1. Why are shipping charges not shown when buying fish?
You will pay for Southwest Cargo shipping at the airport. Rates are subject to change at any time which may result in a higher or lower rate. Rates are based off the weight of each box. Should your order have a large quantity that requires a non-standard FedEx box, we will give you a custom quote and we will request the difference of the cost. We do not use USPS or UPS. DOA is always guaranteed with FedEx shipments. Due to the low rates, there is no refund on shipping should the shipment arrive late for any reason. Alaska shipments please add $25 to the rates above. We can ship to your home, FedEx hub or business. FedEx Standard Overnight: Next-business-day delivery by 6:00 p.m. to U.S. businesses and by 9 p.m. to U.S residences. Deliveries to and from select ZIP codes in Alaska may differ from delivery times in the contiguous U.S. There are no Saturday arrivals for FedEx. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for more information. You can read about the FedEx shipping HERE
2. What shipping carriers do you use?
We ship out fish via Southwest Air Cargo Next Flight Guarantee (NFG). If Southwest is not available in your region, we will use the next best option which is FedEx Priority Overnight (pending the type and size of fish). All fish are shipped same day or next day air; this will vary region to region. FedEx – in the event they are late delivering a shipment, damage the shipment resulting it dead fish, they will not accept your claim of the dead fish or shipping. Live fish are listed as “Prohibited Items” in the FedEx Service Guide-Restrictions List. Therefor there is no guarantee live arrival if using FedEx 2 Day Service. Dry goods can be sent via FedEx, UPS and USPS or within your fish shipment. FedEx shipments can also be picked up at the nearest available hub, please verify how far away from the hub you are before agreeing to have the fish shipped to the hub.
3. Southwest Cargo Shipping & Arrival Times
When we pick a time with Southwest Cargo for the shipment to leave and arrive, those flights can be changed without notice. Many times, have I requested a flight while dropping off the fish which are no longer available. I will pick the next best time if it is not going to be an overnight flight or within 1.5 hours of closing. Each Southwest facility has different opening and closing times. Once the fish are bagged up and at the airport they will have to be shipped unless it's going over night. You will need to be prepared to pick them up at the time of arrival for DOA to be accepted.
4. Who pays for shipping?
Shipping is paid for by the customer unless otherwise noted. When you pick up the fish at the airport you will have to pay the shipping charges to the agent. Please have your ID ready as they will need to verify you as well as the AWB # aka Airway Bill Number and bring a credit card, they do not accept cash at any or most places. With FedEx you will pay us upfront as we must deliver the shipment to FedEx. If you have your own FedEx account, you can send us the label for your order.
5. Shipping fish seems expensive, why is that?
Shipping fish can get expensive. A lot of sellers cut corners and use smaller bags, smaller boxes, etc. to keep the cost down. Keeping costs down seems the way to go but when your fish arrives dead or in bad shape, no water in the bag, oxygen depleted and so on, you will the realize it’s worth the extra money to have it shipped correctly. Southwest is the way to go if possible as most shipments run $75 - $100 is most cases with 1 or 2 boxes, FedEx can easily be double that for heavy orders. For rare and expensive fish, due to delays we may use a larger than normal bag and box. This will ensure if there is a delay of a few hours to a day, the fish will have enough oxygen to survive.
6. What boxes are used for shipping fish?
FedEx has strict standards when shipping and all shippers must be approved by FedEx. We will use the same standards when shipping via Cargo or higher. Boxes are minimum 200lb - 275 lb. burst strength.
7. Do you ship during holidays?
Yes, we ship during the holidays if they are open for business. Shipping with FedEx after Thanksgiving to Christmas and to New Year’s may not be available as they are usually extremely busy with holiday packages and you run the risk of the package arriving late or worse, lost packages. During those times only AP to AP (Airport to Airport) will be available via Southwest Cargo. Customers can however decide (request) to ship via FedEx with the risk of the shipment being late or lost. There is no DOA guarantee on late shipments due to FedEx or Southwest Cargo delivering your package late during the holidays and any other time of the year. Late is ANYTHING after 4 hours of the scheduled arrival time for FedEx and ANYTHING after the same day of shipping for Southwest meaning if I ship the fish at 7 AM the fish must be in your hands before 11:59 PM that same day to receive a DOA claim if the fish are dead. Customers must check the tracking number for FedEx and Southwest Cargo. Tracking for Southwest Cargo is the AWB or Airway Bill Number. If the customer notices the shipment is delayed, they must call FedEx and have them hold at the facility for customer pickup. We always recommend Southwest Cargo if available in your area or ship after the holidays. We are not liable to remind customers that during the holidays, shipments can be delayed. Therefor as mentioned above there will be no DOA guarantee after 1 hour of the scheduled arrival time for FedEx and what is mentioned above for Southwest Cargo. All customers agree to the Terms and Conditions when purchasing fish from the website. This also goes for COVID related shipping issues such as back logs that make a shipment late or deliver the next day after the original delivery date.
