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Shipping plants in high temperatures

3K views 28 replies 17 participants last post by  sewingalot 
#1 ·
A seller informed me today that he is postponing shipment of the plants I bought until the temp in his area is below 90 degrees F. I checked the weekly forecast of his area and the temp doesn't drop below 100 degrees F for as long as the forecast is (10 days)

I want to tell him to just ship the plants lol I'm pretty impatient.

I understand plants getting shipped to places of cold temperatures require hot packs but what can happen to the plants if the the place it's being shipped from is that hot?

FYI the shipment is of 10 dwarf sagittaria.

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
what can happen to the plants if the the place it's being shipped from is that hot?
They can die.

If you're not sure, then take some plants out of your tank, put them in a bowl, cover them up, and stick them in an oven set at 100°F for 8 hours. Then see how well they grow after that.
 
#3 ·
Wow. You learn something new every day huh? I had no idea that would be the case. I always thought it would be more "complex" than that. Thanks!

Anyways, were talking about a package that if insulated correctly, would not reach an internal temperature of 100 degrees F. Thanks for your input though. I feel enlightened.

Anyone else? I'm thinking about asking him to put a cooling pack in there. Would that work? I would cover any additional costs.
 
#4 ·
They guy can add a cooling pack. He can add styrofoam. He can insulate the package. But if he doesn't want to, he doesn't want to.

There are so many people selling so many plants, why not respect the guy's wishes and get the plants from someone else?
 
#5 ·
Who said he doesn't want to? I already paid for the plants. I obviously didn't pay for the package to be insulated but who's to say he wouldn't want to do it if I offered to pay him for the extra cost?

Besides, if the seller doesn't want to, I can demand a refund and leave negative feedback. The customer always comes first. I wouldn't lose a second of sleep if I was his first negative feedback. It doesn't matter if he was just looking out for the plants. I should get what I ask for or he pays the price. It's as simple as that.
 
#7 ·
I was shipped some plants a few weeks back. The seller used styrofoam insulation on all sides of the box, added a cold pack, and used newspaper to further insulate the plants. The plants themselves took up only a small amount of space, but they were put in a large box due to all the insulation. I had notified the USPS postal worker of the impending shipment so she was able to bring it directly to my door, and I was able to accept it immediately.

The plants inside were hot to the touch.

Most were able to recover and survive. But not all.

Sellers can only do so much to insulate plants from the heat.
 
#8 ·
They guy can add a cooling pack. He can add styrofoam. He can insulate the package. But if he doesn't want to, he doesn't want to.
Insulation and a cold pack is no guarantee. At best it lowers the temp by 5 to 8 degrees for 12 to 24 hours. Anything over 80 degrees can melt many plants. Stem plants are the quickest to melt. Dwarf Sag is a little tougher. Accept the risk and be willing to eat it, or wait for the heat wave to be over
 
#15 ·
Leaving negative feedback for someone who doesn't respond for a day or two doesn't sound too justified. What if he's busy? He's not obligated to check his messages every hour of every day. I agree, it's definitely a little risky to ship plants right now with all the heat. However, if you had told him to ship despite the risks, or if he had warned you before shipping that the plants might not survive in the heat, it's on the customer.
 
#17 ·
Markahsf,

I personally think your jumping the gun. Leaving negative feedback and such for something so simply is unjustified. This forum and the plants arent the only things we do in life. Many if not most or all Hold full time jobs, Have families and kids, School and more. Sometimes it can take a little to get back to someone. As other have pointed out the seller was doing you a big favor. Personally I know how to be patient and care enough to realize it is a hobby. not life or death and Hopefully we are all here to help each other. Ive been on both sides as the shipper and reviver.

Adding cold packs, insulation and more is no guaranty. It may help initially but not for super long. Seen and heard plenty that have had properly packaged stuff show up dead and wilted.
 
