Livestock Online Purchasing "Expensive"

[celano]

Hey no reason to be sorry Tenwhite. It was an honest question. I was curiouse to when we first started out....it wasnt till we ordered from Foster & Smith that we actually saw the differance in quality.
Your just fortunate enough to live in FL where I imagine the quality/selection is insane compared to up here.

 

[tenwhiteduke]

I am just amaized at thier shipping costs iguess. I deal with Fed Ex a lot where I work, and for $45 overnight shipping for a fish that weighs less than a pound is just rediculous, i am sure they are making a quite a few bucks on that too. If you noticed the shipping for 20lbs to 40lbs of live rock is the same. Go Figure. I feel for you guys who dont have access. A $25 fish ends up costing you $70 to $80 dollars by the time you get it. I should do mail order! What a business! Plus I know you get deals with Fed Ex and UPS if you have a business account. Oh well, wish I could help you guys out. I honestly just didnt figure why anyone would pay so much, and wanted to know. Like you guys said though, " Access, Quality, and Availability. Thanks to you all for filling me in.

 

[aquaticvet1]

Tenwhiteduke,
As a person interested in finance, you may want to read the shipping facts in LiveAquaria's and DrsFosterSmith's vendor forum on Reef Central. You may be surprised and I wrote them so I know they are correct and factual.

Thanks, Race

 

[aquaticvet1]

I should have mentioned to please read the "Reason for Shipping Policy" in the LiveAquaria.com section. Sorry.

Race Foster, D.V.M.

 

[SeaView]

Race,

Drf&s also just recently posted to a thread in the vendor feedback forum about shipping choices and costs. The answer was basically that the buyer could opt for another shipping choice for drygoods, ie usps priority mail, however the buyer would still be required to pay the originally quoted shipping cost, not the actual USPS shipping cost, which came to about half or less then the fedex price. USPS boxes and shipping materials are also available for free. Why should drf&s or any company make a profit on shipping? It's the same reason I won't buy from e-bay shipping scammers.

 

[aquaticvet1]

Please remember that shipping is an average. Does anyone want to buy 6 buckets of salt and pay my shipping or the actual ? Might be a good calculation to do.

Off to work, Thanks. Race

 

[tenwhiteduke]

It was not my intent to question your policies at Live Aquaria.com Dr Race, you must do what you have to do in order to run your business. I was just wondering why the consumer would purchase online and pay $70-$80 for a fish that costs only $25. The shipping is more expensive than the fish itself. Again as they have stated, they dont have access to a good LFS that has the high quality, standards, ethics, availability etc... as I may have access to, or as your online store offers.

I personally have yet to order anything online for my new hobby, which has only started 11 days ago. Yes I have been searching throughout the internet, to include your site, which I have been watching almost daily since finding out about it. I guess this is an expensive hobby, no matter what choices you make, I just didnt realize that the LFS were so bad in some areas, being not available to some, lacking in quality to others, or whatever the case may be. Again I was just curious at the consumers view point, and not questioning the sellers.

 

[MiddletonMark]

I think most folks tend to either group-order with other locals, or often will put together an order of multiple items to save shipping.

Sure, $40 shipping [note, not just the weight of the fish, water isn't light] for a single item is expensive. But for a couple fish, a few corals ... all of a sudden it's only $5-10 per item, which might make each item cheaper than at the LFS.

It all depends on your LFS, though. I'm lucky to have a good one that gets good healthy livestock and is willing to special order stuff for me

 

[DrBegalke]

... if you don't want to purchase something, whoever might be selling, then don't!

Although there are several LFSs in Phoenix, I occasionally by livestock from online vendors.... Either because the prices are better, the quality is better, or most commonly, the selection is better.

 

[Medaka]

I buy online because its faster, easier, & cheaper.

No LFS even comes close to a 14-30 day guarantee on fish & corals. Which wouldn't be a big deal if most of the fish here weren't diseased.

