Visit to Reef Imports & Hatchery

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Hi John,

I am not sure you are doing yourself any favors by the responses you are giving here on this thread. Describing the death of fish due to stupidity as a reason for a no guarantee policy is pretty silly. Legitimate claims of fish that were not healthy and or died due to the trauma of collection, shipping and storage in your store should be part of some consideration if you want to be a successful retail operation.

One other point, follow up and customer service is not something to take for granted. The lack of either will lose you a lot of customers.... particularly from those on this board. As a sponsor here on CR I think it would be reasonable to expect that if someone comes in and identifies themselves as a member of CR that they could get some higher level of service....and follow up. Perhaps my expectation is unreasonable.

I hope you will consider my feedback and that of others on this board as constructive. I am sure all of us here on CR are interested I seeing another good quality establishment join and support our community.
 
I'm with the few others, once I leave the store I am responsible for both fish and corals unless it was bagged improperly. But a lot of reefers expect stores to bend over backwards for them, its a fact and I have seen it countless times. Personally I have a juvi blue face angel from reef imports that is doing great and I would buy again if they have something I want.
 
I've never been to store, but I see both sides...

The thing that I think everyone is upset about is they way the situation is being handled on customer service end. Another store I use to visit frequently in Tinley park also did not offer any warranty and when I talked to owner. He explained same reasons you did. He had many "noobs" shopping there and there were too many variables. But I once bought an anthias that was eating a little at his shop an he held it for a wk. I got it to my place and it wouldn't eat or swim and died after 2 days. I called him and he explained he didn't do a warranty on livestock but he would take care of me bc he knew I wasn't a noob and maybe be I dropped like 10k in 4 months with him on equipment! Lol probably the latter.

My point is I think when it comes to fish.. It's hard bc fish die.. But I think every customer should be treated a little Diff if the owner knows that everything is being done right.. And it could have been a "bad" fish. I understand the business... So even if it was... Ok 50% credit or something. Atleast it shows u "care" bc I think most people here are looking at ur store like u don't "care" about the customer service aspect. Not saying u dont.. But 1st appearances go a looooong way. And people who haven't been to ur store may never go bc of this thread alone. Just my 2 cents
 
rosko23 said:
I've never been to store, but I see both sides...

The thing that I think everyone is upset about is they way the situation is being handled on customer service end. Another store I use to visit frequently in Tinley park also did not offer any warranty and when I talked to owner. He explained same reasons you did. He had many "noobs" shopping there and there were too many variables. But I once bought an anthias that was eating a little at his shop an he held it for a wk. I got it to my place and it wouldn't eat or swim and died after 2 days. I called him and he explained he didn't do a warranty on livestock but he would take care of me bc he knew I wasn't a noob and maybe be I dropped like 10k in 4 months with him on equipment! Lol probably the latter.

My point is I think when it comes to fish.. It's hard bc fish die.. But I think every customer should be treated a little Diff if the owner knows that everything is being done right.. And it could have been a "bad" fish. I understand the business... So even if it was... Ok 50% credit or something. Atleast it shows u "care" bc I think most people here are looking at ur store like u don't "care" about the customer service aspect. Not saying u dont.. But 1st appearances go a looooong way. And people who haven't been to ur store may never go bc of this thread alone. Just my 2 cents
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Exactly!! The whole point of running a business and staying in business is word of mouth and repeat customers. If you burn those that are advanced aquarists, you surely wont stay in business very long. They are the bread and butter of any lfs. Noobs come and go.
 
I just can't understand why you guys are so hard on John. I might by in minority on this,but I am the person fully responsible for fish as soon as I take it home from the store. I always take my time at the store to observe fish first,not 2 min., but sometimes I spend 30-40 min. to see how it behaves,how it swims,if it eats well, not just sampling food. If I don't have time to stay this long, I usually come back day or two later to see it again. Sometimes I put a deposit, if the fish I want in not easily found. If the fish is doing good in store there is no good reason to die in your tank same day or day later,unless it was stressed to the point of no return usually by an aquarist who took it home. ( too long trip home, too fast acclimation, wrong tank mates,etc.). Remember most fish sold by shops are in lower salinity than our reef tanks. Fish needs to be acclimated slowly to equalize osmotic pressure, if done incorrectly it will die. Ask before buying, what water parameters is the fish kept in at the shop. Again, I just expect shops like John's to put the best quality,healthy as much as possible for sale. If I see there is nothing wrong with fish and I make the decision to take home, I assume responsibility for it from this point. What more do you expect from owners??? If fish is in iffy condition,not eating or just very difficult I leave it. Don't think you can heal it or make it easier to care in your tank, adds are against you. I've been to John's store and I saw healthy,active fish all over.I sure will be back to give more business to him. Yes I have request to for him, but I don't expect to get it right away. If I see that his livestock is diminishing in quality over time, trust me, I will take my business somewhere else,but for now it is one of the better stores to buy fish. The only time I expect live guarantee is when I have my order shipped to me, as I don't have any say in how the fish is handled after is shipped, but when I take it home from store ,I care for it from this point on. Sometimes fish just die,even if looks great in store. I understand it. If I sell you fish from my tank that I had , and you took it home and it died would you expect me to replace it too? Why? Just my 2 cents.
 
