I bought two seed packets at a large Japanese nursery. The bok
choy just "sprang" out of the ground, but the cucumbers just sat
there. Only 2-1/1 mangy plants out of the whole expensive packet
(they were a special kind of cucumber).

We are in a mild climate (So. Calif coastal), and have had an
unusually warm "winter". Also, I put a dark plastic cover over the
little seed compartments to aid sprouting. So there shouldn't have
been a problem.

Well, after 5 weeks or so, I gave up on the cucumbers and took
the seed packet back to the nursery. My intention was to buy some
green bean and other seeds, and exchange the n.g. cucumbers.

To my shock, the clerk wouldn't exchange without a receipt.
Who keeps a receipt for 2 packets of seeds for 5-6 weeks?! I asked
him if he wanted to lose a customer over $1.89, and he seemed quite
willing to do so. He was not Japanese; I was tempted to contact the
management, but it's their problem; not worth the effort..

I'm taking my business back to the local nurseries that do not
give customers a hard time, even when returning plants. They value
repeat business.

Excuse vent...g




--
Polar

To my shock, the clerk wouldn't exchange without a receipt.
Who keeps a receipt for 2 packets of seeds for 5-6 weeks?! I asked
him if he wanted to lose a customer over $1.89, and he seemed quite
willing to do so. He was not Japanese; I was tempted to contact the
management, but it's their problem; not worth the effort..

I'm taking my business back to the local nurseries that do not
give customers a hard time, even when returning plants. They value
repeat business.

Don't feel bad -- we took an item back to Target for an "even" exchange.
Just item for item -- it was the wrong size. We no longer had the receipt.
To our amazement, they told us they would credit us the sale price towards
the purchase of another. This was an even exchange! Their position was
that we may have purchased the item on sale in the last 90 days and we
therefore could only have that much money toward the swapped item regardless
of the fact that the item was the exact same thing. This applies to
defective returns as well. So you could purchase an item on sale Saturday,
find it was defective and return it on Monday to swap for a working model
BUT you'd end up paying more because the item was no longer on sale! The
real kicker here is that with that scenario it would not matter if you had a
receipt or not -- the recipt would show you purchased it at a sale price so
that would be what they would credit to you in the swap.

To me this is absolutely ludicrous -- an even exchange should be just that
and nothing more. If I am swapping for the same item and that item has no
price differential from the one I've returned, other than a sale that
occurred in the last NINETY (90) days, then I should not be charged extra
because it's no longer on sale. I can understand it in the case of a refund
but come on -- an "even" exchange????

To say the least, we no longer shop Target for items like appliances,
household goods, and the like or those that might be used as gifts. For the
main part, we do not even consider Target for any purchases anymore -- the
only time we go there is if they have some sale on a consumable (laundry
detergent for example) that is just out of sight.

James

No problem on the vent, but who takes back seeds for $1.89? Better yet, who
needs to "vent" over such matters. Rhetorical.


On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 19:15:07 -0800, Polar wrote:


I bought two seed packets at a large Japanese nursery. The bok
choy just "sprang" out of the ground, but the cucumbers just sat
there. Only 2-1/1 mangy plants out of the whole expensive packet
(they were a special kind of cucumber).

We are in a mild climate (So. Calif coastal), and have had an
unusually warm "winter". Also, I put a dark plastic cover over the
little seed compartments to aid sprouting. So there shouldn't have
been a problem.

Well, after 5 weeks or so, I gave up on the cucumbers and took
the seed packet back to the nursery. My intention was to buy some
green bean and other seeds, and exchange the n.g. cucumbers.

To my shock, the clerk wouldn't exchange without a receipt.
Who keeps a receipt for 2 packets of seeds for 5-6 weeks?! I asked
him if he wanted to lose a customer over $1.89, and he seemed quite
willing to do so. He was not Japanese; I was tempted to contact the
management, but it's their problem; not worth the effort..

I'm taking my business back to the local nurseries that do not
give customers a hard time, even when returning plants. They value
repeat business.

Excuse vent...g

animaux wrote:
No problem on the vent, but who takes back seeds for $1.89? Better
yet, who
needs to "vent" over such matters. Rhetorical.

I'm just wondering where there would be a store that you can bring an
empty seed package back, and get it replaced or get your money back.
I've got a drawer full of empty packets, as I'm sure many people do, and
I'd stand in line if I thought they were worth new packets. And I've had
such bad luck growing things from seed, I could say they didn't live up
to their potential, and not be lying.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.

