Complaint Review: Downright Natural

To: Downright Natural

1208 Chapel Avenue West
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002-2231
USA

From: Marc 

Roanoke, VA

Re: Invoice No. 21651

   6/28/17: The seed you sold to me, in that 12/24/16 invoice above, is not producing Jolly Elf grape tomatoes! I am growing 4 plants, all now at the green stage, with the largest fruit now exceeding 2 ½ inches in diameter; with all others already much larger than any grape tomato. I have also given 6 plants to 4 other people in happily believing I was sharing the uniquely delicious Jolly Elf grape tomato.

   I began growing organic Jolly Elf about 6 years ago from seed purchased from Territorial Seed Co. Upon trying to reorder, I found that Territorial no longer offered that seed. During 2014-2016 growing seasons, I organically raised non-organic Jolly Elf seeds from Hometown Seeds. Last December I was delighted to discover Downright Natural’s offer of organic Jolly Elf seed, and most confidently ordered from you.

   Upon June 12, 2017, I left a message on your answering service regarding this issue and requested a call back – per instructions from your voice message. Since then I have phoned again twice, but have not left another message. Upon June 15, I wrote an email to your website regarding this issue – but have not received any response.

   Dear Downright Natural, all I am seeking is a reply, because I very much want to know the tomato variety you carelessly sold to me as organic Jolly Elf seed! If you do actually have organic Jolly Elf seed, it seems only fitting that you would offer me a replacement (yeah, 20 seeds for a whopping $3.97). Since you are now selling 20 seeds for $5.29, I trust that all such seed now going out is as advertised.

7/4/17: The other seeds you sold to me in Invoice No. 21651 were – supposedly – YELLOW, acid-free Lemon Boy tomatoes. Today, the first one began ripening to a light ORANGE. I have grown Lemon Boy tomatoes from seeds from other companies for at least eighteen years, and so know that they never reach an orange stage.

   If you are actually a real seed company, you would know that all vegetable gardeners plan and greatly look forward to harvesting the fruits of our painstaking labors. The outrageous disappointment you cause in selling bogus seeds is, without explanation, apology, and compensation from you, unforgivable. In that your operation seems to be a FRAUD, I am copying this note to: via internet to Ripoff Report, via USPS to Camden County Regional Chamber of Commerce 295 Route 70 West Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, and via email to  info@newjersey.bbb.org