ComplaintsforStark Bro's Nursery & Orchards Co

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Upon several days of exhausting reviews, price comparisons and products availability, I decided to purchase, with hard earned dollars, several varieties of fruit plants. Total Cost $137.63 I realize, that is not much money for a large corporation like Stark Bro's but, for a small town farmer growing food to survive, this is a large and important investment. My complaint is the shipping date. ******, it's an estimated delivery date. Give by "week of". I arranged for delivery of package, original delivery Week of 08/18/2024, website and confirmed by email. Then, being excited about the delivery I visited website to determine order status. I eventually called ************** and spoke to customer service, whom then informed my order will not be delivered the week of 08/18/2024 but rather the week of 08/25/2024. I'm so disappointed with the ******************* Strategy. Thank You

  

  Business response

  08/23/2024

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns. We understand that your investment in our plants is significant, and we sincerely apologize for any frustration caused by the estimated shipping dates.
  When it comes to shipping living plants, our dates are estimated because we must prioritize quality during the preparation and shipping process. There are several factors that can influence when a shipment goes out, such as ensuring the plants are in optimal condition and ready for transit, as well as external factors like weather or logistical delays.
  Your order was placed on 8/19, and we worked diligently to prepare and ship it out within three days. Given that you are in a three-day transit zone, your order is currently on its way to you.
  Our agent took steps to expedite the shipping request, and we appreciate your patience as we ensured your plants were in the best possible condition before sending them. We are committed to providing you with healthy, high-quality plants, and we hope you will be satisfied with your purchase upon its arrival.
  If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out. We're here to help.
  Thank you for choosing Stark Bro's.
  Sincerely,
  ******* F
  Stark Bro's Customer Support Manager

  Customer response

  08/23/2024

  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,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  08/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased 25 strawberry plants on two different dates.25 neach of Tristar Strawberry plants and 25 of Ozark Beauty varieties. Neither grew. I notified Stark Bros. Their Customer Suport Team requested pictures on 7-17-24. Those wer provided on 7-19 -24. On 7-222-24 the Customer Supportteam sent me an email stating " unfortunately the item is not available to be reshipped at this timeso, we can issue a one-time credit to your account equaling 100% of the original product purchase price or issuea refund." I requested a refund on Jul 22, 2024. As of this date I have heard nothing further from Stark Bros, they have issued no refund. Very, very poor customer service.

  

  Business response

  08/22/2024

  Dear ****, 

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. After reviewing your complaint, I personally investigated the issue and found that we had indeed responded to each of the email tickets you provided. Unfortunately, it appears we did not receive any further communication from you, which resulted in the lack of resolution.
  I have addressed the review you posted on 8/14/2024 and processed a full refund for both of your strawberry orders, which includes the 25 Tristar Strawberry plants and 25 Ozark Beauty plants. The refund has been successfully issued back to the payment method used for your purchase.
  We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced and any frustration this may have caused. Our goal is always to provide the best possible service, and I regret that we fell short in this instance. Please let us know if there is anything further we can do to assist you.
  

  Thank you for your understanding.

  Sincerely, 

  ******* F

  Customer Support Manager

  Customer response

  08/23/2024

  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,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  08/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered two trees back on 7-7. The trees stated they were in stock with an estimated shipping date of 7-14 and 7-21. My card was charged, purchase was made. On 7-17 I was informed the shipment was delayed with ETA of 7-21 and 7-28. On 7-21 I got another update that the trees were both delayed to 7-28. On 7-28 I was told the trees would ship by 8-2. On 8-2 the date changed to 8-4. On 8-4 the date changed to 8-8. Today I got a message from the company after NUMEROUS complaints and status requests that the quality of the trees were subpar so they won't be shipping until late September/October. The company has not done anything to resolve the issue, they just keep delaying the shipment. I recieved my shipping cost and a 10% discount but I wanted the product, not a list of excuses on why they cant deliver. If the company can't deliver on the goods they promised to thier clients, a FULL REFUND is expected. It is fraud to sell a product that cannot be delivered, and to keep payment for said product.

  

  Business response

  08/08/2024

  We are very sorry that your order has been delayed and unable to be shipped at this time. Our customer support management team has worked closely with our growers to ensure that our dates are as accurate as possible. Unfortunately, the trees you order do not meet our quality standards. As previously explained, our trees are grown outside during the summer months. They are exposed to the environment and often get stressed. This is why our dates are merely estimates. At times, your order has been delayed until September/October. If this is unacceptable, we can cancel the order and issue a full refund. Please reply to Ticket ID #******** to advise our customer support manager how you'd like to proceed. 

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Ordered two trees in december of 2023 for the last 3 weeks I am informed next week the item will ship. now another week passed and they say next week. I paid in good faith and expect my product

  

  Business response

  05/06/2024

  We deeply regret the prolonged delay in shipping your order. Your patience and understanding during this time are greatly appreciated. We understand your frustration, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.
  Rest assured we are actively working to expedite the shipment of your trees. Your order is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to resolving this matter promptly. You can expect your product to be shipped out within the next few days. If anything changes, we will contact you directly. 
  

  Thank you for your continued patience and trust in us. If you have any further concerns or inquiries, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

  Sincerely, 

  ******* R

  Director of Customer Support

  Customer response

  05/10/2024

  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,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The words that follow do not begin to express the lack interest in ever doing business with Stark Bro's ******************************** again.Stark Bro's ******************************** had my order and my money for 6 months, 22 days prior to telling me that they, Stark Bro's ******************************** will not provide the ordered product claiming "quality issues" Additionally, it would seem to me that any "quality issues" with this product would have or should have been notified to me at the time of your delivery status update on September 17, 2023.Communication is lacking with Stark Bro's ********************************.I did not agree to provide six months cash flow to Stark Bro's ********************************!

  

  Business response

  11/01/2023

  We apologize to *********************** for any inconvenience caused by this issue. At Stark Bro's, we prioritize quality and customer satisfaction. Due to unforeseen circumstances the tree that was purchased did not meet our standards for shipping in October as originally anticipated. In the communication sent to ***** in September, we were not aware of an issue yet. Regrettable, we failed to inform him as soon as the date was changed to a "to be determined (TBD)" status due to uncertainty regarding availability this season. We take full responsibility for any confusion caused by this and we understand his frustration. A full refund has been processed as requested in an email sent to us from *********************** today November 1st. As requested, we have removed *********************** from communications such as e-newsletter. 

  Customer response

  11/02/2023

  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,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered plants and Stark Brothers screwed up the order. So I cancelled the order and unsubscribed to their website. In fact, I have tried to unsubscribe about a half dozen times. Yet they continue to send me promotional materials. I think customers should be warned that Starks believe that their right to barrage you with promotional sales materials outweighs the customer's desire to be left alone. Thank you.

  

  Business response

  05/16/2023

  We are very sorry to learn of the issues recorded in the customer's statement.  We are unaware of any issues with the order as it had not shipped when the customer chose to cancel. A refund was processed right away after their request was received. The customer stated that after submitting a request to be removed from being sent promotional content that they were still receiving advertisements. I have checked with our marketing team to confirm and verify their claim. Our records show that email address [email protected] was unsubscribed from our email marketing newsletters on May 1st, 2023 and that the last email we send to the customer was for an abandoned shopping cart that was sent on 4/20/2023. We have taken the extra steps to make sure that he is suppressed from both emails and texts messaging along with deactivating the customers web account that they had created. Our customers success and satisfaction matters above all and if you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