I would e-mail her and let her know that you have not received her sase. Ask her if she sent it. It is possible that she could have forgotten or it could have possible gotten lost in the mail. If she doesn't get back to you I'd just give the seeds to someone else.
It happend fairly often to me, I offer seeds for sase and some people just never bother to send me their sase and don't let me know they've changed their mind.

Amy, If it's one person, you could e-mail her and let her know that you didn't receive the SASBE and ask if she is going to send it to you.

On the other hand, 4 years on GW and trading seeds had given me some experience to pass on to you about SASBE.

As you know, because you sent me your SASBE very quickly, when I post for SASBE, I make it clear to have the SASBE to me within 2 weeks as I only hold seeds for that long, then they go back out for trade.

So here's what I have learned. No matter what you say and how you word the offer, 1/2 of those who repsond, will never send you the SASBE.

The last offer I put up for SASBE left me with 50% no shows again.

My first year trading, I was so careful. E-mailed those that didn't send the SASBE, at least 3 times. All said they where sending, forgot and some such excuse. It was so time consuming. I spent more time sending those e-mails all the time than anything else, and still only got 50% sent to me.

Only once if 4 years now, have I had anyone e-mail me that they didn't get the seeds that I offered for SASBE and sent me the mailer. I never received it and she resent it, I received it and sent the seeds. This was during the Christmas rush. By the way, when I offer SASBE seeds during the Christmas rush, I say 3 weeks to be safe.

After that first year, I posted 2 weeks, don't send out e-mails about them. It doesn't make a difference, as you don't get those ones anyways.

If you do decide to e-mail this person, be careful you don't get trapped into sending e-mails to SASBE that you don't get all the time. You will be spending way to much time on trying to chase them down.

If the seeds are wanted that much and have not been received, then the person wanting the SASBE seeds should be contacting you about them.

Fran

It just never occured to me to not send a SASBE to someone I told I would.

I had no idea Fran that so many people did not follow thru on offers like yours (which is crazy to me seeing what kinds of great seeds you sent!) I emailed her but just this once lol I dont want to get into emailing everyone

Its a shame thats how people handle their responses it makes it obvious why there arent too many SASBE offers

Thanks ladies for your advice I do appreciate it!
Amy in MS

So what do you do when you send the sasbe and never get the seeds? Forgot to write down their name, and the email was sent to my junk mail so now it is gone. Not a big deal I was just really looking forward to getting the seeds
OH well.....:(

Tnflower lover, not sure if this will help you out but you could try doing a search with your name on the seed exchange for all forums. It's at the bottom of the first page on seed exchange forum. If that doesn't turn up any posts for you on SASBE seeds, then do a search for all records and see if you get the thread you sent the seeds for.
I understand that it's frustrating for you not to receive the seeds that you sent for and you made an error in keeping records.
On the other hand, when one does post for SASBE offers for seeds, we get a lot of replies. I had 50 of them on the last one I did, and 25 that did not send the mailers.
It's a lot of work to put those seeds aside for someone and keep track of all the mailers coming in and going out. There just isn't enough time in the day to keep sending emails to those who didn't send the mailer, let alone be given crazy excuses and the mailer is going in the mail "tomorrow" and it still never comes.
I did all that the first year I traded seeds and spent too much time, hours and hours of time, trying to track down those who didn't send them. I know I don't have the time and am sure most others do not either.

Hope you understand the other side and please, be sure to keep records of the seed offers you do send for.

Also hope my suggestion to find the offer works for you.

Fran

What about the Rating and Reviews forums, can these non sending sase peole be rated in that forum.

I wouldn't give anyone a negative over a sase, but if they already have a thread going I would post that they requested seeds for sase but never followed through with sending the sase.

I don't think giving them a bad rating for not sending would be a very good idea...they really did not 'stiff' anyone...just caused an inconvenience.

I myself have a hard time keeping up with GW emails...often members do not include their member name in the email...I cannot remember what post I might have replied to...or they do not send the original email so I can relate to what they 'may' be talking (emailing) about.

A lot of the sases are answered my 'newer' members as well, so they very well could be just as much (or more) lost than I am most of the time here.

Now if someone fails to reimburse postage (if plants are sent in advance of receiving the postage), then I do think that would be cause for a review. That is really stiffing someone out of their time, energy, plants, supplies, and postage.

Just my little 2 cents.

Sue

Hi Sue,
Agreeing with, as usual. The rate and review forum has been set up for trades and exchanges, not for SASBE offers.
An SASBE offer does not involve a trade.

