Almost 2 months ago we went to a local independent pet store. My wife was wanting an aquarium combo with a nice wood stand. The one they had just sold but we were told we could buy one and they would have it in 2 weeks.

Two weeks goes by, no stand. Takes 4 weeks. The guy gives us an extra $50 gift card, so we appreciate that and bought all that and more in supplies from them.

The problem when we went to pick it up was one of the doors was indented across the side about 2" long and the width of a pencil eraser. We take the cabinet, minus the door, on the promise that they would keep the door and get it fixed by the maker.

That was 3 weeks ago. Today we call to find out they still have the door at their store that we expected was already repaired or at least back at the maker. Nope, it would cost them too much to ship a 20"x15" door and the maker had not been by. No one had the courtesy to call us and provide an update.

I'm a bit pissed. Let's just say the owner wasn't exactly friendly and blamed us for being picky for not wanting a dented gouge in the front cabinet door.

I'm seriously considering paying a cabinet maker to make us a matching door then sue them for the difference and filing fee. I hate to take off work for it, but that may be the only option left soon.

He promised he was taking the door Thursday when he makes a trip that way for other items to sell. Then we get to wait another week or two for the maker to drop it off, hopefully right.

Returning it is not feasible since it has about 700lbs of water and tank on it, with a few hundred in fish and live plants in the tank.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Oz_Shadow,

I had to read this twice. It was TOO EXPENSIVE to ship a 2 foot by 1-1/2 foot door somewhere by UPS ground? Did you ask them to qualify what constitutes too expensive? Where'd he have to ship it to, France? I would be miffed.

And I would be bonus miffed over the probable fact that he already ships stuff he sells online or wherever. So shipping this door is a pretty small ask. It's not like the UPS man isn't stopping at his store several days a week already.

Keep us posted.

Shipping would be to a place about 2 1/2 hours away. I calculated it to be $9 USPS or $11 UPS. Instead they sat on it 3 weeks without telling me.

The door was actually 15" x 20" and 2 or 3 lbs.

The person who used the “too expensive to ship” excuse was either an imbecile or a liar. Or both.

It’s a handmade cabinet? Not mass mfg? I’d ask the pet store owner to supply the maker’s number so you can speak to them directly. I spect you’d get more info then as to shipping and ETA. I’m sorry this happened to you- gives small business owners a bad name.
Perhaps the seller didn’t notice the flaw til you came to get it, and it was outside the time it took to file a claim with UPS or whomever the shipper was... and of course the maker would’ve gotten a notice it was delivered safely, so he’d want payment for making a new door.. that’s just one scenario..best of luck.