My experience with Saltwateraquarium.com

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fin mike

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To my fellow reefers,


I wanted to express my experience with this company so others who order know what to expect before you make your purchase.

I have several completed orders and always had a pleasant experience. I liked buying from them because it seems Aperture (BRS and other companies) is taking over and I wanted to help the "little guy". Unfortunately, my last order was handled in a very poor way.

When you buy a product, there is a button that says "price match" you can activate. I used this button to buy some roller fleece that was being advertised on another distributor’s website for less. This was the 2/29 sale many companies were advertising. I put my request through, gave the comparison website from the competing company and waited. I made this request on 2/28 and on 2/29. I was not sure when the competing company’s sale would conclude, so I ordered on the 29th. In the shipping notes, I again stated that I was asking for a price match. Several days later, my shipment showed up and the price had not changed. I pointed this out via email to customer service and a guy named Greg, who defines himself as the customer service manager told me you had to request the price match and then receive a code to input into the order form to receive the new price. Well, I did not know that. I have scoured the website looking for this policy and I cannot find it anywhere. I thought for sure that we could "just work this out", it is only $20. Besides, I purchase a lot of supplies and I have a great order history.

I expressed my concerns to "Greg" and he would not answer me. I had to resend the email and ask him to answer my question in the subject line. Only then did he answer me. Basically, he told me to go fly a kite. He would not answer any further questions and just regurgitated the "policy" again. I asked him when my acceptance or denial for my request was sent (because it was not) and he never answered. Very poor service. He will not work with me and quite honestly, I do not care. The lesson is: caveat emptor (buyer beware).

There are a lot of companies to buy from in this game. No one has a major price advantage due to MAP policies and few companies have a unique (exclusive) product to offer that would compel you to order from them besides Bulk Reef Supply. This company has Orbit, but I do not know any reefer that uses that brand. You would think that employees from these companies would realize that and show appreciation for your business. I guess not with this company. I hope the owner Kenneth Brown knows what is happening behind the scenes so he can fix these problems before they become wider spread. He is the one that is going to lose future business, not Greg. He is the one that is going to care.
 

BeanAnimal

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While the response may not be ideal, you indicate that you somewhat knew that you had to wait for a response but went ahead and ordered anyway fearing that you would lose the price match due to the sale ending.

Sounds like a bit of misplaced anger to me, and many places will not price match on a sale items anyway.

I will not assume that you were short or demanding with “Greg” but if you were, that certainly did not help. The “acceptance or denial” is somewhat moot, you ordered before getting an answer.
 

gastone

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Similar happened to me about the same timeframe. Was ordering a WB 15g. The waterbox website has them on sale for 179. SWA had them listed at 199.99. I submitted for a price match after reaching out...never heard back. I went ahead and placed my order and everything arrived well and good, and I was very satisfied with my order. However, if they aren't going to price match (or respond to requests to price maych), they should remove all verbiage as such from their website.
 

ninjamyst

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Sounds like you got an answer you don't like and somehow expect them to change their policy if you keep complaining or publicly shame them on reef2reef?
 

VintageReefer

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Well regardless of the expectation to save money, without getting the OK first…I will say I use them all the time, I prefer them over BRS. Their prices are usually the best, significantly better than Amazon, and I get free gifts with every order. I always go to them first for their prices, reward points/free gift cards, and free gifts on every order. I’ve received for free:

Drip acclimation kit with adjustable valve
Coral viewing glasses
Two acrylic frag stands
Clothes
Coral magazines
Food samples
Chemipure blue nano
F5CF9C26-CDC7-4A77-8422-AF39CA4B82D6.jpeg

I usually get my orders in 2-3 days with the free shipping also
 
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thedon986

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TLDR: they didn’t respond to my price match request as fast as I wanted to so I ordered at a higher price and it’s their fault.

Nothing to see here.
 
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fin mike

fin mike

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While the response may not be ideal, you indicate that you somewhat knew that you had to wait for a response but went ahead and ordered anyway fearing that you would lose the price match due to the sale ending.

Sounds like a bit of misplaced anger to me, and many places will not price match on a sale items anyway.

I will not assume that you were short or demanding with “Greg” but if you were, that certainly did not help. The “acceptance or denial” is somewhat moot, you ordered before getting an answer.
Maybe I didn't explain myself well enough or maybe there is some misinterpreting going on here. I did not know their policy because they do not state their policy. This is the first time I used the "price match" button. I didn't know I had to wait, even though in the previous post I said I waited, because there was no indication that I had to wait. I could have just ordered it from the other distributor, but I have been using them recently and there was never a problem. Most well meaning business owners would want to know their customers experiences and perceptions of that service. As a business owner, I know I would. Again, they knew I had an expectation because I put the price match issue in the shipping notes. Why not call me before they shipped? Why not make some overture to explain the policy that isn't stated on their website? Why not answer simple questions in my email such as "where is my acceptance or denial email"? I have received nothing to this day. If you can't see that that alone is a customer service issue, then I can't help you.

As I said, I don't care. I am not trying to shame anyone. I don't care about the money. I'm just letting others know my experience. That is one reason why these forums exist. Misplaced anger..... NO, just facts. Make up your mind for yourself.
 

