# Aquabid Shipping



## ch0wls (Jun 4, 2013)

I've never bought aquabid bettas from Thailand, but I'm planning to soon! :-D I'm not sure who to ask these questions to so any answers from you guys would be helpful... So I plan on buying from TMTbetta and using Mr. Koo from MN as my transhipper. Since TMTbetta, and many other sellers, has a DOA policy, does this mean that if my transhipper uses priority shipping the DOA policy still works? Or is the policy only from Thailand to the transhipper? Also if I buy from different Aquabid sellers at around the same time will my transhipper ship them to me all in one box?

(I think I'm good with just priority shipping since I've bought from The Betta Shop which is run by Mr. Koo)
Thanks!


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

*Since TMTbetta, and many other sellers, has a DOA policy, does this mean that if my transhipper uses priority shipping the DOA policy still works? Or is the policy only from Thailand to the transhipper? *

you have to ask your seller that. I do believe that the DOA policy still works.

*Also if I buy from different Aquabid sellers at around the same time will my transhipper ship them to me all in one box?*

talk to your transshipper. I do not see why not but check with them. 

next I'm going to highly suggest you don't use priority shipping and use overnight shipping. I know you said you used priority shipping before with this person but remember that the trip the fish took only was from the person in the states to you. However, your fish are coming from Thailand. You want to minimize the time your fish is spent in that box. It can take several days for the fish to get to the states from Thailand and then priority can take several days as well so that could be that your fish ends up in transit for a week or more.


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## ch0wls (Jun 4, 2013)

VivianKJean said:


> *Since TMTbetta, and many other sellers, has a DOA policy, does this mean that if my transhipper uses priority shipping the DOA policy still works? Or is the policy only from Thailand to the transhipper? *
> 
> you have to ask your seller that. I do believe that the DOA policy still works.
> 
> ...


Thanks! When I bought from them before they were just shipped in from Thailand as well, but I did ask how long and how much express shipping was. He said it was $40 and it would take 2-3 days anyways so I decided to use priority..


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## ch0wls (Jun 4, 2013)

*More questions*

So I ordered 3 bettas June 6th, Saturday. And the seller shipped them out early in the morning on June 7th, Sunday after I paid. Before this I contacted my transhipper via text, and he told me shipping costs for one betta. I contacted him later, when the seller shipped them out, using email on June 8th, Monday, and then texted him the same thing June 10th, Wednesday, since I didn't get a reply (he read the text a few hours later). I'm pretty sure he has the fish since the stores near him get the shipments at the same time and the store posted videos of all the bettas in their beanies on their website. I know he's very very busy but I cant pay him since I haven't gotten a reply yet, and I don't know if I should call him/the seller, also if they're coming next week or this week.

(this is my first time on aquabid so I'm very hectic just for not hearing anything for 3 days x) haha)


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## AukWord (Mar 15, 2015)

ch0wls said:


> So I ordered 3 bettas June 6th, Saturday. And the seller shipped them out early in the morning on June 7th, Sunday after I paid. Before this I contacted my transhipper via text, and he told me shipping costs for one betta. I contacted him later, when the seller shipped them out, using email on June 8th, Monday, and then texted him the same thing June 10th, Wednesday, since I didn't get a reply (he read the text a few hours later). I'm pretty sure he has the fish since the stores near him get the shipments at the same time and the store posted videos of all the bettas in their beanies on their website. I know he's very very busy but I cant pay him since I haven't gotten a reply yet, and I don't know if I should call him/the seller, also if they're coming next week or this week.
> 
> (this is my first time on aquabid so I'm very hectic just for not hearing anything for 3 days x) haha)


Okay, take a deep breath and slow down a bit ;-)

Couple tips.

I always pay my transhipper in advance. I think it's only courteous and good business practice, and use paypal so if there is an issue, you do have that recourse.

If you're waiting to pay him--why, may I ask? Has he not sent you an invoice with the shipping options/charges?

And, I agree with the person who advised you choose a faster shipping option. Trying to save a few bucks at the expense of prolonged stress, misery, and possible fatality to your fish just isn't worth it.

Remember you will only get a refund or replacement on your _fish_, not the shipping charges, if you get a DOA. And if you choose a replacement fish, you will have to pay shipping charges again, on THAT fish.

It's false economy, to skimp on shipping options, even if only looking at it from bottom-line standpoint, and not taking into account the health and welfare of the fish.

I would try texting him again, telling him you have payment ready, and asking for a status update on your fish.

Good luck, hope it works out well for you.


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## ch0wls (Jun 4, 2013)

AukWord said:


> Okay, take a deep breath and slow down a bit ;-)
> 
> Couple tips.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I'm not paying him yet because I don't know his PayPal, and yes he hasn't sent an invoice or told me shipping charges. He did tell me before I bought the fish when I asked, but I don't know if any of it changed since I only asked for one fish, so I want it to be confirmed. I asked about express, and it was $40 USPS for 2-3 day guarantee, and for FedEx it would be $60 for overnight and I'm not willing to pay that much. He hasn't responded to my text or email since I bought the fish, I don't know if I want to bother him again by calling..


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

Im sorry but if you are going to order fish off of Aquabid then you must be prepared to pay $60 in shipping. If you aren't willing to pay that then it is not a good idea to use Aquabid.


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## ch0wls (Jun 4, 2013)

Thanks but the thing is that I HAVE before purchased fish all the way from Thailand before. But I picked them out from videos of them right after they got to the U.S. The difference now is that I specifically picked them out from pictures when they were in Thailand. I'm going to use the same type of shipping as I did last time which was priority shipping in the summer around this time. Since my transhipper gets about 400 bettas each shipment, which half are picked by costumers on aquabid and half are from bought by the transhipper for his store which you can buy from online. They all get to his shop at the same time and sold around the same time so there was no difference of buying from his U.S. online website or buying from aquabid except I payed the seller for the actual fish instead of my transhipper. My problem is how to contact my transhipper not which method I use for shipping.


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## ch0wls (Jun 4, 2013)

He just responded! I'm thinking about buying from the shops as well. Thanks for everyone's input. They're going to be shipped out Monday, he said he shipped many boxes with priority without any issues :-D


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## ch0wls (Jun 4, 2013)

All 5 betta fish arrived active and alive! I used priority shipping and everything was fine.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

I always use Priority. Haven't had a problem yet. Many people do. It depends, I think, on how good the sorting centers are on the expected route and the length of the trip from the transshipper. Some places do not receive packages any faster via Express from certain distances.

I also do not order fish when I know it will be freezing or too hot.


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## ch0wls (Jun 4, 2013)

hrutan said:


> I always use Priority. Haven't had a problem yet. Many people do. It depends, I think, on how good the sorting centers are on the expected route and the length of the trip from the transshipper. Some places do not receive packages any faster via Express from certain distances.
> 
> I also do not order fish when I know it will be freezing or too hot.



Yes the weather here was perfect for shipping IMO. I never order fish in the winter because I believe it gets way too cold here where I live even for express. The transhipper wrote "LIVE FISH" on the box, and I know there's controversy on wether you should write it or not. The box was in perfect condition though!


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