Order Online or Walk-in to Gardening Store

[luciano28]

Which do you guys think is safer and more secure? There is a Hyrdoponics store about an hour away from me, I wouldnt mind the drive but Im worried about the drive home, being followed etc. Im not going to buy a light or anything, Im just going to buy some ferts in bulk and a large container of Neem Oil. Shipping charges are not an issue.

Edit: I should add I have visited this store before about 15 years ago but it was at a different location about 1 and a half hours away and never had any security issues. They now have a new location that is closer to home. Ordering online, I do have a couple safe addys I have used.

 

[purple wreck]

neem oil you can get at home depot, walmart or any garden store don't pay to ship that. I know someone that is doing fed time cuz he went to the hydro store and bought bulk nutes also. Good luck

 

[luciano28]

Thanks PW. Sorry to hear about your friend. I should of said Einstein Oil(its basically neem oil but better), I dont know why I call it Neem oil. It's looking like the consensus is ordering online is the way to go.

 

[indicapimp]

neem oil you can get at home depot, walmart or any garden store don't pay to ship that. I know someone that is doing fed time cuz he went to the hydro store and bought bulk nutes also. Good luck

Yeah, I swear to God our local Hydro store is being watched. You just have guys sitting back 200 plus yards in front of the store. I know various reason's and 100 different possibilities but I would not want to walk out with bulk anything.

 

[bbing]

based on an interesting read last month from a JJScorpio thread that detailed postal/shipping risks, I would say dedicating man power to "lay-in-wait" at the local grow shop would only happen as a planned initiative and not as a routine to target small op/personal growers.

I know that all shops can be very different from each other in terms of security,
but I would estimate (please correct me if way off base) at least 75 walk-in customers /week as an avg. customer count across all shops (some a bunch more some none i'm sure)

40 man hours = 75 leads
one quick pass in light craft = everyone w/ @ heat sig is a lead (maybe 1000's..i hope hehehe)

in some areas this is true in some it's not

It would be far easier to access shipping parcels if there is a pre-existing reason for you to be targeted or be of "special interest"

Just my speculation

 

[purple wreck]

when you go to the store the cops play judge and jury based on what you look like.. When you order online all the know is you order supply's to grow some kinda plants. If i walk in to a store the cops will know i smoke weed and i would be in jail right away. lol If you are worried have it sent to a safe addy in someone other than your name. Pay with money order pre paid credit card or another persons card.

 

[luciano28]

based on an interesting read last month from a JJScorpio thread that detailed postal/shipping risks, I would say dedicating man power to "lay-in-wait" at the local grow shop would only happen as a planned initiative and not as a routine to target small op/personal growers.

I know that all shops can be very different from each other in terms of security,
but I would estimate (please correct me if way off base) at least 75 walk-in customers /week as an avg. customer count across all shops (some a bunch more some none i'm sure)

40 man hours = 75 leads
one quick pass in light craft = everyone w/ @ heat sig is a lead (maybe 1000's..i hope hehehe)

in some areas this is true in some it's not

It would be far easier to access shipping parcels if there is a pre-existing reason for you to be targeted or be of "special interest"

Just my speculation

Very true. I still havent decided what Im gonna do yet, Im kind of leaning towards ordering online. I dont think Im of any "special interest". But who really knows for sure.


Does crossing a state line have any bearing on this? The products are legal, and the way I figure it, the only people that would follow me home would be Feds, right? I dont think Im worthy of the feds, lol.

My biggest con to the whole ordering online thing, is someone would have an address and possibly be able to track me down sooner or later if the stores' records were ever looked at by LEO for whatever reason.

Still not sure what Im gonna do, maybe a quick smash and grab job at the Hydro store then just go to all sorts of weird places out in that area before heading home.

Thanks for the feedback fellas.

 

[BonsaiBud]

Paranoia.
I don't have six 1ks on a flip flop, but I do like to sleep at night. I order stuff online and shop at the local hydro store as well. I'm thankful to have it. I don't think the feds get many points for small personal grows.

