ComplaintsforArbor Day Farm

• Initial Complaint

  06/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Product ordered 2/28/2023 with the understanding that the items would ship a few months later. The product shipped with no notification from the business. During this time, we were on a family vacation (5/20-27/23), so the product was unknowingly delivered (5/22/23) to our home while we were out of town sitting in the box for 6 days. As a result, all with the exception of 2 of the trees died. See attached picture for evidence.

  Business response

  06/20/2023

  Thank you for your membership and support of the Arbor Day Foundation.
  
  We are glad that your 10-pack of Green Giant Arborvitae arrived, and that 2 of them have survived. But we are sorry to learn that only 2 of your trees have survived.
  
  We have created a free replacement order in our system for another 10-pack of Green Giant Arborvitae to get shipped during our upcoming fall 2023 shipping season. We are not able to send a free replacement at this current time because our spring 2023 shipping season has concluded, and our nursery is now closed (because temperatures are too hot to safely ship trees). Our nursery will re-open and resume tree shipping during our fall 2023 shipping season.
  
  We will be sending you a free replacement package of the entire 10-pack of Green Giant Arborvitae. Because these are pre-packaged, we are not able to send you only 8 trees -- hence the reason why you will be receiving another 10-pack.
  
  Based upon your zip code, you are located in Hardiness Zone **. Your trees are estimated to ship between?11/8/2023 to 11/24/2023. After your order is shipped by our nursery, it can take up to 3 - 6 business days for them to arrive.
  You can view our most up to date shipping schedule *****  ******************************************. Please note that shipping dates are subject to change due to weather or other factors.
  
  If you would rather have your order shipped on a specific date and / or via a specific shipping carrier (*****, ***, or USPS), there is a $** (plus applicable taxes) shipping and handling fee.
  Many of our members and supporters elect to pay the $** + tax fee to have their order shipped on a date of the member’s or supporter’s choosing (for instance, if someone will be on vacation or away from their shipping location during our shipping timeframes).
  
  Otherwise, if someone does not pay the $** + tax fee, then the trees will get shipped on a date of the Arbor Day Foundation’s choosing (sometime between the dates for their respective Hardiness Zone – in your case, sometime between 11/8/2023 to 11/24/2023).
  
  If you would like to pay the $** + tax fee and choose the precise date of shipment and / or the precise shipping carrier of your preference (either *****, ***, or USPS), please contact our Member Services department at ************.
  
  Regarding your statement that your order was shipped with no notification from the Arbor Day Foundation:
  According to our records, we sent a couple of emails (to the email address listed in our system, and the email address provided when you originally placed your order online on 2/28/2023).
  
  On 5/20/2023 we sent an email with notification that your order was in the process of getting shipped.
  On 5/23/2023 we sent an email with notification that your order was delivered (because your order was delivered via ***** the day prior on 5/22/2023).
  
  Perhaps both of the emails that we sent to you arrived in your “Junk” folder or your “Spam” folder. Therefore, if you have not already done so, we suggest that you check your “Junk” or “Spam” folder for the emails that we sent to you about your order.
  
  Thank you.

  Customer response

  06/24/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: my order originally was for (20) 2 packs of Arborvitae, not (10) 1 pack meaning 18 of the 20 died not just 8 as suggested by the seller. In this situation I feel it best to just receive a refund for the purchase as I do not want to receive trees in the fall. I am asking for a refund of $****** plus appropriate taxes to the original form of purchase.

  Sincerely,
  
  Shawn *****

  Business response

  06/27/2023

  Thank you for your response. Effective 6/27/2023, our Accounting department has processed a full refund for the amount of $****** back to your original method of payment. Please allow up to 48 hours for your refund to appear on your statement.
  
  Additionally, we apologize for our initial oversight about creating a free replacement order for only one package of the 10-pack of Green Giant Arborvitae, when you needed two packages of the 10-pack of Green Giant Arborvitae. Because we have processed a full refund, we have canceled the free replacement order.
  
