Justine B.
Disappointed With “XL Roots” Claim and Customer Service Resolution
This was my first order with Spring Hill Nursery, and it was a very large order. I was actually impressed with many of the plants I received, which is why I initially contacted customer service privately instead of leaving a review. My concern was with a Fragrant Cloud rose that was advertised as having XL roots. The plant itself was noticeably smaller than the others I received, and when I planted it, the growing medium fell away and revealed what appeared to be a very average-sized root system. My concern was never whether the rose would eventually grow. My concern was that I specifically paid for a product advertised as having XL roots and did not feel that what I received matched that description. Unfortunately, it took multiple emails before customer service directly addressed that distinction. The initial response focused on giving the plant more time to grow, which felt dismissive because growth was not the issue. After several emails, they finally acknowledged that my concern was about the advertised product grade and offered a $20 “merchandise credit” as an apology. That resolution became frustrating as well. The “merchandise credit” was actually issued as a Replacement Certificate with restrictions, including language stating it could only be used for merchandise of equal or lesser value, and I was then told it could only be redeemed by placing an order over the phone. For something offered as an apology and gesture of goodwill, it required a remarkable amount of additional effort just to understand how it could be used. What disappointed me most was not simply receiving one rose that did not meet my expectations. It was having to repeatedly explain that if a company charges a premium based on a specific product designation, customers should reasonably expect the product to reflect that designation. A healthy plant that eventually grows is not the same issue as receiving the grade of product that was advertised and paid for. I truly wanted this first experience with Spring Hill to be a positive one, especially because several of the other plants were beautiful. Unfortunately, the handling of this concern and the restrictions attached to the eventual apology credit have made me hesitant to order again. I also attempted twice to leave a review directly on Spring Hill’s website. The first time I was told I would receive a verification email that never arrived, and the second attempt resulted in an error.