1500 Desoto Road
Sarasota, Florida 34234 (United States)
1.866.426.7663

Reviews:

positives
neutrals
negatives

Displaying the 39 most recent reviews

RatingContent
Positive
On Apr 28, 2022, joycep (1 reviews) from Ypsilanti, MI

I love this company, have been getting pond supplies for 7 years from them. The website design is very user friendly, prices clearly stated. Their customer service is outstanding! They respond quickly to email inquiries and ship the products quickly. Online retailers should use these guys as the gold standard. I will never go anywhere else for my pond needs.

Positive
On Apr 18, 2022, mvmcnair (1 reviews) from Franklin, NC

In early March I decided to upgrade my family’s koi pond. We get so much enjoyment from it and we want to be good stewards for and enjoy our pets. At the time I was not attached to any single online vendor and just happened upon 123ponds.com. My first order included an Ultima II filter, pvc fittings, pvc flexible tubing. Second included an EasyPro pump, emergency pump shutoff, flow meter and a few other assorted items. Email updates after my orders were prompt and shipping was within a couple of days. Great so far. The one and only problem I had was with the filter. I did not contact them about it as I am the kind of guy that likes to figure things out; work the puzzle, take a break and come back to it. At first I thought I mis-sized the pump, but I was very careful to choose a pump based on the filter requirements. I was finally able to confirm the issue was an error in manufacturing. At that moment I contacted 123ponds and provided pictures, supporting YouTube video and diagram. They reached out to the manufacturer and handled everything. Working with this company has really been a breath of fresh air and they will continue to have my business.

Negative
On Jun 23, 2020, DanS32137 (1 reviews) from Downingtown, PA

Posted on June 23, 2020, updated June 23, 2020 THIEVES...All I ca say about these scum bags. Purchased an item from 123 Ponds, Item was 120.00 They only refunded $52.00. Said item was damaged. Return was sent back in the original factory packaging and the original box they sent it in packed with packed in peanuts. Charged me the original shipping fee and 15%.restocking fee. It cost me $30.00 to ship back and ended up with $52 refund. They sent pictures of the box and not damaged. In my mho looking at the reviews this is the MO of this vendor .


On June 23rd, 2020, DanS32137 added the following: All I say about them is STAY WAY Purchased an item from 123 Ponds, Item was 120.00 They only refunded $52.00. Said item was damaged. Return was sent back in the original factory packaging and the original box they sent it in packed with peanuts. Charged me the original shipping fee and 15% restocking fee. It cost me $30.00 to ship back and ended up with $52 refund. They sent pictures of the box and not damaged. In my mho looking at the reviews this is the MO of this vendor .
Company representative comment on June 23, 2020:
On Jun 23, 2020 12:47 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

When someone posts a published post of defamation of character we have problems with this. We are not thieves or scumbags and their is no proof of this.

They left out all of facts.They left out that they ordered completely on their own online an item that turned out to be incorrect for them. That order arrived to them without any issue and received in only 4 days. After they received the order they went to our website on their own and ordered the correct item they needed. Again this was shipped out and received correctly and in only 3 days. After they placed the second order they filled out our online RGA form and selected that they were ok with a 15% - 30% restocking fee based on condition. All details about restocking fees and shipping were on the front and back of their packing slip sent with both orders and posted on our website. Nothing hidden from them or anyone.

When they shipped back the first order to us it unfortunately was damaged by the carrier. We received the return, opened it and discovered the damaged part inside and also the manufacturers box was dented in and ripped. We took photos of the inside contents and outside box and emailed them to the customer letting them know that we would keep the items here for 3 weeks so they could file a claim with the carrier in case the carrier would want to pick up the damaged item.

They were not even entitled to a credit as the item was damaged. We did credit less the broken part to do what we thought was a good thing.


They also state that the box is not damaged which is false. We have photos which cannot be shown on this site showing that the boxes were damaged and he was sent these photos as well.


From this review it is of our opinion that they only have intent to slander and create harm against our business. The proof is in the fact that they have run to slander us in every spot they could.

Here you can view our over 1,000 reviews with a 4.8 rating out of 5.0

[HYPERLINK@www.google.com]

Positive
On Aug 8, 2019, armydad45 (1 reviews) from Hopwood, PA

I cannot say enough how great this company has been through the years. My orders always arrive quick and even with the free shipping. It is easy to shop at 123Ponds. They always have what I need and ship promptly. I usually purchase several things at a time and shipping is always free. Prices are very good too. Sometimes I shop around a little and I have seen prices occasionally better but after shipping charges its always more so I keep coming back. I Have called many times when I have issues with my pond and Nadia is always wonderful suggesting the right items to make it right. Been dealing with Nadia on the phone for over 10 years now.

Positive
On Oct 14, 2016, EmuAndrea (1 reviews) from Dade City, FL

I received fantastic support from 123Ponds.com when I was purchasing a replacement pond pump. The number of pumps to choose from on line was overwhelming. Then I located 123Ponds.com and was directed to the perfect replacement pump. The support person took an extraordinary amount of time to make sure I had the correct product. We emailed pump photos back and forth and viola my new pump arrived the NEXT day! Thank you 123Ponds.com!

Negative
On Sep 9, 2016, doglawur (1 reviews) from Olive Branch, MS

Ordered pond liner and unfortunately, the contractor dug the pond too large and I needed to return the liner they shipped for a larger one. The one I received was unopened and still on the pallet. Nadia Steiner, who apparently is one of the owners, is potentially one of the rudest and inflexible customer service people I've ever had to contend with. Not only did she refuse to return my numerous phone calls, but she refused to help me with the return shipping. It would have been a simple matter for them to pick up the liner when they delivered the new one, but Nadia flatly stated that was my responsibility. Further, their "restocking" fee is outrageous. Between the shipping and fees, it virtually totaled the cost of the liner. Further, when I proposed that I drive from Tennessee to Florida to save all shipping costs, she stated I would still be charged for shipping. I've decided, based on her despicable behavior, to sell the original liner own my own and never have anything else to do with 123 ponds. I've looked at other reviews regarding this company and wish I had seen them before I placed my order. Despite their claim of tremendous success, their negatives outnumber their positives on certain cites, all pertaining to customer service. I filed a complaint with the BBB as well and will let it stand, based upon the total disregard by Nadia of my situation. Note they they are perfectly willing to take the unopened liner back because I would be spending even more money on a larger liner and indeed, they provided a RGA ticket for that purpose. That said, why wouldn't they. They get to sell the original liner twice at full cost, (plus fees) plus another new, larger liner and never bear shipping costs.