  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  06/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On April 4th, I donated $** to Arbor Day and selected 10 Flowering Trees as a gift. The trees were secondary to the purchase - I truly wanted to donate to Arbor Day. I believed in their mission and have planted 36 trees myself, this year. Dates: April 4th - Donated $** April 25th - I found a plastic sack labeled Arbor Day on my property. This contained the purported "trees" and water. Some of the "trees" had no roots, which is why I struggle to call them trees, and I doubted the viability, but I followed the instructions, regardless. I emailed Arbor Day immediately. It's worth noting, here, the order still, today, June 14th, states "Processing". At no point did Arbor Day provide any tracking information or notify me of shipment. And still hasn't. I do not know when the sack of sticks was delivered. April 26th - Planted trees. May 2nd - Received response from Arbor Day member services, stating "bundles do get missed when assigning tracking numbers." June 6th - Not a single "tree" has leafed, all are now dead. Attempted follow up with member services. No response was received. ****** **** ***** * ***** ****** ** ****** **** ********** ********* *** ************* ** *** ***** *********  They appear to either be intentionally sending out dead trees, lack any tree related knowledge, or just don't care. They are sending dead or dying trees for donations, stating a new batch will be sent to replace. I do not want another batch of dead sticks to waste water on for another 2 months. My water bill from attempting to save these 10 trees has cost more than the donation. Resolution - I want my money back, to pay the water bill, and my membership dropped. I want nothing to do with Arbor Day. And stop sending me so much PAPER. Order *********

  Business response

  06/15/2023

  Thank you for your original membership and support of the Arbor Day Foundation.
  
  As you requested, we have taken the following steps:
  
  Regarding your request for your money back:
  Our Accounting department will be issuing you a full refund of your $***** membership donation. Please allow up to 72 business hours for your refund to appear (via your original method of payment).
  
  Regarding your request to have your membership dropped:
  We have canceled your membership effective 6/15/2023.
  
  Regarding your request to stop sending you so much paper:
  As of 6/15/2023, we have marked your account in our system as “Do Not Contact”. There are some mailings already in-process that we are not able to stop (for instance, our records show that you should receive a newsletter mailing around 6/20/2023, a Trees In Memory mailing around 6/27/2023, and a forest replanting and fundraising mailing around 7/6/2023). Sometimes it can take up to 12 weeks for all pre-ordered and pre-printed mailings to fully cease, but after 12 weeks from 6/15/2023 no further mailings should arrive from the Arbor Day Foundation.
  
  We are sorry to learn that some of your trees had no roots. This information will be shared with our tree nursery department (for future quality assurance purposes). Thank you for letting us know that your order still showed as “Processing” in our system (even though your package of trees arrived in late April). We are actively working behind-the-scenes to determine why this error (of “Processing”) was appearing and not showing as “Shipped”. Additionally, we are also investigating why a tracking number was not uploaded to our system nor provided to you (again, something we are hoping to mitigate or prevent in the future).
  
  We appreciate you believing in our mission. We hope that the 36 other trees that you planted this year grow and thrive in the years to come.
  
  Thank you.

  Customer response

  06/16/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  Thank you very much for your quick and well thought response.  I'd like to apologize for the tone, as well.  I tend to treat plants like pets and those 10 were the first I've lost in years.  I sincerely hope you're able to iron out the problems with shipping.  I'd love to check back in the future.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  Zach ******

• Initial Complaint

  05/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered Trees in January 2023. After much confusion and miscommunication -- I finally received those trees and planted according to directions. Some of those trees were (and continue to be) dead. I've given it time after planting to see if they will come around. Arbor Day supposedly guarantees the trees but I've sent messages to them 3 different times and have had NO response. Below I've uploaded a copy of the email that details all my orders (what was alive and what was dead) I'm just asking that they make good on what was advertised.

  Business response

  06/08/2023

  Thank you for your many years of membership and support.
  
