Stingray from Snakeskin Aquabid
- Thread starter Ma12cus504
- Start date
Here's my .02.
The Thailand orders had the option of pre-pay. This was so he didn't order a batch of rays and have them all sold within days and have to turn around and do it again just so there was enough to go around. With prepay you picked a ray, and paid for it before the order was made, and in turn recieved a very healthy discount. The idea was to make his life easier, give us better deals, and only have to make 1 order. The fact the rays came in crappy had nothing to do with him, nor was it in his control. Sadly for most of us pre-pay is a thing of the past due to how it ended up going, he tried to save us money and ended up hurting more then helping so it's done. My understanding is they will be cared for, started on food, and insured to be in good health and when they are ready they will be sold for a higher price, rather then pre pay take it the way it showed up.
Shawn has done what he can to minimize losses. The guy runs RO so the rays have an easier time transitioning from the wild. He does everything within his power to insure things go smooth. He feeds whatever necesary to get the rays eating. If this means blackworms then that's what happens. He doesn't starve to get them to eat what he wants, that's our job, he just gets them eating.
Shawn has had some back issues that have made life difficult. This is not a reason or excuse for things but rather an explanation of absense in the ray world. He's not been able to work for a long time.
As far as him being banned...... He was NOT banned for poor business practices. He will likely even be a vendor here again now that some of the drama has calmed down, and he seems to be doing well after his back surgery, and in turn is back in business so to speak.
Shawn's no different then any of us in terms of being a victim of people not properly caring for rays.... I've seen what the rays look like upon arrival and wether they come from Thailand or Brazil or Colombia they all look like crap. Skinny, dents, dings, you name it. As an importer all you can do is damage control. Save what you can and try to save the ones you know you likely won't be able to. No one's perfect, and only a very select few are cut out to try to deal with the nightmare of import/export. We as keepers sometimes have a hard time grasping people's inability to properly keep rays but in rreality 1 person can only do so much, we often overlook that cause we only care for a small group of rays and seldom are all the ones we care for fresh to captivity.
I don't need to defend the guy, you all will see in due time, all you have to do is give him a shot and remember, he's not a multi million dollar corporation, he's a single person with very lil outside help and no employees.
The Thailand orders had the option of pre-pay. This was so he didn't order a batch of rays and have them all sold within days and have to turn around and do it again just so there was enough to go around. With prepay you picked a ray, and paid for it before the order was made, and in turn recieved a very healthy discount. The idea was to make his life easier, give us better deals, and only have to make 1 order. The fact the rays came in crappy had nothing to do with him, nor was it in his control. Sadly for most of us pre-pay is a thing of the past due to how it ended up going, he tried to save us money and ended up hurting more then helping so it's done. My understanding is they will be cared for, started on food, and insured to be in good health and when they are ready they will be sold for a higher price, rather then pre pay take it the way it showed up.
Shawn has done what he can to minimize losses. The guy runs RO so the rays have an easier time transitioning from the wild. He does everything within his power to insure things go smooth. He feeds whatever necesary to get the rays eating. If this means blackworms then that's what happens. He doesn't starve to get them to eat what he wants, that's our job, he just gets them eating.
Shawn has had some back issues that have made life difficult. This is not a reason or excuse for things but rather an explanation of absense in the ray world. He's not been able to work for a long time.
As far as him being banned...... He was NOT banned for poor business practices. He will likely even be a vendor here again now that some of the drama has calmed down, and he seems to be doing well after his back surgery, and in turn is back in business so to speak.
Shawn's no different then any of us in terms of being a victim of people not properly caring for rays.... I've seen what the rays look like upon arrival and wether they come from Thailand or Brazil or Colombia they all look like crap. Skinny, dents, dings, you name it. As an importer all you can do is damage control. Save what you can and try to save the ones you know you likely won't be able to. No one's perfect, and only a very select few are cut out to try to deal with the nightmare of import/export. We as keepers sometimes have a hard time grasping people's inability to properly keep rays but in rreality 1 person can only do so much, we often overlook that cause we only care for a small group of rays and seldom are all the ones we care for fresh to captivity.
I don't need to defend the guy, you all will see in due time, all you have to do is give him a shot and remember, he's not a multi million dollar corporation, he's a single person with very lil outside help and no employees.
Not half as hard as it is to find RELIABLE PEOPLE, THAT KEEP THIER WORD to buy rays from. Instead we are stuck dealing with people that put $ above thier word.
People wonder why I stick up for people like Shawn, it's only cause I've dealt with (or tried) to deal with other vendors such as yoursellf or Aquascape or Crystal Clear Aquatics and get screwed around, lied to, or stolen from. Yet others have no issues at all buying rays from you guys.
I am glad this thread was started, i sent shawn a message last week on ab about one of his rays. and got a prompt reply. Thanks for your feedback DB.
^^^LOL^^^ (Vendor above me) Everyone will have a different expierence with different vendors, good and bad...
LOL! ROTFL!I have bought several rays from Snakeskin. Am anxiously awaiting the next Taiwan order as it's only a few weeks out.
There's a few people here on MFK that have griped about him but I'm willing to bet that I have probobly bought more rays from him then all the gripers put together, and I'm not even his best customer on MFK. I buy a lot of fish from the guy, not just rays either.... Aros, Brycon, Gulpers, catfish.....
Everyone has transaction issues. Cause it's a proven fact that a majority of MFK is crybaby keyboard commandos. Where's H20 Mike at these days? Enjoying a vacation from the drama here cause there's even people out there that have had bad dealings with Mike.
Case and point EVERY vendor has had issues.
Shawn has supplied me with some of the nicest rays I can find and he didn't bend me over when selling them to me. He goes out of his way to help me ship rays I sell. He is one of the most stand up guys I've ever had the privelage of meeting through MFK.
He sells a few people some Flowers, they gripe and he gets a bad wrap. But yet I spend thousands with him and that means nothing. Ask JohnG, he has had way more dealings with Shawn then anyone has.
I urge you to PM him. Ask him about the deal he has on WC Henlei pairs now..... Who would have thought you could buy a M/F PAIR of WC Henlei for a grand?
Give him a chance and I bet you won't be disappointed...... OR you can just wait patiently cause it will only be a matter of time before he's back here.
Ultimately, you have to deal with a person and see if you want to do business with that person. It is good to have referrals but experiences vary as do circumstances. I have not purchased from Shawn but know people that have. I have also had good and bad experiences with individuals who have been referred to me...and some even unexpectedly so. I have done business with more than one party where I get along and transact flawless transactions with them, but they can't stand each other. To come full circle, no matter what anyone says, if it's your first transaction with that individual, it is a gamble. The best you can hope for is to gather as much info as possible where you feel the odds are in your favor...But it's still a gamble. Good luck.
