[gnatster]

Iris, you may have better success contacting the vendor directly then posting to this forum.

 

[gnatster]

Is that your policy on all items? I'm looking for some odds and ends, a controller and a reactor (I ended up buying the nano from another place since you didn't have them in stock yet when I was ready to buy, sorry), but it concerns me now that I might get something that was defective and end up being heaved off on the manufacturer and of course have to pay to return it to them. That really doesn't sound like very good service.

Just to interject. Some manufactures require that any warranty service is handled through the manufacturer directly. These polices are put in place by the manufacturing company, not by the individual dealers. I know first hand this is frustrating. My day job is tech support for Apple iBooks and Powerbooks and Apple has the same policy. No matter where you buy computer if there is a problem we want it back to fix it. Walk into (insert big box store here) and buy a $3000 Powerbook, take it home, open the box and it's DOA. Turn right around and go to sellers location to get it fixed. They will say, sorry, please call Apple support at xxx-xxx-xxxx. Is that right? Does that put a bad light on the seller? The bottom line is the policy at Apple is we want it back to make right. There are exceptions to every rule, and some sellers on a case by case basis may just swap it out for a another.

JBJ and others are also moving towards that same model, I have no idea why, it frustrates customers and makes the seller look like they are making the bucks and passing you off. Thats not the case. The seller is only fulfilling the policy of the manufactuer.

Bottom line is the seller is caught between the manufacturer's policy and the buyers idea of good business practices.

 

[gnatster]

Looking at the JBJ warrenty one sees this text

...JBJ aquarium products are warranted to the original purchaser against defective material and workmanship...

I order a JBJ item from an APC Sponsor, upon reciept I open the well packed box and see the glass is cracked. My first instinct is to contact the seller, thats natural, how ever the seller informs me that JBJ requires I deal directly with JBJ. This is obviously defective material. Due to JBJ's policy that is my only recourse.

or..

At lfs I purchase a JBJ item. As is MY routine I open the box to be sure all parts are there and notice the cracked glass. At this point I'd pack the item back up, take another from the shelf, check it for defects, and inform the lfs staff of the broken item. Since I have yet to purchase the item the onus is now on the lfs for the defective part.

However I really do think it is a bit much to ask vendors to open and test if possible all boxes before shipping.

JBJ futher states on their site

Upon discovery of a defect, the merchandise should be sent prepaid to:...

They are not hiding the fact that they handle these issues in house.

It's not the way I like business to be handled, it offends my sensibilities as both a consumer and an ex-business owner. You paid your money to me, I'll make it right. I also notice none of the mega-vendors, Big Al's, PetSolutions, Dr Foster & Smith carry JBJ regulators. Wonder why.

 

[gnatster]

I dread the day we start seeing ADA knock offs flood the market.

Amano Type CO2 Regulator

Their discription, not mine

 

[gnatster]

Let me emphasise here that if you already have a JBJ regulator and it is working fine, don't worry, be happy. Go trim a plant However, if I was in the market for a regulator at this current point in time (March 05) and I happened upon these posts then I would cross JBJ off my short list and look else-ware. In the normal course of business events many times when the people cry loud enough management will look at the process in place and hopefully find the issue(s). I think we we can safely use the fact Robert has chosen not to stock certain items in the current JBJ line as a warning that they currently do not meet the quality that we all seek. I'm sure he does not need the hassles and people raking him through the mud from the possible issues when a product that Robert as Aqua Botanic represent has a perceived turn for the worse in quality.