True North Seed Bank Order Issues

D

Dan Dark

Well-Known Member
I ordered from True North Seed Bank in November 2020. The order was challenging to pay for but after a few weeks working with their customer service I was able to get them to ship. The order arrived in 14 days but about half the seeds were black, dense, sank and did not sprout. I contacted customer service and they generously agreed to replace them - so I also bought more seeds - about $160 worth. Now 14 days after estimated delivery they tell me my order is likely held up in customs and I will not be refunded or replaced! What a horrible, awful, very bad experience! I actually hate this company, their policies and customer service hacks!

This sponsor is a rip off supported by REALLY poor customer service.
 
So, new learning for me. Since most of our seeds come from outside the country and lots get lost en route, most of the seed banks internationally have stopped taking credit cards. Why? Because they can protest when seeds get lost or just plain not shipped. I figured the way to get around this obvious scam was to buy from a 420 sponsor; in this case True North Seed Bank. The first shipment went okay though the seeds were shit. I complained and, after proving I did everything they wanted me to they agreed to replace the seeds. I was impressed with the gesture, and spent another $160 buying even more seeds.

After 2 weeks of email not being responded to I get this from them today; "Please be advised that it appears that your order has been delayed at customs. This may mean that your order has been intercepted. Unfortunately, due to the fact that you did not purchase delivery insurance there is nothing we are able to do to remedy this issue as per the guaranteed delivery insurance policy on our website. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience."

Now I am a little cynical. What proof do I have that these were ever even shipped? I went with them because I figured a 420 sponsor had to be credible. Now reading the on line reviews (which I should have read before) these guys look like a very marginal player with tons of complaints about customer service and shipping problems. This is really distressing, that a 420 sponsor makes us prove we paid, prove we handled the seeds correctly (with photos!) - then has the right to unilaterally decide if we get the product, a refund or just plain fucked - as I did. I've spent over $250 at True North and received the worst customer service and product I've ever experienced. Distressed doesn't begin to cover it! DO NOT trust this vendor!

Further 420 Magazine should require sponsors to provide a level of service and support your readers deserve. Being a 420 Sponsor should mean something to those of us driving your forums. Companies that do not accept credit cards do so because they intend to screw your customers by taking away any recourse they have to object to fraudulent charges. Check out the on line reviews BEFORE you put fraudulent vendors in front of us! Shame on you!
 
if you are US based there is a dedicated direct number for credit card purchases which circumvents your experience. your credit card needs to be cleared for international purchase. i'm not sure that helps you here though by this time.
 
I'm sorry to here that your having such trouble. I went through the same thing with a online seller last year and I had to pester her for many weeks and threaten her with spreading her bad service reputation all over the net. She just took my money and then disappeared. It was a hassle. In the end she sent me my seeds and about as many for free to make up for it. So it ended up alright in t he end. But it's distressing never the less. I hope it works out for you.
 
I hope that happens. True North appeared to be reputable but my experience suggests it is just another scam and people like us have no recourse.
 
they've long been a reseller of major breeders. i know a lot of locals that have bought through them. some great, some good, some so-so, some not so good. can say the same for 90% of the companies out there. this is an odd industry in most parts of the world. i mean bitcoin ? thanks mafia. but a lot run on it for protection.

before legality they were a reliable source for good genetics. it could be hard to get genetics from outside the country previous. not so much now.

most of the issues i see with them online always seem to have a border involved. i would not be surprised if they've been flagged. a lot of stealth shipping relies more on the sheer volume the postal services handle, than any real stealth. if the address or shipping method has been flagged they are gonna rip it open no matter. or just burn it.

they actually recommend the same stealth shipping inside canada as most adhered to during prohibition. seems a touch dated. but if they're that known, there still are gov't regs ... who knows .. ?

i've had zero issues with seeds shipped inside the country. i don't know anyone who bothers with stealth. it does raise an eyebrow.

