Live Rock Shipping Blues

[frewl]

Don't you hate it when you are suppose to get a nice package of live rock and it turns out to be a disaster? I ordered some cheap rock (I think my first mistake) I figure some nice large pieces of Haitian live rock. I'm quite fond of the flatter plate pieces. Ordered some off Ebay for 140 shipped from Florida. It was shipped Fed-Ex ground. I thought "no problem its just two days in transit that's normal for sending live rock."

Well Two days pass after it is shipped. I get up at 3pm(I work nights I'm not a bum.) My girlfriend tells me that the box is sitting on the side of my driveway. I go out there and its sitting on the side of the driveway OPEN!!!!! Well I was quite bothered by this and there was a note written in sharpy "We don't del. this stuff. Won't happen next time" The box isn't the sweetest smelling thing at this point so I check the tracking number. It says that it was delivered about 1:30 and was left at the door. I'm just thinking heck the driveway is about 20 from from the door. I'm not happy about this fact either. This may sound like nitpicking but if it was left at the door it would have been at least in the shade.

So I immediately sent an email to the shipper and explaining the gist of the situation and get a reply that "Oh the rock is fine" Well ain't that dandy. Oh I forgot that I ordered Uncured live rock so maybe I would get a cool hitchhiker like a mantis or something. I figured I could have a small tank just for something cool like that. So this half damp half dry uncured live rock I put it to curing didn't scrub it down yet in case that Fed Ex needs to take it back or something.

I call and everything is all nice and crap from Fed Ex. The first people I talk to help me out and help me start the claim rolling(Well that's what it seemed like) Took the time and effort to fill out the paperwork and gather the few documents that I had. Sent it to them and waited to hear back from them. I call about it because I have a cardboard box that is wreaking in the back room because they said to hold onto it for the claim.

Well Fast forward about two weeks to today and now I find out really it does no good for the recipient to file the claim that Fed Ex ground only pays back the shipper(No one mentions this before) They now want to to a damage inspection so I would need to put the rock back into the box with the newspaper and busted bag and give it to the driver tomorrow.

Now I am thinking WTF!!!!! No I'm not even sure that they will even approve the claim and I'm suppose to just take the rock back out of water and let it sit dry for the next two days and I get it back. God I am starting to hate Fed Ex. So I did the only thing I could think of. Stopped wasting my time told them to cancel the claim and I'm going to just scrub the rock down today. Atleast my skimmer isn't overflowing the cup like it did twice the first day that I had the rock in it. Errr..... actually the first 4 hours.

Okay now my rant is over.

 

[rgzfly]

Welcome to the world of shipping freight. I own a small business, actually one of the sponsors here on the site. I have a partner that handles the ebay side of the store, which does much better than my side. Anyway, I do all the shipping for him. What you experienced doesn't surprise me a bit. I could start a list, but it would take forever. I have no choice but to ship FedEx, so I have to deal with it. I've had packages lost, packages that were several days late, and some damaged. I've also gone through the claims process, and you're wrong, or they lied to you. They don't reimburse the shipper either. I've been told if I ship anything live its at my own risk. They haven't reimbursed one thing I've lost. It all came out of my pocket. And you wonder why most places have box charges and high shipping fees. You really have no choice because you end up paying for alot of things twice.
I totally understand your rant.
Richard

 

[caesar]

Do you think that the driver got pissed and did this on purpose?

 

[xyzpdq0121]

I would complain to fedex about your package being opened and the driver not. VERY unprofessional and maybe even illeagle...

 

[rgzfly]

I would be shocked if the driver opened it, most of them would have no reason. Unless it really stunk. I still wouldn't think it was the driver. You could easily find out, just look up the tracking number and have fedex find who delivered it, or better yet, just ask the driver. Most of the time the same driver delivers in the same area, so if you see a fedex driver ask him if it was him.
Richard

 

[frewl]

I doubt it was the driver. The day after I called about the claim I got a call from a person at the Chattanooga office and he asked me some questions about it. I didn't find out anything else after that I called a few times after that and tried to talk to the claim agent but then they want me to put it all back in the box and let them take it back. That would mean that the last week that its been curing would have been a waste. I just said screw this and chalking up this as just a pain in the butt.

The rocks are the shape I want. I would have got it from fishy business but then he didn't have any really big pieces left. What sucks is I think there was a really big piece but then it was broken. After trying to explain everything to every Fed Ex claim person that I talked to and getting different variations of the process I got tired of it. Like I said I had the box sitting here for almost 2 weeks so... heck I got some base rock for a little under 3 bucks a pound. I'm just little soured on the whole shipping live rock. Now its back to cruising the forums for people breaking down tanks. but I think I have enough now, but then I don't think I really ever have enough.

