Reply from The iFISH StoreMar 24, 2025
Hello John "Doe" Texan;
Well, thank you for your feedback on our shipping price. We would be remiss if we didn't offer an overview of why shipping is so expensive for live tropical fish.
Shipping live tropical fish via FedEx Overnight is expensive due to several important factors:
1. Speed & Reliability – Live fish must be shipped overnight to ensure their survival. FedEx Overnight is a premium service that comes with a high price due to its priority handling.
2. Specialized Packaging – We use high-quality insulated boxes, oxygen-filled bags, and temperature-regulating heat or cold packs to protect the fish in transit. These materials increase both the cost and package dimensions, leading to higher shipping fees.
3. Dimensional Weight Pricing – FedEx charges based on both weight and box size. Because our packaging is designed for the fish’s safety, it results in larger shipping costs. And at the end of the day, we're shipping a box of water. For one single $4.99 fish, you can't get away from a 5-7 pound package.
4. Special Handling Fees – Live animal shipments require extra care, and FedEx applies additional fees for proper handling.
5. Fuel Surcharges & Delivery Zones – Shipping costs vary based on distance, with cross-country shipments incurring higher fees due to fuel surcharges and zone-based pricing.
Unlike many competitors, we do not hide shipping costs within the price of our fish. Instead, we offer lower fish prices and keep shipping fees transparent. While some may be taken aback—especially when the shipping fee exceeds the cost of a single fish—we believe this is the most honest approach. By separating shipping from fish prices, we ensure our customers pay a fair and accurate price rather than artificially inflating fish costs to disguise shipping fees.
We hope that offers you more insight on why our shipping fees appear to be rather expensive but we can say with confidence that they are not inflated as we make no profit on shipping.
All that being said, we didn’t think it was appropriate for you to use profanity in your email communication with us to object to our shipping costs—especially when you never even made a purchase. We’re always happy to answer questions and explain our pricing, but respectful communication goes both ways.