please advise....bonza order appears to be "stuck"

[bobsakamoto]

hello GWE peeple peeples...i need all y'all's sage advice por favor. i placed a large order (well, for me $290 is a LARGE order) with bonza on 12/27. wrote them twice between then and 1/3, the first time bc i was a new customer they needed a screen shot of my bank account info to verify my identity and payment. the second time was bc my card was charged and nothing was happening. it finally supposedly shipped on 1/7. i say supposedly bc if you look at the pic it appears that absolutely nothing has happened.

is this normal? another order (smaller) i place from Cannapot (in Austria) on 1/12 is already stateside and on its way here (verified via tracking #)
am i getting the run around from bonza? or from the shipping co?

thank you in advance.

[okay, 2 hours later forum still not letting me upload pic...WTF man? anyway, the direct quote from the pic says "origin post is preparing for shipment...processed through facility Jan 10 langley HWDC, united kingdom]

[rwdyredhead]

Never used Bonza but it sounds like it's not being updated correctly on the tracking-USPS I'm assuming? Once it goes thru Langley UK the next step is coming overseas & at that point USPS picks up the tracking as far as what my experience has been. If they've dropped the ball on your tracking updates then you should be getting those seeds in the next few days, probably tomorrow. If they don't come tomorrow I would contact USPS & find out what's going on.
If they left the UK on Jan.10th then it's been 12 days today & since it's Sunday they may be sitting at the post office right now waiting for the mail tomorrow. If you take away the weekends from the 12 days it really isn't that long for them to make it to the US, thru customs, & to your door but I know how stressful it can be waiting, especially for an order that large!
I know I got some seeds about a week ago and USPS didn't update the tracking info so I missed the delivery because I didn't know it would be here.

[bobsakamoto]

rwdyredhead thank you!! so helpful!!

yes, i think there is some problem with the actual shipment tracking or else the tracking software isn't updating....but what i don't know is which of those thing it IS...or iguess if it's some 3rd thing haven't thought of...

but like i said, canna pot went through the EXACT same process--that is its tracking info shows it getting to langley, through customs in NY, i.e., it is in the US. and that order was placed on 1/12

i shoulda been clearer with my question... what i'm worried about is are they sitting somewhere in the UK stuck, possibly germinating or getting in any other way effedup as a result of wherever it is they are....that's what i'm really worried about...like they get here eventually but they've been on a hot ass tarmac or something for like 6 days....LOL

[BG Bud]

I am awaiting my 3rd order from Bonza. They all took longer than advised. Updating was weird as was the email stating they cancelled my ticket. Their way of saying its on the way I think. I emailed them to ask why and what was a ticket and they said don't worry be happy. They all arrived and I have yet to have a seed fail. 8 weeks in total.
Cheers

[bobsakamoto]

BG Bud omg, i had the same freakin' thing....it was a regular who's on first routine with their stupid ticketing system....bc i did not get a 'anything' telling me my order had shipped. i got some random ass tech support email telling me that my ticket had been resolved...so i write them, um, what's a ticket? and why do i have one? and BTW WHEN IS MY ORDER SHIPPING PLEASE?? LOL

[alltatup]

I think all seed stores are taking longer right now because of legalization; SeedSupreme let me know that they were FLOODED with orders, had to hire new people to deal with the deluge of orders, and that things were taking a little longer.

[Weasel]

A few of the experiences I witnessed were a bit similar to yours Bob. They have a convoluted system of shipping. As i (maybe/barely?) understood their explanation- once your order is compiled and they've run your cc card and got your forms and the copies of your fingerprints and retina scan, the info gets forwarded to their shipping dept. Once the shipping dept has it boxed up, its marked as 'shipped'. At that point it's entered the twilight zone, because it can sit in the warehouse quite a while after that waiting to be, ummmm.well,... shipped.....
and that's maybe where yours is.
I should get off this thread and stop dissing the buggers because I've said my bit already- just thought I'd mention that there is a long history with them of just what you are describing - and its possible that it's still waiting somewhere at the warehouse. Most people in the end do get their seeds, definitely not all, and not all usable when they arrive, but your chances of actually getting them in the end are quite high.