On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 19:15:07 -0800, Polar
wrote:

To my shock, the clerk wouldn't exchange without a receipt.

I don't know of too many places that will.

On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 06:57:32 GMT, "Warren"
wrote:

animaux wrote:
No problem on the vent, but who takes back seeds for $1.89? Better
yet, who
needs to "vent" over such matters. Rhetorical.

I'm just wondering where there would be a store that you can bring an
empty seed package back, and get it replaced or get your money back.

All the local nurseries that I've dealt with for years know their
customers, and wouldn't insult a person who brings back a plant that
didn't make it (yes, they do that!) or seeds that didn't. Just good
business.

I've got a drawer full of empty packets, as I'm sure many people do,

Why would anybody save empty packets? Straight question.

and
I'd stand in line if I thought they were worth new packets. And I've had
such bad luck growing things from seed, I could say they didn't live up
to their potential, and not be lying.

Just because you've had back luck doesn't mean that everybody has.



--
Polar

On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 05:20:17 GMT, animaux
wrote:

No problem on the vent, but who takes back seeds for $1.89?

You didn't notice that I was planning to do more shopping at that
nursery? Please read more carefully.

Better yet, who
needs to "vent" over such matters.

I did, and if you don't like it, use your killfile.

Rhetorical.

Misused term.




On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 19:15:07 -0800, Polar wrote:


I bought two seed packets at a large Japanese nursery. The bok
choy just "sprang" out of the ground, but the cucumbers just sat
there. Only 2-1/1 mangy plants out of the whole expensive packet
(they were a special kind of cucumber).

We are in a mild climate (So. Calif coastal), and have had an
unusually warm "winter". Also, I put a dark plastic cover over the
little seed compartments to aid sprouting. So there shouldn't have
been a problem.

Well, after 5 weeks or so, I gave up on the cucumbers and took
the seed packet back to the nursery. My intention was to buy some
green bean and other seeds, and exchange the n.g. cucumbers.

To my shock, the clerk wouldn't exchange without a receipt.
Who keeps a receipt for 2 packets of seeds for 5-6 weeks?! I asked
him if he wanted to lose a customer over $1.89, and he seemed quite
willing to do so. He was not Japanese; I was tempted to contact the
management, but it's their problem; not worth the effort..

I'm taking my business back to the local nurseries that do not
give customers a hard time, even when returning plants. They value
repeat business.

Excuse vent...g





--
Polar

On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 00:06:55 -0500, "JNJ" wrote:

To my shock, the clerk wouldn't exchange without a receipt.
Who keeps a receipt for 2 packets of seeds for 5-6 weeks?! I asked
him if he wanted to lose a customer over $1.89, and he seemed quite
willing to do so. He was not Japanese; I was tempted to contact the
management, but it's their problem; not worth the effort..

I'm taking my business back to the local nurseries that do not
give customers a hard time, even when returning plants. They value
repeat business.

Don't feel bad -- we took an item back to Target for an "even" exchange.
Just item for item -- it was the wrong size. We no longer had the receipt.
To our amazement, they told us they would credit us the sale price towards
the purchase of another. This was an even exchange! Their position was
that we may have purchased the item on sale in the last 90 days and we
therefore could only have that much money toward the swapped item regardless
of the fact that the item was the exact same thing. This applies to
defective returns as well. So you could purchase an item on sale Saturday,
find it was defective and return it on Monday to swap for a working model
BUT you'd end up paying more because the item was no longer on sale! The
real kicker here is that with that scenario it would not matter if you had a
receipt or not -- the recipt would show you purchased it at a sale price so
that would be what they would credit to you in the swap.

To me this is absolutely ludicrous -- an even exchange should be just that
and nothing more. If I am swapping for the same item and that item has no
price differential from the one I've returned, other than a sale that
occurred in the last NINETY (90) days, then I should not be charged extra
because it's no longer on sale. I can understand it in the case of a refund
but come on -- an "even" exchange????

To say the least, we no longer shop Target for items like appliances,
household goods, and the like or those that might be used as gifts. For the
main part, we do not even consider Target for any purchases anymore -- the
only time we go there is if they have some sale on a consumable (laundry
detergent for example) that is just out of sight.

Your story just bears out the trend toward megachains that couldn't
care less whether they please their customers and get repeat business.
People treasure the few remaining local businesses that respect their
customers and go out of their way to satisfy them.

