Shipping FAQs
Shipping Policy / DOAs / Delayed Shipments
Welcome to Finest Aquariums! We take pride in our efficient shipping methods, ensuring that your corals, plants, and aquatic friends are carefully packaged and delivered to you promptly. Our shipping costs are transparent, offering you peace of mind throughout the purchasing process.
Most people offer 2 hours ARRIVE ALIVE DOA Guarantee. We believe that this just isn't enough time to show symptoms of not making it through a shipment.
Finest Aquariums guarantees all live shipments for 48 hours after delivery time.
Yup, that's right. Our ARRIVE ALIVE GUARANTEE IS 2 DAYS, not 2 hours like most places are.
Clear Coral Photos must be sent under blue lights and under white lights. If you are experiencing a DOA situation, please email us photos of the item, along with your tank parameters and date of tests last taken. You can also use the DOA FORM link on the website.
DOA claims will not be automatically honored during extreme weather, mechanical failure or any other reasons out of our control. We are human though, so we will work with you with any problems we encounter. Basically, if UPS won't cover the guarantee, we will evaluate if we will cover the loss. This doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it usually happens around Major Holidays, Snow/Ice storms, and UPS Mechanical Breakdowns. If any of this happens to you, please contact us and let us know. We will try to work it out with you.
We address all DOA claims on a case by case basis.
All items are shipped NEXT DAY AIR overnight using UPS as the preferred carrier. Occasionally for local shipments, and when the weather permits, we reserve the right to ship UPS ground making sure it will arrive by the next day.
The cost for shipping is $49 FLAT RATE which includes the box, heat or cold packs and packing materials.
NY residents' Shipping is only $25.
For orders OVER $399, shipping and handling IS FREE!
Please understand, average shipping alone costs $50-120 depending on where the item is going, not counting the costs of coolers, boxes, packing, heat packs, ice packs, etc. We try our best to keep shipping costs reasonable for everyone.
Returns, Refunds & Credits
Returns are not possible. Please DO NOT send back any corals, fish, plants or anything else WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT. Contact us if you have any questions or problems.
In the event of a non-delivered package where UPS shows as delivered, please be aware that refunds for losses could take up to 60 days from UPS. They have their investigations to complete and sometimes won't payout for those 60 days. We ask for your patience during these times.
In the event a refund is approved for a purchase, DOA, or similar, the refund will be issued as CREDIT for the purchase price of the items, unless expressly written otherwise by us.
Again, CREDIT will be given for items purchased only, SHIPPING EXCLUDED.
Any questions, feel free to contact us below.