The Perfect Local LFS (live fish store)!!!

[ELCHUPACABRA]

There has been some hot debate about shops in Tucson lately, perhaps we as consumers could define what we want in the perfect local shop and what we do not want. Most of the shops have some sort of representation online and hopefully will make some changes where they see a discrepancy between the ideal and reality.

So to Start it out...

My perfect live fish store:
-Labels every coral clearly w/ Species and Price
-Labels are current, accurate, easily located
-Has informational books about different corals needs and these books can be easily accessed by the consumer without having to interact with store employees
-Has a clearly defined live guarantee clearly posted in the store
-Has a staff that is helpful and when they are busy helping another customer they still take the time to pause and acknowledge customer's presence saying something like, I will be with you in just a moment
-This staff should be knowledgeable about the product they sell, but when they are unsure of the correct answer to a Q. they say that they do not know and actively seek a solution by consulting educated sources and do not guess, this way the employee and consumers learn together
-Greets me when I come in the door every time
-is tidy, and while some necessary chores are messy, these messes are cleaned up as they occur and not allowed to accumulate.
-Does not allow pest to remain in their display tanks. This includes: hair algae, bubble algae, apastatia, nudis, red bugs, ich, etc.
-When pest occur, the perfect LFS immediately treats these problems, this shows their customers that they care about stopping the spread of these pests and that they are capable of irradiating pest and because of this they can offer quality advice on how to do the same in the event that their customers have a similar problem
-Has a good selection of Softies, LPS, Inverts and SPS as well as Livestock
-"Rare" corals are placed into a separate display tank that clearly labels them as Rare. This tank should also clearly mark the species, and the price, in addition the entire sales staff should be able to tell the customer why the coral is rare and point out what one should look for in a rare coral and how these attributes affect pricing
-Removes fading/injured/sick corals and fish from displays and either treats them or puts them in a separate tank that displays the name,price, and problem with the specimen and sold at a discounted price.
-will happily and without hassle price match any competitive price based on a clearly defined policy (even online competitors).
-will empower all of their employees to solve consumer problems, especially commonly occurring ones
-sells RODI at cost and is able to supply containers when necessary
-Is able to order in special request while continuing to offer great pricing on these requests
-Will happily frag all corals if the consumer wants a smaller piece with the exception of some of the "rare/showpiece corals"
-Has a good selection of drygoods
-Has the ability to build custom tanks and has an easy form to do so that makes it easy to order based on a defined price sheet, and ensures that all the necessary cost/items are included
-Sells live pods
-Sells a variety of macro algae and other nutrient exports
-Identify the customers needs and wants and then make suggestions based on these needs and wants. these suggestions offer the minimum and also show off the advantages of higher end equipment
-asks every customer every time what their name is, what size tank they have, rate of flow, and what lighting they are currently using so they can properly guide consumers to corals that fit their unique systems
-Display tanks all have MH, T5, or suitable PC that meet or exceed the requirements of every coral housed within.
-Allows customers to trade frags for store credit valued at 55% of the retail value they will be sold at
-Allows customers to cosign frags for store credit valued at 65% of retail
-Allows customers to sell frags/livestock for $ at 45% of the retail value
-Has cheap clean up crews always available
-Offers in-home maintenance services based on a clearly defined price/package policy
-Supports local reefing by having monthly frag swaps
-Showcases a display tank that features the best choices in regards to equipment and live stock, this system can be display only and not for sale as long as it is clearly labeled as such and similar quality items are available for purchase
-is knowledgeable about nano and pico reefing and supports such systems in house without cheating by doing large water swap outs
-sells used systems
-buys used systems based on same pricing schedule as selling/trading/cosigning frags.

I am sure you all have many other suggestions as to what the perfect live fish store LFS has to offer. post them up. Hopefully they local shops will listen.


The Perfect Local Live Fish Store....

 

[Makotooth]

i think some of the things in your perfect lfs are sort of unreasonable, such as:

Supports local reefing by having monthly frag swaps-this would cause alligations that the lfs owner was being unfare if he/she turned down certain frags

asks every customer every time what their name is, what size tank they have, rate of flow, and what lighting they are currently using so they can properly guide consumers to corals that fit their unique systems- some people would find this nosey or rude

-Will happily frag all corals if the consumer wants a smaller piece with the exception of some of the "rare/showpiece corals"-why should they frag a coral when it could possibly bring down the price of the main coral

will happily and without hassle price match any competitive price based on a clearly defined policy (even online competitors).-EVEN WHEN ONLINE PEOPLE SELL AT WHOLESALE?!?!?!

