unhappy with LFS

[Annie/Aggie]

I would like to give everyone a heads up on Aquarium Illusions in Edmonton and an experience I just had with them.
Two days ago I paid $150 for a blonde naso tang. I brought him home, dripped him for 3 hours and used bowl to put him in my well established 120g tank. He was dead the next morning. I returned him to the store and was told there is no return or refund policy if you are not a member. There is nothing in writting on the receipt that states this so I am now out $150 for what is looking like damage done to the fish by the sales person using a net to catch him when you aren't supposed to. So, I was not impressed as I had been shopping there on and off for 7 years. I've also never lost a fish before. So, heads up, if there's a problem with an Aquarium Illusions fish too bad for you. It's good money down the drain. I will never shop there again as will not any of my friends.

[boadams87]

Omg that's SO wrong!!!! Im sorry

[Annie/Aggie]

Thank You, it is so wrong that's why I felt I had to post it, so as to warn others . I felt bad enough being ripped off like this and don't want someone else to be.

[boadams87]

I would make a deal out of that. Did you speak to the owner? Id go all the way to the owners!!!!

[Annie/Aggie]

Yes I did speak with he owner today. It was him who informed me of this so called policy that is not posted anywhere in the store nor on their receipts. I was not told this yesterday when I returned the fish, they just said they had to talk to the owner to see what he wanted to do about it. He never even had the decency to call me back, I had to call them!

[boadams87]

And he wont even honor you? That really sucks.

[Chronos313]

Contact the better business bureau in Edmonton and go from there. And keep your receipt and if you can take pictures of the policy not being posted.

[Annie/Aggie]

I did in fact contact the BBB. They have reviewed and accepted my complaint and have forwarded it to Aquarium Illusions for a response. They have until March 15 to respond so I will keep you all updated on this thread. I'm very pleased so many have read it. Getting ripped off is no fun for anyone.

[LyndaB]

Take them to small claims court, based on principle alone.....

[Annie/Aggie]

That's a good idea! I will let BBB do their stuff and then I will look into it, it would be worth it as you say on principal alone.

[boadams87]

Originally Posted by Annie/Aggie

I did in fact contact the BBB. They have reviewed and accepted my complaint and have forwarded it to Aquarium Illusions for a response. They have until March 15 to respond so I will keep you all updated on this thread. I'm very pleased so many have read it. Getting ripped off is no fun for anyone.

Good for you!!! They think you wont do anything and you'll keep my quiet.

[Annie/Aggie]

Yes they do think that I'm sure but I'm so mad about it I'm not letting it go. $150 is not getting taken out of my pocket with nothing being said. A policy like that should be posted AND written on the receipt!!

[LyndaB]

Be sure to write down all that's happened and been said to date, so that when you appear before Judge Judy, you'll be well armed.

You can also start a website (or see if one exists) with reviews for this particular store. It's not slander if it's true.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/aquarium-illusions-edmonton-2

http://www.411.ca/business/profile/53090

[Annie/Aggie]

I would love to get it to Judge Judy! She would not be happy either I can just picture it.

[LyndaB]

You can also see if your local tv or radio station has a consumer protection advocate. They may be interested in your story. Get the word out there. These businesses depend on word-of-mouth advertising.

I would write the owner a certified letter stating your case again and demanding a refund. Give them 10 days to get your refund to you. That way, you'll have that as backup should you decide to take this further.

[Annie/Aggie]

Both of these are also awesome ideas! Thank you, I will write that letter today and I'm pretty sure our local newspaper has a consumer help desk so I will check that too.

[severum mama]

What exactly was mentioned on the receipt of a return policy? I get that the thing about being a store member wasn't there, but I'm curious as to exactly what was there.

To play devil's advocate, VERY few lfs's will guarantee marine livestock. It's pretty standard that they don't.

[jetajockey]

I don't know how it works there, but filing in small claims here costs over $100, not to mention the time off of work and the stress.

As severum_mama mentioned, finding out the exact store return policy information is important, if it's not on paper anywhere then I believe it's buyer beware/no returns (that's how it is here anyway I believe).

It could've been a bad netting job by the employee, which should have been at least mentioned at the time it happened, if there was concern about damage.

But you also have to look at it from the business owners standpoint, someone buys a $150 fish and then comes back a day later demanding a refund. They have no way of knowing what happened to that fish once it left the store, all they know is they are being expected to eat $150 in a sale.

[Starka]

Originally Posted by severum mama

What exactly was mentioned on the receipt of a return policy? I get that the thing about being a store member wasn't there, but I'm curious as to exactly what was there.

To play devil's advocate, VERY few lfs's will guarantee marine livestock. It's pretty standard that they don't.

That's what I'm finding out about my Lfs.

[Annie/Aggie]

ok at first I was wondering where you buy your livestock but I see you are not from Canada so I wil answer lol. I was at work earier and could not post. In Canada eh you don't make many sales without a gaurentee of some sort however,since you chose to play the devils advocate I backtracked a bit to their website. Sure enough a membership gives you a warrenty on S/W livestock of 7 days. The membership to date had I kept it up for me would have added to 50 something per year for 7 years, thats not good customer relations devil lol