't resolved to our satisfaction.
                Just scanning through my credit card purchases for last year, I see we spent £132 with them, but we also got back £50 in refunds for two purchases, one of which for something which didn't arrive and for one, where they'd already replaced it once the year before. (Some gardenias which didn't thrive).

                We spend more with local garden centres.
                 
              • pete

                pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                So they aint very good then are they;):biggrin:

                Sounds like a bad track record to me.

                I prefer things right first time.
                As for charging a pound for a bit of seaweed feed:lunapic 130165696578242 5:.
                 
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                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  What's a garden centre? :snorky:
                   
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                  • Scrungee

                    Scrungee Well known for it

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                    It's somewhere most people go to sit in a restaurant after looking at plants and then buying overpriced non-gardening tat.
                     
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                    • sandymac

                      sandymac Super Gardener

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                      Should not need to be resolved should be right first time. T & M were for me wrong most times. why would you keep ordering from someone that causes you problems and set backs. I need to know what I ordered is what I get, I lost loads of time with them something which they can not refund.
                       
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                      • Doghouse Riley

                        Doghouse Riley Head Gardener

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                        Each to their own of course.

                        For me it's a question of degree.

                        Since 2010, we've spent six and a half thousand pounds on anything I could call "garden related" including equipment, but not including the koi pool. (We spent nearly twice that on meals out).
                        We've bought a lot from T & M though probably more from other sources. My wife who has M S likes to look through the catalogue and make occasional choices, it means she doesn't have to traipse around a garden centre.

                        In that time we've only had I think three or four problems with T & M, each of which has been resolved to our satisfaction. I've had more problems with Wyevale, but they too have resolved situations.

                        All I do is take photographs of anything that doesn't do as well as it should. In either case this has been sufficient for the problem to be resolved. None of this digging it up and taking it back nonsense.

                        So I really can't complain, can I?
                         
                        Last edited: May 26, 2018
                      • pete

                        pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                        But you did, on three or four occasions:biggrin:
                         
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                        • shiney

                          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                          :hate-shocked:

                          We've not spent that (or the comparative amount taking in inflation) in the last 46 years!
                           
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                          • Doghouse Riley

                            Doghouse Riley Head Gardener

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                            Actually, getting away from the humour, it's you who have done the most complaining.
                            I presented an alternative view based on personal experience.

                            Handled correctly, I've found that most suppliers will do their best to satisfy their customers.
                            I can see it from both sides having been both a customer and a retailer for all my working life.
                             
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                              Last edited: May 27, 2018
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