My experience with a certain online shop (rant)

[mooner]

I am going to hold off on naming names because I am not sure I want to hurt a retailer but here is what happened to me today with a big retailer that most of you know well.

I get my order in and it was shipped DHL Express, their truck breaks down so I had to go get it myself at the local hub in town. Not the fault of the retailer but I would prefered another shipper (had bad luck with DHL in past) which I could have had if I had "known to have asked in the Special Requests section of the online order form". Live and learn.

OK. So I get the box, it's wet. I open it and all the starch based biodegradeable packing peanuts are mixed with saltwater and have turned to goo! NAS-T-Y. I wash it all off as to not risk getting this in my tank and this takes 30 minutes. Finally get it cleaned and low and behold...my gorgonian is missing but I was charged for it and paid for shipping and an extra percentage of total orderprice for it.

I call the retailer and tell them the news. They state "Yeah. we are out of the gorgonians but we ship if your order is 80% full or more". Now, I am perplexed but I say "OK, can I have my money back then". Reply: "Well, OK. Let me get this credited back to your card." So he does and I bring up the peanuts. Turns out the owner has been pressured by "environmentally concerned" patrons to use those as to not pollute and he uses it to keep them happy. I asked has this accidental goo creation happened before? "Yes".

Bottom line: If there is an issue with my order TELL ME. If there is some weird shipping/packing TELL ME if there is some other option. If I deserve money back for goods not shipped DON'T MAKE ME CALL YOU, JUST DO IT.

Is it just me or is this not very good service? I can't yell too much because I got my $$$ back and the livestock I did get is fine.

Live and learn......

Needless to say this was my first and perhaps last time to use this dealer.

:?

 

[naesco]

I am going to hold off on naming names because I am not sure I want to hurt a retailer but here is what happened to me today with a big retailer that most of you know well.

I get my order in and it was shipped DHL Express, their truck breaks down so I had to go get it myself at the local hub in town. Not the fault of the retailer but I would prefered another shipper (had bad luck with DHL in past) which I could have had if I had "known to have asked in the Special Requests section of the online order form". Live and learn.

OK. So I get the box, it's wet. I open it and all the starch based biodegradeable packing peanuts are mixed with saltwater and have turned to goo! NAS-T-Y. I wash it all off as to not risk getting this in my tank and this takes 30 minutes. Finally get it cleaned and low and behold...my gorgonian is missing but I was charged for it and paid for shipping and an extra percentage of total orderprice for it.

I call the retailer and tell them the news. They state "Yeah. we are out of the gorgonians but we ship if your order is 80% full or more". Now, I am perplexed but I say "OK, can I have my money back then". Reply: "Well, OK. Let me get this credited back to your card." So he does and I bring up the peanuts. Turns out the owner has been pressured by "environmentally concerned" patrons to use those as to not pollute and he uses it to keep them happy. I asked has this accidental goo creation happened before? "Yes".

Bottom line: If there is an issue with my order TELL ME. If there is some weird shipping/packing TELL ME if there is some other option. If I deserve money back for goods not shipped DON'T MAKE ME CALL YOU, JUST DO IT.

Is it just me or is this not very good service? I can't yell too much because I got my $$$ back and the livestock I did get is fine.

Live and learn......

Needless to say this was my first and perhaps last time to use this dealer.

:?

Hey I think that it is absolutely great that this company is using natural peanuts instead of the chemical foam ones. But they should be upgrading their plastic bags don't you think.

 

[Anonymous]

Poor customer service, that's it in a peanut shell. I'd gripe, too.

 

[mooner]

naesco said:
"Hey I think that it is absolutely great that this company is using natural peanuts instead of the chemical foam ones. But they should be upgrading their plastic bags don't you think."

Naesco, your point is very well taken. Keep in mind that I just recieved a box of precious and expensive ocean critters floating in what is best described as gelatinous stinking Elmer's Glue.

I am all for trying to help out the environment (this includes covering my own tracks and those of others who don't care one lick about our environment. My motto is 'haul it in and haul twice as much out') and I would like to see more of this from retailers too. My points were and are the customer service issues and the packing compatibility issue.

I mean if there is going to be a viable and productive live specimen mail-order industry they must do the minimum to insure good transit and arrival conditions. Water and these peanuts don't mix. So why not use:

a) other more suitable materials

b) variable sizing boxes to eliminate the need for packing any peanuts, or

c) blow up a few extra bags of plain air and toss them in there for packing?

