Hardeman's

**NW IN Beekeeper** · 05-04-2007, 07:00 AM

[One guy did, he got them off ebay I think he said]

Hardeman's bees are being resold on e-bay, its not them directly.

But in order for that reseller to have them on time, the reseller must be receiving them on time, or leaving a large enough window to allow for a little delay.

This might be aligned with the discussion on lack of staff.
If I was a supplier, I might neglect a few small orders for the sake of my big profit customers (just to make the most profitable use of my staff).
While this doesn't sound nice, it does make good business sense.

-Jeff

**beemandan** · 05-04-2007, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by NW IN Beekeeper

If I was a supplier, I might neglect a few small orders for the sake of my big profit customers (just to make the most profitable use of my staff).

I would expect that Kelley gets the first cut. They've had a long term relationship and likely some form of written contract.

Once again, if the Hardeman's are 4 weeks (or longer) behind for individuals, then they ought to be in touch offering refunds. BeeAware, you didn't mention, but did you pay via credit card? If so, have they already charged it?

**bee crazy** · 05-04-2007, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Jeffzhear

Bjorn, how big is Hardeman's? From what I gather they are a bit bigger then a mom and pop shop. I wonder how come there are no other complaints on this thread about them? One persons complaints about someone is just that...not enough to form an opinion, one way or another.

Course, on the other hand, no one is saying, hey, I got my honeybees from Hardemans on time with no problems....

I ordered mine in January for Sunday April 15th, and I got them Mon April 16th. I did do a pickup as I was comming back form Florida. BTW the queens have matured and now laying wall to wall brood. I'm very pleased. This is my first experience with Hardemans. I'll go back!

**BjornBee** · 05-04-2007, 06:47 PM

Yes, John is the owner. He has three sons who are the family work force. They have a staff of about 12, with my discussion with John centered around "9" showing up and being at work on a good day.

Certainly the long standing orders that are in the hundreds take priority. With that said, I do agree with bad service and non-returned phone calls. It is something that I fight daily being my own phone operator of my own business. Hardeman's has an office girl who handles phone calls. Except for a busy signal, and then its just a 5 minute wait...all my phone calls were taken once the phone rings. Although I do not leave messages which I realize can be forgotten or "lost" when left after hours, I have never had them NOT pick up the phone during business hours.

I challenge anyone to call next week during the day and actually see if any picks up the phone. I find it absolutely absurd for someone to suggest or claim they won't answer the phone, when I have had them answer the phone EVERY time I have called.

For the record.... They started taking orders on December first last year. I had them on the phone the first hour they started taking orders. I was in contact with them as my order approached. I have dealt with them in the past. They know me, and I know them. I felt welcomed into thier home on Saturday (Mar 30th.) night and had a good chat with John. My order as well as those whom I traveled to georgia were filled on time.

Now perhaps they have caller ID, and know when certain people call......

**Ellen** · 05-05-2007, 04:56 AM

One of the things I used to like best about ordering from Hardeman's was talking to Mrs. Hardeman, because she was the one who took orders then. Very old school--referred to her husband as Mr. Hardeman. I would always forget and order late, and she would be absolutely firm when I tried to wheedle an earlier delivery date from her.
Lovely (and very tough) woman.

**BeeAware** · 05-07-2007, 06:22 PM

No doubt they are all very nice people who are having some problems. However, they have lost most of the future business from all us in this area.
My ship date was to have been April 9. Here it is May 7 and no bees and no word on when or if they will ship. Neglecting to fulfill obligatiions to customers, or at least inform the customer, is never good business whether customer is large or small. Small customers become large customers only if they receive the service they are promised. Unfaithful in small things, unfaithful in all things.

**Fred Bee** · 05-07-2007, 08:41 PM

I received my 3 lb package of bees right on time today. (May 7) I ordered them through Walter T. Kelley Co. but the package said "Hardeman Apiaries" on it. Tonight, those bees are in their new home (hive).

**TwT** · 05-08-2007, 09:26 AM

I dont know if yaw seem my post but that last cold snap set most back about a week, also I was told that Hardemans got hit by a Tornado and lost about 1100 hive's from there queen rearing yards, that is why they are running behind, some times thinks happen you can't control and you just have to go from there, they are very nice people that have a good reputation so I they will catch up......

