While I have been very happy with Heirloom's roses, if I was required to pay $55 for one rose, I would spend $63.00 and order from Rose Petals, as they have a better selection of OGR's and difficult to find roses. Burlington's, while it generally is my "go to" source, would begin to get even more of my business.

I saw the letter, too, and am a bit puzzled. I didn't order from them this year, but didn't they include shipping in the price of the rose when they hiked prices a couple of years ago? (Omgosh! That sentence needs editing!) I am on the opposite coast, so I didn't care that the roses were $27 or $37. With shipping, that's about how much I pay from any own root source. However, if I lived closer, no way would I pay that much. Perhaps they are going to adjust the price per band?

I just saw this. It makes me sad. I hope that they adjust their rose prices down. They are my favorite rose sellers, but if I have to pay $15 more to buy one rose, I will have to go with someone less expensive. Unfortunately, I have to stick to my budget.

I just called them to say that after 20+ yrs of doing business with them I could no longer justify it with their new pricing. I said that as long as there were places like Northland Rosarium & Burlington I would be fine. Let's hope I don't have to eat my words. I also unsubscribed from their website, they said they were sorry. I am famous for burning bridges, this was too much.

Jane

I got the email, too, and my first thought was "Surely they'll lower the price of the roses". But there was no mention of it, just the new shipping charges to be added for any order under $50. So we'd be paying the new, recently higher price that supposedly already covered shipping, PLUS more shipping. Nope. Not me. Not ever.

I know they're just trying to make ends meet, but something about their business model evidently is severely out of whack. They've just priced themselves right out of most of their customers' budgets.

John

I got the email as well. I'm wondering if they will adjust their pricing. It also said if you order less than $50, shipping is a flat rate of $15. And they are re vamping their website, all effective August 1. I haven't liked their "shipping included" pricing, because I generally have ordered more than one rose at a time, so maybe this will bring them more in line with other vendors. Eager to see what it looks like 8-1!

I just read the e-mail. There is some ambiguity regarding what is written. On 8-1-16, the changes should be clear.

It's good to hear what you all think about this... with the bands going away that means I'd have to spend $76-$80 on two bushes to get free shipping. That's unless there's a sale and they have what I'm looking for in stock. I just really think that's expensive for very young plants that take up to three years to mature.

Bands going away? Did it say that in the email?

I haven't ordered from them for years, only because learning here there were so many other resources closer to me. I still kept on their mailing list, and brouse their site when in the mood. That said, I would still consider them for a large order if it were for roses I really wanted and couldn't find closer to me, but $15 for a small order is too much. They likely just want people to place larger orders to meet the free shipping, but in todays economy they should realize they get small orders for a reason!

Holly, there was another recent thread about bands "going away." It was from someone - sorry I can't recall- who had just visited HR and that was disclosed to him. I just went to the HR website and looked up a couple of roses... only one gallons available and band didn't even't show up.

Mzstitch, I understand. However, in the case I mentioned, it would be unlikely that I could order just over $50 to be able to get the free shipping... unfortunately.

I wondered if they were going to lower their prices too. I order off and on from them but not much. Guess we will see really soon.

I agree with you Towandaaz, I would not place a small order with them anymore, I was just stating they are still a good resource for those who liket o order from them as long as they meet the free shipping. I was thinking about this last night. They are relatively new owners and perhaps they took on this business with the love of roses but don't really have the understanding of how to be more efficient as a business.

Taking away the band option may hurt them as well, as that is a way to purchase more roses at a lower cost.

Lastly, it looks like they are putting too much money into their website. Roses Unlimited has been around for years and their website is horrible in that you don't even have a picture of most roses. Up until recently you could never even use a credit card!

Yeah, I got the e-mail also. I've been ordering from them for over 2 yrs now, one rose at a time. They were my only place for certain mini's that I couldn't find anywhere else. I'll see what the new site looks like on Monday. That will determine whether I REALLY want the rest of my mini's or not.

I just ordered my 2 mini's that I REALLY wanted. Big difference between $40.00 and $55.00. At least for me. Now, I've never lost anything I've ordered from them, so I can't say anything negative about the quality of the roses I've received. I just hope they adjust their prices so folks like me can afford to buy roses from them.

