Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/14/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased 4 ************************* Black Eyed ***** plants (SKU *****) on 3/28/2023. The cost, plus shipping was $28.67.Upon receipt, I went to plant these items. The first bag was empty, no plant, just soil. The next two plants were completely rotten and I discarded them. The fourth was in marginal condition at best but I did plant it.I contacted **************** via email. They responded, stating that on the "back of the packing slip" was their return policy and that they required photographs of the products.I have never in my life, and I'm 67, had occasion to read the back of a packing slip. The products were missing and/or obviously rotted.I again contacted them, to voice my disagreement and disappointment, after their failure to respond. They finally responded, reiterating the back of the packing slip policy. They claimed to be E-commerce only, not "brick and mortar", and held firm with the photograph requirement.I made several purchases from them this year, as I have done for many years. I spent a total of over $1000, from several companies, on bulbs and plants in 2023. Never in my life have I been required to prove a missing or damaged product.They need to send me 3 replacement plants with no shipping charge.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/19/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you so much for reaching out to our company!  I'm sorry you are not satisfied with our policies.  We do try to make our policies as visible as possible on our website and also on all packing slips to cover if there are any concerns regarding an order and what the customer responsibilities are for the items to be covered under our Grow Guarantee.  We do always try to remind customers that since we are not a brick and mortar store, we do not require items to be returned to us if they are in poor condition or arrive defective, we just require the images.  The images do help us determine if there is a quality control issue we need to address and also helps us determine if the bulb/root is viable or not.  Once the images arrive, we are always happy to find a solution for you!  Brick and mortar stores would require the item to be returned to them, not thrown away, in order to replace or refund.  After reviewing your order, I do see an order on 3/28/23 for 2 of the ************************* Black Eyed ***** was placed.  We do not have an order in our system for 4 of the Black Eyed  ***********  It does look like a refund for 1 of the Black Eyed ***** that did not include a root was refunded on 4/18/23 to your original form of payment.  Since you did plant the second root, we did ask you to allow it the 6-8 weeks to sprout which is standard for all newly planted items to show signs of growth.  If after that time, the item is not showing any signs of growth, we do ask that you reach out and we'd be happy to find a solution for you.  Since the one missing package has been refunded and the second on has been planted, there is no further action needed at this time.  For future reference, we do ask that you review our policies under our Grow Guarantee found in multiple places on our website and also on the back of your packing slip.  If you have any future concerns regarding an item, you can then follow up with the proper procedures we require to find the proper solution for you.

  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/19/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  They changed their story from the several emails sent to me.  Only after my BBB complaint did they show any willingness to assist me.  They only refunded HALF of my purchase via GIFT CERTIFICATE, which means I am forced to make yet another purchase.

  Their return policy is in fine print on the back of the packing slip.  It is NOT prominently displayed on the website as claimed.

  I took the gift certificate and made a new purchase.  I will see if the root that I planted grows.  If not I will again attempt to get a complete refund.

  Their are serious ethical concerns and future purchasers should be aware of this.

  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 04/19/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for reaching out to us again regarding your recent order.  I'm sorry you feel we are changing our store.  All communication is below in the emails we received from you and also our replies.  We also do not have the Grow Guarantee in fine print.  It is the same font and size as on the front of the packing slip. If it is difficult to read, we also do have it available at any time on our website to view.  On the website you can also zoom in certain sections if that helps.  Please see the email chain below regarding the previous communication regarding your concern:

  I told you the rotten products were thrown away.  The other bag was EMPTY!!
  
  I have NEVER in my life read the fine print on the back of a packing slip.  Your expectations regarding photos are frankly ridiculous. 
  
  I'm in my yard trying to plant your products.  One bag is empty and two are rotten.  I'm supposed to keep them, know to read the back of the packing slip, and take photographs  ??!!  That is beyond unreasonable.   Shame on you.
  
  I am filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and have reached out to the ************** Attorney General's Office. 
  
  You had your chance to make this right. I have bought from you for many years but will never return.  I will also tell my thousands of friends on social media about this experience. 
  
  I remain extremely disappointed in your customer service.
  
  On Fri, Apr 14, 2023, 4:42 PM Holland Bulb Farms <*******************************>wrote:
  Hi *****,
  Thank your response.
  
  I do apologize for any inconvenience caused so far regarding your order #*******.
  
  I understand that you are unable to supply us with the images of the items that arrived in poor condition. You did mention earlier that two were rotten an all sprouts dead.
  
  As per our Grow Guarantee found on the back of your packing slip, we do require clear images of the items that arrive in poor condition outside of their packaging. 
  
  Please do note that because we are an e-commerce only company, we do require images of any items in poor condition, a brick-and-mortar store would accept the product to be returned, we just ask for images to get this rectified.
  
  Jan G.
  
