Bought a $80 rare orchid online and it showed up dead in a box

The seller claimed it was "dormant" but the roots were pure mush when I unwrapped it. Has anyone else dealt with sketchy rare plant sellers on Etsy?

4 comments

4 Comments

hannahj4920d ago

Oh the roots were pure mush" is such a gut punch, I know that exact feeling. I once paid $60 for a variegated monstera cutting that the seller swore was "well rooted" but when I opened it, the roots were basically brown sludge and the stem was soft. I ended up trying to save it by cutting off all the rot and putting it in sphagnum moss, which is what I usually do with sick plants, and it actually pulled through after like three months of sulking. Your mileage may vary, but sometimes the boxed dead ones can recover if you catch them fast. That said, Etsy can be a mixed bag for rare plants, I've had way better luck with specialized Facebook groups where people post reviews of sellers.

mason.drew20d ago

Have you tried reaching out to Etsy directly about this? They usually side with buyers when plants show up dead, especially if you have photos of the mush. I've been burned a few times on there myself, and I've learned to only buy from sellers with tons of reviews and clear refund policies. Some of those shops are just people flipping plants they bought wholesale with no idea how to ship them. It's a gamble every time you click order.

black.oliver7d ago

Has anyone checked if the seller even packaged it with heat packs or cold protection depending on the weather? Plants die in transit all the time because people just throw them in a box with some newspaper and hope for the best. I've seen Etsy sellers ship a tropical plant in January with zero insulation and act surprised when it shows up frozen. You can argue with Etsy all day, but if the seller didn't even try basic shipping prep, you're fighting a losing battle. Check the listing for "winter packaging" or something like that before you buy, it's a red flag if it's not there.

taylor_wells20d ago

Right there with you on the gut punch thing, @hannahj49. I once opened a box with a 'rare' alocasia that was basically a wet paper towel with a stem attached (so gross). I ended up chopping every single mushy root off and just sticking the nub in perlite for two months, and it finally grew a new leaf. The sphagnum moss trick is a lifesaver sometimes, but man, that sinking feeling when you see the slime is the worst.