Shopping Guide: Carbeth Plants Ltd
Carbeth Plants: A Shopper's Perspective
Why You Should Visit
From my observations, you might find Carbeth Plants a worthwhile choice IF you're after specific items and willing to gamble a bit on the experience.
- Bulb Variety: You'll find they offer bulbs, as one shopper was delighted with a pack of 100 bulbs that provided a "blaze of summer colour" and longevity, especially for a novice gardener.
- Cat Grass: I've seen they do offer Cat grass, which one customer found looked fabulous and lash after a few days of arrival, even though they arrived a little tired.
- Excellent Customer Service (Sometimes): One customer had an issue with delivery and reported that customer service immediately got back to them, and had the plant re-delivered the following day, indicating responsive customer service. Another customer found their staff super friendly and quick at responding to questions, and the plants arrived super quickly and look fantastic.
- Sympathy Gifts: If you're looking for a plant to send as a sympathy gift, a customer reported the plant was beautiful and great value after a re-delivery, suggesting a potential option for this type of purchase.
- Speedy Delivery: According to one positive review, plants can arrive super quickly.
Why You Might Consider Alternatives
Be aware that your experience could vary drastically. Based on the observations, there are significant issues to consider before making a purchase.
- Plant Condition upon Arrival: A recurring theme is poor plant condition. Shoppers can expect to potentially receive plants that are:
- Half-dead, undersized, or significantly smaller than advertised (e.g., Cherrly Laurel hedge plants).
- Squashed, damaged, and tiny (e.g., rose bushes).
- Infected, with spots on leaves (e.g., lemon trees).
- Essentially twigs with no foliage or flowers (e.g., rose bushes, Magnolia).
- In poor condition, essentially a twig with black spots and half-eaten leaves (e.g. Magnolia).
- "Tired" initially, although they recovered later.
- Packaging Concerns: There are reports of plants arriving in inadequate packaging, even with "handle with care" instructions.
- Customer Service Reliability: Be aware that the customer service experience appears inconsistent.
- Some shoppers reported excellent and rapid service, even on weekends.
- Others experienced slow or no communication after emailing or trying to call. Some customers never received a response.
- Expect no way to change orders once placed, as noted in the reviews.
- Shipping Costs for Returns: If you receive a damaged or unsatisfactory plant, you may be asked to pay for the return shipping, as I've seen.
- Inaccurate Descriptions: I've noted that descriptions can be misleading. The "Mum in a Million" rose bush was described as a twig and an olive tree was described as a tiny twig of an olive in a crappy plastic dirty pot wrapped in dirty plastic.
- Incomplete Orders and Substitutions: One customer received the wrong plants initially and then only received a partial replacement order, despite complaining via B&Q.
- Value for Money: Shoppers have reported a poor value for money in some cases, with tiny plants costing a lot of money.
- Potential for Mixed Results: Be prepared for inconsistencies, as I've observed contrasting experiences with the same product (e.g., bulbs) or service quality.
