The day of the honest seller and honest buyer is unfortunately a rare thing to find these days. If sellers were all honest, sending out very healthy, healed specimens the risk is dramatically lower than shipping fresh cut frags or newly acquired livestock. Some people are really good at this and others are on the other end of the spectrum. On the other end though, some buyers are just looking for their next freebie and that is just plain dishonest and wrong. A good vendor will take care of a good buyer and make a lasting relationship if the situation is handled well.
When buying something alive the BUYER needs to realize that things that are typically in the OCEAN should be removed from this stagnant environment as soon as possible. If this means taking a longer lunch break or a personal day from work to accept the package and get these creatures into a better environment, then so be it. Letting UPS/FedEx leave the package on my steps and waiting for me to come home is a horrible way to treat the living things just purchased. Some may get lucky with that method, but it is FAR from ideal. These packages have fragile creatures in them and we need to treat them like they are alive and matter, not just some sticks in a tank.
Regarding the guarantees, there are some ways to have this work well. First, inspect the corals in the bags when they arrive. Is the water cloudy? Do the bags feel excessively hot or cold? Has the coral fallen off the mount whether that be a plug or rock? Can you visually see any recession on the coral while it is in the bag? If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, take clear pictures of the corals while they are still in the bags. Place them next to a clock so the time the picture was taken is on the photo. Place the bags in your sump to float for some temperature acclimation. While temp acclimating, immediately call or send an email with your concerns to the vendor you purchased from and ask what they would like you to do with the concerned corals. If email attach the images. If you receive anything back, follow the vendor's instructions. If you hear nothing, progress with acclimation and dipping procedures and add to the tank for better observation...
For the seller, they cannot predict every and all issue you may run into. They do not know about your aquarium or your equipment. They have no idea if you have a 125G healthy full reef or a goldfish bowl with high nitrates or worse FRESHWATER... You are ordering a product and they will assume that you are an informed customer and are making the best decisions possible for the suitability of these animals. They will also assume you are informed in the proper acclimation techniques for the purchase and what can and cannot be dipped. So with that said, if there is excessively stressed corals in the bags, you should know what to look for and how to communicate it. The guarantee is there as a way to show you they guarantee their shipping procedures. After it is at your house and in your tank, they have ZERO control of the care and husbandry their animal has been placed into. However, many vendors I have worked with, if you express concern while the corals are still in the bag and they can see what you were concerned about, they will do their best to work with you.
So in the end if the "1 hour DOA In Bag" guarantee bothers you, then I would suggest shopping elsewhere. However if you are comfortable that your tank is well and your acclimation techniques are proper this level guarantee is perfectly fine as you will know things aren't well while it is in the bag.
