As promised
So as I wrote yesterday the emails that have been wrote are now yours for the reading. Im tired with the guy and dont want to further this anymore. Just to preface, looking back I did tear into the guy a bit and I think we both could have handled this better. Read from buttom up.
Yet again, if you were reading I made specific mention of "if the live arrival gaurantees were met" one of which happens to be that the temperature has to be within 40 to 90 degrees. for the third time I did read your terms! So if you were reading, yet again, I already knew that you wouldnt be shipping to Alaska in the winter.
I do know where I live, I love where I live, I dont have an "Alaskan inferiority complex" ( if i did it wouldnt be as much as I have an "annoyed of shoddy business owners complex") and surprise! I am aware of how cold it is! but apparently you are the expert since you can type in google "population of alaska".....
As for the tiny minority of Alaskan herpers, Id suggest you come meet some. The herpetological society that I run has over 100 members and thats just in kenai where the population is just over 7,000. Per population that is probably more herpers than your city can claim. (But I didnt google it to find out so dont quote me!) I can only wonder how many (apparently insignificant to you) members, private breeders, and casual keepers etc there are in Anchorage (ill save you the google trip- Anchorage= where the majority of alaskans live) who somehow manage to take very good care of our reptiles in our nice worm homes, like everyone else while similtaneously battling off the polar bears!! Wow when you put it that way, we really must love our reptiles to go through so much trauma in order to keep them. So thanks for the compliment!
Obviously you and your "Associates Degree in Art and Illustration from Kingsborough Community College in the year 2000" (quote straight from
http://www.rc-enterprises.net/about.html) community college degree in Art, and impressive googling skills, out weigh my first hand experience for say I dont know living here and doing this my entire life? But since you know "the facts" I'll let you be the expert on Alaska from now on.
By the way, almighty alaskan historian, the motto is "land of the midnight sun" not land of the northern lights....but thanks for playing. and people whos blood runs deep here in this state are actually very proud of where we live and the fact that we can handle everything the arctic throws at us, we are a rugged proud people and you will never find our kind of hospitality anywhere else. We have no reason to feel inferior.
On a personal note, I am proud to say that I own or half way house some of the rarest species of ectothermic life who all had to be either shipped here or sent to me from other (apparently non existent) herpers throughout the peninsula. Every shipment Ive ever took in, was next day air or priority overnight that I had received by around noon. Now you may have my city confused with the inland or "the bush" (little geography lesson for ya) which yes would take much more time, but every carrier beit fedex or UPS or whatever has never had a problem getting to me next day. And I sent you my zipcode to avoid that confusion but you probably didnt even look.. you just saw the word alaska and assumed. So to straighten out "the facts" : I have never ever lost an animal in shipping because of my careful monitoring of the weather and my refusal to ship with people who seem to just not care, like yourself.
So yet again we are rambling on about something that has nothing to do with the question. Which still has not been answered by the way- you still have not answered how you go about righting a sex determination error. Sheesh, does everyone have to work this hard in order to get a simple industry standard question answered from you?
Im sorry you think so little of the alaskan population that you are willing to throw out some very fine herpers and their money to do so. Doesnt seem consistent with the "RC Enterprises is always on the look out for new ways to reach out to our core customer base, the plant and animal lovers of the world. " that you preach on your website, but apparently Alaska isnt part of that world.
At least not untill the second email where alaskans are boycotted based on your caring for the well being of the animals, which is noble but highly contrary to the first email where you clearly stated that you would do it, (apparently in your mind I was referring to shipping inside mid winter too- yikes) but that I would have to waive the live arrival gaurantee, which means you must have thought they would die in transit but was willing to take my money anyway untill I wrote you that you will be having none of it... So im not buying the whole I refuse on moral grounds theme in your email. You are a business man, and I cant blame you for it but obviously, you love money.
Which by the way this conversation is already being posted to BOI, so Im sure your "preferred customers" in the states are going to read it and you will lose more money that way. not like it will matter much because you do not have the greatest reputation on the BOI before this anyway. But still.
Im sure we will all get a good laugh, and avoid buying from you in the future. As for me, Im done with this childish game, Its all just getting too comical.
You can just say Im off to fight off the polar bears!... ROFLMAO.
Thanks again for being such a great sport, and trying to care, I will admit I did jump on you a bit, i think everyone can agree that half rate customer service is irritating to say the least. but obviously there is nothing that needs to be said, you have your opinions and I have mine. Obviously there will be no business between us, which is a bummer for you because I place large orders in the summer, which i spend a lot of winter preparing for, including investigating the people I intend to buy from when the weather turns favorable again. But like you clearly stated you will survive without my business or those who live in my state.
So I will stick with the guys I know first hand are good herpers, the sellers who have sucessfully shipped to me before like ben seigel, brian from BHB...
You have a good day answering other peoples questions Robert.