I think and idea to suggest to traders and those responding to SASBE offers, is to provide direct information about responding.

Not sure if that makes sense, but maybe something like this when you post a SASBE offer.

"Please always include your GW name when e-mailing me and please keep including your GW name with all e-mails and please for convenience and accuraccy please include all e-mails when responding. If your GW name is not included I may not know who you are and figure out what seeds I am holding for you.

When responding to the e-mail I always include the following in the info to send.
Include your GW name as well as your real name, a list of the seeds that I am sending you.
I am thinking of adding the following as well. If your GW name is missing I may not be able to figure out who you are and what seeds I am supposed to send to you.

I still think it is best to hold the seeds for the person who is sending the SASBE to me, but only for 2 weeks. then it's back out to trade or for others for SASBE.

I don't know why people don't send them when they say they are going to do so, but I'm not going to track them down. I've done my part in offering the seeds, spending the time to pack them up, label them, post the offer and then hold the seeds aside for the person. I keep the best records I can and the person wanting the seeds should be doing the same thing as well. If they are not received in a timely manner than contact should be made by the person wanting the seeds, not the other way around.

Amy, I can't imagine not sending it either, and when I first started trading 4 years ago, I sent lots of SASBE's out. I sent them as fast as possible and let the person know that I sent it. I always, or should say I try to always let the person know when I sent the seeds, day and date and ask them to let me know when they get the seeds.
I always let people know when I get the seeds, can't imagine not doing it, yet more people don't let a trader know than do.

Trading and sending out SASBE's is a lot of work and time, but also alot of fun as well. A great way to get seeds that you might never have thought of growing or can't find in the area where you live.

Sometimes I wonder why I offer SASBE seeds at all, then you get a bunch of people like you Amy, and it makes me glad I offered them.

Will be posting a new SASBE offer in the next week.

Fran

How often do the people who you have sent the seeds to e-mail you and let you know they have received the seeds? I probably only get 1 out of 10 that let me know they have received them, makes we wonder sometimes if they have received them or not.

This year I'm finding that those I trade with every year let me know that the seeds have arrived and most of those that I sent SASBE seeds to have also, but those have been all newbies and I have asked them to let me know that they got the seeds.
On the other hand, those that I have traded with for the first time, well that's been a 50/50 record of let me know.

I have e-mailed some to find out if they have been received and that's how I find out, but I'm not going to keep doing it.

Personally I think it's rude not to let a trader know that you've gotten the seeds, it should be automatic that you let the person who sent you seeds know that you got them. To me it's just a simple thing called courtesy and manners.

Fran

Even though my SASE offers havent been followed up on by most of those who responded I do want to say I am so thankful there are those of you who keep offering :-) I have such a nice selection now for growing and trading and little by little my babies are coming up and I cant wait to see them flower

Its been great learning from y'all and slowly getting to know everyone I hope I am able to mentor someone down the road like I have been in the last few months :-)

Amy in MS

I've been pondering the problem of dud responders to SASBE offers because I have dealt with this problem locally as well. There should be some way to make responders really *responsible* for claiming the seeds.

I wondered about this possibility: I don't have that many seeds, I have enough bubble envelopes already, and I can handle a couple dollars in lost postage if I don't get reimbursed. I would post that any responders include their mailing address, and I will send the seeds right away and expect them to mail me stamps for it for trade. Would that be acceptable? Then if they fail to follow through, I would consider that grounds for a matter-of-fact comment on R&R.

Any thoughts on this idea?
Terri

Terri,
I think your idea is not a good one. Though it sounds kind of you to offer this way of doing SASBE offers, it is really a set up to be scammed. You send the seeds and the mailer, waiting for postage and you don't get it.

The rate and review forum is set up as follows. "This forum was created to rate and review exchanges and trades with other GardenWeb members."
It is not to rate those who do not send the mailers and required stuff for an SASBE.

Yes, it's a real pain to save seeds for someone and a real waste of time not to receive the mailer, but it is their loss not yours and to set yourself up to be scammed all the time is really not what GW is all about.

If someone doesn't want to be responsible for sending their required info, postage and mailer for an SASBE offer, I doupt they will send the postage after the fact and they have the seeds in their hands.

My last SASBE offer had over 50 responses. I'm still waiting on 15 bubble mailers. If they aren't here by next monday, then the seeds go back out for another SASBE offer.

I included the following in my e-mail with the info and my addy to send the mailer.

