and want to be in business long term, they will also value honesty and customer service. Nobody is perfect all the time, but if you are trying hard, and make things right if there is a mistake, most customers will be very happy.

Of course, there are people who will take advantage of you, so you have to have a policy on various possible problems, but then be ready to bend the rules on a case by case basis, as needed.

I do not have an unlimited live arrival shipping guarantee. I know from experience that picking up at the FedEx office is the safest and least stressful (for the snakes) method of shipping. So I "reward" customers willing to pick up there with a full guarantee, (as long as they pick up the same day it arrives), even if FedEx sends it to Alaska, loses it for a week, or runs it over with a truck (none of those things have happened - YET.). But if customers insist on residential delivery, then they pay a higher price (to cover FedEx additional fees) and the live arrival guarantee is limited to packages that arrive by noon and are signed for, and I WON'T cover residential delivery packages for carrier error. They know that up front, and many opt to pick up at FedEx, which makes me happy, and the snakes happy. Or they either accept some risk (very little, but some), or shop elsewhere. But they know ahead of time what to expect.

So far, I have never had a customer who lost out because of my residential guarantee, but it has convinced a lot of them to pick up at FedEx, which I believe it a good result.

As far as the shipping cost refund, even though FedEx contracts say they won't even refund that when it is their fault, I have found that they usually do refund shipping cost when the package is late, except when due to weather delays. I have never had a problem shipment that came on time, so shipping cost refunds have not been an issue.

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