I just wish that it was taped back up or at least put in the shade. But oh well. I usually prefer UPS anyways. Live and learn. No more live or semi live stuff shipped Fed Ex ground.

 

[FutureInterest]

Sry about your headaches with fedex Billy, but UPS isn't much better . I ordered a bunch of base rock that was shipped from Cali once. The box it came in was torn up and battered beyond recognition. Even the UPS guy that delivered felt sorry for me and said that I might want to consider putting in a claim... but after I told him that it was rocks inside the box, he said nevermind and gave me that wary look you give to people that truly frighten you...

 

[caesar]

now I am worried. soon I am going to buy from Tampa Bay Saltwater.com and they ship freight to the airport. now I am wondering if they will do a better job than fedex did.

 

[FutureInterest]

You should be fine with them, I believe they ship their rocks packaged in water. I heard they use manmade rock though now... let us know how it looks!

 

[frewl]

I think the next time I want to get some Haitian rock I might have to take the trip myself, that would be a fun trip. Right from the source. Anybody have a boat in florida that I can borrow?

I think with air freight that there is less people handling the package which in my opinion is a good thing.

When you think about the way it comes through Fed Ex and UPS and you check the tracking number every time it has an arrival scan and departure scan that's at least two more people handling it or at least off one truck and on another.

There was one place in Tampa bay that I was thinking about taking a weekend trip to go to. I mean it would be a nice trip to the beach for the family but then I would be the guy that was just wanting to go buy rock.

 

[siege]

Well, I know this from vast quantities of past and current experience;

UPS Shipping centers just sling it about. I get more damaged packages from them than I would really care for. However, UPS drivers tend to be a lot more professional and courteous.

FedEx seems to have about the same or maybe slightly better package handling at the distrubution centers, though their drivers don't tend to be very considerate, and they have a tendency to temporarily lose or misplace or misship items far more often than I would like. I imagine your driver decided he thought the box was too heavy and it was too far to walk it to the door (much less knock) and left it on the curb in a huff.

I have deliveries from both on a regular basis, and have at various employers quite often over the years. My current situation is no different. I get deliveries between 3 and 5 days a week. All the FedEx drivers as so bad that whenever the prices for what we're ordering are close enough to each other, we'll go with the supplier who ships UPS even if it costs us a few bucks more in the end, just to not have to deal with FedEx.

I'd have to agree on the airport pick-up... you're much more likely to get it in better shape that way.

I also think you should really make FedEx follow through - make them come out and spend time and money. Leave the rock where you have it; show them the box, express that they've already cost you enough and you aren't throwing away "live" product that you've already paid for and will probably not be re-imbursed for that might</em> survive, all because their rude and inconsiderate driver was too lazy to actually leave the package at your door, where due to his incompetence, someone further damaged the product by opening it (since by law anything sitting on the curb and not in a trash receptacle is fair game), which is probably less likey to have occurred had it been sitting either where it belonged at your door-step or awaiting you at the package center. File a formal complaint against the driver, if you like, while you're at it.

Ok, maybe I'm a little vindictive, but you know, if you don't complain, nobody will, and bad things will only get worse.

 

[broreefr]

caesar;44926 wrote: now I am worried. soon I am going to buy from Tampa Bay Saltwater.com and they ship freight to the airport. now I am wondering if they will do a better job than fedex did.

I have ordered from them on three occasions. They do a good job. You speak with them by phone, tell em what you want, three hours after it leaves them you can pick it up at the airport

FutureInterest wrote: You should be fine with them, I believe they ship their rocks packaged in water. I heard they use manmade rock though now... let us know how it looks!

It is not shipped in water, it is bagged and sealed pretty good though. there rock is not manmade but it is aquacultured. they have a video on their website that describes the whole process

http://www.tbsaltwater.com/">http://www.tbsaltwater.com/</a>

But for the most pourous hand selected pieces, you would serve yourself well to talk with Dan at Salty Critter.

[IMG]http://www.saltycritter.com/">http://www.saltycritter.com/</a>


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[caesar]

Broreefr;45341 wrote: I have ordered from them on three occasions. They do a good job. You speak with them by phone, tell em what you want, three hours after it leaves them you can pick it up at the airport




It is not shipped in water, it is bagged and sealed pretty good though. there rock is not manmade but it is aquacultured. they have a video on their website that describes the whole process

http://www.tbsaltwater.com/">http://www.tbsaltwater.com/</a>

But for the most pourous hand selected pieces, you would serve yourself well to talk with Dan at Salty Critter.

[IMG]http://www.saltycritter.com/">http://www.saltycritter.com/</a>


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Which do you like better, Tampa or Salty?