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:20:22 -0500
From:
[email protected]
Subject: Re: ReptilesNCritters.com Online Contact Form Response
To:
[email protected]
April,
Wow, you really put a lot of effort into trying to straighten out my thinking about Alaska. I really do not know why you took offense. It's as if you have an "Alaskan inferiority complex" or something. I answered your questions truthfully and I get a screed on how "misunderstood" I am about Alaska and Alaskans. O.K., here are the facts about Alaska and my customers. Alaska DOES take longer to ship to and orders shipped there are more subject to shipping delays, especially during winter, that any other state in the lower 48. Out the tremendous population of 686,293 (2008) inhabitants, a very tiny minority are interested in the reptile hobby. Why? Because it A) It cost more to ship to Alaska in general and B) because people who live in a state that is known for Polar bears, Glaciers, Eskimos, and Igloos usually do not bother with the challenges of carrying for tropical pets. And no, I am leaving absolutely no money on the table by boycotting Alaska. It's actually safer and more humane to selectively avoid shipping to Alaska since there is zero risk of any of my animals dying on their way to the land of the northern lights.
Thank you,
Robert Crespo
ReptilesNCritters.com
On Nov 30, 2009, at 9:50 AM, April Linkfield wrote:
As per your answers,
I'd first like to apologize for apparently wasting your time by inquiring into your product as apparently it is customary for your personel to write out knee jerk responses to its potential customers, instead of actually trying to answer them with any thought involved.
1.) If you read the question I specifically asked how you go about satisfying the sexing gaurantee of your adult sexed animals, (not if you would pretty please sex something that is not listed as sexable) hence the statement, and I quote straight from your quoting of my question "If i bought a sexed pair of adult "insert critter here".
The section of the form I posted the question under was Lizards (also look below you sent it back to me so you obviously had the chance to read it yourself) and not amphibians, So I did not particularly need the lecture as I can and did infact read your terms, but Im starting to wonder if you are capable of reading the questions asked.
2.) As per your own sites instructions, I did in fact look up the shipping time and my city is in fact eligible for one day shipping but that is not something you bothered to even look up now was it? Remember that part in my statement that you just quoted below "Granted that all the live arrive gaurantee terms are met"?? I state again, I did in fact read your terms. I did in fact LOOK before I asked, and the only reason I asked is because some stuck up businesses (like yourselves apparently) still refuse service all together, or limit the gaurantees anyway.
I've been shipping reptiles here for several years now and just because Alaska isnt connected to the united states doesnt necessarily mean that its impossible or any more dangerous to ship into either. I assure you we're not all building igloos, and mushing sled dogs. I dont boil icicles for water or hunt whales. In fact I live in a comfortable 5 bedroom house, with a two car garage. We in fact have 80 degree weather in the summer, and we can frequently go outside in tank tops and shorts 5 months of the year.... and yet people like you still refuse service to us for no other reason than stereotypes.
Which is such a shame as a business person that you choose to treat potential customers this way. Im sure the thought of losing a few alaskan customers must not seem like a big deal to your company so allow me to be thorough; Im not just referring to you refusing Alaskan herpers the same industry standard courtesy gaurantees as other fellow americans, but just the way you chose to isolate customers by offering snide remarks instead of answers simply because you failed to read the questions. I cant imagine how much money your company must lose from genuinely interested buyers who receive this type of "customer support".
Money you will most definately not be receiving from me, or anyone who encounters me while a member of the herpetological society that I run.
And no, Thank you Robert!
Or whoever it is that writes these letters on his behalf.
Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:59:47 -0500
From:
[email protected]
Subject: Re: ReptilesNCritters.com Online Contact Form Response
To:
[email protected]
April, see comments under your questions.
On Nov 28, 2009, at 8:47 PM,
[email protected] wrote:
ReptilesNCritters.com Contact Form Response
Contact Name: April
Email address:
[email protected]
Animal Type: Lizards
Priority Level: Level 3 - Not critical
Comments: Two questions,
1.) do you gaurantee the sex of your animals? I.E. if I bought a sexed pair of adult \"insert critter here\" and I got two males shipped out instead is there a way I could get a replacement female, refund, or whatnot?
We only guarantee the sex of adult animals. All babies and juvenile animals are not sex-able nor will we even pretend to sex them for a customer. Also, certain types of salamanders and newts are not sex guaranteed despite the fact that they may be adults or not.
If you got two males instead of a male and female you would get nothing more than an apology from me and my packers. We are not responsible for mistakes and sexing reptiles and amphibians, even if they are an adult specimen, is difficult and fraught with false positive identifications.
2.)Granted that the live arrival gaurantee terms are met will you ship to Alaska? (specifically 99669.)
We only ship Alaska if the customer agrees to waive the live guarantee policy. Shipping to Alaska is a two day affair and we do not guarantee live deli very on orders that will be in transit more than two days.
Thank you,
Robert Crespo
ReptilesNCritters.com
