46 replies to this topic

[midwestchilehead]

For those of you with issues with Kaiser Seeds & Pepper Company:

I exchanged emails with Sterling's SO Shawna tonight on Facebook. She said that due to circumstances beyond their control, some orders were not timely filled and some payments were not timely made, but that anyone with issues could email her shawna@kaiserseedsandpepperco.com and that you would get a response. She also said that anyone with unfilled orders has received a refund. I hope it is true. Sterling's forum privileges have been suspended, so his website, Shawna's email or his Facebook page is probably the best way to get in touch with him.

Sterling and I started our budding chile businesses at about the same time, and his passion for spreading the heat seemed genuine. I hope he wasn't about fleecing folks and that other things just got in the way. Let me know if that isn't true.

[dvg]

I sent him a mail asking about seeds.

It took him a couple of weeks to get back to me with a reply.

But his reputation was taking such a thrashing on this forum that I decided to send my business to some of the reputable and respected seed vendors vouched for by other members here.

dvg

[midwestchilehead]

I can't argue with that. Like I told Shawna tonight, in the tough chile business, reputation seems to be everything and Kaiser Seeds and Pepper Company's reputation right now, at least on this site, is less than Sterling (pardon the pun). I'm not saying you should buy from him, I'm just asking that if you got stiffed due to circumstances beyond his control, you either find out why or give him another chance before trashing him on this forum. I know that failure to respond is a good enough reason for feeling you have been duped, I'm just saying there may be valid reasons for a failure to respond.

I sent him a mail asking about seeds.

It took him a couple of weeks to get back to me with a reply.

But his reputation was taking such a thrashing on this forum that I decided to send my business to some of the reputable and respected seed vendors vouched for by other members here.

dvg

[Hot Pooper]

You touched on a pretty sensitive subject on here. Most people on here wont use him, period. He burned a few people, mainly SalsaLady. I understand that life gets in the way sometimes. But, to my knowledge, he had nothing going on that would have kept him from sending back all of the product that he did not sell for SL, or even paying her the money that he owes her from sales of her product at the festival in Houston last year. He also owes ME stuff, but Im not as worried. Yet.
Yet he still has fairly actively posted on Facebook, and was even seen on here after he "duped" people. If he could get on Facebook, or silently on here, he could e-mail people that he owes ANYTHING to, and let them know what is going on. THAT would have been good business, and THAT would have saved his reputation.
I understand where you are coming from. I did not say what I said above to argue, or to be an "ass." I just dont want you to get a false hope in him, and get burned.

[midwestchilehead]

Thanks. I don't have false hopes. I just reached out to Shawna because after sending pods to Sterling he wasn't answering my emails. I know what I read on here, and it didn't seem like the Sterling I knew, but admittedly I don't know him well (never actually met him). Shawna says she has made arrangements with SL. I don't know if that is true, or even why arrangements were necessary. I agree that he didn't conduct good business, and he could have at least let people know if problems were preventing him from filling orders or fulfilling his obligations. What he did sounded pretty chickensh** to me, but I didn't get burned, moneywise. I know it is a sensitive subject, and that he has ruined his reputation with most folks. I understand that and I don't blame those folks who have been burned. I just figured there was more to the story, so went in search of a possible explanation. Now that I've heard the explanation, I still don't know if it excuses burning people, but I appreciate Shawna offering to make things right. Whether its too little too late remains to be seen.

[PepperLover]

i sent him agood amount of my chili powder for the festival but never heard from him since then so i gave up on him

[naganumbness]

i don't really know the guy but i was so close to buying from him. thank god for people like judy , jim , neil and others who take pride in what they are doing! that "purple bhut" made me wanna buy right away. looks like i dodged a bullet!

[salsalady]

After several unanswered emails to SK, I happened to find their FB page and emailed to Shawna, who did reply. She apparently had no clue as to what Sterling had done, what was owed, or that they still had my products. She thought SK had taken care of it long ago.

Judy, I'd suggest contacting Shawna at the email above, she is at least attempting to fulfill or take care of outstanding issues.

They've hit a rough patch, I hope they can pull it out.

