Your LFS's Guarantee?

[cynicalcriminal]

Just curious ... the LFS's you frequent, what are the "return policies" and/or "gaurantee" on livestock?

I purchased some fish at my LFS's "Midnight Madness Sale" (6 Oto's to help with my algae-problem now that my 2+ year old Pleco has become totally disinterested in algae-eating, 2 Gourami and 2 Platy) to flesh out my dwindling tank.

The store was PACKED, so packed that they basically "took your order" for fish and would net, bag, and box (the bag, not the fish :thud: ) your order and rush to the next customer. You had to "take a number" deli-style, and wait ... I was there for 2 hours to buy $20 worth of fish (I know, I should have left, yeah yeah :( I really wanted my $1.29each Oto's)

Anyway, I got them all home, floated and acclimated them, let them loose .. and noticed one of the Gourami rush to the airstone and hover in the bubbles. Checked her out, and she had a rather nasty-looking gash (about an inch and a half long verticle on her side between her gills and tail - her scales were basically rubbed right off, and she was showing fleshy pink). Not sure WHAT could have done it, but it was seconds after I put her in the tank before I saw the wound, so there was no way it happened in my tank.


Couldn't call the LFS Friday night (they weren't answering calls during Midnight Madness) so I made a note to watch the Gourami and went to bed. I called the LFS Saturday and was told they will only take back DEAD fish for store credit/exchange, though if I want to "donate" fish they'd be happy to take them for resale to another customer.

"So, you mean if this fish dies, you'll take it back, but a wounded fish you WON'T take back?" - "Yes sir, you are correct."

Great ... sounds morbid.


Sunday night (after LFS closed) the fish died ... I call them today, asking about returning to the store with the fish to show them, and was informed they only take back fish within 24 hours of purchase, and ONLY freshwater. All saltwater fish, corals, inverts, and all plants are all "sold as is".

So, I say (sarcastic as I am) "So when I noticed this fish was hurt and would probably not make it here at home, I should have killed it within 24 hours, and THEN you'd want to see it?" ... and she said "Well, yeah, that woulda' worked."



Just wondering (to reiterate) what the LFS you go to has as a policy. Is my LFS standing by a pretty standard policy?

I feel bad for people purchasing expensive saltwater creatures there, with the "we won't take back anything but cheap freshwater fish within 24 hours" garauntee. :sad:

[Hannys_Papa]

One i go to has a 48 hour period - but even then they'll argue it was your fault because the pH wasnt "exactly" 6.4 for that neon tetra !
So when you bring them some back you better have some tank water adjusted with pH up/ down to "their liking". LOL
The other doesnt have a return policy - but they are very cheap and say its their way of being able to offer these prices. Their tanks are very clean and they have so many tanks that most of them arent even stocked with 2-3 fish.
I'd buy from them anytime even if they dont offer a return policy.

[conbrio]

Of the 2 LFS I go to, one is 24hr, the other is 48 I believe. Though I must add the Walmart in Oxford, MS had at one point in time a 90 DAY guarantee on all of the fish.

[cynicalcriminal]

Of the 2 LFS I go to, one is 24hr, the other is 48 I believe. Though I must add the Walmart in Oxford, MS had at one point in time a 90 DAY guarantee on all of the fish.


90 days? .. geez.

My local Walmart has gotten better with their fish keeping, to the point where I wouldn't fear buying from them ... 90 days though, wow, just shocked.

[ceatwood]

And I thought I had a good deal with a 7 day policy at my LFS!

[daveedka]

To the best of my Knowledge, my Favorite LFS does not have a return policy at all. A couple of others in the area have return policies if the fish are dead, and you bring a water sample in to them.
Dave

[msouth468]

Earl May has a 30-day guarantee. But you don't get your money back, just another fish or one of equal or lesser value. And you have to bring the dead fish back.

[cynicalcriminal]

To the best of my Knowledge, my Favorite LFS does not have a return policy at all. A couple of others in the area have return policies if the fish are dead, and you bring a water sample in to them.
Dave

Oh .. thats another thing, my LFS said they'd require a water sample for "a full parameter test", and would void the garauntee if anything wasn't strictly to their liking.