Well new to the forum, but not new to the hobby, been buying from John and Sissy for years. Always have and always will. As for customer service I've experience poor customer service in almost every LFS I've gone to. I'm I going to whine about it? No because sometime people just have a bad day. No one is perfect.

To many newbies in this hobby that like to throw shops under the bus like if they were some type of Chopping block. John and Sissy are nice people that good above and beyond to make your hobby enjoyable. I agree with others once you leave the store it's you responsible to properly acclimate and practice proper husbandry.

What people fail to see is your putting a living creature in a box with other fish and critters that the fish might not be use to which causes stress. Any fish that leave a LFS is stressed regardless on how healthy the fish looks. I've been on the hobby for over 15+ years seen it all done it all. No LFS is perfect and if you think that then your obviously living in a reef fantasy. Just my .02
 
I don't understand all this bashing of Reef Imports on here.... John and Sissy are top notch and always take care of their customers. I have been buying from them for a few years and have always been treated fairly.

Like Rosko said, fish die. Most stores do not warranty saltwater fish. If this was your first purchase from them, I think it's ridiculous to expect a refund or large percentage off of a replacement. It's not their fault that the fish died, especially one that is a tricky eater in the first place. But it also would probably be a good idea to go in and talk to them personally instead of whining about it online. Once you have a relationship with a place, I think it is easier for them to consider giving you better consideration.

I also think it's ridiculous that people get upset when a vendor cannot get you the fish that you have been looking for. If it's not available, then it's not available. They want your business, so I am positive that they are doing everything they can to find you what you want.

Regarding not getting calls when things come in, I know how annoying that is and it sounds like it could be easily corrected with some better communication.
 
MMreef said:
I just can't understand why you guys are so hard on John. I might by in minority on this,but I am the person fully responsible for fish as soon as I take it home from the store. I always take my time at the store to observe fish first,not 2 min., but sometimes I spend 30-40 min. to see how it behaves,how it swims,if it eats well, not just sampling food. If I don't have time to stay this long, I usually come back day or two later to see it again. Sometimes I put a deposit, if the fish I want in not easily found. If the fish is doing good in store there is no good reason to die in your tank same day or day later,unless it was stressed to the point of no return usually by an aquarist who took it home. ( too long trip home, too fast acclimation, wrong tank mates,etc.). Remember most fish sold by shops are in lower salinity than our reef tanks. Fish needs to be acclimated slowly to equalize osmotic pressure, if done incorrectly it will die. Ask before buying, what water parameters is the fish kept in at the shop. Again, I just expect shops like John's to put the best quality,healthy as much as possible for sale. If I see there is nothing wrong with fish and I make the decision to take home, I assume responsibility for it from this point. What more do you expect from owners??? If fish is in iffy condition,not eating or just very difficult I leave it. Don't think you can heal it or make it easier to care in your tank, adds are against you. I've been to John's store and I saw healthy,active fish all over.I sure will be back to give more business to him. Yes I have request to for him, but I don't expect to get it right away. If I see that his livestock is diminishing in quality over time, trust me, I will take my business somewhere else,but for now it is one of the better stores to buy fish. The only time I expect live guarantee is when I have my order shipped to me, as I don't have any say in how the fish is handled after is shipped, but when I take it home from store ,I care for it from this point on. Sometimes fish just die,even if looks great in store. I understand it. If I sell you fish from my tank that I had , and you took it home and it died would you expect me to replace it too? Why? Just my 2 cents.
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That's my point. It's happened to me 1-2 times. "Perfect" fish at store. Do everything to acclimate (as long as 2 hr slow drip) and boom. Dead fish. Don't know if its added stress... But it does happen. Everyone here on this board knows I spend $ like its water (not bragging or a good thing lol) but if I buy a $500-1000 fish, I'm gonna do my best to make sure it lives... And I panic every time I think something is wrong and start texting people (Eric) and ask.. Wtf is going on???? Lol like I've stated never been to store... But after reading some of the above replies... I may never visit or i may just to check it out myself.

