AquaSD - Bad Experience

[Rainblood]

I'm torn because I really feel that getting the short end of the stick here but their customer service rep was so nice about it...I'm going to post a timeline of events and please let me know if I am out of line. Vendors shouldn't be able to ship out damaged/dying corals and just say "sorry there's nothing we can do"

Apr 24: Purchased an electric banana torch and an octospawn
May 1: Received a call advising that the torch was dropped and killed at their facility while being packed for shipping. They offered a store credit only.
May 4: In lieu of the credit we agreed to wait on a replacement as they would be getting more electric banana torches in in the next few weeks. Asked them to hold the octospawn and ship with the replacement torch
May 6: Purchased a zoa frag and asked them to hold and ship with the replacement torch
Jun 8: Was advised replacement torch was acclimated and ready to ship on Jun 12
Jun 13: Received a torch with peeling flesh and a barnacle in the mouth. Also received the wrong zoa frag. Notified them immediately with videos & photos. Additionally they sent a freebie coral with a large aptasia on it which...why?
Jun 14: Torch obviously melted.

They offered to replace the zoa but not the torch even though it arrived with peeling flesh not to mention the obvious barnacle in the mouth. The torch never opened at all not that I expected it to based on the condition it arrived in.

The first video is of it in the unopened bag. The second is prior to placing it in the tank.






First pic is when it was first placed in the tank. Second pic was this morning. Last pic was 5 minutes ago.

 

[HiImSean]

@AquaSD

 

[TeamAquaSD]

Hey there. Sorry again for the mistake on my end. You certainly are owed that replacement torch and I am sure we are going to work out some nice replacement items for the issue pieces sent out to you.

 

[dball711]

This is the experience I have had when bringing any issue to ASD, they have always been a stand up player.

 

[Rainblood]

As a follow up - Kaleb just sent these pics of the replacement torch that ASD will be sending. I will post final pics once received.

A great thanks to everyone involved for helping!

 

[dio]

Kaleb from AQUASD has excellent customer service.

 

[Rainblood]

As a follow up ASD sent a replacement torch in very much the same condition as the first - the flesh band was broken in 2 places in the shipping bag. In fairness to Kaleb - he is out of the office until tomorrow and hasn’t had a chance to respond yet.

 

[Rainblood]

My main concern is that I don’t believe that this is the same torch that he sent me photos of. In fact I’m almost 100% sure it isn’t.

1. The skeleton is different - his is cylindrical and mine tapers down and is wider with a valley
2. His is a circular head and mine is splitting (figure 8)
3. His frag base is hanging off the plug and mine sits plumb

I’m very frustrated at this point and again he hasn’t been n the office to respond yet so we’ll see what happens.

Here are the photos he sent me:

And here is the torch I received out of the bag



Here is a close up of the base in his photos hanging over the plug

Please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions. I hate to be “that guy” but I’m not made of money either. I just don’t know what the correct course of action is in this situation.

 

[Rainblood]

The torch is also didn’t make it through the night. First photo is of it just placed in the tank yesterday afternoon. Second is this morning.

 

[Heathd]

I edited one of the images you posted, where it looks like (to me) that the head was splitting when ASD sent you pics. Its OBE now though, since the coral didnt make it. Sorry about the luck.

 

[Kasrift]

The torch is also didn’t make it through the night. First photo is of it just placed in the tank yesterday afternoon. Second is this morning.

Just out of curiosity, have you had other torches? I've limited experience with torches shipped (only 1 and two bought locally), but when I watch other people unbox torches, that is just what they look like. Here is a video from Fragbox unboxing a shipment and at 16:40 secs in, you'll see the torch he takes out of the shipping bag is drawn in as well.

 

[Rainblood]

ASD has confirmed that it was a different torch than the photos. Its not the retracted head that was the issue - its that the flesh band that is broken and peeling in the shipping bag. I do have plenty of torches of all grades from doo doo green to bright HGs. IME if the torch arrives with a receded flesh band - it still has a chance at survival however if the band is broken in multiple spots - it normally has a 0 chance. At least for me. Kaleb has been very accommodating and we are working on a final resolution and will update once resolved

 

[Kasrift]

ASD has confirmed that it was a different torch than the photos. Its not the retracted head that was the issue - its that the flesh band that is broken and peeling in the shipping bag. I do have plenty of torches of all grades from doo doo green to bright HGs. IME if the torch arrives with a receded flesh band - it still has a chance at survival however if the band is broken in multiple spots - it normally has a 0 chance. At least for me. Kaleb has been very accommodating and we are working on a final resolution and will update once resolved

Yeah, he is great to work with!

 

[Rainblood]

Yeah, he is great to work with!

Agreed. I can't say enough nice things about him

 

[Rainblood]

This will be the final update. Kaleb has been very kind throughout the process. The final attempt to resolve the issue turned out much like the previous attempts. This one actually arrived in the worst shape of them all unfortunately - bits of skeleton and polyps were littered in the shipping bag.
I also ordered a bunch of other corals including a hammer which arrived safely.
I’m just going to put this banana torch in the loss column and move on. For whatever reason it just doesn’t appear to ship well at all.

ASD has gone above and beyond to try to correct the issue. Kudos to Kaleb for his extra efforts.