I decided to grow a lot more Jermor shallots this year, as we use a lot of them and they do well overwinter. Found a good price for some sets at Capital Gardens (haven't bought from them before), £2.24 for 50 bulbs! Ordered 100 sets with some onions and banana shallot seeds, allegedly deliver in 48hrs.......no sign of them.
Decided to follow up on line this morning, but they have no trace of my order (I have an email confirmation and paid by credit card) and strangely the Jermor sets are now on offer at £2.24 per 10 on their website this morning.... I'm guessing I don't have a leg to stand on legally as they are only 'offered' at that price and I'm sure they will argue it was an error, but it's blooming annoying.... ::) >:(
The fact that you have confirmation of them accepting your order should stand you in good stead.
Yeh that constitutes a contract. ;)
Chase them like a jack russel mention how you recommended their site on a gardening forum and that you will be posting your dissappointment,qoute every reference on the confirmation email.I bet they sit up and take notice
A confirmation email doesn't necessarily create a contract. It can just confirm that they received your order. They actually have to accept the order, which they would usually do by taking the money from your card.
As they confirmed the order by email and presumably it has an order number on it, you can prove they have the order. But like you say, even if they 'find' it, they can rely on it being an error as long as they haven't taken your money. If they've taken the money you should get the goods. If they had any sense, they'd let you have them anyway as a goodwill gesture for their 'mistake'. It's only £18 retail, a lot less wholesale.
Well, they replied to my email, said they had not despatched until the shallot seeds I had also ordered were also in stock (tomorrow), they will then send me an email confirming the despatch.
Any guesses how many Jermor will be on the confirmation email...I'm guessing 20 instead of 100! Then I will email and complain! ::)
How many were on the original e-mail confirmation. If 100 then you certainly have cause for complaint if they send you 10!
It says 100 on the original email......but like Ceres I'm sceptical they will honour it and say it was just an 'offer to purchase' . However, we shall see!
The plot thickens......sure enough, two packs of 10 shallots have arrived, 20 in total, but the despatch note with it clearly says I have ordered two packs of Jermor x 50! They have taken the payment for this too from my credit card. I think this makes my case a bit stronger...or does it? ???
Very strong indeed, in fact the credit card company can also help you get your ordered & paid for goods.
Keep us informed.
Keep chasing them,I bet they know it was their error but they're hoping you'll get fed up and forget about it.....Don't :)
Deb you most certainly have a strong case. I would take this up with them again. You have of course the opportunity to contact the firms local Trading Standards Office!
I'm going to ring the company tomorrow, will let you know what they say.... ;)
OK, spoke to the company this morning, suprise, there has been an error ('discovered 10 days ago?') and should read 10 shallots per pack. Offered that I could send them back and have a refund....er, no thank you, I would like my shallots please! Any chance of sending me the missing 80 I ordered as a goodwill gesture.......no. Oh well, I'll be sure to let my cyber friends on A4A know about my disappointing experience with your company.......'ARE YOU THREATENING ME!'...... :o Er, no, I said it very nicely! Put it in writing via email and we will see what we can do...........
So I have. Let you know chaps........... ::)
Grrr. Put it in writing and point out that until you contacted them, they had never mentioned an 'error'. All your paperwork refers to 100. And point out how much this has inconvenienced you and that you will have to start shopping around again for more sets.
I think this is sharp practice. If it's OK to claim an error after the goods have been despatched and get away with it, less than scrupulous companies could send you anything and claim it was an error. I'd think about contacting Trading Standards.
Doesn't sound like good company policy in practice. I'd do a follow up email/letter to them and at the same time contact trading standards........
