BALSAM HILL REFUSES TO REFUND MY MONEY - CANCELLED TREE - SHIPPED IT ANYHOW - 6 WEEKS LATER STILL FIGHTING TO GET MY MONEY - DO NOT BUY FROM BALSAM HILL UNLESS YOU WANT TO GET RIPPED OFF Redwood City, California

Balsam Hill is a complete Rip-Off....if you are even thinking about buying a tree from this company, please do yourself a favor. DON'T DO IT. I purchased a tree online from them in November, 2010. I canceled the tree the next day online. It is now mid January, 2011 and they refuse to refund my money. Here's the story:

I sent numerous emails to cancel the tree. I asked in every email to call me and confirm they received my emails. Never heard from anyone. I called. Waited on hold over 1 hour...finally hung up. Called the next day. Waited on hold over 1 hour. Hung up. Sent emails practically begging them to contact. me. I finally received an email - 'the tree has shipped' .....5 days AFTER I canceled the tree.

I explained to FedEx that on the Balsam Hill website it states NOT to return to the same address but to ship to a different address or you would be charged an additional $50 if you refuse the package. FedEx explained that the reason for this is so that the customer has to pay the shipping. I didn't feel I should pay shipping when I advised them the next day I wanted to cancel the tree.

Here's the part that is so upsetting: After the tree was shipped back to Balsam Hill, I contacted them again. They advised me they never received the tree. I called FedEx to advise them Balsam Hill is stating they never received the tree. In the meantime, Balsam Hill insisted they didn't have the tree and that FedEx didn't return it to them. THIS WAS UNTRUE!!!! They had the tree since December 9, 2010. During the time I was told the tree was 'missing' I contacted the local police and filed a report. Unfortunately, Balsam Hill had the tree and said they didn't, making it look like FedEx 'lost it???'.....or whatever.

Now that we have proven to Balsam Hill that they DO have the tree (FedEx had the name of the person that signed for the tree when it was returned to them) and have had it since December 9, 2010, they still won't refund the money. I called American Express and we have called them twice on a conference call to speak to the customer service manager (Cathy). She is always in a meeting when we call, and doesn't return my calls or emails.

Liz is the Operations Manager and she refuses to take any of my calls and doesn't answer my emails, even when I am begging her to.

Also, type in Google: "complaints against Balsam Hill". You will be amazed at all the complaints. I typically don't write review such as this. I was always taught if you can't say something nice, don't say it. I just don't want to see anyone else go through what I've been through. This is not right. SAVE YOURSELF THE AGGRAVATION. DEAL WITH A REPUTABLE COMPANY. RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!