No Shipping Means NO SHIPPING!

[CMO]

This is an international web site. Of course people want shipping. Maybe shipping should be the requirement. At the very least set people like you aside in local pick up only sections.

Why are you worried about shipping charges? The customer pays that. Shipping supplies? Charge a few bucks more for livestock, unless you are already charging top dollar. Low ballers? Shoot them a counter offer.

I sold stuff on eBay for years. Trust me when I say you do not want a site with too many controls and restrictions.

Well I don't even know where to start with this but I'll give it a go.

Most people inquiring about shipping don't have any idea the actual cost to overnight livestock without being a high volume commercial account (when I quote them my actual cost they nearly always back out since I usually only post single items and it doesn't make sense relative to the item cost). The cost people are used to paying from big online retailers is not available to shippers like myself (or the Company is subsidizing shipping cost to offer a lower rate given their volume). And yes I have tried the bulk shipping companies (shipyouraquatics etc) and opened my own FedEx /UPS accounts for reduced rates. Even with that the cost to ship livestock overnight is in the range of $70 to $120 (plus the addition time and cost to attain an insulated shipping box and supplies) in my experience or more for large items like an eel I currently have for sale on here.

A few instances of recent:

• Large SPS colony for sale - sps colonies don't ship / acclimate all that well and risk of DOA or damage to the colony would be high. Packaging would be difficult and time consuming.
• Cheap items like a Harlequin shrimp I have for sale. Yes I received an inquiry to ship this $30 shrimp at the cost of probably $70 in shipping fees alone or more once I attain an insulated shipping box and overnight it.
• Single coral - I have an $80 ric rock posted for sale. While yes I know how to ship coral, it's not worth my time and effort to deal with ordering shipping supplies (believe it or not I do not have insulted shipping boxes, heat packs etc. on hand regularly) and shipping a single coral at a rate near the cost of the piece itself.
• Large eel. I'm not in the business of shipping fish and don't want to risk an animal's life that I care about to figure it out.

Point being, there are MANY reasons shipping doesn't make sense for a seller and I just ask that buyers respect the ad that clearly says no shipping.

 

[flsalty]

Trust me, Not everyone should be shipping livestock. I've recieved some pretty sad excuses of livestock deliveries. Like when you go to pick up the delivery and the box is soaking wet. If the OP doesn't feel comfortable shipping then that is his choice and he made it very clear in his post. Maybe what he should do is just post no guarantee on shipping and buy at your own risk if you choose for me to ship. Then I bet he wouldn't have to worry about buyers asking him to ship in every post. ;)

I hear ya. I've received some pretty interesting packaging myself. There is a forum here on packing and shipping though. The only problem with "buy at your own risk" is this site requires us to use PayPal.

 

[CMO]

Maybe shipping should be the requirement.

It should be a requirement for people to ship fish? Shipping and packaging fish is not something the average hobbyist should be doing on a whim. These are live animals. I could care less if someone else takes 100% of the risk and pays all shipping and packaging fees. I'm not going to ship fish because I actually care about them and don't treat them as disposable. While no doubt shipping fish can be done safely by a hobbyist that is willing to take the time to learn, NO it should not be a requirement.

 

[CMO]

Oh and I forgot the biggest issue of all! I have a job which unfortunately doesn't allow me to come home early to package and ship my $30 shrimp during the week. Ugh. :)

 

[Strawberry]

Oh and I forgot the biggest issue of all! I have a job which unfortunately doesn't allow me to come home early to package and ship my $30 shrimp during the week. Ugh. :)

I get that! Pesky jobs keeping us from our true coral caregiving careers. Lol.

 

[DSC reef]

Part of selling is dealing with others. If someone asking you to ship or if you decide to ship bothers you that much I'm not sure what to say. Your always going to get low ballers, etc, but some members might be really interested and hoping you might ship in the future and that's a potential sale.

 

[hotdrop]

Seems like this can easily be solved by listing a shipping price that sufficiently compensated you for time and materials. If you don’t want people asking about it just name an expensive price

Well I don't even know where to start with this but I'll give it a go.

Most people inquiring about shipping don't have any idea the actual cost to overnight livestock without being a high volume commercial account (when I quote them my actual cost they nearly always back out since I usually only post single items and it doesn't make sense relative to the item cost). The cost people are used to paying from big online retailers is not available to shippers like myself (or the Company is subsidizing shipping cost to offer a lower rate given their volume). And yes I have tried the bulk shipping companies (shipyouraquatics etc) and opened my own FedEx /UPS accounts for reduced rates. Even with that the cost to ship livestock overnight is in the range of $70 to $120 (plus the addition time and cost to attain an insulated shipping box and supplies) in my experience or more for large items like an eel I currently have for sale on here.

A few instances of recent:

• Large SPS colony for sale - sps colonies don't ship / acclimate all that well and risk of DOA or damage to the colony would be high. Packaging would be difficult and time consuming.
• Cheap items like a Harlequin shrimp I have for sale. Yes I received an inquiry to ship this $30 shrimp at the cost of probably $70 in shipping fees alone or more once I attain an insulated shipping box and overnight it.
• Single coral - I have an $80 ric rock posted for sale. While yes I know how to ship coral, it's not worth my time and effort to deal with ordering shipping supplies (believe it or not I do not have insulted shipping boxes, heat packs etc. on hand regularly) and shipping a single coral at a rate near the cost of the piece itself.
• Large eel. I'm not in the business of shipping fish and don't want to risk an animal's life that I care about to figure it out.

Point being, there are MANY reasons shipping doesn't make sense for a seller and I just ask that buyers respect the ad that clearly says no shipping.

 

[CMO]

Part of selling is dealing with others. If someone asking you to ship or if you decide to ship bothers you that much I'm not sure what to say. Your always going to get low ballers, etc, but some members might be really interested and hoping you might ship in the future and that's a potential sale.

I'm well aware of that and this thread was mostly a joke. This whole be extra super fake nice at all times and make sure not to offend anyone ever even with a joke is kinda boring. Sorry.