I'm very disappointed with my experience at Steve Pilacik's Matsumomiji.com web site. I'm in the market for some nice JBP stock material. When I went to his website the small photos (that don't enlarge) of poorly photographed trees was almost enough to deter me completely. However, there were some that caught my eye and I read a note on the site that welcomed me to ask for me photos, which gave me some hope of finding what I'm looking for. I sent Mr. Pilacik an email requesting photos of the trees I was interested in and he replied that he was too busy to help me. If some one is not willing to follow through with what is on their website what's the point?
Matsumomiji
- Thread starter R_F
- Start date
art-rodriguez
Mame
hey Ryan
you should try to contact Chris with telperionfarms.com
he'll e-mail you pics of jbp availibility like the one i attached.
good luck !
Attachments
Rick Moquin
Omono
... the last fellow that made a similar statement lost a $9k driveway contract, when I asked for an itemized invoice of work to be done vice a generalized invoice. He was extremely taken aback when I told him his services were no longer required. He started to back paddle, too little too late
art-rodriguez
Mame
jbp stock
Ryan
IM me your personal e-mail and will forward you all the pics for this tree.
Chris with Telperion was asking $450.00 for this tree if i remember.
That is some fantastic stock! I'll look up the site now. Thank you
Ryan
IM me your personal e-mail and will forward you all the pics for this tree.
Chris with Telperion was asking $450.00 for this tree if i remember.
treebeard55
Chumono
Sorry to hear about your bad experience, Ryan. Steve has always struck me as a plantsman, more than a businessman.
That doesn't excuse poor customer service, of course. But maybe it makes it a little easier to understand how it happened.
That doesn't excuse poor customer service, of course. But maybe it makes it a little easier to understand how it happened.
It's funny you mention that. Years ago I heard some one make a similar statement about him in regard to his styling of bonsai.
I did a workshop with him about 4 years ago. He was very knowledgeable and seemed like a nice guy. It's just too bad he doesn't follow through with his word.
FrankP999
Shohin
I have done business with Steve both online and in person. The last pine I bought from him online died after 6 months. At a recent workshop with him I attended, I mentioned the one that died. He allowed a very generous credit toward the purchase of my workshop pine. I did not ask for the credit - he just offered it. I thought that was extremely kind considering the pine had been under my care for 6 months. He commented that he wanted satisfied customers.
Maybe you just caught him on a bad day....?
Frank
Maybe you just caught him on a bad day....?
Frank
Last edited:
Redwing
Yamadori
Sounds like he did follow through on his word. He said he was too busy to send you pictures, and indeed he sent no pictures.
Careful what you allege, Ryan. Saying that a man doesn't follow through on his word is one of the worst things you can say about a businessman -- making it all the worse when the claim is false. He may have done something you consider poor customer service, but did he ever actually say he would do something and then fail to deliver? If not, your claims in this thread are legally actionable.
-rw
Victrinia Ensor
Omono
Telperion Farms is a wonderful wonderful vendor... Chris and Lisa will take very good care of you. 
Careful what you allege RW. Saying that a man is falsely accusing some one is an attack on his character. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you're a better person than the way you just presented yourself. I'll also assume that you weren't really trying to attack me.
I will also suggest you take your own advice and do some homework before assigning a motive to my actions. I'll do the homework for you here since you didn't bother to do it yourself. Here's what he says word for word on his site, "Many trees have now been pruned--feel free if you are interested in a tree for a picture of the tree pruned" http://www.matsumomiji.com/stock_for_bonsai_links.htm
During my correspondence with Steve I suggested that he take this note off his website if he is "too busy" to send photos. (If you'd like I can forward that correspondence to you, all I need is your email address.) It looks like he may have just changed the note instead. There is now a note at the end of the statement that say's "all newly pruned trees pictures up".
Last edited:
Maybe I did catch him on a bad day.
I took a workshop with him a few years ago and that pine ended up dying too.
Redwing
Yamadori
Ryan,
Let me make this simple for you.
1) Your claim may have been legally actionable as libel, depending on circumstances. I asked for clarification of those circumstances.
2) Pointing that out, as I did, is not legally actionable.