All of this could be accompanied with a nice letter stating the importance of our environment and to PLEASE dispose of these item properly or kindly return them for reuse as more packaging. I would be willing to pay a few bucks to return the non-biodegradables for reuse to avoid the goopy mess I had. All I want is a heads up and a choice in the matter.

If the company had spent an extra 5 minutes or so with me we could have avoided every single issue here. Ask me about packaging prefs, tell me that the the gorgonain was OOS, and tell me that FedEx was available. Problems solved. They could even quip in with "Please do what you can to help us help our environment by (insert common sense procedures here)." If that had happened I'd recommend them to everyone in the hobby because their livestock is top notch.

BTW, they did call me again last night and I now understand that the "special requests" section is just for that. They just don't want to advertise certain options as to not upset some of their clientele.

All is well and I might just use them again with clear instructions next time.

 

[Anonymous]

it sounds to me like they are doing a lot of customer service the right way. You got your money back, a follow-up call, and all your livestock came in great shape. What more do you want?

Now you know their policy, AND what kinds of questions to ask next time you order from them or anyone else.

B

 

[klingsa]

Well, they ended up responding to an existing problem in a good way, but I believe Mooner's point is that they could have given him options. Yes, he learned something, and got his money back. I think what everyone wants out of such a situation is, at the very least, ALL the animals they ordered, minus the goo! But, we're all happy that it turned out ok with what you did receive, Joel! I got a look at your new critters...still doing well this morning? B-e-autiful Bubble tip!!

Sara

 

[Anonymous]

He didn't get a follow up call, he called them. Then they decided to credit his card. If he hadn't called, the charges would have remained on the card. Plain wrong. I don't do business with people who change my order, in any way, including leaving things out. Shipping is too expensive to play games with orders. Is a phone call or email really that hard to make?

 

[klingsa]

No kidding, and with live animals at stake, it's not worth the risk unless you really trust the place. Trust no 1, as they say on the X Files!! :lol: I believe they did call him the next morning to apologize and say that they want his business. I'm sure they do. But, a good gesture all the same.

Sara

 

[buff1]

I have to say that it sounds to me like they have done pretty well. No retailer, especially one that deals in living marine creatures is going to be perfect. Also, I am one of those "environmentally concerned" customers that requested they switch to the biodegradable peanuts. I wish every mail order company in the world would switch. If one out of every 200 boxes experiences some problem, so what? The benefits of denying all those styrofoam peanuts is well worth it. It sounds to me like maybe they need to take better care in bagging, but otherwise you just got unlucky. Try and remember what a miracle it is that we can pick up the phone and have live marine fish and corals on our porch the next day.

 

[mooner]

I have to say that it sounds to me like they have done pretty well. No retailer, especially one that deals in living marine creatures is going to be perfect. Also, I am one of those "environmentally concerned" customers that requested they switch to the biodegradable peanuts. I wish every mail order company in the world would switch. If one out of every 200 boxes experiences some problem, so what? The benefits of denying all those styrofoam peanuts is well worth it. It sounds to me like maybe they need to take better care in bagging, but otherwise you just got unlucky. Try and remember what a miracle it is that we can pick up the phone and have live marine fish and corals on our porch the next day.

If you see my second reply to this thread you will see that I agree with you. I just hope they dont start packing these things with human hair, tree leaves or animal waste. I mean that stuff is biodegradable but I don't want it liquified on my order. Also, this was sent in a styrofoam box, within a cardboard box with a plastic liner, plastic shipping ledger cover, plastic bags and sent via no less than four airplanes and three trucks. Just seems silly to put the only attempt of saving the enviroment right next to my order which is a living creature.

Also seems to me that the miracle you speak of is much more of a contributer of environmental degradation than the isolated contribution from my packing peanuts. :roll:

 

[Jolieve]

I will add that this is why I am concerned about mail ordering livestock. I care about my critters, I don't want to see anyone come in dead or dying or in boxes filled with congealed goo...

Boy, sure hope my LFS can order in a pair of bellus for me... otherwise I am going to be stuck with mail ordering them. *sigh*

Thanks for sharing mooner, and I do think the company in question tried to do the right thing by you and your issues with the shipment. However, at the same time... I see your concern for the animals that were involved.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you withholding the company name because of that petSwearhouse crap that went down earlier? If so, I am sad.

Free speech > corporate profits

 

[mooner]

Hwarang,

No. Petswarehouse is not involved. Not sure what happened with them that you are referring to.

