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Russell Apiaries

231K views 504 replies 148 participants last post by  jim lyon 
#1 ·
Anyone have recent contact with Russell Apiaries? Placed an on-line order for queens with them on Jan 20. Payment went through but I have never received an order confirmation from them and all attempt to contact them have failed.
 
#384 ·
I sent an email to Jason Varner of Russell Apiaries PA. last week with questions about his queens and he responded within a day. Usually when I email queen producers, as I only need one or two queens, they don't respond. I was very impressed that Jason took the time to answer my questions. I am very likely going to purchase a couple of queens from him this spring.
 
#401 ·
I used it a while back, and got a response within a week. We will see if the queens ship out when they are supposed to this spring. 2011 season i was very pleased with the service, 2012 was a fiasco.
 
#405 ·
I used it the moment the offered it, I requested my money back but, I still do not have it or any sign I ever will.
I just wonder, if Russell collected last year, the money for all the work and refunds he will be honoring this year; what is he going to use for cash flow? Is he coming up with a new way to bring money into his pocket?
I hope he does not change his name to Robert Bernard Madoff Russell in order to honor his mentor and role model for business.
 
#407 ·
Duh, my thought's are that he'll use anyone's orders and payment this year that hasn't read these reviews for his cash flow. No doubt there will be other weather related issues this spring and we'll all see the cycle cycle over again. He's found a great way to use pay-pal for payment. You can't dispute the charges after so many days and he keeps the money and doesn't answer the phone. Don't order unless you can pick them up, or why even bother with this outfit?? Am I still disgusted, yes!
 
#412 ·
Duh, my thought's are that he'll use anyone's orders and payment this year that hasn't read these reviews for his cash flow. No doubt there will be other weather related issues this spring and we'll all see the cycle cycle over again.
i quess anything is possible but since he is not taking orders anymore then this is very unlikely. I am going to give them a chance to make things up this spring like al said
 
#409 ·
I'll just "re-share" my experience from last year and say nothing else.

Ordered queens. Was told a ship date. Did not come that date after readying splits. After numerous emails and a couple of splits having laying workers( did all I could do to prevent), queens showed up over a month later. 1 queen dead on arrival. All other queens dead one week after release. Once I posted my experience, RA "supporters" belittle me saying I don't know how to release queens properly. For the record, this was the first time in many years that I've had a queen rejected. It's one thing to have A SINGLE queen rejected. It's another to have EVERY queen from a single producer rejected. Was promised at least a replacement queen for the DOA. Never saw her. While I wasn't out the sometimes thousands of $$ that others have been, every dime I make and paid was valuable.
Just tell folks to avoid the RA outfit, website, or anything they do....
 
#410 ·
Maybe the posters here who lost money and have no other recourse could do a thread with poll to find out how many people here lost money, how much and then determine if there are enough to look at hiring a lawyer to recoup the losses for the group if the amount is enough and if there are assests. Then through PMing a central "elected" individual they could communicate further and share information. The Power of Beesource as it was. At the very least a letter from a lawyer - what does that cost - $50 - $100 - might get your issues to the top of the pile in a hurry. Did anyone mail a check? Doesn't that qualify for postal fraud? Intended fraud or not this obviously is affecting a large number of people. Just some thoughts.
 
#413 ·
the doc, I believe the Russell website *IS* still taking orders. I went there a few days ago and managed to get all the way through to a paypal screen where all I had to do would have been "click" to send them payment. :scratch: I would say that that is "taking orders". As I recall, though, they have removed production queens and are only listing breeder queens in the $100^ range...so a minimum invoice would be $100. :pinch: The best that I can tell the transaction would have completed. :s

There are two possibilities with Robert Russell. Either he is a crook or he isn't a crook...simple black and white. If he isn't a crook then one of the better courses of action would be to ease up on demands and allow him to work his way out of the hole that he has found himself in (whether from his doings or others' doings). Basically, as some of you have mentioned, give him a chance to work it out. On the other hand, if he is indeed a crook with no intention of reimbursing or making right the debts that he owes then hesitating on seeking legal remedies is hurting your chances of recouping your money. These are decisions and choices that each of you will make, one way or the other.

I wish Robert Russell no ill will, instead I wish him good fortune and an honest conscience so that he can and will settle his accounts with the people to which he is apparently indebted.

Ed
 
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