Recent Vendor Experiences thread?! Good or Bad! Anyone?!

[NickCage007]

There are lots of older threads, but sometimes places change, employees maybe, shipping department folks, things like that. Maybe policies changed.. lets talk experiences with online vendors, and lets hear how folks are operating these days!
Value, packaging, shipping, pests, feel free to chime in on anything related!

 

[NickCage007]

Ill start with Harrys. Ive had nothing but great experiences with them. Wholesale side for the shop, and retail side as a customer when i saw a few torches priced right, even if they were wholesale, and snagged them. All even better than the pictures. Shipped great. Great communication, and shipped when it was supposed to. Healthy as can be. Bright, big frags. Great experience.

I recently tried another vendor, first time i ordered a purple torch with orange tips, and was sent a green torch with pink tips... Ok, wasnt expensive, "maybe its my lights" i was told. (My tanks been on wwc channel, my corals look exactly the same in my photos, and in person, but, ok sure) Then tried a 2nd torch a few weeks later. Sept 20th i ordered it. 3 days ago, i asked for my money back... They blamed the storm, ok, but... no communication. None on their part. Each week i have to message again to ask why it didnt arrive on the day they said it would, the previous week.. and when i asked for a refund due to no communication, it was somehow my fault the vendor didnt have time to update me, he was too busy posting auctions and more frags for sale.. like, a dozen fresh posts in between, but didnt have time to send a message and say "still not shipping", anything ... Its been almost 3 weeks, I still dont have my money back, if i dont by midnite ill air them out with photos and all. Crazy experience for sure.

 

[KrisReef]

I had a vendor call me about the phytoplankton I added to the order. It was not available and so they wanted to delay the delivery for a day. It all arrived today and the transaction was great. Turned out that today was a better day than Thursday for me.

Otherwise, I’m mostly avoiding the on line stuff because I like the way in person sales happen. I see, I buy and bring it home. If the store pictures were deceptive online then my own personal experience can help protect me from being misled, if I am paying attention.

There are a lot of variables in online shopping for 1of a kind items.