 

[ELCHUPACABRA]

agreed, some of those are off in retrospect, but none the less most are still a part of my "ideal" lfs.

 

[zoanthid2009]

yea lol, my ideal lfs would have one huge tank, im talking like a 15,000 gallon reed where the fish would be in the natural enviorment and it was simple to get em out

 

[newimage]

I would love to see a shop with someone who has experience, a talent with sales, and PATIENCE dealing exclusively with the many newbies and newbie questions. Someone who has the time to sit down with a new or perspective saltwater owner, (maybe by appointment?) to just deal with the various "getting started issues" and directing these same people to the wealth material on this subject in the forms of books, online info and forums like these to read.

Might not be economical in the beginning but long-term could really pay off. This could also free up other employees (specialists if you will) to deal with more advanced issues/questions and more demanding clients.

Think of all that quit saltwater within their first year or two. They could still be happy paying customers with the correct guidance from the beginning. Just adding my thoughts on one aspect of perfection....in an LFS

 

[Kentanner11]

I think that our LFS are good some better than others. All stores can improve. SW could benifit if they closed the bottoms of the stands, moved the RO/DI blue lines from the wall. They are my fav. store and I will be doing bussiness there. I live on the east/central personally it would be easier for them to be closer, it eases my mind that I dont have to travel 30 min. with fish. I am terrified frankly! It would be ausome if SW moved closer to me, hey they do have this space avaliable maby I should talk to them... Jk Hey why doesnt petsmart do Salt??

 

[cerreta]

Nice job on the list Michael. I think many of these items are practical and easy to do, like pricing all corals with consistency.

The irony is that About the Reef, Aquarium Arts, Aquatouch and Pets Inc offer most of these "ideals." And they are only an hour and a half north.

I have made many of these suggestions to both Rob and Hector at nauseam. Both listened and agreed that they were fine ideas and have done nothing with them. They do little to earn the business they get. So, I suggest that we stop giving them our business and spend your money in the Phoenix market. Maybe then they will begin meeting the industry standards.

Here is the things I find as commonplace in teh Phoenix stores mentioned above:
-Labels every coral clearly w/ Species and Price
-Labels are current, accurate, easily located
-Has informational books about different corals needs and these books can be easily accessed by the consumer without having to interact with store employees
Has a staff that is helpful and when they are busy helping another customer they still take the time to pause and acknowledge customer's presence saying something like, I will be with you in just a moment
-This staff should be knowledgeable about the product they sell, but when they are unsure of the correct answer to a Q. they say that they do not know and actively seek a solution by consulting educated sources and do not guess, this way the employee and consumers learn together
is tidy, and while some necessary chores are messy, these messes are cleaned up as they occur and not allowed to accumulate.
-Does not allow pest to remain in their display tanks. This includes: hair algae, bubble algae, apastatia, nudis, red bugs, ich, etc.
-When pest occur, the perfect LFS immediately treats these problems, this shows their customers that they care about stopping the spread of these pests and that they are capable of irradiating pest and because of this they can offer quality advice on how to do the same in the event that their customers have a similar problem
-Has a good selection of Softies, LPS, Inverts and SPS as well as Livestock
Removes fading/injured/sick corals and fish from displays and either treats them or puts them in a separate tank that displays the name,price, and problem with the specimen and sold at a discounted price.
will empower all of their employees to solve consumer problems, especially commonly occurring ones
-sells RODI at cost and is able to supply containers when necessary
-Is able to order in special request while continuing to offer great pricing on these requests
Has a good selection of drygoods
-Has the ability to build custom tanks and has an easy form to do so that makes it easy to order based on a defined price sheet, and ensures that all the necessary cost/items are included
-Sells live pods
-Sells a variety of macro algae and other nutrient exports
-Identify the customers needs and wants and then make suggestions based on these needs and wants. these suggestions offer the minimum and also show off the advantages of higher end equipment
Display tanks all have MH, T5, or suitable PC that meet or exceed the requirements of every coral housed within.
Has cheap clean up crews always available
-Offers in-home maintenance services based on a clearly defined price/package policy
Showcases a display tank that features the best choices in regards to equipment and live stock, this system can be display only and not for sale as long as it is clearly labeled as such and similar quality items are available for purchase
-is knowledgeable about nano and pico reefing and supports such systems in house without cheating by doing large water swap outs
-sells used systems

That is 23 out of 34 items you listed. In other words they offer 67% of what you dream to be an idea store. Not to mention their prices are far better and the savings and enjoyment will pay for your trip.