I've been thinking about this for a very long time and I was impelled to ask for counsel and advice from all of those who have had an experience similar to mine.
I began beekeeping last year with two nucs - top bar hives. I purchased four more from the same supplier. Out of the six nucs I started with, I have three left, and very likely they will not last the winter. I am in the middle of the section of New York State that is known as the NYC Watershed - pristine forage for hundreds of thousands of acres. Even with this dry summer, these girls should be making honey.
In the three dead colonies the queens were either old or failing. (And the bees these queens produced are as pissy as can be. I've gotten zinged at times standing twenty feet from the hives!) The signs of this were verified from a very experienced, local beekeeper, who has since become my friend. My present colonies have no surplus honey at all (I have not taken a drop) - thus the very real question of winter survivability.
I have been in contact with the supplier of these nucs, all the while updating him on what was occurring. As a beginner, I had many doubts that I had been doing all I could for my bees. But finally after speaking to other beekeepers I realized there was something very wrong. I emailed this supplier finally expressing my anger, frustration and disappointment at his "product". I asked what his intention was to at least come up with an idea to compensate me for my losses.
What I got was, "As you know there are no guarantees, no more so from me than the next bee provider. I still stand by my queens." Other older and much more experienced and knowledgeable beekeepers I have spoken to have completely disagreed. One just wrote me this morning, "Nearly all “bee men” stand behind their bees, and replace nasty queens, at least at a massive discount, if not for free."
So my question to you is this: What is your point of view? Is it, "Nice doing business with you. You're on your own." Or ought suppliers give support and take some responsibilities for a poor product and compensate their customers if their product fails? Or is it true, "There are no guarantees"? I can't hold a gun to his head - as the saying goes - for a refund - that much I know. But if indeed this is a question of poor ethical conduct, I can at least warn others not to do business with him.
I began beekeeping last year with two nucs - top bar hives. I purchased four more from the same supplier. Out of the six nucs I started with, I have three left, and very likely they will not last the winter. I am in the middle of the section of New York State that is known as the NYC Watershed - pristine forage for hundreds of thousands of acres. Even with this dry summer, these girls should be making honey.
In the three dead colonies the queens were either old or failing. (And the bees these queens produced are as pissy as can be. I've gotten zinged at times standing twenty feet from the hives!) The signs of this were verified from a very experienced, local beekeeper, who has since become my friend. My present colonies have no surplus honey at all (I have not taken a drop) - thus the very real question of winter survivability.
I have been in contact with the supplier of these nucs, all the while updating him on what was occurring. As a beginner, I had many doubts that I had been doing all I could for my bees. But finally after speaking to other beekeepers I realized there was something very wrong. I emailed this supplier finally expressing my anger, frustration and disappointment at his "product". I asked what his intention was to at least come up with an idea to compensate me for my losses.
What I got was, "As you know there are no guarantees, no more so from me than the next bee provider. I still stand by my queens." Other older and much more experienced and knowledgeable beekeepers I have spoken to have completely disagreed. One just wrote me this morning, "Nearly all “bee men” stand behind their bees, and replace nasty queens, at least at a massive discount, if not for free."
So my question to you is this: What is your point of view? Is it, "Nice doing business with you. You're on your own." Or ought suppliers give support and take some responsibilities for a poor product and compensate their customers if their product fails? Or is it true, "There are no guarantees"? I can't hold a gun to his head - as the saying goes - for a refund - that much I know. But if indeed this is a question of poor ethical conduct, I can at least warn others not to do business with him.