  
  
  From: ************************* <**********************>
  Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 6:56 PM
  To: Holland Bulb Farms <*******************************>
  Subject: Re: Confirmation Order #*******
  
  I discarded the empty bag, what would I have photographed ??!!
  
  I also threw away the rotten ones.  Thinking you were reputable,  I had no reason to look at the fine print on the packing slip.
  
  If you are failing to stand by your products, I am done dealing with you.  For sure I will file a complaint with the Better Business BUREAU.
  
  You sold an inferior product and won't stand by it.  Your loss, I spent over $1000 on bulbs and plants this year.
  
  Very disappointed...
  
  
  On Wed, Apr 12, 2023, 6:09 PM Holland Bulb Farms <*******************************> wrote:
  Hi,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding order #*******. I apologize there were items that arrived in poor condition. Per our Grow Guarantee found on the back of your packing slip, we do require clear images of any items or bulbs that arrive in poor condition outside of the bag with some indication as to which varieties these are per photo.  Once we receive the images and clarification, we would be more than happy to find a solution for you.
  
  
  Thank you!
  
  Lui P.
  
  
  
  
  From: ************************* <**********************>
  Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 11:21 AM
  To: Holland Bulb Farms <*******************************>
  Subject: Confirmation Order #*******
  
  I am very disappointed in this Black eyed ***** order.  One packet was empty, just dirt.  Two were rotten,all sprouts dead.
  
  Please advise.

   

  As you can see, we did ask you several times for the images as indicated on the back of your packing slip.  The order number you referenced was  for Black Eyed ***** which does show 2 packages of 1 root each were ordered.  Since one of them was empty, we of course wouldn't ask for images for that item which is why we did issue the merchandise credit for that item.  If you had them on another order, we would need that order number as well to help find a solution.  If you did have a second order with the Black Eyed *****, we do ask for that order number and the images to be provided per our Grow Guarantee for those 3 packages.  Please note we do ask for the images so we can manage any quality issues we do have but also to make sure the items are in fact viable or not.  We do send everything in a dormant stage so it's very likely the roots are dry upon arrival which is normal.  We do not send items with new sprouts to avoid rotting and breakage in transit.  

  Again, I do apologize if you did not read our Grow Guarantee to understand our policies.  We do our very best to provide the information to our customers as easily as possible which is why we do print it on every packing slip and provide multiple links on our website to view them.  Unfortunately since we do provide all the information to our customers, we cannot be held liable if the policies are not read.  

  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  The last response is inappropriate, inaccurate and accusatory.   Their return policy is NOT prominently posted.  I choose to leave my complaint in place to warn others.  ************ needs to change their return policy and improve customer service.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/13/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This delivery was suppose to arrive Late March/Early April. It's Mid-April and three unanswered emails later, I told them to cancel my shipment. They immediately created a label to ship the package, although it has not been picked up. I have attempted to cancel this package because it's LATE and no one has responded to my inquiries. It's still at their warehouse. I can see dealing with them is going to be a hassle. So I want to cover all my bases and create the approperate paper trail. Very deceptive/shady business vibe from this business.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/14/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for reaching out to us.  I do apologize if you feel you didn't receive your order in a timely manner.  We do have our shipping schedule posted right on our website and also in your confirmation email.  We ship out according to planting zone during the appropriate planting time.  Shipping too early in the season can cause the items to freeze and become damaged, not growing.  Our shipping schedule is based on the last estimated frost date for each zip code.  For your zone 5, our schedule states we do not BEGIN shipping to your zone until mid to late April.  Again, this is to avoid any frost damage which can kill off the tender new shoots.  We also do ship out in the order they were received starting with the orders placed in early November when our pre-order sale began.  Paying for the order at the time the order is placed ensures those items will be held for you until we ship according to the schedule.  I do see we received 3 emails from you, all on 4/13/23.  The first at 1:06 when we emailed you the shipping notification that your order shipped.  The second at 1:10 stating the order wasn't picked up yet.  This is completely normal.  When we package an item for shipment, our carriers generally pick them up between 3:00-3:30 PM Central time.  Once they scan the package at their facility, the tracking is updated.  Until it is scanned, it will state the label has been created informing you the package is in fact shipping.  We then received another email at 1:30 PM stating you had filed a complaint and will be refusing the package.  Unfortunately I am not showing any earlier communication regarding your request to cancel the order.  We do keep our call logs and I am not showing any calls from you prior to emailing the shipping notification when the label was created for shipping.  Once the label has been created, we are no longer able to cancel since it is palletized and ready for pick up.  I do apologize but after an order ships, we are unable to cancel.  You are certainly welcome to refuse or return the package.  Once it arrives back to our facility we would be happy to issue a refund for the items.  Again, I am sorry if our shipping schedule didn't work with your planting timeline.  We are always happy to cancel if you reach out before the shipping label has been created.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding our shipping schedule, you can always refer to the shipping information page on our website, review your confirmation email or contact us directly.