i'd like to try these guys sometime if get the room. i like some their offerings. most of the stuff i like is perpetually out of stock though... also they're not the best pricing once everything is added up.


try calling in an online rep. hopefully stuff can get worked out ... or at least hear the other side of the bitcoin lol
 
bluter said:
they've long been a reseller of major breeders. i know a lot of locals that have bought through them. some great, some good, some so-so, some not so good. can say the same for 90% of the companies out there. this is an odd industry in most parts of the world. i mean bitcoin ? thanks mafia. but a lot run on it for protection.

before legality they were a reliable source for good genetics. it could be hard to get genetics from outside the country previous. not so much now.

most of the issues i see with them online always seem to have a border involved. i would not be surprised if they've been flagged. a lot of stealth shipping relies more on the sheer volume the postal services handle, than any real stealth. if the address or shipping method has been flagged they are gonna rip it open no matter. or just burn it.

they actually recommend the same stealth shipping inside canada as most adhered to during prohibition. seems a touch dated. but if they're that known, there still are gov't regs ... who knows .. ?

i've had zero issues with seeds shipped inside the country. i don't know anyone who bothers with stealth. it does raise an eyebrow.

i'd like to try these guys sometime if get the room. i like some their offerings. most of the stuff i like is perpetually out of stock though... also they're not the best pricing once everything is added up.


try calling in an online rep. hopefully stuff can get worked out ... or at least hear the other side of the bitcoin lol
Click to expand...
I had to laugh because your reply is so typical of what I see on here. Concerned, kind to all involved and non-judgmental I honestly love it. I'm not sure what to think, this came out of left field primarily because of the way their customer service handled it. anyway, friends are involved, maybe they'll see the benefit of keeping customers happy.
 
i would like to see a nicer ending to all involved
 
I had bought many seeds from a person in Latvia to the US and they also got picked off at the border. But he believed me and sent me the seeds again. Now that is how it should be. If the senders can't send the seeds in something that can get through without charging more for insurance on already overpriced seeds then they should make it right. The insurance should included for shipment on every order since this is a common problem.
 
@Teddy Edwards is our sponsor liaison and will contact or tag True North here as soon as he comes on shift. He's in Greece and currently sleeping, so we appreciate your patience and understanding until it can be peacefully resolved.
 
@DRey
I have contacted True North, inviting them to respond in this thread. It may take a day or two, given that our team as well as our sponsors are scattered across the globe. Thanks for your patience.

We hope this will help facilitate a swift resolution to the issue and will be monitoring the situation.
 
DRey said:
So, new learning for me. Since most of our seeds come from outside the country and lots get lost en route, most of the seed banks internationally have stopped taking credit cards. Why? Because they can protest when seeds get lost or just plain not shipped. I figured the way to get around this obvious scam was to buy from a 420 sponsor; in this case True North Seed Bank. The first shipment went okay though the seeds were shit. I complained and, after proving I did everything they wanted me to they agreed to replace the seeds. I was impressed with the gesture, and spent another $160 buying even more seeds.

After 2 weeks of email not being responded to I get this from them today; "Please be advised that it appears that your order has been delayed at customs. This may mean that your order has been intercepted. Unfortunately, due to the fact that you did not purchase delivery insurance there is nothing we are able to do to remedy this issue as per the guaranteed delivery insurance policy on our website. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience."

Now I am a little cynical. What proof do I have that these were ever even shipped? I went with them because I figured a 420 sponsor had to be credible. Now reading the on line reviews (which I should have read before) these guys look like a very marginal player with tons of complaints about customer service and shipping problems. This is really distressing, that a 420 sponsor makes us prove we paid, prove we handled the seeds correctly (with photos!) - then has the right to unilaterally decide if we get the product, a refund or just plain fucked - as I did. I've spent over $250 at True North and received the worst customer service and product I've ever experienced. Distressed doesn't begin to cover it! DO NOT trust this vendor!

