HOW TO PLACE YOU ORDER

First time using our Transhipping Service?

If this is your first time using The Betta Box UK, we strongly recommend that you read our Transhipping Guide before placing an order.

Our service is designed to make importing ornamental fish from overseas as straightforward as possible, but importing live animals involves additional requirements, costs and risks.

Please make sure you understand the process before placing your order.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. When do I need to place my order?

Orders should be placed at least 7 days before the scheduled shipment date.

We strongly recommend placing a separate order for each supplier/exporter.

This makes it much easier for you, your supplier and The Betta Box UK to identify and track each shipment correctly.

If you need to place an order less than 7 days before the scheduled shipment date, please contact us before making payment. We may be able to advise you depending on the circumstances.

2. Why are there different dates advertised by the exporter?

Exporters may provide several different dates during the shipping process.

These can include:

1. Registration Deadline

The date by which the supplier must register the shipment with the exporter.

2. Supplier deadline

The date by which the fish must arrive with the exporter.

3. Shipping date

The date the flight is scheduled to depart from the country of origin.

These dates are not necessarily the same date shown on our website.

What date do we publish?

The Betta Box UK publishes the scheduled date on which the aircraft is expected to land at Manchester Airport.

This is the date that is most relevant to our UK transhipping process.

3. What does "Scheduled" mean?

A shipment displayed as Scheduled means that the shipment is expected to arrive on the published date, but the arrangements have not yet been fully confirmed.

The status will only change from Scheduled to Confirmed once the necessary arrangements have been completed.

There are many reasons why a scheduled shipment may not yet be confirmed.

These can include:

A. No available freight space

Airlines can sometimes have limited freight capacity, particularly during busy periods such as the summer holiday season.

B. Strikes or industrial action

Airport, airline or other transport staff may be affected by strikes or industrial action in either the UK or the country of origin.

C. Weather and natural events

Flooding, storms and other natural events can disrupt transport and airport operations.

D. Wars and international conflicts

International conflicts can affect flight routes, airline operations and the movement of freight.

E. Human error

Mistakes can occasionally happen during the complex process of arranging international shipments.

These are only examples. There are many other circumstances that can affect an international shipment.

4. Can a Confirmed shipment still change?

Yes.

Although we make every effort to provide accurate information, circumstances can change even after a shipment has been confirmed.

Airline cancellations, delays, operational problems, weather, Customs, regulatory issues and other unexpected events can affect the arrival date.

This is one of the reasons why we cannot guarantee a specific UK delivery date until the shipment has actually arrived and the delivery arrangements have been finalised.

5. When should I take time off work to receive my fish?

We understand that customers may need to take time off work to receive a delivery.

However, because international shipments can be delayed or changed at short notice, we cannot guarantee that a shipment will arrive on a particular day until the relevant arrangements have been confirmed.

The decision to take time off work or use holiday entitlement is entirely your own.

The Betta Box UK is not responsible for loss of earnings, missed work, holiday entitlement or other personal costs resulting from a delayed, changed or cancelled shipment or delivery.

6. Can I add more fish to an existing order?

Yes.

You can place another order through our Shop provided that it is placed at least 7 days before the scheduled shipment date.

If the shipment is less than 7 days away, please contact us before placing the order.

Already paid for UK Delivery?

If you are adding more fish to a shipment you have already booked with us, you do not normally need to pay the UK Delivery charge again.

When placing the additional order:

Select "Collection" for the delivery option

and enter your original order number in the order notes.

This allows us to identify that the additional fish are travelling on the same shipment and are to be included with your existing UK delivery.

7. Where do I find my order number?

Your order number is automatically generated by our Shop.

You will receive your order number after completing your purchase.

Please keep your order number safe.

You may need to provide it to your supplier/exporter.

8. Why does my supplier need my order number?

Our exporters have strict instructions not to accept fish for The Betta Box UK unless the shipment can be correctly identified.

The order number helps ensure that:

The fish are expected;
The shipment can be matched to the correct customer;
The exporter knows which transhipping service is being used; and
The customer has arranged and paid for the relevant importing service.

Your order number is therefore an important part of the import process.

9. Can I combine fish from different countries into one UK delivery?

Generally, No.

Fish arriving through different exporters or different international shipments cannot simply be combined into one UK delivery.

Only fish travelling through the same exporter and the same shipment arrangements may be eligible to be packed together for UK delivery.

We do not routinely hold livestock in the UK simply to wait for other shipments so that they can be combined for convenience.

Our aim is to move fish through the UK as quickly as reasonably possible after arrival.

Reducing unnecessary holding time helps minimise the overall transportation period and the associated stress on the animals.

For customers placing multiple transhipping orders, please see:

Multiple Transhipping Orders

10. What happens if I place an order but my fish are not shipped to the UK?

If an individual small fish under 70mm has been booked with us but is not actually shipped to the UK, we will refund the applicable cost of that individual fish's import service, subject to the circumstances and any applicable legal rights.

However, where we have incurred costs or reserved valuable shipment space for:

Larger fish; or
Multiple small fish;

the relevant fees may not be refundable.

This is because space reserved for a shipment may have prevented that capacity from being allocated to another customer.

Any refund will be considered in accordance with our Import & Transhipping Terms & Conditions and applicable law.

11. What happens if one of my fish does not arrive?

If you have ordered multiple fish and one or more fish do not arrive, the fish that have arrived will normally be processed and delivered as arranged.

You should contact your supplier regarding:

Missing fish;
Fish that were not shipped;
Dead-on-arrival fish;
Replacement fish; or
Refunds relating to the fish you purchased.

The Betta Box UK is the importing and transhipping service provider and is not the seller of the fish.

If your supplier sends a replacement fish on a later shipment, that replacement will normally require a new import service and applicable UK delivery arrangements.

12. When will I receive my fish?

Under normal circumstances, UK delivery is usually made approximately two days after the aircraft lands at Manchester Airport.

For example:

Wednesday
✈️ Shipment lands at Manchester Airport

Thursday
📦 We process, repack and dispatch the shipment

Friday
🚚 Your fish are delivered

This is an example of the normal process and is not a guaranteed delivery timetable.

Actual delivery times can be affected by:

Flight delays;
Customs;
Regulatory procedures;
Weather;
Courier availability;
Courier delays;
Operational issues; and
Other circumstances outside our reasonable control.

We will provide you with the relevant delivery information once your shipment has arrived and the UK delivery arrangements have been confirmed.

IMPORTANT

Please remember

The Betta Box UK does not sell fish.

We provide an ornamental fish importing and transhipping service for fish purchased by you from your chosen supplier.

Your supplier is responsible for matters relating to the fish you purchase from them, including the seller's DOA, replacement and refund policies.

Importing live animals always involves risk.

Although we take reasonable care of fish while they are in our possession, we cannot guarantee their health or survival.

Please read our:

Import & Transhipping Terms & Conditions

before placing your order.

If you are unsure about any part of the process, please contact us before placing your order.

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