Stores that don't display prices.

[MarkoD]

Who else hates this?

I was in Calgary over the weekend and decides to go to a couple fish stores. Went into one of them, and there wasn't a single price tag for any of the live stock. And when I asked the guy a price on something, it seemed like he was making it up on the spot.(40 bucks for a cleaner shrimp? yeah right)

[FishyFishy!]

I'm sure everyone hates this. The "uuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh $50" really makes you think that he's just coming up with a number to guage your reaction to it. If you don't like it.... "well I could go $25 for you" LOL. Everyone hates feeling like that.

[Coralgurl]

Yup, no prices and when you ask it's $$ but for you I will sell for $. Helps to know the pricing in other stores esp for fish. Annoying regardless.

[sphelps]

Yeah it's like shopping in Mexico, the first price is usually high and you have to barter your way down to reasonable or cheap if you're good at it.

[MarkoD]

Yeah it's like shopping in Mexico, the first price is usually high and you have to barter your way down to reasonable or cheap if you're good at it.

Yeah I'd expect to barter in Mexico. But wouldn't expect to barter at a fish store in Calgary.

After he said 40 dollars for a cleaner shrimp, I left and ill never be back. What the heck kind of business strategy is that?

[Dearth]

One thing I've learned from my fresh water days just because a LFS sells fish doesn't mean they know anything about fish and will often make up prices on the go without knowing how rare or common a fish might be.

[Aquattro]

Personally I love to haggle over price. If the price is posted, that indicates to me it's absolute, with no room to barter. I know what I want to pay for something, and if I can't get that price, I don't buy.

[reefwars]

this is a hot topic lately:P

[FitoPharmer]

http://visiting-uganda.com/skills/images/brian.jpg
What do you mean you don't like to haggle?

[kien]

In my experience with them, they just simply want to make up prices on the fly. Prices depend upon who is buying, how slow or brisk business has been, their mood, etc. In a way it is kind of like going to some of the electronic stores. They have MSRPs but you would never pay that. It is always assumed that you will immediately knock down the price even though the price is right there in front of you! And for the few people who do walk into Soundsaround and actually do pay MSRP, well then the store gets a little extra money out of you for not bartering.

[michika]

I've walked out of quite a few stores as of late partially for the same reason. Although my biggest pet peeve as of late, and really it makes me want to loose my marbles with some employees is the attitude you get when you ask these employees for said prices.

I have had employees eyeroll me to my face when I ask them to come over and provide me pricing on their livestock or drygoods.

Also, just 'cause you come into the store with sweats and no make up is not a valid reason to discriminate against your customers. Its sad that you have to dress up to get service at some shops. I stood around somewhere for 45 minutes without the fainest acknowledgement from a store the weekend before last while I tried to spent a few hundred dollars on drygoods. Went back the Sunday dressed up and wow, people were dropping what they were doing to ask if I need help.

[Proteus]

There's alway room to barter. Price tag or not. You knôw how much your willing to pay. And if no price they may say less than u expect. My generall under standing is ussually landed cost x3. So there always play room

[Northernseacorals]

Who else hates this?

I was in Calgary over the weekend and decides to go to a couple fish stores. Went into one of them, and there wasn't a single price tag for any of the live stock. And when I asked the guy a price on something, it seemed like he was making it up on the spot.(40 bucks for a cleaner shrimp? yeah right)

On more than one occasion I've walked into a store ( any store ) and turned right around when there is no pricing listed; there is nothing I hate more than my time being wasted.

I agree with you 100%, no customer should ever have to ask for a price; if it's for sale then it should be clearly marked.

[reefwars]

On more than one occasion I've walked into a store ( any store ) and turned right around when there is no pricing listed; there is nothing I hate more than my time being wasted.

I agree with you 100%, no customer should ever have to ask for a price; if it's for sale then it should be clearly marked.


100% agreed:)

[Borderjumper]

I don't like not seeing a price. I like to browse the selection without having to find someone everytime I would like a price. It's either you can't find anyone to ask.. Or they are hanging with you constantly as you browse..

The very worst thing is if only one person in the store is the price giver.. And they are out.. So then I guess you come back later if you want a price???
Ummm not.

