ORDERING INFO

Here is a list frequently asked questions and their answers. Looking for something else? Let us know.

WHAT SHOULD GO ON A PRE-ORDER?

A pre-order is essentially your order. It should include everything you feel confident you’d like to purchase and not more. In the case of a crop failure or shortage we will offer you options for substitutions. Beginning in 2025, all customers will be required to choose substitutions for pre-ordered bulbs that are not available. Our team works hard to source beautiful alternatives that are properly prepared for your needs. These alternatives help us fill the shipping containers coming over, which in turn help us to keep our prices down for you. Customers who choose not to select substitutes will have substitutes selected for them by our team.

HOW DO CANCELLATIONS WORK?

For fall bulb orders: We have significant re-stocking fees (There is no re-stocking fee up to July 1. A 50% re-stocking fee is reserved if the order is canceled between July 1 and September 15, and NO cancellations are accepted after September 15). Please do not over order. You will be on the hook for the payment of items that are available.

HOW DO I PLACE A PRE-ORDER?

You’ll be placing your pre-order (also called a draft order) through our online wholesale platform. Once you have been given access to our online catalogue, you’ll be able to assemble an order and submit it to us. Our inventory changes when your order is submitted. Products are not “reserved” when they are in your shopping cart.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SUBMIT A PRE-ORDER?

You can continue to shop and request that we help you add more items to your order, or submit new orders on your own. For fall shipped items, we request a 15% deposit by July 1. The next “milestone” in the bulb ordering process (substitution time) is late summer. Balance payments for fall bulb orders are due Oct 1. Shipping costs will be billed separately prior to shipment.

HOW WILL SUBSTITUTIONS WORK?

When the bulbs are harvested in the summer, we’ll know which varieties have shortages and which ones have extra availability. Once we’ve received notice of shortages and possible substitutions, we will remove the items from your pre-order that are not available. You will then have the option to shop and add items to your order from our substitution catalogue online. For all customers who want to choose their own substitutions, the process is driven by them. Our team is also here to help anyone who wants expert advice about alternatives and to select substitutes for any buyers who fail to do so themselves.

HOW WILL PAYMENTS BE MADE?

Once your order is confirmed, we will share an invoice with you directly through your wholesale account on our PCI compliant platform. You will receive email notifications when invoices are shared with you. For fall bulb and root orders, a 15% deposit is required by July 1. The remainder of your fall bulb/root payment is due prior to shipping in the fall on September 15. You can choose to pay your invoice all at once or over time up until the September 15 deadline.

HOW ARE CREDITS AND REFUNDS ISSUED?

Credits and refunds can be issued only after an order has closed and shipping has been billed because shipping cannot be added to an order that has a refund. Credits from products taken off orders must first be applied to shipping charges before being sent off an order a customer’s account for future use. Refunds appear several business days after issue on your credit card or account as FI *NURSERY. Credits are made available for use on future invoices as a form of payment. Customers can choose to apply their own credit or request our accounting team to apply them for you.

BULB/ROOT CONCERNS:

Always open bulbs upon receipt. Remove cardboard shipping boxes and lids and store bulbs in their crates in cool, well ventilated spaces. Bulbs that are left in boxes for extended periods of time may be subject to problems like mold and/or disease development due to the formation of condensation and lack of air flow inside boxes. It is not unusual for bulbs that are traveling through a range of temperatures from our coolers to tractor trailers to your warm home, to sweat with condensation due to those changes. It is very important to open your bulbs and let them breath, especially if you are not planting them right away.

To report problems upon receipt please reach out with photos of the bulbs/roots of concern to linda@ampersandbulbco.com within 3 days of receipt of your products. Ampersand Bulb Co. is not responsible for damage caused to bulbs in the hands of the carriers, including but not limited to freezing or heating in transport. We suggest that customers monitor our shipping windows and request shipping dates that will best serve their products based on the weather patterns during travel. We are happy to postpone shipping until you feel it’s safe. Generally speaking, bulbs and roots are moving during their dormant winter period. We’ve had good success shipping throughthe the North American winter, with the exception of extreme weather events like blizzards.

Ampersand Bulb Co. is not responsible for poor storage of flower bulbs and roots in the hands of customers. We recommend that perishable goods be planted promptly. All flower bulbs degrade over time and sub optimal storage conditions. Flower bulbs should be kept in cool, well-ventilated spaces when planting is not a ready option.

HOW CAN I CHECK MY ORDER STATUS?

At any time, you can log in to the pre-ordering platform and check you order, invoices, or shipping status. You can also share messages with us. A log of any notes shared back and forth with you will automatically appear on your order summary page.

CAN YOU SHIP ALL MY BULBS TOGETHER?

The majority of our products are fall shipped bulbs. To maintain freshness, we ship products as they become available in 3 main stages. The first stage (untreated bulbs) ships in late September to late October. The second stage (early pre-cooled bulbs) ships in early November. The third stage (pre-cooled bulbs) begins shipping the second week of November and is generally tied up by Thanksgiving.

Tulips: For the vast majority of our customers, we cannot combine untreated and pre-cooled bulbs in the same shipment. Untreated bulbs ship during one period. Pre-Cooled bulbs ship later because they arrive later in the US. Typically our growers want to receive untreated bulbs early and get them into the ground or into soil forcing crates as early as possible. These bulbs arrive to us here in New York earlier than the pre-cooled bulbs. The pre-cooled bulbs remain in cooling in The Netherlands for several more weeks and then they are shipped to us.

Peony roots arrive with the fall bulbs and are shipped upon receipt or combined with your fall bulb order if possible.

DO YOU SELL TO CANADIAN CUSTOMERS?

We have sold to Canadian customers in the past. However, we are sorry to share that due to increasing costs of phytosanitary certificates, additional inspection requirements, and a change in paperwork required of customers, the process has become too cumbersome for our team. We encourage Canadian customers to reach out as soon as possible (and collectively) to domestic bulb suppliers in Canada to request access to pre-cooled bulbs for winter bulb forcing.