#19 ·
Well consider yourself lucky! I bought a plant I've been looking for and cannot find from a retailer, a corporation, not one of the great people here that are in it for the hobby and/or love of plants. Ice packs were not offered so I made the assumption (yup that word) that they would hold them or ask me what I preferred. Something -- ANYTHING!

But no, they shipped them. We are the last leg of our UPS route, the box got here around 5:30 last night. We are in our 4th straight day over 100 degrees. My first clue was when I opened the box. You know what cooked asparagus smells like? I just knew this wasn't going to be good. They were packed in a bag with water so they were nicely boiled. Hot to the touch. Some look like they might survive but the one I specifically wanted is mush. I don't think they will make it at all but we'll see. I have it, well pieces of it, floating in one of my cooler aquariums. It's a bunch plant so maybe I can get enough pieces to get some to grow.

Now my seller didn't give me the choice. I would have rather waited, although I am very impatient too. I want things and I want them now. But I'm a big girl and I'm not going to let an impatient mentality jeopardize it. Yeah I've got my plants, but no I don't have them now unless they'd make a good garnish for my dinner.

The rest of what you said I have to say just plain irks me. I was for several years a powerseller and a top rated seller on that big auction site we all know. Had, and still have a stellar reputation. (over 3,000 feedback 100%) The only time I had problems was when I was dealing with someone so impatient that they would fire email after email after email, all within one day with usually the last one being very demanding about how dare I not answer them. Well give me a chance! You think my life is just sitting at the computer waiting for you to email? Yes I sell but I also have a life. So yes, you may occasionally have to wait for an answer. Deal with it. I've got this nagging suspicion that you are one of those buyers that if this poor seller had shipped the plants and they arrived cooked you would have given him bad feedback for "dead plants" upon arrival.

I've messaged many people here on this forum as well and sometimes I've waited a day, a couple of times I've waited a couple of days for an answer. Big deal. It's not like whatever plant or whatever I'm buying is something I have to have right this second or I'm going to die without it! This whole "customer comes first" mentality is so what is wrong with this world today. Being a customer does not entitle you to badger, demand and be just plain impossible to deal with. To me your seller is stellar in TRYING to protect your purchase. I'll leave it there although I must say I side with the seller on this one and I feel sorry for him that he got negative feedback for trying to do the right thing. :angryfire
 
#21 ·
There are some of the top quality planted tank keepers who sell surplus plants. They also have jobs that require travel. They will not ship when it is hot.

You have a lot to learn and.....you are a very impatient person. Give the person some time to get back to you and get your money back to you. Maybe that person is out of town on business or important issues developed. Life does not revolve around a small plant shipment demanded in hot weather.

This is a hobby. Chill out.

Do not submit negative feedback until you have ALL the facts. If you get your money back, remove the negative feedback you made. Just get on with your life. Everything will be all right.

When you order more plants, be sure to let the seller know how demanding you are and exactly what you expect. As you say, you are a very impatient person. Let them know that.
 
#26 ·
Also as people read this and see how you choose to deal they may refuse to deal with you in the future. I always put the quality of the goods first and foremost. You want them to arrive tip top shape in 100 degree heat fork out the $35 for express mail with hold at location so you can pick it up at the PO when it arrives or tell the seller you will take your chances.
 
#27 ·
Guess who got there package yesterday? Guess who also got a refund yesterday because the seller felt bad? Guess who got free healthy plants? Guess who left a negative feedback and "forgot" to change it?

Me. Me. Me. Me. Win. Win. Win. Win.

I NEVER leave feedback on eBay but when I saw this guys perfect feedback score of 22, I knew my one negative feedback would stand out. I wanted all the other buyers to know that this guy didn't respond to messages. Now his feedback stands at 96% and I got EXACTLY what I wanted and then some. Free plants? Don't mind if I do!
 
#29 ·
Moderator note: This type of behavior will not be acceptable on this forum. First, name calling is against the rules. However, openly admitting to your actions should be available to view for our members. That way they can make a judgement call in deciding whether or not to sell to you on this site. If anyone were to ever openly abuse the ptrader like this, they will be removed immediately.
 
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