Wednesday, August 17th
2022 Seafood Company Reviews
Giovanni's Fish Market
- Gift Options: Gift shop with seafood tools, accessories and clothing; gift cards
For many years, Giovanni's Fish Market has been family-owned and operated in California, started by a commercial abalone diver back in 1973. Most of their seafood is sourced locally, with some imports as well. (You know you're really getting fish "fresh from the boat" when a store has a video showing its fishermen off Morro Bay - and the sea lions are eagerly hoping for a taste, waiting in the water! Watch the video and see for yourself.)
Basic shopping experience
Shopping online is pretty basic: you can browse their main page, but it's easiest to go directly to the links on the left side. Generally speaking, you'll find abalone, crab, fillet fish, lobster, oysters, shellfish, shrimp, smoked fish, sushi, and also some sauces and spices to enhance your dining experience. Be sure to click on the Specials link if you want the day's hottest deals. Also, don't miss the featured items listed a little further down; at the time of our most recent visit, those included calamari, halibut, poke cubes, and sablefish.
Simple gift options
Giovanni's Fish Market has some of the gift options you'd expect: gift cards that can be used in person or gift codes for online purchases, in denominations ranging from $25 to $250. You can also enter a gift message in the second step of checkout, in the same place where you would add delivery instructions, if you choose to send a gift code or you're sending a specific seafood product to someone else.
Seafood accessories
They also have some gift possibilities that you might not find at other seafood stores. Maybe your special someone has always needed a crab claw cutter or shrimp deveiner. Giovanni's has got you covered! Of course, if you'd like something a little less savage, you can also order t-shirts, hats, and sushi-making kits.
Expect some shipping costs
Giovanni's doesn't quite measure up when considering shipping costs. The company only delivers orders over $300 for free, while some of their rivals have a much lower threshold - or ship every purchase at no cost. All other orders ship strictly by weight: lower prices for California residents, but still anywhere from $25 to $39.99. Outside of CA, your shipping costs will range from just under $50 to just under $200. Granted, that's for overnight shipping (no other speeds are available), but it's still something you should factor in when comparing seafood retailers. Also, because it's overnight delivery, they don't automatically include dry ice: you'll have to select that (for an extra $10) during the checkout process. Orders can be shipped ASAP or delivered on a specific date.
Very favorable reviews
Moving on to reputation: although the Giovanni's site is somewhat outdated-looking (with a site copyright of 2006, for example), their customer reviews are absolutely current - and very favorable! From people who placed a big order for a BBQ to those who use this seafood store to keep their freezers stocked, it's hard to find anyone with a bad thing to say about the quality of the fish offered here. We didn't find a BBB listing for this company, but thousands of shopper reviews across the internet didn't leave us with any major concerns.
Returns for in-store credit
It's good to know that their customers are so satisfied, because Giovanni's return policy had us scratching our heads a little. Like most online seafood stores, they guarantee that your delivery will be fresh. You'll have 24 hours from delivery to request a return authorization form. Yes, you read that right: they will actually have you return your seafood. We don't know that we'd want to be on the receiving end of those returns, but hey, not our problem, right? Their policy is described as a refund, but it comes in the form of a full store credit.
Worth considering
Giovanni's Fish Market has a lot going for itself: a phenomenal track record with its customers and some unique gift options, to name a few. But, when you look at their higher-than-average delivery costs and slightly strange return policy, they're just a little bit off in comparison with our highest-ranked seafood stores. We still think they're a trustworthy source of seafood online, just not our first-place recommendation.
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Who Sells the Best Seafood?
If you're a fan of crab, lobster, shrimp, oysters and more, you already know how challenging it can be to find your favorites locally - especially if you live far from the coast. Getting the best seafood at a supermarket or even a specialty store can be extremely hit-or-miss, because of high prices and lack of variety most of the time.
Fortunately, like almost everything else you buy, seafood can easily be ordered online. Sound "fishy"? Not at all: some of the world's most renowned fishmongers make their products available for direct delivery to your home, giving you access to the freshest fish on the market (short of catching it yourself!).
Seafood Company FAQ
Continued from above...
The best online seafood stores guarantee that you'll be 100% satisfied with your order, so that you don't have to worry about the quality of the packaging or the food itself. Another great perk of buying seafood online from a reputable store is the ability to select package deals. Why settle for just crab legs or a lobster tail when you can mix-and-match all of your favorites?
Some retailers go beyond seafood and allow you to purchase full meal packages, surf-and-turf combos, and much more. And, best of all, many of these packages and individual seafood items can be sent as a gift to the foodies on your gift-giving lists. (Say goodbye to boring gift cards!)
Whether you're buying seafood for yourself or someone else, you've got lots of options. How can you tell which online seafood store is the right one? Here are several factors to keep in mind as you make your decision:
- Selection. Does the company offer a wide variety of seafood to choose from, or do they specialize in just a few kinds? What gift-giving options are available?
- Pricing. How much can you expect to spend for the seafood you're craving? Are prices competitive with what you'd find at a competitor's site?
- Reputation. What do other shoppers say about their experiences buying seafood from the company? Is the customer service team knowledgeable and responsive if problems arise? Is there a strong satisfaction guarantee in place, in the event that your seafood arrives less-than-fresh?
TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the best sources of seafood available to order online. We hope this information helps you get the freshest, most flavorful seafood delivered right to your home - or to the home of your lucky gift recipient!
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