I hope this is appropriate here. If not just ignore me! It seems like many here are shopping on the Internet and buying things out of the newspaper-used- and I'm curious to know the reason. Is it strictly the cost? Or doesn't your local fish store carry these items or can't they get them for you? I used to be a bargain shopper too, but have changed over the years. I'm into the "service" thing and I will shop locally 9 times outta 10 regardless of the price. I think that comes from being a small local retailer all these years, but also the fact that I like my dollars to stay local and to go to people I know. Internet shopping is becoming so easy and common now, and I can see its effects now and then on our business, so I'm curious about how we can counteract that. I'd appreciate any thoughts.
Can I ask a retailing question of you all?
- Thread starter KateA.
- Start date
I agree with you,if we didnt buy from the lfs there wouldnt be any. But on the other hand I refuse to pay twice as much for a item. Ie ac500 lfs $79.95 on line $33.00 even with shipping still saving a ton. I do try to give them as much of my buisness as I can but with some items it just dont make sense. Tim
I only have one small LFS here in town, but I will buy everything from him that I can IF it's not priced too high. For instance, he had a Penguin Mini for $24, I can get one online for $16, but with shipping and having to wait a few days it's worth the extra few dollars to me to have it now. For the most part his prices are pretty decent, so if he has what I'm looking for (or is willing to add it to his next order), I'm happy to buy from him.
If I need a lot of things at once, then I usually buy it online because I can save a few bucks on each item and the shipping isn't so much for multiple items.
I own a small computer store/repair shop, so I have the same issues to deal with. People can generally buy things online cheaper than I can sell them for (sometimes cheaper than I can buy them for! haha), but we service what we sell and if they do have something that breaks we can have them up and running in a day or two as opposed to them having to ship things back to wherever they bought it from and waiting a week or two. Then again some people think "This item is $10 cheaper online than in this store, I'll buy it online" then they end up paying $10 to have it shipped and waiting 3-5 days for it to arrive. Oh well
*EDIT* Do you have a local aquarium club? Perhaps you could work with them and give their members some type of discount. It may also be good to have seminars/workshops on fishkeeping now and then. These could either be hosted by the aquarium club or by you. I've also thought that educating new customers would be a good approach. That way instead of them buying a 10 gallon setup and a handful of fish that die and they give up, they'll end up with a 10 gallon setup that they fall in love with then later they'll want a 30 and a 55, etc. You know how addicting this hobby can be
If I need a lot of things at once, then I usually buy it online because I can save a few bucks on each item and the shipping isn't so much for multiple items.
I own a small computer store/repair shop, so I have the same issues to deal with. People can generally buy things online cheaper than I can sell them for (sometimes cheaper than I can buy them for! haha), but we service what we sell and if they do have something that breaks we can have them up and running in a day or two as opposed to them having to ship things back to wherever they bought it from and waiting a week or two. Then again some people think "This item is $10 cheaper online than in this store, I'll buy it online" then they end up paying $10 to have it shipped and waiting 3-5 days for it to arrive. Oh well
*EDIT* Do you have a local aquarium club? Perhaps you could work with them and give their members some type of discount. It may also be good to have seminars/workshops on fishkeeping now and then. These could either be hosted by the aquarium club or by you. I've also thought that educating new customers would be a good approach. That way instead of them buying a 10 gallon setup and a handful of fish that die and they give up, they'll end up with a 10 gallon setup that they fall in love with then later they'll want a 30 and a 55, etc. You know how addicting this hobby can be
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Second that. I support my LFS--I buy fish from them, I buy food, tanks, ect. But, for filters and filter media, or lighting, the cost difference is too much. Paying $2-3 more is one thing, paying double just doesn't make sense.
I shop online a lot, much more for non-fish items. The reason there is simple--the products are not available locally. I buy most of my clothes online, and even if I have to return it, it's still cheaper than driving to Denver to find a better selection. Yesterday, I bought some accessories for my digital camera, and I tried to purchase them locally first. No one even knew these things existed, let alone offer to order them for me.
Spending my dollars locally would be better. One of the reasons I shop the farmers market, and as much locally as I can. However, when that is much more costly, or not an option, I'll continue shopping the internet.
I shop online a lot, much more for non-fish items. The reason there is simple--the products are not available locally. I buy most of my clothes online, and even if I have to return it, it's still cheaper than driving to Denver to find a better selection. Yesterday, I bought some accessories for my digital camera, and I tried to purchase them locally first. No one even knew these things existed, let alone offer to order them for me.
Spending my dollars locally would be better. One of the reasons I shop the farmers market, and as much locally as I can. However, when that is much more costly, or not an option, I'll continue shopping the internet.
It is mainly cost for me, If I can buy a full setup for $250 vs $650 to me it is a no brainer. And as for service, I get no better protection than buying something with my Visa card. If I am sold defective merchandise, I first go to the seller for a refund or exchange, and if they are non responsive or think that I will just go away by them ignoring me (ebay) I just dispute the charges with Visa and I get my money back. For me it is about price and security. I also enjoy giving back to my community, but most LFS are waaaaaay over priced. I mean $20 dollars for a rock, a power filter for $50 dollars that I can buy for $23 dollars online? Its rediculous. I support my LFS, but I have a family to support as well ya know, and I would rather put my kids through college than thiers.
