T + M Vouchers. Slight moan...

[veggiechicken]

I suppose they need to charge the picking and processing to pay their staff. strange that other companies appear to absorb this in their running costs. T&M often appear more expensive than other suppliers, probably because they add the postage and packing to the price that other suppliers charge for.

So when we buy their seeds in a garden centre we should pay less than the website/catalogue price as there should be no included "postage & packing"
The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that T&M should be more transparent about their charging policies - in fact I think by using P&P in the way that they do, they are being misleading.

[bearded bloke]

So when we buy their seeds in a garden centre we should pay less than the website/catalogue price as there should be no included "postage & packing"
The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that T&M should be more transparent about their charging policies - in fact I think by using P&P in the way that they do, they are being misleading.

You mean like .....



Postage and packaging is automatically calculated when items are added to your shopping basket, as follows:
Seed only orders

SAME DAY DESPATCH** - order seed by 12 noon on the website and we aim to despatch your order same day by first class post with no P&P charge!

Orders placed after 12 noon for seed are despatched next working day.

(*subject to stock availability)
(**excludes Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays)
Non-seed items*

Non-seed items (i.e. plants, bulbs, potatoes, garlic, onion sets, mushroom boards, shallots and garden equipment) normally have a single £4.95 postage and packaging charge per order no matter how many items are ordered (to one address - UK only).

Items marked with a lorry symbol, are usually heavy or bulky and require specialist carriers (i.e. fruit & vegetable cages), these have a single £12.95 carriage charge per order no matter how many items are ordered in this category. UK mainland only.
Overseas orders

We can send packet seed items to addresses within the EU only. A £4.50 postage & packing charge will be applied to these orders. We regret that we cannot supply non-seed items outside the UK.


........... D.T. Brown's

[veggiechicken]

Exactly BB. You know where you are with Brown's!
I have just emailed T&M asking for clarification of their pricing policies and their use of the abbreviation P&P in a manner that appears intended to mislead
Watch this space.....

[marchogaeth]

Now thats a bit strange,I just did it online & P&P etc is £1 dearer & the garlic is 30p dearer than printed 2012 catalogue

Code Description Of Product Qty Price Discount Total
43007 Garlic, Solent Wight x £4.25 £0.00 £4.25
15203 Tomato, Sungold F1 AGM Seeds x £2.99 £0.00 £2.99
Clear Basket If needed amend your promotional code here:

Subtotal
£7.24

Postage
£4.95
Order Total £12.19

I got a new catalogue this week so you were probably after the change over - annoying.

I think it's odd that all the free seeds are Mr F but the vouchers are T&M.
I only use T&M if they have free P&P and there's very little I want from them anyway although the special offers come in handy for school sometimes, but as I get to know my way round other catalogues, many offer better value in terms of seed numbers for evne quite specailised stuff.

I should say in their favour that an order I started with them when P&P was free but which I couldn't seem to complete due to problems with their web site did go through when I tried again 9 or 10 hours after the offer closed.

[Two_Sheds]

I save my vouchers up for a "free postage" promotion: they come round quite often

[Kestrel]

I save my vouchers up for a "free postage" promotion: they come round quite often

That's good to know, TS. VC has already mentioned this too, and I will wait. The pricing policy remains opaque and T+M are consistently the highest prices for both products and P+P. Looking around, most companies seem fair and clear, and always cheaper. My question remains; is it possible for the magazine to look elsewhere or should I stay schtum...

[Two_Sheds]

Never look a gift horse in the mouth, Kestrel

[Feral007]

Well I can only say that The Lost Seed is very clear about their pricing policies, and they are well priced, and quick with postage.

I'm about to purchase some small plants from Victoria, and they are also very clear about their P&P. They not only state what the P&P is but also at what Kilo the price rises. But they say that they normally post on mondays and tuesdays so that your plants are expected to arrive in good condition by the w/e when most people would be planting them.

All good, except we are the exception where it will take up to 10 days longer to receive any sort of mail.........hope the plants are up to coping with another 5 or more days in 'postofficelimboland'.

[VirginVegGrower]

Watch whilst holding on to vouchers as they are sending them out with about three months validity on at the mo. at least, mine was. I don't go for their seeds, but did order seed garlic last time, just swallowing the p and p cost myself. It was at least cheaper than me buying the garlic
I looked at The Garlic Farm and their seed is extortionate.

[veggiechicken]

OK Folks, are you sitting comfortably? T&M have replied but, since their reply is for my eyes only I shall paraphrase it.
I sent them this:-
I would be grateful if you could clarify your mail order charges please.
Mail orders incur a P&P charge; that I accept. Common understanding of the abbreviation P&P is Postage and Packing and I have found that your companies charges are usually more expensive than other comparable companies. As a result, if I can find an identical product on sale elsewhere with lower P&P I will give them my custom.
I was very surprised therefore to read on your website that:-
"Unless otherwise stated all selling prices include reasonable postage and packing charges"
and that your definition of P&P is completely different to any other mail order company I have ever dealt with. namely:-
." We make a nominal charge for processing and picking orders (defined as P&P). All such P&P charges are added automatically to your shopping basket."
If this is the case, then why are the seed prices the same whether they are bought by mail order or at a garden centre - when the "processing and picking" is done by the garden centre staff and the customer and not by your staff?
I am totally confused by all of this and consider that you are doing yourselves a disservice by operating a pricing policy that seems to be designed to mislead the consumer.
Please will you explain your rationale. I await your reply with interest.
The reply goes something like this:-

The processing and picking applies to Garden centres, mail order and online ordering.
A mail order is keyed, picked, collated and prepared for despatch by our staff before posting.
Our staff at Thompson and Morgan go to the garden centres and set up the stands offering the seeds. We also have Representatives that regularly visit the Garden centres to re stock the stands.
This makes up the Processing and Picking procedure therefore p&p charges applies to all orders.

Is it me, or are they trying to further confuse? If "processing and picking charges" apply to all orders including Garden centres, why is an extra charge not levied at the point of sale?
I feel another email coming on

[bearded bloke]

VC,I would think that garden centre's get a bulk discount on seeds & the "P&P" charges to them for restocking displays will effectively be a reduced discount,thus eroding their potential profit on the packet price.

Ultimately the forum is wholly sponsored by the magazine & the magazine in turn is at least partly sponsored by advertisers,some of these companies try to encourage forum members patronage by free give away's (seeds,tokens,special discount codes,etc) & at the end of the day the tokens T&M give away are a bonus,which could potentially save us some money if used wisely.

I would further suggest that T&M will already have read this thread & had at least a small informal discussion about it & it's potential ramifications.

[veggiechicken]

I accept what you say BB and I'll pursue it in my own time I just think T&M should be aware that they are losing customers by levying charges on orders that are higher than the majority of comparable suppliers and by obfuscating their pricing policy by using an abbreviation that means one thing to 99% of the world but something completely different to them - for something that the majority of us would consider to be part of the cost of running a business and not something for which the customer should incur an additional charge.
T&M, I hope you are reading this because I sincerely believe it is in your best interest to align yourself with the other companies and their clear charging policies.
Over and Out

[bearded bloke]

Fair enough VC I think that T&M will have a grasp of what others are charging from the posts (& peoples thoughts on their own charges from the attitudes) already apparent in this thread

[veggiechicken]

I hope they do BB. I'm not here to make mischief, I just like to understand how organisations work - it was my job once - and you don't forget that easily
So here is a weakness and a free recommendation on how to rectify it! Now do I get a Voucher???

[bearded bloke]

So VC,does that stand for .. VERY Cheeky