• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Reptile Direct - Awful Customer Service

TripleMoonsExotic

TripleMoonsExotic

New member
Joined
Jul 30, 2002
Messages
3,779
Reaction score
158
Points
0
Location
Hanover, PA
The following emails should give a pretty good run down on the situation I'm currently dealing with. A friend of mine recommended reptiledirect.com because they've gotten their bulbs from them previously without an issue and I wanted to test out the Mega-Ray MVB bulbs (bulbs that are $39.99 a pop). I was so excited when the bulb arrived! The light it threw off was amazing! I left for work not long after the delivery and came home 8 hours later to the bulb shut off. I thought maybe something was wrong with my fixture (which in itself would annoy, I just purchased the fixture the week before)...but after tries in 3 different fixtures, I realised the bulb was definitly broken. I had by chance tried it in a fixture above my head and noticed little pieces of wire lose in the bulb. It appears the Reptile Direct is giving me the run around. Blaming UPS for not picking up the damaged bulb and refusing to answer my questions on whether or not the will be sending a replacement or refund.

I put a complaint in with Paypal, but they evidently only cover Ebay purchases...

Purple = Me
Navy = Reptile Direct

From: Stephanie Kunder [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2005 10:26 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Order Number 20536


I purchased a single Mega-Ray MVB bulb from you on 09-25 and it arrived today. I hooked it up and it worked fine...I left for work about an hour later, came home just now and it is no longer working. I do not think this is a shipping issue. I think it is just a bad bulb...

Thanks,
Stef



From: admin
Date: 09/30/05 12:31:57
To: Stephanie Kunder
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536

Sorry for the problem but you may want to check the dome first.


From: Stephanie Kunder
Date: 09/30/05 12:35:24
To: admin
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536

I tried it in 3 different fixtures...

Their are broken wires lose in the bulb...

It is definitely broken.

- Stef

From: Stephanie Kunder [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2005 10:26 PM
To: admin
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536


Please reply to me with a solution to this issue. Mega-Ray bulbs are very expensive and this is my first go at them. I was thrilled when I plugged it in and the heat/lighting it threw off. It was a big let down that a mere 8 hours later it was no longer working. I went through your company because a friend of mine recommended you (she purchases her tube bulbs from you).

Thanks,
Stef


From: admin
Date: 10/03/05 12:14:46
To: Stephanie Kunder
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536

Sorry for the problem. When can we have UPS come by to pick it up.

From: Stephanie Kunder
Date: 10/03/05 12:21:05
To: admin
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536

Tomorrow will work. Will I be receiving a refund or a replacement?

Thanks.

From: Stephanie Kunder
Date: 10/05/05 11:12:45
To: admin
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536

FYI, UPS did not come pick up the damaged bulb. Also, you never replied to my email if I'm getting a refund or a replacement. At this point, just provide me with a refund.

This poor customer service is not going to get your business very far.

From: admin
Date: 10/05/05 11:24:45
To: Stephanie Kunder
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536

Sorry for the problem but they get three days to pick it up. If they aren't there today let us know.

From: Stephanie Kunder
Date: 10/06/05 12:01:05
To: admin
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536

The package is still sitting on my porch...

From: Stephanie Kunder
Date: 10/09/05 22:04:06
To: admin
Subject: RE: Order Number 20536

Bulb's still sitting on my front porch.

I have never had a problem with FedEx retrieving a package for me, I think you might want to consider switching courier services.

This has been going on long enough. It's not my fault that your chosen courier service is not retrieving the bulb. I demand a refund immediately.
 
It's true that UPS does take 3 days to come out (and it seems like they wait until the end of the 3rd day). I ordered a protien skimmer for my reef tank. It was over $400 and it arrived broken. I went thru the same as you. No refund but waited 3 days for UPS to pick it up and another week to get the replacement.
It sounds like they are handling it the same way and you should be getting a replacement once UPS gets it back to them.
 
Have you called and talk to them in person? It is a better way to find out what is going on.

This is a touchy situation, in their Return Policy I see two statements that may conflict you:

Meg- Ray bulbs must be sent back by the customer

Do not send back used products
Click to expand...

