Edward Norman Apiaries: Ramer, AL

[Gregg Ogden]

Hello,
Has anyone had dealings with this company. I ordered packages from them, which were to be shipped around Apr.1st. I haven't received any packages, and am getting no response to email and no one is answering the phone. Any ideas?

All the best,
Gregg Ogden

[Jeffzhear]

I've read his advertisement in ABJ for years and years (from my recollection). I was surprised to read your comment, because most that have been around a long time, know the value of communicating with their customers... Good luck, hope it all works out for you.

[Gregg Ogden]

Hello,
I didn't even attempt to contact them for about 3 weeks after the Apr. 1st ship date because I knew the weather had been pretty bad and they were probably behind schedule. Any number of things could have happened and I don't believe they are intentionally avoiding me. I was hoping maybe someone else had ordered bees from them and could give me an update on what's going on. Hopefully I'll hear from them soon.

All the best,
Gregg Ogden

[King bee apiary]

I purchased 13 packages from them last year,I live 35 miles from them so this was a pick-up deal.I had to call them the week before am ask about mine and seem to not remember me until I told them where I was from...Was not really happy with the packages though,had about 6 with bad queens/no queens or poorly mated queens.I fought all last year to queen right those hives...Nice people did get them on time,but needs some improvement...
May want to contact the apiary division of the Dept. of Agriculture for Al. to see if they are still in business..

Good luck!

[Jeffrey Todd]

I, too, had a bad experience with this company. Queens received were dead and dying. I initially blamed the postal service for the long transit but apparently they were sent the slowest possible route. Still giving the queen breeder the benefit of the doubt, I tried many times to contact him by phone, left several messages with whoever answered the phone, all of which went unreturned. Finally, I lucked out and got him on the phone. He told me he would send the necessary papers so I could make a claim with the post office. Of course, he never did that and I finally gave up and chalked it up to experience.

[peggjam]

When dealing with the USPS either party can file the claim, if insurance was put on the package of course...... . All you have to do is take the package with the insurance tag on it to the post office, and they should be able to fix you right up .

[BeeAware]

I ordered a queen from this guy about 2 weeks ago because I had a queenless colony and I thought that since Norman's was near me, that I could get one quicker from them. Wrong! No shipping notice, no response to email, no communication at all. I have already bought a queen elsewhere for my colony but I would appreciate them either sending the one I paid them for or a refund.

[Gregg Ogden]

Well, unfortunately it looks like a trend is developing here. I guess I'll just capture swarms from now on and forget about ordering bees. Live and learn.

All the best,
Gregg Ogden

[Jeffzhear]

Greg, I agree, sure looks like a bad pattern to me also. I have three thoughts, first is that I hope nothing happened to Mr. Norman so that he is unable to continue business. Second, After reading all these comments, I won't buy from this guy ever....unless he were to come here and explains his actions and I am satisfied with his explanation. Third, sorry you got taken...

[Jeffrey Todd]

Thanks for the info, peggjamm. I will keep that in mind for future problems that may arise. The lady at the post office had told me that I had to have the insurance receipt or some such thing (can't remember exactly) and all I had was the envelope stamped, "Insured".
BTW, from speaking with him, I think Mr. Norman is actually a nice guy, just not up to running his business properly.

[peggjam]

Thanks for the info, peggjamm. I will keep that in mind for future problems that may arise. The lady at the post office had told me that I had to have the insurance receipt or some such thing (can't remember exactly) and all I had was the envelope stamped, "Insured".
BTW, from speaking with him, I think Mr. Norman is actually a nice guy, just not up to running his business properly.

Sometimes you have to insist, and always have the complete contents of the package, including everything you got in it......they take it, and you don't get it back .

[Gregg Ogden]

Hello,
I finally was able to get through on the phone today. The woman I spoke with was very nice and apologized, saying they are having a terrible year and are way behind on their shipments. She said that they will send a refund asap.

All the best,
Gregg

[Jeffzhear]

It sounds encouraging...Let us know when you get your money...

[slingworks]

I purchased a set of Italians from them this year, on March 19th.

By May 20th, they hadn't arrived so I called and talked to a lady (Mrs Norman?). She was polite and helpful, and 2 days later my bees arrived here in Ohio.

They're hived and doing well so far, even being june.
They do need to be treated for Varroa, I did find a few in the package.

I belive, given the situations this year with weather, and judging from what they told me on the phone they're having a disaster of a year down there..
I suspect an outbreak of varroa and cold weather really set them back..

As a matter of fact I recd. a refund check today as well with a small note in appology for the wait, etc.

I really think they're professionals, who like everyone else just had a very bad overwinter.

-CS

[Gregg Ogden]

Hello all,
I received a refund check today. They are just having a really tough year and hopefully the weather will treat them better from here on out.

All the best,
Gregg Ogden