What's up with the Prices

ben hoe

New Member
I have purchased several times from SWF.COM and have been very happy as the prices and quality have been good up to now. The prices are now higher than my local fish store which purchases through a middle man (a wholesaler in California). I know it is up to me to chose where to buy from, but it is very disappointing to see such high prices. Fuel prices have also been comming down and I know that demand is way down. Can someone explain what is going on? Thanks.
 

mboswell1982

Active Member
fuel prices may be going down, but freight charges and fuel surcharges are not going down one drop, so thats whats up lol
 

mantisman51

Active Member
I bought my last bunch of fish and inverts from a different online company (close neighbor to SWF). I paid about $10 more in shipping than SWF charges, but I got the livestock for alot less. I'm not sure why SWF has gone up. I hated to use anybody else, but the price difference was HUGE. My one disappointment was that 10 out of 20 astrea snails died. The upside was that the 20 cost the same as 5 here. I know I can't (and wouldn't) post a competitor here, but I am just sharing that I have been wondering the same thing.
 

legion

Member
feel the same way. I have been waiting, hoping they will go down, I am reluctant to use someone else...
 

kube

Member
i use to think buying online was the way to go, have made mutiple purchase from this site, but in the last few months when i look on here the price are more than my LFS who has good quality stock also, and on top of that the shippings fees are so high. gone are the days of free shipping for a $75 dollar order and a ten processing fee or something like that, its been so long i cant even remember
 

nycbob

Active Member
i too have realized every item at swf.com has gone up about $1-5 each. if one does the math, the overall prices including shipping is very comparable to other online sites. if swf.com prices go back down a bit in the future, i will probably buy more often.
 

sea n life

Member
i wondered the same thing i also wondered how everybody likes the auction deal instead of the classifieds as for me i liked the classifieds
 

lion_crazz

Active Member
I don't know - the prices seem right to me. I compared some to the prices I could remember from one of my cheaper local stores.
SWF.com is $5 cheaper on flame angels, the same on Imperator's and Koran's, way cheaper on basslets, cheaper on batfish, cheaper or the same on blennies, the same on butterflies, more expensive on cardinals (but much cheaper on aquacultured banggai's!), more expensive on damsels, cheaper on dottybacks, cheaper on hawks, much cheaper on lions, cheaper on puffers, more expensive on seahorses, and cheaper on tangs.
Plus, they are cheaper on almost all corals (with the exception of ORA).
Seems like SWF has the definite advantage to me. Plus, their weekly specials are almost always unbeatable.
 

mantisman51

Active Member
All I know is on an order of $259 from a competitor, I first put the same order in SWF and it came to $362. That included shipping for both. There were several other web sites that were about the same as SWF or higher. But, I found 3 other places (and checked with online BBB) that were substantially less. The place I ended up buying from is about 30 miles from SWF location. And I thought it was cool they sent a phone number to call and ask questions from a real nice young woman. Like I said, I didn't want to buy anywhere else, I have bought 3 shipments in a row from here. This time the $100+ was jsut too big a difference. I am not wealthy, by any means.
 

ibew

Active Member
most of the rarer wrasses such as mysterys and Hawaiian flame wrasses are way more than I seen on 2 different online sites the female HFW was 129.00 and the super male was 199.99 I also seen mated pairs many of times for 279.00 I will name the site if you want 2 question me and yes shipping rates are still ridiculous I think it may be cheaper these days to find a LFS you trust and buy there!
 

keri

Active Member
Mystery wrasses here at my LFS (canada, mind you) $214.00 SWF.com $167.99
Pity I can't order from the states.
 

mboswell1982

Active Member
the thing is, a lot of the fish you see on here, unless its a really really well stocked LFS, u wont find at an LFS, i plan on doin most of my ordering from here if i can, prices higher or not, simply cause of all the help ive gotten on here.
hey keri, once i get my tank set up, u can order from swf, ship it to me, then come pick it up :p
 
N

nereef

Guest
i found this statement on the left here at swf...
Saltwaterfish.com guarantees that you will not find a better price on your entire order during the 15 day guarantee period. If, after placing your order, you find a lower overall price (the same livestock and size, adding all shipping and handling charges) on any competing site during the 15 day period, simply email or fax a record of the charges from that site to us and we will put 110% of the difference into your account as credit for a future order. Please note, this guarantee does not apply to individual items. It is based on the complete order from a single retailer. We are confident that when you compare everything that goes into an order, we are not only the best place for great quality livestock, we are also the best value for all your livestock needs.
seems like they are very competitive to me.
 

ben hoe

New Member
Who wants to go through that trouble of ordering with a competitor copying the invoice, emailing to SWF with a message saying "beat this". When comparing an internet seller vs. the local pet store you would think prices would be a whole lot better. The LFS has to have a store front, purchases through a middle man, pays for shipping and marks up the cost 3X's (to cover shipping, overhead and a profit). If SWF.com imports directly then there would be no middle man and SWF does not have a store front and we pay for shipping. Even after paying sales tax my LFS is a better deal. Not complaining, just wondering what happened to the pricing. It used to be so much better than the LFS?
 

