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Xtreme Reptiles.com

IMO.
I personally think no matter how many animals you have (whether it's 100, 1,000 or 10,000), it takes someone 5 to 10 minutes to pull 1-3 snakes out of some Rubbermaid's and take a few snap shots.

The difference between 100, 1,000 and 10,000 animals, is whether you have those available 10 minutes right away, within the hour or next week. 7 employees, 2,500 animals each should be able to get a few snap shots back to the customer within 24-48hrs. Whether someone comes in 10 minutes early, during a lunch break or stays 5 minutes late. At some point someone can walk out back, take a few pictures and upload back to the customer, whether he buys it or not is irrelevant.

I personally would rather evaluate my staff's dedication or limitations before I eliminate retail sales. Unless of course your retail sales are not worth it or don't justify it. Somehow I don't think this is the problem at Xtreme since they are well known, have a solid foundation and provide quality animals at a low price.

Like I said before, I personally as a customer would not buy a $10,000 or a $50 snake without some representation of exactly what I am getting. That said, I would not expect or demand one of my potential customers to just hand over $1,000 or even $100 because I said "trust me".
 
he wrote

I'd like more info and photos of the adult Brazilians you have for sale, I read your site but wont buy what I can't see. Thanks


we wrote
Sorry we do not have individual pictures

he wrote
Hello again I was just looking at the BOI for info on your company it seems in the past you provided photos so why not now? Without a photo how am I to know what I'm getting ? and if what you are sending me is what I want????? everyone else I've bought from has provided photos of the animals I was interested, now your past customers may have complete trust that you will send them what they want but how is a new customer to know ???????



we wrote
You must understand, we have over 10,000 Snakes alone. Not to mention the 15,000 lizards and 20,000 arachnids, amphibians and turtles... We are a large wholesaler, animals come and go in the 100s on a daily basis... Many times we cannot take ind pics cause by the time the pic is taken and posted the animal is sold... If they remain here long enough we do sometimes get individual pics... 99% of our customers buy the animals sight unseen because they know our reputation. Sorry if this is inconvenient but that is why our prices are lower and not retail.



Thank you for understanding



he wrote
Hi and thanks for the reply, I can understand that you have a lot of animals coming and going but as a possible new customer you have no reputation with me. Sure I'm not going to be buying 100 of anything but then you do run your adds where collectors like myself will see them and they are targeted towards us. I'll put it to you this way I'm looking for a male and possibly a pair of Brazilians that meet my standards and without anything else to go on I can't see spending the money to just see what I get. Thanks


Then came and posted this here
What I'd like to know
is why they refuse to send you pictures of the animals they list? Myself I have a hard time sending someone a couple hundered bucks or more for something that may not be what I'm looking for. Was interested in some of their animals but without photos I'm not sending them any money.
Randy Mackey


Last week alone we had had at least 5 incidents with retail customers( which for those who asked makes up % of our sales last year,which mind you includes a lot of high end animals most of which are in the $1,000+ range) who had either outrageous demands or simply ordered a COD shipment and then left the animals for dead... % of our sales but yet 60% of our head aches... Our emplyees do their jobs(which doesnt include takeing pics) and if you think it only takes 10 minutes to isolate 1 animal, take a pic, label the cage properly, walk back to the office, upload the pic to the cp, name the pic, and email it then I must be too slow... Again this was our decision to make, and we are not looking to make anyone a "scapegoat" as some one put it earlier but it was the last incident and since it was posted on the BOI, the only reason why it was made public... Otherwise It would have stayed as an internal new policy till in full affect..


Alfredo Veloso
 
The thing I like about business is a spreadsheet shows you what needs to happen.

Retail Sale:

-Hourly wage for employee: $10, plus taxes, benefits, insurance etc = $20 - $25
-Price of a BRB: $150, assume cost of $75.00 leaving a profit of $75.00
-To handle a request for a photo plus packaging time if sale goes through your looking at 20 minutes your employee cost as $8.33 plus cost of snake $75 leaves you a total gross (not net) profit of <b>$66.67</b>

-Price of BRB at wholesale: $100, assume a profit of $25 each
-To handle a wholesale order of 10 BRB's, 20 minutes to package on employee time ($8.33 again). Total Profit: <b>$241.67 ($250 - $8.33)</b>.

The above numbers are an example as I don't know Alfredo's books but they are how a business operates.

Each customer has a different way in which they would want to do business. Luckily there is a company out there wanting to do business the way you as a customer wants it done. Doesn't mean that they are a bad customer or a bad business because those needs/services don't match up.

You have to babysit employees, whether they are making 100K a year or $7 an hour (and I'd babysit a 100K a year employee before a $7 because if there is a problem he'll lose you money faster). Afterall it's your name (as a business owner) that's on each and every box that goes out and the customer doesn't want to hear a "well my employee screwed up" when there is an issue. It would be great if employees had the same level of commitment to my business that I do but they just don't have the same stake in it. It's not to say that employees are bad, just they don't have the same motivation as someone that has everything they have invested in an enterprise.
 