 

[Ajunta Pall]

I prefer the store. The way I figure it is that you have about the same chance of getting popped doing either. It's just that at the store if you pay in cash or w/a prepaid c.c. there is no record of you being there. If you spend a lot put it on the prepaid c.c. to avoid the suspicion cash tends to bring.

I use grow stores that are out of the police jurisdiction that I grow in. That way the pigs can't follow me to my grow. Nor are they especially inclined to tell another agency about my visit. Assuming that is, they can find out where I'm growing.

When using online companies it seems as if the DEA can stick their dirty little noses in the company's shipping records. If the company refuses, I'm sure that the feds can make things hard on them. I could be wrong though.

Also don't forget that the delivery guy can turn you in if he thinks that you're up to something. The standoff at Waco happened because the Fed Ex guy tipped off the ATF about the large number of guns being delivered there. So why not grow equipment.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

neem oil you can get at home depot, walmart or any garden store don't pay to ship that. I know someone that is doing fed time cuz he went to the hydro store and bought bulk nutes also. Good luck

i think your friend was running a sloppy game... ive been going to hydro stores for years, without issues... 5-7bills in nutes 25 buckets and 15 bags of soil arnt a small buy.... and i usualy drive almost straight home, or to work.. never been followed. i do come in the far enterances and scan the area for cops if there there i just leave. sometimes they do camp the hydro store with a pair of binoculars...errie..

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

I prefer the store. The way I figure it is that you have about the same chance of getting popped doing either. It's just that at the store if you pay in cash or w/a prepaid c.c. there is no record of you being there. If you spend a lot put it on the prepaid c.c. to avoid the suspicion cash tends to bring.

I use grow stores that are out of the police jurisdiction that I grow in. That way the pigs can't follow me to my grow. Nor are they especially inclined to tell another agency about my visit. Assuming that is, they can find out where I'm growing.

When using online companies it seems as if the DEA can stick their dirty little noses in the company's shipping records. If the company refuses, I'm sure that the feds can make things hard on them. I could be wrong though.

Also don't forget that the delivery guy can turn you in if he thinks that you're up to something. The standoff at Waco happened because the Fed Ex guy tipped off the ATF about the large number of guns being delivered there. So why not grow equipment.

whats wrong with cash? it leave no paper trail. prepaid cc's arnt favord by the sellers.. a pocket full of c-notes buys anything.

 

[Ajunta Pall]

Nothing is wrong with cash. I just wouldn't buy too much at the store with cash. Lots of cash in a hydro store shouts pot grower to me. I gotta good reputation at my local store as a valued customer, so I don't want to rouse their supicions by using too much $$.

I do prepaid c.c. as long as they have that visa logo on them. They're taken every where visa is.

 

[mikessong]

are you kidding me, you don't think the cops and store know what 95% of the customers are doing? use cash, they'll probably give you a discount.

 

[BonsaiBud]

Most everything I order is bizarre stuff that does not scream, "grower". I haul my HIDs, soil, nutes, and Mylar up to my place by my self. The delivery men bring the bizarre stuff (can't tell you guys...not all grow related)

I use grow stores that are out of the police jurisdiction that I grow in. That way the pigs can't follow me to my grow.

Hey guys enjoy driving 100 miles for a 1/2 closet grow.
This is wise. I figure the feds aren't after us small folk, and there haven't been a massive amount of grow busts in the vicinity of the hydro store so...

DON'T MAKE ME PARANOID

I'm not going to boycott my local hydro dealer just b/c of paranoia.

 

[krustytheclown]

I only buy things that tip me off as a personal "gardener": only ever bought one light from them, buy ferts by the quart, not by the gallon.

Here is a thought: are there other hydro shops you could physically go to in order to get the things you need? For example, if you need 6 1-gallon containers of nutes, could you buy 1 or 2 gallons at each store?

The areas of exposure to LEO scrutiny when buying online are too many for me to feel comfortable with:
- Your internet traffic can be tracked by federal and state LEO
- Your ISP can flag your browsing activity and refer it to LEO
- Credit Card and PayPal transactions can be reported by the card issuer or PayPal
- The shipping company can report you to LEO
- The Postal Service can open your shipment AND report you to LEO

If you are going to make a bulk purchase at that far-away hydro store, I recommend you buy enough to not have to come back for a year or so, and possibly travel to another town to sightsee for the day, then go home. If LEO is watching the store and decides to follow you, it shouldn't be too hard to notice the same car is following you to the second town, then back to the state line all in the same day.

