I've been a customer for a couple years and Ive noticed a couple things that turned me off, but as a bargain shopper I always let it slide before.
but today, the first time in many orders I attempted to take advantage of their "100% satisfaction guarantee" and realized in reality it's a 0% guarantee and wanted to share my experiences.
the first thing I noticed about them that gave me the willies is any product review that isn't 5 star is not published on their website. I bought ~300 tulips and reviewed any that were either exceptional or a bit off ( for example, very short, or color was off). every 5 star review was published, but none of the lower scores. I further realized this is a pattern, all the reviews on their site are 4 or 5 stars, and the ones for the bulbs that bloomed in an incorrect color or underperformed ONLY contained reviews about "received healthy bulbs, can't wait to see them in spring," and do not contain a single comment about how they actually bloom... often there are many years of comments like this. where the bulbs that bloomed well for me had many positive comments about actual performance not just quick shipping or fat bulbs.. so they are obviously "curating" reviews and must be aware of issues with certain varieties and suppliers that they simply won't address. Specifically I remember what was advertised as a tall white tulip coming up short and decidedly yellow.. not cream, or a yellow throat... a yellow tulip, and a mix of two that were supposed to be a dark purple and a white with a matching dark purple flame on the petals. the purple came up perfectly, but the white has a lipstick/ fire engine red flame, not at all purple. all in, that bunch was pretty jarring. what should have been a 75 tulip white purple grouping turned out to be a purple, white& red and yellow. it was not pleasant. none of those reviews ever went live on the site, and neither of these had any reviews from anyone that commented on the actual blooms.
the issue that brought me here today was ranunculus and anemone corms I pre-ordered in late May of 2022 for fall planting. I bought 250 total at no small expense. in error they sent one pack immediately- in June ( which is not a big deal, they can be stored dry and cool for months... ). the rest in September.
these grow similar to pansies, they need temps in 40-60 to sprout, take ~10-12 weeks to begin to set blooms, and will continue to bloom for about 8 more weeks as long as temps stay under ~75 to 80. they can survive a light frost, but nothing under about 25 degrees.. net net, you need 5 months over 25, below high 70s, which basically means zone 8. anywhere else you need to do some finagling with greenhouses, row cover, artificial lights, etc... I have gotten good at this and have mine growing now in my attached unheated greenhouse. of the seven varieties I ordered, 2 did not grow at all, and a third have about a 50% sprout rate with pretty anemic growth. FYI, I made a similar order from longfield and planted them all at the same time/conditions and have excellent results from longfield on all but one variety. I also have good results from the corms I saved from last spring when they went dormant in June.
so, I contacted tulip world and here's the net net of my discussion. No guarantee.
The set they sent in June, guarantee only applies if I complained before october 1, 2022 because they are "spring planted" in my zone (if I planted these in June, there's NO WAY any would ever grow) the fall shipment would not be eligible for coverage "because it is too early to file a claim" AND since they are not hardy in my zone, despite photographic evidence of more than 500 ranunculus and anemones growing happily in my greenhouse ready for spring planting, the guarantee doesn't apply anyway because my zone is outside of their hardiness zone- blind to greenhouse and photo evidence. good thing I didn't order amaryllis from them.
it was a completely preposterous conversation.. entirely illogical. it's too early to complain, it's too late to complain, they need 2 weeks of 40-50 degrees to sprout but you should have planted them in June, when they are both covered by our guarantee, but also guaranteed to never grow and should never have bought them in the fall to grow correctly because we only guarantee things in zones where they are winter hardy and times where they are guaranteed to fail.. yes, our site says they are suitable for zone 7.. if it isn't hardy we don't cover it...it was bizarre... they will sell you, ship you, tell you they are suitable (which bothers me to begin with- because that's a stretch when they don't give you complete information and deny the truth when it's not that simple) then blame YOU for a less than ideal outcome under ideal conditions.. it's nuts. they only guarantee if you plant in ground (their "natural conditions" even if those conditions are guaranteed to fail!
I just realized the Anemone, the most disappointing, as not a single one sprouted, should have been covered, as they advertised them hearty in my zone ( that's arguable..). so back to their web site.
As per Lynn H. they will not accept a request to honor their "100% satisfaction guarantee unless you plant in ground, no matter how inappropriate, nor will they honor a request BEFORE May ( "Its too early") OR AFTER May, as June 1 the guarantee is expired... Im serious.. this is the actual conversation I had.
I will tell you, with many other places, like longfield and brecks, i've had great responses with occasional complaints- I'd rather deal with my health insurance company than this dumpster fire Turkish bazaar haggling over $25 retail, it's actually way less than current coupons available online and I don't understand why their fighting me, a repeat and grossly irresponsible overspender.. but I guess you have companies that try to be upfront, truthful, and make lifelong customers, and those that count pennies instead of dollars.