And I know someone mentioned they've been purchasing for years.... How? Weren't u a wholesaler? Just a ?.
 
rosko23 said:
That's my point. It's happened to me 1-2 times. "Perfect" fish at store. Do everything to acclimate (as long as 2 hr slow drip) and boom. Dead fish. Don't know if its added stress... But it does happen. Everyone here on this board knows I spend $ like its water (not bragging or a good thing lol) but if I buy a $500-1000 fish, I'm gonna do my best to make sure it lives... And I panic every time I think something is wrong and start texting people (Eric) and ask.. Wtf is going on???? Lol like I've stated never been to store... But after reading some of the above replies... I may never visit or i may just to check it out myself.

And I know someone mentioned they've been purchasing for years.... How? Weren't u a wholesaler? Just a ?.
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He (and Sissy) haven't always been wholesale. That was Reef Imports and Hatchery. They have been hobbyists for as long as I've known them...
 
rosko23 said:
And I know someone mentioned they've been purchasing for years.... How? Weren't u a wholesaler? Just a ?.
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They use to own Midwest Saltwater back in the day I believe and then they use to sell from the basement of their home before going wholesale about 2 or 3 years ago.. Can't remember I'm an old hang.
 
They started Uberfrags and sold coral/fish from their house. Used to be the best selection around before they went wholesale.
 
BigKev23 said:
I also think it's ridiculous that people get upset when a vendor cannot get you the fish that you have been looking for. If it's not available, then it's not available.
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I understand that vendors can't always get the fish they always want when they want it but they know what is coming in. John asked me what I wanted and I told him the one fish I wanted. He typed a few things into his handy dandy computer machine and said "Oh, I can get you one. Actually, I can get you two. Come back on Friday and they will be here waiting for you and you can pick which one you want. And the Seachem shipment will be here on Tuesday. We'll have your stuff in." And like an idiot, I took the day off from work expecting to pick up my Reef Fusion and my $200 fish. I was on the road from 11am til 700pm and not having to go way out near o'hare airport to grab something that was promised to me would have saved me an hour in commuting in all that traffic.

There's a huge difference in MIGHT and WILL. And he should have told me they MIGHT be getting that stuff in.
 
Walt, I think your frustration with both situations is valid. Better communication from Reef Imports would have made this a non-issue. Not trying to defend them in these instances. My comments were directed more to the people who commented that they were still waiting for fish that John told them he would find.
 
ReefJunkie1015 said:
They use to own Midwest Saltwater back in the day I believe and then they use to sell from the basement of their home before going wholesale about 2 or 3 years ago.. Can't remember I'm an old hang.
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No they were not own the MCF, they worked for MCF. They sold fish and coral at home before went to whole sale.

I like John and Sissy. They are both really nice people in my opinion...

Walt, they were in the transaction move from wholesale to Retail, so may be he been busied and forgot what he talked to you. Sometime gave them at least 2nd and maximum 3rd chance. He promised me something and I had to wait about over a month or so. Finally he did get it for me (almost 2 months).
 
I like this thread!!! So many mixed feelings about this place..

Had to post this :D

pe4yzeby.jpg
 
Reef Imports & Hatchery said:
Had a lady come in that wanted to buy her grandson some fish before she went to his house for his new aquarium. I asked multiple questions about his aquarium to witch she just kept answering yes... She bought some firefish chromis and a flame angel. She returned a day later with the fish still in the same bags dead. She said she did not understand why the fish were dead. She kept them in the car all day in the box we provided (styro) while she finished her shopping at the mall. It was 95+ degrees that day.
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This was in the summer? I thought you guys recently ''opened to the public''??????

Also firefish anthias and chromis is not ''taking a hit'' you guys buy those fish for almost nothing.

MOD EDIT. Good luck.
 
hi all... that is your responsible after you buy fish and coral...so you have to take time to look at them before you make your move...if everyone keep crying after their fish and coral died...and expect the store to replace it...i donot think we will have anymore lfs...
 
maidia said:
Walt, they were in the transaction move from wholesale to Retail, so may be he been busied and forgot what he talked to you. Sometime gave them at least 2nd and maximum 3rd chance.
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Uhm why? There are plenty of LFS that do communicate, they want our money they need to go out of the way to provide customer service, why should we have to give them multiple chances? I can go with the fish argument of buyer beware as a store policy, my only clarification is that there are more stores in the area then F&S offering a guarantee on fish, saying they are the only ones that do it is misleading.

The communication issue with Walt is just poor service.
 
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