Dear Minelli Family: At some price point, the big box stores (and for that
matter, any business, even one as small as mine) will
find it uneconomical to pay a cashier to ring up a bargain basement orchid
[although it may not seem like it, the boxes do have some kind of program in
place to monitor the lines, around here I think the criterion is "how long
can we let it get before people start to walk without buying?" :( ],
much less to continue to afford it very valuable/expensive space in their
retail sales area.

Chances are, the big boxes won't actually pay for the plant anyway, if the
barcode doesn't cross their scanners in a sale. The grower who "sold" the
plant to the box store is more likely to suffer the loss.

We maintain a small "Bargain Basement" section most of the time, and a more
extensive "Sratch-n-Dent" sale once a year (Ad: coming up in April, local
only, no shipping). But we do also toss plants here, when they become more
trouble than they're worth -- even tho unlike the box stores, I see actual
$$ going into the trash can when I have to pitch a plant. Unpalatable fact
of life (or at least business).
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids



"Minelli Family" wrote in message
...

I've been suffering the addiction for about 10 years now. I recently
bought several new ones at 1/2 price at Home Depot - before they toss them
in the garbage. That just kills me......... :*( Rather then keep
lowering the price and allowing someone to enjoy them, and allowing the
plant to live, they throw them away.