Pet store employees *grumble grumble* (aka: how I drove 3 hours for a cuke!)

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Newreeflady

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So, I called a very reputable pet store today to check stock on juvenile Percula clownfish. I told the guy I needed to check stock because this was a 1.5 hour drive for me. The guy said "yes, we have four baby ORA percula clownfish".

I drove to said store, and, lo and behold, 4 juvenile Ocellaris clownfish in a tank. Not only that, but even the writing/label on the tank said: *drum roll please...* "ocellaris clownfish".

I tell the guy on arrival that those were ocellaris. He said something on the order of: Oh, I couldn't tell since they were babies. I subsequently pointed out the label on the tank. Entirely unapologetic, he said he didn't see it. (perhaps reading would help!) Next time a customer checks stock with you, if you don't know, just say "I don't know!" &(*%#($%*&#Q

This is the last time, absolutely last last last time, I ever visit this store. I don't care how good you are, you can't hire bumbling idiots to run your store during business hours.

:furious:
-A

(I bought a cuke while I was there. Shouldn't have even done that.)
 
I have to agree that this is pretty bad.....
If you're responsible enough to call ahead, they should be responsible enough to read labels!!!
Sorry you had a bad day...
On a lighter note, I think that little red fiery guy is perfect :)
 
I have to agree that this is pretty bad.....
If you're responsible enough to call ahead, they should be responsible enough to read labels!!!
Sorry you had a bad day...
On a lighter note, I think that little red fiery guy is perfect :)

Thanks. Yeah, I saw the fiery guy and knew that was exactly what I was feeling.

I just don't understand how you wouldn't make some effort when someone calls you and explicitly tells you that they want to check first because of an extremely long drive. I guess it's too much to expect literacy or diligence from anyone these days.

(back to being solely an online shopper... will probably order soon from BlueZoo)
 
sorry to hear about this but I wouldn't let one lazy employee spoil LFS shopping.

I wouldn't either if the store was 15 minutes away. But, I don't have the time to be driving 3 hours in any given day just to browse- hence my calling ahead to be sure that what I needed was there. If you can't be bothered to read your own aquariums when checking stock, then I can't be bothered to drive there. That's it, bottom line.

Every time I order online, I get what I order. I spend less time waiting in the morning for Fedex than I do driving to some store to find that what I needed isn't actually there, despite checking over the phone first.

So, yeah, just sharing my experience, take it fwiw in your life, but in mine, it means I'm not bothering again to make that trip.

-A
 
bummer ! i can relate,as its a long drive for me also.. i plan on drivin up to abc tomarrow night.i alredy called, i hope i dont meet the same fate
 
Be sure to make your complaint known to owner/management. Last thing they want is some employee who won't take the time/effort to make things right for the customer. These guys live by word of mouth - last thing they want out there is an unhappy former customer spreading the word of poor service.
 
I wouldn't let that stop you from doing business with abc in the future. I would just call and ask to speak with Tim or Dave when you have a question.
 
I wouldn't let that stop you from doing business with abc in the future. I would just call and ask to speak with Tim or Dave when you have a question.

Is the OP referring to abc reef? or was that an assumption based on the comment referring to a reputable "pet"(?) store in Syr. It kinda stinks anyway this works out though. Even if the store "makes it right" their reputation has now been sullied. Why in the world would a customer have to ask for a specific person to get a reliable answer? Especially one as straightforward as this.
 
Is the OP referring to abc reef? or was that an assumption based on the comment referring to a reputable "pet"(?) store in Syr. It kinda stinks anyway this works out though. Even if the store "makes it right" their reputation has now been sullied. Why in the world would a customer have to ask for a specific person to get a reliable answer? Especially one as straightforward as this.

The assumption was correct.

And agreed, one should not have to ask for a specific person- this isn't some rare species, the percula clown.

I took it as a sign and ordered an ORA pair of designer ocellaris online that I will split up when they arrive and sell off the male. :D

-A
 
I do apologize for the confusion we had. As juveniles they are hard to distinguish and having the clowns in an out and not everything marked properly makes it tough. It did say Ocellaris but at times people have brought in items and they were marked wrong. It is entirely my fault and no excuse of the confusion on your part. Sorry to put a bitter taste in your mouth but there was not much I could do other than try to give you a better deal elsewhere. Still new at the identifying game with fish. Great with corals not so much on distinguishing different types of clowns. Unfortunately I was the only one in the shop that day so I was not able to get the help that you could have needed. Yet again I am sorry.
 
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I do apologize for the confusion we had. As juveniles they are hard to distinguish and having the clowns in an out and not everything marked properly makes it tough. It did say Ocellaris but at times people have brought in items and they were marked wrong. It is entirely my fault and no excuse of the confusion on your part. Sorry to put a bitter taste in your mouth but there was not much I could do other than try to give you a better deal elsewhere. Still new at the identifying game with fish. Great with corals not so much on distinguishing different types of clowns. Unfortunately I was the only one in the shop that day so I was not able to get the help that you could have needed. Yet again I am sorry.

Thank you for the apology, I appreciate that.

I think everything has been said in this thread, so I have no need to reiterate to make suggestions for you in the future as I'm sure you've read them.

I'm over it. Still, I wouldn't trust to call your shop ahead to be sure anything was there at this point. What's past is past, but this experience has definitely left me distrusting that who I talk to at your store will give me a true story. All you can do now is try to be more careful in a situation like this.

Best,
Angela

(as an aside, and just an fyi, $15 for a tiger tail is about average, not some fantasmic deal;) I appreciate that you thought you were giving me a deal, though.:))
 
Yeah, like other things it wasn't marked. So I'm like...ummm...$15. I was thinking of giving it too you but if one of my bosses found out that would not be too good....so yeah. I think you could teach me quite a bit about clowns, so I will be following your progress with them for sure.

Sorry again,
Michael
 
Yeah, like other things it wasn't marked. So I'm like...ummm...$15. I was thinking of giving it too you but if one of my bosses found out that would not be too good....so yeah. I think you could teach me quite a bit about clowns, so I will be following your progress with them for sure.

Sorry again,
Michael

We all have to learn from our mistakes, such is life.

Cheers:)
-A
 
I have worked retail for most of my life. I can say from personal experience, every honest person makes an honest mistakes from time to time. Do something right no one finds out, do something wrong everyone finds out.
 
I have worked retail for most of my life. I can say from personal experience, every honest person makes an honest mistakes from time to time. Do something right no one finds out, do something wrong everyone finds out.

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I drove 4 hrs to cruse and back and got one hell of a deal and walked out of there with some really nice corals. I'm thinking that I'm not ever ordering online again. Sorry for your problems tho Angela.
 
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