  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/14/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/17/2023

  My growing zone is 6, not 5. A gardening center so close to ******* would know this. I have attached 3 emails that proves I have reached out on three occasions surrounding my order without response. (you need to scroll down to see the thread) They are flat out lying in this email, which is even more reason to pursue this case. 

  Business Response

  Date: 04/19/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you so much for reaching out to us.  After reviewing your previous emails, I do see that the first email we received from you was on 4/13/23 in response to the shipping notification we had sent to you informing you your order was shipped.  At that time you did notify us that you were going to refuse the shipment.  We received a second email that day notifying us that you had filed a complaint with the BBB and that you wanted your money refunded immediately as you had thought the package was still in our possession.  We did reply to you within 1 business day letting you know that the Spring portion of your order was currently in transit and we weren't able to issue a refund for those items until they were returned back to our facility.  We did however notify you the the fruits and vegetables on your order were cancelled and a refund was issued for that portion of you order since those had not shipped yet.  We then informed you on 4/18/23 that the Spring portion of the order was returned to our facility so we did then issue a refund for those items.  To clarify a few things for you, we do state on our website and on your confirmation email that we begin shipping to your zone in late March to early April.  That timeframe includes zones 6-7.  Since zone 7 is warmer, we do begin shipping to those customers first since they are able to plant a bit earlier without the fear of frost.  Once we get through zone 7, we begin with zone 6 and ship in the order they were placed starting with orders that were placed when our pre-order sale began in early November.  Your order was shipped during the correct timeframe per our shipping schedule.  We are happy to cancel any order before it is shipped for a full refund but since the first email was received as a reply to your shipping notification, we were unable to cancel at that point.  During our busy Spring season, we do have several pick *** by our carriers throughout the day so after the tracking link is sent to you, it is likely the package had already been picked up.  The tracking will remain in Pre-Shipment, Label Created status until the carrier is able to scan the shipping label at their facility.  This can take up to 24 hours due to the large volumes they are shipping.  Once it is scanned, the tracking link we send will update with a delivery date.  I do apologize if there was some confusion regarding what the tracking link showed but the package was not in our facility anymore when you had requested a refund.  Since the items we hadn't shipped yet were refunded and the other items were returned to us and a refund was issued for those items as well, there is no further action needed on our end.  In the future, we do ask that you cancel any pending orders before you receive the notification that it had shipped so we can refund the transaction more efficiently.

  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/19/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Thank you for providing me with two partial refunds; however, you still owe me $14.95. You gave me two refunds of $86.67 and $65.38, totaling $152.25, however I paid $167.20. You should not have delivered the package after I cancelled it, which I believe was intentional. It wasn't only until the BBB got involved, that you became responsive. Please refund my $14.95. You have no right keeping any of my money. 

  Refund the rest of my money. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

  Business Response

  Date: 04/19/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for getting back to us.  Since we were not notified through email that the order was to be cancelled until after it was shipped, we do not offer refunds on the shipping fee since the packages had already shipped.  Please see the note below regarding our policy on cancellations that can be found in our Grow Guarantee on our website:

  Confirmation emails are sent with all orders placed. Please verify the shipping address is correct. If incorrect, please contact our customer service department by phone with the corrections needed before the package is shipped. If an incorrect address is entered and the package is shipped before corrections are made, Holland Bulb Farms will not be liable for reshipment to the correct address.

  All items being returned to our facility do need to be in their original condition within 10 business days of delivery. Any open packages will not be eligible for return.
  If the items are being returned due to customer change of mind, the customer is liable for their own return label. The order will need to be postmarked within 10 days of the delivery date per the ********* or ***** tracking information.

  Again, since you did change your mind regarding the package after we had already notified of the shipping, we are not liable for the shipping fee.

  Thank you.

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Unacceptable. You were a month late with my order. Again, I don't live in zone 6, I live in zone 5. This is your error.

  Look, you have made everything as difficult as possible for me to cancel my delivery. You sent it out after I said not to. You could of had *** reroute the package back to your warehouse, but you chose not to. And when you sent it, you sent half the order, confirming you never had the entire order to begin with. But in all, you were about a month late with my order. 

  If you don't refund my money, I will ask the BBB to review and downgrade you because you have done nothing but lie and manipulate the facts. You have made this as difficult as possible. When I look at other reviews of your business, this seems life a repeated pattern. Again, if you don't refund my entire bill, I will have no choice but to push this complaint onward with the BBB, file a complaint with paypal, the *** and my bank to return the money. Your choice. 