Further 420 Magazine should require sponsors to provide a level of service and support your readers deserve. Being a 420 Sponsor should mean something to those of us driving your forums. Companies that do not accept credit cards do so because they intend to screw your customers by taking away any recourse they have to object to fraudulent charges. Check out the on line reviews BEFORE you put fraudulent vendors in front of us! Shame on you!
Click to expand...

Many growers here have used True North without issues and, if they're able to provide a tracking# shipping to your address, I'd be willing to bet your seeds were in that package. That being said, many international shipments are being "quarantined" in Customs for up to 45 days due to Covid. USPS wouldn't even put a tracer I requested on a shipment until it was in Customs for over 45 days, so, just because it's in Customs doesn't necessarily mean the shipment was intercepted. If it was intercepted, you'll receive a "Mail Intercept Notice" from Customs in the mail letting you know. You may just need to give it some time. :goodluck:

Also, the credit card companies don't take anything cannabis related. Those that get approved hide the fact they're selling seeds. It works until the credit card processor finds out and they get shut down. ;)


Raz said:
Now that is how it should be. If the senders can't send the seeds in something that can get through without charging more for insurance on already overpriced seeds then they should make it right. The insurance should included for shipment on every order since this is a common problem.
Click to expand...

That sounds good to us purchasers in the USA but not all countries have the same restrictions on seed shipments, so it's probably not a good business decision to charge all customers in all countries for insurance they don't need. Offering it as an option to those that live in geographies that need to worry about confiscated shipments, or are just worried about the package getting lost or stolen, makes pretty good sense to me! :Namaste:
 
@DRey
We have merged the complaint posts into one thread, to keep it all in the same place.
 
I'm in the US, and have been looking for auto seeds for some time. Lots of the good stuff is gone, and no CC purchases to EU, Canada or GB sucks. Any good US seed banks that carry say Barney's Farm or Royal Queen? I can pick cuttings from dozens of photo strains for my next summer grow, but I want to run some autos indoors this winter.
 
@DRey
Thank you for your patience. True North have set up an account so they can reply, and my colleague is just upgrading them to "420 Sponsor", so you can expect a response soon.
 
Bush Doctor 77 said:
I'm in the US, and have been looking for auto seeds for some time. Lots of the good stuff is gone, and no CC purchases to EU, Canada or GB sucks. Any good US seed banks that carry say Barney's Farm or Royal Queen? I can pick cuttings from dozens of photo strains for my next summer grow, but I want to run some autos indoors this winter.
Click to expand...
I have ordered some autos from Growers Choice Seeds in Sacramento. At least there is no border involved. I ordered 4 varieties that could be here this or next week. I'll let you know how they turn out.
 
DRey said:
I ordered from True North Seed Bank in November 2020. The order was challenging to pay for but after a few weeks working with their customer service I was able to get them to ship. The order arrived in 14 days but about half the seeds were black, dense, sank and did not sprout. I contacted customer service and they generously agreed to replace them - so I also bought more seeds - about $160 worth. Now 14 days after estimated delivery they tell me my order is likely held up in customs and I will not be refunded or replaced! What a horrible, awful, very bad experience! I actually hate this company, their policies and customer service hacks!

This sponsor is a rip off supported by REALLY poor customer service.
Click to expand...
Hello DRey,

I would like to apologize for your recent experience with us. We will happily look into and resolve this issue with you. Please provide your order number so we can further investigate the delay in your parcel. Once you reply back to this thread with your order number we will respond back to you via email.

TNSB is a Canadian based company who strives on shipping both domestic and international orders in a safe and efficient manner. In order to secure your orders arrival we offer stealth shipping options as well as shipping insurance - purchasing insurance will ensure that any misplaced orders are reshipped to our customers at no further expense. We suggest purchasing shipping insurance on orders being shipped outside of Canada.

Please also note that due to COVID-19, our shipping courier Canada Post has issued a statement advising to expect shipping delays.

Your feedback is much appreciated, looking forward to hearing back!

-True North Seed Bank
 

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