My biggest reason for buying online is selection. My LFS doesn't carry much of what I want: Eheim filters, EboJager heaters, etc.
A second reason is price. I cannot see paying 2 or 3 times as much on bigger ticket items just to support my LFS. That's the case if I try to order something that's not normally stocked.
I support my LFS when I can. I buy tanks there. I buy fish food. I buy light bulbs. I buy substrate.
I don't like the idea of LFSs disappearing, but it seems that they need to come up with a different business model if they're to compete with the online places.
Jim
A second reason is price. I cannot see paying 2 or 3 times as much on bigger ticket items just to support my LFS. That's the case if I try to order something that's not normally stocked.
I support my LFS when I can. I buy tanks there. I buy fish food. I buy light bulbs. I buy substrate.
I don't like the idea of LFSs disappearing, but it seems that they need to come up with a different business model if they're to compete with the online places.
Jim
Last Sunday I went to try and find a regulator, a powerhead, and CF lights at a LFS here and I refuse to pay almost a 100% mark-up. Forget the regulator - they don't stock that..
Over-pricing, dirty aquariums can be easily fixed. But, do some of these LFS's want to?
Sunday I left the store feeling like the owners must think most customers are willing to over-pay, or the average customer is clue-less.
Now, I don't think all LFS's are that way - just the one's over here... LOL
Over-pricing, dirty aquariums can be easily fixed. But, do some of these LFS's want to?
Sunday I left the store feeling like the owners must think most customers are willing to over-pay, or the average customer is clue-less.
Now, I don't think all LFS's are that way - just the one's over here... LOL
I try to support the LFS, but I have serious ethical issues with 2 of the 3 local ones. One often has unhealthy livestock, the other sells fish and invertebrates that should not be sold (like dorid nudibranchs), so I don't like to patronize either of them. The third is a 20 min drive away and doesn't always have everything. But I have spent a lot there on fish and food.
Mostly it's convenience. Premium Aquatics, e.g., has a huge selection, fantastic service and is a click away. Inland Aquatics has great tank-raised livestock that my LFS never has.
As far as used stuff, it's both an issue of money, plus it's kind of like a treasure hunt going through old stuff.
Mostly it's convenience. Premium Aquatics, e.g., has a huge selection, fantastic service and is a click away. Inland Aquatics has great tank-raised livestock that my LFS never has.
As far as used stuff, it's both an issue of money, plus it's kind of like a treasure hunt going through old stuff.
Well, I bought my whole 60G setup online (bigalsonline.com) for about $200, (minues the tank, which I bought from one LFS, and the gravel, which I bought at Meijer.)
Interestinly enough, that LFS has since gone out of business, and I now work at the Pet Supplies Plus across the street from Meijjer, (for those of you who don't have a Meijjer, it's like a Wal-Mart times 10. They have horrible fish.)
The other day, someone brought in an online ad for a Fluval 4 or something. The price online was $111. The price in our store was $176 - and this is a large chain, (but with a local owner and manager - I actually think we DBA, Do Business As.) Yet most of our customers buy Dog Food, and those who do look at aquirium supplies rarely buy anytthing that is cheaper online - meaning, we don't even get those people in the store. The only filters we really sell, (although we have everything except Eheim,) are to people just setting up tanks, or to people that know they can get it cheaper online, butam not sure what to get, and need face-to-face advice. You cannot get much help online, I think this is a major factor, (most people don't know about these forums.)
But Live Fish, for example, is something I would never buy online.
By the way, visit Pet Supplies Plus on Rochester Road in Michigan, new managment!
Interestinly enough, that LFS has since gone out of business, and I now work at the Pet Supplies Plus across the street from Meijjer, (for those of you who don't have a Meijjer, it's like a Wal-Mart times 10. They have horrible fish.)
The other day, someone brought in an online ad for a Fluval 4 or something. The price online was $111. The price in our store was $176 - and this is a large chain, (but with a local owner and manager - I actually think we DBA, Do Business As.) Yet most of our customers buy Dog Food, and those who do look at aquirium supplies rarely buy anytthing that is cheaper online - meaning, we don't even get those people in the store. The only filters we really sell, (although we have everything except Eheim,) are to people just setting up tanks, or to people that know they can get it cheaper online, butam not sure what to get, and need face-to-face advice. You cannot get much help online, I think this is a major factor, (most people don't know about these forums.)
But Live Fish, for example, is something I would never buy online.
By the way, visit Pet Supplies Plus on Rochester Road in Michigan, new managment!
With some notable exceptions, I think many LFSs distribute the worst advice and are great sources of misinformation. I don't mean to hijack this into a 'bash the LFSs' thread, but if the best we can say about LFSs is that they give out free advice, I'd suggest it often is worth what it costs... if that much.
Many of us have bought online fish and have had good luck. I much prefer getting to see the fish and making my own selection, but for many less common species, online fish selling is the only way to go.
Jim
Many of us have bought online fish and have had good luck. I much prefer getting to see the fish and making my own selection, but for many less common species, online fish selling is the only way to go.
Jim