Would like your input.

[Waldorbigbill]

I'm asking you from a grower point of view what type of plants do you like to purchase? What are the important factors when buying a plant? What are some things that keep you from buying plants? Have you ever bought a plant from an online Site? These question will help me the grower to improve the way we do things to ensure we are getting people what they want.

[Tony]

My collection is focused on Paphs, Phrags, and Brassias. The most important factors to me are healthy plants, quality breeding, and good selection. Low prices are nice, of course, but less important to me, I don't mind paying more for better plants.

I won't buy plants from growers with a poor reputation, or who demonstrate shady business practices. A good example is Paph tigrinum, I was going to buy it from one vendor, but after I placed my order, he tried to raise the price from $80 to $125. I cancelled that order and bought one from another vendor for $150. He didn't lose the sale because of the price, it was his greed and dishonesty that made me go elsewhere.

Most of my plants have been purchased online since the Paph selection down here tends to be poor.

[Oscarman]

The criteria I use:

Plants that suit my growing conditions.
Health of the plant.
Quality (breeding) of the plant.
Size and price of the plant.

If I am not shopping in person (catalog, online) - I give the vendor one chance. If I have a good experience, I'll be back. If it is negative, I will expect them to correct the problem. Depending on how they handle my concerns determines if I will deal with them again.

When ordering from a paper or online catalog, the vendor knows exactly what they are getting from me ($$$), but I do not necessarily have the same benefit. Therefore I figure a vendor's goal should be to exceed my realistic expectations - a healthy plant that is well established (bareroot exception) so that there will be minimal setback in it's growth and that the plant is true to the plant tag.

[cb977]

I rely on a vendor's reputation...whether it's good or bad halpes me in deciding whether I will even look at what they advertise.

As for plants, healthy is the key for me and I tend to prefer blooming size or in bud/spike.

One problem I have come across is the cost of shipping. I'd rather get a healthy plant shipped bareroot than a potted plant because I repot whatever I get immediately anyway...so why pay shipping for the pot and medium's weight?

I'd like to thank you for posing this question. It tells me that you are looking out for your customers and that is always appreciated

[Gin]

I buy most of my plants online , before ordering I check to see what others are saying that have bought from them , if there was a problem was in solved within reason .
Healthy plants, no wildlife included on the plants .
Size, if advertised as in a 4 inch should not be a plant that should be in a 2 inch pot .
As for type of plant (can't please everyone ) I like species odd ones as I have a lot of the others .
Nothing worse than going to a site and seeing Phal. after Phal. that look alike or Dends. can go to Lowes and see that .. diffrent colors same o same o Gin

[Waldorbigbill]

Hey Its great to see some of the responses I've gotten so far. Your Input will help usto better our services to you the consumer. We are fairly new at on line sales but have been selling orchids since 1925. We have done the center exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower show several times and we are one of the oldest exhibitor at that show. We have found you can only send out the best product and if people are not happy with what they get from us we have always tried to work with them and fix the problem. As far as some one sending you a 2 inch pot vs a 4 inch pot you should always contact the vendor if there is a problem. There are lots of times on the vendor end when having a product things sometime change your dealing with plants that grow etc so always bring up something wrong with the vendor. Please keep the great input coming in.

[Phantasm]

My interest is in compots and flasks unless I can get select mature clones for a decent price. I enjoy the variation in blooming several plants from a cross, and it's easier to find a few really nice clones for affordable pricing.
As far as selecting what vendor to use, it usually comes down to a comfort level and excellence. Sometimes, I try new vendors if they have something interesting, and I have no problem with online purchasing. My experience is that most vendors will bend over backwords to satisfy their customers, but of course there are exceptions.

[justatypn]

I for one buy mainly online and follow up with the seller via email on the shipping experience. I feel if a vendor is consumer conscious their packing and shipping will be just as good as their product. I have received orchids from a vendor that packing was just that, no extra cush so to speak for USPS, UPS, Fedex travel. Price is of no concern noting I can get the cheapest of cheap from the orange warehouse, but only if the product is of worthy quality. The medium is important in the appearance as well as the rooting systems of these little guys, I as well usually repot. You can pretty much tell when they arrive if they are well kept and cared for. It's a needle in a haystack when you purchase sight unseen.

[esungirl]

I have bought about 75% of my plants online and have been pleased, thus far. I've had no bad experiences. One vendor even threw in a seperation of a Den. Falcorostrum, with a purchase. She was honest enough to say she could not guarantee the vialbility of the plant, I lost one cane, but the other has a new growth. I like species, with a few exceptions. I usually buy seedlings and compots, for the price. I also like to save on the shipping so I'll buy 2-3 at a time. But if the plant is nice and I want it, I'll get it no matter what.

[Marty]

What about, "If a vendor supports the on-line forum I visit" and interacts with customers, and has a great reputation I tend to order from them ?!

btw, maybe down the road, we will implement here a real "Vendor" rating system. Vendor's could be rated on several aspects of how they conduct business. I'm sure that this would be handy for people sitting on the fence, or trying to decide who to buy from. I'm not sure if there are any legal ramification to this though.