It's terrible business practice for these biggies to behave so
chicken-****, but when you're dealing with a large, anonymous outfit,
staffed by low-wage clerks and "managers" who have no stake in the
enterprise except pulling a paycheck, that's what you get.




--
Polar

"Warren" wrote in message
news:icQja.103702$Zo.21162@sccrnsc03...

I'm just wondering where there would be a store that you can bring an
empty seed package back, and get it replaced or get your money back.
I've got a drawer full of empty packets, as I'm sure many people do, and
I'd stand in line if I thought they were worth new packets. And I've had
such bad luck growing things from seed, I could say they didn't live up
to their potential, and not be lying.


It's like rebates, they know that such a small percentage of the customers
will return with a complaint, it's not even worth the bother. A $2 packet
costs the store $1.

For that $2 seed packet, they probably also sold $5 in soil, another $5 in
fertilizer, plus $10 for those mini-greenhouse starter and those tiny
compressed peat tablets.

I'm surprised they don't just give away the seed. It would be like Gillette
giving away the razor blade set , knowing you'll buy plenty of razors from
them in the long run.

Sameer

"Polar" wrote in message
...

I asked
him if he wanted to lose a customer over $1.89, and he seemed quite
willing to do so. He was not Japanese; I was tempted to contact the
management, but it's their problem; not worth the effort..

I'm taking my business back to the local nurseries that do not
give customers a hard time, even when returning plants. They value
repeat business.

I think you made a mistake not letting the owners of this place know about
their "clerk's policy". I always go to the top with a complaint and let
them know in a nice way what has happened and why I am not pleased, 99% of
the time you will get satisfaction and a thanks from the owners for letting
them know. If this doesn't work I then let the owners know that I will NOT
patronize their business any longer and will also spread the word of my
dissatisfaction and then do just that.

Val

On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 19:15:07 -0800, Polar
wrote:

Who keeps a receipt for 2 packets of seeds for 5-6 weeks?

who wastes an inordinate amount of time fretting over it?



"As crude a weapon as a cave man's club the chemical barrage has been hurled at the fabric of life."
Rachel Carson

On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 23:27:51 -0800, Polar wrote:

On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 05:20:17 GMT, animaux
wrote:

No problem on the vent, but who takes back seeds for $1.89?

You didn't notice that I was planning to do more shopping at that
nursery? Please read more carefully.

Better yet, who
needs to "vent" over such matters.

I did, and if you don't like it, use your killfile.

Rhetorical.

Misused term.

No, not misused term. My question was rhetorical, thus not requiring an answer.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of seeds were these again, and how did you try
to germinate them?

Snooze wrote:

It's like rebates, they know that such a small percentage of the
customers
will return with a complaint, it's not even worth the bother. A $2
packet
costs the store $1.

They loose the $1 they paid to the supplier, and the $1 of net revenues
they booked a few months back. After expenses, you may be talking about
a dime of actual profit, and $1.90 that they'll need to make up by
selling 19 more packets.


For that $2 seed packet, they probably also sold $5 in soil, another
$5 in
fertilizer, plus $10 for those mini-greenhouse starter and those tiny
compressed peat tablets.

Could be. But if somebody is in your store pitching a fit about a $1.89
packet of seeds that they had bad luck with, who's to say they aren't
going to be returning all those other things, too.

I'm surprised they don't just give away the seed. It would be like
Gillette
giving away the razor blade set , knowing you'll buy plenty of razors
from
them in the long run.

Good idea, assuming your mark-up on those other things is greater than
your mark-up on the seeds. But what will you do with someone shows up
three months from now with an empty seed packet, and wants a refund for
the whole package deal because it didn't produce well?

Toxic "customers" can bring your business down pretty fast if you let
them. Somebody who takes the time to come to your store to demand a
refund for a $1.89 seed packet that they don't have a receipt for
because they weren't satisfied with the results of their own growing is
someone who might as well be wearing a t-shirt that says, "I'll complain
about the smallest thing, whether or not it's your fault, and expect you
to foot the bill."


--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.

On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 16:54:42 GMT, animaux
wrote:

On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 23:27:51 -0800, Polar wrote:

On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 05:20:17 GMT, animaux
wrote:

No problem on the vent, but who takes back seeds for $1.89?

You didn't notice that I was planning to do more shopping at that
nursery? Please read more carefully.

Better yet, who
needs to "vent" over such matters.

