buying fish online

Well, I suppose you don't have to then. I have never had a single, bad experience buying from JP and unless you have had a bad experience with him in the past, I see no reason for the bashing.

 

Thanks for all of the good options.
I've found a great LFS in my area that is small and does nothing but Koi and Saltwater fish. They have a great quarantine process so I think I will do a lot of my buying through them since I don't have a q-tank right now. They are a little more $$$ than the websites but by the time you pay shipping for the on-line sites it isn't worth it (unless you are buying a large amount of fish at once).
We'll see how it goes...........

 

Thank you very much for your feedback Salty Marine, I really do appreciate it. It allows me to take a step back and look at how things are and see if I need to make any changes. I have to say though i disagree with some of your points.

First, the guarantees and shipping info on display. I don't understand what you're saying. They are prominently displayed on every single page in the site except the window that pops up for a larger picture when you click on a product. They are also label "Guarantee" and "Shipping and Returns". There's also a bunch of other information links posted above and below those two. If you think these are not easy enough to get to, would you mind PMing, or AIM for a more direct conversation, telling me how you think things could be better?

In the meantime I think I fare pretty well considering I have been doing this full time for just shy of 6 years now all by myself while also being a fulltime firefighter. Every single aspect from web tech to animal husbandry is on me every single day. I'm not embarassed to say I am pretty proud of my efforts if I must say so myself.

Your comments about invoicing and credit card disputes. You're certainly welcome to dispute any credit card charge you like and if you've done it I'm sure you know by now that the vendor will also get a chance to respond and the decision is left to the bank. I can assure you if I were doing something illegal my merchant account would have been closed long ago. While you see a chance to do something dishonest and screw a vendor out of hard earned money for no other reason than the opportunity is just sitting there, I gotta say I like to think that most people in this world aren't that malicious. I also can't relly see why anyone would complain to their bank that the charge against their credit card was LOWER than the amount quoted on a confirmation page! LOL, kinda seems silly someone would be complaining that they wanted to pay more. But...what do I know. All customers are emailed a detailed invoice showing everything they need to know once their order ships.

Dead fish. I don't know where to go with that one. While dead fish go easy on the food budget, I try not to stock them as a rule.

Thanks again though for the feedback. How else can a vendor know what needs to be done without some objective and constructive criticism from others? Please PM or AIM me so I can hear more of your ideas.

Hi powedertang05. I can't say that I know who you are. I do have dozens of customers from the Oregon area. I certainly do hope before you made such a damaging statement against me you have at the very least ordered from me and had some first hand experience. While I am not looking for trouble, you could get yourself in something serious had you not.

I have to wonder though what your measure of a great place is since you mentioned saltwaterfish.com. Allow me to compare for a moment, since I am just a "bad place". Correct me if I am wrong, but saltwater fish doesn't even have a phone number where you can reach them should you have a question. I'm looking around there and I can't find a phone number, fax number, AIM handle, absolutely nothing. I do see an email address, but then I see hours posted about when emails will be addressed. You have no idea how many potential customers I chat with into the wee hours of the morning. Still on my screen last night is a conversation with one customer which last thing was spoekn at 11:33pm and another from a customer of mine from probably 4 years ago which ended at 2:47am. You can call, email, fax, IM me anytime of the day (please be responsible with your phone calls, I do have a family), and if I am available I will get to you right away. If I am not I will get to you as soon as possible.

Now, does saltwaterfish even have positive control over the livestock they are offering on their site? Do you know whether or not they are simply taking your order, processing you card and then sending it to a jobber who goes searching all the wholesalers for whatever they need to fill your order? Drop shipping fish....this is your measure of a great place? I don't really see how that could be.

You could call me up and I can go stand in front of any fish or coral I still have and describe it to you in detail. Can saltwaterfish go searching through their emerald crabs to find if they have a red one that you want? I could. Can saltwaterfish make a video of a known finicky fish eating prepared foods before you make your purchase to put your mind at ease? I can, and I have done it on several occassions. Can saltwaterfish take a several pictures from different angles of the livestock you're interested in? I don't see that happening, but again, something very common I do for people when they ask for it.

Isn't this the same place that bans you from their discussion board if you have a problem with your order and voice your disdain? I'm pretty sure it is. They don't offer a means for people to communicate to their satisfaction, especially when a problem arises so they are forced to go to the discussion board to try and get a resolution and then bam...banned. Can you find one bad post about them on their board?

If I legitimately did wrong by you, then by all means, go ahead and bash me. The only thing I ask, which I do of everyone who tries using forums to gain leverage, is be honest about it. What could I possibly complain about if you did that? You're well within your rights to do so.

Free shipping but pay a surcharge? Shoot, if that's such a great place and I am such a bad one, I should take a lesson from them. Lord knows I could use a surcharge and stop taking such a hit on shipping.

