About The Reef (the store) rant

[frontosa_man80]

Re: Details of Rant

Re: Details of Rant

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10184740#post10184740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac
...................................................I told Chris that I had heard it might husband my frogspawn and I was concerned. He said it was unlikely as there is xenia in my tank that it would more likely husband. He did say there was a small possibility it would husband the frogspawn and if it did it could beat it up and sold it to me anyway.

steve, why did you take it. you should have said "no thanks". i for one know its hard to resist temption in this hobby, its gotten the better of all of use at one point. this is one lesson that everyone learns. if the frogspawn dies then LMK and i will give you one for free.

but you know that my wifes tank has a frogspawn that host to black clowns. at first the FS didnt like it, but after a week it was fine. i dont know how big your frog spwan is.

dont get me wrong, im not taking sides. but it is up to the buyer to be ready with all the info to make a sound purchase. you cant always rely on someone at a store, any store not just pet stores.

when in doubt, dont buy it.

my .02

-jesse

 

[CCall]

Chris was somewhat right unfortunately clowns are unpredicable. My clown hosts in xenia's. When you buy a fish make sure you know the stores return policy first. Then decide. If you needed more info ask. Chris could not tell you yes it would host in the frogspawn or in the xenia.
I know how this could be annoying. I always try to research the fish before I purchase them. It's best to look at all the possibilities of the behavior of the fish.
They are not trying to destroy your son's tank. You have to decide what corals and fish you want most and work around that.

 

[buffalobunch]

Seriously Dude, that's your mistake not theirs. IF you had done your research you would have known that clown gobies do that. They perch or host on corals. It is not the LFS responsiblility to educate you. Its ridiculous in this hobby to expect them to maintain a store, animals etc and tell YOU what to do. The next time you see something you like, go home, research it and THINK about all possiblilities. YOU are responsible for learning in this hobby. Educate yourself. Don't expect that a store is going to be able to tell you what an animal is going to do in your tank. Furthermore, did you ask them if the animal didn't work out would they give all of your money back or just partial credit? Or did you just ASSUME? All LFS stores have this policy. It is to ensure that the customer takes some responsibility in choosing the right animals. How do they know that your tank doesn't have ich? Or maybe this is an animal that is sensitive to transportation? These are the things from their end that makes them only give you partial credit. Ich takes 4 weeks to show up. Which means they have to put that fish back in their system and take the gamble. I hope you see my point and accept some responsibility for your own actions. Talk to some of the other LFS too. I bet you'll find that they all have the same policy, you take it home and want to bring it back = partial credit. Please make more educated buys and stop laying blame on the LFS. I NEVER buy something without weighing all of the possibilities. If you would have posted a thread or read about that fish, I bet with all of the other's experiences you wouldn't have bought it. End of rant

 

[buffalobunch]

dp

 

[Alto]

Re: Details of Rant

Re: Details of Rant

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10184740#post10184740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac
He said it was unlikely as there is xenia in my tank that it would more likely husband. He did say there was a small possibility it would husband the frogspawn and if it did it could beat it up and sold it to me anyway.

Shouldnt this statement read "And I bought it anyway"? Its not like they didnt warn you, and give you all the facts to work with to make your decision. Yes IME it is rare for clowns to host in any kind of coral including xenia, thats been my experience with them. I would feel comfortable telling a customer that, but would certainly bring up the possibility that it might host in the customers corals to give them the opportunity to make the educated decision. You were educated, and made a decision, which you later were unhappy with, that is not ATR fault, thats yours. Sorry I dont see it your way on this one.

 

[shaunj]

Not to beat you up anymore Steve, but come on, they have a business to run! I heard 16 year olds shouldnt drive fast cars! DOes this mean that a kid can come in a buy a fast car and realize it isnt for him and return it the next day though it wasnt wrecked? Of course not! Sorry dude, but it sounds to me like they are just trying to run a business.