Now we learn that Steve not only gave you an honest answer, but he changed his website in accord with your whining. As for homework, I went to the website and saw the changes he made in response to your whining. It's not quite clear to me how you think I could have looked up how his website looked before you wrote him.
I consider Steve to be a friend; he is also a great resource to the bonsai community. If you come on here and try to drag his name through the mud because he didn't go to the lengths you wanted him to in order to pursue your business, before you ever initiated a commercial transaction --- well, you're going to get called on it.
When people talk trash about my friends, I respond. When the accusations appear as though they may be unfair, I respond all the more so. If that makes me a bad person in your eyes, I'm happy to be seen as such.
--rw
/darn it, now I sound like Will Heath. Maybe you win after all.
This is quite a strong statement, but I'm pretty sure that his claims are not "legally actionable." People complain about customer service all the time. Maybe an ambulance chaser will see a "legally actionable" claim, but there's that pesky First Amendment.
Klytus
Omono
The right to eat cheese dip?
Redwing
Yamadori
Well, at least something good has come of this.
Thanks for a fair post, Tom. I always appreciate your level-headedness on here.
-rw
RW, I now understand why you are so offended by my critique of Steve as a vendor. He is your friend. Also I think your friendship may allow you to be more forgiving towards his shortcomings in customer service. I'm not saying that what you have accused me of is cause for legal action. I don't think it is. BUT, your statements about me and what you've accused me of does reveal your character a bit.....
I expect customer service if I am going to be purchasing something. I did initiate a transaction and I don't think that wanting customer service is too much to ask. It doesn't matter if I'm buying a block of cheese or a bonsai, I expect customer service...especially when the vendor states they are willing to help me find what I need. I don't believe I'm whining and I don't believe I have been overly harsh or negative in my critique. I have NOT attacked him as person or his product. I have stated my experience, no more, no less. My experience was in regards to his lack of customer service. I don't think I have done anything wrong.
As to me "whining"...here's how I look at that: Times are tough for many people right now. As a result people are becoming more and more picky about where they spend their money. I would rather spend the little money I do have for bonsai with a vendor that is good at what they do as a business. I have posted this here because I think there are many people in my shoes that would also rather spend their money with vendors they know will have consistent and reliable service in addition to a good product.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I cannot believe the pushback here and in other posts from vendors. The issue here in this post is clearly a customer service problem that the vendor needs to address quickly (and if they value their business and reputation--in a professional and civil manner) If a vendor promises something on his website, there is no sin in holding him to that promise.
Blaming the customer for a vendor's inadequacies or irritability is simply unconscionable and plain stupid.
I've seen that kind of behavior not only here, but in other vendor threads--a CUSTOMER asks for service (which he/she is due) and gets attacked by the vendor, or in this case, a vendors friend. Seems to me, behaving that way towards someone who's looking to give you money is plain suicidal.
Yeah, I can understand vendor frustration. Some things customers ask for can be irritating, a bother to provide, or in some cases ridiculous. BUT vendors have put themselves out there to deal with the public. .All that comes with the territory. It's part of doing business. No matter how much a customer "whines," vendor whining is always worse.
Blaming the customer for a vendor's inadequacies or irritability is simply unconscionable and plain stupid.
I've seen that kind of behavior not only here, but in other vendor threads--a CUSTOMER asks for service (which he/she is due) and gets attacked by the vendor, or in this case, a vendors friend. Seems to me, behaving that way towards someone who's looking to give you money is plain suicidal.
Yeah, I can understand vendor frustration. Some things customers ask for can be irritating, a bother to provide, or in some cases ridiculous. BUT vendors have put themselves out there to deal with the public. .All that comes with the territory. It's part of doing business. No matter how much a customer "whines," vendor whining is always worse.
Redwing
Yamadori
Ryan,
Two people I admire on this board have now told me that I was in the wrong and you were in the right.
I suspect that it's time to stop making excuses for myself and instead offer you an apology. I hope that you'll accept it.
-rw
Two people I admire on this board have now told me that I was in the wrong and you were in the right.
I suspect that it's time to stop making excuses for myself and instead offer you an apology. I hope that you'll accept it.
-rw