Cheaper than SYR

kkigs

New Member
Messages
385
Location
Denver, CO
I have made the switch to reptilesexpress after some poor customer service by SYR, and their rates are far, far better than SYR. Their supplies are also a better value.
 

robin

New Member
Messages
12,276
Location
Texas
Both are great companies but it seems reptiles express runs around ten dollars cheaper on average.
 

Robyn@SYR

New Member
Messages
91
Location
Denver, CO
I have made the switch to reptilesexpress after some poor customer service by SYR, and their rates are far, far better than SYR. Their supplies are also a better value.

We offer better rates with volume, and our customer service is second to none. We also offer Live Arrival Insurance, which no one else offers.

Keith, your "poor customer service" was that you shipped a live reptile the day before the Thanksgiving holiday, and you were upset that it got delayed. We posted a "Don't Ship" note the weekend before the holiday, specifically telling folks NOT to ship on the day you did, but you didn't read it, or didn't care, and you package was delayed.

You also didn't let us know there was a problem until Friday, three days later. Not sure what you are expecting us to do when you didn't notify us of the delay issue.

I heard from Andy about your issue, as he was pretty shaken up after you screamed and yelled at him.

I'm sorry to hear that equates to "poor customer service" for you, but we go through great effort to provide the best reptile shipping service in the world.

We spend a lot of time online, forums, fb, emails, and phone calls as well, helping folks with shipping questions, providing support, booking labels, solving problems, trying to ensure folks have success. We spend lots of money to advertise our reptile shipping service as well. That "other company" doesn't do any of that. They just coattail us and undercut our basic price. Great.

You want to save a few bucks per package, that is the main goal (as has been mentioned on the thread)? Fine, give me a call, I am happy to help with the rate. We offer more than just a great rate, and some of the benefits we offer are absolutely unique to SYR in the industry, including FedEx, UPS and Delta Dash.

Keith, your issue stems from shipping the last day before Thanksgiving. We had RED holiday "Don't Ship" notices up at the site, including at the start of the booking process. Those will go up again Dec. 17th through Jan 2nd, because it is NOT APPROPRIATE to ship during those times, delays and headaches are inevitable. We want you to have the best chance of success, which is why we say "Don't Ship". I am sorry that you missed the notice, but that doesn't equate to "poor customer service".
 
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Enigmatic_Reptiles

Quality is Everything
Messages
6,779
Location
Corona, CA
I have tried Reptile Express and the animal got there ok. However, I am and will remain a SYR shipper as to me the service is what I want. I have had reliable shipping, competitive rates, no issues (unless caused by FedEx or recipient), and honestly I support Robyn (and company) and their fight to continue to allow safe and affordable reptile shipping. You may save $10 bucks or so using the other, but they are simply piggybacking on SYR module and do little to nothing to help continue to support and advance reptile shipping abilities. Although shipping is almost always covered by the purchaser, I ship with the company and individuals behind the company with whom I have trust in. In my opinion, unless you want to become certified yourself, SYR should be the way to ship. Its the big picture and contributions of the company that ensures our hobby/business to even be possible.
 

kkigs

New Member
Messages
385
Location
Denver, CO
Robyn, I apologize. I should not have mentioned you guys at all. That was not a professional approach. You did nothing wrong, I just felt that you may have been more sympathetic to my predicament. In the end, it was my fault for using poor judgement.

As for shipping, if I can save each and every customer $10-$15, I am going to do so. It's not personal, it's business.
 
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Enigmatic_Reptiles

Quality is Everything
Messages
6,779
Location
Corona, CA
You can save them that $10-$15 by discounting your animal that price as well. To me it is well worth the added costs to support someone who is fighting to allow us to continually ship and answers the communities questions on shipping. As you know my prices are always reasonably negotiable on most animals...so more often than not you are saving more than the $10-$15 and my shipping provider does not affect the purchaser at all. Maybe my flaw is that my business is personal and I don't mind loosing profit to support organizations and individuals I like. If the meal on my table for my kids came from reptile sales then maybe I would have a different approach on it.
 

Robyn@SYR

New Member
Messages
91
Location
Denver, CO
If you could only see behind the scenes : )

We spent most of an entire day discussing YOUR situation. If we would have known about the delay earlier in the week, Andy could have worked his magic, and customer service, and tried to make something happen sooner, rather than after the fact.

Delays like this don't happen often, and when they do, they cause anguish around the entire office, through many employees. Our goal is to provide a safe and positive shipping experience for the animals, and hence the customers. So wishing for more sympathy? It was there. If only you could have seen the actual faces in the office. And Andy was upset from the interaction as well. The whole honey vs. vinegar thing...

As for the rate-

There will always be "the cheapest guy out there". Nope, that isn't us. We set the standard for the industry, we aren't the Dollar Store with cheap plastic spatulas.

But still, ALLOW US TO SERVICE YOUR ACCOUNT. You have a rate question or issue? Bring it to us. We can almost always help. Including for YOUR ACCOUNT, TODAY. Give me a call or email, I am betting I can put a smile on your face, both for service and rate.
 

kkigs

New Member
Messages
385
Location
Denver, CO
Robyn, my email was timestamped 8:59 pm, Wednesday night. That was after an entire day of tracking the package, attempting to communicate with a very difficult customer, feeding my family dinner, and putting my baby to bed. That was the soonest I could sit down and send an email, and was after Fedex closed, finally cementing the fact that the customer was not going to get his shipment that day. I explained, in that email, what had happened, and asked for your service. The response, on Friday, was that I screwed up.

Like I said above, I've been a customer for 13 years; I spent much time in the shop back in the day when Sean managed it. I will never try to bad mouth you guys, because I've witnessed over a decade of your efforts to be good stewards in the industry. I appreciate that, and what you've done.
 

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