Topic: Not sure.........

[Tee Gee]

if this is a bargain or a rip off! perhaps both in this case!!

I organise the seeds sales on our plots and my mate does it on his plots, and between us we get our seeds through National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners ltd

I collected a few orders today and thought I would compare the NSALG (Kings) prices with the first of my T&M catologues for 2011 ( no doubt I will get at least another ten before this time next year!)

Back to the point! I listed out my orders a mixture of mainly veg with a few flowers thrown in.

In all there were 62 packets to compare which I think is a fair number to compare with.

I set a couple of rules to cater for availability of varieties simply because they don't sell the same varieties so my rules were;

1) I compared like with like where applicable.

2) If the variety was different I would use my experience and choose an equivalent variety in T&M's catalogue.

3) I did the same with F1 varieties, again too try and treat like with like.

Here are the results;

Total cost (excluding postage & membership);

NSALG = £58.10  =  average 94p per packet

T&M     = £153.78 = average £2.48 per packet = 2. 64 times more or 165%

Now is that a bargain or a rip off?

Mind you they will have to pay for sending me those 10+catalogues so there is a reason  ::)

I guess that if anyone buys a packet of their Carmen cucumber seeds at £7.99 for a packet of five seeds I guess they will soon recover the cost of my catalogues!  ;)

Ah well I suppose I can save my own 8)


Now what do I have that I could sell for £7.99 a packet  ???

[tricia]

I remember getting a packet of Carmen seeds from T & M when they were included as the free packet with my order - their price then was £5.99 for 5 seeds - so they have increased the price considerably! As you say Tee Gee - a rip-off!

I sowed the last two seeds this year - only one germinated and the other one grew a cristate stem and didn't produce a single cucumber!

Tricia

[Jeannine]

The onlt time to buy Carmen is when they come as a first packet free or when on half price..and they last several years so I am still ahead of them.

I agree shopping around is the way to go, plus buying seeds in bulk and sharing. The chintzy in me would rather buy an ounce of seeds and share  the surplus rather than pay a bit less for  just a pinch. Most things keep several years anyway so buying small packets is not a saving usually.

XX Jeannine

[Squash64]

We do this scheme on our site too. 

Tee Gee, do you have any problem 'persuading' people to order from the Kings catalogue?  We find that the lack of photos tends to put some of our plotholders off.  I tell people to look on the Kings website but not everyone has the internet, and some people can't be bothered even if they do.

[Trevor_D]

And you forgot to mention, Tee Gee, that Kings also give a discount to the Society: 7.5% if you order seeds early, plus another 10% (including the potatoes). We got nearly £60 last year.

Although this year's take-up hasn't been as good. Is it just the lack of photos? When do you start putting your catalogues out? And when is your cut-off date? Ours is today, which seems a tad early, but does ensure that we get autumn onions & garlic in time to actually plant them.

Mind you, because of the weather, there just haven't been the folks around en masse to hand out the catalogues to, and we don't have a communal building where we can leave them. Any ideas?

[Squash64]

And you forgot to mention, Tee Gee, that Kings also give a discount to the Society: 7.5% if you order seeds early, plus another 10% (including the potatoes). We got nearly £60 last year.

Although this year's take-up hasn't been as good. Is it just the lack of photos? When do you start putting your catalogues out? And when is your cut-off date? Ours is today, which seems a tad early, but does ensure that we get autumn onions & garlic in time to actually plant them.

Mind you, because of the weather, there just haven't been the folks around en masse to hand out the catalogues to, and we don't have a communal building where we can leave them. Any ideas?

Our catalogues have been available in the pavilion for people to help themselves to for about a month now.  I also email about 60 people to remind them and put notices up over the site.  We collect the rent on all the Sundays in October so the catalogues will be on the table then and everyone will be asked if they are interested. Our cut-off date is October 22nd.

[Digeroo]

I get all my seeds from T&M half price (or 50p from wyevale. ;D)  But I am doing much more seeds saving now as well.

Did you take into account the no of seeds in the packet.  Unwins for example are very stingey for some of their F1s.

Just been looking at the new T&M catalogue and quite a few of their packets are shinking fast.  Sungold tomatoes are now down to 10 and lots of the courgettes/cucumbers are down to 4.  If they reduce the number from 5 to 4 that is a 25% increase in price.   :o

Actually I also do not think that we return anywhere enough packets for refunds.

[Trevor_D]

Thanks, Betty - I thought we were a bit early.

We've got a Committee meeting later this morning and I'll bring it up. (I also e-mail about 60 people and put up notices! And it was in the Newsletter.)