  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

  Business Response

  Date: 04/20/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for getting back to us. Again, I do apologize that you are unhappy with our policy to send images if you are concerned with the condition.  In the previous message, I did provide the previous emails we did receive from you in which you did state you did not read our Grow Guarantee provided on the back of your packing slip.  I did also indicate there are multiple opportunities for you to review those policies on our website as well.  As mentioned previously, a brick and mortar store would not be able to issue a refund if a defective item was discarded and not returned to the store.  As stated, we do not need the items returned to us, we only ask for the images to help us with quality control and also to ensure the items we are shipping are viable and healthy.  Oftentimes, roots are very dry upon arrival since they are shipped in a dormant stage.  Once planted, they will start sprouting within just a few weeks.  The order you are referencing did show 2 of the Black Eyes *****************  You did indicate that you had 4 on the order and that one was empty and 3 were in not viable.  Without the images, we did offer a one time courtesy store credit for the one that was empty but we are still hoping for more clarification regarding the other 3 you said you received since we are only showing 1 other package on the order.  Again, I do apologize you aren't happy with our policy but we cannot be liable if our customers choose to not review them and provide the necessary action for us to be able to find a solution.  We do provide our policies in multiple forms and are easily acceptable at any time during and after the ordering process.  We did go beyond our policy and did issue a store credit for one of the items as a courtesy since we didn't receive the proper images we require.  If you are able to provide more clarification directly to our email regarding a second order number with this same item on it, we would be happy to try to work with you.  Unfortunately without following our policies and providing us the required images, a refund is not an option.  Once we hear from you via email with another order number or more information, we'd help rectify this for you.

  As mentioned before, we do highly recommend reviewing the policies we provide in all our shipments and on our website so ensure all required information is provided for us to work with you on finding a solution for any concerns you have with our items.  I am providing the portion of our Guarantee below stating our requirements for items that arrive in poor condition:

  If there are any concerns or discrepancies with an order upon receipt, please contact our customer service department within 5 business days of delivery.
  If you are concerned with the condition of any of the items you received, we require images of the item(s) to be provided via email. Once the images are reviewed, a replacement will be automatically sent if the item is not viable. If the item is no longer available, a refund will be issued in the amount paid for the item.

  Our full Guarantee is available as I mentioned on our website for you to review.

  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  You state: "In the previous message, I did provide the previous emails we did receive from you in which you did state you did not read our Grow Guarantee provided on the back of your packing slip." 

  I stated no such thing. Show me the emails. 

  You State: The order you are referencing did show 2 of the Black Eyes ***** roots.  You did indicate that you had 4 on the order and that one was empty and 3 were in not viable.  Without the images, we did offer a one time courtesy store credit for the one that was empty but we are still hoping for more clarification regarding the other 3 you said you received since we are only showing 1 other package on the order.

  I never ordered Black Eyed Susans. Your response makes no sense at all. None of what you wrote relates to my case. Getting tired of the *** Refund my $14.95.

  I'm contacting PayPal, I'm contacting the bank. I'm contacting the **** You're a fraud. I'm asking the BBB to downgrade your rating. You shouldn't be BBB accredited.   

  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

  Business Response

  Date: 04/21/2023

  Thank you once again for reaching out.  As stated multiple times before, we are trying to work with you on finding a resolution and need more information from you.  Also, as mentioned in earlier messages, you did state that you did not take the time to review the Grow Guarantee on our website or printed on the back of your packing slip.  Since you have filed a claim now with PayPal, we will work with them on rectifying a proper solution for you.

  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/21/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I insist that the BBB take into account Paypals findings, the time wasted on all parties, including the BBB's time and resources. This company needs to be reviewed by the BBB and downgraded. Completely unprofessional. Customers rely on BBB ratings when shopping and is an ultimate stain on the BBB for accrediting this business.  
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/11/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  5 out of 15 bulbs were moldy or unusable. When I reached out to customer service I was given a tiny refund that came nowhere near the amount I paid, and suspect was only given to meet the ********** minimum of there grow guarantee. Dishonest guarantee, terrible product.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/11/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you so much for reaching out.  I do apologize a portion of the order did arrive in poor condition.  After reviewing your images and the previous communication, I do see there was a math error done on our part.  I have issued an additional refund of $15.04 back to your original form of payment for the bulbs that were not viable.  Unfortunately we do not offer the items in smaller packages so we were not able to send a replacement for those.  Please allow 1-2 business days for that additional refund to post back to your account.

  I do apologize for the error made.  Please let us know if you need additional information.