Usually when a vendor's shipping charges go up it is because the shipper is charging them more.

Last time I looked at Heirloom's site none of the comparatively small number of items shown that might interest me was currently available. And yes, the canned (standardized), database style descriptions were for the birds.

Their website states that their roses arrive via USPS or UPS.

Often Heirloom Roses was reasonably priced when I just had to have that one rose, (usually after seeing it on this forum), because shipping was included and there was no minimum order. We'll have to see now. They do sell other things besides roses. I might have to add a plant tag or a box of fertilizer to make the minimum $50. I'll make sure to check their site on August 1st. I know I will price compare with their competition, i.e. , Burlington Roses, Reverence For Roses, High Country Roses, Chamblee's, etc.

It's fortunate we have choices.

I hope they are lowering the price per rose now that they will be charging for shipping. If so they need to send out a clarification instead of causing panic. At the current price I'm only willing to buy one at a time.

Since a lot of us seem to have the same questions, I thought that rather than speculate, I would try to get an answer straight from the horse's mouth. I emailed HR to ask if they plan to adjust their prices down, and if they plan on discontinuing the bands. I am awaiting their reply. I will update here when I receive a response.

Thanks, eweandbee! I think we maybe needed to vent a bit. I would really like to have clarification from them on their proposed pricing structure.

No worries, Holly. I felt a need to vent as well. I'm sure their policy will be more or less clear by Monday anyway, but I figured that getting them aware that gardeners are concerned, is a good thing.

Well, since this might be the last weekend of free shipping for that "one rose" I want, I went ahead and ordered it from Heirloom Roses. I chose mid October as my shipping date.

And what did you order?!?! Don't leave us hanging like that! ; )

Holly, I didn't mention it, because it is an old reliable rose for my area, but not very exciting to some. I'm excited though! It's a climbing Iceberg rose. I already have one growing up a brick pillar on one side of my patio. This one will be planted to match on the other side. Thanks for asking :-)

based on what was there on the physical site the prices on line and at the nursery were the same, so as long as that remains the same I will not be supporting heirloom any more. I think that this is also near the end of the road for them. They are also asking customers in a survey if they would be willing to visit them if they were closer to Portland so they maybe pricing for the more expensive land costs that come with the Portland area. If they are then their business needs to end because clearly they don't really care about their customers.

Myself and my extended family will no longer be clients of theirs that is for sure

I'm going to wait and see what the new flat rate shipping means, and hope to find out today because I thought Aug. 1 is the date for the change. I don't think it is established that they don't care about customers.

I was just on their website, and I don't see any changes yet. I couldn't find any information about shipping. Maybe the retool was delayed.

They just send a reply to our questions.

1): Apparently, the prices of their roses are NOT going to change.

2): And they will continue to offer the bands.

As far as their policy changes being indicative of lack of care for the customer, I don't think that it's necessarily so. They most likely thought long and hard about these changes, and probably found them necessary to stay afloat. I'm sure they must have realized that many people would be upset, and I'm sure that they didn't relish the idea. Having said that, these changes may or may not work for them. It will depend on whether the bulk of their customers is able/willing to either absorb the cost of shipping per rose, or make larger purchases.

eweandbee - so glad you thought to actually ASK them your questions, instead of going on rumors. Very glad they are still carrying band roses. I have had good luck with their bands - always arrive healthy and grow well. I checked some of their prices, and it appears to me that if you order just 2 roses, you will qualify for free shipping (and there is already no sales tax because of Oregon).

I must say that I am disappointed that so many folks on here spent so much time and effort trashing HR - one of our best rose nurseries on the West Coast. Of course, anyone can complain about anything, but it does seem counter productive, when we are losing rose nurseries right and left - why try to hurt one which is trying to stay in business?

Jackie

The shipping charge of $15 for below $50 purchase has started today. I tried to buy a band on sale for $24.30 and at checkout the total amounted to $39.30. Even buying two bands on sale doesn't qualify for free shipping. I think that in a way HR is telling its customers to buy at least two plants (not on sale) or more plants (on sale) to get free shipping. I find that ok if I am actually going to buy a few, but not if I'm only interested in getting one plant. As it is right now, if I have to take advantage of their Sales and dodge the shipping fee, I must buy three bands or one band and a gallon plant.