OK, here is the entire e-mail exchange, unedited. I have not changed any words, sentences, paragraphs - nothing. I only organized it in a fashion to make it easier to follow. Text written by me is in blue, text written by a person at FloridaHerps (they never gave their name) is in red. Once they cut me off from communicating with them, and would not let me talk with the owner, that is when I submitted a report through the BBB in Florida. I can post that if anybody is interested.
I would like to know what people think about this situation - good or bad.
1ST MESSAGE:
To:
[email protected]
Subject: Order #15254
Time: 08/06/2015 22:50:08
I know the live arrival guarantee does not apply to invertebrates, but the tarantula I received from order #15254 was DOA. I gave it a day just to make sure and it is dead. Is there anything you are willing to do in order to help mitigate the situation and keep me as a repeat customer?
2ND MESSAGE:
from: Florida Herpetology, Inc.
[email protected]
to:
[email protected]
date: Fri, Aug 7, 2015 at 1:24 AM
Subject: Order #15254
Hi David,
If your weather would have been within our reptile limits maybe, but it was almost 100F that day. Really wish you would have waited as that is just too hot for those.
Sorry she didn’t make it. I will forward this to Lonna in case she can do anything for you.
Kristen
3RD MESSAGE:
from: David Baumgardner <
[email protected]>
to: "Florida Herpetology, Inc." <
[email protected]>
date: Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 10:30 AM
subject: Re: Order #15254
Just FYI, I just received a Goliath tarantula and red claw scorption from Exotic Pets in Las Vegas, NV, and both look great. No problems at all. Temps are hotter today than when FloridaHerps sent the Goliath tarantula to me. I suspect the DOA tarantula you sent to me was either in poor health or not packaged correctly.
4TH MESSAGE:
from: Florida Herpetology, Inc. <
[email protected]>
to: David Baumgardner <
[email protected]>
date: Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 11:44 AM
subject: RE: Order #15254
Or its just the way it goes. Could have been damaged in transit. You’ve ordered from us many times and never had an issue – then you order a spider KNOWING its going to be almost 100F outside your door and here you are emailing us AGAIN, and just to tell us you ordered from another company?
Wow David, please continue to use that company – we don’t have time to waste on this kind of thing. Your spider dying is all on you, we don’t want to hear from you again. Goodbye.
5TH MESSAGE:
from: David Baumgardner <
[email protected]>
to: "Florida Herpetology, Inc." <
[email protected]>
date: Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 12:11 PM
subject: Re: Order #15254
Wow, I should have believed the comments I read online about your company and the rude customer service when there is a problem. This is the first time I have had a DOA from you and this is how I get treated? Pathetic. Not even an attempt to offer a partial refund or some kind of store credit. No worries, I will not be ordering from you in the future. And I will make sure to post your response online to about 10 different Facebook groups and other discussion groups.
If somebody in Nevada, where it is 110 to 115 degrees can send an animal to me (where it is now even hotter than when you sent the spider to me) without issue, not sure why you all could not do it? You and Backwater Reptiles are the only two stores I have received DOA animals from during the summer. Numerous other people managed to get animals to me during the summer without issue.
Good job in taking care of your customers. Goodbye.
6TH MESSAGE:
from: Florida Herpetology, Inc. <
[email protected]>
to: David Baumgardner <
[email protected]>
date: Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 12:22 PM
subject: RE: Order #15254
Wow, I should have believed the comments I read online about your company and the rude customer service when there is a problem. This is the first time I have had a DOA from you and this is how I get treated? Pathetic. Not even an attempt to offer a partial refund or some kind of store credit. No worries, I will not be ordering from you in the future. And I will make sure to post your response online to about 10 different Facebook groups and other discussion groups.
And now we see the real David. Why would we refund you when you ordered when you did? What is the point of NOT guaranteeing spiders if customers order anyways only to want a guarantee. Makes no sense.
If somebody in Nevada, where it is 110 to 115 degrees can send an animal to me (where it is now even hotter than when you sent the spider to me) without issue, not sure why you all could not do it? You and Backwater Reptiles are the only two stores I have received DOA animals from during the summer. Numerous other people managed to get animals to me during the summer without issue.
And how many miles are they from you? How far as WE from you? ARent you a college teacher or something? Shouldn’t you understand all this without having to bring your immature drama to us?
Good job in taking care of your customers. Goodbye.
We take great care of adults that act like adults. What was the point of your first email today? To be an asshole – mission accomplished! Beat it!
7TH MESSAGE:
from: David Baumgardner <
[email protected]>
to: "Florida Herpetology, Inc." <
[email protected]>
date: Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 3:45 PM
subject: Re: Order #15254
Wow, how professional of you to use obscenities. Sounds like you really care about your customers. This is the first time I have had issues with one of your orders, and this is the treatment I receive. Nice, really nice. I would be surprised if the weather had anything to do with the death of the spider, considering I have received numerous invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles during the middle of the summer with daytime highs around 100 degrees without issue.. When I received your box from FedEx, it was before 10AM, with the air temperature around 80 degrees. The box did not sit on my porch from half the day.
It is about 1,400 miles from Las Vegas to the city in which I live. From Miramar, FL, to my city is about 1,300 miles. But not sure what distance has to do with it. FedEx processes their packages through either Memphis or Indianapolis.
I never expected a full refund, but it was your animal and you packaged it. I was hoping you would take some responsibility for the DOA. I know it clearly states on your webpage that invertebrates are not guaranteed, I got it. But if it was my business, I would try to work with the customer to resolve the situation in a positive manner. And I certainly would not lower myself to obscenities and patronizing comments. As I wrote above, this is the first time I have received a DOA during the summer that was sent overnight and arrived before 10:30 the next morning. The only other DOA during the summer was a FedEx issue with a delayed shipment.