[Weasel]

I don't deal with Bonza or their associate GYO. I just find they have an attitude problem. Which has nothing to do with your problem. Just sayin...
good luck

[rwdyredhead]

I didn't know they were affiliated with each other. I just started using GYO and have gotten 2 orders from them & all has went really well. Two isn't enough to give me a lot of confidence tho. I do get emails saying your ticket has been cancelled but it was in response to me creating a ticket in which I was asking a question. I did get the emails several times about the same ticket tho & just figured it was a glitch or something? I wonder why GWE recommends Bonza but not GYO?

[rwdyredhead]

rwdyredhead thank you!! so helpful!!

yes, i think there is some problem with the actual shipment tracking or else the tracking software isn't updating....but what i don't know is which of those thing it IS...or iguess if it's some 3rd thing haven't thought of...

but like i said, canna pot went through the EXACT same process--that is its tracking info shows it getting to langley, through customs in NY, i.e., it is in the US. and that order was placed on 1/12

i shoulda been clearer with my question... what i'm worried about is are they sitting somewhere in the UK stuck, possibly germinating or getting in any other way effedup as a result of wherever it is they are....that's what i'm really worried about...like they get here eventually but they've been on a hot ass tarmac or something for like 6 days....LOL

Oh okay, I guess they could be stuck or lost? I hope not! Good Luck

[bobsakamoto]

thank you, rwdy!

[Weasel]

There are hundreds of seedbanks out there and Bonza is a legit business, I just personally had issues with their service attitude like I said, as did several friends, with them and GYO as well, and prefer to deal with friendlier places.

For any large order I always always pay a little extra and get the guaranteed option so that the order will be replaced if it doesn't arrive. In any case, the best seed banks will always replace lost orders as policy.

[bobsakamoto]

ahhh, Weasel, as always a font of good information...agreed on all counts, not super friendly, lots of 'tude bout the stupid backasswards ticketing system

i did get the guaranteed option but i have weather constraints.... i'm tryin' to finish the grow before the temps get in the HUNDYS, and that ship has sailed on this bonza order. i'm really pissed about that.

i am now wondering how they got such a good rep here in the first place....🤔

[Weasel]

I don't know about their general reputation, it's just not good with me personally. And there are a lot of good seed banks who will bend over backwards to make you happy, and life is too short to be having an unpleasant experience while giving my money to people who aren't on my side.

[rwdyredhead]

Well this thread has been enough to make me quite nervous about ordering from GYO again. This seed situation is getting to be a real struggle! One thing about your particular situation tho bobsakamoto is you stated that the last update on your order thru tracking says it processed thru Langley Hwdc which of course is a mail sorting facility. I googled it just to see if people were complaining about similar issues & oh my gosh!!! Apparently this is the only mail sorting facility for UK and is a real nightmare about this sort of stuff.Now I'm thinking your seeds may truly be stuck in what some of the folks sharing their horror stories call "the twilight zone". Google "Langley Hwdc complaints" or "package processed thru Langley Hwdc" and check it out. Yikes!!!

[bobsakamoto]

i guess i'm gonna have to call the dang USPS....any advice for me on THAT??? that shit gives me the heebie jeebies....

[rwdyredhead]

Always act like you ain't doing a damn thing wrong. They don't know what's in your package & you're paying them to take care of it so be assertive. Like this..."Hey man, wtf is my shit"!!!??? Lol just kidding but for real tho act like it's an order of books or something.

[bobsakamoto]

gotdang, rwdyredhead that is FANTASTIC advice. i'll be sure to get my gameface on before i do it. seriously thank you!!!

[Weasel]

You've gotten a reply from Bonza about it? Edit- oh I see your comment above now that you did

I live in the middle of nowhere so mail is slow but I always give them at least a month before I start getting worried.

