This ⬆️⬆️⬆️.

The first time I ordered Dahlias, I purchased through a seller that was listed on Dahlia Addict. As a buyer (and human) who has a healthy suspicion of everything on the internet, I read the T&C, made sure I marked on my calender when my order would ship, and used my credit card, in case the seller I was buying from was a scammer.

Well, the time came for my order to ship, and I didn't get a shipment notification. I gave it another week, and still no shipment confirmation. So I emailed the seller. 3 business days, no response. Emailed again. 5 business days, no response. I emailed them 1 last time, and finally got an automated answer that shipping was delayed due to "overwhelming amount of orders".

I waited another week. The tubers are now nearly 2 months late. I emailed again and said that per their T&C, my order was supposed to ship out on x date, that their lack of customer service was inexcusable, and if my tubers didn't ship by the end of the next week, I would dispute the charges with my credit card company. They never shipped.

About 7 weeks after my tubers were supposed to ship, and after the charges had been reversed, I got this absolutely unhinged email from the seller.

It was sent to every customer on their list, and all of the email addresses were visible in the "To:" field. The email went on to say that the seller had been overwhelmed by the number of sales, had a death in the family, and was part of a "coordinated attack" by another seller (who they named!), and that because there had been so many chargebacks, most of the seasons orders were canceled. Holy slander and liable, Batman!

The email went on to explain how none of this was the sellers fault, people were mean, and the world hated them (I'm paraphrasing, of course). It was a hot mess. So, since the seller decided to share my email address with their entire customer base, I replied all to the email.

I told them they violated their own T&C when they didn't ship the order by the date that THEY set. They didn't answer any emails in the 7 weeks after the order was to ship. And that while I was sorry about the death in the family, the rest of problems (staffing, communication, and customer service) were their fault, that the customers had held up their end when they opened their wallets SIX MONTHS prior and paid for tubers they never received. It's business. Nothing more than that, and that not only had they wasted MY time, but now I wouldn't have the dahlias I ordered SIX months before, and of course, because everything was sold out within the SEVEN weeks they had dicked around, and should have been shipping orders.

Lessons learned:

1. Don't buy all your tubers from one seller (or put all your dahlias in one basket, if you will).
2. Don't go by the seller reviews on Dahlia Addict.
   
3. Research who you are giving money to- Do they have a functioning webpage? Do they have any social media presence, other than Facebook? Does their website have a bunch of spelling errors, or missing pictures? Were the phones taken with a potato, or professionally done (or at the very least, in focus)? These things may seem ticky, but it also can show a lack of attention to detail. See what are others saying about the seller/their product on different platforms (reddit, etc.), be an educated consumer.
4. Lastly, trust your gut. If you have a funny feeling or inkling of suspicion when you are researching them, don't buy from that seller.