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/02/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Order #*******PlacedSaturday, February 18, 2023 Partially Shipped Payment has been received for this order.PayPal Express Checkout transaction id: ***************** amount: $282.26 *********************** *************************************************************************** ************ I received a partial shipment of my bulbs. Numerous of bulbs were moldy and dead on arrival. I contacted them via chat requesting a replacement for refund. They will not refund me or send a replacement as their policy states that a customer must file a claim within 5 days. Yet they advertise that they are 100% guaranteed satisfaction & 100% grown guaranteed. Falsely advertising, I cannot grow bulbs if they are dead on arrival. I left a review on their ******** page to warn others of the terrible quality. As I was leaving a review on their ******** page I read reviews on their ******** page of many other complaints of this company not refunding other customers their full refund , not contacting them back, many others receiving moldy and dead bulbs upon arrival. They are falsely advertising 100% satisfaction & grow guaranteed. I am highly unsatisfied with the quality of my bulbs and customer service will not back up their product. Mold is not safe and inspections need to be reinstated. I want my money back for the rotten and dead bulbs plus my money for the product I have not received since February. I have called and left a message for them to cancel my order they have not sent from when I ordered in February. Please help me get a refund and warn others of their false advertising of 100% satisfaction and grown guaranteed.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you so much for reaching out to us.  I am sorry to hear you are not satisfied with your experience with our company.  After reviewing your order, I do see you ordered Fall Clearance items on 2/18/23.  They were shipped out on 2/20/23 and were delivered on 2/22/23.  You reached out to us through chat on 3/28/23 stating the items were in poor condition.  Our Grow Guarantee does state on our website and on the back of your packing slip that you do need to reach out to us within 5 business days if you have concerns regarding condition or quality.  Images at that time are also required for us to review and determine if the items are still viable or not.  Since the items we ship are viable, living plant material, we do also have a bright sticker on the outside of the box indicating the orders need to be opened immediately.  Our policy does also state that we do not cover if items are stored since they require very specific requirements to store successfully.  During your Live Chat with our customer service representative you did indicate that you had already planted the items so images could not be provided.  Below is our policy stating that images of any items in poor condition do need to be provided within 5 days and also our policy on storing bulbs for any length of time:

  If there are any concerns or discrepancies with an order upon receipt, please contact our customer service department within 5 business days of delivery.
  If you are concerned with the condition of any of the items you received, we require images of the item(s) to be provided via email. Once the images are reviewed, a replacement will be automatically sent if the item is not viable. If the item is no longer available, a refund will be issued in the amount paid for the item.

  All customer comments regarding our products should be directed to our *************************** either by way of telephone ***************) or email us within the first growing season as defined below*. As our gardening community understands, there are many environmental factors that are needed for a plant to successfully grow. These factors, including but not limited to, poor weather, planting outside of recommended growing conditions, improper planting techniques, moisture/sunlight needs, location, timing, etc. are out of our control and therefore cannot be covered under our Guarantee. We recommend all items be planted immediately after arrival. We are not able to guarantee the viability of the items if they are not planted upon arrival and stored. Please keep in mind, every plant is individual and unique and, just as in Mother Nature, perfection is not guaranteed. However, we can guarantee that you will receive the highest quality available in a timely manner.

  As indicated in your Live Chat, the Grow Guarantee is void since the items were stored for over a month before planting and images were not provided within 5 business days.  Storing the items was most likely what caused the items to mold and rot which is why we do need the images within the 5 days and we do not cover storing.  

  Again, I do apologize you are not satisfied with your order.  Our policies for our Grow Guarantee are available to review at any time before or after an order is placed so all customers are aware what is covered.  We also provide the information on your packing slip as well regarding our timelines and our guidelines.  We do advise in our Grow Guarantee above and also on the back of your packing slip to plant upon arrival.  Since these items were not planted upon arrival and stored, causing mold to form, our Grow Guarantee is void and we are not able to provide a refund at this time.

  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/05/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [False, the bulbs that I posted on your ******** review section were the bulbs that I could not plant. In my chat on your website I stated that I planted bulbs but I never once stated that I planted the moldy bulbs. I have the moldy and dead bulbs in the original box and original bags they came in. The box was stored in a cool room for the dormancy of the bulbs with the top open midway and out of light. Bulbs that have rot and turned to dust have had to have enough time to break down their material. Bulbs do not turn into dust in the time of a few days it takes time for them to go moldy in a cool dark room. I had images of the moldy bulbs but your customer service rep declined my replacement and refund without pictures. Your rep never asked for pictures since it was past the 5 days. You are falsifying that you are 100% satisfaction and 100% grown guaranteed. You would need to scientifically prove that your bulbs are 100% grown guaranteed and have a way to test that all customer seeds and bulbs failed and protected under your policy coverage. Seeds cannot be grown if they have no root base. You are legally at fault for 100% guaranteeing satisfaction and 100% grown guaranteed. I and so many other customers based on your reviews have shared the terrible quality we have received. No way shape or form is my experience with purchasing your bulbs 100% satisfaction. You are promising something that you failed to cover your product with consumers. My reviews & comments on your ******** social media were also deleted by your team. I shared my experience on social media and left an honest review to share with others my experience. Your company blocked me from leaving another review after my comments were shared. It is legally against the Consumer Review Fairness Act to remove honest consumer assessments that includes pictures, social media posts, videos, and product reviews. Your team blocked me from your social media to prevent me from sharing my honest assessment with your company. Your company failed to state on ******** or your website that customer reviews will be removed and customers will be blocked. Hollandbulbfarms can refund me for the bad product of moldy and dead bulbs I received. I expect my reviews & comments back on your ******** social media within ***** hours. I have the right to share an honest review against your company. Hollandbulbfarms lacks integrity and has failed to fix this issue. I will accept a full refund in the original way I completed my transaction. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ************************************

