wds21921
New member
After seeing some of the earlier criticism about LFS I wanted to make a few points.
As a customer it's easy to walk in and expect a "Sears" type atmosphere. What I mean by that is standard salespeople with products that are simply "there" for you.
One thing to keep in mind here after having worked for at least 3 different pet stores: "What you order, is rarely what you get as a retailer"!!!
It's easy to criticize a business when your on the other side of the door. Having run my own business (succesfuly) many years ago in a different field, one insight I can give you is that when the door is locked and the register is emptied, the job doesn't stop there. Not only did I work a 40 hour a week job but I also worked another 50+ hours per week at my own store. That is actual hours AT the store. That doesn't include my staying up late at night to recieve deliveries at home, calling in orders or my driving 200+ miles sometimes to meet a customers expectations. Or trying my best to also raise 2 children.
What I'm saying here is that until you've run a business (especially in the pet area), you've got no idea what dissapointments your going to run into trying to meet your customers expectations and then not being able to do so.
Some LFS do need to work on there people skills and others consider there retail pricing (that much I will agree with).
The one thing that you may not have run into yet is the convenience factor. There's been times where I needed a bag of salt to be able to finish off a water change or needed a bulb because I've been working long hours and haven't had a chance to get to a store during regular open hours until that particular day. In those instances they've been a godsend.
I'd be careful about bashing too many of the LFS because you may one day need something from them in an emergency situation. If they all decide to close there doors, then your essentially at the mercy of a 25+ mile drive or more inlcuding a half hour or more in drive time.
Personally, I enjoy taking the trip to ECA or TFP once in a while (especially for large qty purchases). But to be honest, there's nothing like popping into a local store on a whim and seeing what's new or what they got in there latest shipment.
Constructive criticism is good and can be helpful. Simply bashing or labeling a store and then trying to compare it to someplace that's twice the size or does 8x's more business over the Net, is not constructive.
And one aspect that seems to get lost is almost every one of these stores gets into the business for the same reason, their love of the hobby.
Making money is a factor but I would be willing to bet that in most cases, you'll find that almost any business begins with a personal appreciation over the money factor.
Are the LFS here perfect? Nope, not even close, and that's what makes each one of them unique! Each one offers you something different. I'll take unique any day compared to Wal Mart!!!
Imagine yourself running a business where your selling human beings as pets. You can't account for how long they'll live, how well they will behave or even if they will adapt to your enviroment, but reading some of the postings in another section that seems to be what's expected, guaranteed results. Anytime your dealing with something that's living, the one guarantee you have is there are no guarantees.
One thing I definitely do not like on ReefCentral is that anyone can come on here and completely anhialate any LFS they want in print at anytime, yet the merchant is not allowed to defend themselves. Sorry but there's nothing fair about that.
I've had some undesirable dealings with some of the LFS and probably more so because I've seen many come and go over the years. The only way to make them better is to let them know though. You walk out of store "A" ticked off because they had too many dead fish on display. So instead of checking to see why or what the circumstances may have been, you go to your local "wink wink" message board or forum and ream them a new one.
In some cases that might be justified (no particular store mentioned here). But as a hobbyist there is also a little responsibility on our part to give them some feedback if we see something we don't like. I've done it at almost every local store here and gotten positive feedback from most of them and at least and attempt on there part to remedy the situation.
Some stores won't change there habits because (IMO) they're irresponsible. In those instances, I rarely go there or only pop in on very rare occasions. If I don't like how they do business or there collection methods and they're unwilling to change then they don't get my business but I don't group everyone of them into the same category and say they all suck.
Believe me if it were so easy to run a business and especially a pet business, everyone would be doing it. Why do you think more and more dry goods only stores are opening up?
Could it be to avoid the one main factor they don't have control over? A living guarantee.?
I too have hastily criticised some LFS in the past, but after seriously thinking about it I very much appreciate them more after having run a business and seeing how complex it is. Especially if you include the living animal factor.