I figured even if I lost the fish within 24hrs they'd claim my PH is .1 off of what they feel "correct" is.


I tried to return a filter I bought there. Had it for a week and it stopped working after a nice whine and buzz .. figured it was defective and took it back (hey, defects happen) ... they took it apart, replaced the impellor, and told me my tank was at fault and charged me a few bucks for the part. They claimed "it got gunked up and quit". After a week? ... it'd take getting a plant (which I don't have) sucked in there or something to lock it up and burn it out that fast.

[OrionGirl]

Depends on the store. Most have a limited exchange policy, but require a water sample. I've never used it--they know me, know my tanks, and have always replaced no questions asked any fatalities. But then, they also know that I admit when a fatality was my fault, instead of trying to make them replace it.

I never expect any sort of return/replace policy. Too many variables that are entirely out of their control to be reasonable, IMO. I've seen people bring back a fish that they'd purchased that morning--still in the original bag from the store. They bought it at 10 AM, but weren't going home until 5 pm, and the fish died in the bag, sitting in their CAR, in July, while they were at work. hmmm....

[LarryB]

My lfs has a 24hr guarantee. The reason most places don't guarantee saltwater stuff is that there are to many variables to suggest why the fish died. One lfs quarantines their saltwater stuff for 30 days, therefore if it was doing good in their tanks it should be fine in yours.

[Nippy]

We have a 72 hour return policy on all livestock and that includes death, disease or even simply if the animal doesn't work in your home and you change your mind. However, we have a lot of people in the surrounding and far away bush. If they are 400 miles away or up in Barrow at the very top of the U.S.(I live in Alaska, BTW) and they call up, we'll take their name, number and what they need replaced for next time when they come in. Also, if it's a few days out of the 72 hours and they still bring the body and receipt, we will make exceptions. As my boss put it to me, losing a customer over a $3.00 hamster is not worth arguing over a replacement. We even guarantee the fish we give away for free or cheap (buy 4, get one free/buy 1 at reg. price, get the next 10 for .99ea. sales that we have on occasion).
For some reason (this was policy before I was hired so I have no idea why), we guarantee betta fish for 7 days.

[sumthin fishy]

My main store I go to has been arround for 30 years, and Ive been going there for 20. Hes to the point that if I tell him a fish died, and I disposed of it, he'll just believe me and give me a new one. Theres no set policy, but you can get refunds or credits if you're really nice to the kooky old man. :P

[Roan Art]

Huh, dunno what the return policy is at my LFS. Any time I mention a problem they ask if I want to bring it back or get a refund. I told them that the only time I would want a refund is if I was absolutely positively positive that the problem came from their end and not mine.

They pretty much let me return anything or trade anything in for me. Then again, I've spent a lot of $$ at that store and it's just a great place to go even if you don't buy anything.

Yes, the employees are that nice :)

Roan

[Galaxie]

Gas being $2.50/gallon now. It would take more than a $2.00 fish to drive back to the store for a replacement. In 2 years at the same store, I've never lost a fish within a month of purchase. Then again, I've never really bought a fish that costs more than $2.50.

[patoloco]

Here in Costa Rica, I still need to find a fish store with return policies. All of them sell you fish and if it is alive while you walk out the door, it's your responsibility. I'm used to that way anbd I feel comfortable with that.

The only exception was when I had a pleco grow too big for my tank and the LFS owner exchanged it for a fluorescent tube I was needing at the moment. :idea:

He still has that fish in his show tank. it's almost 8" now.

[RTR]

I'm w/OG. I've known the owner and store since they opened, and have spent a non-trivial amount there. They would have to be mad to cut that off. They have never questioned me on any issue, rather the opposite - I consult for them. But like Galaxie, I don't think that I have lost any fish short-term that I can recall. Unlike Glaxie, I have however spent a heck of a lot more the $2.50 on individual fish there. :o