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Gardeners' Choice

Lipenwald, Inc.
1 Eversley Avenue
Norwalk, CT

Gardeners' Choice • Consumer Complaints • Order not received • Dead plants • What to do • Company response • The other Gardener's Choice --- News • Gardeners' Choice Complaints Sprout Annually

It's hard to tell who's angrier about their dealings with Gardeners' Choice -- those who didn't get the plants they ordered or those who did.

There are a couple of lessons here, the primary one being: don't use a check to pay for merchandise ordered through the mail or online. You have no recourse if the merchandise fails to arrive or is unsatisfactory. Instead, pay with a credit card. You have 60 days to dispute a charge for missing and unsatisfactory goods or services.

Don't have a credit card? Shop locally and pay cash.

What can those who lost money to Gardeners' Choice do? Not much, although we have a few suggestions.

This, by the way, is an annual event. Come springtime, the complaints blossom, like this batch of seedlings:

Marilyn of Goodlettsville, TN April 16, 2008

Ordered 9 Kalahari Blue Daisy plants and 4 Golden Chain trees in Feb, this year. The total came to 36.91. Tried to call to check status of order today, April 16th. Could not find a phone number for them. Emailed www.GCspecials.com. Webmail postmaster sent message that website for Gardeners' Choice was unknown. Email was returned.

I had no idea about all these consumer complaints against this company. This was my first time using them. When I tried to look up their website, I saw all these complaints.

I have yet to receive my merchandise and I'm sure I will never get my money back.

Andres of Dublin, OH April 16, 2008

I bougth 3 plants of giant tomato as seen on tv on early March 2008 and havent receive the product yet, they dont answer the customer service phone and is always busy. I want my money back !!!

Martin of Kansas City, KS March 27, 2008

What happened?  A big fat nothing!  Paid 10 for 3 tomato trees adn 3 giant tomato plants as seen on TV.  This was several weeks ago and any contact with customer service is zilch.  I wish I had come to this site before I ordered.  And shipping cost more than the product, another 10.95.

I run a greenhouse, and now it has put me back late for selling tomatoes.

Peggy of Cicero, NY March 27, 2008

What happened ? I am looking at complaints for this Company from 2000 to 2004, and they are still in business! I had a funny feeling about them when I got something in the mail selling MyRoyalTree called the Royal Paulownia Tree for only 3.98 each. But I did order 2, even though I lost only 10.48 with s&h, it makes me furious. These people are advertising on TV, sending cards with the Sunday Paper.

Not enough money lost to cause me damage but this is ridiculous. I did see the message from the REAL Gardener's Choice guy. Seems the fake guy is in Michigan.

April of Titusville, FL February 23, 2008

I ordered 3 giant tree tomatoes as seen on TV and placed that ordered on line by credit card and never received the trees. They charged my card, and here is the information :02/19/2008; 15FEB2008; GARDENERS CHOICE 269-621-3303 MI; -34.83. I will be going to my bank on Monday. I don't understand if this company has been doing this since 2001..to 2008, then why has this not been stopped? The advertising on TV is false advertising. Plus they are stealing money. Thanks.

Andrew of Sequim, WA January 25, 2008

Count me among those that received an order and was dissatisfied. 5 dead trees and 3 dead bushes.

Like many others, attempted to contact Gardener's Choice via phone (no answer or busy, always) and no response to multiple emails. I even sent a question into customer service about ordering something - when I got a reply from a real person and raised the problem with the previous order. POOF! No more customer service.

I finally got relief from the BBB, which strangely enough, Gardener's Choice is a member. 

Thelma of Mount Sterling, KY July 23, 2007

In March I placed an order in early spring for 2 trees and several other plants for a total order of 73.06.  The check cleared shortly after I placed the order.

It has been four months and I still have not received my order or a response as to what happened.

Bonnie of Des Moines, IA May 21, 2007

I went in to check my order and found all these complaints. Since most were from 2003 & 2004, I thought I would add mine to the list.

I have never received my order and it is 2007.

Joanna of Staten Island, NY May 15, 2007

I ordered plants online Aug. 12, 2006, and was given a shipping date of May 2007. The company lists no phone number or address, nor did they answer the emails I've sent requesting shipping information.

I paid for the order, which totaled about 46 including shipping, with a debit card.

If this company has been doing this for the past several years, how is it they have been able to get away with it for so long?

Jim of Lusby, MD May 15, 2007

I ordered 2 tomatoe trees and I never received anything.  Looking at the website this company is not too reliable.

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