Soon Working at a Chain Store

[DarkDH]

Hey people,

Next year (during the summer) I plan to work at Pet Supplies Plus. Since I am turning 15 this year, I have to wait (Darn!)

After asking some of the employee's about it, I decided that it WILL be my summer job (no whiny kids at Baskin Robbins for me!)

Since this will be my first job, and have read the MANY posts about chain store bashing, I need the people who work at chain stores or LFS's to tell me what I can do to make sure the fish are going to a good home.

Stories would be nice too.

Also, could I ask my manager if I could just be in the aquatic/reptile section since no employees are EVER there. Plus it would be cool to manage fish for money! Maybe even manage a show tank...

Any tips, advice, dealing with this line of work.

THANK YOU!

[SpockthePuffer]

I haven't actually worked at a chain pet store but have heard a lot about working at different ones from many people. It seems that they have a lot of rules you have to follow as far selling of the fish goes. They don't care if customers buy fish for a 10 gallon tank that need a 100 gallon tank. But, you can always educate your customers about the fish, ask what tank size they have and tell them suitable fish they can get and how many. If they want a fish that will outgrow their tank, warn them, try to change their mind. Most chains won't let you refuse to sell a fish to a customer but you can always try and point out better suited fish.

Also, if they will allow you to do it, you can make print outs of care sheets for different fish and about cycling and testing tank water.

I've been thinking about leaving my job now and working at a petstore but I don't know if I could deal with it. There are always going to be those stubborn customers that buy 10 goldfish for a bowl and then wonder why they are dying.

I hope this helped a bit, good luck :)

[DarkDH]

Maybe I could use some of my pay to make a show tank for them?

[RobertW]

ive worked at some different pet stores... the only chain i worked for was at petsmart back in Phoenix in 2003... it was alright... i would try to tell the customers as much as i knew and then they made their own mind up and bought whatever they wanted... management was concerned not at all about what fish went into what tank they wanted sells only... i dont know if it is any different now... but thats how it was then... but hey im not bashing it... thats the way it was... oh yeah pay wasnt that good but it was easy...

oh yeah... i wouldnt use your own pay to do anything for them...