[bobsakamoto]

no, i got a bunch of tickets, because everytime you ask them something they issue a ticket...so if your first communication with them is a ticket, and you don't know what it a ticket is, then you write them an email asking them why does my order have a ticket? is there something wrong? and since every time you ask them something, no mATTER WHAT, you get issued a ticket....so you generate a potentially unending list of tickets and responses....see BG and me above ^^

truly, it is one of the most "purely and utterly devoid of common sense" systems i HAVE EVER seen....and that's saying something because i used to work in academia...

[rwdyredhead]

I don't know about Bonza but on GYO if you have made an account then you can go on your account and see all activity-tickets, past orders, and you can see how many points you have for discounts. Any activity that has happened is listed with any response that was given by them. I believe it even lists any live chats you've had with them & who you talked to.

[Weasel]

Yeah- they don't understand what customer service means. Hope you get your order.
Seedsman is good.
Herbies is good but their credit card processing is down at the moment so you have to work around that. . Also Gorilla is good.
VSB is decent.
Crop King Seeds if you like their strains (I don't but their service is good).
Ace is my favorite but they don't have 'mainstream' strains. Hmmmmm... there are many others- and many small specialty places, but between the first two or three on that list you can find most things you'd want I think, because they carry and sell strains from many smaller seed banks.

[Weasel]

An example of good service is-

If I email Ace seeds; I have never failed to get a response right away, usually within half an hour, from someone who works there full time, helps grow and breed the strains, smokes and knows them all intimately, is super cool and friendly, and will happily help me with any questions and requests I have.
I've had them answer all sorts of questions I've asked about growing their strains. They went through their seed storage fridges for me to find out of stock seeds, totally voluntarily, and have gone out of their way to help me find what I'm looking for every time.
I don't think I've made an order yet that did not ship the next day. Several times I have emailed them, gotten a reply within minutes, and been told my order was shipped, all within 60 minutes (!).
More importantly than any of those details- they are just genuinely cool and friendly.
There are many other seedbanks out there that are almost as cool.

Tickets??? Excuse my language but... Fuck..

I realize that this little rant has nothing much to do with your original question, but honestly, it bugs me when businesses want our money but are too arrogant to comprehend, at a bare minimum- the basic golden rules of customer service. And this Bonza outfit, in case it's not obvious, has totally alienated me and several other people I know in the past. More than once (if it's possible to be totally alienated more than once )

[dontknownuttin]

When I order seed it is normal for my delivery to take 3 months how long have you waited?

[rwdyredhead]

Oh hell no!!!

[Weasel]

'Oh hell no' he's not joking, or 'oh hell no' three months makes no sense?
I live about as remote as one can get and still
have access to public power and internet.
I figure 5 weeks is about maximum reasonable shipping time. A week to package and send, if a company completely drags their ass, then a month of transit if the mail goes slow.

[rwdyredhead]

I meant about the thought of it taking 1/4 of a year to get a seed order. I'm sure he was kidding. I hope so.

[alltatup]

This is a fine example of how good this forum is for finding out about seed sellers. Bonza sounds terrible to me: if I hear one person say, the customer service has a bad attitude, I won't go near it.

I have used SeedSupreme three times, and I give them a five star rating:
1. Always fast response to emails.
2. Extremely polite and professional.
3. They acknowledge that business is slowed down right now because of the huge spike in business since legalization votes in November. They told me that have had to hire a lot more people to take care of the demand.
4. When my $18 Green Crack seed turned out to be a boy, I informed them and they promptly put credit on my account.
5. I can pay for tracking. Now, it's hard to track what's going on on the other side of the Atlantic. But once it reaches this side, it was very easy to track.
6. I get free feminized seeds with every order, CLEARLY LABELED.

[Stealth_b0nger]

So I just recently started using TRUE NORTH SEED BANK. This is by far the best seed bank I have ever used!!!!!! The have all the top names in the business and crazy fast shipping. I GET ALL MY ORDERS IN 8 DAYS OR LESS. They also have loyalty points that turn into cash upon checkout. By far best seed bank around.