Buying rare plants from Indonesia can be safe, but every year buyers lose money to fake plant shops that copy photos from Instagram and disappear after payment. Some of them have written to us after being scammed elsewhere. A real exporter can answer the questions below without hesitation. Use them before you pay anyone, including us.
1. The seller knows how plant export works
Live plants cannot leave Indonesia without an export permit and a phytosanitary certificate from the quarantine office, and many countries also require an import permit on your side. A real exporter will tell you which documents your country needs, how long they take (usually 7–14 business days in Indonesia) and how the plants are treated and packed. If a seller promises to ship rare plants “tomorrow” with no paperwork, walk away.
Read how to import plants from Indonesia first so you know which questions to ask. Buyers in the United States need a USDA import permit (PPQ 587) for every order; see shipping plants to the US.
2. There is a company you can check
Ask for the legal company name, a physical address and how long the business has been exporting, then check that the details match across the website, invoices and social media. A seller that only exists as a social media account with bought followers is a warning sign. Labijo, for example, is run by CV Sekar Wana Jaya from a greenhouse in Blitar, East Java, and has been exporting since 2020; you can read more about us.
3. Terms are written down before you pay
A professional seller publishes minimum order, prices, payment method, lead time and what happens if a plant arrives dead. Read the terms and conditions before ordering, and ask for a written quotation or invoice that lists every plant, quantity and the shipping cost. Never pay on the basis of a chat message alone.
4. Every shipment comes with documents and tracking
Before shipping, a legitimate exporter can send you copies of the phytosanitary certificate and invoice, and a tracking number once the parcel leaves. A scammer cannot produce a phytosanitary certificate with your name and address on it.
5. The price makes sense
Indonesian growers can offer good prices on plants they propagate in volume. But a very rare plant, such as a highly variegated Monstera, offered far below what every other nursery charges is usually bait. Compare prices across several sellers before you pay.
6. Ask for verification
If you are unsure, ask the seller for a photo of the plant next to a note with your name and today’s date, or a short video call in the greenhouse. A real nursery can do this in a few minutes. Someone selling photos copied from the internet cannot.
7. Start with a small order
Place a small trial order before a large one. You see how the seller communicates, how the plants are packed and how they arrive. At Labijo, orders below our wholesale minimum are quoted at catalog price with the same documents and packing, so a trial order is a normal first step.
A note on payment
Bank transfers and Wise payments are fast and cheap, but unlike a card payment they cannot be reversed if the seller disappears. That is why the checks above matter: verify the seller first, then pay only against a written invoice that matches the company name you checked. Be wary of sellers who ask you to pay a personal account that does not match their business, or who push you to pay before answering your questions.
Labijo accepts Wise and bank wire transfer after we confirm availability and send an invoice. We do not take payment through chat links or personal accounts.
Checklist before you pay
- The seller explained export documents and your import permit
- You know the legal company name and address, and they match the invoice
- Minimum order, payment, lead time and replacement terms are in writing
- The price is in line with other nurseries
- The seller passed a photo or video verification
- You started with a small order, or the seller has verifiable reviews (see ours on the reviews page)
If you are buying for a plant shop or nursery, our wholesale catalog shows current species, catalog prices and wholesale terms. Questions are welcome at [email protected] before you order anything.
