What makes a good Saltwater Fish Store?

[bromion]

I'd put prices low on the list of priorities, unless they are insanely high. I'm willing to pay more to support a store that has quality stuff and honest people. Of course, if they are really overpriced, that will prevent me from shopping there.

Another important one: proximity! There are tons of great stores in SoCal that I never go to because they're too far away. My idea LFS would be within walking distance : )

 

[coast2coast7390]

1-selection and health
2-costomer service
3-good prices
4-knowledgable staff

 

[jjirsa78]

The prices don't have to be the cheapest, but they should be competitive. I don't mind paying $2 (5-10%) more for a cleaner shrimp to get real customer service. However, I won't pay $5 (20-30%) more.

Just be competitive, and the rest will work itself out.

 

[saltyESQ]

all that really matters to me is Healthy livestock (whether it is corals or fish)
Even if the shop has a great selection of fish, if you see a lot of sick or dead fish in their tanks, then you are not going to purchase any fish.
It is not that difficult to remove dead or dying fish, but it says a lot about the shop.

 

[steveweast]

As you can see from the variety of opinions.....a LFS can take its pick which segment of the market to cater to. All aquarists are not the same and each has his own priorities.....for me......it's


#1)..... selection (especially different species of sps)

#2)..... well.....there is no #2. I couldn't care less about price ( if I want it, I'll bring out the visa), .....customer service ( I prefer if they didn't talk to me),....knowledge (In most cases, I know far more than they do). To me....a LFS is nothing more than a place to purchase stock.

I travel to LA at least once every other month....and I will drive anywhere in the basin to a LFS that may have something different......the only stores that are worthy of a consisant visit for what I'm looking for are....reefermadness, tongs, tropical illusion, and frag farmers.

What's important to one reefer is an anoyance to another. A LFS can't please everyone....they must pick who they wish to target. An example would be.....someone above mentioned their loving the free frags from reefermadness.....I hate the free frags. I'm very picky about what goes in my tank.....and......I don't need a bunch of frags that I didn't order....I'd prefer a reduction on shipping or something like that. SEE.....different strokes for different folks.

 

[barron]

knowlegable with Integrity.

 

[SteveOhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9213411#post9213411 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steveweast
someone above mentioned their loving the free frags from reefermadness.....I hate the free frags. I'm very picky about what goes in my tank.....and......I don't need a bunch of frags that I didn't order....I'd prefer a reduction on shipping or something like that. SEE.....different strokes for different folks.

Chris ships for free..............All he asks is that you spend $150............

But you're right, different strokes................

STeve

 

[wishntoboutside]

customer service is the number one for me and good serivce brings me back.

personally i would pay more for fish that are tank raised. I would love the idea of buying Quarenteed fish. they guys would be held for up to 6 weeks on all fish. That way one could buy there dream fish and know it has a good chance of staying alive. bug and pest free for all corals.

i would also be nice to go into your lfs and buy live brine or mysis like the good old days.

that is a vision of my dream store

 

[steveweast]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9213535#post9213535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SteveOhh
Chris ships for free..............All he asks is that you spend $150............

But you're right, different strokes................

STeve

I think you may be misinterpreting what I'm saying....I know that they are freebees. I'm not interested in freebees if it is not something in particular that I wanted. I usually give them away....but, even that is a hassle. The promotion is....spend $150 and get free frags....I'd rather have the same value of the frags in something else....like shipping or a discount... or even not adding the frags is better for me ( hate just throwing them away). The free frags are as useless as the packing peanuts to me. I'm not saying it's a bad promotion...it's just not for me.

The whole idea of my post, though, was to show that there cannot be characteristics of a store that will target every aquarist....a store must choose who will be its prime demographics. Even in a thread like this....it will be hard to get a true concensus since members of the message boards tend not to be very diverse. I posted because I consider myself to have different priorities compared to most message board members. I know of MANY high end reefers who would never touch a message board or belong to a club......but, they wouldn't blink an eye at dropping $5000 or more on a fish or coral. There are outfits that cater to just these folks.....all that I'm saying is.....that there is not a single business model for a LFS.....there are many because we reefers are many in our desires.

 

[steveweast]

Here's a question for all you folks that place customer service as their number one priority....

If a store has great customer service....but never has any stock that you're looking for....would that still be your favorite store ?

An example would be ....if you had a 100% SPS tank, how could your favorite fish store be one that only carries leathers, mushrooms, and frog spawns ?

I would think that selection should rate near the top on any list....otherwise....what's the point in going in there ?

 

[steveweast]

.....and a follow up question would be....

If there were a store that was completely disrespectful.....and provided no real customer service....BUT.....carried the most spectacular stock that could be found no where else...maybe giganteas, micros, blastos, sps, or whatever....would you boycott the store ? or put on your sunglasses and trenchcoat and hold your nose while you got what you wanted that no one else could get ?

 

[silverarrow27]

steveweast: Just a note, anytime in the future you get any freebies. Feel free to send them my way. I'd be glad to take them off your hands whatever they are! : D