I’m not going to wade into this any more if I can avoid it except for this. PM if you want to discuss anything or have questions.
Reports are that no one is getting refunds anymore ( or answers to emails/phone calls ). If you are past the 6 month PayPal window for buyer protection and paid with a credit card, you may still be able to do a charge back thru your credit card provider and get your money back.
Best of luck to all getting your plants or your money back.
I’ve talked with him a few times, and he seemed like a good guy. I ordered 5 trees for an order total of $50. I was expecting to receive the trees this spring, but I honestly can say that I believe I will receive trees from him at some point. I went into this knowing that he had not been a large scale grower before and was attempting something new. That was part of why I only ordered 5 trees - limiting my exposure in case it didn’t work out.
Supposedly every time he had lots of cups he decided to keep them for further reproducing since he had so many orders to fill. Seemed to me that he thought he could just keep reproducing and delay sending out so that future orders could be made. Which in my opinion could only make failure more and more likely, more likely that the whole thing would collapse and of course eventually legal action would have to be made no matter what the siltation is.
what he is doing is wrong! He cannot take peoples money and not send them what they order. It is fraud! If he has any integrity he would stop taking orders and send out the orders that everyone has paid for. I cannot remember who said it but they said what he is doing is a ponzi scheme! I am out of $50 and have yet to receive anything. I hope everyone would stop ordering from him cos I for one am sick and tired of this.
I never wish ill on anyone but if his business collapses and legal action is taken against him, he brought it onto himself. I have no sympathy for him!
I do agree on one thing, it’s starting to become his fault more and more in time what happens to him bad. I believe that it started out totally innocent and that he kept making bad decisions. The original idea was not bad, it would have worked if he stuck to it. It was not illegal at first because he made it very clear that he’d grow them after collecting the money, it was not a ponzi scheme at first either, yet I can see how it became one in time.
I had no idea what his original scheme was. I stumbled upon his site and placed an order in good faith. I wish everyone would stop making excuses for him. When you take someone’s money and do not send them what they have paid for is illegal. He broke a contract. I think his original intent is irrelevant in this case.
I hope he realizes this, either refund or send out what customers paid for.
One other big or, face legal action.
I’ve been a big supporter. But if he doesn’t start shipping this month I’d suspect it’s going to be option #3.
I haven’t read the whole topic but if the guy is receiving money and not shipping anything I wouldn’t wait for his good mood and mercy.
There was a person in Europe doing the same thing and I got contacted by several people who ordered for hundreds of dollars an have not received anything for several months (I happened to be from the same country as the scammer). I emailed him many times, called even his family on several occasions and all I heard were excuses. In the end the easiest way how to get a refund was to file a Paypal complaint. All of them got their money back this way.
This fig person is also using Paypal so that might be your best bet.
https://www.paypal.com/us/selfhelp/article/i-did-not-receive-the-item-i-purchased-or-it-is-different-from-the-description.-faq1344
Paypal has a time limit of 6 months to report and that has long passed. The reason why people did not complain to paypal right away is because the seller had proven himself to be a very responsible, giving and kind guy. Also when he was selling he was selling trees that did not exist yet and most people knew that. They trusted him to do that because of his great reputation.
Perhaps that reputation might be preserved by simply placing a note on his website that he is unable to fulfill any orders at this time.
Sickness and debility happen and most people would be understanding of such, but leaving people hanging without an explanation and not warning others of his inability to deliver is damaging his reputation with every passing day.
I don’t believe there is anywhere to leave a note. He had updates there but I don’t believe he has done any updates since March! I am at a point where I have no sympathy for him. I worked hard for my $50 and everyone else did so too. I cannot get my money back from PP since I paid using PP cash and part from bank account.
Reputation? What reputation? I don’t know this man and he obviously do not seem to care now that he has taken boat load of money from everyone. I for one hope the authority get him and made an example. His actions has taken the joys and excitement of growing figs from me for sure. Every time I see the few fig trees I have I am being reminder of how he cheated me!
I have a website, any aspect of which I can edit in a matter of minutes. His is similar. He has posted progress on his various projects with pictures, etc. A short post of his status would go a long way to salveging his personal and business reputation.
I mean what if a personal tragedy precipitated all this. Best for me to ride it out peacefully and let go of any resentment, if just for health sake.
Yes I agree. Sorry I thought you meant for people to comment.
I am very sorry to see this business start taking up space and energy including the angry feelings it generates here on this forum. I stopped reading the posts and squabbles on the figs forum. There are over 1400 posts. Many people fear they have lost their hard earned money. I requested a refund many months ago and received it without any problems. It was about $150. The only information I have about the business is from his updates and website. He said he had a broken toe and then the temps dropped, so he wasn’t able to ship. I just hope the civility on this forum is not destroyed by events which have nothing to do with this forum. If you read some of the posts pro and con on the major fig forum, you will see what I mean. Very divisive topic and very strong feelings on both sides of the issue, but constantly thrashing it out does not solve the problem. If it turns out to be a bad deal, then chalk it up as a loss and move on emotionally. If you do receive your plants, then you got a fantastic deal!
Honestly, I don’t think this is a divisive issue on our forum. A few people who have been ripped off needed a place to vent to others who would understand the situation.
Since there is no way (for them) to fix this other than wait and hope the owner does what he promised to do, the venting can be cathartic and reduce the stress and negative feelings associated with being ripped off.
When someone tells people who have been injured that it’s no big deal, and to keep their pie holes shut is when you start to have problems. I daresay that is what happened on your fig forums. Although I am new, I think overall that this is a great little community here, and part of what I am so impressed by is the supportiveness we show to each other.
Why is it a divisive topic? Other people should be warned and if I had known I would not have ordered. I am glad you got your refund but many of us did not and he didn’t even have the decency to respond to my emails. He considers himself a business and should act like one. I have repeatedly asked for my refund but have got it. Why should there be strong feelings on his side? He is not the one who have had money taken. He is the one taking and not doing what he promised BTW, since when uses your feet to pack an order? He knows many customers are worried and upset and he has chosen not to update his website. If people can chalk up their loss, good for them. The temperature has been great for quite a while but many still have not received anything
True and as time goes on the more people will lose trust in him forever. Before he did leave updates, not as often as people like, confusing updates, yet at least he left some. Now as far as I know he’s not updated for over a month, over a month ago he was supposed to send his first shipments, he e-mailed people telling the first people, after that all he said was soon he’d be shipping them, that an injury will delay him shipping. I think that if this keeps on then in a few months he’d have no one willing to trust him.
thanks so much for understanding and seeing from my point of view that many of us have most probably been ripped off. I agree with you 200% and do not think of talking about it and getting upset is divisive. I am not able to get my money back via PP and didn’t pay using cc so I am basically stuffed. This thread is also good as it tell people of PP 6mths complain window.
I brought this up cos I wanted to find out if the business is legitimate and also wanted to make others aware so that they do not loose out like some of us.
Fig collectors know him, have bought through his website for a long time and got what they paid for. Not sure if you have ever heard of Harvey he’s a farmer who sells lots of fig trees, he sells chestnuts too, one of the most respected fig collectors around. He has met James in real life, they are friends despite what is happening, yet Harvey thinks that James could have been way more careful. It’s sad because in a few months if James does not get his act together his reputation will be shot with almost everyone.
Harveys of Correios chestnuts? If not, then I do not know nor have heard of Harvey. If he has been in business for sometime then he should know that this is not the way to go forth. He knows people are very anxious, upset, frustrated and yes angry. Like what JustAnne4 said, he could have just spent 5mins to do a quick update to allay fears.