# Has anyone ordered from Betterbee?



## candlaman

I order from Betterbee all the time. Very nice folks to work with.
Candlaman


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## Ravenseye

I've ordered from them lots of times. No problems. If you can pick up...even better!


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## BULLSEYE BILL

Their prices do run a little high, but they have good products and some things you won't find elsewhere. I buy from them, I'd buy more if the shipping wasn't so high. I did place an order for some two frame nucs once, they called and made sure that I wanted to pay the shipping before they shipped. Good thing too, the shipping made the nucs two times the price, so I declined. The next year I had a large order and the shipping on the nucs was reasonable so I got them after all. 

Go to the bottom of this page and set you time to last year and press Show Threads. Then brows back and read some of the previous threads. You will see that most are positive. This one was a bit testy, but makes interesting reading. : http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208157


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## notaclue

I will keep ordering from them. Give them a call and find out. They're great folks.


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## Michael Bush

>Their prices do run a little high, but they have good products and some things you won't find elsewhere. I buy from them, I'd buy more if the shipping wasn't so high.

Ditto. On all counts.


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## Jeffzhear

I ordered a boat-load of small cell 4.9 Med. crimp wire from them last spring along with a few items I couldn't find anywhere and was very happy. My local Dadant didn't carry the 4.9 in med crimp wire...


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## Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary

*BetterBee is #1*

I use BetterBee for almost everything. I love their BeeMax, and they've got the best price on it, so for me what I order isn't bad price-wise at all, and s/h is reasonable. Otherwise I order from Brushy Mountain in NC, partially because we have a rep. down to our assoc. every now and then, so we get free shipping!!

Beesilly, If you can go pick up your order I'm sure they won't charge shipping! You should look into the BeeMax hives, they're less than the woodenware, and I've been very impressed!

-Nathanael


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## berkshire bee

I deal almost exclusively with Betterbee. I'm, about an hour and a quarter away. I think their prices are reasonable. At least as of last year Most items are a little cheaper than Brushy Mt. They offer a beginner's class, and classes in making candles,lip balms and lotions, and 3 different soap making classes, plus a summer field day. They are very nice and the sales girls will get to know you after only one or two visits. They also have a storefront, not just mail order, so you can try things on or check them out before you buy.


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## TonyW

I like their styrofoam 5-frame nuc boxes that I haven't seen from other suppliers. They have a few unique items as other have said. In half a dozen orders I have never had any problems. Talked to them at one event and they seemed very nice.


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## phil c

I ordered my bottles from betterbee last year. Got their bulk packages. No Problems shipping was faster than they had told me over the phone when I ordered.


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## riverrat

*better bee good people*

good people to deal with. I would buy more from them if they was closer. shipping kills me.


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## Keith Benson

I have ordered from them several times. Everything went very smoothly.

Keith


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## Dick Allen

Beesilly, your location doesn't specify where you live in New York, but I grew up in Fort Ann and fly back there fairly often. Usually I swing by Betterbee in Greenwich and pick up beekeeping supplies which I then mail parcel post to myself back in Anchorage. It takes a good three weeks for them to arrive here, but does save money. As far as their prices being more than other suppliers, I have generally found that to be just the opposite. Most things I've purchased are a few pennies less than I've seen in the other catalogs. Maybe, it's just the things I've bought, but I can't say they are more expensive than others.


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## IndianaHoney

I ordered 25lbs of deep foundation from betterbee last year. They shipped to early and it caused the foundation to become brittle. I let them know what happened, and they held the order until the weather changed. As soon as it warmed up, they replaced the foundation, and I didn't even have to send the old box of foundation back.

That said, sometimes someone will drop the ball and mess up an order at betterbee, and shipping can be a little slow at times. But if they do mess up an order, they will fix it.


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## YellowBee

*Better Bee*

Excellent company always very prompt and friendly. Cheers! Les


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## Bee_Rights_Activist

Beesilly said:


> www.betterbee.com
> So i just wanted to know if anyone ordered from here and what they think about it!
> Beesilly


 
I just received shipment of my second order from BB. The products appear to be of high quality and they arrive well-packaged in a timely manner. I see that you are wanting to pick up supplies in person and I can't speak to that, but I'd recommend BB otherwise. The only potential negative for some buyers might be that they don't seem to provide any tracking info on shipments, but for both of my orders from them the packages arrived quickly via UPS and were sitting on my doorstep within a few days of my order.


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## bluegrass

I think they are the cheapest on most stuff. Look at the bee yard signs Mann lake sells for 10.00 vs the 2.00 from better bee. Where can you get medium boxes for less than 10.00?

I just buy a little from everybody


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## BeeKeep

*BetterBee - Tracking Numbers*

I've order from BB before & just place a new order. They provided a tracking number for each box.

If you're picking up locally -- you'll pay the 7% sales tax. If Shipping out of state -- you'll avoid the tax. The tax / distance / time made me decide to have them ship -- same price & I get a day at home instead.


