There’s a point at which highlighting your justified complaint becomes a wearisome rant, and the initial post with those random capital letters and exclamation marks unfortunately gave the impression you were the Nick Kyrgios of the forum!
You have highlighted your complaint and brought attention to Sutton’s failings. Perhaps it is now time to stop calling them liars (and I wonder if the lies were deliberate or simply a case of some lowly office worker reporting back to you incorrectly entered or un-updated data on the computer screen) and definitely time to draw back from impugning the motives of other people on this forum. And, for clarity, despite your assertions, I do not work for Sutton’s and, over a gardening lifetime, have probably bought no more than a dozen packets of seeds from them.
Unfortunately Suttons were taken over by Thompson and Morgan (T&M) a company who's reputation is appalling which I can attest to from personal experience. I suspect T&M simply bought Suttons and now use the T&M management and delivery process that they have always used hence the hit and miss approach as to whether you are one of the lucky clients to have the order arrive in good condition or at all.
T&M used to post on these forums to defend or help with complaints but, I suspect the complaints became so numerous they have simply given up. One would have thought by now they would have reassessed there packaging and delivery processes to improve them, but by all accounts it would seem not.
Feel free to complain as much as you wish on these forums. These are a publicly funded forums owned and run (ultimately) by the BBC.
Kili, thanks so much for this reply. Some very useful insight!
It seems to me, judging by some of the responses I've received, that T&M are still active on this forum, just not officially. It explains why 'apparent members of the public' have attacked me for daring to complain, a very normal occurance for disgruntled customers, instead of being concerned with the actual actions of Suttons/ T&M.
It explains a lot!!!
No @wombletid I don't think T&M are active on these forums. The responses are opinions of forum members I would suggest. Your free to ignore or engage as you wish. I would suggest respectfully you've made your point and to move on. Life's to short to waste it with people who don't share your opinion.
Get out in the garden and enjoy it whilst the weathers in our favour.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
There’s a point at which highlighting your justified complaint becomes a wearisome rant, and the initial post with those random capital letters and exclamation marks unfortunately gave the impression you were the Nick Kyrgios of the forum!
You have highlighted your complaint and brought attention to Sutton’s failings. Perhaps it is now time to stop calling them liars (and I wonder if the lies were deliberate or simply a case of some lowly office worker reporting back to you incorrectly entered or un-updated data on the computer screen) and definitely time to draw back from impugning the motives of other people on this forum. And, for clarity, despite your assertions, I do not work for Sutton’s and, over a gardening lifetime, have probably bought no more than a dozen packets of seeds from them.
You've made a number of assumptions you can not possibly know.
During 1st call I was put on hold for them to check with a manager. I was given specifics of which now magically out of stock plants had been picked for me, and which ones were waiting to be picked. I was given a new delivery date, for these imaginary plants. On second phone call I was told they had infact been delivered. Their own easily accessible delivery tracking system showed they had not. Again they checked with a manager, who now says, the imaginary plants which had apparently already been picked for me, already been packaged for me, even actually once claimed already to have been delivered to me, were now always magically out of stock! If you don't believe this to be lies, then I have some magic beans you might be interested in!
This is appalling behaviour from any company, and needs to be called out. A related community forum is exactly the place to do that.
I will continue to push back on anyone who seeks to invalidate my experience, especially when they can not possibly have any knowledge of its validity. People such as yourself. The fact that you do so without sharing your own experience to the contrary, and are merely making any excuse you can based on unknowable to you assumptions, is just plain odd!!!
Unfortunately Suttons were taken over by Thompson and Morgan (T&M) a company who's reputation is appalling which I can attest to from personal experience. I suspect T&M simply bought Suttons and now use the T&M management and delivery process that they have always used hence the hit and miss approach as to whether you are one of the lucky clients to have the order arrive in good condition or at all.
T&M used to post on these forums to defend or help with complaints but, I suspect the complaints became so numerous they have simply given up. One would have thought by now they would have reassessed there packaging and delivery processes to improve them, but by all accounts it would seem not.
Feel free to complain as much as you wish on these forums. These are a publicly funded forums owned and run (ultimately) by the BBC.
Kili, thanks so much for this reply. Some very useful insight!
It seems to me, judging by some of the responses I've received, that T&M are still active on this forum, just not officially. It explains why 'apparent members of the public' have attacked me for daring to complain, a very normal occurance for disgruntled customers, instead of being concerned with the actual actions of Suttons/ T&M.
It explains a lot!!!
No @wombletid I don't think T&M are active on these forums. The responses are opinions of forum members I would suggest. Your free to ignore or engage as you wish. I would suggest respectfully you've made your point and to move on. Life's to short to waste it with people who don't share your opinion.