This is when a phone call is a deffinate to get proper instructions, their e-mail replies conflict with their own policy.
 
I agree...

I avoided putting a call in (and posting on the BOI) as long as I could...I had already decided I'm going to make an attempt at calling them tomorrow. Whether or not that resolves my issue or not, I do not know.

Also, a product that is used for 8 hours and then burns out really shouldn't be considered a "used product." The item was faulty.
 
Let them know about this thread too, it may open their eyes a bit.
 
The bad bulb is not a rare thing

I sell about 15 or so of these fancy uv heat lamps every week. I carry 4 different brands, and although I have found that one is better ie: longer lasting then the others, they are all pretty crappy in my opinion. Sure, they work great, and provide what they are supposed to.....for the short period of time that they work. Having one stop working within an eight hour period is not unusual at all. I replace about 4-5 of these bulbs every week. I can't be the only vendor with this happening to them. So, I do expect that these people, if they sell a lot of these bulbs, is having to replace a bunch also. Why they are stalling, I have no clue. I have not used the brand that we are talking about, so I don't know what the manuf. warranty is. I give a 6 month warrenty on all these uv bulbs I sell, and I bet I replace about a third of them before the warranty is up. Of course, some of my customers most likely break them with one month to go, just to get a new free bulb, but that's life. It's too bad though, that customer service hardly happens anymore.
 
We have had a lot of success with the Capture The Sun bulb from Big Apple Herp. Still have the same ones we put in a year ago. Haven't had any problems with Big Apple in general either. You might want to check them out.

Capture The Sun
 
We have stopped carrying them all together because of the because of the quality of the screwin type bulbs.. I dont liek for a customer to have to wait on an item to be returned to me and then me return the product back to them.. I have had some great luck with the ZooMeds though.. A few returns but none like the other brands...
 
I had been told the Mega-Ray was the best as far as combo UVA/UVB/Heat bulbs.

I had seen the ones from Big Apple, but do they really contain UVA/UVB?
 
*scratches head* Now I'm confused...

I purchased a Mega-Ray Mercury Vapor Bulb from Reptile Direct (the manufacture is reptileuv.com)...

I need the MVB because it throws off heat as well as UVA/UVB rays...

The thread you posted is about Big Apple Herp ceramic heat emitters...

I guess all in all, what does anyone suggest???
 
There is actually some info about their UV lights as well. I persoally use tubes, but im just ol school i guess..lol
 
blckkat said:
I had been told the Mega-Ray was the best as far as combo UVA/UVB/Heat bulbs.

I had seen the ones from Big Apple, but do they really contain UVA/UVB?
Click to expand...
Yes, they produce both uva and uvb, as well as heat. This taken from the site and as I said, we have used them without a single problem. Besides, you get 10% off if you order more than one and they are 34.95 a piece.

Capture The Sun Mercury Vapor bulbs produce UVB, UVA, LIGHT and HEAT and are available in two flood style wattages.

However, our new Capture The Sun Mercury Vapor bulb uses advanced technology and utilizes a separate tube for the UVA and a separate tube for the UVB. This eliminates the need for the filament, greatly increases the UVA output and most importantly greatly reduces the chances of a “burn out”.
 
Can't find fault with my Reptile Direct transaction.

I just completed my first order with Reptile Direct. I chose them because their prices were the best for the items I purchased.

My order contained several items. I ordered 3 of one particular item. When the package arrived there was only 1 of that item in the box. I notified the company right away. An email response was sent out to me and the 2 missing items were mailed out and received a week later.

Based on this I am satisfied with the quality of the service I received and will purchase from this company again.
 
Still no refund...
_____________________________________________________________
From: Stephanie Kunder
Date: 10/19/05 10:51:51
To: [email protected]
Subject: Mega-Ray Bulb Return

It is now 10-19, 24 days since my original purchase of a Mega-Ray MVB bulb that worked for a mere 8 hours. I have yet to receive my refund and am demanding that it be sent immediately. You have had the bulb in your possession for a number of days. This is insane to have a customer wait 20 days and have to remind you of your obligations as a business. Send the refund to [email protected] via paypal.

BOI Thread
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72456
 
Back
Top