Lol. I wonder what you all would have done when there was no INTERNET, and no digital photos of animals. Only a piece of paper with latin and common names and sexes that came MONTHLY.
Our hobby has come a long way but people forget that it started based on word of mouth and reputation. Xtreme has a good reputation, and is known by others to send good animals. If they feel like retail is a minor part of sales and to deal with headaches of having someone complain of a toe nail missing, etc, and that it is not "helping" the business mature and grow, then, as I would have, be gone with that section of the business. Why waste time on a small % of business when you can focus your attention on growing bigger and better , another part?
They are in no way obligated to serve the retail community.
They do not need to send you photos of the animals, as they have people that would buy them without photos.
They can sell the same animal for a tiny bit less or the same to a store or jobber either way. Why bother with providing pictures of all 10 female braziians so someone could pick one out, and have those animals on "hold" till someone does so and possibly doesnt even purchase them?
I would have done the same if I had a wholesale operation that serviced jobbers and pet stores.
Zoological Imports sells only the higher end stuff to retail customers, and tries not to bother with sending out one 4" red ear to New York, or two iguanas to Ohio for pets.
 
Daniel hit it on the head, each customer has different expectations in the way in which they want to do business and be treated. Luckily there is a company or breeder out there wanting to do business the way you as a customer want it done. Again, it doesn't mean that any one of them is a bad person or a bad company because those needs and/or services don't match up.

I agree,
If Randy did not get what he wanted or needed from Alfredo or Xtreme, just move on and find someone that will. I wouldn't have started a thread on the BOI for this.
 
we do not fill requests for individual photos either, our reputatio speaks for itself and I cannot justify hiring extra help to fill all of these sort of requests. the only specimens we individually photograph are higher priced morphs and rare specimens, otherwise we supply photos representing current available livestock. I can understand exactly where xtreme stands on this subject, and I agree 110%.

It simply cannot be done when dealing with a large volume of available livestock, there are reasons his pricing is low. If such requests were filled prices would obviously reflect it. We obviously do not deal with the quantity xtreme does but we do supply numerous retail stores and have thousands of specimens on hand at any given time, taking the time to individually photograph specimens, set them aside, digitally send said photos, and await a customers response is tough to do when said specimens could have easily sold in the meantime. Sometimes I'll fill a request here or there, depending on the specimen requested. But if it is something we sell frequently like a red blood python or something that usually sells fairly quickly we do not fill such requests.......
 
I didn't start the thread

Just posted a reply to it. There seems to be some confusion as to who sent what email. Seems I wasn't the only one asking for Pics last week. Anyway
I just talked to Alfredo and placed an order for 2 BRBs.
Randy Mackey
 
Bad experience with Xtreme

Xtreme Sent me sick animals that parished almost imediatly after recieving them. They Did Not honor thier 5 day health guarentee at all, and then tried to claim that its just my animals getting sick and dying. But according to the vet, the animals i recieved from them were not responsive or alert and extremely dehydrated. not to mention the worms and parasites. According to Xtreme They had the animals they sold me in there store for at least 2 months. Im sure thats plenty of time to hydrate these poor helpless animals.
 
Great Experience With Xtreme

I have been dealing with Xtreme for several years and could not be happier. The animals are always in good shape (even the WC animals) and they are packed beautifully, not crowded, lots of packing materials, heat packs and styro to ensure safe shipping. I have had no major losses with Xtreme except for one spider which I was given credit for with absolutely no hassle. I just received a shipment last week in single digit temps. and everything arrived alive and in great condition - dart frogs, turtles, uromastyx etc.

I have ordered literally hundreds of animals from Xtreme with no problems.
 
Say it isn't so!

I have nothing but praises to sing for Alfredo and Xtreme. I've called and inquired on a single animal and was treated with professionalism. The quality of the animals is beyong reproach.

I'm deeply saddened at the thought of Xtreme closing their doors to the retail side and hope Alfredo reconsiders (or at least places my name on "the list") :D

Kassandra Royer
 
Another Good example: Ronda Yerman is a plain and simple liar and unless I get a public apology will possibly pursure it further... She purchased two W/C Vietnamese wood turtles on 11-8-04, had them for well over a week (if memory recalls) before she contact us about any problems. She later informed us it perished (after our gurantee) and I told her I would gladly send her one at cost to help her out... Then Yet again another turtle she receives after being in our care gets sick,after she told us this she never contacted us again... here is one of her emails where she thanks us for going out of our way and policy to help her out, notice the date of the email and when she received the animal(6 days later)..

12/12/2004 1:45:45 pm estern standard time
from:[email protected]
to:[email protected]

Dear Alfredo,
I spoke to you on the phone about my female g.spengleri who was sick and had
died rather quickly after recieving her. I want to thank you for sending me
the second female spengleri so quickly, at a discount of 49.00. i recieved
her on the 6th of december, but Unfortunatly she is ill, and it appears is
going to die as well. I feel terrible about these precouse little things,
and wish i could save her, but i dont think i will be able to. She might be
suffering from the same infection the other female you sent me died of.
Please contact me and let me know of any options.
Thank You,
Ronda Yerman
727 393-****

So again tell me how did we not honor our guarantee? This is why we keep files and records of everything(even phone records) to defend ourselves when we are accused of something we didnt do... If we are in error we will amit to it, and correct it...

