• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
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    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Bad Guy Reptile Basics/Vivarium Electronics

S

scappellino

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I needed some new snake racks and was not interested in the super long delays with some of the more popular options (been there/done that). Decided to try the VE-6 system by Reptile Basics which is sold through LLL Reptile. Bought one earlier in the year and tried it for a few months. Arrived in less than 4 weeks, nice construction, decent price, snakes were happy. Ordered another one in early April, followed by two more a few days later. The second one arrived again in 3-4 weeks. Small crack in the PVC but easily fixed with some glue so all was good with me. The next two did not show so I called LLL and they informed me that the manufacturers was having supply issues so it would be another month. OK, I can deal with it.

Mid June rolls around and the last two finally arrive. One is fine - no issues. Unpack the second one and there is only one of the 6 tubs inserted in the rack. No note or info - just missing tubs. I call LLL and ask them to look into it. Week later and with no response I call back and they tell me that they have no idea (a) why the tubs were missing or (b) when I will get them. Not happy with the uncertainty I decide to call Reptile Basics directly. Leave message and no reply so send email through website and within a few hours I hear back. The inform me that the tubs are out of stock and "they are hoping they will get them in 3 weeks" but not sure. No apology, just deal with it. That means, with shipping from east coast to me, best case is that I will have them in 4 weeks from now or about 15-16 weeks from when I ordered the racks.

I know, considering the options out there, this is not that bad. Just warning others that, like me, thought they found a nice alternative to the other options with super long wait times. Customer service during this transaction has been pretty non-existent and I have had to do all the work with constant calls to find out where my stuff is at all steps along the way. I get that S*** happens, but a little communication and honesty goes a long way.
 
Yes - I know that now but did not know that VE was owned by Reptile Basics at the time and when you go to the VE website they do not mention the racks - only the thermostats. The rack says VE on it. In this case would not have mattered as I am not dealing with them directly and got the same lack of customer service.

acecurl16 said:
Curious .. couldn't you just order directly from RBI?
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scappellino said:
Decided to try the VE-6 system by Reptile Basics which is sold through LLL.
Click to expand...

You purchased your racks from LLL,should this post be titled bad guy LLL ?

Unfortunately we all have delays with out of stock items you could have asked for a refund from LLL because that is who you purchased from.
 
LLL is just the middleman selling products from various manufacturers. They were not kept aware of the production issue and then partial shipment. They were told the order was completed as it listed as shipped. Only when I called did they realize that half the items were not included. I had to call them and then VE to figure out that they were out of stock and would be several more weeks to ship.

I get that "stuff" happens and people run out of stock. My beef is that I was told a certain time for delivery which was missed because they ran out of stock and then when it did ship it was missing pieces. How hard is it to send an email and say sorry we are running a little late or put a note in the box saying we know we are missing some items but they will be a little late? A post it note and 5 seconds of your time to make a huge difference. I work in a customer service industry and if I did those things with my customers I would be out of business. My company runs on 90% repeat business because we put ourselves in our clients shoes and ask what would I want to see happen here and then do it.

Just sharing my experience and thoughts. In the end I am happy with their products and would try to buy again....that is unless someone comes along with an equally good product and better customer service. After all, that is how this process works. And, yes I did share my comments with them first and they did not seem too concerned.




Ed Clark said:
You purchased your racks from LLL,should this post be titled bad guy LLL ?

Unfortunately we all have delays with out of stock items you could have asked for a refund from LLL because that is who you purchased from.
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