Get out in the garden and enjoy it whilst the weathers in our favour.
I'm deeply suspicious of some of these posts, randomly seeking to invalidate my experience. Unfortunately I will continue to push back on them. Enjoy your garden 😁
@wombletid ... many forum members have been helping folk on this forum for quite a few years ... some have met up from time to time on visits to open gardens etc around the country ... it's quite a community of real people with real gardens ... there are photos of some of them (the gardens I mean) ....... I suggest you have a womble around the forum and get the feel of the place and the people here before casting quite so many aspersions as to our motives. You might even find you like it here and decide to stay and talk about your garden ...... pick up and share a few tips etc ... there are even some threads where we've given unsolicited recommendations of suppliers who have provided good products and good service
Edited to add: In the past some folk have found that using Twitter to contact suppliers results in a much speedier resolution of their complaint than using email ... so if you Tweet, I suggest you Tweet about Suttons.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
@wombletid ... many forum members have been helping folk on this forum for quite a few years ... some have met up from time to time on visits to open gardens etc around the country ... it's quite a community of real people with real gardens ... there are photos of some of them (the gardens I mean) ....... I suggest you have a womble around the forum and get the feel of the place and the people here before casting quite so many aspersions as to our motives. You might even find you like it here and decide to stay and talk about your garden ...... pick up and share a few tips etc ... there are even some threads where we've given unsolicited recommendations of suppliers who have provided good products and good service
Edited to add: In the past some folk have found that using Twitter to contact suppliers results in a much speedier resolution of their complaint than using email ... so if you Tweet, I suggest you Tweet about Suttons.
Once again.......I have shared my experience (I'll go slowly for you), of a Gardening Company.....on a gardening forum. That is very normal behaviour.
Others, without sharing an experience themselves, good or bad, have attacked my experience, and have cast aspersions on me for sharing it. I will continue to push back to those that do.
@wombletid There have been several threads/posts here over time on people's experiences with various Seed/Plant/Gardening suppliers - some good, some bad. Most members find them useful even if their experience has differed in some way. T & M used to be an excellent company some 30 or 40 years ago - they often supplied the more unusual seeds and bulbs which couldn't easily be found elsewhere. I haven't bought from them for a long time so can't offer any recent experience, good or bad and I don't know exactly when they took over Suttons - which was also considered to be a reputable seed supplier. As @BenCotto said, you had a complaint about Suttons and you have posted, in detail, your reasons for making it. However, there does come a point when repeating it over and over again alongside the continual use of emphasis on certain words, does rather reduce the impact of your argument. Your issue is with the company involved rather than the forum members and it may help with resolving your complaint if you tread rather more carefully re your dealings with them than some of your posts suggest you may have done so far. I think everyone has understood your initial frustration and disappointment - on line purchases can be difficult when there is a problem and you can't employ "Face to face" contact. I hope you are able to obtain replacements/refunds whichever suits and enjoy planting or spending the money on new plants - preferably from somewhere local to you so you can actually see before you buy
@wombletid There have been several threads/posts here over time on people's experiences with various Seed/Plant/Gardening suppliers - some good, some bad. Most members find them useful even if their experience has differed in some way. T & M used to be an excellent company some 30 or 40 years ago - they often supplied the more unusual seeds and bulbs which couldn't easily be found elsewhere. I haven't bought from them for a long time so can't offer any recent experience, good or bad and I don't know exactly when they took over Suttons - which was also considered to be a reputable seed supplier. As @BenCotto said, you had a complaint about Suttons and you have posted, in detail, your reasons for making it. However, there does come a point when repeating it over and over again alongside the continual use of emphasis on certain words, does rather reduce the impact of your argument. Your issue is with the company involved rather than the forum members and it may help with resolving your complaint if you tread rather more carefully re your dealings with them than some of your posts suggest you may have done so far. I think everyone has understood your initial frustration and disappointment - on line purchases can be difficult when there is a problem and you can't employ "Face to face" contact. I hope you are able to obtain replacements/refunds whichever suits and enjoy planting or spending the money on new plants - preferably from somewhere local to you so you can actually see before you buy
Hi Phillipa, thanks for your post.
As I've ever explained numerous times. I have followed a very normal behaviour, and shared my experience of a Gardening Company, with other gardeners, on a Gardening forum. What I haven't done is dismiss or denigrate anyone else's experience with them. Good or bad.
Others, without sharing any experience of their own, have chosen to take umbrage with the fact that I have complained, but not engaged with the actual substance of my post. This is not normal behaviour, and to my mind, deeply suspicious.
I will continue to engage with anyone that actively contributes to the subject of the thread, and push back against anyone that is here merely to dismiss my experience.