Company representative comment on September 9, 2016:
On Sep 9, 2016 1:50 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Hi Madison,

We really want to address this again because you are laying all of this out and its only fair that we respond.

1) You mentioned that YOU ordered a pond liner and underlayment and that YOUR contractor dug the hole too large.

2) We shipped you exactly what you ordered and quickly all with no originating shipping costs to you.

3) You agreed to the terms and conditions at checkout and all details are clearly outlined with nothing nothing hidden. The terms clearly state that we don't take back pond liner and underlayment and clearly states that any returns that are not our fault will have the shipping charges that we paid deducted and you would be responsible to ship back at your expense.

4) When you called us you spoke spoke with Nadia and she offered you advice on how to enlarge the pond liner with seaming supplies or have your contractor back fill in so he could use the material that you ordered and had there. She explained the high costs of doing a return and that this would be much less expensive. You did not want to do any of that and so understanding that mistakes do happen she offered to do an exchange for you on a larger liner as you requested. Nadia did explain the shipping costs, did explain the restocking fees and did let you know that you would need to ship back the liner at your expense. Again nothing hidden.

5) Yes, you did ask to drive the liner down here but the problem is that we would need to un pallet the product, inspect and then load up a new liner for you all while you wait. This is just not possible and was explained. And while you would save the shipping back to us it would save us the shipping to you on the larger liner. While this would benefit us we just could not.

6) You mentioned other things that are all turned around on why we are a bad company. You left a rating on the BBB because you said that we refused to take a return after we said we would. Yes, prior to the rating you left you signed the electronic authorization for the exchange outlining all costs and authorizing the new purchase. Then you called us and said that you apologized for doing this rating because you realized that the authorization went into your AOL address and that you did get it. Today you called us and asked if we could pick up the other liner when the new liner is dropped off. Our customer service member explained that it was not possible. This is correct. Reason is that these are not our drivers or our trucks that deliver. These are LTL truck lines and our rates are negotiated with them for outbound from our location to our customers and most times different LTL trucks do the pick ups then the ones that do deliveries. Just as mentioned on the phone with Nadia you would need to schedule your own freight carrier to return the freight to us and this was explained again by Patty. You are also counting our money and what we make or how we will sell something but you really don't know. We have many costs that go into shipments like this. There is labor - a liner that is over 350 lbs requires 3-4 people to stop what they are doing in the warehouse to work on your order. They have to unroll the liner ensure the size is correct, cut it off the roll, then fold it on to a pallet. This all has to be done carefully to ensure that nothing is cut or snagged. This can take 1-2 hours. The pallet has to get wrapped in cardboard and then wrapped in stretch wrap and strapped down. This all takes time and those 3-4 people are not filling other orders or doing other things during this time. Then we have to pay the freight to get the item to you. In returning the liner we would have to do the reverse and even then there is a possibility that the liner gets damaged in transit. There are also credit card processing fees as well which online can get up to 5% or more. When you return the liner we cannot recoup the shipping costs that we paid the carrier and cannot recoup the credit card fees, labor, pallet, etc. Also we have cut that size of liner for you per your need and then we have to hope that someone else comes along and wants that same size. This could be 1 month or could be 1 year. All the while that material could have been used for another liner that maybe we cannot sell because the material is in your liner. Its also taking up space and in a warehouse space costs money.

Please understand that returns are not profitable for us and not pleasant especially when we have liners and items that go via truck. We try to always work with our customers to make an amicable solution rather than just flat out say no we cannot take something back but there is reason and certain limitations of what we can do. While you maybe upset that your contractor that was hired by you dug your hole larger than they or you anticipated and upset that there are going to be fees to fix this mistake, rating our business poorly is not going to fix this. We just filled your order with exactly what you ordered and tried to really help you out. You have found ways to turn this again us and we understand you are frustrated but its just not right.

Also we have many positive reviews. Just like you ran to rate us poorly a few others have done the same. 17 years now and over 170,000 customers and we have so few poor reviews. While we would love to only have hundreds or thousands of positive reviews we cannot make everyone happy. Just as we tried to make you happy we just could not see eye to eye.

Positive
On Aug 30, 2016, jrblue (1 reviews) from Murphy, NC

We reached out to 123ponds.com when we decided to build our 23 foot pondless stream/waterfall. They provided us with options and a complete list of the parts we would need. Their recommendations and advice were spot on and we now have a beautiful water feature beside the house. Technical assistance, responsiveness, prompt shipping and courteous employees are what made our experience with them absolutely top notch. I highly recommend them for your next project.

Positive
On Aug 9, 2016, mggarraty (1 reviews) from Grapevine, TX

I ordered a Cal Pump T4000 from 123 ponds and it arrived the day it was supposed to but unfortunately it did not work. I filled out the necessary form and I received a reply the next morning saying they would be sending a replacement asap. The replacement came very quickly (3 or 4 days) so I hooked it up and it worked great. I have been doing business online for many years and have never received service as good as this before. They have a customer for life.

Positive
On Jun 25, 2016, zonian64 (1 reviews) from Concord, NC

Ordered mag pump and TetraPond filter on a Monday after lunch. My order was delivered on Thursday after lunch. Company states 2-10 business days. I got my order in 3. To me that is great service.

Positive
On May 24, 2016, yorkieone (1 reviews) from Hamden, CT

FIRST TIME USER OF 123PONDS.COM AND I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THEIR SERVICE.MY POND PUMP AND UV FILTER HAD TO BE REPLACE .THEY HAD BOTH ITEMS IDENTICAL TO MY ORIGINALS IN STOCK.I PLACED THE ORDER LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND RECIEVED IT SATURDAY MORNING.AWSOME SERVICE!!! IT WAS PACKAGED NICLEY AND BOTH PUMP AND FILTER WERE IN PERFECT CONDITION.I WAS ABLE TO GET MY POND BACK UP AND RUNNING IN LESS THAN THREE DAYS.I WILL ALWAYS USE 123PONDS.COM AND WILL RECOMMEND THEM TO ALL MY FRIENDS.

