Yesterday my girlfriend went to Zoo Creatures in Plaistow, NH to suprise me with a dwarf lionfish for my birthday. She has zero knowledge about anything to do with fish and told the person working at the store that "I had Nemos and my tank was about 40 gallons." The sales person at the store sold her a volitan lionfish which is clearly not suitable for such a small tank or with my tank inhabitants. Once I saw that it wasn't a dwarf lionfish she called the store about two hours after purchasing it and asked if she could return or exchange it for the dwarf lionfish and was dealt with in an extremely rude manner and hung up on. I called the store back and asked how we could solve this problem because I had no place to keep the fish and didn't want it to die. They were extremely condescending to me and told me it was my fault she didn't know what she was buying even though it was a suprise. He told me that he wouldn't take the fish back because it was in the bag for two hours and basically told me to (expletive) off. I called Tropic Isle and they were nice enough to take the fish in and give me a credit for $16. Experiences with vendors like this are the reason why local fish stores are losing business to online vendors. She was trying to do something nice for me and ended up losing $74 and in tears after the way they spoke to her on the phone.
Zoo Creatures
- Thread starter MM51496
- Start date
EVILMORPHGOD
Non-member
A little more perspective on this incident...
I own Zoo Creatures, I was present when the fish in question was sold by my employee, and we were NOT informed that this person has a clownfish. She told us that "her boyfriend wants a lionfish," and asked what it eats. She was informed that the lionfish eats silver sides as well as smaller fish. This was confirmed by both my employee and myself. She was asked if she would like a dwarf or a larger-growing (Volitan) lionfish, and the customer's shopping companion recommended that she get the larger fish.
Later this person called and told us that she wanted to bring the fish back because it ate her boyfriend's clownfish. We were not informed prior to selling the fish that there were even other fish in the tank.
We told her we would not take it back, as taking the fish from our system to her system and back to ours was too much stress on the animal, and a risk for cross-contamination. This is our policy, we ALL know the delicate nature of Saltwater fish and how they react to water parameters.
Her boyfriend then called and told us the fish was still in the bag 4 - 5 hours after it left our store, it had not eaten his clownfish and that his girlfriend told us this story so we would take the fish back!!! He clarified that the fish had not been in their tank & had not even been out of the bag yet, therefore we should take it back. He admitted to us us that they had lied about the clown fish so that we would feel bad & take the lionfish back.
It's funny that this person is accusing us of doing the swearing and hanging up the phone, as that was HIS behavior, absolutely NOT ours. I stood by my employee as he was having repeated conversations with this customer & listened to his end of the conversation. My employee repeatedly had to request that this customer not swear at him, and please talk in a rational manner.
We really do make an effort to make our customers happy, but there comes a point where we have to draw the line, especially when we're being told different stories, sworn at, yelled at, and hung up on.
Just my $.02
Kevin - Zoo Creatures
I own Zoo Creatures, I was present when the fish in question was sold by my employee, and we were NOT informed that this person has a clownfish. She told us that "her boyfriend wants a lionfish," and asked what it eats. She was informed that the lionfish eats silver sides as well as smaller fish. This was confirmed by both my employee and myself. She was asked if she would like a dwarf or a larger-growing (Volitan) lionfish, and the customer's shopping companion recommended that she get the larger fish.
Later this person called and told us that she wanted to bring the fish back because it ate her boyfriend's clownfish. We were not informed prior to selling the fish that there were even other fish in the tank.
We told her we would not take it back, as taking the fish from our system to her system and back to ours was too much stress on the animal, and a risk for cross-contamination. This is our policy, we ALL know the delicate nature of Saltwater fish and how they react to water parameters.
Her boyfriend then called and told us the fish was still in the bag 4 - 5 hours after it left our store, it had not eaten his clownfish and that his girlfriend told us this story so we would take the fish back!!! He clarified that the fish had not been in their tank & had not even been out of the bag yet, therefore we should take it back. He admitted to us us that they had lied about the clown fish so that we would feel bad & take the lionfish back.
