Hi Settings,
Thank you for your reply. If there is a problem with the product, we are definitely happy to take care of it.
Can you inspect the skimmer to see if there are any water spots or other signs of use? The skimmer does have several intricate parts so it should be easy to tell if it has been placed in water or not.
As for the neck, it is where the cylinder neck meets the cone-shaped riser so there is a small lip (about 1/8"). It is a glued seam and should be 100% sealed. We have not had any reports of the skimmer leaking from this glued seam. AquaMaxx has found that having the cone-shaped riser helps to concentrate the foam and helps improve efficiency when compared to a standard collection cup that is completely cylindrical.
Lastly, we apologize for the note on the RMA. It is a drop-down menu and may have defaulted to that option.
As noted, if there is even one single sign of use, or any damage to the skimmer at all, please let us know and we will be happy to take care of the problem.
If the issue is with shipping charges for the return. We will be happy to email you a pre-paid shipping label as a courtesy.