I could go on an on about that place but there's really no sense, I have other things that need my attention right now. Powdertang05 I do ask again though, if you've never dealt with me personally please do not go on making such inflammatory statements about me! If anything it's just unfair.

Looking forward to hearing from you Salty Marine.
Thanks
JP

 

Jeeze where's my head. Hijacked the poor dudes thread and I forgot to even address him like I wanted. VTrules, it's good that you found an LFS to shop at. Sometimes people get stuck on price and don't realize that yeah, the fish or coral may cost more at the local store, but with that added cost (usually) comes added service. You can see the item yourself, make a better decision if you want that particular item, walk out with it and have it tanked within hours (much less stress on both customer and livestock) etc etc.

I will always recommend that people try their LFS first before resorting to buying sight unseen online. The extra cost is often times worth it.

Congrats.
JP

 

OK, first let me say thank you for handling my criticism with tact and openmindedness. That is a good measure of someone's character and instills confidence. I wasn't meaning to cast doubt on your reliability, integrity or products. That is something I would never do without having a bad experience that I felt I gave ample opportunites for a vendor to resolve. My comments were ment to inspire you to create a website with a better first impression and to limit your vunerability on the internet.

As someone new to the scene I have spent a lot of time browsing different sites and applying what I know about internet commerce to their websites to form opinions about who I would be the most likely to chance first purchases from. While most of my purchases come from recommendations, that is not always feasible when exploring new interests with the limited networking among enthusiasts that I have done so far.

It has been my experience that people are more likely to make purchases from websites which prominently display shipping and return policies. You are correct in stating that you make those available on every page but I think they should be more prominently marketed. If you will look at the larger sites they do several things well. They create brand identity through site uniformity. They ease consumer resistance to purchasing now with generous return policys and fair shipping charges. And they appear to be professional because they offer expert advise about topics and methods, which encourages customers to buy from someone who knows what they are talking about.

When I make my first livestock purchases they will be from someone who eases my apprehension about "will it be healthy", do they take pride in their offerings, do they offer the right shipping, and can I trust them to not take my money and give me crap that is doomed to die. Once I am comfortable making purchases for more common stock then I will seek to purchase the ones that are harder to find and be willing to pay a premium because I can trust the website to deliver my expectations.

Im not going to get into the reasons for why everything should be invoiced clearly and completely before placing the order because I dont wish to encourage others to take advantage and I really have given you enough free information and insight. After all, internet commerce is how I make my living.

Again for anyone who read my previous remarks about justphish.com I have no grounds to judge their service or products and was only commenting on the current website layout. As a matter of fact, due to the mature response they posted here I am actually a little closer to considering a purchase from them.

Salty

 

No problem, I wouldn't someone who had nothing to do with me or my service attack me or cast my business in a bad light so why would I do that to someone else? Looks like it was a little too late for that though huh? ;D

That's not how your first post read at all. You stopped just shy of saying word for word that I am nothing but dirty tanks and dead fish, but you did equate my business to such things.

Well here's how I feel about that. My first priority in this business is to the animals I keep. If my business was selling software, computer tech support, or anything computer related for that matter than I could see trying to get my site up to par with what you know about commerce. For the purpose my site serves I personally think it does just fine. It provides all the information anyone would need to know in a clear and easy to read and get to manner. It displays what I have and some basic information on it and it gathers information about customers placing an order. As it stands now I average 2200 hits a day and I really can't complain. It's nice that the good doctors have such an awesome website with all the flair and panache, but then again, they should. They have the staff who have no other responsibility but to make it like it is. Perhaps one day when I have the time or the staff, I can aim for such high standards, but in the meantime I am a one man show and I have to giddy up accordingly. Since it hasn't failed me yet, I don't have much motivation to change things. Besides, I offer many things they can't so I suppose it all works out in the end. ;D

I see what you're saying, but there's also a point I don't want to reach of overload. Too gaudy, too flashy, not something I'm looking for. I'm sure there's ways to make it better, not doubting that at all. But like I said, these larger sites have people just for that. I am me and I have to divide my time to things that matter most. By all means, if you're offering to provide me with all the website building I need to get my site up to "what you know about ecommerce" for free then have it! I'm certainly game! ;D

Well there you go, now you're proving my point. Will it be healthy? Do they take pride in their offerings? You're more comfortable ordering from a site where they have no idea if what you want is healthy. Where they can't have any pride in what they're offering cause they've never even seen it before. And why are you ordering? Cause the site looks good. I could have the best looking site on the internet. That doesn't mean I give a damn about what I am selling or that I am not a common thief. You send emails, make phone calls, ask questions, things like that are how you determine if something is going to be healthy or a place is proud of their offerings. Not just site design alone. But anyways, my site may not be perfect but I have everything you claim to be looking for in a business...I still think my site is just fine though and I'm still proud of my efforts.

