You may be apprehensive about buying plants online knowing the fact that you will buy from a store, which you will never physically visit probably. Moreover, the idea of buying these plants without any physical inspections is confusing and may produce unexpected results for the careless. In short, you need to be knowledgeable and experienced to order quality plants online. Well, here are a few tips for you to follow while buying plants online.
Tips to Follow:
While buying plants online, especially if you are buying for the first time, follow the below mentioned tips:
Research well before deciding to order your garden needs so that there is a perfect match between the variety of the plant and the site.
Know the need of the plants, as it differs for different types of plants, zone, water, soil condition, and exposure.
Try to order in small quantities when you buy plants online for the first time, as this will enable you to test plant quality and delivery standards of the dealer.
In any case, always place an order early to avoid any shortage of the variety of plant that you require due to excessive demand.
Plan early and accordingly, as in a few cases shipping may take a long time and even months. Be extra careful about the time margin if you are ordering seasonal plants.
Few Checks to Make
You will need to make a few necessary checks before ordering plants online. The following details are must:
The deadlines of dates for order and shipping to ensure there is no delay.
Check the botanical as well as the common name to ensure that the products listed are genuine.
Visit different sites to compare the prices of different suppliers.
The precautionary and growing tips and information, and
The contact information for your after sales inquiries and return policy.
Ensure that there is enough safety in a transaction as well as in consumer interests.
The Inherent Issues
You must know about the inherent issues and problems in buying plants online, so that, you are well prepared to deal with these. A little care and concern will prevent any wrong products sent to you, which you need to return resulting in further delay. Furthermore, it may be tricky to get a replacement or refund. Therefore, know the issues and prepare yourself well. These problems include:
Delivering dead, dying, rotted, or diseased plants
Delivering plants in battered condition due to poor packaging
Wrongly colored plants or even the wrong plants delivered altogether
Plants arriving late or a no-show
All these issues might frustrate you, which is why you should carefully choose an online store that has exceptional customer service.
Features of Good Customer Service
When you receive a wring or undesired order after ordering plants online, the customer service cell will come to your rescue. Therefore, check for the features that make a good customer service. This means that there will be no lack of communication and all your calls and emails will be answered. All necessary information such as a plant is out of stock will be communicated early on.
The cell should also have the information about dispatch details and proper tracking system of the consignment. Most importantly, they must be easy to access, friendly, and understanding.
All Is Not Negative
There are a lot of reliable online stores selling plants online. All you need is proper research about the store. Check their credentials, services, and pricing policy. Especially, go through their privacy and return policy.
Make sure to read their reviews from reliable third-party websites and certainly read the testimonials of their previous customers before placing an order.
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