What's up with Happy Corals? - I am irritated!!!

[zportell]

What is up with this "Happy Corals" place?!?! They are bombarding my facebook account to be their friend. I must say, they are ticking me off with their "in your face" marketing techniques, trying to get customers to see and like their products. Instead of using a business fan page on FB, they are using a private page which allows them to contact you, instead of you liking them.

I don't know about everyone here on CR, but I am pretty loyal to Brian at Reefwise. He has a great store with great products and especially some awesome, healthy livestock. I directly asked him if he heard about this Happy Corals place and he said he's received numerous people, including his own account, where Happy Corals keeps asking to be their friend. So I am wondering if this place is searching the different Reef stores in our area via FB and just sending a friend request to everyone who in involved in reefing community.

Honestly, their tactic should be banned, and if I were a moderator of this site, I would ban them from CR too. It's as if they are standing outside our home reef stores, and handing out flier to their shop (LOCATED IN MICHIGAN). Now I am not saying that we all have to be loyal to once certain store, but we all should be loyal to our communities to help keep our local stores in business and all the while, better our hobby.

** I feel a little better now **

 

[bennyblanco]

I've bought from HC a few times and have been very happy with their coral. Also, can't beat their free shipping to Chicago. I don't even have to leave my house or use my free time to drive anywhere. Living in the city, working 40+ hours a week, and having a family makes it hard to find free time to visit out of town stores. Don't get me wrong, I believe in supporting pet stores (I worked at on in Milwaukee while in college) but they are 100's of online sources for everything these days. I still make it over to New Fish to support them from time to time as well. As for the Facebook issue I don't use it much so it doesn't bother me at all. I'm friends with him and if I see something that he posts that I like then I click like.

As for them being in Michigan they might be closer to some "chicago" reefers than other local stores. I've been to HC before and never have been to any of the suburb stores.

I'm pretty sure HC is a paying supporter of this site as well.

Just don't see a reason to bash them.

 

[jayjigga]

Lol...Idk who you normally buy from online, but Happy is one of the most reasonable online vendors. Since I'm already "friends" with him, I'm sure I don't get as bombarded. Sorry you feel that way, but if anything, just let the request sit. For what he offers and free shipping available (after a small $ amount spent) to us locals, it's definitely a welcome option.

HC also jumps in on chat, so it's nice to interact with an online vendor. Nothing wrong with HC IME.

 

[DB9181]

I agree with Brett. All Happy Coral is doing is promoting their new products (fish/livestock). I actually enjoy seeing their new shipments and "window shopping" as well as plan to order from them soon as they have pieces I can't always find locally, their proces seem reasonable -plus again, free shipping to Chicago can't be beat. Don't get me wrong Like to promote local shops too, but not everyone carries the same stock.

More impotently HC portrays livestock "as is", not completely over editing/saturating every coral pick to Make it "pop" like AquaSD does ... Then you receive the piece and it's dull in comparison. (HCs pick the eggcrate is still WHITE, every AquaSD pic the eggcrate is some shade of blue/purple due to over saturating the image). Actually, last week AquaCave posted SEVEN different threads in a row promoting each new product individually -if anything I believe that was spamming our forum.

If you personally don't care for Hapy Coral, that's fine; de-friend them and unsubscribe to this email lists and you won't be bothered but may of of us welcome them to our reefing community.

 

[caragol]

Wait, happy coral has $15 shipping overnight (via ground) to Chicagoland??!!? Why didn't anyone tell me, I assumed anywhere I couldn't pick up locally would be like $50 for livestock with all the packing and overnighting.

 

[FishBeard]

Just accept the friend request, problem solved. He's a good guy with good prices and free shipping, he's only 57 miles by boat from being local to the community and a sponsor that is actually active with the community. We have sponsors that never even post or don't even have their own user account on the forum that are just here to advertise. I can't blame the guy for being a go-getter and trying to increase his customer base.

 

[caragol]

Tell me how you get free shipping, the site says $175 minimum? Is there a lower minimum to Chicago?

 

[jayjigga]

And if anyone bombards CR...it's ASD

 

[Lil BamBam]

Facebook is evil!!!!

Happy Corals you rock.....

 

[DB9181]

They have all the zipcodes listed that quality for free shipping over $60 (which is awesome) my zipcode wasnt specifically listed (Franklin Park), I sent them a message and in less than an hour got a reply is less than an hour saying that they would still give me free shipping since its "Chicagoland".

 

[Tethered_Limbs]

dude is cool, bought many things off him and hope to in the future. i think you are alone on wanting him gone

 

[yogoshio]

Yeah, I'm relatively sure Happy Coral is one of the best sponsors this site has. He is one of three that I know of who has EVER joined the live chat or actually been involved in discussions.

 

[FishBeard]

On an off-topic subject, ZP, is that clown in your avatar your own fish? Can you post up some more pics in the clownfish forum? I like to see more.

 

[yogoshio]

And if anyone bombards CR...it's ASD

And their blue frag racks are rather suspect.....

 

[Joe5688]

They have all the zipcodes listed that quality for free shipping over $60 (which is awesome) my zipcode wasnt specifically listed (Franklin Park), I sent them a message and in less than an hour got a reply is less than an hour saying that they would still give me free shipping since its "Chicagoland".

Let me know when u want to order from there. Maybe I'll grab something

 

[yogoshio]

And FWIW, Happy Coral is in Michigan, and not at all a competitor with LFS in Chicago. They're an online retailer with a storefront yes, but not like Reefwise vs. Aqua Pros are competitors. That'd be like saying LiveAquaria is a competitor with Reefwise. Two different market segments.

 

[KeishaKornbread]

HC is annoying and I am sick of them bothering me in chat and interacting with CRers on a personal basis. His tiny frags and oversaturated photos are misleading and free shipping to chicago is unreachable. We don't need HAPPY CORAL!!!

 

[yogoshio]

HC is annoying and I am sick of them bothering me in chat and interacting with CRers on a personal basis. His tiny frags and oversaturated photos are misleading and free shipping to chicago is unreachable. We don't need HAPPY CORAL!!!

Yay sarcasm!!

:llama: :llama:

 

[jayjigga]

HC is annoying and I am sick of them bothering me in chat and interacting with CRers on a personal basis. His tiny frags and oversaturated photos are misleading and free shipping to chicago is unreachable. We don't need HAPPY CORAL!!!

Half of that was sarcasm; the other half of that was about that other supporter

 

[KeishaKornbread]

But on the real tip, HC is awesome. He's probably the most accessible vendor we have on here and I love him for that. I can text, call, PM, IM and FB him. And free shipping is SOOO easy to reach and he'll hold whatever you want.

I've never had any issue with his good's other than that tiny frag of HC Martian Lineage he tricked me into buying. All of my Red Spot's died and he gave me credit without asking for photos of dead fish or anything. I like vendors who don't assume I am a liar. He even gave me directions when I got lost in that magical maze of a forest he lives in. He even had a friend ready at the house to play with my daughter.

Christian is a great vendor and you should feel lucky he reached out to you. You'll know why once you start dealing with some of these other online vendors.