  Business Response

  Date: 04/06/2023

  Thank you again for reaching out to us.  I do apologize again you are not satisfied with your experience with our company.  Although we do offer a 100% Satisfaction and Grow Guarantee, we do have policies within our Guarantee that need to be followed for us to find a resolution.  All of our policies are stated on our website at any time throughout your buying experience. We also have a condensed version on the back of all packing slips that are sent in every package.  As stated in our previous response, we do send out living plant material which is why it's very important to reach out within 5 business days of delivery if there are any concerns regarding quality or if items are damaged.  After the 5 days, we cannot be held liable if items are stored since they do require very specific environmental factors to be in place for successful storage.  These include but are not limited to humidity, lighting, temperature and moisture.  Since the items were stored for over a month before planting, our Grow Guarantee is void since we did not receive any communication or images regarding the condition they arrived in within the 5 days stated in our Grow Guarantee.  It is very likely the mold and rot occurred during the storage process if the environment wasn't conducive for storing bulbs.  Unfortunately we cannot find a solution for you since the bulbs were stored.  

  ******** does give businesses the right to block comments that are added to posts made by that particular business.  The decision to block comments on posts we create on ******** is made on a case by case basis and is based on the content in the comment.  Since we did provide all necessary policy information before and after the purchase was made, the comments made on our posts were not necessary to keep on our post since we did already take care of your concern previously.  We had provided the explanation and policies on our live chat during previous communication with you offering you an explanation as to why your order no longer qualified for a solution per our policies.  Again, I did provide portions of our policy in my previous response, a link to our entire Grow Guarantee was offered to you in our Live chat on 3/28/23 and you are welcome to review the Guarantee in it's entirety at any time right on our website.  

  To summarize, we are not able to offer replacements or refund for the items that were in poor condition since they were stored for over a month before planting and we were not notified with images within the 5 business days required and stated as part of our Grow Guarantee.

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/13/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Bulbs were shipped in December 2022. Upon inspection, over 80% were soft or damaged with green mold growing on the bulbs. I have submitted numerous photos of the damaged bulbs and each time they request more photos of more of the bulbs. Last time I sent a photo of at least 40 of the bulbs. They keep procrastinating and so far have failed to refund me the purchase price.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2023

  Hello!

  Thank you so much for reaching out to us.  I'm sorry to hear the items arrived in poor condition.  After reviewing the order and your previous emails, I do see the initial email was sent on 12/30/22 regarding your concern with the condition.  We responded on 1/3/23 apologizing for the condition and asked at that time for you to send images per our Grow Guarantee listed on our website and the back of your packing slip. You did reply on 1/3/23 stating images won't show that they are soft.  A reply was sent on 1/5/23 letting you know that the images were required so we could assist you.  We do have trained horticulturist on staff that can tell from images if an item is viable or not.  Images were sent on 1/6/23 of 8 bulbs that were in poor condition.  A reply was sent on 1/10/23 from one of our representatives asking for clarification of which varieties were sent in the images and also asking for more images since only 8 were sent and you had received 200 bulbs.  We did receive more images on 1/12/23 and replied on 1/13/23 that a full refund was issued in the amount of $55.60 to your original form of payment.  It can take 1-2 business days for the refund to post back to your account.  If the refund hasn't  posted yet, it should in the next day or two.  Again, we do apologize for the condition the bulbs arrived in and do appreciate your cooperation with sending the required images.  Since it was a larger order, we needed to just clarify how many were actually in poor condition so we could better assist you.

  Thank you again for your patience and understanding.  Please let us know if you need any further assistance.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2022

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Shipment of bulbs arrived trashed. Unable to gift. **************** unhelpful.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/07/2022

  Thank you for reaching out to us.  I'm so sorry to hear you were not satisfied with the condition the Amaryllis arrived in.  We certainly do our very best to check quality of all items before we ship them.  I do see that you did send our customer service team 2 emails on 12/2 expressing your disappointment.  I do see that we did reply to both emails on 12/5/22 apologizing and also asking for images to be sent to us as stated on our Grow Guarantee on our website and also on the back of your packing slip.  Unfortunately it doesn't appear we have received the images yet.  We are more than happy to assist you with a solution once we receive those images.  Since we are online only and not a brick and mortar store, we do ask for the images instead of having you return them items that arrive damaged to be able to offer a solution.  We use the images to help our quality control team, to make changes to any packaging issues we may have and also to make sure it wasn't damaged with the carrier after it shipped.  The images are necessary for us to file a claim if they were damaged while in transit.  Again, we do apologize you were not happy with the condition the amaryllis arrived in but once you send the images, our team will more than happy to resolve this for you!

