Is it worth doing business with LA?

[hey_hey_heeyyyyyy!]

I've been conflicted with Live Aquaria over the past few months. On the good side, most of my stuff has arrived in good shape. In fact, I have some bubble coral from them that is just amazing. One entire order spent a weekend at FedEx and they still made me photograph 50 snails to get a refund... so, basically shells. My last order, a pistol shrimp that arrived was a gigantic green tank, not the little red guy pictured. My bad, I should have read the fine print. Other little issues... a sickly mandarin etc that I chalked up to shipping.

Late last night, I ordered some fish. This morning, some crabs and shrimp I'd been wanting came into stock. I started a chat to add them to the order before it ships tomorrow. It was a flat out "no." Once the order is processed into the system, nothing can be added. I can't cancel it either. I can't combine shipping on two orders. No possible option to add another $50+ in items to my order. That doesn't make any sort of business sense to me.

After purchasing corals from top rate merchants I've found in these forums, I find it harder and harder to justify going back to LA.

With no quality local LFS and a gut feeling I need to move on from LA... Who's your recommended online shop?

 

[polyppal]

I've had relatively good experiences with LA over the past 15 or so years. A sick/stressed out fish or DOA here or there, but I believe that is going to happen anywhere when your ordering fish online and they have to be shipped. I think many of the issues with fish quality and stress are more the fault of the shipping companies than the livestock companies.

I can understand the frustration of something you want coming back in stock -right after- your place an order though... Story of my life

 

[User1]

With no quality local LFS and a gut feeling I need to move on from LA... Who's your recommended online shop?

Not sure what you are asking because you posted this in the LA sub forum. Of course we are going to suggest LA. If you want recommendations then please take it outside of their sub-forum to the general or lounge. You will get a lot more traffic and answers.

 

[hey_hey_heeyyyyyy!]

I've had relatively good experiences with LA over the past 15 or so years. A sick/stressed out fish or DOA here or there, but I believe that is going to happen anywhere when your ordering fish online and they have to be shipped. I think many of the issues with fish quality and stress are more the fault of the shipping companies than the livestock companies.

I can understand the frustration of something you want coming back in stock -right after- your place an order though... Story of my life

I agree. It's the dismissiveness in how they handled it. It's not like the order was shipped. The order was entered into the system. It doesn't ship for 24 hours.

For instance, WWC... I ordered during their Cyber Monday sale. A day or two later, I ordered some inverts and paid shipping. Contacted them and they refunded it, combining my orders into one shipment. Easy.

And I'm not stomping my feet because I don't get the shrimp I want. As the owner of an online shop myself, I'm noticing a few little customer service cultural things that make me wonder about the whole operation. At the very least, it certainly seems they aren't concerned with customer satisfaction.

When a company lets policy get in the way of a customer wanting to spend MORE, their priorities are messed up. And now that their guarantees are getting tighter, it seems they are paying more attention to the wrong end of the business.

 

[polyppal]

I agree. It's the dismissiveness in how they handled it. It's not like the order was shipped. The order was entered into the system. It doesn't ship for 24 hours.

For instance, WWC... I ordered during their Cyber Monday sale. A day or two later, I ordered some inverts and paid shipping. Contacted them and they refunded it, combining my orders into one shipment. Easy.

And I'm not stomping my feet because I don't get the shrimp I want. As the owner of an online shop myself, I'm noticing a few little customer service cultural things that make me wonder about the whole operation. At the very least, it certainly seems they aren't concerned with customer satisfaction.

When a company lets policy get in the way of a customer wanting to spend MORE, their priorities are messed up. And now that their guarantees are getting tighter, it seems they are paying more attention to the wrong end of the business.

Yeah I agree, it seems like a stupid business move on their part not to be more accommodating. I view it more as the old 'Walmart vs Corner Shop' business mentality, where they do lots of business but sacrifice customer service to keep the operation running the way they designed it to. I should say when it comes to LA though, I generally shop the Divers Den section. Maybe the quality/attention to the livestock is higher there.

 

[shoelaceike]

Ya, the customer service which used to be best in biz now became worst in biz. Can't cancel, can't make changes, can't get straight answers, no refunds on SUPPLIES etc....if you ask me, I think they are trying to run themselves out of business... why? I'm not sure.

 

[polyppal]

Ya, the customer service which used to be best in biz now became worst in biz. Can't cancel, can't make changes, can't get straight answers, no refunds on SUPPLIES etc....if you ask me, I think they are trying to run themselves out of business... why? I'm not sure.

I know they have changed hands several times in last few years. Back when they were owned by Foster Smith they were on top of their game. Now it is owned by some international fish wholesaler who bought it from Petco (cant remember their name)...

There's a cool tour video that reefbuilders did a few years ago on youtube worth checking out

 

[Fourstars]

Move on buddy!

 

[Reef.]

I've been conflicted with Live Aquaria over the past few months. On the good side, most of my stuff has arrived in good shape. In fact, I have some bubble coral from them that is just amazing. One entire order spent a weekend at FedEx and they still made me photograph 50 snails to get a refund... so, basically shells. My last order, a pistol shrimp that arrived was a gigantic green tank, not the little red guy pictured. My bad, I should have read the fine print. Other little issues... a sickly mandarin etc that I chalked up to shipping.

