About The Reef (the store) rant

[tin can sailor]

I have only been to ATR once and it was not a very pleasant visit. Was not greeted or even acknowledged. When I did ask the girl for help, she didn't seem to know much about any of the livestock or dry goods. I am pretty new to this hobby, but try to aquire the knowledge through the books I have purchased, from others locally(Buffalo Bunch, Frontosa_man, and Blueshape) and LFS. Petco has been no help at all(this is the store on Happy Valley and I-17),ATR seemed to be too busy talking to each other to assist me and AT(who has gone out of their way to assist) Scott, Conrad, Mike and Chris have been getting my money for this reason. I am not going to go any further, by bashing or damaging reputations of any other LFS, but AT is still getting my business

 

[Alto]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10181579#post10181579 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by oct2274
only thing i have ever had bad happen there is recently.........I got one of the Salifert Alk kits that has shown quite a few times to be inaccurate for many users here on RC. You can go to the salifert part of the RC forums to read more about this. Being very concerned I took my kit in to have them test it against another kit. When i took it in and explained that many people have proven this exact batch to be off, I kinda got the run around and the guy didn't really seem to want to test my kit to see if there was an issue. I finally got the guy to test my kit against their kit. When he brought the kit out that they used for the store it was the exact same batch as mine..... Obviously it wouldn't make sence to test my kit against theirs if they were the exact same kit, but he did it anyways and as expected the results were exactly the same. Sigh.........he wouldn't budge and told me my kit was perfectly fine. At the time I didn't have a job so I didn't want to go and buy another kit to find out if my kit was bad. To this day I don't know if my kit is bad, but i'm sure it is because of what i have seen from other people with my batch it is bad and their batch is bad too lol. It was kind of a frustrating experience..........

In that case IMO Salifert should have issued a recall on that batch #, and dealt with people directly or compensated dealers for taking in the defective batch. If Salifert didnt do that then I would say my beef would be with them not the store. Salifert would be the final go to for a store to determine if they should replace something... if they stand behind the product then it makes sense that the store would stand behind the product as well.

 

[EvilE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10181619#post10181619 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jayreefer
Do you really love lamp, or are you just saying that?

W T F is lamp??

 

[oct2274]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10181813#post10181813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Alto
In that case IMO Salifert should have issued a recall on that batch #, and dealt with people directly or compensated dealers for taking in the defective batch. If Salifert didnt do that then I would say my beef would be with them not the store. Salifert would be the final go to for a store to determine if they should replace something... if they stand behind the product then it makes sense that the store would stand behind the product as well.

sometimes you can't always stand behind a product, especially if other customers on a forum as big as RC have shown otherwise. The whole reason I went, and still, go to ATR is because they have always gone the extra mile. In this one instance they didn't, but I haven't stopped going there and won't unless something really bad were to happen. Skip has already PM'd me and said I could take my kit back down to test against something else to verify and I'll be doing that soon. Remember, the customer is always right till proven otherwise I wasn't proven otherwise and that is why I felt let down in that instance. I have also noticed that lately the fish prices have seemed to become more inline with other local shops which makes me very happy!

 

[azrednex]

Were the heck is the OP in all of this craziness ?
BTW what IS is lamp ?

 

[Smokin Firebird]

skip is a really cool guy. any of the guys/gals at ATR wanna get a beer sometime its on me. these guys go out the way to make me and the wife feel welcome when we show up at the store

 

[30reef]

I drive to ATR from Goodyear sometimes just to see what they have in stock. The best place in the valley IMO.

 

[frontosa_man80]

i talked to skiptoday about the thread. he was fully aware and was the one that handled the whole deal. its not as bad as it seems.

but ill let the two parties explain it.

-jesse

 

[Hifiguy]

corivus,

Hey if that happened to me I would have a very bad taste in my mouth as well.

I can understand having issue with them for that.

I can say that the Freshwater guys and I don't really talk so... I'm not sure how they run things. Again I understand completely.

See if people come on and have stuff like that then that is what discussion is all about.

corivus I must say if that had happened to me I would be all over them. A lot of the people here know I'm much more about the fish than the coral. I like the coral but the fish are my deal.

I will admit that would make me think a few times about trading a fish into them.

Thanks for the experience there. It does make you think.

slowradio - I love lamp too!!
Also I killed a guy with a Trident!!!!!!!