Positive
On May 18, 2016, Donaldsheldon (1 reviews) from Avon, OH

I was very frustrated with a technical problem. When I was connected to Nadia in technical support all of that changed. She listened, she checked with the manufacturer, and she stuck with it until my problem was completely resolved. And all of this was accomplished in just over an hour. Too often we have all had quite the opposite experience with technical assistance. Not this time. Thank you Nadia for a job well done and for leaving me with my problem solved and a very satisfied customer. D.S.

Positive
On May 17, 2016, Bobberstop (1 reviews) from Lawrenceburg, KY

I needed an impeller assembly for my model 18B pond pump. The local stores here were more expensive than 123ponds even with shipping included. I ordered the part on a Thursday and it arrived from Florida to Kentucky the following Monday, you can bet I will be giving them a call again in the future. I plan on doing some upgrades to my waterfall creek and they are in the plans. Thank you 123ponds for the professional help on the phone, the easy website navigation and the speedy delivery. Joe

Negative
On Apr 28, 2016, PennyDaisyBosco (1 reviews) from Northridge, CA

I placed an online order with this company after they were closed for business. They only allow cancellations via email (see below) which I did shortly after placing. Their fulfillment department conveniently didn't read the cancellation email, which should have been waiting for them when they arrived for work. Instead, they filled the order, but did not ship it, so they could claim I would be subject to the 10% admin fee. Needless to say, I have filed a dispute with my credit card company. **BUYER BEWARE**. 15. Canceled orders regardless of when placed are subject to a 10% administrative fee IF we can cancel it before being pulled, packed and shipped. Please ask questions prior to ordering and if there are concerns prior to ordering, please let us address them before you submit your order. Cancellations must be done by e-mail in writing to support@123ponds.com


Company representative comment on April 29, 2016:
On Apr 29, 2016 4:30 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

The order was placed at night and just as our website says orders are fed right to the warehouse for processing which was done during our night shift. The order was already processed, packaged and shipped when the customer service staff came in the next morning. Cancelling of order is hard work and a full reversal of all the work involved it processing it. Also we have to get a staff member to stop their job and go through all the parcels to find this one. This can take 1-2 hours sometimes and other customers may suffer because their packages may not get out.

#15 is from our terms and conditions at checkout that this customer agreed to and then is disputing. She posted that on her own.

We emailed her back to let her know that we would do our best to get it from the truck. After she kept calling and emailing us and cursed us out on the phone which was completely disrespectful when all we did was showed her respect and tried to assist her. She was so bad that we shipped her order quickly. We are not sure but the most customers would be really happy that we shipped their order so fast. She was not.

In the end we issued a complete 100% refund and waived any fees just to satisfy her. Still she ended up giving us a negative review here.



I would also like to add that in the past 9 months since our last negative review we have filled and served over 15,000 orders online. That translates to under 0.00007% negative.

This site is only a blasting board for people and many will never visit this joke of a site unless they have something bad to say. With so many customers satisfied we know we are doing a good job and unfortunately there will always be one customer that cannot be satisfied no matter how hard we try.

Negative
On Jul 9, 2015, accarusogardner (1 reviews) from Deerfield Beach, FL

Posted on July 7, 2015, updated July 9, 2015 I ordered a replacement pump impeller for about $50. They sent the part, but is looked dirty and used. I installed anyway and it immediately failed and broke. I called three different times and had to reexplain the problem each time. They were rude, and told me they would send me a response yet none came. On final call to them I was told to return the part, at my expense, which I did, along with their return authorization. I was also told that they would deduct 30% restocking fee. The part was defective, not being returned, and there should be no restocking fee. Regardless, the part was returned three weeks ago and they have issued no refund whatsoever and now refuse. This has taken far too much time and effort all to no avail. Terrible service and attitude.


On July 9th, 2015, accarusogardner added the following: 7-9-15 - I will add that based on the company response, the "honesty" comment is ironic. I called three times and explained the problem clearly each time. Either this company has a total disconnect between the complaints to customer service and related communication to management, or they have completely misrepresented the facts intentionally in their reply. Either way, this is a waste of time and I can only be thankful that I did not purchase a big ticket item that had a problem.
Company representative comment on July 9, 2015:
On Jul 7, 2015 12:46 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Hi Anthony,

We are sorry to read about this and would appreciate honesty when posting reviews of a company. When you contacted us about the impeller you had mentioned that the impeller did not fix the problem with your broken pump. You purchased this impeller because your pump was not working. You said that you felt the impeller that arrived to you in a factory sealed box was used because you saw copper color on the end of the magnet and dark marks on the ceramic. We checked other impellers and and also with the manufacturer and let you know that this was completely normal. You still felt that this impeller you received was used because it did not fix your problem. At no time did you mention that the impeller was broken. If you had we would have filed a claim and replaced it or provided a refund.

Usually its very hard to take back an impeller that was already tried in a pump because we would never sell the impeller to another customer. This saves us from issues like this. Your impeller was authorized to come back with a 30% restocking fee or a reduced fee if you wanted a store credit towards a new pump. You said you just wanted a refund.

When the impeller was returned it arrived in 2 parts. This impeller was completely snapped in half. We advised you that the impeller would need to be claimed through the carrier that you shipped it through since it was broken and not in the condition that you stated when you contacted us.

Its very important to note that large impeller assemblies like these fit very snug into the pump and when pumps are not operational it could be that the pump has run dry. When a pump runs dry the cavity that holds the impeller can swell and cause issues that a new impeller will not fix. This will also cause the new impeller to be damaged by the pump. We can usually diagnose this over the phone before you ever order a part. This saves everyone time and money.


If you decide that you would like to get this item or anything from our site in the future; contact us and we will be happy to offer a 10% discount off your order to hopefully make things right again. We have made notes under your account.



A WORD FROM THE OWNERS...
We are very fortunate that our business has grown as large as it is today. We appreciate everyone of our over 150,000 + customers and that we have prospered on the internet for the past 15 + years. We started our business in September of 1999 when the internet was just a baby.

