Buyer beware

[Lincsbee]

i have bought in Queens for a lot of years from various overseas suppliers to make up early nucs and colonies. i have never had any not arrive, until this year. i tried a new supplier for a few queens to see how they perform. they were ordered November 2012 and were posted to me on friday 19th april, due to arrive on monday 22nd april.

they didn't and still havn't arrived. on contacting the supplier i can only describe the level of customer service as appalling. this order is now a total write off.

i am probably not allowed to name the supplier on an open forum. but i can be contacted by email.

lincsbee

 

[Chris B]

Presumably you have some sort of tracking info.? You can at least find out where the parcel is sitting.

 

[Lincsbee]

unfortunately the supplier isn't even that helpful

 

[sipa]

If they won't even issue you with a tracking number sounds like they have not even shipped the queens, just taken your money.

Thats a sad state of affairs, and am sorry for you.

I'd appreciate a hint as to who they were please.

Perhaps it would be sensible to set up a rogues gallery of suppliers who do this sort of thing. Would need to be moderated and corroborated of course.

When I was in the Electronic Components business I was a member of such an international scheme, worked very well and saved people from losing millions of dollars to the scammers / bogus traders.

 

[Lincsbee]

hi sipa, pm sent

mike

 

[For want of a better word]

Perhaps the "overseas supplier" has been inundated with requests for bees from the UK they can not meet demand.......

...... to be sure the few UK suppliers remaining in business can not meet demand !

Place your orders now for May/June delivery 2014

 

[Lincsbee]

I placed my order and paid in full, November 2012

 

[Heather]

Pa...s have some - in Sussex but no homebred yet obviously

 

[Lincsbee]

Hi heather, this was a trial of a supplier that I haven't used before. Queens from other suppliers are arriving on time. These queens were to boost my own stock, luckily not quite the end of the world but an expensive mistake.

Mike

 

[Into the lions den]

they didn't and still havn't arrived. on contacting the supplier i can only describe the level of customer service as appalling. this order is now a total write off.

Queens in cages with adequate food and an appropriate number of attendants can easily stand a week in shipping, and often do. They can be longer.

Once it gets longer than that there is a risk they have been in non optimum conditions and might be damaged.

Of course, I do appreciate that there is doubt the order has even been shipped, but if it has I would not be writing it off yet. Had a group take 12 days one time, and they were pretty well all fine.

 

[Lincsbee]

the post has just been and gone for today, so we are 7 days in now

 

[sipa]

For future reference.
Always, always insist on being provided with the following information when purchasing from an unknown or untried source, especially important if from overseas.

Shipping date
Courier / carrier
Waybill number or other tracking number (should then be able to track package online)

Last but not least a copy of the shipping documents, these can be scanned and emailed or photographed and emailed, no excuses for the shipper to not do this for you. This should display all of the above.

You could also negotiate 50% payment upfront, balance on delivery or C.O.D.

 

[Lincsbee]

i'm afraid i may have been lulled into a false sense of security by my other suppliers, who have always been very helpful.

 

[VEG]

Why change suppliers if the old ones were so helpfull?

 

[Lincsbee]

this order was a partial addition, not an instead of

 

[TOBY-3652]

Would like 2 know company so i can avoid them in the future...

 

[farbee]

Would like 2 know company so i can avoid them in the future...

Me too!

 

[Lincsbee]

i'll pm you both

 

[Dared]

Bit off topic but do you sell nucs as well? Getting back into beekeeping after a long break so starting from scratch again

 

[johnandyrob]

I always try to pay for things on a credit card if it is over £100. The credit company is jointly responsible and you can claim you money back from them. Can you pm me the name of the supplier please.