Heard some rumors about Reefers: can anyone confirm them?

[Bubafat]

I heard some rumors about http://www.reefers.tv or http://www.acropora.com Same company.

I heard that they have gone out of business a couple of times over the last couple years and totally screwed over customers, employee's and wholesalers? I'm just wondering if anyone else has heard anything about this as I don't want to buy from a company that has this type of repuation.

Thanks

Buba

[Nagel]

Okay,

I've dealt with them... kinda...

I live 1 1/2 hours north of them. They actually share space with a LFS called Ocean Gallery II in North Plainfield, NJ. I went there because they had live rock at $4lb (compared to $8-9 near me). Well, walk-ins are supposed to pay OGII prices, $5-6 a lb, but I told them I came because I saw it online for $4, and wanted 50 lbs. Well, they made me a deal and I got my rock from them. Nice rock too, lots of macros and corraline as well as worms and life.

Well, on the other hand, the tanks and corals. I am not sure how it is split, whether Reefers owns 'em or Ocean Gallery II does. All very nice, though they DO have a TON of aiptasia in many of their tanks. They have a TON of acros, and the tanks (fish & coral) are all nice and clean. But like I said, they are housed in the same building as OGII, so I don't know if reefers is their web presence, another company, daughter co, etc... I didn't get burned, but then again I was a walk-in, and think it was more towards OGII then Reefers as they rang me up at the regular register. I did not deal with Brian while I was there.

just my .o2

[Edited by Nagel on 05-24-2001 at 09:30 PM]

[reefron]

LET ME START BY SAYING I'VE SPENT OVER $2,500 AT REEFERS OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. DURING AUG,SEP,OCT AND NOV OF 2000 I PURCHASED SEVERAL ITEMS FROM REEFERS, WHEN I RECEIVED THEM SOME OF THE TEST KITS WERE DAMAGED AND ONE WAS NOT SENT BUT I WAS CHARGED FOR IT. I SPOKE WITH BRIAN IN DEC. OF 2000,I WAS TOLD TO RETURN A FEW OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE DAMAGED AND A PH MONITOR AND 2 WATER PUMPS FOR A CREDIT OF $629.78. THESE WERE SHIPPED VIA UPS ON DEC 28,2000. ON JAN. 6, 2001 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM BRIAN AT REEFERS STATING HE RECEIVED EVERYTHING AND I SHOULD SEE A CREDIT ON MY NEXT CC STATEMENT. EACH MONTH I CALLED AND WAS ASSURED IT WOULD BE ON THE NEXT MONTHLY STATEMENT. FINALLY, HE TELLS ME HE CAN'T AFFORD TO GIVE ME A REFUND BUT WILL ISSUE STORE CREDIT FOR $629.78. NOW IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL WEEKS FROM WHEN HE SUPPOSEDLY SHIPPED ME SOME ITEMS AND I HAVE STILL RECEIVED NOTHING. THIS IS JUST A PORTION OF THE COMPLAINT I JUST FILED WITH SEVERAL STATE AND FEDERAL CONSUMER AGENCIES INCLUDING THE CONSUMERBROADCASTGROUP, FRAUD.ORG, FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU THAT HANDLES COMPLAINTS IN NORTH PLAINFIELD, NJ. "BEWARE OF THIS GUY"!!!! ANYONE KNOW OF ANY OTHER AGENCY I CAN COMPLAIN TO? I GUESS MY NEXT STEP IS TO CONTACT AS MANY OF HIS SUPPLIERS AS POSSIBLE TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT KIND OF GUY THEY ARE DEALING WITH.... I

[Reefers]

Hmm...there are two sides to every story so here's mine.

You have been a customer of mine for a long time without a problem. At the time of this purchase and subsequent return, I was a salaried employee of Reefers, Inc., who had bought Reefers from me in April 2000. I called you upon receipt of the goods and asked you why you were sending the stuff back. You explained that you had changed your mind about the way you were setting up your tank and didn't need the products and that you returned the damaged test kit. I let my employers know of the return and the amount of the credit which should be given.

I didn't hear from you until after my employers had pulled out and shut Reefers, Inc. down (Feb 15). At that time, I explained that with me getting Reefers back, I was financially strapped and that the best thing for you to do was to initiate a chargeback against Reefers, Inc. This would have gotten your money back from my employers, the same people who received the money from the sale, not me. You said that you really didn't want to do this and that you wanted to work something out with me. I said that I would try and make things right. We talked about store credit and partial credit to your credit card.

You decided that you wanted some more merchandise which I have not been able to send. We talked about this several times and I again suggested that the best way to get your money back was initiate a chargeback so that you would get a credit from the credit card company and that my previous employers would be debited for this since they received the money in the first place.

If I did anything wrong, it was trying to be a nice guy. I should have insisted that you pursue the chargeback as this was the right thing to do from the very beginning. If this had been done, you would have received a credit from the proper party and everyone would be happy.

Brian

[reefron]

I wish Brian would have responded so quickly when I was trying to get a refund from Reefers. All of my dealings with Reefers were with Brian Griffin. He never mentioned anything about a partner or employer until I asked for a refund. Apparently he thinks its ok to take peoples money as long as he blames it on someone else.

The bottom line is why did "Brian" tell me to send the items back if Reefers was not going to give me a refund. I spoke with brian on Jan. 6,2001 he assured me the credit for $629.78 would appear on my next cc statement. Then he insisted month after month that the credit would be on the next statent. Finally, in March Brian recommended I dispute the charges with my credit card co. This is when I first heard about his "partner"(his own words) not an employer. At this point I was well beyond the 60 days that Visa allows you to dispute a charge. I'm sure as a business owner Brian is well aware of how long a customer has to dispute a charge. Now my only option was to take the store credit which was Brians solution to the problem not mine.

Brian is very deceptive and will not hesitate to tell you what you want to hear. The convincing tone of his post is the reason I've been so patient for so long. Truth is I've been lied to for months.

Apparently, Brian is not concerned with the reputation of Reefers. It should not be my problem if Brians partner took money from the business, nor should he pass that loss on to a customer. Sometimes a business has to absorb losses in order to uphold it's reputation. Some people refer to this as the price of doing business.

BEWARE! of Reefers and smooth talking, Brian Griffin

[G7subs]

I'm glad I saw this post! I've been trying to get a hold of "Brian" all week to order a skimmer.It seems he doesn't like to return calls either.I spoke with some nimrods at OG2,that apparently left messages for Brian.Business must be booming if he doesn't need my business.Think I'll mosey on over to Premium aquatics.

[Nagel]

Jason over at PA is great to deal with. I bought a few things from him, changing the order a few times, and it all arrived like it should. Packed VERY well I might add. And he responds to emails within a day or 2 at most, usually a day. Two thumbs up for PA from me...

[Bubafat]

Ya, took 3 emails for him to respond to one silly yes or no answer. Thanks guys, you were very helpful.

Matt