VintageReefer

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Do you make sure to get free gifts on your orders? It adds up, I have over 100$ in freebies that I got to pick myself based on what I want/need
 

BeanAnimal

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Maybe I didn't explain myself well enough or maybe there is some misinterpreting going on here. I did not know their policy because they do not state their policy.
You placed an order without confirmation of a price match and by your own admission, not understanding the policy. That is pretty cut and dry, on you. Hard lesson to learn, but certainly not dishonesty from the vendor or any kind of shenanigans.

but I have been using them recently and there was never a problem. Most well meaning business owners would want to know their customers experiences and perceptions of that service.
Again, maybe the response was not ideal. As I stated I am not going to delve into the private conversation or assumption but given your context and tone here, if it was the same in your communications with them, I can understand the outcome. Flys, honey or vinegar, one works better than the other.

Why not make some overture to explain the policy that isn't stated on their website?
You did not want an explanation because when they gave it to you it upset you. You wanted your price match or bust.

Why not answer simple questions in my email such as "where is my acceptance or denial email"?
Unfortunately you appear to be focussed on something that has no bearing. You placed the order without confirmation and that appears to have voided the price match request.

I have received nothing to this day. If you can't see that that alone is a customer service issue, then I can't help you.
I am not asking for help. What do you want to receive? They ("Greg") told you that there would be no price match. Take it or leave it.

As I said, I don't care. I am not trying to shame anyone.
Of course you are, you pulled up a soap box to shame the vendor over $20 and what you feel is a dishonest or less then forthcoming "policy" and "poor customer service". Your right by all means, but don't act like you are not trying to shame them or seek your pound of flesh.

I don't care about the money. I'm just letting others know my experience. That is one reason why these forums exist. Misplaced anger..... NO, just facts. Make up your mind for yourself.
I have made up my mind. I have nothing in the fight and as a bystander looking both directions I think you are sore about $20 and sore that your demand for further explanation is not being acquiesced. I happen to think that the vendor's response was not perfect either, but would not hesitate to buy from them.

You use the "caveat emptor" in context that you were wronged and buyers should beware.
I would argue the context is misplaced. You failed to do your due diligence for something that was clearly important to you. As such, you should NOT have placed the order until you understood their policy and if that was not possible, you should not have placed the order. Or at the minimum gracefully accepted the outcome due to your haste and lack of due diligence.

I am not picking on you, but when you pull up a public soap box you open your monologue to public scrutiny.
 
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fin mike

fin mike

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Look guys, this was my experience. I am just stating facts. Take it for what it's worth. I never told anyone to not order from them. In fact, I never said I wouldn't continue to order from them. I knew there was a chance my price match wouldn't be honored and I took that chance. I could send the products back if I was that ticked off, but I'm not. It's $20, I don't care.

The price match policy is not stated anywhere on the website. There is no correlation between my price match request and my order. I would play by the rules if the rules were stated. Despite the assumptions of many who've opined here, at a minimum the customer service was lacking. Being a business owner myself, I would want to know how my employees are responding to my patrons.

If you believe unanswered emails and an unanswered price match request is good customer service, then that is your belief. I'm not going to judge you or bully you for your beliefs unlike others on this thread.
 

VintageReefer

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However using an iPhone on the website and in their app, I don’t see a price match button. Can anyone confirm if it shows up on mobile or is this a desktop only thing?
 

GlassMunky

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However using an iPhone on the website and in their app, I don’t see a price match button. Can anyone confirm if it shows up on mobile or is this a desktop only thing?
i just looked on my mobile, its there.
its under the "why buy from us?" section theres a link to the price match
 

VintageReefer

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i just looked on my mobile, its there.
its under the "why buy from us?" section theres a link to the price match

Sorry! I was referencing this
CFC1FEFE-E032-4569-A81C-26FB73A35A2E.jpeg

Also I checked the page I linked again and there is no link for me to price match. There is a graphic but it’s not clickable
6D3A24C3-41E6-4436-8998-B2627B995BFA.jpeg
 

thedon986

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Look guys, this was my experience. I am just stating facts. Take it for what it's worth. I never told anyone to not order from them. In fact, I never said I wouldn't continue to order from them. I knew there was a chance my price match wouldn't be honored and I took that chance. I could send the products back if I was that ticked off, but I'm not. It's $20, I don't care.

The price match policy is not stated anywhere on the website. There is no correlation between my price match request and my order. I would play by the rules if the rules were stated. Despite the assumptions of many who've opined here, at a minimum the customer service was lacking. Being a business owner myself, I would want to know how my employees are responding to my patrons.

If you believe unanswered emails and an unanswered price match request is good customer service, then that is your belief. I'm not going to judge you or bully you for your beliefs unlike others on this thread.
Sure “Mike”, if that even is your real name!!!!
 

GlassMunky

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Sorry! I was referencing this
CFC1FEFE-E032-4569-A81C-26FB73A35A2E.jpeg

Also I checked the page I linked again and there is no link for me to price match. There is a graphic but it’s not clickable
6D3A24C3-41E6-4436-8998-B2627B995BFA.jpeg
Yes it’s there. It’s weird tho I think the formatting of the mobile page makes it hard to find. When my phone is normal vertical orientation I don’t see the button but when i turn my phone sideways it pops up
 

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