[Grandma]

Over the years I have complained so many times to T & M regarding quality; quantity; germination rates; seeds not coming true to their description; etc., etc. that - (thankfully) - they no longer send me their catalogues.

Even the offer of 50% off all theirt seeds from a friend who is Chair of a local horticultural society and is offered this concession couldn't tempt me!

There are plenty of other (better) seed merchants...............................

[beanie3]

I am gonna ask a very thick question - many apologies for this - but what/whom is T&M?

[Grandma]

Thompson and Morgan, Beanie3.

Now just forget you ever heard about them!!!!

[beanie3]

whoops ignore me - just realised its Thompson and Morgan! doh!

Thanks Grandma (I just got a post saying someelse had posted a message)  d**n i was hoping i could counter balance my thickness with this message lol!

[Tee Gee]

My word!! this topic has really got some of you going but thats what I was hoping it would do!

It at least proves that I am not the only one who thinks of T&M the way I do.  (since they bought Chempak)

OK my posting was meant to raise the issue more for people who are not a party to club / organisations and have to pay the full whack!

I know that it is not only Kings who do discount seeds in fact T&M do!

You will get 50% off providing your order is £100+ which counts out most of the people I am thinking of.

In the past I have dicount agreements with such companies as Marshalls, Johnsons, Fothergills & Suttons so they all do it if you spend enough.

So the end of season discount is no big deal in my opinion simply because the choice is not as great as it was at the start of the season or if I had spent £100+

Most of the stuff I have bought this year was bought at a £1 apacket at Gardeners World Live & Harrogate Autumn show, so all I am buying from NSALG (in the main) is stuff onder £1

Now for your comments;

so they have increased the price considerably! As you say Tee Gee - a rip-off!

I sowed the last two seeds this year - only one germinated and the other one grew a cristate stem and didn't produce a single cucumber!

Thats my point there is no guarantee even at this price they will germinate!

The onlt time to buy Carmen is when they come as a first packet free or when on half price..and they last several years so I am still ahead of them.

 would rather buy an ounce of seeds and share  the surplus rather than pay a bit less for  just a pinch.

Thats the problem here Jeannine we only get the 'pinch' in this case 5 seeds unless we shop elsewhere where we can get them by weight or number.

So we are at the mercy of 'packet sizes'

Tee Gee, do you have any problem 'persuading' people to order from the Kings catalogue?  We find that the lack of photos tends to put some of our plotholders off. 

Not really all I do is during the season is; when they are looking (sometimes with envy) at my stuff I tell them the variety and where I got the seeds from. On many occasions the proof is in the eating as I often throw one of what ever they are looking at into their bag/trug

And you forgot to mention, Tee Gee, that Kings also give a discount to the Society: 7.5% if you order seeds early, plus another 10% (including the potatoes). We got nearly £60 last year.

Ah! Sore point :-X as I mentioned I co-operate with my mate and he pockets that, but then again he does all the paperwork I only get the lists and distribute the seeds.

Did you take into account the no of seeds in the packet.

quite a few of their packets are shinking fast. 

I think most of the suppliers are a bit guilty of this, its seems to be the sales propaganda e.g

We have held our 'PACKET' prices this year but no mention of content!!

There are plenty of other (better) seed merchants

Now just forget you ever heard about them!!!!

oooooooh Grandma your a awful  ::) ;D




Thanks for all your replies its made me feel a bit better now that I am not the only one who thinks the way I do!

[Grandma]

Tnompson and Morgan are to seeds what Moneymaker is to tomatoes.

A waste of money, soil, space and fresh air.

[Trevor_D]

But much more expensive!!

[Tee Gee]

But Grandma ............I like Moneymaker  ::).....and Moneymaker Aubergines  ;D

However I think you know my thoughts on T&M  8)

[Grandma]

A BRILLIANT gardener like you, Tee Gee - and NO TASTE BUDS! That's so sad!

Get thee under a table with a cushion on your head before the 'let's-have tomatoes-that-taste-like-tomatoes-anti-Moneymaker brigade' find you!   ;) :-*

[colt]

If you want to buy seeds by the weight then try Moles seeds very good to order from too.

[kt.]

I bought carmen for £4 last year from Dobies.

http://www.dobies.co.uk/Search.aspx?term=carmen

[chriscross1966]

Pretty certain I bought Caremen for 50p a pack at Wyevales sale.... or something very similar (Bella?).... Cucurbit seeds last a couple of years so I can't imagine I'll ever pay full whack for them....

chrisc