  We are glad that you received the various trees and shrubs (for your donations, and for your purchase). However, we are sorry to learn that some of the trees were and continue to be dead.
  You are correct that we offer a tree guarantee (either a free replacement within one year of original shipment, or a refund).
  
  On 6/2/2023, our Accounting department attempted to refund to your credit card the amount of $***** but your credit card issuer (and or your bank) did not allow our refund to fully process. Therefore, we will be sending you a check refund in the mail for $*****. This refund is for the Witchhazel tree, and the Green Giant Arborvitae 10-pack.
  
  On 6/8/2023, we submitted a request to our Accounting department to issue you another $***** refund for the Sweetshrubs.
  
  Regarding our replies to your emails -- our records reflect that our Member Services representatives sent email replies to you on the following dates and times:
  *  4/13/2023 at 2:16pm
  *  4/18/2023 at 9:07pm – and in this specific email our representative notified you that you have more than one account in our system (and this can lead to confusion, and duplicate mailings). Our representative also suggested that we merge (combine) your accounts to reduce your mailings.
  *  4/22/2023 at 1:22pm
  *  5/30/2023 at 12:00pm
  *  5/31/2023 at 5:58pm – and in this specific email, our representative notified you that a refund for $***** (for the Witchhazel and Green Giant Arborvitae 10-pack) would be getting processed by our Accounting department. Our representative also mentioned in their email to you that they could not locate one of your orders (containing the Sweetshrub). The reason why our representative could not locate that order is that you have three separate and unique accounts listed in our system (and our representative unfortunately did not notice your 3rd account in our system).
  
  There are currently three different accounts in our system for you. Having more than one account in our system can lead to us sending you duplicate mailings for all three different accounts. And having more than one account can also lead to confusion (both for our Member Services department trying to look up your various orders under multiple different accounts, and also might lend to confusion for you -- for not knowing which account to use when placing orders, renewing your membership, etc.).
  
  We would like your input and permission to merge the three (3) different accounts that we have in our system into one single account.
  
  Back story about the three different accounts in our system:
  The first account was created and established several years ago.
  
  The second account was created on 1/6/2022 when you went online and made a $***** membership donation. Apparently, you made your donation without referencing your original and existing account number.
  
  The third account was created on 2/13/2023 when you went online and purchased several trees from our online Tree Nursery, and when you also made your $***** membership renewal donation. Apparently, you made your purchase and donation without referencing your original and existing account number, nor referencing your secondary account number.
  
  If you are okay with us proceeding with merging your accounts, please let us know.
  
  We hope that your other trees grow and thrive in the years to come. Thank you for your continued support and membership.

• Initial Complaint

  05/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid $** for 10 trees on Apr. 28. I was told they would arrive between apr. 28 and may 19. My tracking still says "not yet shipped" as of today may 26. I have contacted them with no response.

  Business response

  05/31/2023

  Thank you for your online $***** membership donation on 4/28/2023.
  
  As you have requested via your BBB complaint, we are in the process of issuing you a refund for the amount of $*****. Please allow up to 10-14 days for your refund to appear back to your original form of payment.
  
  In addition to your refund, we are still planning to ship your package of trees to you.
  
  The reason why we are issuing a refund and also sending you a package of trees is due to the fact that our records show that one of our Member Services representatives (Cindi) sent an email to you on 5/26/2023 at 10:39am whereby she provided you information about the newly revised shipping timeframe of 5/26/2023 to 6/14/2023 for your tree package.
  
  And on the same day that Cindi sent you an email, you also filed your claim with the Better Business Bureau asking for a refund.
  
  Because Cindi’s email and your BBB complaint both occurred on the same day, and we are unsure about which occurred first or which you would prefer most, we elected to do both (proceed with issuing you a refund per your BBB request, and also continuing to ship your tree package to you).
  