Also I would like to mention that although this site shows us to have 14 negatives we have only had 2 negatives in the past 12 months - That is right 1 full year. The rest of the negatives average just one per year or less. The bulk were back in 2008 when business surged for us nearly doubling which was our growing pains year.

Most of the negative remarks are due to returns and I will mention that in the past 12 months which have been huge for us; we have serviced tens of thousands of customers. If we were a scam or if we really treated every customer so badly; we would have so many more negative reviews. We wish we could make everyone happy. We really try to help everyone to the best of our ability. We have saved our customers so much money over the years by telling them proper information and really helping them maintain their pond when nobody else could. For over 15 years we are satisfied with the hard work that we and our staff do daily to help our friendly customers and the effort that it takes to ship all of the orders that come in daily and to provide the best customer service that we can possibly provide within reason.


Thank you for reading this!


On Jul 9, 2015 3:27 PM, 123Ponds.com added:

Hi Anthony,

Our concerns are that you never mentioned to us that the impeller was broken when you received it or after you put it in the pump. If you had we would have sent you a replacement a filed a claim if the impeller arrived broken or we would have never asked for you ship back a broken impeller. This would be a waste of money and carbon footprint since we could not do anything with a broken impeller.

Impellers don't just break and if the impeller was used (which I can guarantee you it was not) that still would just break. A customer buys an impeller because their pump stopped working or because the pump has stopped producing the flow that it was before and they have opened it and see that the old one was broken in some way. Because impellers can be damaged from defective pumps, we don't take them as returns.


On Jul 9, 2015 5:22 PM, 123Ponds.com added:

This would be like you buying a car, crashing it and then trying to bring it back to the dealer.

You say there are so many negative comments. Here is the run down:

9 positives
3 neutrals
14 negatives

This goes back to 2004 - Only 2 negatives in the past 12 months and one of them was yours.

We have sold to well over 160,000 customers during this time and in the past 12 months there has been tens of thousands.

Negative
On Jun 7, 2015, silverfinch (1 reviews) from South Jordan, UT

I ordered a ph tester from 123 ponds on May 18 and now 20 days later still do not have to product. I have left a phone message, been contacted from customer service via email about the message, talked to customer service on the phone 2 times, and returned emails, and still have no resolution. The last person I talked to last week, did not even get back to me. I was told at one point after not receiving product, it was scheduled to arrive on June 1 but it never came. I made a big mistake not checking the reviews before ordering from them. They have horrible customer service. Their web site seems very professional, but with such horrible customer service, I wonder how they stay in business. I have at times started to wonder if they are a scam.


Company representative comment on July 7, 2015:
On Jul 7, 2015 12:24 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Hi Greg,

We are sorry that you mentioned on here that you had a bad situation! We have checked over the notes on what happened and found that this was just some miscommunication. Our site listed the item out of stock yet it was orderable. Customer service did not look at the site when they spoke with you which would have diffused the situation. Also I see that we emailed you on 4 different occasions and you never replied back to any of them. This is probably why you are saying you never heard back from us. The email address was verified with you on your first call in.

In case you did not receive any of those emails we will let you know that you were issued a complete refund back to the credit card that you originally used and your order was cancelled. If you decide that you would like to get this item or anything from our site in the future; contact us and we will be happy to offer a 10% discount off your order to hopefully make things right again. We have made notes under your account.

We are very fortunate that our business has grown as large as it is today. We appreciate everyone of our over 150,000 + customers and that we have prospered on the internet for the past 15 + years. We occasionally will hit a snag and attempt to make it right. Sometimes you cannot satisfy everyone no matter how hard you try.

Negative
On May 28, 2014, Barrel (1 reviews) from Shingletown, CA

VERY NEGATIVE. I ordered and received a new pump for our pond. When the box arrived the outer shipping box was in perfect condition and the pump was well packed inside with lots of plastic peanuts. Low and behold, the pump box was crushed on the top and the box had been badly resealed, something that should have been noticed by 123ponds BEFORE it was shipped. Our fish were not doing well because our old pump had gone out so we decided to try it anyway to provide oxygen. This pump did not work and it was now quite obvious that someone else had returned it and it was resent to us. I have sent three e-mail, phoned but only get a machine, and filed out and sent a request to them for a return number. All done within the past 10 day with NO response from them. Do not, DO NOT, order anything from them that may have a problem and need to be returned. They have very deaf ears. Disappointed in California.

Negative
On May 7, 2014, jdluttrell (1 reviews) from Fuquay-Varina, NC

Lousy customer service. The also shipped damaged filters to me and did not want to replace them. That is the good thing about the web, plenty of other places to buy.


Company representative comment on May 7, 2014:
On May 7, 2014 5:42 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

We will tell our side of what happened with this unfortunate incident:

They called in and said that they received one of their Pondmaster filter pads folded up and said that the instructions for the PM500 filter said specifically that the pad could not be folded up. We apologized and told him that we would look into the issue and see what we could do. We returned his call (check for us) and let them know that we checked with the manufacturer and the instructions and that the pad being folded was not mentioned in the instructions and also that it would not be an issue since he would have to it into the filter cartridge and that compressing the filter would be required to close it up. First he said he would use it but then Immediately he started yelling that we lost a lifetime customer over a $5.00 item that we should just send them for free. He said again how the manual said it could not be folded and he said that we would be responsible for his pump if something happens. Then resorted to threaten us that he would give us bad ratings if we did not send him a replacement.

It is unfortunate that the internet has turned into extortion over bad ratings instead of being nice as we extended on our end. If he was nice we would have gotten to the part of offering a credit towards a future order but he never let us get that out.

We are very fortunate that our business has grown as large as it is today. We appreciate everyone of our over 150,000 + customers and that we have prospered on the internet for the past 14 + years. We occasionally will hit a snag and attempt to make it right. Sometimes you cannot satisfy everyone no matter how hard you try.

Positive
On Oct 17, 2013, alchemus (1 reviews) from Loves Park, IL

So far my experience with 123ponds has been surprisingly positive. Ordered my filter, recieved confirmation of order almost immediately, and was sent tracking information all on the first business am following my ordering the product. I also contacted customer support about suitable pumps specific to my needs. Recieved a very prompt answer. The associate gave me several options with pros and cons. Im ordering the pumps next week.I really do like this company. I read the return policies and dont have any complaints. If it cant be returned make sure its the right item before you order it. Im ordering a pond liner next spring. It will be from 123. The filter arrived on time. It works great.