Not to mention I live in socal, where theres lots of reefers and lots of LFS..turnover is high, and things sell out the day the LFS gets them in...and even beforehand in some cases (cherry picking lfs employee's )

 

[BadOleRoss]

I have ordered both livestock and drygoods from Foster and Smith and I dont have a problem with the shipping prices for either. The livegoods are packaged great and always arrive on time and alive. I am on of those peope that buy 2-3 buckets of salt at a time and only pay $15.00 or so in shipping so I figure it all evens out. My local LFS has outragous prices on almost everything so unless its something really small or anemergency I go the the Drs.

 

[SeaView]

Yes it's great that I have to pay $10.00 fedex shipping on a 6 oz test kit that costs under $20.00 so everyone else can save money on thier salt orders. Meanwhile it has been 9 days and my order is still in another state. USPS priority w/delivery confirmation would cost $4.00 and be here in 2 days. This will be my last dry-goods order from them unless it weighs over 50lbs.

 

[Randall_James]

1 Percula $15
Shipping $29
Cost per fish: $44

5 Percula $75
Shipping $29
Cost per fish: $20

Group or larger purchases are absolutely necessary to save money online...

Other note is that most online retailers offer far better "arrive alive" promises than any brick and mortar store I have dealt with.

I really like to eyeball my purchases but with the guarantee and the lower costs associated with larger purchases, I like to buy online.

 

[tenwhiteduke]

Who buys 5 perculs? Not many if there are.

 

[tenwhiteduke]

And there not $15 for percula's

 

[Randall_James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9542963#post9542963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tenwhiteduke
Who buys 5 perculs? Not many if there are.

Ok in case you are a bit slow, it could be 5 fish of any type, if you do not get the concept, sorry..... and yes you can buy percs for $15

http://saltwaterfish.com/ as well as a few others

 

[ralphie16]

Online is mostly cheaper plus LiveAquaria has 14 day warranty or whatever they call it.

For example I bought a masked puffer from them a few months ago for $120 bucks, 35 shipping..total was $155. They had pictures of him and everything.

My LFS did not have one for about 6 months and when they got one they were selling it for $250.

So I get what I want when I want it and for cheaper from online (plus a 14 day warranty) or I wait and wait for my LFS to get it and pay more for it and not have any warranty.

Simple really.

Now if you are buying a $10 fish then of course it does not make sense.

 

[ralphie16]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9542535#post9542535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SeaView
Yes it's great that I have to pay $10.00 fedex shipping on a 6 oz test kit that costs under $20.00 so everyone else can save money on thier salt orders. Meanwhile it has been 9 days and my order is still in another state. USPS priority w/delivery confirmation would cost $4.00 and be here in 2 days. This will be my last dry-goods order from them unless it weighs over 50lbs.

dude, nobody forced you to buy online. go to a local store. doesnt always make sense to buy online. your pretty hopeless if you ordered a sub $20 product and then paid $10 shipping. how about time and gas money to go to the store versus sitting on your lazy *** and getting something delivered to your door. you got nothing to complain if you decided it was worth it.

 

[Randall_James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9542535#post9542535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SeaView
Yes it's great that I have to pay $10.00 fedex shipping on a 6 oz test kit that costs under $20.00 so everyone else can save money on thier salt orders. Meanwhile it has been 9 days and my order is still in another state. USPS priority w/delivery confirmation would cost $4.00 and be here in 2 days. This will be my last dry-goods order from them unless it weighs over 50lbs.

it is rather frustrating to find freight costing as much as the product. I also order my salt 3 buckets at a time from them.

At $106 for 3 buckets of reef crystals delivered, it is hard to beat (now that IO has cracked down on the 200G box sales).

 

[JAYQUINN]

I have a group of friends about five of us who shop primarily online. We all have used SALTWATERFISH.COM AND ROES MARINEWORLD. We have never been dissatisfied on the selection and health of what we received. Everything alive and swimming. Sometimes the items are bigger and nicer than they displayed. The prices are definitely cheaper and the shipping from saltwaterfish.com is free. Only a nominal box charge.