[JayT]

That is a very classy way to handle this thread Salsa Lady. I have noticed this issue SK from afar and I kept thinking to myself, "why the hell does he not just email people and explain himself. That doesn't cost money." Money obviously is the issue. Now when I read this and this Shawna is now apparently speaking for him makes me curious as well. I have never had any problems with Sterling personally, but it all seems a bit fishy to me. Even when I didn't have a computer for two months I still made SOME contact with a few certain people to let them know what was going on, and I didn't owe them money or seeds or anything. JMO.

[Hot Pooper]

Naga...if you're interested in the Purple Bhut, wait a few months and you will receive some seeds my friend. It's actually a pretty cool looking little plant.

[SuperHot]

Naga
I see that Judy still has them, that's where I got mine and she is very generous.

[naganumbness]

sounds great sean! i got the sauces you sent today. thanks! the tongue wrapper is got some burn to it! review up tommorrow.

[Hot Pooper]

No problem homie!
So Judy has purple bhuts?

[dvg]

I know that Judy has the Purple Naga Jolokia.

She sent me some seed.

But the picture of that plant on her website is quite a bit different from the way a Bhut Jolokia would look.

dvg

[Hot Pooper]

I know the pic that everyone has of the "Purple Bhut" is the exact same pic. Which does not look like a Bhut at ALL. It looks more like a retarded 7 Pod.

[Avon Barksdale]

I know that Judy has the Purple Naga Jolokia.

She sent me some seed.

But the picture of that plant on her website is quite a bit different from the way a Bhut Jolokia would look.

dvg

Yeah the one she has on her site labeled "Purple Naga Jolokia" is a frutescens.

http://pepperlover.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=60&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

I have one growing and it is a pretty plant with nice purple leaves, but it's not a bhut jolokia/naga morich/etc.

[midwestchilehead]

I agree, JayT. SL is showing extreme class. Guess I will have to order some of her salsa now ;-)

I also thought it weird that Sterling went incommunicado. There is a reason (or an excuse, whatever you want to call it) for it, and Shawna shared it with me, but I don't want to broadcast it on here. It apparently predated or contributed to any money issues that may exist. I thought it curious that Shawna was speaking for him too, but wanted to let the folks here know that they might at least get a response from someone. I hope everyone gets made whole.

It's almost February! Do you know where your chile seedlings are?

That is a very classy way to handle this thread Salsa Lady. I have noticed this issue SK from afar and I kept thinking to myself, "why the hell does he not just email people and explain himself. That doesn't cost money." Money obviously is the issue. Now when I read this and this Shawna is now apparently speaking for him makes me curious as well. I have never had any problems with Sterling personally, but it all seems a bit fishy to me. Even when I didn't have a computer for two months I still made SOME contact with a few certain people to let them know what was going on, and I didn't owe them money or seeds or anything. JMO.

[Josh]

...Guess I will have to order some of her salsa now ;-)
...

I would also recommend trying her Ghost Fire Hot Sauce. I wish it was a little hotter but it tastes delicious.

[Burning Colon]

SL is showing extreme class. Guess I will have to order some of her salsa now

Does she also sell class?..........cause i could use a few jars!

[patrick]

Thanks. I don't have false hopes. I just reached out to Shawna because after sending pods to Sterling he wasn't answering my emails. I know what I read on here, and it didn't seem like the Sterling I knew, but admittedly I don't know him well (never actually met him). Shawna says she has made arrangements with SL. I don't know if that is true, or even why arrangements were necessary. I agree that he didn't conduct good business, and he could have at least let people know if problems were preventing him from filling orders or fulfilling his obligations. What he did sounded pretty chickensh** to me, but I didn't get burned, moneywise. I know it is a sensitive subject, and that he has ruined his reputation with most folks. I understand that and I don't blame those folks who have been burned. I just figured there was more to the story, so went in search of a possible explanation. Now that I've heard the explanation, I still don't know if it excuses burning people, but I appreciate Shawna offering to make things right. Whether its too little too late remains to be seen.

Sterling and I started a friendship but it never got a chance to go anywhere when he disappeared. As far as the comment I highlighted; there is no excuse for burning people.