I've had it with my LFS

Just to show you what an uneven playing ground the LFS has vs Online...

Most LFS pay (wholesale) just about what DFS SELLS their salt at retail. Of course they're going to charge double. Double in retail is the norm!!! The manufactures have really let the LFS down in this regard.
 
Some of you guys need to read Atlas Shrugged. Its a free market economy, take your money wherever you want. They aren't required to offer any price and you aren't entitled to any price. If they wanted to try and sell their products for 1000% markup they have the right to do it, same way you have the right to say "forget you, I'll take my business elsewhere."
 
I rarely get dry goods from the LFS, only in a bind usually. However, I do buy my livestock from my LFS because I like to see what I am buying. Plus, due to loyalty he usually gives me a little break.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12334084#post12334084 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drparker
Will your online vendor stay open late because you called and need something in an emergency?

Will your online vendor give you a part to try because your kid decided it looked fun to play with and you can't find it now?

I recently setup two QT and didn't think, you just used all your extra heaters order some more online. Friday night I started a batch of saltwater for my Sunday water changes. No heaters.

So I paid 34 bucks for a heater DRs F&S has for 17, So what.

When I buy big ticket items, we talk and workout a price that's fair.

If everybody only buys dry goods from online vendors then you'll eventually get to the point were Petland and Petco will be your only choices for "great" local live stock. :eek1:

I like my LFS. I don't buy everything from them but I have no regrets in paying more for the things I do buy from them.
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good post! I talked to my LFS guy recently he stressed how challenging today's environment is. All his costs have gone up 10-20% because of fuel surcharges, people are buying less because of the economy and there's been that online competition. He gets a lot of people that come in, complain about having to pay tax, blame him because the fish he sold have torn fins 5 days later (one guy was yelling at him was I was there shopping, blaming the LFS for selling him a "defective tang" because the fins got worse 5 days after he put it in the tank).

I'm no angel and I don't buy everything from the LFS. If there's a fish that I want, I'll go to the LFS first and see if its priced reasonably. Drygoods I'll almost always buy online during non-emergencies because of the markup. I figure the LFS makes enough money off of me on the livestock and the occassional emergency pump or heater.

I think we all have a vested interest in keeping the LFS in business.
 
crothe,

I don't mean to question you but I read the "synopsis" on wikipedia and I have no idea what they're describing. However, I've always been philosophically challenged. Anyways, I believe small businesses have to develop a relationship with clients as well. A customer who only comes and looks is no customer at all; especially if they (the business) know they're charging too much.
 
The above situation laid out by ReefTek is one I 100% support.


But the unfortunate thing is, a huge percentage of the stores straight out suck in terms of knowledge.

I do not have a single store near me that my reef club will support. B/c quite frankly the stores don't deserve the support from us. We will pop in occasionally and give sporadic business, but nothing like what would could offer to a store who actually deserved our business.


I'd love to have a store like ReefTek's available. Would I pay 2x the price for a heater I can find online....hell no. But I would be more inclined to pay $10-$15 more for a fish or coral.
 
fuschia_red,
A wikipedia summary of a 1000 page book is bound to be useless. And I apologize if I sound condescending at all, I don't mean to be. My main point was that the LFS (and any store for that matter) sets their prices based on the market, i.e. supply and demand. They aren't, and shouldn't be required to offer items at any price. Just as you aren't, and shouldn't be required to buy items from them. The market sets the prices and in this case, the in-town convenience and customer service of an LFS allows them to charge more for the same product as an on-line retailer and still sell that product.
 
This is America. If you got yourself into a situation where you had to pay 3x what a heater costs online, it's your own damn fault. lol

My GF's power went out during last winter's storms. Her dad asked me what I was gonna do. Simple: "Take the fish and corals the the FS" He was pretty surprised that they would do that

Yes, it is RARE that a LFS would do that for a person, but if you've established a good enough "friendship" (not like we hang out) they might not mind helping you out.

Support the good ones, don't support the bad ones
 
This thread is kind of getting out of hand. Depending upon who you are: vendor, retailer, consumer or obsessive hobbyist, you're going to defend it your own way. It's difficult to take a nonbiased approach to any argument, especially a topic as sensitive as this one. Anyways, it occurred to me that I was at first very disappointed to read what Raider said. Particularly b/c I've done favors to some of my LFS's and they've turned around and made it worth my while. Him doing them a favor only to see it turn around and bite him in the @ss is like a LFS cutting your own throat.

Yes, it cost money to run a business but again a customer who now only comes in to look and does not buy is no customer at all. However, a small incentive to a customer to see him/her happy and return is a good business judgement.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12334905#post12334905 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fuschia_red
This thread is kind of getting out of hand. Depending upon who you are: vendor, retailer, consumer or obsessive hobbyist, you're going to defend it your own way. It's difficult to take a nonbiased approach to any argument, especially a topic as sensitive as this one. Anyways, it occurred to me that I was at first very disappointed to read what Raider said. Particularly b/c I've done favors to some of my LFS's and they've turned around and made it worth my while. Him doing them a favor only to see it turn around and bite him in the @ss is like a LFS cutting their own throat.