Negative
On Jun 2, 2012, dwilbourne (1 reviews) from Virginia Beach, VA

Ordered and received a pond liner and underlayment. Had no idea the product was not returnable although afterwards, when I dug through the web site's return policies, one can see that liners are not returnable. Unless shoppers are savvy enough to check the return policies before ordering, they could be out of luck - there is no indication of such at the time of ordering. Also, I question the policy on liners in the first place. When I called, the girl said it was because other shoppers had returned damaged liners. OK, so why not credit shoppers *after* the product has been returned and inspected? Girl said she would call me back and never did. Not impressive - I spent more than $2500 with these guys and they cannot remember to call me back? I would shop elsewhere. I am really sorry to didn't check DG before ordering - the company has more negative reviews than positive ones and I would have been more careful.

Negative
On Jul 13, 2011, wgreens92 (1 reviews) from Beach Haven, NJ

I purchased a pond filter from 123Ponds on 6/1/11. I received the product promptly in good condition. However, the filter seemed too small for my application. I made arrangements to return the filter for the price paid less cost of original shipping. The company received the returned product, per UPS, on June 13. A week later I called and spoke with Nadia who informed me that it takes the company a while to process credits (why?). I called again on July 12 and Nadia said "if I spend time on the phone with you I won't be able to process credits". I finally contacted PayPal. PayPal immediately took over the problem and will issue me the full refund. I am a professional. I know business enterprise. 123Ponds IS FLAWED. DO BUSINESS WITH THEM AT RISK.


Company representative comment on July 13, 2011:
On Jul 13, 2011 11:59 AM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

So basically we someone would be at risk dealing with us because you placed your order online and shipped the correct item promptly to you with Free Shipping I will add and at a very competitive price.

YOU realized that the filter was not going to suit YOUR needs and we issued an RGA for you to return it without restocking fees even though our website clearly states there will be a 15% restocking fee.

You never called a week later after returning the filter. You only called us yesterday the 12th which I will go over below.

You called and were extremely rude yelling at me and when I explained that I would try to get it done that day it was still not good enough and you kept yelling. I explained to you 4 times that I would do my best to get it done for you the same day and still you kept yelling so yes I said if I spend more time on the phone going over the same time with you I will not be able to get the credit going for you. I was not rude to you and not nearly as rude as you were. I will add that in the paperwork that you received to return the item it says very clearly to allow for 30 days to receive your credit once the item is returned.

Then 30 minutes late you disputed this with Paypal saying that the item was not as described and not telling them the truth. Why because the truth would not have gotten you a refund from Paypal. We would have done it that day. However by lying this got you the refund quicker.

Sounds to me that we did a great job! Only issue is that you were just upset waiting for the refund and did not read the about credits taking 30 days.

We know that we run a great business. We ship orders promptly, offer a very competitive price, Free shipping on orders over $99.00 and always provide expert advise for our customers. We have been in business now for over 12 years with over 100,000 customers serviced in that time.

Positive
On Dec 9, 2009, TDGTIRE (1 reviews) from Macon, GA

Before purchasing, I read the comments on this page. I went ahead and ordered a 3 way valve for my swimming pool. I ordered the valve at 1:00pm on Thursday, it shipped the same day and I received it on Monday, as described and I am installing it today. Seems like pretty good service and fair pricing to me.


Company representative comment on December 9, 2009:
On Dec 9, 2009 3:32 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Thank you for your positive feedback! It is very much appreciated and we provided the same great service that provide to all of our customers. We are glad that you took the time to write about it and for initially trusting our company 123Ponds.com

Negative
On Nov 30, 2009, ben2261 (1 reviews) from Moorpark, CA

I ordered a Muck-Vac from 123ponds in order to remove leaves from my koi pond. Despite having more than enough water pressure (70 psi in my case), it was unable to vacuum even the smallest leaves. When I contacted 123ponds about returning it, they refused to accept it because it had been used. I explained that there was no way of knowing the unit wouldn't work without testing it under actual conditions. They still refused. Subsequently, I contacted the manufacturer of the unit, Odyssey Systems. They said they accept returns all the time from their distributors. However, they had never heard of 123ponds. Therefore, my problem is with 123ponds and not the manufacturer. I strongly discourage anyone from purchasing from 123ponds. Their prices are great, but if you need to return the item- fuggedaboutit!


Company representative comment on November 30, 2009:
On Nov 30, 2009 1:57 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Hi Ben2261,

We try to notate everything that we know about the Muck-Vac and we do have noted that there are no returns once used. http://www.123ponds.com/muckvac.html - I understand your feeling about how do you know if it works or not if you don't use it but this has just been our policy for many years on this item and we post it.

We don't want anyone to buy an item and be un-happy with it and we are not the only company that sells these vacs. We have sold well over 4500 units over the past 5 years. We do buy direct from Odyssey Systems and purchase 180 muck vacs at a time from them. If they told you they will accept a return then we will allow you to return to them and we will issue you a used item credit. Just call them and request there return procedure.

It is important to know that if you have 70psi than there could be a defective or damaged part which we will be more than happy to replace at no charge to you. Please inspect the parts on the vac and let us know. It sounds like this may be the case. I would check the vac head.

Lastly our return policy is pretty much like most other online retailers with the exception of certain items such as this vacuum. We have been in business for 10 years and we have thousands of satisfied customers. It is impossible to satisfy everyone, its just the way life is but do our best.

Negative
On Nov 4, 2009, cyclone5243 (1 reviews) from Council Bluffs, IA

I ordered three pond liners from this company in early Sept. After reading the description on the liners, I decided that they would not work. I immediately called back to cancel. the order. No answer ON THEIR ORDER LINE (???). I left a message on their voicemail, asking them to cancel. I never got a response. But two weeks later, the liners showed up on my front porch. I called them, and thus began the run-around. The only responses I got from them were disrepectful retorts. (Did you returns are handled by the the owner?) I finally gave up talking to them. (16 unreturned calls) I refused the order, UPS returned it to them. (per 123 ponds instructions, on the internet page) Of course, I never got a credit for the return. If you've read their responses to some of the other feedbacks, you can see what kind of bush-league operators they are. With so many reputable companies out there, why oh why would someone even CONSIDER USING THESE YAHOOS?