  Thank you and we look forward to receiving those images!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/25/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I created an online account with Holland Bulb Farms, the computer saved the login. Then I placed an order within the newly created account; I DID NOT RECEIVE a confirmation email for my order, but my PayPal account was immediately charged. I tried to sign into my ******* Bulb Farms account, it says password doesnt work; (impossible since the computer cached it.) Clicked reset password and a link was NEVER sent to me. Tried calling, put on hold, then it always hangs up. I want a full refund since this lack of customer service is an obvious red flag.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/28/2022

  Hello!

  Thank you so much for reaching out to us.  I'm so sorry to hear you were having a hard time logging in to your account to check your order status.  I do see you did place an order online on 11/23/22.  We were also closed on Thanksgiving so unfortunately we were unable to answer any inquiries or questions on that day.  After reviewing your account, I do see the email confirmation was sent to *********************** at 8:10 AM.  Generally when sending Confirmation Emails to a gmail account, they do go into the Promotional Folder.  I do apologize if you were not able to find the email you received.  The order did ship out the following business day on 11/25/22 in which at that time an email with tracking was also sent to the same email.  Unfortunately since the order was placed and shipped, we are unable to refund at this time.  If you would like a refund, you can certainly return the items to us and we would be happy to refund at that time.

  Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/07/2022

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My bank statement shows I made a purchase of $84.18 on July 18. I have called 3 times. Initially I was told they were awaiting shipments of bulbs in a week or two. Second time they couldn't find my order after giving them my name address and phone number. They have been making an aggressive campaign of advertizing cheap bulbs. I would be grateful if you would investigate this firm. I can't find an order number. ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2022

  Hello,

  Thank you so much for reaching out to us.  After reviewing your information, we do have a Fall order in the system for you that was placed on 7/15/22 as a preorder.  One of the items on your order, the Pinnacle Oriental Poppy, does have a disclaimer that it doesn't arrive to our facility before early to mid-October due to the natural lifecycle of this item and when it can be safely harvested.  Unfortunately due to numerous shipping delays with items being imported from Holland, we did just receive this item over the weekend.  Your order has been printed to be processed in our facility and will be shipping within the next 1-2 days.  Once it ships you will receive an email with tracking information.  

  Again, we do apologize for the delays and do try to put any updates and notification right on our website.  I do apologize again for the lengthy delays we experienced this season with a few of our items.  We area small, family owned business and certainly do appreciate your business as well as your patience and understanding while we work on clearing out our backorders.

  Thank you again and please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/06/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I placed my order for $327 worth of about a 100 flower bulbs on 8/31/22. The website clearly states shipping begins in early October for zones 6-7. I'm in zone 7. As of today, 11/6/22 my order has not yet shipped, even though I have inquired several times about it. It has now snowed where I live, which yes, it will melt, but who exactly wants to plant a 100 bulbs, after daylight savings, around Thanksgiving? I'm being now told by ************** that there was a disclaimer, in obviously very fine print, I never saw, informing me, my order would not ship out until all bulbs were available and ready to ship. I inquired as to why the bulbs that were ready to ship were not just shipped while they waited for other bulbs? I was told to contact the company and pay extra for shipping to split my order. I'm sorry? After $327 worth? I have not had an issue with DutchGrown i.e. Holland anyone? or FastGrowingTrees. Everyone shipped on time. But to be told I'd have to pay extra after I've waited all of September and all of October and my order has not yet shipped, while it's currently snowing, is beyond poor customer service. I am requesting that whatever is available to ship in my order is shipped immediately and the 2nd part of my order is shipped without extra shipping charges, as soon as it is available, please. I'm also asking Holland Farms to make their disclaimer extra clear on their site so it is noticeable as it would have stopped me from ordering to begin with, if I knew, I'd be planting in the snow. And despite this company's policy, it would be nice to have more compassionate and understanding employees than ************** who just say.."our disclaimer said..." Realistically, WHO reads the fine print? Unless it's in bold letters? And WHAT COMPANY wants to disappoint their customers with poor customer service? I hope this reaches the upper management and is rectified as well as future processes for other customers. Thank you for your time. Respectfully, ***************

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2022

  Hello,

  Thank you so much for reaching out to us regarding your order.  I do apologize you are frustrated with our delays in shipping this season.  After reviewing your order, several of the daylilies and ********* were labeled as backordered on our website and also have the following disclaimer in the description of each of those items:

  * Please note: Due to the life cycle of this item it is harvested in late summer by our suppliers and do not arrive to to us from Holland until early to mid-October. Therefore, all orders containing this item will begin shipping in mid to late October, according to the hardiness zone.

