Those who sell frags online Please Read!

[Jason McK]

When it comes to great coral frags, There are many amazing opportunities out there that just weren't there a couple of years ago.
I recently took part in a mini group buy from an online Coral Frag store. Picked some amazing pieces .
But when they arrived there was an uneasiness while we unwrapped the package. Some frags had become separated from there plugs and all the frags where just placed into their individual bags. It was immediately obvious that there was a great deal of tissue damage because the frags where not fastened to styrofoam. It can't be that large of a burden to attach a 2x2 piece of styrofoam to each frag to ensure it arrives safe.
We now sit on pins and needles to see what will recover and what will be lost. 2 losses so far

I have been told that this is common practise for more than just the vendor I dealt with. But in my mind is simply unacceptable.

Now I do not want to paint everyone with the same brush. I have had wonderful experiences from a vendor in Calgary, Who actually showed me how to ship Frags.

food for thought. I can only imagine improved sales and support if my post is taken as it was written, as constructive criticisms meant to help improve arrive alive %.

[Aquattro]

Jason, thanks for your insight. shipping frags that hang from styrofoam is much better than dropping them in bags. Hopefully the vendors out there take heed and work towards more successful shipping.

[fencer]

I bought some frags from the reef shoppe and Kelly did attach the bases to styrofoam. I thought that was a good idea to anybody selling frags that have to do some travelling.

[Aquattro]

Let's try to keep store names out of the thread, this is more a theoretical discussion. Thanks.

[Denis]

Hi Jason,

I couldn't help to chime in here.
Some people just don't get it, they ship across Canada like this.
Sandwich bags with no air and no styro blocks.

On top of all this was actually a replacement shipment (first was packed just like this and came completely DOA).
You can tell when someone does it just for the money.
It's a shame.

[Snappy]

Let's try to keep store names out of the thread, this is more a theoretical discussion. Thanks.

I would think it would be ok for vendors to respond especially if they are sponsers on Canreef. So that said, here are some of my thoughts on this topic.


One point I would make about shipping "floating frags" is this: many people are deterred from buying online because of the cost of shipping, and that said, shipping with the frags attached to styrofoam generally requires more water, a bigger bag and a bigger container therefore costing more to ship, making it a double edge sword. I generally ship this way but on occasion have not. I personally feel one of the problems with some vendors is they like to ship "fresh cut" frags so when you get them they still have lots of colour and they get a good customer rating but then due to stress they go brown in the customer tank in a day or two and they think it's their fault. My frag tank is on the same system, same water, etc. and when I cut frags they often turn brown within a few days from just moving them 10 feet across the room. Colour is not necessarliy a sign of health and just because the frags are browned out when they arrive in many cases doesn't reflect the quality. They will colour back up. Other than something like birdsnest, frags should be always be mounted but let's face it, even a well encrusted frag can fall off the mount when handled improperly by shippers. I appreciate what has been said but there is often more to the equation than most people realize. I think the replacement policy is what sets vendors apart from each other. For example, my frags don't just have an "arrive alive" policy, I have a "stay alive" for 10 days policy that is 2nd to none in Canada. I know what it's like to be treated poorly and make a point of not treating my customers like that.
Jason I also appreciate your comments about that "Calgary vendor"

[Aquattro]

Greg, yes, vendors can reply if they so feel inclined, I just don't want a vendor rating thread out of this.

[wickedfrags]

I agree, while all online vendors shipping methods and materials will undoubtedly vary, customers can only hope they have it figured out. I always recommend potential customers concerned about buying online for the first time (or after having had a poor experience) review feedback on a vendor such as that available on canada.frags.org (which some of us use).

There is also some value (IMO) in doing a quick "google" of a vendor to see what others are saying about their experiences. I have learned a lot doing this!

Floating (styrofoam) is a good shipping technique to be aware. That being said it is not always required, and I have personally been equally successful not using the floating technique. Just like the coral exporters around the world, some float their corals during transport, others do not.

Shipping can also be alot easier said than done! I have fully researched shipping fish and hey I am 1 for 1, but will not be 100% confident in my technique until I have shipped as many fish as I have corals.

[marie]

I have a question for the vendors on here, has dry shipping been looked into? It would seem to make sense money wise because your not shipping water.
I have sent monti frags and a few acros to Anthony that were dry shipped and they survived (sometimes they didn't but I think that could be blamed on lousy heat packs, cold weather and lousy couriers )

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic48...t=Dry+shipping

[Borderjumper]

I too have bought hundreds and hundreds of dollars of frags online. A vender I USED to buy from would ship 3-5 MOUNTED frags together in ONE bag. Well by the time they beat each other up during the shipment there wasnt much tissue left.

The last bunch of online frags I bought came packed in sandwhich bags.. in a plain cardboard box.. not even lined with stryofoam.. and this too was a replacement shipment.

I really dont mind spending good money for nice frags.. but I do expect some care and thought in how they are packed. Its a HUGE dissapointment to look forward to your new corals.. and then the UPS man calls you and says umm I have a box for you.. but its kinda wet.

My last shipments I didnt even bother to try and get the deads replaced.. It wasnt worth it IMO to have to go thru this over and over.

Neither of these shipments were from the sponsors who have replied above my post