  For a little bit more context:  your membership tree package was originally intended to ship between Apr 28 and May 19 (not arrive during these dates, but ship between these dates). However, our nursery was unable to ship your tree package during this original timeframe because our nursery experienced an unexpected inventory shortage. Hence the reason for the newly revised shipping timeframe of sometime between 5/26/2023 to 6/14/2023. Your tree package will be getting shipped via USPS Marketing Mail (also known as bulk rate mail). Because it will be getting shipped via this method, it can take up to 10-14 days after shipment for your tree package to arrive.
  
  We hope your trees grow and thrive in the years to come.  Thank you.

  Customer response

  06/01/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  You don't have to send the trees. By the time I get them I guarantee they will not survive in ********** current dry and 90 degree weather.  Wanted them to plant this spring.  I am fine with just a refund. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Kevin *****

  Business response

  06/08/2023

  As of 6/1/2023, our nursery department already started the process of preparing your order (the 10 Tree Mix package) for shipment. And because we schedule and also ship hundreds of orders per day, we are unfortunately not able to stop your order from getting shipped.
  
  We anticipate that your will be getting shipped (along with hundreds of other orders) on 6/15/2023. Your order will be getting shipped via USPS Marketing Mail (also known as bulk rate mail). Because we ship our tree packages via this method, it can take up to 10-14 days for your package to arrive. Therefore, we anticipate that your tree package should arrive sometime between 6/25/2023 to 6/29/2023.
  
  At the time of this writing, it appears that the weather in your area for the dates of 6/25/2023 to 6/29/2023 should be a low of 58 degrees and a high of 81 degrees. We believe that these temperatures should be suitable for the trees and also for planting.
  
  However, if you personally are not able to or perhaps do not wish to plant the trees, you might consider trying to donate your 10 Tree Mix package to others (neighbors, family, friends, school, or a local or civic organization in your area).
  
  We are sorry that we are not able to stop the shipment of your tree package, and for any inconvenience that this might cause you.
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have contacted the company repeatedly by email regarding Order #*********, I included pictures of the trees. They stated they would replace any that didn't live within the first year, I want to know when they will send replacements. I received the bare root twigs that were in this order on March 21, 2023. I have cared for the trees and out of 12 total trees 7 have put on leaves and are looking hopeful that they will grow but 5 trees are still bare twigs. I treated all 12 of them the same and so I think those 5 are defective and you need to replace them as you stated you would. Attached is a picture of all of the trees and below is the list of the ones that need to be replaced. 1 Flowering White Dogwood, 2 Eastern Redbud, 1 Sargent Crabapple, 1 Washington Hawthorn. Please let me know when you will send out the replacements.

  Business response

  05/26/2023

  Thank you for your original membership donation of $***** that you made online on 1/5/2023.
  
  We are glad to know that you received your package of 10 Flowering trees and 2 Crapemyrtles (our free gift to you for your membership donation) on 3/21/2023. But we are sorry to learn that 5 of your 12 trees or shrubs have not put out leaves or are not yet growing.
  
  Because of our guarantee (within one year of original shipment), a free replacement package is scheduled to get shipped to you during our fall 2023 shipping season. Based upon your zip code, you are located in Hardiness Zone **. At this time, we anticipate shipping trees to Hardiness Zone ** sometime between the dates of 11/13/2023 to 12/15/2023 (subject to weather and other factors at that time of year). We are unfortunately not able to send a replacement package during this current spring 2023 shipping season because the weather is too hot to safely ship membership trees to your area at this time – hence why your order is scheduled to get shipped during the fall 2023 shipping season.
  
  You can expect to receive another full package of 10 Flowering trees and 2 Crapemyrtles (and not just the 5 trees that are not growing from your original package). We will be sending you a full package because we prepackage thousands of membership tree packages each season and are unable to send out only partial packages of trees.
  
  Regarding your multiple emails to our Member Services department: sorry that you ended up having to send multiple emails. We have been extremely busy with emails and phone calls (this is our busiest time of year), and as such our response times were longer than desired. Our records show that our Member Services department responded to two of your emails on 5/25/2023 at 7:33am, and also on 5/25/2023 at 3:14pm. And in both of our email replies to you, our representatives notified you that a free replacement package of trees have been scheduled to get shipped to you during our fall 2023 shipping season.
  