 

[tlharbin]

TheScubaManiac,

I can understand that you are upset but this thread is completely out of line with the details you just, finally, described. You bought a fish, a living breathing (and sometimes dying) fish. There are many LFSs in the country that will not take back a fish period. When you return a fish they have to re-quarantine it. It has been stressed and who knows what conditions it endured in transit or in your tanks. You bought the fish knowing that it might host in your frogspawn and decided to take the risk. ATR did not force you to buy it nor did they mislead you that there was no way it would host in your FS. Fish are living animals just like a puppy or cat, they each have their own personality. Your's likes FS. Live with it, trade it to someone else or sell it but don't blame the LFS for your choice to purchase the fish in the first place. You don't get to take back a puppy just because it decided to piddle on your favorite rug instead of the Arizona Republic.

As to the overcharge, if I read your post correctly they returned it. That is called a mistake and they rectified it when it was brought to their attention. What's the problem?

On the sub-thread about service at the LFSs in the area. I rarely get asked if I need help. That is the way I like it. I'll let them know when I need help. I would much rather they were taking care of the tanks, stocking shelves even just standing around the water cooler than following me around hoping to make a sale. I think a lot of reefers prefer to look and then get help when they need it. We are a community of window, well tank, shoppers and until you've looked in all of the tanks it's hard to know where you want to spend your money. Do you really want someone following you around as you look in each and every tank?

 

[moore_rb]

Re: Details of Rant

Re: Details of Rant

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10184740#post10184740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac
On 6-19-07 in the afternoon at 6:24 pm I bought a nano-clown. I am new so I still ask a lot of questions. I told Chris that I had heard it might husband my frogspawn and I was concerned.

A semi valid concern. However, clowns that do host in Euphyllia corals seldom do any real harm to the coral. There are hundreds of examples posted all over RC of people who have clown/Euphylia combos in their tanks and the corals are not compromised by this relationship.

A little research on RC would have way-layed all of your fears.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10184740#post10184740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac

He said it was unlikely as there is xenia in my tank that it would more likely husband. He did say there was a small possibility it would husband the frogspawn and if it did it could beat it up and sold it to me anyway.

There is nothing in this statement that suggests that Chris gave you bad information. He said there was a chance the fish would take to your frogspawn, and you bought the fish anyway. The decision to purchase was yours, not Chris's. There is an old addage:

"You pays your money, and you takes your chances..."

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10184740#post10184740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac

I have spent hundreds of dollars in this store and everything has been as you all say, good. But this time I feel there was an honest mistake and an honest attempt to reach a fair compromise on store policy of no returns.

The mistake was yours, not theirs. Why should the store be held accountable or responsible for your ignorance?

"caveat emp·tor ( ) n. The axiom or principle in commerce that the buyer alone is responsible for assessing the quality of a purchase before buying"

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10184740#post10184740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac

I would never treat a customer this way in my retail setting.

Irrelevant to the topic of this discussion, unless you also happen to own/run a LFS.

 

[About The Reef]

Re: Details of Rant

Re: Details of Rant

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10184740#post10184740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac
. I was over charged by $3.00 when I bought the fish and then the cheapakate only gave me 1/3 store credit on the original purchase and did return the overcharge on the original purchase!

I agree that this part of the transaction could have been handled better. I wrote a credit based on what I know that fish to sell for without looking at the receipt, after the customer informed me he was overcharged on the fish I rewrote the credit to reflect the price charged on the reciept. In retrospect, a better way would have been to give credit based on the actual price of the fish plus the amount of the overcharge. This did not happen at the time, and will be corrected this morning and applied to the credit slip.

Regards,

Skip McMahan
Senior Store Manager
About The Reef

 

[azrednex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10183247#post10183247 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by evolust
My comment was not directed toward you, your a good guy! I just dont understand what people think they are going to accomplish by saying they did not get good service at a LFS on an internet forum. If you have a probelm with them talk to them not us. Does anybody really think by posting that they recieved bad service at a LFS that others on this board will just stop shopping there? I know most of the time people are just trying to vent about a LFS. My .02 that no one asked for

Sorry, that should have read "Cheap shot cheap shot "

 

[shramj]

I am a noob at this also. If you have a question regarding fish, coral, compatibility, recommendations. You can always post on the forum. So many people on the forum have helped me out with my questions.