"please have the mailer to me within 2 weeks. I only hold seeds for that length of time, after that the seeds go back out for trades and I can't promise to have the seeds for you."

I don't email that I haven't received the mailer, that's the person sending the SASBE responsibility if they haven't received the seeds. I offer, they respond and send the mailer, if they don't receive the seeds, then it is their responsibility to contact me, not the other way around.

I have had lots of no shows on the SASBE, and have had only one person contact me that they didn't receive the seeds, and I hadn't gotten the mailer and it was still within the 2 weeks time frame. She remailed a mailer and I got that one and sent the seeds.

I do e-mail that the seeds have been mailed, the date they where mailed and ask to let me know when they get the seeds.

But I do think that sending the seeds on your own and expecting the postage to be sent, after the fact, is nothing more than a set up to be scammed and it seems we have quite a few of them posting for seeds lately.

Fran

I see your point, Fran, and appreciate your input. I'm more of a "get it out of here, I don't really care how" type of person, and if it "outed" a scammer on my nickel I really didn't care - as long as the seeds have another home besides my overcrowded box.

I did manage to get some of these seeds to people who were looking for what I had by looking at want lists, and just sending to them; that feels nice! One turned into a trade, and that was nice too. :-)

The rest of them have gone to somebody I have traded with before, and what she cannot use will go to a community garden (which I do not have locally to donate to).

Thanks for the advice! :-)

Thought I'd try bumping this thread up by asking a question.

Has anyone had the experience of going ahead and giving the seeds to someone else only to receive a late sasbe from whom you had promised the seeds to?
If those were the only seeds of that plant you had and you have nothing else of interest to them, what do you do?
It hasn't happened to me yet, but I'd like to be prepared in case it ever does!
Cathy

Hi Cathy,
It has not happened to me yet, but I have revised my SASBE requirements and in them tell what will happen if I don't receive them within the 3 week period. I know that some get lost or someone might get sick or there may be a death in the family. It happens and those cases will be handled differently. This will be my third year offering SASBE's and it's something I really enjoy doing. I like sharing what seed I have with other people but I have even less time to do it this year. I would like for everyone reading this to check out my member page and read my SASBE requirements and tell me what you think. I know some of it sounds mean, but I'm not trying to be mean. Anyone here who has offered SASBE's and had large responses know what I'm talking about.
Jim

Hi Cathy,

It seems that the primary concerns in this kind of case are that A) the SABSE sender doesn't want to waste their money, and B) the SABSE offerer doesn't want to incur additional expenses of time or money. A slant to consider is the loopholes where someone might post an SABSE offer intending to "run out of seeds" and keep the postage and bubble envie. Another slant to consider is that as an SABSE sender, one must "get a move on" to maximize the 2 week window...when someone is offering to give free seeds (and free isn't free to the offerer - the seeds are collected, sorted to some degree or another, the envelopes or baggies do actually cost something in time and/or effort, and the organization required of posting and handling an offer is substantial), respect and appreciation = being very timely in sending.

Given all of this, I think the only options in this kind of case would be that the SABSE sender can choose:

1) To select a bunch of other seeds (ones they wouldn't normally choose) in order to trade them out instead of grow them, or

2) Have part of the postage mailed back to them in a regular envelope (which means using part of the postage in order to send the other part to them), or

3) Have the whole bubble envelope, with the full postage, sent back to them empty, or

4) If the offerer will have more of the seeds later in the year (from harvest), and both parties are comfortable with the delay (and responsible enough to keep track & follow through with it), the SABSE can be held until harvest. Be aware that this one could be tricky...higher potential for the SABSE sender getting accidentally stiffed. Since this puts additional pressure on the SABSE offerer, if the offerer does not want to do this option -- it should not be insisted on by the SABSE sender.

In all cases the full amount of postage sent is accounted for....in one case the offerer gets to keep the bubble envie. I can think of no other reasonable solutions. If they send out the SABSE right away (or within a couple days), even with PO delays this whole glitch can be avoided.

Great question. I had fun wrapping my head around this one.

--Tina

Getting near time to bump this thread up, the harvests are starting already. Tina, good in-depth analysis. My brain doesn't do that much wrapping, glad you enjoyed it. ;-)

jim, I didn't see anything mean in your SASBE terms. *Not sure that it will get your SASBE success rate to 100% as not everybody will take the time to read through them all* but it is clear, concise, and well thought out. I think you will especially have to repeat your rule about not including ANY extra some-some with the E. ten. SASBE as, personally, I have a hard time not sending *something* for generous offers such as those. ;-) Best of luck!