As a customer it's easy to walk in and expect a "Sears" type atmosphere. What I mean by that is standard salespeople with products that are simply "there" for you.
One thing to keep in mind here after having worked for at least 3 different pet stores: "What you order, is rarely what you get as a retailer"!!!
It's easy to criticize a business when your on the other side of the door. Having run my own business (succesfuly) many years ago in a different field, one insight I can give you is that when the door is locked and the register is emptied, the job doesn't stop there. Not only did I work a 40 hour a week job but I also worked another 50+ hours per week at my own store. That is actual hours AT the store. That doesn't include my staying up late at night to recieve deliveries at home, calling in orders or my driving 200+ miles sometimes to meet a customers expectations. Or trying my best to also raise 2 children.
What I'm saying here is that until you've run a business (especially in the pet area), you've got no idea what dissapointments your going to run into trying to meet your customers expectations and then not being able to do so.
Some LFS do need to work on there people skills and others consider there retail pricing (that much I will agree with).
The one thing that you may not have run into yet is the convenience factor. There's been times where I needed a bag of salt to be able to finish off a water change or needed a bulb because I've been working long hours and haven't had a chance to get to a store during regular open hours until that particular day. In those instances they've been a godsend.
I'd be careful about bashing too many of the LFS because you may one day need something from them in an emergency situation. If they all decide to close there doors, then your essentially at the mercy of a 25+ mile drive or more inlcuding a half hour or more in drive time.
Personally, I enjoy taking the trip to ECA or TFP once in a while (especially for large qty purchases). But to be honest, there's nothing like popping into a local store on a whim and seeing what's new or what they got in there latest shipment.
Constructive criticism is good and can be helpful. Simply bashing or labeling a store and then trying to compare it to someplace that's twice the size or does 8x's more business over the Net, is not constructive.
And one aspect that seems to get lost is almost every one of these stores gets into the business for the same reason, their love of the hobby.
Making money is a factor but I would be willing to bet that in most cases, you'll find that almost any business begins with a personal appreciation over the money factor.
Are the LFS here perfect? Nope, not even close, and that's what makes each one of them unique! Each one offers you something different. I'll take unique any day compared to Wal Mart!!!
Imagine yourself running a business where your selling human beings as pets. You can't account for how long they'll live, how well they will behave or even if they will adapt to your enviroment, but reading some of the postings in another section that seems to be what's expected, guaranteed results. Anytime your dealing with something that's living, the one guarantee you have is there are no guarantees.
One thing I definitely do not like on ReefCentral is that anyone can come on here and completely anhialate any LFS they want in print at anytime, yet the merchant is not allowed to defend themselves. Sorry but there's nothing fair about that.
I've had some undesirable dealings with some of the LFS and probably more so because I've seen many come and go over the years. The only way to make them better is to let them know though. You walk out of store "A" ticked off because they had too many dead fish on display. So instead of checking to see why or what the circumstances may have been, you go to your local "wink wink" message board or forum and ream them a new one.
In some cases that might be justified (no particular store mentioned here). But as a hobbyist there is also a little responsibility on our part to give them some feedback if we see something we don't like. I've done it at almost every local store here and gotten positive feedback from most of them and at least and attempt on there part to remedy the situation.
Some stores won't change there habits because (IMO) they're irresponsible. In those instances, I rarely go there or only pop in on very rare occasions. If I don't like how they do business or there collection methods and they're unwilling to change then they don't get my business but I don't group everyone of them into the same category and say they all suck.
Believe me if it were so easy to run a business and especially a pet business, everyone would be doing it. Why do you think more and more dry goods only stores are opening up?
Could it be to avoid the one main factor they don't have control over? A living guarantee.?
I too have hastily criticised some LFS in the past, but after seriously thinking about it I very much appreciate them more after having run a business and seeing how complex it is. Especially if you include the living animal factor.