 

[AZReefDiva]

I've never had anything but GREAT service at ATR. They're always friendly, helpful, and very informative. If I need help, they'll help, if I want to be left alone to look around, they'll extend that courtesy as well. If I have to wait while the staff helps other customers, I'm ok with that because I know I'll be receiving the same unhurried attention being given to that other customer. I have never felt that I was being hurried along or that I was given the short version of an answer just so they could get me out the door and help someone else. Conversely, if there's a line of people behind me, I do my best to wrap up my questions quickly and not monopolize the staff's time so they can help the other customers in a timely manner (I have a customer relations-type job so I know what it's like to have a line forming behind one person who refuses to believe that anyone else's time is valuable!:mad2: ).

Skip, Chris, Katie, and Anthony are all wonderful to deal with, and all have provided me with a wealth of information. We are very lucky to have these four people all under one roof to help us with our saltwater-related needs.

Jenn

 

[Fliger]

Re: Re: Details of Rant

Re: Re: Details of Rant

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10185432#post10185432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by About The Reef
I agree that this part of the transaction could have been handled better. I wrote a credit based on what I know that fish to sell for without looking at the receipt, after the customer informed me he was overcharged on the fish I rewrote the credit to reflect the price charged on the reciept. In retrospect, a better way would have been to give credit based on the actual price of the fish plus the amount of the overcharge. This did not happen at the time, and will be corrected this morning and applied to the credit slip.

Regards,

Skip McMahan
Senior Store Manager
About The Reef

That's pretty cool.

I've had good experiences there - no LFS is perfect. I do think their livestock is a little too pricey but I also recognize that they have spent a lot making sure they have a healthy SPS system, and they get good stuff in. The CS is usually pretty good.

I've had good & bad experiences at just about every LFS in the valley after 6 years of shopping. I think it was pretty cool of ATR to come onto the thread and take care of it.

 

[nbku3vm]

Check out Skip!!!! What a stand up guy!!!!!!!!!!!
He is giving money back that his store policies, that are posted and known, say he does not have to!!! Horay for Skip and it looks like TheScubaManiac is a lucky bloke for Skip stepping outside of his policies to satisfy a disgruntled customer.

Skip, I just got a yellow watchman from you and he is so darn entertaining. Thanks big guy!!!

 

[nbku3vm]

Do you all know any other store around town that has a 7day live garuntee for there saltwater fish? Pets Inc. has 3 day, but I don't know of anyothers that have any garuntee. Not that this has anything to do with this rant but it is pretty sweet if you ask me!

 

[Reef-o-Roni]

Wow....3$:rolleye1: If 3$ is going to break your bank you better give up the hobby now.:rollface:

 

[ADA33]

:thumbsup: Never been to ATR yet but SKIP is very valuable on this Board. Thanks for all your help and expierence that you give us for FREE!

 

[tlharbin]

Reef-o-Roni,

lol. You really put this in perspective.

TheScubaManiac dumped all over one of the best LFSs in the valley over a twenty-seven dollar purchase of a fish. It didn't die, it didn't get sick, it didn't introduce the white plague to his tank, it didn't even try to destroy every living creature in the tank like you could surmise from the original post. It merely failed to repose in the spot he had chosen for it. He even got back nine bucks (now eleven bucks) of his purchase price even though he was not entitled to anything back except the three dollar error. Is it really worth all of this drama? He claims that he was seeking a compromise with the store. What compromise did he think they should reach? What possible good could he expect from this thread?

 

[Fliger]

I think some of you guys are being totally unfair. This guy is new to the hobby, he's doing this with his son, has retail experience - and didn't feel like his treatment was up to the level he wanted it. Most of you guys have a lot more experience and maybe forgot what its like to be a newbie. Put yourself in his shoes, and in another category.

Defending ATR is great - I think their response is great. But I don't think a few of these posts were all that classy. JMVHO though. Obviously in the minority. But knowing Skip, I doubt he'd really think some of these posts were warranted, either.

(overly protective father mode off now )

 

[ADA33]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10187108#post10187108 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fliger


Defending ATR is great - I think their response is great. But I don't think a few of these posts were all that classy. JMVHO though. Obviously in the minority. But knowing Skip, I doubt he'd really think some of these posts were warranted, either.

Dave I am in the minority too. I feel this thread has too much bashing going on.

Two wrongs don't make it right.

I think more constructive criticism is in order.

This group is getting very large and we need to help out each other as much as possible.

TheScubaManiac- Just want to say sorry and I hope you don't take offence to any of the comments in this thread.