PS: we did this without even seeing a vet report(not that most vets know what they are doing), and I find it hard to be leive the turtles to be dehydrated when their set up is half water!!!


Alfredo Veloso
 
Just got my shipment from Xtreme Reptiles

Two very nice and healthy looking BRBs that were packaged great(3 heat packs, nice warm snakes came out of the bags). Love the crescents on the Female Alfredo she's just what I was looking for, the male is in shed but looks like a nice one. Thanks and I'm sure we will do business again. I even received a free bonus cricket ;) what sex is the cricket?

Randy Mackey
 
I Like XtremeRptiles

I have only ordered once from Xtreme, but it was a very good experience. I too bought a pair of G. spengleri. Mine came in very healthy. I took my pair to the vet the same week that I got them. They had very little parasites, but were wormed anyway. They have been thriving ever since, except for one instance when the male came down with an upper respiratory infection, which was prompltly treated by my vet. Both are still doing well.
 
Good Guy's

Xtreme has always done good for me. I have bought many reptiles from them and if I had a problem it was fixed with no questions asked. I felt like I should give more info than they even wanted. To me Alfredo is a good guy and will stand to his word.

Keep up the good work

Thank you
Jason Aspley
 
Alfredo is one of the best out there.A true class act.Have purchased hundreds of herps from him with 99% of the animals in great shape.Very good for w/c.If there was ever a problem,he made it right,immediately.One of the few that you can trust to cherry pick your animals to your likeing.Keep up the good work Al. :bow01:
 
Re:My Deal With Xtreme!

Response to Xtreme,
Xtreme obviously has the email ive sent them, its within the 5 day health, ive indicated to them my new turtle was ill, and what options do you think they gave me?

Well here it is below:
on 12/13/04 8:34 AM, [email protected] at [email protected] wrote:

I do not understand the reason for yours to be getting ill? we have sent out over 100 in the last 6 weeks and other than the 3 that fed ex froze in shipping non others have died?

Shipping starts at $32 for over night delivery right to your door...
We ship overnight Express. We offer live arrival and 5 day health.
There is no minimum order
For ordering info feel free to call us at (305)253-8484
or just visit the online order form on our website @
http://www.xtremereptiles.com
You can also email us at
[email protected]
We take all major credit cards and accept COD

Thank you,

Xtreme Reptiles

This is the only Option I recieved within the 5 day health. Im sure others could be satisfied with Xtreme, and im sure some will say there good people. But as far as im concerned my opinion is different. I was sent Ill animals from the getgo!, whooo and i even got a bargain, to pay for another ill animal, with the only option to order more after contacting xtreme within the 5 day health.

Xtreme is professional, I should not have to beg for there 5 day health quarentee to kick in, Ive indicated the new reptile was ill too. they should know health of the animals they send out! Turtles dont get enibriated overnight!!!!! Why should i pay and recieve a dying shell. The worst part of it all in my momory of xtreme was not the loss of the money, it was having to watch these animals die, and i cant save them, even if they lived longer than 10 days, most likley they would have internal damage from they're dehydrated state.

I would have liked to have had a good experience with extreme, but I didnot. I would have liked to have recieved healthy turtles, But i didnot. It could have spared me a heartache.

But then again Im just some nobody, im not a vendor, a dealer, a Breeder or a petshop. Im just a person who saved to get a few adorable turtles, some might say im a pet lover and (A CONSUMER). Im not even a hobbyist. (I read through all of these threads).

Xtreme can throw around threats and take action against a consumer who complained about recieving sick and dying turtles if they choose.
As a consumer, Im entitled to do so as well.

These threads request peoples personal experinces weather good or bad. I can only be honest in my experience, and it is what it is. But that doesnt mean someone elses situation with them will be the same.
 
Tacky Turtle

I have to ask, How did your turtle get Drunk ?? Enibriated ?? I hate to make light of your turtles death but I have to say I've never seen an enibriated reptile before.

Ok before someone else does ... Please don't tell me it was driving when it died.

Seriously now what was it you think caused the turtles to die?

Randy Mackey
 
TACKYTURTLE WROTE: Turtles dont get enibriated overnight!!!!!
Click to expand...

I guess that would depend what is in their water bowl! lol.......

Seriously, spengleri, while being "adorable" as Tackyturtle says, can be very difficult to acclimate to captivity, I have a friend who is a reptile keeper at the Philly Zoo tell me that even he has trouble with new specimens aquired for his personal collection.

Tackyturtle - tell us what you did with them upon receipt,and how you had the turtles set up - what size tank, type of lighting, temperatures and what is in the tank (type of bedding, water etc?) ? Was water in a bowl or how did you have the water? Also - What other types of turtles do you currently keep?
 
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