Yes, it cost money to run a business but again a customer who now only comes in to look and does not buy is no customer at all. However, a small incentive to a customer to see him/her happy and return is a good business judgement.
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I think some people are frustrated because they would like to give more support to their lfs.
Two weeks ago I was in the market for a 96watt PC bulb. I visited four stores where prices ranged from $63 - $72 for the bulb. I wound up buying the bulb plus from Hellolights for $29 plus shipping. I knew the online price but hoped to find a bulb locally for $40 - $50, which I could not find. I'm all for supporting the local stores but they need to be more competative than 100% higher than the internet.
 
I stopped going to my LFS when I walked in last year and saw Small Yellow Tangs for $79.99, False Percs for 39.99 and base LR for $9.99/lb.

Oh, they also sell Guppies for $7.49 each. If you're interested!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12335011#post12335011 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fishdisease
I stopped going to my LFS when I walked in last year and saw Small Yellow Tangs for $79.99, False Percs for 39.99 and base LR for $9.99/lb.

Oh, they also sell Guppies for $7.49 each. If you're interested!
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Pesos?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12334938#post12334938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BrianH
I think some people are frustrated because they would like to give more support to their lfs.
Two weeks ago I was in the market for a 96watt PC bulb. I visited four stores where prices ranged from $63 - $72 for the bulb. I wound up buying the bulb plus from Hellolights for $29 plus shipping. I knew the online price but hoped to find a bulb locally for $40 - $50, which I could not find. I'm all for supporting the local stores but they need to be more competative than 100% higher than the internet.
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Exactly!! I wound up paying $49 for a $17 heater! I wouldn't have minded $34 or a little under. I'm all for the LFS, I like to be able to see what I am buying and to talk to someone in person, I just don't want to be raped while doing it.

The owner is the one who asked me for my business and gave me her whole spiel about low markups and not over charging customers to encourage more sales and more repeat customers. So perhaps that is why I expected more. This was a big part of the reason I did so much for them without asking for anything in return. Like I said, I don't mind paying more, but in light of our conversations this is highway robbery. I guess when you boil it all down however it is my fault for believing what I was told instead of pricing the heaters before going to pick one up.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12334938#post12334938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BrianH
I think some people are frustrated because they would like to give more support to their lfs.
Two weeks ago I was in the market for a 96watt PC bulb. I visited four stores where prices ranged from $63 - $72 for the bulb. I wound up buying the bulb plus from Hellolights for $29 plus shipping. I knew the online price but hoped to find a bulb locally for $40 - $50, which I could not find. I'm all for supporting the local stores but they need to be more competative than 100% higher than the internet.
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Do you go to any of them enough for them to know you? Did you ask if they could sell it to you for 40 to 50?

You need to ask the owner to make a value judgment based on your business history and future potential vs. his profit margin.

I've been in sales of all kinds for years. A happy customer who feels good about a transaction is almost never the one who's gotten the biggest discount. The worst customer who's always complaining is usually the one who got the biggest discount.

I've got customers who I'm very friendly with, we'll have beer and talk about stuff. I've got customers who beat me up every chance they get. When I get the call that they have problem, screwed up and need help, guess who I go out of my way for and spend time, money and resources helping? The ones who's friendly and has a profit margin that can justify it as a good business decision.
 
drparker- EXACTLY

there have been times when I'll go to the FS and tell them what I'm looking for, the online price, and ask what they can offer. I'm in sales myself, we BOTH know it's a business, and if they can offer me what I want for a fair price, great. If not, I say "alright, well, I'll keep lookin I guess. lemme get some Mysis" lol

Man, for some reason, I really want a beer right now...
 
Re: I've had it with my LFS

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12331761#post12331761 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RRaider
I had a heater burst in my hospital tank and my Royal Gramma still hasn't recovered. When I got home today the heater in my DT was making a knocking sound so I went to my LFS to get a replacement. I have done a lot for these people and considered them friends. I have worked on their computer, printer, fax machine (I work in IT for a living), and spent a whole afternoon helping unbag and acclimate a large order of fish that were in bad shape after a couple of shipping delays. Plus I have spent a ton of money there. They recommended a Visi-Therm Stealth because it is plastic and they say they have had good luck with them. I bought my heater and came home and got it installed. Well now I start looking for reviews etc on these heaters only to find out they charged me more that 2X what I could have ordered the same heater for myself! I'm all about people making a living and I prefer to buy local so I don't mind paying a little more but this is uncalled for.
I'm going to keep the heater but it will be a cold day in hell before I buy anything else there.
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I guess they won't be getting anymore free tech support for their computer, hehe.

I had a similar situation with a LFS. I gave them gobs of Cheato for free just to watch them sell it for 25$ a bag and no compensation for me. They have called me twice since then asking for more cheato and I just tell them I have none for free. I think they are finally getting the point, hehe...
 
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