@wombletid ... many forum members have been helping folk on this forum for quite a few years ... some have met up from time to time on visits to open gardens etc around the country ... it's quite a community of real people with real gardens ... there are photos of some of them (the gardens I mean) ....... I suggest you have a womble around the forum and get the feel of the place and the people here before casting quite so many aspersions as to our motives. You might even find you like it here and decide to stay and talk about your garden ...... pick up and share a few tips etc ... there are even some threads where we've given unsolicited recommendations of suppliers who have provided good products and good service
Edited to add: In the past some folk have found that using Twitter to contact suppliers results in a much speedier resolution of their complaint than using email ... so if you Tweet, I suggest you Tweet about Suttons.
Once again.......I have shared my experience (I'll go slowly for you), of a Gardening Company.....on a gardening forum. That is very normal behaviour.
Others, without sharing an experience themselves, good or bad, have attacked my experience, and have cast aspersions on me for sharing it. I will continue to push back to those that do.
Hey ho … I think that reply to my pleasant and polite post says it all. 🙄
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
You have highlighted your complaint and brought attention to Sutton’s failings. Perhaps it is now time to stop calling them liars (and I wonder if the lies were deliberate or simply a case of some lowly office worker reporting back to you incorrectly entered or un-updated data on the computer screen) and definitely time to draw back from impugning the motives of other people on this forum. And, for clarity, despite your assertions, I do not work for Sutton’s and, over a gardening lifetime, have probably bought no more than a dozen packets of seeds from them.
No @wombletid I don't think T&M are active on these forums. The responses are opinions of forum members I would suggest. Your free to ignore or engage as you wish. I would suggest respectfully you've made your point and to move on. Life's to short to waste it with people who don't share your opinion.
Get out in the garden and enjoy it whilst the weathers in our favour.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw'
During 1st call I was put on hold for them to check with a manager. I was given specifics of which now magically out of stock plants had been picked for me, and which ones were waiting to be picked. I was given a new delivery date, for these imaginary plants.
On second phone call I was told they had infact been delivered. Their own easily accessible delivery tracking system showed they had not. Again they checked with a manager, who now says, the imaginary plants which had apparently already been picked for me, already been packaged for me, even actually once claimed already to have been delivered to me, were now always magically out of stock!
If you don't believe this to be lies, then I have some magic beans you might be interested in!
This is appalling behaviour from any company, and needs to be called out. A related community forum is exactly the place to do that.
I will continue to push back on anyone who seeks to invalidate my experience, especially when they can not possibly have any knowledge of its validity. People such as yourself. The fact that you do so without sharing your own experience to the contrary, and are merely making any excuse you can based on unknowable to you assumptions, is just plain odd!!!
Enjoy your garden 😁
Edited to add: In the past some folk have found that using Twitter to contact suppliers results in a much speedier resolution of their complaint than using email ... so if you Tweet, I suggest you Tweet about Suttons.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Once again.......I have shared my experience (I'll go slowly for you), of a Gardening Company.....on a gardening forum. That is very normal behaviour.
Others, without sharing an experience themselves, good or bad, have attacked my experience, and have cast aspersions on me for sharing it. I will continue to push back to those that do.
T & M used to be an excellent company some 30 or 40 years ago - they often supplied the more unusual seeds and bulbs which couldn't easily be found elsewhere.
I haven't bought from them for a long time so can't offer any recent experience, good or bad and I don't know exactly when they took over Suttons - which was also considered to be a reputable seed supplier.
As @BenCotto said, you had a complaint about Suttons and you have posted, in detail, your reasons for making it. However, there does come a point when repeating it over and over again alongside the continual use of emphasis on certain words, does rather reduce the impact of your argument.
Your issue is with the company involved rather than the forum members and it may help with resolving your complaint if you tread rather more carefully re your dealings with them than some of your posts suggest you may have done so far.
I think everyone has understood your initial frustration and disappointment - on line purchases can be difficult when there is a problem and you can't employ "Face to face" contact.
I hope you are able to obtain replacements/refunds whichever suits and enjoy planting or spending the money on new plants - preferably from somewhere local to you so you can actually see before you buy
As I've ever explained numerous times. I have followed a very normal behaviour, and shared my experience of a Gardening Company, with other gardeners, on a Gardening forum.
What I haven't done is dismiss or denigrate anyone else's experience with them. Good or bad.
Others, without sharing any experience of their own, have chosen to take umbrage with the fact that I have complained, but not engaged with the actual substance of my post. This is not normal behaviour, and to my mind, deeply suspicious.
I will continue to engage with anyone that actively contributes to the subject of the thread, and push back against anyone that is here merely to dismiss my experience.
All the best.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.