Shipping policy

Live Animal Shipping

Live animals ship via Southwest Cargo and UPS Next Day Air ONLY.

  • Please allow 1–7 business days for handling before the shipment date. This allows us to work around, but not limited to, high shipment volumes, weather delays, UPS or SWC scheduling/transit conflicts, shipping material and supplies.
  • The Waterfront SLC reserves the right to delay or cancel shipments due to local inclement weather conditions and other varying factors that may increase the risk of delay or loss of fish.
  • If you wish to ship regardless of The Waterfront's decision to postpone shipping, you as the buyer assume all responsibility for the loss of fish and its monetary value. 
  • Buyers are responsible for checking their local weather conditions and deciding whether to place an order for live fish.
  • If an item is eligible to ship via UPS, Next Day Air is the only method allowed for live animals. Shipping costs are NOT covered under any guarantee, regardless of shipping method.

PLEASE NOTE: The Waterfront covers all UPS Pickup Request fees. To help us continue offering this service at no additional cost to our customers, we consolidate shipments to maximize the number of packages sent on each scheduled ship-out day.

If you prefer to have your order shipped outside of our regular schedule, we can arrange an off-schedule pickup for an optional $10.00 service fee.

Orders that only contain plants and/or hard goods qualify for UPS Ground shipping.

Live Arrival Guarantee

We stand by our 100% Live Arrival Guarantee on all livestock shipments. This means that if your order arrives with any issues beyond your control, we will replace the affected items or issue store credit for the value of the lost livestock (excluding shipping costs).

In special cases, if we determine that reshipping would pose a significant risk to the fish, a refund for the cost of live fish may be issued. Shipping costs are non-refundable.

Non-Negotiable Conditions for Live Arrival Guarantee

To qualify for a replacement, store credit, or refund:

 

Southwest Cargo:

  1. Shipment must be retrieved within one hour of landing time—failure to do so voids any and all guarantee. It is the responsibility of the receiver to check tracking details.
  2. If the incorrect airport facility is selected, The Waterfront SLC is not responsible for any loss.

 

UPS:

  1. Shipment must be collected within 30 minutes of delivery time - Due to weather, limited oxygen, and possible leaks it is crucial for packages to be collected. Failure to do so voids the guarantee. It is the responsibility of the receiver to check tracking details.
  2. If the incorrect address is provided or a change of delivery address is requested, The Waterfront SLC is not responsible for any loss.

 

Submit your claim:

  1. In the event of DOA (Dead on Arrival), a clear digital photo of the fish in its original, unopened shipping bag AND out of the bag is required as proof before any resolution is offered.
  2. Notification to The Waterfront of any DOAs must be sent within one hour of delivery or landing time. This is to ensure that the retrieval / collection is timely and fall with in stipulations of our policy. 
  3. All claim images must be submitted within 24 hours of delivery or landing via:
  4. If the package is delivered on time, but the buyer fails to retrieve it promptly, the Live Arrival Guarantee is void.
  5. In the event of a DOA, shipping costs are not included. 

Important Notice:
We strongly recommend quarantining all new fish before introducing them to an existing tank. The Waterfront is not responsible for illness or loss of other livestock—whether purchased from us or not—due to improper or lack of quarantine.

A proper water acclimation is recommended in the case that the water from our facility differs from your water in any way. Failure to properly acclimate your items may result in illness or death. 

Return Policy on Hard Goods

  • No refunds on driftwood, botanicals, or live fish or plants.
  • Packaged hard goods may be returned within 30 days, but must be unopened and unused to qualify.
  • Return shipping labels and packaging are the responsibility of the customer.
  • A refund will be issued only after The Waterfront has received, inspected, and confirmed that the returned items meet the eligibility criteria. If the item is deemed non-refundable, the customer will be responsible for the cost of the return shipping label to have the item sent back.