The general issue is that people are upset because they got sold on a system that works with a packaging / shipping solution that also initially worked (plastic containers). For whatever reason, be it ideological, monetarily or both, that changed and what the US market especially has been left with is with quite frankly an awful mess. The supply chain has been erratic resulting in premiere vendors often stocked out in no small part due to hoarding, which further perpetuates stock shortages. I can't blame people for buying all they can find, they start to panic when a tank life support system is un-available for extended periods. The only work-around suggested has been jumping through multiple interim hoops of other product lines or searching some out of state LFS that may have a few cases squirrelled away. Many people are running this system with thousands, or tends of thousands invested in delicate livestock, and if there's one thing this industry knows it's that sudden change usually results in losses.
Explanations have been given for the product issues; it was a faulty packaging process, then the carriers are too rough with the packages, then you should decant the product into other vessels and now the tetra packs can't handle 3A & 3B given industry shipping standards / methods. The last couple are fine, possibly a benefit depending on the hobbyist, but it's been one thing after another for an extended period of time.
The other major part of it from the retail side are the staffing time costs required to handle product RMA's with the customer, the distributor or even the manufacturer. The cost to Triton themselves also can't be discounted, they are a business not a charity, and any losses incurred from these replacements isn't good for them, nor ultimately the hobbyist. My day is spent with procurement and logistics, and this would serve as a good curriculum case study for people of what can happen with something seemingly as simple as a product packaging change.
If this was just a random pre-mixed 2 part system people would probably have just switched to company B and not looked back by now. As many have stated though, it works; results are all over, water changes are effectively removed, nutrient export is greatly simplified and most importantly customers were happy that their tanks appear to be both happy, healthy and growing. At the end of the day that's all people want, that their goods arrive un-damaged, there are no packaging failures for whatever reason, and that supply shortages don't happen.
The fact that people have stuck with Triton through all of this should be something they take very important heed of. Hopefully for all involved the issues can become a thing of the past sooner than later. If the FB group is any indication the gong show will probably be continuing though :|