LOL, you're making it sound like I'm supposed to be paying you for your criticism or should be happy your giving it without charge. ;D

I appreciate this statement, however like I said, your first post reads very poorly. You've never dealt with me and said my site give you the feeling I have dirty tanks and dead fish. Very unfair thing to say about a place you have absolutely no idea about and hardly could be considered "inspriring" or constructive by any stretch of the words. ;D

Beautiful day out there...time to try and enjoy some of it!
JP

 

wow, having never visited the justphish website I will now not only visit it, but I will try and use it for purchases. The reason being that I have appreciate his candor,honesty and his professionalism in his reply to saltywaters. From a consumer point of view, I am more concerned with quality of product than the esthetics of the website. I no more correlate the visual aspect of a website with the quality of the livestock. In fact it means nothing. Anyone can post nice pics and flashy screens but how does this relate to the the end product? I will now go to the justphish site and see if there is something there that appeals to my overall tank plan!

 

ok wow justphish time to take a breath I myself have done web design I looked at it and their was very little selection I’m not saying you have bad customer service im saying that the site is what pulls people in and the site was very hard to use and to just look around I love my fish to death, heck I have bought fish that have cost twice as much then what I could get from the online because the fish was extremely healthy and very colorful from my lfs but I got tired of being screwed over by the money so I shopped online at live aquaria got a bad set of fish that I then had to qt for 3 weeks I think its just a waste to buy a fish and have to qt it and spend more money on it then if I just pay it up front and get a good one at the beginning, now I then tried saltwaterfish.com huge selection fast service and always healthy fish they maybe smaller but they are always healthy now I have NOT purchased from you I was basing it on that I would not buy fish from you if I was looking strictly at your website now that I see you want your customers to always be happy and have great fish I will look into buying a fish from you BUT the selection is what is killing me and my ideas of what my tanks will look like. NO I have purchased from Upscale in Oregon had fish day after I got them get fungi and die they are expensive and said they QT they don’t so I no longer shop their now if your shop QT’s your fish before you even sell them I will buy from you, if you have a blue tang small like 1-2” good health ok shipping rates you have a deal!!! Now I know that it’s a tang and they get ich no big deal and stress will get sick from that will you put it in a black bag please and also any type of guarantee?

 

also i will say this as i said before the website is what draws the customers in and when its hard to use and navigate well not for me but for your customers its bad for business now im not saying your site is "crap" im saying you need to make it user friendly as possible in order to keep your business alive this is your only choice if you need help ask i will help you. Now as for my comments i was refering to the website im not saying you didnt work hard on your site or the navigation of the site but i do have to say im sorry for judging you the way i did i do feel bad and im willing to give you a TRY now i will be ordering shortly, now i also want to make sure you understand what im stressing ive worked in programming for 10 yrs for high school and my job if it not easy its gone and you loose your job so you loose the new and future customers. now im not saying fix it now and drop everything just look into it. Now take to look i have a customer go to this site and see its layout hard to use and no natural colors OK im stopping just good luck and forget what i said!

 

I think it's very easy for you to criticize and tell me how bad my site is, how terrible it is to navigate, etc etc without offering one bit of commentary on exactly why that is. I've put out the offer to PM or AIM me and to date no one has taken me up on it.

Honestly, i really fail to see how the site is that difficult to navigate. You're a computer programmer with 10 years experience and you find it difficult to get around my site? Everything is laid out on every page right along the left hand side. No scrolling down to see it, nothing. Yet you can't manage to get around? Pardon me if I call shenanigans ;D

It seems selection is a point that is being brought up again. I've already touched upon that but perhaps you missed it so I'll give it another shot. I must say while I am disappointed I am not surprised that people will sacrifice health of an animal for price and selection. It's such a shame. Of course they have selection. I would too if I was just a PO Box and a few employees walking fish row out in LA pulling orders as they come in. But I'm not, I have to place my orders just like you and then take care of my livestock with perhaps an even greater sense of urgency since my family depends on them for food on the table.

Actually having possession of the particular animals and having someone with first hand knowledge on every piece of livestock on hand is not worth more than selection? Whatever. It doesn't really matter to me because like I tell everyone else, you work hard for your money so you can spend it wherever you like. My biggest complaint thus far is your first post.

You made absolutely no effort to explain, you made no mention you only meant in terms of website design...I could go on and on. I think you and I both know had I not called you on it publicly you would never have bothered to explain and simply would have carried on without regard to the damage you've done to my business...one you've admittedly never had the slightest amount to do with.

Also, while I appreciate the help (if you can call it that, like I said your problem was not with the casting of stones, it was only with offering true constructive criticism) please forgive me if I am a little hesitant to take it to heart. After all, you're a computer programmer with apparently vast knowledge of how things are supposed to look on the internet but you've got two posts, one lengthy, with barely any punctuation anywhere. ;D