Late last night, I ordered some fish. This morning, some crabs and shrimp I'd been wanting came into stock. I started a chat to add them to the order before it ships tomorrow. It was a flat out "no." Once the order is processed into the system, nothing can be added. I can't cancel it either. I can't combine shipping on two orders. No possible option to add another $50+ in items to my order. That doesn't make any sort of business sense to me.

After purchasing corals from top rate merchants I've found in these forums, I find it harder and harder to justify going back to LA.

With no quality local LFS and a gut feeling I need to move on from LA... Who's your recommended online shop?

to be fair, doesn’t sound that bad, sounds more a courier issue that LA.

You said it was a blank no, but they must get asked this all day long so they know the answer, if it’s no, what did you want them to say to you? That they would try? Sounds reasonable but if their policy is once it’s in the system it’s a no, saying otherwise would be unfair to you as it was not going to happen.

 

[lagatbezan]

I stopped purchasing from them a while ago. Their customer service is not what it used To be unfortunately.

 

[hey_hey_heeyyyyyy!]

I stopped purchasing from them a while ago. Their customer service is not what it used To be unfortunately.

Where do you purchase fish and inverts from now?

 

[hey_hey_heeyyyyyy!]

Move on buddy!

Good point... That's what we're talking about.

 

[hey_hey_heeyyyyyy!]

to be fair, doesn’t sound that bad, sounds more a courier issue that LA.

You said it was a blank no, but they must get asked this all day long so they know the answer, if it’s no, what did you want them to say to you? That they would try? Sounds reasonable but if their policy is once it’s in the system it’s a no, saying otherwise would be unfair to you as it was not going to happen.

They ship out of their WI facility. From my understanding, it's their system. As a customer, I would want the company to simply accommodate me wanting to increase the size of the order. I could understand if it were a same day situation. It's a full 24 hours.

It's not the end of the world. It's just not customer service. Cost of getting new customers is always higher than that of retaining, especially when there is no obvious cost to them in this situation.

 

[Reef.]

They ship out of their WI facility. From my understanding, it's their system. As a customer, I would want the company to simply accommodate me wanting to increase the size of the order. I could understand if it were a same day situation. It's a full 24 hours.

It's not the end of the world. It's just not customer service. Cost of getting new customers is always higher than that of retaining, especially when there is no obvious cost to them in this situation.

They must have a reason, I’m sure they are not doing it just to be difficult. In my experience a lot of business do not allow you to add to an order once it’s placed, even Amazon doesn’t allow it, they make you cancel the previous order first, if you are still in time to cancel it.

 

[jamie1210]

That's so weird! I used to order on Diver's Den on Thursday. Obviously, a thursday order means a Monday shipment. So then I check out what they post on Friday. Sure enough, I usually find stuff. Then I make another order, and in the comments section ask them to combine stuff when they ship on Monday. There's usually a cutoff time. And they would do it, no problem. It was very simple. I can't believe they won't let you do that now!

has ANYthing good come out of all these changes in ownership??!?

 

[scchase]

My last purchase was in May, at this point I don't plan on making another, I've been a customer since they were Flying Fish Express and am at somewhere around 100 orders over the years. Truely saddens me.

 

[Josh@BVA]

LA is consistent, either for bad or for good but i tend to know what to expect at this point. Customer service is like someone else mentioned compared to walmart VS a corner store. I feel like they are usually a good starting point for plenty of folks but then most of the people i know find other options on forums like R2R or other online vendors. Its also a good place to see where the prices are at for the market if you are curious what your livestock is worth. If i see a cleaner shrimp on there for $60 then someone asking $100 is price gouging or just doesn't have a clue

 

[hey_hey_heeyyyyyy!]

They must have a reason, I’m sure they are not doing it just to be difficult. In my experience a lot of business do not allow you to add to an order once it’s placed, even Amazon doesn’t allow it, they make you cancel the previous order first, if you are still in time to cancel it.

"I do apologize as we are no longer able to do so as of 12/10." was the only answer I received as to why. If there is an actual logistical reason, it wasn't offered up. Not worth their time potentially but I'd question the math used there depending on wages and revenue per employee.

Either way, I think the answer to my question may be this... It's worth it with the proper expectations.

has ANYthing good come out of all these changes in ownership??!?

Doesn't seem like it. I think the expectation was that leaving Petco would improve their level of service.

LA is consistent, either for bad or for good but i tend to know what to expect at this point. Customer service is like someone else mentioned compared to walmart VS a corner store. I feel like they are usually a good starting point for plenty of folks but then most of the people i know find other options on forums like R2R or other online vendors. Its also a good place to see where the prices are at for the market if you are curious what your livestock is worth. If i see a cleaner shrimp on there for $60 then someone asking $100 is price gouging or just doesn't have a clue

Agreed. The have good prices on certain items. Filling in the cheaper or hard to find stuff may be fine but, similar to my coral purchases, I'll start going to places like TSM for bigger ticket items.

 

[willtheld]

LA dances on the line of Animal Neglect, don't support them.

 

[Josh@BVA]

Meh I wouldnt go that far. they are a business and after a certain point people with the idea of making more money get a hold of the reigns and the initial intentions start getting looser and looser. im sure there was someone on staff that said "you know what, what if we just did XYZ instead of ABC. that could save us a ton of money." and then things started going sideways. i never like thinking its intentional neglect especially if i dont have experience seeing the facility or dont know anyone on the inside that has made the claim.

even the highest bar for quality will have mishaps. but I will agree that the quality over the last 5 years in my experience has led me to seek alternative vendors and its a shame cause they used to be my go to.