[scubadawg]

What burns me most is that you try to support your LFS, but they don't even have the decency to return your call

I call my LFS about 3 weeks ago look for a gate valve for my Reef Octopus skimmer, he hmm and haw about looking for a price for me, and said he would get back to me. No return call

Walked into the LFS last week, inquired about a price for a Reef Octopus Water Blaster WB-7000, their price was $350.00 and told them Goreef and Royal Aquariums was 260.00, on their website, it states they match prices.
Left my name and number, inquiring about the gate valve and price matching the WB-7000. One week later, no return call. They don't need my business.
Won't be shopping there or ever stepping foot in their door.
Waste of my time and gas. They are the only supplier for Reef Octopus in the city.

Called Ray at Reef Supplies and ordered a WB3000, WB7000, ROP-50 GATE Valve

[Proteus]

What burns me most is that you try to support your LFS, but they don't even have the decency to return your call

I call my LFS about 3 weeks ago look for a gate valve for my Reef Octopus skimmer, he hmm and haw about looking for a price for me, and said he would get back to me. No return call

Walked into the LFS last week, inquired about a price for a Reef Octopus Water Blaster WB-7000, their price was $350.00 and told them Goreef and Royal Aquariums was 260.00, on their website, it states they match prices.
Left my name and number, inquiring about the gate valve and price matching the WB-7000. One week later, no return call. They don't need my business.
Won't be shopping there or ever stepping foot in their door.
Waste of my time and gas. They are the only supplier for Reef Octopus in the city.

Called Ray at Reef Supplies and ordered a WB3000, WB7000, ROP-50 GATE Valve


I know what store your talking about and no they don't price match. I was told if its cheaper at anther store then go buy it. Just the attitude of the employ there made me mad. Ill never set foot in there again and won't refer it to anyone.

[mike31154]

Coupons man. Coupons, they gotta go. My daughter is a coupon collector but to me it's a huge waste of time & paper. Clubs too. Although I have to admit, I'm a Costco member. But every freakin store these days including grocers ask me if I'm a 'club' member & circle how much money (printed on the receipt) I would have saved by being in the 'club'. Just gimme the best price & don't bug me about clubs man, I'll choose what club I wish to belong to & don't need to be reminded every time I buy a pound of butter. I'd rather haggle than be a club member at some of these places. It's all a great marketing strategy since once you're in the club, they have your personal info & can profile you to 'better serve you'.

But I digress & rant. I'm not a fan of having to ask for a price in a store that doesn't mark stuff, but hey, it's their business & I'm sure it will survive or fail based on how they run it. If I have to wait too long to find someone to ask, I'll move on. Same goes if the price is out of whack. But not going to get my shorts in a knot over it. But coupons & clubs, lookout.... they ruffle my feathers...

[MarkoD]

I'm the type of person where price matters to me. I know what most things cost at each store in Edmonton and I'll go to where the price is best. Peppermint shrimp cost anywhere between 13 dollars to. 26 dollars each. When buying 10 it makes a difference.

I have no loyalty to any specific store. My loyalty is to my wallet.

It seems like those that don't post prices are gonna try and rip you off and hope you say " ok ill get it"

[Oilers]

What burns me most is that you try to support your LFS, but they don't even have the decency to return your call

I call my LFS about 3 weeks ago look for a gate valve for my Reef Octopus skimmer, he hmm and haw about looking for a price for me, and said he would get back to me. No return call

Walked into the LFS last week, inquired about a price for a Reef Octopus Water Blaster WB-7000, their price was $350.00 and told them Goreef and Royal Aquariums was 260.00, on their website, it states they match prices.
Left my name and number, inquiring about the gate valve and price matching the WB-7000. One week later, no return call. They don't need my business.
Won't be shopping there or ever stepping foot in their door.
Waste of my time and gas. They are the only supplier for Reef Octopus in the city.

Called Ray at Reef Supplies and ordered a WB3000, WB7000, ROP-50 GATE Valve

Yung,
I am curious on what store that was. PM me if you like.

[MarkoD]

I know what store your talking about and no they don't price match. I was told if its cheaper at anther store then go buy it. Just the attitude of the employ there made me mad. Ill never set foot in there again and won't refer it to anyone.

Bad service and overpriced. How do they even stay in business?

[Oilers]

I'm the type of person where price matters to me. I know what most things cost at each store in Edmonton and I'll go to where the price is best. Peppermint shrimp cost anywhere between 13 dollars to. 26 dollars each. When buying 10 it makes a difference.

I have no loyalty to any specific store. My loyalty is to my wallet.

It seems like those that don't post prices are gonna try and rip you off and hope you say " ok ill get it"

I agree. I was told to shop somewhere else as well just because I didn't buy an item from him but from another store. To me, there's a difference between $800 and $700. If you can buy the same item for a cheaper price, why wouldn't you?
PS. Thanks for the PM.

