Is this Standard Practice?

[jgvergo]

ok good to know, thanks.

@LiveAquaria , It's completely reasonable to charge for box and tax. They are costs to you and you must pass those costs on...or go out of business!

However, be. up front and clear about it. Otherwise it feels like we are being taken advantage of. Nobody likes that feeling.

 

[ScottieB]

I used to order from LA/DD a lot but now look to competitors like AquaLocker. Here’s what’s on their homepage today, apparently some smart business people are taking notice.

WE ARE UPDATING
Sorry!! We are in the process of updating our website to include a 14-Day livestock guarantee on ALL livestock.
Reefers do not want to be “nickeled and dimed” with box packing fees, box fees, morning delivery fees, livestock guarantee fees, adding dry goods to your order fees, changing your order fees, etc.
Here’s what’s coming on Monday, October 21, 2019...

 

[alton]

I found this on line
Petco Animal Supplies Stores Inc. is permanently closing all operations of Drs. Foster and Smith, the cataloger turned leading pet supplies e-retailer it acquired in early 2015 for $158.8 million.

For four years Petco has owned LA and DD. They didn't just buy them and increase prices.

The box charge is not fine print

Need help?
800-334-3699
Order SummaryEdit Cart
Product Total$159.99ShippingFREE
Box Charge$9.99
Tax TotalTBD
Order Total: $169.98
Your Cart

Whether I order something from LA /DD / NYAquatics I look at the bottom line after taxes and shipping to see if its a good deal or not. If LA / DD is too high than I look somewhere else. Many on here are posting like this increase is due to Petco, and Drs. Foster and Smith would never let this happen. Get over it, they sold the company four years ago. For four years we have enjoyed cheap shipping, great service, and products. Now we have to pay more or not, its your choice. If they see there sales go down they can come back and make another business choice. They have already done that with their credit issued. They had put a limit on how long you had to use your credit which was a few months, they listened and moved it to one year.

 

[Tamberav]

I don't see why they should have a 'box fee'. If they need to re-coup box costs then they need to price their livestock to already make up for that.

Besides they are increasing prices on many items by a large amount. For example, helfrichi firefish went from $100 to $120, starkii damsel from $40 to $60 and then even increased more to $80 (100% increase!), trochus snails went from $2 to $4. These are just the items I noticed off the top of my head.

 

[amoore311]

There are SO MANY options for high quality fish now a days, I do not know why anyone still gives Live Aquaria their money. Divers Den is ridiculously overpriced.

Order from a shop like Hydra Aquatics or Big Fish Aquatics, or your LFS....that are smaller family owned shops that will quarantine and ship you healthy happy fish to you.

 

[Rick.45cal]

When I worked for an aquarium store back in the last century, we used to keep our fish boxes, because the wholesaler would charge us a “box charge” for any new ones.

 

[Tamberav]

I used to order from LA/DD a lot but now look to competitors like AquaLocker. Here’s what’s on their homepage today, apparently some smart business people are taking notice.

WE ARE UPDATING
Sorry!! We are in the process of updating our website to include a 14-Day livestock guarantee on ALL livestock.
Reefers do not want to be “nickeled and dimed” with box packing fees, box fees, morning delivery fees, livestock guarantee fees, adding dry goods to your order fees, changing your order fees, etc.
Here’s what’s coming on Monday, October 21, 2019...

That is FIshy Business website, I ordered one fish from them before and it arrived healthy (small sample size). I wonder why the name change though?

 

[alton]

That is FIshy Business website, I ordered one fish from them before and it arrived healthy (small sample size). I wonder why the name change though?

ANNOUCEMENT: FishyBusinessAquatics.com is NOW AquaLocker.com!!!

We are delighted to announce that FishyBusinessAquatics.com is changing its name to AquaLocker.com! (Don't worry, there are no changes to your existing accounts, existing orders, store credits, etc. If you go to FishyBusinessAquatics.com , you will automatically be rerouted to AquaLocker.com.)...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[FishyDave]

To me, LA hasnt been the same since petco took over. They dissolved Drs Fosters and Smith altogether, which is a shame. Customer service was once a huge selling point, but now it has taken on a corporate feel, where everything is disputed or challenged, almost to the point of being offensive. Luckily, Amazon will eat them in a few years, so until then, I wont spend my hard earned there unless given no other option.

Amazon will never carry live animals. Robots and live animals really do go well together.

 

[Montiman]

My biggest question is why have the Box Fee separate? I feel it is obvious that there is a fee in check out but why have it? The free shipping minimum encourages customers to order at least what is needed for free freight but what does the box fee do?

I understand when I have been charged a Box Fee ordering t5 lamps. Ordering 1 lamp is no harder to ship than 8 so it is an incentive to order multiple lamps and not just a high dollar amount. I have no idea what the goal of the box fee is from LA.

 

[Oldreefer44]

The goal is a higher profit margin. Period.

 

[Silver14SS]

Box fee as a separate, fixed amount seems simpler than trying to spread it out in the price of fish.

The goal is a higher profit margin. Period.

Is that a bad thing?

 

[FishyDave]

No sane business person I know orders from Uline. They are ridiculously expensive. That is not the best example to use but I understand the point you were making. It will be super difficult to get a consistent vendor to offer an insulated box at a dollar each. If I had to guess it does not exist.

I notice the smaller vendors cut their own insulation to go in the box to save money.

Doesn't that say the boxes are too expensive? I would prefer someone bought a better insulated box like LA does.

 

[motortrendz]

For me it's not just about the box fee. That's fine and I'd pay it... if that was the only thing they changed. But now you have to spend more to get free shipping now and they increased their base prices by about 30% that's what makes me be done.. the combination of everything.

 

[bhuyett]

I got a DD shipment recently and didn't have to sign for it.

This isn't normal practice, it is usually dependent upon your delivery driver. When I placed my first order with them I want to say I had to sign for the item. Then my UPS driver and FEDEX drivers are used to me ordering fish, corals and even frozen food. They just ring the door bell and leave the package on the porch by the door, then they are running off to the truck to head to the next house. Now it is sort of frustrating, because I could be working in the basement, and not realized the delivery was made. So now I have email and txt messages sent to my phone with each update for the delivery. This way if the message says it was delivered and I don't hear the door bell. I know to take off running and make sure everything is good.

 

[vangvace]

We will see. I think we are seeing the entire market adjust from using animals as loss leaders to more realistic pricing in regards to what things actually cost

This makes a ton of sense. At first I was thinking collection, to wholeseller, to store; but as I was I finished reading the thread there is also the increased labor, utility, insurance, and shipping...

 

[saltyhog]

This isn't normal practice, it is usually dependent upon your delivery driver. When I placed my first order with them I want to say I had to sign for the item. Then my UPS driver and FEDEX drivers are used to me ordering fish, corals and even frozen food. They just ring the door bell and leave the package on the porch by the door, then they are running off to the truck to head to the next house. Now it is sort of frustrating, because I could be working in the basement, and not realized the delivery was made. So now I have email and txt messages sent to my phone with each update for the delivery. This way if the message says it was delivered and I don't hear the door bell. I know to take off running and make sure everything is good.

Yep that's what they do at my house. I usually hear the door bell but I also use the continuous update to track the actual delivery truck so it's never on the doorstep for more than a minute or two.

 

[lakai]

I had an order that had a $60 DD item, a couple ORA frags and less than $10 in snails or something. It was all shipped overnight from 3 locations. There is no way the shipping costs less than the $120 order. Someone is eating that cost and I'm not entirely sure it is LA.

 

[piranhaman00]

When did they start doing this? I ordered a few months ago and swear I didnt see this, but I do see it now.