TheReefCorner - SCAM! Buyer Beware!

I purchased/paid for an Achilles Tang on Monday, Dec. 23, from The Reef Corner, for the total amount of $199 for the specimen, + $55 for Fedex, Next Day Air shipping. The specimen is purchased, with the complete implied and expressed (see attached invoice w/ guarantee) understanding, a verbally contractual agreement between the buyer & seller, that the seller is obligated & guarantees, the item to arrive alive and in healthy condition. Obviously, if the fish does not arrive alive, the item is NO good to the customer and a full refund of the total amount, is to be issued.

Prior to them receiving payment, they were prompt to respond to communications. Immediately after payment was received to arrange delivery dates, communications fell to practically nothing. When he would respond, he would refuse to ship on the requested dates and set their own ship/delivery date. They chose to ship, on practically the worse day of the year. On a day where temperatures were breaking 20 year lows! Even Live Aquaria, was not shipping on this date.

The specimen was shipped out via Fedex - Next Day Air, on Monday, Jan. 6th, 2014, at the sellers preference and choice. Unfortunately, Fedex & UPS both had massive shipment delays and grounding plane's across the country. Just when it looked like the package had been lost, as there were no updates for 2 days, I was contacted by the local customer counter that the package had arrived and it was available for pickup. The package arrived 2 days late, on Thursday, Jan. 9th, 2014. Not to my surprise, the package was picked up and the fish was found dead. The temperature of the water in the bag that contained the fish, was 39.9 degrees. An additional detail that blew me away here was with knowing the temperatures were as extreme as they were, there weren't even any peanuts or packaging material, to help insulate the fish or keep it from rolling around in the box. Just a Styrofoam box and the bag.

Since the specimen arrived 2 days late & dead on arrival, the seller, TheReefCorner, is obligated to issue a full refund for the total amount paid, $254.00. Of course in this scenario, Fedex was unable to make their comment and the seller, needs to issue a claim and receive their reimbursement.

I knew when Tuesday rolled around and it was still stuck in NJ, the fish would not make it. I contacted FedEx 4-5 times by Tuesday evening, to issue a tracer and a FedEx agent just so happened to mentioned during the call, that the shipper had not been in contact with them, at all. The agent asked me why. This would imply to me, that once he had payment, he had little concern of the fish/transaction.

I've attempted to contact the TheReefCorner.com, on numerous occasions since Thursday, to issue the refund with little to no response. I'm unable to gather any logical reason, why they would delay/refuse a refund. Since the seller, TheReefCorner, was the shipper, FedEx's commitment is to him in which he is permitted to issue a claim and be reimbursed by FedEx. It is now the obligation of the seller, TheReefCorner, to not delay & issue the refund as (due to shipment delays) he was unable to complete the commitment of shipping and receiving a "live" & "healthy" specimen, from his possession, to mine.

I attempted on a number of occasions, Thursday & Friday, to find out the status of my refund. Since I was getting absolutely nowhere, I sent him a text message, notifying him if I did not receive a refund or update soon, I was going to issue a Paypal dispute. To my surprise, he responded and promptly informed me that he had another customer do the same and that the dispute was closed immediately, because Paypal did not cover ANY live animals. I've been using Paypal, for over a decade and was unaware of this policy (because I've never experienced this issue with an online marine coral/fish retail outlet). Regardless, this response, infers that he had no intentions to return the money.

So, since every attempt to contact him about issuing the refund (even after two text messages today and a number on Friday & Thursday, asking of the status, with no response), failed, I opened a Paypal dispute, providing the details and the scenario. Even after 8+ hours of the first attempt today to contact, with no response. Within 30 minutes of issuing the dispute, he called Paypal and simply informed them that the product was live and reminded them that their policy doesn't cover it. I immediately received an email, that the case had been closed. WHAT?!

I immediately contacted Paypal, to find out what was going on. They reiterated their policy and that unfortunately, there was nothing they could do in this matter. Both a representative and a supervisor, were fully aware and acknowledged, he was basically utilizing Paypal, to scam another Paypal customer out of their money by utilizing their “convenient” policy, to his favor.

TheReefCorner, has no intentions to refund the payment made in total of $254.00, for the Achilles Tang. He's able to issue a FedEx claim, and have the opportunity to receive another $250, for this failed transaction. His business and dishonesty, is a complete disservice to the hobby and I would HIGHLY recommend, steering clear of this guy and to NEVER attempt to do business with him. Don't say that YOU have NOT been warned. BUYER BEWARE!

Invoice (w/ Live Arrive Guarantee):
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r632/Nvizn2/Invoice_zps365b2016.jpg

FedEx Tracking info:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r632/Nvizn2/fedextracking_zps3fd717b4.jpg

Temp in bag:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r632/Nvizn2/IMG_20140109_103630_163_zps2e62eb91.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r632/Nvizn2/IMG_20140109_103620_808_zpsdfb9329d.jpg

Achilles in bag and packaging condition:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r632/Nvizn2/IMG_20140109_103004_309_zps37e5f488.jpg

 

Sorry to hear your having such a bad experience. Its always a few people who ruin things for everyone in this hobby. Hope everything gets straightened out. Good luck.

 

How did you pay for this? If credit card you should contact your credit card to see if they can help dispute this because he failed to complete the terms of purchase.

 

They are not on facebook, I looked for them. It's fun blowing up their page with negative feedback. Too bad they don't have one.

 

Probably for a good reason, too.

Did you inform them while they have their policy that the seller agreed to cover any dead animals?

 

Man that sucks. Sad how people can be so shady in a hobby that majority of people are so nice and help people out.
And a achilles tang to boot, one of my favorite fish.
Hope something works out for u bud.

 

you know this is upsetting from a consumer standpoint but especially considering that the seller obviously has no concern for the poor animals . In terms of what nc said, perhaps you can dispute the charge on your credit card.

 

No question about it!

Unfortunately, as I stated, the payment was made via Paypal w/ bank account (not debit/credit card) and Paypal immediately closed the claim after The Reef Corner called them, to notify them that they do not insure any "live" product.
This guy knew the policy, and used it to his advantage to abuse the system and to scam this transaction. This was apparent, to even Paypal.

You best bet, I'll be changing my paypal payment method for my protection, to credit card. That's for sure! It's just amazing to me, that it would even come to this point.

 

Sure did, directly to a Paypal supervisor. He recognized and agreed, that the seller was obviously abusing their policy in this scenario, but still stated that because of this policy in place, that there was absolutely nothing he could do. He encouraged me to spread the word about this business and to also notify other hobbyist, about their policy on anything live. Paypal itself, does not insure the funds on anything "live," period.

 

Sorry to hear guy. That really sucks.