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## MapMan

BeeKeep said:


> I've order from BB before & just place a new order. They provided a tracking number for each box.
> 
> If you're picking up locally -- you'll pay the 7% sales tax. If Shipping out of state -- you'll avoid the tax. The tax / distance / time made me decide to have them ship -- same price & I get a day at home instead.


Doesn't matter if you pick up locally or if it is shipped to you - if a business has an _office_ in the _same_ state as the one in which you live, you have to pay state sales tax. I think that Betterbee is in NY, as is the original poster of this message...

MM


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## MountainCamp

Have bought almost everything from Betterbee and never have had a problem.


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## berkshire bee

Are bees and beekeeping supplies exempt from sales tax in NY? I live in MA and often order by phone or internet and pick up rather than have delivered. Even when I go to the store to make purchases, I don't get charged sales tax.


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## Dick Allen

In New york, I believe farmers are exempt from paying sales taxes on agricultural purchases. I also think to qualify for the exemption, the farmer needs to have something on file from the state to show that they do qualify for the exemption. Some companies automatically assume their customers qualify for it and don't ask if the customer is exempt. Other stores sellilng agriculture related items will ask if the customer has a sales tax exemption.


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## bluegrass

Around here you have to have a tax exempt status on file with the state, and it is only good in state. If you go and buy something from a farm supply they ask for your tax # and put it in at the register.


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## [email protected]

*Sales Tax on Bee Equip. in NY*

Dick Allen is correct. Farm equipment and livestock are exempt in NYS. The bee supply houses are taking an awful chance if they don't obtain Tax Exempt Certificates when they don't charge sales tax. Nothing needs be 'on file' with the state to issue a Tax Exempt Certificate. 

Bee suits, gloves and hats are especially questionable. If they are determined to be 'clothing', they are taxable. If 'farm equipment', they are not taxable. 

Lloyd


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## comb

*free shipping*

all containers labeled bulk ship free 16oz pastic with 38mm cap case of 100 for example


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## bdrowe

.....


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## sqkcrk

bdrowe said:


> I've order from them many times over the last three years. I've spent over $15,000 there over this time.
> 
> Do not order from them! You can bet I won't be again.


You have a thick skin and are more forgiving than I am. After I had a similar, but less expensive, experience than you did I stopped dealing w/ Betterbee. There are other more reliable suppliers out there. Dadant and Mann Lake to mention two.


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## NasalSponge

I have and will order form them again HOWEVER I will NEVER purchase their wooden ware again.....all of it I purchased was warped and the joints so loose ventilation won't be a problem in those hives, had to take a hand plane to all of them to get it close to sitting flat. I get all my wooden ware from Brushy Mountain.


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## wildbranch2007

sqkcrk said:


> There are other more reliable suppliers out there. Dadant and Mann Lake to mention two.


When the original owner was alive (bob stevens) the prices were excelent and service fine. Who ever took over has raised the prices far out of line with other suppliers. the last few orders I tried to get ordered they said there was a five day wait to ship, asked if I could pick up next day said no problem?? It was faster to order from mann lake on a weekend and had shippment on tues. bb wouldn't even have processed the order yet. its a shame they had the new england market to them self's especially with the shipping prices. 

mike


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## sqkcrk

My experiences w/ Betterbee were long before Bob died.

Once burnt, shame on you, twice burnt, shame on me.


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## Michael Palmer

wildbranch2007 said:


> its a shame they had the new england market to them self's especially with the shipping prices.
> 
> mike


Check out New England Farms. Good service, and free shipping if you meet him along his route.

Write Pat Imbimbo at:

www.newenglandfarms.com


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## learning

I ordered from Betterbee and Brushy MT at the same time and much the same stuff for my first things. Everything from Betterbee was broken or made wrong. I just ordered $500 more from Brushy.


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## Natalie

I have ordered from betterbee a few times and have not had any problems.
They offer you the option of pick up, which I believe is the original question, so yes you can drive over and save on the shipping charges.
I have not ordered alot of woodenware from them, I got mine from brushy mountain originally before I knew better and I had to send back boxes full of woodenware to them.
Broken joints, huge chunks of wood broken off of the corners, a bottom board split in half and a hive stand that was broken in half.
They replaced some of the worst ones but claimed they were shocked that anything was wrong with their supers.
Anyway, the point is that everyone is going to have some bad experiences with one company while someone else is going to rave about them.
Its the same with every company.
I had very fast shipping from betterbee and nothing was missing in my order and the customer service was good to me.
If you don't have to order alot from them and like you said you want to save on shipping charges I would give them a try.
If you are picking up the order anyway its not like you are going to drive away with your packages without inspecting them.
You aren't going to leave with missing or damaged items.
Shipping charges can be exhorbitant compared to the cost of the actual items.
I would definitely pick up supplies if I was close enough rather than pay for shipping.


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