8. What form of payment do you accept?
Currently only PayPal, PayPal Credit, Venmo, Cash App, Facebook Pay, Stripe, Square, Zelle and cash are accepted. Payment needs to be paid in full before any fish is shipped out. The only method of PayPal payments will be Pay for goods or services. This is so both the buyer, and the seller are protected. Please do not send via Friends and Family unless you are close friends with us or trust our business.
9. How often do you ship out orders?
Orders are typically shipped out approximately 1-10 days after payment type has cleared. We ship out Monday through Wednesday for FedEx and Southwest Cargo. There is no FedEx/Southwest Cargo shipping on Friday. If you buy a fish and we determine that fish is not yet ready to be shipped then it will be shipped out the following weekend, but there can still be exceptions. We don’t ship fish when they have eaten; we like to wait about 3-4 days before shipping fish. Since there is no filter, waste from the fish can cause an ammonia spike and ultimately kill or sicken the fish. Once you have made payment, we will either remove the fish into its own holding tank if there are other tank mates or leave the fish there if it’s alone and we will stop feeding to prepare to be shipped. Fish health is the top priority.
10. How do I track my fish shipment?
We and FedEx will send you a FedEx tracking number the day it is shipped. Packages are delivered by 10:30 AM or before but sometimes later depending on your location, we have seen up to 8 PM. If a shipment is not delivered by 10:30 AM or sooner or by whatever time is state on your tracking, make sure you call FedEx ASAP to get an updated status, this is your responsibility as this is out of our control. It is best to call FedEx and have them hold at the facility for pick up, especially when the weather is cold. For flights we will send you an AWB (Airway Bill Number). You must track the AWB to see when the flight is scheduled to arrive; again, this is your responsibility as this is out of our control. Flights are often delayed or there are multiple stops so be sure to track the shipment. Always make sure to call ahead to the airport before making the drive to make sure the plane has landed and are ready to be picked up. Have the agent verify that your shipment is indeed ready for pick up; you will need to give them the AWB. Typically, it takes about 30-60 minutes for the items to be unloaded and processed; it’s always good to be a few minutes early if possible. Every airport is different so the estimated 30-60 minutes could be shorter or longer so be prepared. Often shipments can be bumped to another plane due to capacity issues, NFG cargo before ours, etc. There is never a 100% guarantee that the flight we want to ship on will be the flight we get. It is a first come, first serve basis. Should a flight bump the cargo they will/should call you to let you know. This may not happen; it all depends on who is working the cargo and have time to call. They will not call me as it's not my cargo. The customer must always be prepared to pick up their fish later, this includes the following day so please be prepared for any emergency. I do not have the ability to send fish back to me over the phone as they need someone in person with ID to ship the cargo back to CVG. Once fish are packed and dropped off, they are shipped out to the customer. I do not have the ability to take the fish to work with me should there be an issue. We will also try to go with the best flight option but that will not always be the case. Should a flight not be available, or the agent advises us not to use a specific flight due to human remains, number of connections, etc. then we will use the next best flight. If you know you only have one chance of a pickup on the day of shipping, do not ship that day. If the arrival time is 3 and you have other plans after 4 but now the flight is late, do not ship that day. I do not have the ability to take the cargo back home with me to unpack, etc. When you buy fish from the website, Facebook, email or in person, you agree to all the Terms and Conditions, FAQs, etc. All this information is available online for anyone to read.
11. Is shipping refunded?
Under any circumstance shipping will NOT be refunded unless it is 100% an error on our end.
12. How do I get ahold of FedEx or Southwest Cargo if I have an issue with the flight or delivery?
FedEx Customer Service – 1-800-463-3339
Southwest Cargo Customer Service – 1-800-533-1222
13. What is the status of FedEx Money Back Guarantee?
Please view their policy HERE
Due to the low rates we receive with FedEx, we do not have a money back guarantee with them. If the shipment is late at any time, lost, etc. there is no reimbursement. Even if they tell you that there is which is true unless stated on their website, it doesn't pertain to our FedEx account.
14. Do you ship fish to Hawaii?
Hawaii is very strict on what can be imported. They can and will destroy any fish that comes into the state, therefor we are not risking sending any fish to Hawaii. Even if you find out what fish are legal to import, we still will not send to Hawaii.