What's been your SWF experience?

[darkknight]

Trying to get a feel for other experiences here purchasing fish. Made my first purchase a few weeks back, and with the exception of not being able to speak to a person about my order, fish arrived and was very impressed. Placed an order the following week after receiving notification that a fish I had on my wish list had arrived. Placed order for fish, and added another in order to meet minimum requirements ( only wanted specimen on my wish list) Placed this order early morning of 5-31-06. following week after checking on order status after seeing it in "pending" since order date, was informed this week that one specimen (one which was added to meet min) was not available.... so asked them to replace it with another. After a day goes by I get notice again that other specimen was not available. Yesterday I checked the site, and not only was the replacement item no longer available, but....now also was the case of the primary specimen that I wanted. Have any of you had similar issues, and if so how did you contact them or resolve the matter. I'm at the point that I just want to cancel my order, please tell me how you have delt with issues such as this.
Thanks
DK

 

[flpriest]

Hi Darkknight

I have ordered a few times now from SWF.com in the past couple of months. As you said, the fish/inverts/corals came nicely packaged and beautiful active specimines. I haven't had the trouble that you are speaking of with my orders, in fact I have only had one thing die. It was a horseshoe crab from my last order last week. But in all fainess, I didn't acclimate him like they told me to.

I put him in 2 days ago, and he died yesterday...

Unless, maybe, he has molted.

I'll have to wait and see about that. But any way, as for now, I can't see myself purchasing anything from a LFS again. OK, LR and such, but as far as fish. SWF is my new store!

I sound like a damn poster child for the site, :notsure: but I like what's happened so far. :cheer:
Good luck to you with your situation, and I can understand what you say about not being able to "talk" to a rep from the site. Again, Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[darkknight]

Thanks for the reply and the feedback!! I had purchased from another site in the past...LA, but was always dissapointed in what arrived verses what I orders ( must have different measuring system there). I was so pleased with the quality and size of the specimens I ordered that I placed the 2nd for the item that I had on my wish list. I ordered it after I received notification that it was in stock.
What has been most dissapointing/frustrating is the delay in email response.
And also in notifications on the isssues of livestock availability.
Would be very happy just ton know what's going on, and in a timely manner, as it was a week ago (5-31-06) when the order was placed and my CC charged.

 

[mikeyjer]

I ordered fish on here just once, what a great place to order fish from. Great specimen and good packing! Mine was on the wish list and I placed the order ASAP and sure enough it was off the list the very next day after I placed my order. I haven't had the problem your experiencing, but I have e-mailed them on the quality of my order and they've responded ASAP. E-mail them and tell them about your problem. There should be a number of the store on your credit card statement, they have to put in their number inorder to process your order. If you don't have the statement available, just call your credit card company, they'll have the number available. Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[newbfishkeeper]

The more I read the more it sounds like SWF is less willing to satisfy a customers needs if he or she has a problem..AKA Email Response time.
(Good Comment= Fast return /Bad Comment= Slow return

 

[extremepcs]

Originally Posted by NewbFishKeeper
The more I read the more it sounds like SWF is less willing to satisfy a customers needs if he or she has a problem..AKA Email Response time.
(Good Comment= Fast return /Bad Comment= Slow return
They may have several people that are allowed to handle good comments. Maybe only 1 or 2 manager types that the bad comments get forwarded to. I've been in that situation before. Sometimes claims need to be investigated, etc...
Now if you want to deal with a useless customer service staff, try ordering an RO/DI unit from SpectraPure. I have submitted my order 3 times, once via web, twice via phone to a live person and they still "can't find my order". I'm going with the AirWaterIce brand people seem to like here.

 

[scsinet]

I've placed at least 15 orders from this site and have had problems from time to time. I'd say that 2 out of every 3 orders have no problems. That 1 in 3 that do are varied in nature. Sometimes something dies, twice I had a fish rupture his bag (but both survived in the little bit of water that remained). I have never once had anything arrive dead.
Every single time though when it has had anything to do with something they did or something that happened in shipping, they have resolved the issue to my complete satisfaction.
Saltwaterfish.com is a price-point driven store. You pay less, and save on shipping, to get quality animals. BUT, if you are looking for a vendor that has knock down customer service responsiveness, you've come to the wrong place. IMO, that's not a bad thing, because if you understand that in exchange for that lack of customer service, you get lower prices, and you accept that, then your priorities are in the right place for ordering from here.
Long story short.. whenever you deal with and ship live animals, there are always going to be problems. SWF.com keeps their overhead lower by not having a phone number and having less than perfect response time. You will usually find though, that they always do respond eventually, and if your expectations are reasonable, they will always make it right. They do however, expect that you have done your research, and that you know what you are doing. :thinking: