[TDonson]

This is a long post. Before writing this I consulted with 2 people. A moderator, to ensure this would not be deleted or moved, and a noted reefer, whom I have the utmost respect for. This is a summary of my PM’s with Pillz. I will gladly forward them to anyone who is interested in reading them in there entirety. With that being said…

Pillz AKA David Boardman was looking to trade his PPE’s for equipment. I contacted him and let him know I had a unused icecap 430 ballast that I was willing to trade. Pillz agreed. In exchange for my ballast he would trade me 7-8 polyps, but if I PAID for his shipping he would send me 12-13 polyps. He told me Fedex overnight would cost $45 and if it cost more than that he would pay the additional amount. I agreed to pay the shipping costs and sent $45 via paypal. We exchanged tracking numbers, all is well.

The package arrived at 7 AM, but the facility doesn’t open until 9 AM. I pick the package up after work on 07/12 @ 3:57PM. I noticed on the outside of the box that the ACTUAL shipping charge was $32 and some change, I sent Pillz $45. No big deal I thought as I had the PPE’s I wanted. I get home and unpack the box. Pillz sent the PPE’s in a Ziploc bag stuck inside of a “spice” container and the Ziploc bag leaked ¾ of the water into the spice container. The PPE’s were slumped over, they looked bad. I added some of my water to the bag and let them float, and sent Pillz a PM letting him know that the Ziploc bag leaked and the PPE’s looked bad. He seemed concern, but said they would open and that it took one full day for one of the other guys to open as they were really stressed. The next day I sent him another PM telling him the PPE’s still weren’t open and that they still looked bad, I even sent pictures. He replied back asking about my tank parameters, and to move them higher in the tank. I answer his questions and moved the PPE’s. Day 2, they still aren’t open. I sent Pillz another PM. This time he replies back saying all buyers must notify him within an hour of arrival… and that I had requested the package be held for pick up at FedEx but didn’t pick it up until 3:57 which is a possible reason for corals to be dead or dying …and since he wasn’t notified during his timeframe all he could do was offer me a “generous” discount on other corals he will be selling in the next week…and that I couldn’t leave a package sitting for 8 hours extra and expect a full refund and that he hoped we could work something out to resolve this issue. Now, I’m upset (not the word I would normally use). I PMed him back letting him know I believed his ill method of packaging had a lot to do with the PPE’s dying (so does the reefer I consulted). And that I had received both zoo’s and ric’s via USPS 2nd day and they be open within 20-30 minutes of being placed in my tank. And if he wanted to shift the blame to me I would let everyone know this is how he conducts business. He reply backing saying if I wanted more PPE’s all I would have to do was overnight the dead ones back and I would have to pay for shipping again, as he had stated in his posts that shipping was not guaranteed. I replied back telling him no where in his posts does it say shipping isn’t guaranteed, and that I wasn’t paying shipping again. That he had already overcharged me once. Thanks but no thanks. He PMed me back saying he wasn’t going to pay shipping and that his SG is 1.026 (mine is 1.023) and that I had shocked the PPE’s by adding my tank water to the bag and to raise my salinity. This is my final reply to Pillz:

PPE's day 4
Instead of owning up to your shoddy way of doing business. You have placed blame on "leaving them at FedEx too long", "my specific gravity being too low" or whatever. I can see if YOU actually paid to send me dead PPE's, but I PAID for you to send me dead PPE's, and I PAID you $13 too much. Instead of YOU offering to pay to ship me replacements, you want me to pay to overnight you the dead ones back. That is insane!! From day one, I let you know that your Ziploc bag leaked and have subsequently PMed you every day telling you that the PPE's aren't open. Its day 4 and they still aren't open. I'm the one who is getting ripped off. Twice. You have an unused ballast; I paid that shipping and shipping of the PPE's. I see continuing this is a mute point. I'm not paying to overnight you anything back, as you have already taken advantage of my generosity. I wouldn't be raising this stink if they had arrived alive. I would have given you your accolades (props) on the thread that you are an upstanding person and that the PPE's were fantastic. Yet I'm bickering with you via PM's. Well, I'm done. I PMed one of the moderators of the forum where the PPE thread is located. I have gotten the okay to post my negative experience of dealing with you there. I was hoping we could resolve this amicably, but I guess not. Enjoy your ballast Mr. Boardman. Karma has a way of dealing with people such as yourself.

Its day 6 the PPE’s still aren’t open.

Tonya