Company representative comment on November 4, 2009:
On Nov 4, 2009 12:43 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Actually you ordered two pond liners and made sure you even called back to confirm the order with the rep and wanted to make sure the order was shipped that day. The rep made sure that the order was turned around within minutes and on the UPS truck that day. The next morning we received your voice mail that you wanted to cancel the order but it was too late as we could not stop a shipment that is transit. We sent an email letting you know this and it was not until the package was received by you then refused back to ups that we had any further correspondence. Per the site it does not tell you to refuse the shipment. It DOES tell you that there are restocking fees and and that UPS charges us both ways. It also tells you that orders cannot be canceled one placed although to email us and we will do our best. You did not email us.

You are correct that there are many other reputable companies out there and that is your choice to shop where you like. Always read the policies of the store and best to ask questions prior to ordering so that the store can assist you completely and you make an informed purchase. Most companies probably wont have the experience that we have but again your choice.

I am not sure how we are so bad when you ordered the wrong item and decided that you wanted to cancel even after you called us and told us what you wanted and we shipped exactly what you ordered and rushed the order out for you. Yes we have made many responses because we care enough to respond back. We are not going to sit back and be slandered by someone that orders and refuses the order. "(16 unreturned calls)" come on get real. You called and left 2 voice mails. First canceling the order and the 2nd asking about the credit today.

We have been in business for over 10 years and services tens of thousands of customer annually. I don't think are even 10 reviews good or bad on this crappy davesgarden site. We have provided exceptional service to our customers for years. Its only when you have a bad experience that you run to deface a firm calling them "bush-league operators" and "Yahoos" on worthless sites like davesgarden.com

Oh and by the way your credit was issued some time ago. You may want to check with your bank and write some negative reviews about them too.

Negative
On Jun 1, 2009, bwd (1 reviews)

I purchased in good faith a Muc Vac and have tried to contact the company through email and by phone having to leave a message. I have purchased previous products but did not need to contact the company. This Vac is not satisfactory and I think it should have a warning of unreliability. I will fight this and will get this taken off my credit and as a result will never do business with this company again, if this is the case. If they did not feel it was a problem with the item they would be emailing me back or calling.


Company representative comment on June 2, 2009:
On Jun 1, 2009 8:54 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

We are sorry to hear about this. Please call us right away toll-free 1-866-426-7663 we have not received any calls or emails in reference to a Muck Vac. This is the reason for not contacting you back. We try Monday - Friday to reply to emails and phone calls within 24 hours. Most within 12 hours.

The vac actually does have a "warning of unreliability". The vac is not motorized and works off your garden hose pressure. The more pressure you have the better it will work. Not enough pressure and it will not work well. This is all outlined in the description of the item.

Just call us and we will be be happy to help you with this vac.

Important to know that we have been in business for about 10 years now and do a great job serving the tens of thousands of customers that we have with many, many repeat customers. Ratings sites like this can be both good and bad however its important to know as an informed consumer that most times when someone is satisfied they do not take to the net to write about it they usually only do so when something extra exceptional or when they have been treated badly.

You can satisfy 1000 customers per week and not receive one rating since these are not solicited. One customer has an issue and they right away write a negative about you out of anger rather try to communicate and allow you to make it right. We would not be in business for 10 years unless we treat our customers the way we want to be treated.

Positive
On Apr 6, 2009, harlo (1 reviews) from Jacksonville, FL

This morning, after reading the comments on 123Ponds.com, I decided to add my two cents worth. I found 123Ponds via a Google search about 3 years ago. I have ordered three or four times. Each time my order was shipped same day. Each time my order was complete and well packed. Price comparison brings me back because, even though I pay FL sales tax, I find their prices to be the lowest, particularly on barley products. Of course, I have never bought a product, used it and then attempted to return it. Also, I know how to handle warranty issues, so I have not encountered the problems of the whiners. Good website, fast shipping, good pricing. Give them a try.

Negative
On Aug 20, 2008, pscyta (1 reviews) from Elmhurst, NY

I was a first time and last time customer of 123ponds.com. I brought a Alpine floating fountain with led lights for $149.99 and within 2 weeks, most of the lights weren't working. Call them up and they advised me that I must deal with the manufacturer for ALL warranty issues. Call up Alpine and sent the defective parts out....that was in April 2008...Now it's October 2008...and NOTHING! Every time I call them.....We'll send out a new part.... and yet I'm still waiting....6months!!!! Forget 123ponds.com and Alpine products.

Positive
On Jun 18, 2008, chs_tennis (1 reviews) from Abilene, TX

123Ponds, if I could give them 10 stars I would! Twice in the last 6 months I have had to contact the customer service. Each time they have more than gone out of their way to assist me in getting my problems resolved. The first was with trouble shooting an equipment repair. The second was getting a warranty replacement. The customer service gentlemen remembered who I was, my original purchase, contacted the manufacturer, emailed my invoice and arranged a replacement for me. All I had to do was send a thank you note. I will exclusively use 123Ponds for all my pond needs.

Positive
On May 14, 2008, RHolcomb (1 reviews) from Doylestown, OH

I'm a first time buyer with 123ponds.com. The best test of customer service is when something has gone wrong (unfortunately) - and we certainly had a chance to test it. There were two important items that didn't arrive as part of our pond kit. Frankly I was worried that we'd have trouble getting our missing products, as I'm always leery of a new supplier, particularly over the internet. I am thrilled to report that 123ponds.com was immediately responsive to my appeal for help, and the communication throughout the resolution process was exceptional. What a relief! They are shipping my missing pieces today, and we should be back in business in time for our do-it-yourself pond installation during our vacation early next week. Exceptional customer service!!!