**dug_6238** · 05-10-2007, 07:11 AM

I have two sets of packages ordered from Hardemans. One was ordered through a gentleman in Southern Maryland, and was expected to ship on April 7th, (I needed to drive down to MD to pick them up) and the other was ordered to be shipped to PA around the 7th of May. To the best of my knowledge neither has been shipped yet. I didn't know when I ordered from the gentleman in MD that he was getting his from Hardeman's, so I talked to Robin about shipping my two packages along with my other order and saving me 7 hours of driving. She was very nice about it and promised to help out. I'm sure things will work out when they get everything put back together, but Iwas curious if any of you have started receiving packages yet. I wouldn't want to tick Hardeman's off as they've been very accomodating to my situation. I'm in PA so I haven't totally missed the spring buildup, but if I don't get going soon, I will. The apples are starting to blossom. On a positive note, I ordered two packages through Craig Cella and they came in March. I don't know who they were from, but other than one losing/killing its queen :confused: and having to raise another off a frame of eggs from the queenright one, they're doing great. This is the first year that I've done packages, and I'm very pleased so far, even considering my problem with the one hive's queen. Looing forward to those other 5 packages arriving...

**BeeAware** · 05-10-2007, 08:34 PM

My ship date was susposed to have been April 9. As of today, still no bees. Finally got through to them again by phone on Wednesday and got the same line as before. They said "We're hoping to ship sometime next week". Hope they do. Sure is late to be starting a package.

**BeeAware** · 05-19-2007, 05:23 PM

To give credit where credit is due, I wish to report that the packages from Hardeman's finally arrived on May 19, just 40 days after the original ship date. One package had a queen cage with a few attendents and NO queen. No queen, dead or alive! The other two had living queens.

**Jesus_the_only_way** · 05-19-2007, 11:07 PM

Maybe they read this thread and decided to stick it to ya'

Tom

**BeeAware** · 05-20-2007, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Jesus_the_only_way

Maybe they read this thread and decided to stick it to ya'

Tom

If so, they better give it their best shot because they'll never have another opportunity. Worst experience I've ever had with a bee breeder!

**bee crazy** · 05-20-2007, 08:34 PM

Beaware, keep us updated on their progress, I started mine as 5 frame nucs six weeks ago(April 18th). Ten days later after the queens proved them selves I moved them to a Deep hive box. Todays inspection eight of the ten packages the queens have laid up the bottom hive box, is between 6 and 8 frames. (10 frame deep) And the second stories foundation is over half drawn out and the middle frame is almost ready for the queen. They are ready to explode in one more brood cycle. I wish you would have gotten your bees on time but I hope your as impressed with it as I am. But do give that queen a good week to start up. My other two packages, one queen arrived dead and the other package the queen went missing.

**dug_6238** · 05-22-2007, 01:13 PM

Well if it's any consolation, that little deal that I mentioned back on page 3 that was to save me 7 to 8 hours of driving blew up in my face. They held my two packages of Russians and said they'd throw them in with my second shipment that was being sent directly to us, and that that order would be shipped very shortly.

Last week they promised the kind, honest, 84-yr. old fellow that shared this order with me that even though they were running a little late, they'd ship May 21st or 22nd. Well, after weeks of being told that it'd be "either later this week or sometime next," today I got...

"Well, it'll be either late this week, or sometime next week, but we should definitely be caught up by next week."

This second order was to be shipped the first week of May. Our payment was sent literally months ago now. A few weeks ago when trying to get an update, we had pressed as to what the status was (because the check hadn't been cashed yet.) The answer - "Oh, it's here in this stack of papers on my desk, we'll get that put through right away for you."

Today the lady tried to claim that the payment wasn't sent until May 5th.

Mismanaged customer expectations, checks/payments not cashed/processed until after the originally-promised ship date, no updates, 'sliding' ship dates...

???

:mad:

**dug_6238** · 05-30-2007, 07:27 AM

Still waitin'.

**sqkcrk** · 05-30-2007, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by dug_6238

Still waitin'.

They told me yesterday that my May 7th delivery should be sent out next monday.

"We should be caught up by the end of the week." The same reply that I have gotten for the last couple of weeks.

They did have frost at Easter and a tornado, not to mention the GA fire.

**Limey** · 05-30-2007, 05:20 PM

There is no freaking way I would except a package at this time of year.. even if you still had a good flow on, I would seriously question the quality of the package as they tried desperately to catch up..

**Jesse** · 06-01-2007, 05:35 PM

Hi guys,

I am very sorry you haven't gotten your packages yet, and maybe you don't want to hear this - but, out of 3 different suppliers of packages I received this year, the hardeman's are doing the best. Again I got mine on ebay from a distributor in ohio that had trucked them from hardeman's - if i get any packages again next year I may very well try the ebay route.

Good luck with the rest of your year

Jesse