  We hope that all of your trees (the 7 from your original order, along with the 12 future replacements) grow and thrive in the years to come. Thank you

  Customer response

  05/26/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me but if I don't receive the promised replacement package I will be back to file another complaint to followup this one.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Margaret *********

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I placed an order for 5 trees on March 15,2023 totaling $******. I received the order on (order number is **********) Wednesday March 29, 2023 (************). My order included a Bartlett pear bare root, Burbank plum bare root, Methley Plum bare root, Elberta Peach bare root, and an Ayers Pear bare root. I also received free of charge a Red Maple. All were planted and watered as instructed. Of the 6 trees purchased only the Bartlett Pear and Methley Plum have come out of dormancy and leafed. The other 4 still have not leafed as of April 26, 2023. I placed a review on the website on April 22, 2023 and have noticed that they never included it on their product. This has made me wonder if they withhold negative reviews to to insure a false positive image. Caution should be made when purchasing from this business. Membership #********** Order #********** Tracking #************

  Business response

  05/08/2023

  Thank you for contacting the Arbor Day Foundation, and for your support through the purchase of trees from our online Tree Nursery.
  
  We are glad to learn that your Bartlett Pear and Methley Plum have emerged from dormancy and leafed, but sorry to learn that your other trees had not yet leafed. Typically, it can take up to six weeks for our trees and shrubs to fully adjust to their new location, and for them to emerge from dormancy.
  
  Even though a full six weeks had not yet lapsed (between when you received your trees from us and when you filed your Better Business Bureau complaint), we have taken the following steps:
  
  On 4/27/2023, we submitted a request to our Accounting department to issue you full refunds for the Burbank Plum, Elberta Peach, and Ayers Pear trees. The combined refund amount for all three trees totaled -$*****. Your refund was processed and finalized by our Accounting department on 5/2/2023, and should have been posted and become viewable on your credit card statement sometime around 5/4/2023.
  
  Regarding reviews (either positive or negative reviews) about our trees and shrubs: it is our process to post reviews when someone writes a review about one specific tree or shrub per review (regardless of whether the review is positive or negative). Because the reviews that you submitted were not about each individual tree but instead about multiple trees, and also because we feel that you did not give the trees sufficient time to emerge from dormancy, we did not post your reviews.
  
  Thank you for purchasing trees from the Arbor Day Foundation, and we hope that your Bartlett Pear and Methley Plum trees live and thrive in the years to come.

  Customer response

  05/08/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Denny *******

• Initial Complaint

  07/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  An order was placed on 2/20/2022 for 18 bare root Yoshino cherry trees. They were shipped on 4/21/2022 and arrived on 4/23/2022. The total for the order was $******. The trees were planted the same day they arrived following the instructions included. As of today's date only five have come out of dormancy. The rest are dead. I contacted the business three times on 6/13, 6/21, 6/24. A detailed description of the planting process and watering frequency and amount was provided. Each time I receive an acknowledgement that my complaint was received but no further action occurred. They claim a 1 year warranty on all trees. A refund for the 13 trees that failed is requested. Order # *********

  Business response

  07/25/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/15) */ Contact Name and Title: Geoff ****, Director Contact Phone: ************ Contact Email: ****************** Thank you for supporting the Arbor Day Foundation through your purchase of Japanese Flowering Cherry trees. We are sorry to learn that only five of the trees emerged from dormancy. Because of your request, and also because of our tree guarantee, we have issued a refund for the amount of -$****** to your credit card. The refund was issued by our Accounting department on 7/15/2022 -- it might take up to 48 business hours for the refund to appear on your credit card statement. We agree with you: our records confirm that you emailed our Member Services department on 6/13/2022, 6/21/2022, and 6/24/2022 -- including your very thorough and detailed information about how you handled the planting and watering of the trees. From the information that you provided in your emails (especially the email dated 6/13/2022), you did everything correctly. At this time, we are unsure why you did not receive responses to any of your emails. And this is something that we are in the process of investigating internally (with the hopes that others do not have similar experiences as you). Our expectation is that our members and supporters receive responses to their inquiries and needs. We hope that the other five Japanese Flowering Cherry trees continue to grow and thrive in the future. Thank you. Consumer Response /* (2000, 8, 2022/07/18) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) They claim they responded to my emails but they did not. The refund amount should have been 13 x $***** = $******. They refunded $******. Close enough I guess.