[ktsalt]

Its likely they are able to stay in business bc 9/10 ppl will walk out but the 1 person that buys their products, the "DISPLAY ONLY" tank. Yah, that will keep funding the business. Ever notice that seems to change every other week...someone is buying it! No need for price tags or to provide service to us little peasants lol

[MarkoD]

I agree. I was told to shop somewhere else as well just because I didn't buy an item from him but from another store. To me, there's a difference between $800 and $700. If you can buy the same item for a cheaper price, why wouldn't you?
PS. Thanks for the PM.

What people are gonna say is "you should support your LFS"

[Oilers]

What people are gonna say is "you should support your LFS"

I do. I have bought things from every single LFS in Edmonton. But since I was told to shop somewhere else, I haven't been back.

[Aquattro]

I think we all want to support our LFS. And we like stores that give good advice. And it sounds like that store gave great advice, and you should consider taking that great advice. :) Me, I would just shop somewhere else. Easy peasy.

[Coralgurl]

Curious Marko, what did you think of our stores overall besides the pricing issue? There was another thread recently about what Calgary reefers wanted in an LFS and displayed pricing came up along with a myriad of other thoughts.

Edmonton stores seem to be very active here, posting pics and have developed good relationships both on CR for out of towners and with their local customers. What do you see Edmonton stores doing better/different?

I'm heading to Edmonton this weekend and hoping to see for myself, if time permits.

[MarkoD]

Curious Marko, what did you think of our stores overall besides the pricing issue? There was another thread recently about what Calgary reefers wanted in an LFS and displayed pricing came up along with a myriad of other thoughts.

Edmonton stores seem to be very active here, posting pics and have developed good relationships both on CR for out of towners and with their local customers. What do you see Edmonton stores doing better/different?

I'm heading to Edmonton this weekend and hoping to see for myself, if time permits.

I don't really know what the difference is.

Most stores have prices here clearly listed. Red coral even has a picture of the livestock beside the price.

There's stores here that seem to be out too lunch of their prices. There is zero competitiveness among stores in Edmonton, they just seem to stick to their own prices.

Main 2 stores I shop at are red coral and big Al's (they always have everything in stock)

[scubadawg]

Marko
I know you don't like aquagiant, but David does have very good pricing and he does carry even stock some tunze and deltec skimmers and can order stuff
Deltec 2060sc skimmer $1299.00 at J&L it's $1349.00
I purchased my deltec 2060 from there

[Dearth]

At least you have choices of LFS we have only one that sells salt water and its not well stocked nor decently priced and almost all my live orders have come from Vancouver and that has risks all of its own

[whatcaneyedo]

At least you have choices of LFS we have only one that sells salt water and its not well stocked nor decently priced and almost all my live orders have come from Vancouver and that has risks all of its own

What you don't like TP's 14 tank aptasia farm? *laughs*

[DEAD_BY_DAWN]

http://visiting-uganda.com/skills/images/brian.jpg
What do you mean you don't like to haggle?
Life of Brian lol

[Northernseacorals]

What you don't like TP's 14 tank aptasia farm? *laughs*

:lol::lol:

I agree :twised:

[scubadawg]

removed

I have 2 Black and White clowns, 1 scooter blenny, 2 purple firefish, 1 firefish (1 carpet surfed) 1 bicolor angle, 1 Coral beauty, 2 cleaner schrimp, 1 pepermint schrimp, and a huge long tentacle anemome, all healthy since May from Aquagiant, David has been getting into Saltwater big time now.

plus a couple of chromis, another type of perpermint schrimp, star shifting starfish, plus cuc from other LFS

My 20 gallon Long Nano tank is slightly overstocked:)

My 187 gallon is almost ready for water

[The Grizz]

Honestly, prices would be nice to see in stores but I have never had any issue with rude employees, rediculas prices given when I ask or any of that sort of thing. I also have no problem telling employee that the price is whacked or there being a d***. There is one store in edmonton I will NEVER EVER walk through there door again simply because they ripped me off.

If I don't like a price I don't buy simple as that.

[Coralgurl]

I stopped at one on my way home and even though the pricing wasn't noted, I got great service, 3 frags and a fish. Could have got more, frags are going in the 180 and a bit nervous, but for the price, thought it was worth a shot. The service is what keeps me going back!

[Zoaelite]

I really didn't have a problem with no prices being marked when Red Coral was open, it allowed for grinding on my side. For some reason the additional store in Calgary seemed to keep prices in check, I have since seen a dramatic increase in the asking price of most pieces since Red Corals closure.

