Check this e-bay offering out

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Paphiopedilum-c...283?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eafac0e5b

I could be wrong but in my mind there is a very good chance that this is not the species that they claim. Then, check out the shipping costs. I contacted the vendor and tried to explain how ridiculous this was. He said that it is over a 4 inch pot and with the bark wet that he had to figure on 15 pounds then so much for packing material and tape and ... Then when I respond that I didn't feel it was a fair price he said he just went to Krull Smith web site and put in a fake order and the shipping was almost the same cost. I just dropped it at that point. I didn't check Franks side but I believe that Frank no longer offers any paphs. The vendor also compared his shipping with Orchid Limited shipping costs. Is it just me or what?

 

[PaphMadMan]

I buy from many eBay vendors and others on a pretty regular basis. The plant is over-priced and the shipping cost is ridiculous. I'll pay whatever I have to to get a plant I really want, but I doubt I'll ever buy from that vendor. That's a business that has or is going to have some serious problems.

 

[John M]

He probably sells snake oil too! That is a nameless hybrid, worth about $20 at Home Depot. It's got charlesworthii in it's background; but, it definitely is NOT pure charlesworthii. The shipping does seem excessive.

 

[emydura]

He probably sells snake oil too! That is a nameless hybrid, worth about $20 at Home Depot. It's got charlesworthii in it's background; but, it definitely is NOT pure charlesworthii. The shipping does seem excessive.

Agree. The shipping is outrageous.

David

 

[mormodes]

the seller says they sell directly from Hilltop Orchids in Indiana. Are they reputable?

 

[Kavanaru]

LOL if you trhink the price of that Paph hybrid is ridiculous, check this offer: http://cgi.ebay.com/ORCHID-MONTH-CL...795?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eaf8f127b (same vendor! - free shipping!)

 

[Kavanaru]

the seller says they sell directly from Hilltop Orchids in Indiana. Are they reputable?

with those prices and ebay shop.. I don't think so! (or this ebay vendor is just misusing their name... )

 

[etex]

Sounds very strange- crazy amount of fine print on his listing, and steep price for plant and shipping. Until I looked at his feedback as a seller- he sold a 2 growth, with one new growth, P Harold Koopowitz for $257.49 last month.
It appears he stopped selling for a few years after lots of negative feedback in '06.

 

[Shiva]

:rollhappy::rollhappy::rollhappy::rollhappy:

 

[SlipperKing]

Obviously Dick and Sandy are out of touch with the real orchid world. They claim growing orchids started in 1954. Give him the benefit and say he started at 15 years old, he would be 71, which equals "out of touch"!

 

[etex]

LOL if you trhink the price of that Paph hybrid is ridiculous, check this offer: http://cgi.ebay.com/ORCHID-MONTH-CL...795?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eaf8f127b (same vendor! - free shipping!)

That is a good one!!



I like his statement under ebay description for the plant of the month club- "Take this opportunity while you can because it is not very often that you can do business with an accredited AOS judge when you have tough questions"

 

[Kavanaru]

I liked this one better: "These plants are high quality for future growing, however when it comes to the end of the month you could give them away or keep them for yourself. I don't advocate this but if you are simply using them as decor, you could throw them away like Mums in the fall."

 

[luvsorchids]

:sob:

 

[PaphMadMan]

Not making any accusations, but if I wanted to launder illegally obtained money I might set up a bunch of fake auctions and bidder accounts, and pay myself with money orders. Just sayin'...

 

[etex]

Or if you wanted positve feedback in case some idiot came looking before buying. But I would have changed store name too, under feedback as a seller-it's not pretty in '06.

 

[John M]

I liked this one better: "These plants are high quality for future growing, however when it comes to the end of the month you could give them away or keep them for yourself. I don't advocate this but if you are simply using them as decor, you could throw them away like Mums in the fall."

Since they'd be paying over $81.00 each month for each plant, most of which will probably be hybrid Phals, throwing them out after just 4 weeks seems like the only people who will go for this are those that have more money than brains. Plus, at $81.00 for a Phal. hybrid, I don't think saying the shipping is free is true at all. The shipping is obviously being paid for.

 

[PaphMadMan]

Or if you wanted positve feedback in case some idiot came looking before buying. But I would have changed store name too, under feedback as a seller-it's not pretty in '06.

To be fair, they had good feedback history until a bad 6 weeks in '06 when it appears there may have been health issues, then they stopped selling for several years. Recent feedback is limited but all very positive.

 

[Ernie]

I know Dick and Sandy quite well. They wouldn't do their own eBay sales. You're lucky if they return an e-mail. If I want to talk with Dick, I have to call Dick. Someone else buys from them then posts their items once in a while- note the seller is darren0987 and from Terre Haute. Obviously not Dick or Sandy from Cloverdale. It's probably labeled properly in the pot as a chuck hybrid, this Darren dude didn't bother to pull the tag up far enough to see the whole name or something. If you like the flower, the plant price is okay, but, yeah, shipping is over the top. Dick does grow in "mud" but it should never weigh 15 lbs for a 4" pot.

Dick knows his orchids, epsecially phals, paphs, & phrags. I'll vouch for HIM there. Not exactly sure of his age, but I doubt he's 71. I'll try to tell Dick that Darren is spoiling their good name.

Mud is a soilless mix based on coconut coir and lots of perlite. He grows phals, paphs, and phrags very well in it, but I repot any plants I get from them promptly because I don't know how to do mud myself.

Anyway, my two cents.

 

[SlipperFan]

What's wrong with being 71? Don't we all hope to be there someday? Why does age have anything to do with being "out of it."

Just askin'

 

[GaryB]

Don't mis the opportunity to buy ...AWARD WINNING PLANTS AND CULTIVATORS from Darren.

I'm thinking this one looks pretty good:

I can't understand why Dick would let Darren use Hilltop's name on Ebay. It's like me buying orchids from Oak Hill Gardens, then opening an Ebay store named "Oak Hill Gardens" and saying "Oak Hill Gardens" has expanded to Ebay.