Even if you did order from this company all you'd have to do to avoid my situation would be to ask them to use the type of shipping you want and to insist they tell what is really in stock up front (before you order). I learned this post-posting as you can see in the above replies.

No worries...just ask, ask, ask and no assuming. I can assure I will from now on.

I don't want to in any way make the mailorder industry look bad. It's just a bad expierence I had that I wanted feed back on and I have that now. That's all and hence my keeping the name under cover.

 

[Anonymous]

It was a huge deal among freshwater types. There was a group of hobbyists was sued over some bad press they gave a company.

 

[mooner]

Ohhhh. IC. No. Totally unrelated. If I had known that I still would have done what I did and said what I said.

If these guys in the case you are talking about were lying it's a grey area but if you wanna see some smashing and bashing of a company/product do a search here on RDO on seaclone! Sheesh!

I can state this: A company would have to really mess up for me to single them out and try to hurt sales. This was not the case here at all. Just a bit of dissatisfaction on my part (more like learning the hard way) and that happens.

Bottom line (again) is that this company has top notch stuff and you can get the shipping and reimbursment you need but you have to ask. No biggy now that I know that. I think I will stay with them knowing what I know now.

We shall see how the next one goes.

 

[Anonymous]

My 2 cents on packing material: If it can't get wet, don't ship it with water. It don't make no cent. It don't.

Thanks for withholding the name of the company. All too often threads are started titled something like "X company sucks!". Then we come to find out that the company did no real wrong, and both parties end up happy, but the damage of seeing that title is done. Don't get me wrong, when they screw you for real name the names, but I am happy you waited to see how it all ended up.

 

[Anonymous]

However, don't blow off Hwarang's point. You really can find yourself in a world of hot water just for naming names, veracity notwithstanding.

 

[Anonymous]

However, don't blow off Hwarang's point.

<indignant> I would never!</indignant>

You really can find yourself in a world of hot water just for naming names, veracity notwithstanding.

Yes, do be careful. I got a nasty lawyer letter threatining a lawsuit because I claimed somthing to be 'theft and uncool' rather than 'In my opinion, it is theft and uncool'.

I encourage people to name names, but to be careful. We have to stop the people like Novak.

 

[mooner]

<armchair lawyer disclaimer>

Yes. In this nasty world of rampant litigation I would prefer to just alter my own purchases and just let it go at that for the most part. However, if you keep it civil, tell the truth and are willing to stand up for what you have said you can't go wrong by reporting your findngs of poor service.

I mean there is a clear difference between saying "These sorry &^%^&$$ did this on purpose! Never use their services! Spread the word!"

vs.

"This is what happened and I will no longer shop at this place for the before mentioned reasons unless their services improve."

We can stand up for our rights as fellow aquarists yet still be civil about it. I believe that a substandard retailer will take themselves down and won't need a lot of help from me.

FWIW, this dealer was not in the catagory of "&^%^&$$" :lol:

 

[mooner]

This retailer is just unprofessional. Sorry, but they just don't have squat to retain my business. After learning to use the "Special Comments" section from the last incident I still got burned.

I had washed my hands of the previous experience and gave them another chance at my business and ordered again...this time dry goods only and almost $600 worth. Most of which was lighting and they have a special that boasts free shipping with an order over a certain amount and I was WAY over that amount.

So I place my order early in the AM and followed the online instructions. They call me later that night to tell me that one of the items is manufactured by another company so they have to order it from them, wait to get it in, then ship to me which will severly delay my entire order. Not thrilled but I can deal with that. A note on their web page would be nice so as to let the consumer make up their mind with all details in order but hey, it's not the end of the world.

Now the clincher: He tells me I have to heave in another 15$ for shipping because some of my items are "long" and their shipper charges them extra. Now come on, man. Free shipping over $X , I buy 3 times that amount and now I am hit up for a shipping charge? PASS==>cancelled the entire order.

BTW, the story does end on a high note...he mentioned to me who they ordered this special item from (Hamilton). I then got online and bought the exact same stuff from them direct with a MUCH better bulb selection to boot for way less. Wish I knew in advance Hamilton had an online shop.

Between the nuclear peanuts, the non-disclosed missing coral, the delay in shipping, and the not free "free shipping" I ain't gonna go there no-mo.

Moral of the story if you are still reading: learn from me and go RIGHT to Hamilton for lights if that's the brand you are buying elsewhere. I wish I could disclose the dealer but since they are no longer in my vocabulary I'll pass.