It's funny that this person is accusing us of doing the swearing and hanging up the phone, as that was HIS behavior, absolutely NOT ours. I stood by my employee as he was having repeated conversations with this customer & listened to his end of the conversation. My employee repeatedly had to request that this customer not swear at him, and please talk in a rational manner.
We really do make an effort to make our customers happy, but there comes a point where we have to draw the line, especially when we're being told different stories, sworn at, yelled at, and hung up on.
Just my $.02
Kevin - Zoo Creatures
Puffer21
Beluga Whale and Me
I have had a really good experience there. I went to get a tortoise and all the people I talked to were very willing to help me. Kevin was even there and took time to talk to me about my tortoise, and helped me get all my supplies. He is a little baby Hermann’s tortoise and doing very well. For anyone who hasn’t gone I would really recommend stopping by. Mainly for anyone who loves reptiles like me, it a really cool looking place. Plus you can go on the weekends I think at like four for a tour of the upstairs and it is really cool. Anyways this was just my experience and I would really recommend stopping by.
~Samantha
~Samantha
Macboy
Well-Known Member
I have been to Zoo Creatures a couple of times and both times proved to be a positive experience. I can only describe the help there as eager to explain/help with whatever it is you are there for and even show you around their reptile room. This place is a snake lovers paradise (which I am definitlely not) they had em all, even a rattle snake and a cobra...Yikes!! Anyway, just went there for saltwater stuff and would use them again.
My experience with the company has also been horrible i purchased a light from them it was supposed to be 2 250watt mh bulbs it ended up being the 150s so yes this is partially my fault I should know better than to take someones word that is trying to sell something and check for myself, second I have a bowfront tank which the light didnt fit on unless I wanted to cover almost my entire top of the tank. So my girlfreind also called and asked if we could return the light and we were told we could for store credit and when she asked about getting cash back she was told that they would have to check with the owner and they would call her back, we'll she never got a call back and she ended up having to call them again and at this point they told us tough luck basically we were told they wouldnt do anything for us no credit or anything because it was a "special deal". So at this point i called and asked to speak with the owner but i guess hes to busy to talk to customers I asked that I recieve a phone call from him and surprise I never did. the company seems to like to call there "customers " liars and they always seem to try to turn the story around and make it the customers fault.
Its also kind of funny how they wont take back a fish that came form there because they are worried about cross contamination but the didnt hesitate to take a panther grouper off my hands when it was free.
I would also think an experienced associate would ask what else do you have in your tank, I have work in the aquarium buissness for eleven years and counting and If someone says to me I want that fish I always ask them "well what is in your tank now" maybe thats just me but what good does it do to sell someone a fish that wont get along with other tank mates.
As far as the fish being in the bag for 4 or 5 hours I would agree that it is stressfull on the fish but when the fish is shipped from where it wsa caught to the wholesaler im sure its in there for at least that amount of time correct me if Im wrong.
Sam Im glad you had a good experience with them, I know they are well know for the reptiles and thats how they started, maybe they should gear back towards that field and away from the retail buisness.
Its also kind of funny how they wont take back a fish that came form there because they are worried about cross contamination but the didnt hesitate to take a panther grouper off my hands when it was free.
I would also think an experienced associate would ask what else do you have in your tank, I have work in the aquarium buissness for eleven years and counting and If someone says to me I want that fish I always ask them "well what is in your tank now" maybe thats just me but what good does it do to sell someone a fish that wont get along with other tank mates.
As far as the fish being in the bag for 4 or 5 hours I would agree that it is stressfull on the fish but when the fish is shipped from where it wsa caught to the wholesaler im sure its in there for at least that amount of time correct me if Im wrong.
Sam Im glad you had a good experience with them, I know they are well know for the reptiles and thats how they started, maybe they should gear back towards that field and away from the retail buisness.
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