I am going to start work at a local petshop after school and on the weekends and stuff. It was actually a stroke of luck, I was in there buying a breeding net for my Mosquito Fish fry when the lady asked me if I needed a job, since they needed a "fish person". I am really excited. Does anybody have any suggestions or anything that could help me with my job? Any gripes that you have with your LFS that I could try not to repeat?
Got a job at a Pet Shop!
- Thread starter powellmacaque
- Start date
For starters I would ask for a discount. Can they pay you in product?
I never had a retail job like that, but I would imagine its a good idea to just be nice to the customers. You will need to find some nice ways to tell people that they are doing things the wrong way too.
I never had a retail job like that, but I would imagine its a good idea to just be nice to the customers. You will need to find some nice ways to tell people that they are doing things the wrong way too.
i find local petstores/lfs (at least the one i work at), to be a lot of fun, especially if its a smaller one. It doesnt look to me like working at petco or something would be that great. Its also kinda laid back. I get a 25% discount too 
. Doesnt pay the most but its a fun job. Just make sure you double check on things your not sure about before you give customers advice and such. Good luck with your new job!
. Doesnt pay the most but its a fun job. Just make sure you double check on things your not sure about before you give customers advice and such. Good luck with your new job!Thanks... it is a smaller locally owned shop, not a Petco. Do you think I would get in trouble for reccomending the $3 cory cat over the $12 redtail cat for a 10 gallon (using this as an example)?
You should ask the person in charge, but I would think they want to give the customers the best advice always - not what will make them the most money. But some stores are run different ways and we have never been to your store. In most cases though, the would be a good recommendeation.
There was someone who worked at an lfs that posted about what can be suggested to customers. They didn't want to sell a fish that grows large to someone with a small tank and the customer wasn't very happy. Anyway, you might look for that thread. It was about a week or two ago and it was long thread. Sorry I don't remember the title, bu someone else might.
Ofcourse it would be insane to have a red tiled cat in a 10 gallon tank I'm sure you will be asked some outrageous questions though. Even when I go to the lfs to buy something, I hear some crazy things.
There was someone who worked at an lfs that posted about what can be suggested to customers. They didn't want to sell a fish that grows large to someone with a small tank and the customer wasn't very happy. Anyway, you might look for that thread. It was about a week or two ago and it was long thread. Sorry I don't remember the title, bu someone else might.
Ofcourse it would be insane to have a red tiled cat in a 10 gallon tank
I'm sure you will be asked some outrageous questions though. Even when I go to the lfs to buy something, I hear some crazy things.be careful going into the retail fish business- people who know a good amount about fish find that some customers are completely ignorant- and choose to stay that way.... it can get frustrating and infuriating at times- the best skill you can learn is how to tell them no, without refusing to sell a fish to a customer....
if a customer is coming in and has a 10 gallon tank stocked with guppies and tetras, and has a pleco, and wants a bala shark, youre going to have to figure out a way to tell him that hell probably end up with a tankful of fish that would eventually grow bigger than the tank itself, without getting in trouble with management because youre refusing to sell a fish....
it can be a great opportunity, but go to work with a lot of patience.... no matter how much you inform some customers (or other employees!!!), they arent always willing to learn....
if a customer is coming in and has a 10 gallon tank stocked with guppies and tetras, and has a pleco, and wants a bala shark, youre going to have to figure out a way to tell him that hell probably end up with a tankful of fish that would eventually grow bigger than the tank itself, without getting in trouble with management because youre refusing to sell a fish....
it can be a great opportunity, but go to work with a lot of patience.... no matter how much you inform some customers (or other employees!!!), they arent always willing to learn....
If you really wanted to SHINE as an employee, I'd suggest in addition to what's been mentioned, to go the extra mile! I don't mean to badger the customers, but to be willing to do some research online "for them" if they are interested in some info. If you don't know an answer, simply say, "I don't know, but I'll look into it".....and DO IT! You may feel comfortable getting an email address from them or a home phone number....just to let them feel like they aren't just a "customer".
It's probably going to be a fine line between what the best advice you can give someone is and what your employer wants you to tell them. You will have to learn how to do this in stride! I don't mean that your employer want's you to give them lies or made up facts, but in regards to equipment and such. You may personally know that online an item sells for X amount of dollars and it's almost double at your shop......I'm sure your boss doesn't want this knowledge made known!
It's probably going to be a fine line between what the best advice you can give someone is and what your employer wants you to tell them. You will have to learn how to do this in stride! I don't mean that your employer want's you to give them lies or made up facts, but in regards to equipment and such. You may personally know that online an item sells for X amount of dollars and it's almost double at your shop......I'm sure your boss doesn't want this knowledge made known!
Olakytrion said:
That has been my experience as well, along with the essential 'know what your talking about' that is generally true in any job.
petstores are based on making money, iv'e worked for many and i decided that it wasnt my best intrest in working there for many reasons, the above post are great examples of things to learn and do, but all in all it's about the sell. i learned along time ago that people want fish, they want fish to live but dont want to learn how to keep them alive.. there is no easy answer in these cases, just suggest as best as you can all the proper ways / sizes of fish in tanks, what goes together and what doesn't ..ect
but and you will find this everyday you work people will want unreasonable things like a bala in a 10gl tank, "my suggestion is just swallow you pride and after you warn them" SELL THE FISH... i know how this sounds to so many but people here care,.alot of people that shop for fish dont care at all, it's a supply and demand world,. + if lets say the bala does live in a 10gl tank for them, then you have a better chance of selling them a larger tank, or having the fish returned to the store to be sold again for more money for the store,making you good at your job from the point of you boss,.
remember fish stores are about selling fish, not refusing to sell fish because you know they will die ,. give the customers a chance to decide, if they make the wrong choice, dont let it get you down,. im not saying lie to anyone just sell them what they want, you boss will apprecate you more if your making him money. dont lie about fish but also if they dont want to learn dont feel bad about making the sell anyways.. sorta like if they didnt ask / dont tell .. just an opinion,. good luck.
knowy
but and you will find this everyday you work people will want unreasonable things like a bala in a 10gl tank, "my suggestion is just swallow you pride and after you warn them" SELL THE FISH... i know how this sounds to so many but people here care,.alot of people that shop for fish dont care at all, it's a supply and demand world,. + if lets say the bala does live in a 10gl tank for them, then you have a better chance of selling them a larger tank, or having the fish returned to the store to be sold again for more money for the store,making you good at your job from the point of you boss,.
remember fish stores are about selling fish, not refusing to sell fish because you know they will die ,. give the customers a chance to decide, if they make the wrong choice, dont let it get you down,. im not saying lie to anyone just sell them what they want, you boss will apprecate you more if your making him money. dont lie about fish but also if they dont want to learn dont feel bad about making the sell anyways.. sorta like if they didnt ask / dont tell .. just an opinion,. good luck.
knowy
Ok thanks everybody. I am pretty sure I will experience this ignorance a little less in this town though, everybody in this area knows something about fish, so I think the only problem I'll have is with the little 5-10 year olds who are hellbent on getting the bala shark. But I'm thinking of using the old "Instead of this, may I suggest" line.