Just heard Nature's Garden has been bought out by WSP

[MelissaG]

I received an email from NG and WSP today confirming it. The "CEO" said to email her with concerns. So I laid right into it and told her exactly what I think. I might have caused myself trouble but I'm so tired of this that it was hard not to get really nasty. I doubt she's going to like what I have to say. They have no business buying any other businesses until they can get their prices, shipping and customer service right. I've already been looking for alternatives so I rarely buy from them. That $5.95 handling fee is just shipping by another name for gods sakes.

 

[chigirl]

IndiMade Brands is a group that now owns Nature’s Garden, The Flaming Candle, Wholesale Supplies Plus. I am sure that many members received an e-mail from the new CEO.

Yes, I got the email also. I shop with all of them and, unlike many, have never had a problem with WSP.

 

[Lperdue]

If you use paypal then you can still see your previous orders. However, trying to use previous orders for reorder it says item no longer available. They havent been answering emails either

 

[Carly B]

That $5.95 handling fee is just shipping by another name for gods sakes.

True, never doubted that. But considering other than Nurture, the minimum shipping I've seen is $12+/-, I'll take a flat $5.95 shipping fee if I need something.

 

[Lperdue]

My recent order with NG got hung up somewhere too. Of course I need it like today

 

[persephonesgarden]

Just saw the email and came here to cry with y’all, I’m glad other people are feeling similarly wary of this.

I hate to say it but I’m suspicious of a woman who seems to be the general demographic as the previous owners of many of these brands are, being made the CEO of this monopoly around the same time that more and more customers started to complain about a VC firm snapping all of them up. (When venture capitalists are famously, overwhelmingly men.) It feels a little “let’s make a woman the face of this so all these women shut up” to me. I hope Sue proves me wrong!

 

[paradisi]

Just saw the email and came here to cry with y’all, I’m glad other people are feeling similarly wary of this.

I hate to say it but I’m suspicious of a woman who seems to be the general demographic as the previous owners of many of these brands are, being made the CEO of this monopoly around the same time that more and more customers started to complain about a VC firm snapping all of them up. (When venture capitalists are famously, overwhelmingly men.) It feels a little “let’s make a woman the face of this so all these women shut up” to me. I hope Sue proves me wrong!

Things that would relieve me: stopping the arbitrage hanky panky where they keep a buyer's money for a week or two saying an item was back ordered or out of stock (though in stock at purchase), before finally refunding; replacing items in a subsidiary's lineup with inferior Crafters Choice items at a cracking markup; dropping lots of fo's & colors ; not jacking up shipping so wildly; and stopping the shell game of IFRA documents which often contradict the usage levels posted on the FO page, or are several years old, or missing altogether, or in the case of WSP itself, produced so as to obscure the presence of IFRA-limited aromachems.

Because of all that, I've moved away from them/it to purchase from.

 

[persephonesgarden]

Yes, the shipping!! One thing I really appreciated about NGC was the first class shipping, especially if I just needed 1-2 things. I can’t imagine they’ll be “allowed” to keep that practice. Ugh.

 

[Vicki C]

Well I guess I’m in the minority but I appreciated the email from Sue Buchta, the new CEO. I had a temper tantrum last year about a WSP order:
Post in thread 'Wholesale Supplies Plus shipping delays'
Wholesale Supplies Plus shipping delays

but it has been smooth since then. I am ready to give them a chance.

 

[darby]

I specifically chose companies not under the WSP umbrella becasuse of their price gouging and NG was a go to for me. Im so disappointed but it gives me an excuse to try out some other smaller fo companies ive been wanting to. I will be transitioning away from NG.

 

[cmzaha]

I received an email from NG and WSP today confirming it. The "CEO" said to email her with concerns. So I laid right into it and told her exactly what I think. I might have caused myself trouble but I'm so tired of this that it was hard not to get really nasty. I doubt she's going to like what I have to say. They have no business buying any other businesses until they can get their prices, shipping and customer service right. I've already been looking for alternatives so I rarely buy from them. That $5.95 handling fee is just shipping by another name for gods sakes.

As Lsg mentioned above IndiMade Brands now owns WSP. Debbie announced she was selling WSP a while back. I do not remember how long ago that announcement came out from her.

I am guessing IndiMade will continue gobbling up the little guys, but I really hope not. It usually comes down to who has the most money.

 

[TheGecko]

As Lsg mentioned above IndiMade Brands now owns WSP. Debbie announced she was selling WSP a while back. I do not remember how long ago that announcement came out from her.

I am guessing IndiMade will continue gobbling up the little guys, but I really hope not. It usually comes down to who has the most money.

WSP was sold in 2019 to Incline Equity Partners. WSP then became a portfolio company under them then bought Rustic Escentuals, Elements Bath & Body, Just Scents, Chemistry Connection and Make Your own Buzz. WSP was then sold to Two Sigma Investment and Avance Investment Management. They have in turn formed IndiMade Brands which now owns WSP, Nature's Garden and The Flaming Candle Company. So 'technically', WSP doesn't own Nature's Garden, IndiMade Brands does.

 

[MrsZ]

I may be in the minority, but the only complaint I have had about WSP is the super slow Shipping.

 

[TheGecko]

I may be in the minority, but the only complaint I have had about WSP is the super slow Shipping.

I've never ordered from them so I have no experience. But after they bought RE and EBB, there were some changes that I was unhappy with which I have previously relayed.

There weren't that many items I was buying from EBB so it wasn't a super huge deal, though it took me some time to find new boxes without needing a warehouse. I like their No-Stir Palm Oil, but my local supplier carries it now so I'm good there. And the only Mica that I really liked...I had a credit so I have lots of that mica now.

RE was a harder loss since they were my main FO supplier. I paired down my selection and was able to find replacements for many of them via BrambleBerry and Nurture Soap, but some I couldn't and I really didn't want to buying one scent from this place and another scent from another place and be spread out all over the place as it's not very cost effective. Then about six months I went back and put a order in my cart just see what it would cost me and was pleasantly surprised that shipping had gone back down. Now hubby gets to enjoy his Cantaloupe once again and a customer just requested two loaves of 1920s Barbershop..

 

[daisy2000]

I hate their Jump the Line fee. That's ridiculous!

True, how undemocratic and belittling. I waited 3+ months for some soap boxes, had to call them, and found out they ordered them from China and were just waiting to pass them along. Yes, I like the soap containers but it was just lucky I didn't need them yet and ordered early.

 

[not_ally]

I'm surprised that NG is a sub of WSP's parent company since (a) NG has not been migrated to the WSP website like RE, EBB and JS and (b) its prices have remained low/stable and its customer service has remained good (responsive to questions, fast to ship), unlike WSP. The consolidation in the industry is terrible for the consumer, but at least in this one instance I don't see much of a difference. Yet.

 

[AliOop]

I guess I had forgotten about reading that thread back in 2022. So glad that NG is still operating separately, at least for now.

 

[MomInWA]

I hate their Jump the Line fee. That's ridiculous!

I get it. But it works at Disney land and our highways have toll lanes. Even my Norton anti virus has levels they keep trying to sell me. Excellent product or service at one price probably doesn’t exist anymore. What I hate is being nickel and dimed to death.

 

[AliensrReal]

I get a lot of my scents from WSP, so I don’t mind the expansion. WSP prices are higher so I generally wait for sales.