Positive
On May 13, 2008, krezelbk (1 reviews) from Midlothian, VA

I have been a satisfied customer of 123 Ponds since 2005. I was referred to them by my father and I can honestly say I have not had a bad experience yet. Both the product offering and customer service are outstanding. A great example is last Sunday my pump died to my pond filter. I placed an order for a new pump on Monday after 3 - I called customer service to ask about when I should expect delivery (just in case I needed to expedite it) and explained the situation of having a pond full of fish with no filtration. The service rep I spoke with said that she would watch for my order and do what she could to have it put on that day's shipment. My pump arrived Wednesday!! Thank you again 123 Ponds!!

Neutral
On Apr 26, 2008, jamewsmi (1 reviews) from Hermitage, TN

We came across this website and could not believe the ratings. We have used 123ponds.com for the last 5 years and have been nothing but pleased with them. There prices have always been fair, they have free shipping get my orders to me fast and support is always good. I have used there online support and called tem on may occasions and always got what I needed. We start our pond up usually around March or April depending on the weather and can order 5-10 times per year from them. My experience has been a very pleasant one and I highly recommend you try them for yourself. The internet is always a place where people take the time to gripe rather than praise. I offer them praise and I am sure you will too. James


Note from the Garden Watchdog editors:

It is the stated policy of the Watchdog that companies cannot pose as customers to inflate their rating. The rating for this review has been changed from positive to neutral so that it would not affect the overall rating given by customers.
Company representative comment on November 30, 2009:
On Nov 30, 2009 2:02 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Garden watchdog says that companies cannot pose as customers.

This was not us doing this review. It seems that this site should be called Negative Watchdog. If a customer has a positive thing to say they shoot it down. You wont find a comment like this on a negative review.

Negative
On Apr 24, 2008, DetroitMark (1 reviews) from Detroit, MI

This is a comment that deals strictly with 123Pond's customer service. The pump they sold me has burned out in just a few weeks ... but hopefully it will be under warranty so I'm not too concerned about that. What I take issue with is how an outlet can apparently have such horrible customer service. Let me explain. When you find a price or an item online that you decide you want to buy, you are basically taking the word of the text on that page that things will go the way you hope they will. It could be a scam sight from the Phillipines for all you know. I just think folks should know that once you buy a product from 123Ponds, or PondPlace. which is essentially the same company (since I ordered from one, and was billed by the other) ... you will find it very difficult to speak to anyone, lodge a complaint, or start any sort of cohesive email corrospondence. There is a form for you to leave a written message, and a network of voice mail boxes to leave a voice message. So far, I've waited two days to hear back from anyone on one occasion, and am still waiting to hear back from them on this burned out pump. I suspect they will eventually call, and the pump will get returned. But if you're like me ... you don't like being sent to dead end voice mails and form mail pages when you have a problem with a $400 internet purches. I like to speak to someone with a name and a desk and a phone. Whether this return is handled well or not, I will likely not use this website again simply because of their lack of upfront customer service.

Negative
On Feb 29, 2008, shailey (1 reviews) from Marksville, LA

I'm a contractor who orders a lot of supplies, thought I would try this company. I needed a portable outdoor pond vacuum, it was of EXTREMELY poor quality and did not work the way I needed it to. The person I talked to tried to tell me I was not using it properly and the hose pressure was not 50 PSI. I was using the vacuum correctly, it just wasn't any good. They would not accept the vacuum back even though I was going to buy a more expensive model. For a company to sell an inferior product and NOT tell you it can't be returned until after you buy it is NOT the way to keep customers. I would not buy ANYTHING from this company again.


Company representative comment on March 2, 2008:

On Mar 1, 2008 7:44 PM, 123Ponds.com added:

We are sorry to see this post here as this customer was not even on the phone for 2 minutes with us to do anything for him.

First the return policy is located in the description of the item in clear view. We would never tell someone they could not return after they bought it unless it was stated clearly at the time they purchased it and then still we would try to work it out in a manner that was agreeable to both parties.

We have sold over 3000 of these vacuums and only have had issues when the customer did not take the time to check the PSI. We have only had about 5 complaints like this in the past 2 years so not a large concern. This is why we have the no return policy on the item. There are psi boosters available from most local hardware stores and to check the PSI is as easy as calling the local water department or purchasing a gauge from the hardware store if you want an exact rating.

This customer stated he was a contractor and said that he could not get the vacuum to work properly. We asked him if he had enough pressure and he asked how he was supposed to check it. We told him we could help troubleshoot and he just started yelling at us that the item was crap and we should stop selling it. We let him yell and after almost 2 minutes he hung up without allowing us to offer and assist him.

From reading his post above he states "did not work the way I needed it to."

We would never just leave a customer hanging in the wind regardless of our policy. If he would have asked to buy another vacuum and allowed us talk we would have offered him a discount on different item.

We of course try to troubleshoot and see if there is a problem. Maybe there is a crack somewhere and that is causing air in or water out. Maybe there is a missing part we have to troubleshoot to find this out and then we can send a replacement part if needed.

This is what any customer service person should do. Address the concern and fix it if allowed. If the customer does not want to listen or allow you to fix the problem you cannot no matter what.

123Ponds.com has been in business since 1999 and has earned a spot on the Inc5000 list of America's Fastest Growing Companies. We are also a member of NAPP and have been providing assistance and knowledge to Do it yourselfers around the United States. We are your trusted Water garden and Pond supplier with competitive pricing and knowledgeable staff.

Positive
On Aug 13, 2007, dabsdb1917 (1 reviews) from Riverside, WA

Best service I have had from any internet retailer. Allen gave excellent advice on pond construction and supplies. Everything I ordered was promptly delivered to the correct address and the prices were the best. HJe is very honest and wants happy customers. When I received an extra roll of underlayment (~$300) that I did not order, he did not charge me nor ask me to return it. He was willing to suffer the loss rather than inconvenience me. I eventually sold the roll to a local nursery and sent him the check, honesty needs to be recognized and appreciated. David B.


Company representative comment on March 2, 2008:

On Mar 1, 2008 8:03 PM, 123Ponds.com added:

It was our pleasure and the proper way to handle this since it was our mistake. David was most amazing and he has been a great customer ever since.