As a precaution, I recommend travelling to the store sober and with nothing illegal in the car. Make sure you are clean shaven and are wearing decent clothes. A collared shirt, clean pants/shoes is a great way to go.

 

[indicapimp]

I only buy things that tip me off as a personal "gardener": only ever bought one light from them, buy ferts by the quart, not by the gallon.

Here is a thought: are there other hydro shops you could physically go to in order to get the things you need? For example, if you need 6 1-gallon containers of nutes, could you buy 1 or 2 gallons at each store?

The areas of exposure to LEO scrutiny are too many for me to feel comfortable with:
- Your internet traffic can be tracked by federal and state LEO
- Your ISP can flag your browsing activity and refer it to LEO
- Credit Card and PayPal transactions can be reported by the card issuer or PayPal
- The shipping company can report you to LEO
- The Postal Service can open your shipment AND report you to LEO

If you are going to make a bulk purchase at that far-away hydro store, I recommend you buy enough to not have to come back for a year or so, and possibly travel to another town to sightsee for the day, then go home. If LEO is watching the store and decides to follow you, it shouldn't be too hard to notice the same car is following you to the second town, then back to the state line all in the same day.

As a precaution, I recommend travelling to the store sober and with nothing illegal in the car. Make sure you are clean shaven and are wearing decent clothes. A collared shirt, clean pants/shoes is a great way to go.

Yes, but that is a lot of work all they need is your license plate number #. That brings them in real close and tight. I try and never be predictable in whatever I do. I do not want to repeat my steps to make it easy. I agree out of state purchases are better.

 

[luciano28]

I only buy things that tip me off as a personal "gardener": only ever bought one light from them, buy ferts by the quart, not by the gallon.

Here is a thought: are there other hydro shops you could physically go to in order to get the things you need? For example, if you need 6 1-gallon containers of nutes, could you buy 1 or 2 gallons at each store?

The areas of exposure to LEO scrutiny are too many for me to feel comfortable with:
- Your internet traffic can be tracked by federal and state LEO
- Your ISP can flag your browsing activity and refer it to LEO
- Credit Card and PayPal transactions can be reported by the card issuer or PayPal
- The shipping company can report you to LEO
- The Postal Service can open your shipment AND report you to LEO

If you are going to make a bulk purchase at that far-away hydro store, I recommend you buy enough to not have to come back for a year or so, and possibly travel to another town to sightsee for the day, then go home. If LEO is watching the store and decides to follow you, it shouldn't be too hard to notice the same car is following you to the second town, then back to the state line all in the same day.

As a precaution, I recommend travelling to the store sober and with nothing illegal in the car. Make sure you are clean shaven and are wearing decent clothes. A collared shirt, clean pants/shoes is a great way to go.

Thanks and thats the plan to have enough ferts to last until next years harvest(Oct. 2009), Im an outside grower and have a really small set up indoors(150w HPS). I probably shouldnt of said bulk because it isnt like a huge amount but still a good amount. Also, Im only buying flowering ferts(guano and undecided fertilizer as of yet, that is one reason why I would like to visit store) and a couple 16 oz bottles of Einstein oil(will last me a long time, like years!).

And yes it would be easy to notice if someone follows me, the way I will be driving will be on a one lane rural road. Im pretty straight laced looking, not your typical stoner type of look.

Thanks for the advice sir



Any purchase I make will be made with cash if I make it at the store

 

[twojoints]

i dont think one is that much safer then the other. all depends on the vendor and luck. my local shop has been around for 5 years now, ive never had a problem. ive also racked up about 4k on credit cards for equipment all online.. then i got raided. they had an idea i was growing but they didnt find anything, and they certainly did not look into my credit card records.. or my computers.. or my bank account... they were onto me because someone told them to look here, nothing else.