Are you the owner of the store or an employee?
8TH MESSAGE (Final Message):
from: Florida Herpetology, Inc. <
[email protected]>
to: David Baumgardner <
[email protected]>
date: Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 5:42 PM
subject: RE: Order #15254
Wow, how professional of you to use obscenities. Sounds like you really care about your customers. This is the first time I have had issues with one of your orders, and this is the treatment I receive. Nice, really nice. I would be surprised if the weather had anything to do with the death of the spider, considering I have received numerous invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles during the middle of the summer with daytime highs around 100 degrees without issue.. When I received your box from FedEx, it was before 10AM, with the air temperature around 80 degrees. The box did not sit on my porch from half the day.
I agree, weather is only one possibility. Another is FedEx shook her up too bad. Another would be spontaneous combustion. They are fragile spiders, hey ya know what? Maybe that’s why we don’t have any warranty for them? Another is you are lying. I mean, did you even email us a photo of the dead spider? No, your first action was to post a bad 1 star review, and never even mentioned it was 97F that day. We deleted your account 10 secs after you wrote that. We don’t need customers like that. So you started your attitude with the review, then emailed and we nicely and professionally explained that there is nothing we can do. Done. What part of Done didn’t you get? That was us being professional with you. And what did we get for our effort – you being a jerk. What kind of “adult” would take their time to write an email for the sole purpose of going – neeneer neenerr I bought a spider from another company – it was even hotter outside and its alive! ????” Really? I mean REALLY???? “You guys must sell crap and don’t know how to ship…blaa blaa” Look, I don’t care how many orders you’ve made with us, we will never deal with a person that acts like that. Period.
It is about 1,400 miles from Las Vegas to the city in which I live. From Miramar, FL, to my city is about 1,300 miles. But not sure what distance has to do with it. FedEx processes their packages through either Memphis or Indianapolis.
Not all, but most do go through Memphis. Like I said, it could have nothing to do with your weather whatsoever. Point is this simple – you are well aware of our terms and were before you ordered. You took a chance, and then posted your crap review on our website. At that point we already deleted your account. We just don’t need your money. We replied very professionally. Not our problem if you don’t like what you were told. You had a choice to accept the truth – you blew it - and just enjoy that new spider from Vegas – why you felt it was acceptable to write us this morning in the manner you did… I don’t know or care.
I never expected a full refund, but it was your animal and you packaged it.
It was a beautiful spider in flawless shape, just like every other animal you have every got from us. We’ve been packaging animals for almost 20 years David. It just sometimes happens, THAT IS WHY WE DO NOT COVER SPIDERS! What kind of person orders knowing that and then bitches its all the companies fault? Seriously – who does that? Talk about taking responsibility. Grow up! Oh, wait… you teach Evolution in Texas – talk about an oxymoron if there ever was. You with your – “I’m gonna go post on Facebook with all the other teeny boppers…” Go to our Facebook Page Dave – we haven’t even posted on there in over a year. Why? BECAUSE ITS FACEBOOK!!!!!!!! Who threatens posting on Facebook groups? Children…
I was hoping you would take some responsibility for the DOA.
We take full responsibility. Doesn’t mean we are going to refund your money. We do however honor out terms.
I know it clearly states on your webpage that invertebrates are not guaranteed, I got it.
Really, because it sure doesn’t seem that way.
But if it was my business, I would try to work with the customer to resolve the situation in a positive manner.
We did. You started it with your email today. I don’t care who you are or think you are – nobody talks to us that way and remains a customer.
And I certainly would not lower myself to obscenities and patronizing comments.
No, you just threaten slanderous posting on Facebook and Forums – tell us we don’t know how to package our animals and then say we must sell sick or defecting animals – because of course that’s they only explanation! Right? Who are you again? I would contact whoever you paid to get your PhD and demand a refund. I honestly have a hard time believing a grown man would have emailed like that this morning. We have 14 year old girls that communicate with more maturity than you demonstrated today…
As I wrote above, this is the first time I have received a DOA during the summer that was sent overnight and arrived before 10:30 the next morning.
Actually that is not at all what you wrote above – gee, and you really teach at a school? A college? Holy crap out country is doomed…. You in fact wrote that opposite of that Mr. PhD. You said us and Backwater Reptiles are the only two stores you’ve received DOA animals this summer.
The only other DOA during the summer was a FedEx issue with a delayed shipment.
I’m sorry that happened to you. That does suck for sure.
Are you the owner of the store or an employee?
I am the last person you will be dealing with at this company. Everyone right up to Dr. William Thompson, DVM, DVS, PhD (CEO of Florida Herps, Suncoast Reptiles, ReptiLabs and Suncaost Reptile Rescue) is aware of your email this AM. If we were like that store in Vegas, we would NEED to deal with people like you. However we are way higher up the food chain and you bitching on FB about us is a lot like you bitching on FB about Walmart. Its clear you have no idea who we are, except for that cool place in FL that you used to get your reptiles from…. We are a wholesaler/breeder/importer/exporter – FloridaHerps.com is the smallest of our companies and its still the largest reptile dealer in the entire country. Wish we would have kept you as a customer, but then again I wish you wouldn’t have emailed us your attitude this morning. Your choice sir. Cause and Effect – look it up Professor!
The fact that you don’t give a hoot about the animals is beyond obvious – that’s why you ordered another one when it was way too hot for it. Glad it made it, doesn’t make you any less reckless and irresponsible though does it?
Do not email back, it will simply go to junk mail. Have a nice life and I am serious about that refund for your PhD…