  Unfortunately with shipping delays in our ports, the items were delayed a bit longer than we expected due to the length of time items are now taking to clear customs.  We do apologize for the longer delay, we did try our best to keep our website updated for items that were still backordered.  Since you are in a climate that can safely plant through November, we were not sending orders in 2 separate shipments unless an additional fee was paid.  The items in your order did arrive late October, your order has been printed and is currently being processed in our warehouse to ship out by the middle of this week.  Once it ships you will receive an email with tracking information.

  Again, we do apologize for the longer delays.  We were passing along any information we received and updates through our website.  We are a small, family owned business working through these delays as quickly as we can.  We thank you for your business and appreciate your patience as we continue to fulfill orders in a timely manner.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/07/2022

  THANK YOU!

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/02/2022

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered numerous bulbs from the company over 260$. Worth. 1pkg/crate was to contain***** mix tulip bulbs in it. The other pkg in small boxes contained tulip bulbs and other bulbs. I specifically noted on my order do not deliver these without me being home to sign for them so I could check the boxes as it was a lot of product and I wanted to make sure none was damaged and I got what I paid for. I was also going on a trip and did not want it left on my front porch as bulbs can mildew if rained on or dry out. I returned and found they had delivered the boxes to my front open on all sides porch. The small boxes were fine. The big box with over ***** bulbs in it was opened and the black crate inside was only half full there were no where in it the amount that should have been. I immediately called probably over 5/6 times no one answered the phone left several messages. No answer ever. So I had but no choice to plant the bulbs as they were all drying out as they were in the open crate. Finally someone left a message. So called that number back. This time a person answered told me to take pics I had told her she can pull up my online order and see where I stated no delivery unless I sign it. I told her I hadnt taken good pics but then my husband said you took some and sent to me to show that the crate should have been filled almost too top and was half empty. I told her I wanted her to file a claim with *** and she told me I had to doit. I told her it was the company responsibility as I requested no delivery unless I was home. She argued with me telling me I had to pet their policy. I told her I wanted corporate number that the pic I had taken was trying to show *** missing but cant really show in detail but I was pretty sure that *** is suppose to take pic of delivery and that itself would show opened area in box. When I asked for corp. adress I was disconnected. I called *** He said *** DID NOT ask for signature I had requested seller. Sender/receiver can file claim

  Business Response

  Date: 11/03/2022

  Hello,

  Thank you for reaching out to us.  I'm sorry you were not satisfied with your experience with our company.  After reviewing your order notes and previous communication and do see that you did leave us voicemails on 11/2/22 which we did contact you back that same day.  We do not have any records of any voicemails/emails/chats being left prior to that date.  I do apologize we weren't able to answer the first time you called. We are a small, family owned business with limited staff.  During our busy time, if all representatives are assisting other customers, we may not be able to answer all calls.  It does look like we were able to contact you the same day.  After our representative talked to you regarding your concerns, it does appear you stated the crate was only half full of bulbs.  The **** count crates are not completely full as we do need to allow for air space to prevent rotting.  The size of the bulbs does also indicate how much room will be filled when the **** bulbs are added.  The bulbs also do settle when in transit.  After checking the tracking, I do see the box did weigh the appropriate amount for all **** count crates.  You did mention to our representative that you did plant the bulbs without getting a count because you were worried they would dry out.  All bulbs are dry at this time since they are dormant.  Unfortunately without a count, we cannot determine if any of the bulbs were in fact missing.  You also stated you asked for the package to be signed for when the box arrived.  Unfortunately we do not have that request indicated on the order.  When you placed the order online, the following message was added at the time you placed the order, "Please ring doorbell and make sure I get pkg!"  We do not require signatures for our packages and unfortunately it does not appear you requested for the package to be specifically left only if a signature was made.  ******** if boxes are damaged in transit, we are more than happy to file a claim but we do need an image of the box in order for them to honor it.  It doesn't appear you were able to provide an image.  *** will also provide us information directly if a box was damaged while they were in possession of it and we did not receive any information regarding a damaged package for your order.  I do understand your frustration but unfortunately we are not able to honor our Grow Guarantee unless you were able to provide us with an exact count of how many items were missing and we are unable to file a claim with *** without an image of a damaged box.  Again, the tracking does indicate the box weighed the correct amount which does indicate to us the entire crate was delivered.  If you can provide us any images of the box or an exact count, we would be more than happy to help rectify this for you.  Since it sounds like you planted without counting and did not take an image of the damaged package, the only thing we can do at this point is have you wait until Spring and count how many of the plants emerge.  If there are shortages then, we would be happy to help at that time but you will need to provide images of the plants that do emerge so we can better assist you.

  Thank you.