saltwaterfish.com

Administrator
Staff member
Interesting Thread.
We take a lot of pride in beating everyone's prices. We always seek to beat the reputable online retailers and should always be better than a LFS (except for low dollar orders perhaps because of the shipping).
Things were a little crazy for everyone this summer with the price of jet fuel and shipping surcharges (that are still largely in place)... but we've been taking prices down over the past few weeks and recently took the fuel surcharge down $5.00. We price shop our competitors like everyone does and we believe we offer a better value proposition almost always.
If anyone is interested, we have videos on the home page that talk about shipping charges and our commitments to quality and value.
If someone see's a particular category, or animal, is out of whack from a pricing perspective, please pm me. I'll make sure we look at it immediately. We really want to be "the" choice for high quality livestock at value prices...
Thanks for the input.
Scott
 

meowzer

Moderator
I tried another online source ONCE....that is all it took for me to realize there is no comparison to the quality that I have received from SWF...Believe me...cost is very important to me also since I am not a Rockerfeller either...LOL...BUT I must say if I am spending all this money on fish...the quality and the size of items matters most....
Another thing...most other online places do NOT guarantee their fish to survive..
 

jshepherd

Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/2857156
I tried another online source ONCE....that is all it took for me to realize there is no comparison to the quality that I have received from SWF...Believe me...cost is very important to me also since I am not a Rockerfeller either...LOL...BUT I must say if I am spending all this money on fish...the quality and the size of items matters most....
Another thing...most other online places do NOT guarantee their fish to survive..
I agree. I have tried other places but when you find a place that makes you feel good about your purchase and goes above and beyond then stay with them. I never expected my 2 free emeralds etc and when I had a death they were very quick to give credit. I now have a 3rd order pending and will always buy from here.
 

sharkbait9

Active Member
Originally Posted by lion_crazz
http:///forum/post/2856388
Plus, they are cheaper on almost all corals (with the exception of ORA).
Ora is like the designer cloths, LOOK AT ME, I HAVE ORA FRAGS AND CLOWNS. Katrina should have washed them out to sea or at least finished them off. I would not have cared less. A 1 inch designer named coral for 80 bucks that they did nothing with. Its not like they are playing with DNA links. They take clowns and mix them and see what they get, woopdie doo. But for some reason demand high prices for ORA clowns.
Originally Posted by NEreef

http:///forum/post/2856667
i found this statement on the left here at swf...
Saltwaterfish.com guarantees that you will not find a better price on your entire order during the 15 day guarantee period. If, after placing your order, you find a lower overall price (the same livestock and size, adding all shipping and handling charges) on any competing site during the 15 day period, simply email or fax a record of the charges from that site to us and we will put 110% of the difference into your account as credit for a future order. Please note, this guarantee does not apply to individual items. It is based on the complete order from a single retailer. We are confident that when you compare everything that goes into an order, we are not only the best place for great quality livestock, we are also the best value for all your livestock needs.
Anyone can polish a turd to shine, and no mater how good it shines, a turd is a turd.
I purchase from who ever offers the best price, guarantee and healthy stock.
Shipping plays a big role in the overall cost of the purchase. I do not always factor that cost into my purchase if I know that if something perishes in route to me and I know I make a phone call and its replaced without having to wait to make another purchase that’s huge in my book. A company mails a box of “X” and it dies before it arrives it not my problem, it’s the companies. The whole credit gimmick makes me sick, that’s like holding your replacement hostage until you buy more. That’s like saying “You want the replacement spend more money and well send it along with the other stuff you bought ” no the “X” died replace it. If you won’t, don’t get bent when people lambaste you for your sub par policies.
That’s why I love my amex card, purchase came dead they won’t hold up the guarantee arrive alive until I make another purchase, Amex handles the rest.
I can’t suckle of the proverbial teat of anyone company and sing the praise of any company that does their job and sends my package alive. If you stink then reap the rewards of being terrible and read about your inept company on the internet, do a good job and again, read about it on the internet.
Want to be the best ? Then do it. Don’t talk about it, be about it.
I’m done.
Besides my heartfelt spout about ORA these comments are not a reflection on anyone company.
 
N

nereef

Guest
Originally Posted by sharkbait9
http:///forum/post/2858475
A company mails a box of “X” and it dies before it arrives it not my problem, it’s the companies. The whole credit gimmick makes me sick, that’s like holding your replacement hostage until you buy more. That’s like saying “You want the replacement spend more money and well send it along with the other stuff you bought ” no the “X” died replace it. If you won’t, don’t get bent when people lambaste you for your sub par policies.
That’s why I love my amex card, purchase came dead they won’t hold up the guarantee arrive alive until I make another purchase, Amex handles the rest.
this is why swf gives money back for doas, instead of the credit. they just put the money back on your card for dead items.
 

matt b

Active Member
Originally Posted by BEN HOE
http:///forum/post/2856180
I have purchased several times from SWF.COM and have been very happy as the prices and quality have been good up to now. The prices are now higher than my local fish store which purchases through a middle man (a wholesaler in California). I know it is up to me to chose where to buy from, but it is very disappointing to see such high prices. Fuel prices have also been comming down and I know that demand is way down. Can someone explain what is going on? Thanks.
Every fish store gets their livestock from a whole saler in cali. There is hardly anywhere else to get stuff
 
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