• Initial Complaint

  06/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I made an order with Arbor Day Foundation for plants and a tree back in April. IN MAY was contacted that unfortunately they were out of stock on the tree and a refund will be issued however a refund was never issued. I contacted arbor day last month was told my order was do to ship anytime between May 17 and June 8 2022. Today I called to find out where my order was and was informed spring shipping is completed and I will have to wait until the Fall. Said thus was unacceptable and I wanted my order to be fulfilled. No solution was offered had to complain just to be offered a refund which is not what I want as I specifically order these plants for my back patio and they will be no use to me in the fall as they won't survive the winter. Abor Day Foundation is not willing to work with me and that is very upsetting as I waited 2 months already and they forgot my order and do not care .. that is sad

  Business response

  07/27/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/06/24) */ Contact Name and Title: Geoff ****, Director Contact Phone: ************ Contact Email: ****************** Thank you for your many years of membership and support of the Arbor Day Foundation. We are sorry that the order you placed in April was not able to be fulfilled during our spring 2022 shipping season. On 6/16/2022, our accounting department issued you a full refund for the amount you paid for your order (- $ *****). This refund was issued back to the credit card that you used for your order. We tried reaching you on two separate occasions to notify you that one species of trees (American Elder) that you ordered was out of stock, and we wanted to get your input about whether you wanted the rest of your order to get shipped (without the American Elder and only get a refund for the American Elder tree), or if you wanted us to refund your entire order. We made those phone call attempts to you on 4/27/2022 at 10:55am Central Time, and on 4/29/2022 at 1:41pm Central Time, and had to leave voicemails on both occasions. Our records do not show that you returned our phone calls to specifically request a refund for only the American Elder, or a full refund for your entire order. We thought it prudent to wait to hear from you and learn of your preferred handling of your order (rather than making a decision to refund your entire order and not ship it to you just because one of the trees within your order was out of stock). If you would like to discuss this further, and share your thoughts on what else you think might be considered regarding your situation (besides the full refund that we issued back to your credit card), please contact Geoff **** directly. Geoff tried calling you on 6/24/2022 at 9:35am Central Time, but was unable to connect with you (the phone rang only one time, then disconnected -- and the message displayed about the phone call attempt was that the party was unavailable). We look forward to hearing from you - including any thoughts that you have about proposed next steps. Thank you. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/06/24) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) ARBOR Day claimed that I had never contacted them or returned their calls... I did talk to the person who called and did advise them that I still wanted my order with or with out the one item. I ALSO called Arbor Day again requesting an update on my order and was advised that my order would be shipped between May 17 and June 8. OF COURSE that never happened as Arbor Day did not fulfill the order *************************************************************************************. AS for Representative Jeff calling today is not true for I have no recorded of anyone calling my phone from Arborday whether it was today or within the last month for if they did I would have returned the call. IT is issues like this why I am no longer a member with Arbor Day as they still won't step up and admit they either forgot and or outright didn't want to fulfill my order Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2022/07/14) */ On Thursday 7/14/2022 at 10:10am Central Time: Geoff called and left a voicemail, asking complainant to call Geoff back on his direct phone line at: ************ Hopefully, when complainant and Geoff are able to talk via a phone call, complainant can share thoughts on what else they think might help fully resolve this matter (besides the full refund that was already issued to complainant's credit card). And after the phone conversation, Geoff will be happy to add additional comments about the phone call, so that the BBB complaint will have a written record of what has transpired. Geoff believes that a phone conversation might be more efficient and effective than back-and-forth communication via and through the BBB complaint platform.

• Initial Complaint

  05/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered trees in the amount of $****** and they never came. My order was placed in April and I was continuously told they where coming soon within two weeks. This went on for two months and I still have not received my tree order, nor has my money been refunded to me. The customer service ************, they keep telling me someone will return my call and 3 week's later there has been no such call or trees or refund. I am very dissatisfied and sad I was taken advantage of. I feel this company is *****. I lost ****** plus dollars and have no trees or apology.

  Business response

  06/23/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/06/02) */ Contact Name and Title: Geoff ****, Director Contact Phone: ************ Contact Email: ****************** Thank you for your membership and support. According to ***** tracking, your trees were delivered on 6/1/2022 at 3:21pm at your front door. Your package was originally picked up by ***** from our nursery on 5/25/2022. We apologize that you had to reach out to our customer service team continuously and not be given good information about the status of your trees. Because of your situation and experiences, we are going to be working behind-the-scenes to determine ways how we as an organization need to improve our communication to our valued members and supporters like you. The back story about your order (that we should have done a better job of communicating to you throughout your order journey): On 5/11/2022, we notified our nursery department to begin the process of packaging all of your trees for shipment. Unfortunately, our nursery realized that we had issues fulfilling one of the species of trees within your order (and others who also had the same species of trees in their orders). Our inventory and stock of Black Hills Spruce trees were not viable immediately for shipment. We then had to scramble to get a better and more viable inventory and stock of Black Hills Spruce trees in order to completely fulfill your (and others') order. Because of our Black Hills Spruce trees issue, this held up your entire order from getting shipped until 5/25/2022. Again, we realize that we need to do a better job of communicating this type of issue to our members and supporters (and even within our own organization so that our customer service representatives can also communicate this type of information when our members and supporters contact us - like you did continuously). We hope that your trees grow and thrive in the years to come. Thank you again for your support.

• Initial Complaint

  05/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello. Would like to revive a replacement for a tree I ordered that was dead when I received it. Planted it in hopes that it was possibly dormant & would eventually grow. It did not. I contacted the Foundation last year to get a replacement tree(Mountain Ash Tree). I was told one would be shipped later in November of 2021. I responded back to ask if they could ship the tree in the Spring of 2022, due to the ground is frozen solid that time of year & would be unable to plant the tree. Had not heard from them this year as to when I would receive the replacement tree, so contacted them by email. Was told to contact them by phone, so I did. I was informed that a Specialist would be contacting me, yet have still not received a call back. Once again, contacted Arbor Day Foundation by email, several days have passed, yet no response. Would just appreciate receiving a live Mountain Ash Tree. Thank you.

  Business response

  06/13/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/05/20) */ Contact Name and Title: Geoff ****, Director Contact Phone: ************ Contact Email: ****************** Thank you for your years of membership and support of the Arbor Day Foundation. We are glad that we were able to connect with you via phone today (5/20/2022). As we discussed during our phone call, unfortunately, we are not able to provide a free replacement Mountainash tree. For the past few seasons, the quality of Mountainash trees has been below expectations so we do not offer this tree at this time. What we have mutually agreed upon are as follows: 1. We will be issuing you a full refund for the amount of $ ***** (the amount that you originally paid on 7/30/2020 for the Mountainash tree plus shipping) 2. In addition to the refund, and because of your experiences, we will be shipping you one free bare-root Washington Hawthorn tree. This is scheduled to get shipped from our nursery on Monday (5/23/2022) via *** Ground. You should expect to receive this free tree sometime by or before Friday (5/27/2022). We hope that your Washington Hawthorn tree grows and thrives in the future. Thank you for sharing your experiences (so that we can discuss them internally, and then take steps to hopefully prevent similar experiences from happening in the future). Thank you.

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