I did, and if you don't like it, use your killfile.

Rhetorical.

Misused term.

No, not misused term. My question was rhetorical, thus not requiring an answer.

Mea minima culpa.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of seeds were these again, and how did you try
to germinate them?

They were a special kind of cucumber. Sorry, I left the packet on the
counter when I departed in low dudgeon. I chose very carefully,
wanting something a little "different" from the Usual Suspects that I
sow each year.

I sowed them in those compartmented plastic gizmos -- surely they have
a name? -- in my regular homemade mix, composed of my very own deep,
dark, delicious compost and a soupcon of worm castings. They were in
the same "holding tank" as the bok choy (which did beautifully).
Watered from below to seep up gradually and not drown the seeds.
Covered with black plastic at first to trap heat. Uncovered after bok
choy germinated.


--
Polar

On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 16:52:14 GMT, "Warren"
wrote:

Polar wrote:

I'm just wondering where there would be a store that you can bring an
empty seed package back, and get it replaced or get your money back.

All the local nurseries that I've dealt with for years know their
customers, and wouldn't insult a person who brings back a plant that
didn't make it (yes, they do that!) or seeds that didn't. Just good
business.

Seed packets. Not plants.

The stores and nurseries I go to don't pack their own seed packets. If a
plant they sell dies, even if they only cared for it for a weekend
before selling it, they have a little more responsibility for the
condition of the individual plant.

The seed packets are mass produced, and sold widely. If you're the only
one who had a problem with a particular seed packet, it probably didn't
have anything to do with what the store or nursery did. They're not
going to get credit from their supplier, and their supplier isn't going
to get credit from the producer. If you're returning an empty seed
packet to the retail merchant, you're asking them to take responsiblity
for something they had nothing to do with.

Yeah, we're only talking a very small price. But frankly, my business
would have to be very desperate for customers for me to care about
loosing one that pitches a tissy fit over a packet of seeds. Over time,
an unreasonable customer like that is going to cost more to service than
they're worth happy -- and they're pretty much indicating that they'll
never be happy if something so minor is such a big deal to them.

And they don't even have a receipt! Would you start handing out $1.89 to
every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes into your store with an empty seed
packet? Once word gets out that you do, people who've never been to your
store will be bringing in empty seed packets. Word spreads fast, just as
it does when a merchant starts taking coupons for products you aren't
buying. Those nickel and dime frauds add up faster than you think, and
there are enough people out there making livings off of 50-cents here,
2-bucks there, to put a small businessman out of business.

So when you bring in an empty seed packet and no receipt, you're either
a con artist, or an unreasonable customer. Either way, that $1.89 today
has the potential to add up to big bucks in the future. Even with a
receipt, I'm going to wonder what kind of a customer you are.

Now if it was a seed packet packed right at my nusurey, and my business
is the producer of the seeds, then it's a different story. I had
something to do with the quality of those seeds, and it's reasonable to
expect me to take some responsibility for it even if you don't have a
receipt. And for that matter, even if you bought it someplace else. But
my responsibility is because I'm involved with the production of the
product. I'm not just reselling a mass-marketed product.

I have a rake that broke after one season. I don't expect the store I
bought it at to give me my money back. I might have considered making a
request to the manufacturer, but it's a rake. Stuff happens, and my use
of the rake was as much of a factor as the quality of the rake when it
left the factory. It wouldn't be fair to the reseller to ask them to eat
the cost of the rake, and absorb costs involved with trying to get the
manufacturer to give a refund.


I've got a drawer full of empty packets, as I'm sure many people do,

Why would anybody save empty packets? Straight question.

Because I never remember exactly what anything I plated is. I may
remember that I planted three different kinds of marrigolds in a
particular bed, but by the time they're blooming, I won't remember what
kind they were. It also helps next year when it's time to go shopping
for seeds again.


I'd stand in line if I thought they were worth new packets. And I've
had
such bad luck growing things from seed, I could say they didn't live
up
to their potential, and not be lying.

Just because you've had back luck doesn't mean that everybody has.

Well, if your luck is better than mine, then when asking for an exchange
for your empty seed packet, you'd have to lie about why you want it
replaced.

If you read carefully, I explained to the store exactly, and politely,
what the difference in germination was in the two different
seeds I'd purchased from them.

I don't know whether you're being deliberately offensive in
suggesting that I "lied" to the store; from the rest of your rant, it
sure sounds like it, so why don't we not converse further.



--
Polar