Neutral
On Jun 7, 2007, pondingman111 (2 reviews) from Paramount, CA

I have tried 123Ponds.com many times and I am very, very happy with them. Free shipping was the reason I first went with them. I have compared prices and at first it may seem that the prices are a little higher but when you see the competitions shipping costs and compare to $0 for 123Ponds.com you will see they have the better deal. I will note my best experience with them. I ordered a pump back in Jan of 07 and it turned out to be too small. I called them and spoke to Allen. He asked me alot of questions and determined that I had ordered a pump that was 1/4 the size of what I needed. He allowed me to return the pump with no restocking fee even though it was used and shipped me out the right pump. The flow was perfect down my waterfall. Glad I took his advice and wish I would have called him from the start. I have since called Allen for each need that comes up. I have bought my Savio skimmer, savio filter, uv lights and some bacteria from them. the uv lights were amazing when i installed my pond it was good for about 4 weeks and then the green water came so I called allen and suggested the uv instead of chemicals. Within 2 days of installing the uv the pond was clear as a bell. I will continue to use them and have recommended them to my friends, family and koi club. Its not easy to find a large family run business that cares about what they sell and that is so enthusiastic about the products that they sell.


Note from the Garden Watchdog editors:

It is the stated policy of the Watchdog that companies cannot pose as customers to inflate their rating. The rating for this review has been changed from positive to neutral so that it would not affect the overall rating given by customers.
Company representative comment on November 30, 2009:
On Nov 30, 2009 2:03 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Garden watchdog says that companies cannot pose as customers.

This was not us doing this review. It seems that this site should be called Negative Watchdog. If a customer has a positive thing to say they shoot it down. You wont find a comment like this on a negative review.

Negative
On Aug 23, 2006, SStew (1 reviews) from Seattle, WA

I ordered a 4' wood bridge from this company. It ended up being a couple of inches short for the stream that it was going over so I returned it to the manufacture. I also called the number of the shipping box, which was the manufacture and explained the issue. The manufacture was terrific and said they would take care of the issue. After a month of not receiving the bridge I called 123ponds back and talked to Allen. After telling him the situation he berated me for 5 minutes on how I shouldn't have called the manufacture and how I was now going to pay the additional returns fees and his shipping costs. He then said that "I didn't own him" and that in this day and age the Customer isn't always right. - Beware of ordering from this company - they have personel isues that you may not want to contend with. You can find the same product on other sites.


Company representative comment on August 23, 2006:
On Aug 23, 2006, 123ponds Pompano Beach, FL wrote:

We cannot even respond to negative or positive comments so I will here.

For example we have this comment about the bridge. What the customer failed to mention was that he ordered the bridge back on 1/14/06 and now 8/23/06 he contacts us to ask where his replacement bridge is. We find that he went direct to the manufacturer and never contacted us. Now normally we would not take a return this long after but the customer was exchanging for a new bridge. Obviously no wrong doing on our part just that he mis judged the size. We even waived restocking fees. Still not good enough. How much more can we give to the customer? I think we have been more than flexible in this matter and with the customer not contacting us for so long does not help but I think we did the right thing by waiving the restock fees and even allowing the exchange.

Something else should be known about Davesgarden and 123Ponds.com - 123Ponds.com has not and never has given permission for Davesgarden to list our company. I guess due to free press or something else they are allowed to post our information. Just as easy as I could post this, my competition could easily slander us. The consumer than reads the ratings and decides not to do business with us. How fare is that? We have many satisfied customers and see a 50-60% repeat customer rate. Do every one of these customers rate us on these boards? No. The ones that do are the unhappy ones who have nothing else to do with there day but complain on the internet. Now out of the 35,000 customers that we have if we are so bad, wouldn't we have hundreds of negatives? I think we would but since our company receives so many positive response with repeats we know that we are doing the right thing.

Neutral
On Feb 24, 2006, james12292 (1 reviews) from Seattle, WA

They were very quick to ship! Order was here by ups ground in 4 days. Order was correct and with free ground shipping we were very happy. They also had a large selection of fittings and tubing and when we emailed them for advise our email was answered back within 20 minutes; talk about great service. We placed the order after there cutoff time yet they still got our order out the same day. We will be buying all of our pond supplies from 123ponds.com in the future.


Note from the Garden Watchdog editors:

It is the stated policy of the Watchdog that companies cannot pose as customers to inflate their rating. The rating for this review has been changed from positive to neutral so that it would not affect the overall rating given by customers.
Company representative comment on November 30, 2009:
On Nov 30, 2009 2:03 PM, 123Ponds.com responded with:

Garden watchdog says that companies cannot pose as customers.

This was not us doing this review. It seems that this site should be called Negative Watchdog. If a customer has a positive thing to say they shoot it down. You wont find a comment like this on a negative review.

Negative
On May 17, 2005, Alan_Dang (1 reviews) from Portland, OR

My parents had tried to order 2 UV tubes for their pond about a month ago. When they came in, one tube was broken and the other did not work. When we tried to contact them for help, they said that they would reply within 24-48 hours. My parents tried to contact them 3 days later and the week after to no avail. A month and many phone calls later they still have not replied to any of our requests to ask for help. If anyone wants to purchase equipment from a dealer that is honest about their goods purchase from someone else, and definitely not 123ponds.

Positive
On May 5, 2005, rosekris (2 reviews) from Spokane, WA

At 123 Ponds we found the very best price for a Fishmate 6000 pressurized filter with a bonus of free shipping. The order was processed quickly and when there was a mixup regarding our Visa expiration date they called immediately and re-ran the transaction while I was on the phone with them. (I've had other vendors send email, or worse yet snail mail letters when a Visa number or expiration was in error.) The only caution: see if they will ship by a method other than FedEx Home Delivery. The delivery was three days late, actually disappeared from tracking for several days, and when I wasn't home to sign for the package I didn't have the option of going to the Fed Ex station to pick it up as I could have if it had been shipped via regular Fed Ex. The next day I had to wait around the house to receive it. Not an option for those who work outside the home. However, these were Fed Ex problems, not 123 Ponds'.

Positive
On Sep 12, 2004, beverlysl (4 reviews) from Bryant, AR

I had very good service from this company last spring. I ordered a pond liner and then a few days later I decided I wanted to use and underlay fabric instead of hauling in a bunch of sand. Both orders were received so fast that I couldn't believe it! Its too bad that the other pond store in Michigan took so very long to send me the waterfall filter box and skimmer I ordered.

» Read the rest of the reviews
BACK TO TOP