Return of dead plant sludge.

[1littlegelfling]

I purchased some water plants that arrived as putrid sludge in a clipseal bag. The bag had leaked and the smell makes you gag. I have asked for a refund. The seller says that they were aware that the plants were fragile and were likely to arrive dead as it has been so hot. The seller says they will post me some more plants on Monday to replace them.

If these also arrive as sludge (it is still hot) can I still claim a refund, given that the seller has replace the 'arrived damaged' item? If I can still claim a refund, will I have to keep this bag of biohazard until the seller accepts my return request and then post it back? Will I also have to post back the second bag of goop? I am not sure it is even legal to post.

[harley_babes_hoard]

are they posting them in water? wouldn't they be better with roots wrapped with moist/wet paper towel then in foil.

Do not post that back just take a photo of it then dispose of it. If you really want to keep it stick it in the fridge

[davewil1964]

I know there are sellers who make a good living selling plants online.

However, I do not understand.

Don't you have access to a nursery/friend/acquaintance?

Do you think it is the seller's fault that they have no control over the item once it is posted? Do you not think plants & hot weather and posting to other parts of the country don't work as a combination?

[harley_babes_hoard]

Dave a lot of plants available on ebay are simply not available in commercial quanities or outlets. Ebay is great for some more specialist type plants at a reasonable price. Plants travel for the most part pretty good if they are packed correctly.

[1littlegelfling]

Dave, do you not think that if I could have purchased/acquired it locally I would have? "No thanks Bunnings, I would rather spend time and money purchasing one on eBay, crossing my fingers that I get what I paid for and waiting 2 weeks for it to arrive".
Seriously?

I have purchased many plants from interstate that have been fine in the post and arrive in a fit and healthy condition. Usually my plants arive packaged in a box or tube. This was packaged in a ziplock bag inside a padded envelope that had been squashed. The seller has admitted that he/she was aware that the plants would not survive the trip due to postage time and heat, yet still had them listed as available for postage to my area and still posted them instead of cancelling the order or contacting me to discuss alternatives. These factors were under the control of the seller prior to postage, so yes, I do think it is the seller's fault.

[1littlegelfling]

harley_babes_hoard, I am not sure if it was packaged in water or not. It may have been, or may be just very wet plants. I have not seen a living specimin of this plant in person and the package has leaked.

I do not want to keep it, but am worried that if I throw it out I will not get my refund (nothing to return to meet eBay rules)

[davidc4430]

do you think its the buyers fault that the plant arrived as a mushy pulp? it is of course the sellers resposibility to know his item will arrive in the condition they sold the item in. if they cant then stop selling the item or be ready to refund as item not as described. i would imagine selling water plants via mail order would be highly speacialized as turning into mushy pulp would be very common. not an item i'd want to try to sell.

[phorum_junkie* · Accepted solution]

Just send them off a message through ebay that you presume they do  not want the defective plants back and it is OK to dispose of them if you want to be ultra safe.  I would then ditich them. If they say later they want them back (highly unlikely) just open a dispute through the ebay system for item not as described and when you win they would have to pay the return postage which would make them pretty stupid if they did so. (if the replacements arrive in the same condition take a photo before disposal)