Shaun

 

[corivus]

yeppers, a few of my friends stopped going there just because they are getting into sw and would rather give their money to other stores then them now. I will always be a defender of ATR because I've never had any sort of issues with them and I have made friends there that I'll miss a lot when I go to Tucson. As for that other place, I'm happy to wipe my shoes clean of them. Maybe I'll try them when I get back, but its been hit and miss, once Andy stopped being an employee and started being a manager and got busier. Not saying its not for anyone, just not for me at all bar none anymore.


And the fish are what I like the most, I just like the coral because thats part of the environment for those fish and I like to recreate those settings as best as I can.

 

[moore_rb]

Re: About The Reef (the store) rant

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10178898#post10178898 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac
They would rather see me intentionally damage my son's tank and a fragile frogspawn than be reasonable about helping a newbie with a problem.

What, exactly, is the problem? and how did ATR cause or contribute to it?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10178898#post10178898 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheScubaManiac

This store has good stock etc. but f you ever have a problem they are inflexible, CHEAP and do not see the sense of giving back even an inch to a customer who has spent hundreds of dollars with them.

This has not been my experience over the past 3 years.

 

[EvilE]

The dude that started this thread was vague and needs to elaborate a bit on his "rant". We all have commented, and he is nowhere--- he lights the fire, then runs.

 

[shaunj]

Poor guy didn't know any better, and probably had no clue what he was getting into, and then we beat him up pretty good, in a nice way thoug! LOL

 

[corivus]

with love :blown:

 

[Elliott]

well, if Skip reads this he will be pleased
I too have had good experiences at ATR.

 

[badfish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10181843#post10181843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilE
W T F is lamp??

Its a line in the movie Anchorman.

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10180830#post10180830 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by azrednex
Cheap shot , cheap shot. I had genuine grievances with an employee of Pet's Inc. BTW I would like to state publicly that my differences with that employee have been rectified, Andy spoke with me and we worked it out. I had no problem with the store in general.

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

 

[About The Reef]

I do not think that it would be appropriate to go into specifics on this situation in a public forum if the OP chooses not to post details.

Any concerned customers of ATR are welcome to contact me should they wish, my email is skip@aboutthereef.com or you can reach me at the store most days @ 480-966-3880

Regards,

Skip McMahan
Senior Store Manager
About The Reef

 

[WarEagleNR88]

At least the LFS in the area are not like a furniture store going out of business. In one of those stores, they'll bug you to no end. I wonder how many times a day they hear "No thanks, just looking."

I, for one, like all of our major LFS in the valley. Not one is really the best in my book, they're all just different in their own way. The best LFS by far are in CA and FL--but that's a given. Our stores are pleasant to go to, realize they are a business trying to make ends meet just like anywhere else, and typically have very good selections. Plus if they're not too busy, they'll talk with you a little about whatever. And as far as animals selection goes, this is the desert so any saltwater animals is better than what is naturally here.

I've had good experiences at all our stores. Sorry to hear of any problems you might have had. I've a feeling though that personality may have played a big part and the words said from the customer than ATR's customer service. Better luck next time.

 

[TheScubaManiac]

Details of Rant

Details of Rant

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. 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. I acclimated the fish nicely and the very next morning it was in the frogspawn and giving it a real hard time. I took the fish back to the store at 10 am 6-20-07 in excellent condition. I asked the manager if he could help me this time as I felt there was a problem and that it would hurt my frogspawn. I asked help this time as I was returning the fish immediately and was even willing to wait while the fish was QT to make sure I did not damage it or bring anything back to the store before getting any money back. 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. I was not helped as a customer. I would never treat a customer this way in my retail setting. 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!!!!!! CHEAP SHOT CHEAP SHOT SHEAP SHOT. He and his employees made a mistake also and then was unwilling to help with mine. I am a newbie and still need help and am very willing to be reasonable. There is a time when stores need to help solve problems, not make it hard and expensive to be a beginning reefer. I had previously also had good experience with this store but when it came time to be a good and friendly store they have totally lost me as a customer. I am just glad I had this problem with a $24.00 fish instead of something more expensive before I found out how they do business. If this does damage their business I am not sorry a business SHOULD have an outstanding reputation to gain the support of loyal customers and this store proved to me it is not willing to go to those lengths for me. Steve.