I did contact Trading Standards this morning. Although the Sale of Goods Act 1979 states goods must be delivered 'as described' there is a 'Law of Mistake' as well, which basically means I can't force them legally to honour this order if they made a genuine error in pricing. I'm afraid it all comes down to what they will do as a goodwill gesture....we will see if that matters to them then......I just want my shallots! :'( :'( :'(
Deb P re the "are you threatening me" question you could point out that on this very active national forum we all discuss what we've bought and where we've bought it often extolling the virtues of good products and services and by informing us of your experience with them you were doing the same.I agree with Ceres smacks of sharp practice, while many companies make errors most would absorb the loss and keep your custom.So keep calm, keep repeating your argument-it's called the broken record method ,strangely enough I learnt that while working in retail.keep us posted :)
Well, received a reply from Capital Gardens last night. They are sorry, and admit it was their 'administrative error' but cannot send me my 'missing' 80 shallots, but have refunded me as a goodwill gesture. Ho hum. Better than nothing I suppose, but I still have to get my shallots from somewhere........obviously not them though I'm afraid after this experience. :-\
WELL Debp I think they missed a golden opportunity to have their name recalled on this site for good customer service HOWEVER Capital Gardens will now be remembered as a company to think twice about doing business with,they obviously understand nothing about marketing as a good result for you would have led a lot of people on here to their name now they become one to avoid ::)
I would still report it all to your credit card company & see what they say.
I used to be in business and my motto was treat your customer as you would like to treat yourself. Almost 99% of my work came from my customers recommendations. No business no matter how small or big can treat their customers with contempt if they do then their business is going down hill all the way. I ran my business for 38 Years and yes I made a few mistakes in that time (I`m human), but I always made sure I put things right and leave my customer happy after all the test of good business practice is that you keep your customers coming back to you.
I agree Powerspade. Without doubt if you receive great customer service from a company, you go back and buy again! A good example is Real Seeds, a small company but treat their customers brilliantly, and demonstrate understand of how growers feel. I emailed them after I had zero germination from some lettuce and pepper seeds, and received an apology and replacements straightaway so that I could try again before it was too late...........with Capital Gardens, all I wanted was the correct number of shallots I had ordered and paid for! I'm glad forum members share their experiences both good and bad, it is very helpful to all.
IAs for the credit card companyPoppy Mole, I believe the transaction has to be for a sum over £100 before they can act (I checked on the MoneySavers site) so have no case their either I'm afraid. :-\
have you forwarded this thread to the manager or owner (not customer service)?
Sorry didn't realise there was a minimum spend involved.
Deb, I've read this thread with great interest. I, as a first-time customer, tried to make several small seed purchases from Capital Gardens at the end of August/beginning of September; I've never encountered a company that was so reluctant to take my money.
The impression I was left with was that the left hand didn't know what the right was doing & that their internal systems simply don't work. I don't want to hi-jack your thread, but I'm intrigued; has anyone had a positive experience with CG?
Quote from: Poppy Mole on October 08, 2009, 10:01:27
Sorry didn't realise there was a minimum spend involved.
There is not a minimum spend, although there is the £100 limit that made a difference.
Below £100, you will only get your money back if the card company gets the money back from the company via a charge back.
Above £100, the card company is liable for your money, even if they can not get the money back from the company.
Anyway, the card company could only get your money back, not get you your shallots.
Sholls, interesting to read your experience, that was my impression as well. Anyway, I've been and purchased another 50 Jermor shallots from the local garden centre, they are exactly the same Taylors grown ones as I received from Capital Gardens and they are now in the ground.... ;D
I have also been very 'norty' and ordered some other shallot varieties from T&M (yes I know.... :: after the late potato debacle the other year I swore I wouldn't order from them again, but they were the only place I could buy the types I wanted!) that are for spring planting, due to arrive anywhere between January to April...shall we place bets now as to which month they will turn up! ;D
well at least your sorted now but this is i am afraid a situation that happens often online usually with high priced white goods which are miss priced on web sites and non of these orders are honored either.
Quote from: cambourne7 on October 28, 2009, 13:10:37
well at least your sorted now but this is i am afraid a situation that happens often on-line usually with high priced white goods which are miss priced on web sites and non of these orders are honored either.
Some companies will honour your orders, I think it all depends on how big a mistake and how big the company, I have a friend who has twice managed to buy `mistake bargains`.
On a similar note, middle of last month I ordered a discounted darlek composter for £15.
28 days layer, it had not arrived. I checked their website, they said they no longer do the discounted composters since the end of the Sep, anyway emailed them to ask when it would be delivered.
Week later, no reply to email, they had not taken any money, so last Sat went to B&Q and bought one full price.
Got home, had a coffee and sit down, then when out to go to the plot to get something for tea, what was sitting outside...... well I've got enough darleks to keep me going for a while ;D