This information puts the rant against Big Boxes in perspective. Not saying his opinion is any less valuable, but he's not exactly a disinterested party merely expressing his experience either.
i get fantastic, healthy plants in massive portions in the classifieds here. nevermind the beautiful, healthy stock in critters you get here. some of us do group buys on bulk foods, while others just offer what they no longer need for great prices. i've just had great experiences here so far.
don't get me wrong i've used drs., thatfishplace, petco online, etc., etc., etc.. i've had mixed experiences as everyone has. some stores are better than others. one thing i don't really do anymore is order livestock from a retailer at all, fish or plant. for equipment, i get it where i need to. i have plenty of fish stores people are willing to travel for near me, so i've been fortunate enough to not have to order everything online... but some things, i do.
Petsolutions.com has an excellent price on Amquel by the gallon and API Master test kits (1/2 the price of a local big chain store).
For those with cats, they also have excellent prices on Feliway (looks like a plug-in room deoderizer, but it has pheremones that reduce stress and fighting).
I haven't ordered much else from them, but shipping and customer service have been great.