LFS in Calgary please stop trying to defend your high prices by telling me its rarer stuff from a different location, ITS THE SAME STUFF... Just 20-30 dollars more expensive than last time.

[Chaloupa]

I, as well like to see pricing displayed on glass that you can see through! The store I "shop" at has each fish priced clearly, each coral frag priced clearly and the glass is clean...there is a lot to say for that in my opinion...I HATE asking prices, as it makes me uncomfortable, so appreciate the stores that clearly list them!

[jorjef]

I think we need to start a new thread similar to the Random thoughts thread but call it 'That really grinds my gears'

[reefwars]

In my experience with them, they just simply want to make up prices on the fly. Prices depend upon who is buying, how slow or brisk business has been, their mood, etc. In a way it is kind of like going to some of the electronic stores. They have MSRPs but you would never pay that. It is always assumed that you will immediately knock down the price even though the price is right there in front of you! And for the few people who do walk into Soundsaround and actually do pay MSRP, well then the store gets a little extra money out of you for not bartering.



noticed this the other day , i guess your back eh:P


http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/reefwars/25g%20bonzai%20tree%20tank/IMG3390.jpg

they also spelled your name wrong ..........does it get any worse than that:P

[Seriak]

lol!

[kien]

noticed this the other day , i guess your back eh:P

they also spelled your name wrong ..........does it get any worse than that:P

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wQXKCh4L1pM/TJcBwP6tEwI/AAAAAAAAACI/6L4fWZSgyVo/s1600/im-back.jpg

[Ryan]

I've walked out of quite a few stores as of late partially for the same reason. Although my biggest pet peeve as of late, and really it makes me want to loose my marbles with some employees is the attitude you get when you ask these employees for said prices.

I have had employees eyeroll me to my face when I ask them to come over and provide me pricing on their livestock or drygoods.

Also, just 'cause you come into the store with sweats and no make up is not a valid reason to discriminate against your customers. Its sad that you have to dress up to get service at some shops. I stood around somewhere for 45 minutes without the fainest acknowledgement from a store the weekend before last while I tried to spent a few hundred dollars on drygoods. Went back the Sunday dressed up and wow, people were dropping what they were doing to ask if I need help.

Now you know how the guys feel everyday.

[iceman86]

This weekend I did my LFS run looking for a diamond goby. I made it to 5 stores 3 didn't have any but in 2 the price was still listed for $30 cuz they just sold. the other two stores that did have them were $50. Where is the competition? I just walked out.

[moppy]

The best is when there are no prices and you ask one employee for the price and then ask another and their answers are COMPLETELY different. Sometimes not by just a little bit either. I've had $30 swings on the same coral!

And is it just me or are prices going though the roof?

[SteveConn]

Usually when I am out to buy livestock I have a generalized idea of what I want to spend. Having to ask for 10 prices is NOT what I feel comfortable doing when making purchasing choices. I've spent a fair amount on what I have collected since getting into the hobby about a year and a half ago... most of it from private sellers just because I would rather deal with prices upfront unless it is something really special...and I cant say I see a lot of "really special" so far from LFS... missing shipping days??

[chatyak]

No price - no buy.

[Aquattro]

No price - no buy.

I'd have missed a lot of great deals with that attitude! No price means tons of room to negotiate!

[kien]

I'd have missed a lot of great deals with that attitude! No price means tons of room to negotiate!

+1. No price means its $1.00. At least that's where I start. Sometimes haggling is fun.

[fishoholic]

This weekend I did my LFS run looking for a diamond goby. I made it to 5 stores 3 didn't have any but in 2 the price was still listed for $30 cuz they just sold. the other two stores that did have them were $50. Where is the competition? I just walked out.

Prices vary depending on how much shipping was charged on the whole order: for example, sometimes if you do a larger order the supplier will give you a break on shipping, but sometimes the larger order costs more to ship depending on weight. Also where the shipment comes from (indo shipments are usually cheeper then anywhere else) will effect the price. Sometimes a supplier has a special on certain fish making that fish cheeper then normal and then there are certain times of the year were certain fish are less available then other times driving up the price of that fish. Also weather effects prices, if there is a storm somewhere, they charge more for shipping or sometimes delay shipping all together.

So needless to say there are many factors to take into consideration that will change the price of the same fish from store to store.

[kien]

Prices vary depending on how much shipping was charged on the whole order: for example, sometimes if you do a larger order the supplier will give you a break on shipping, but sometimes the larger order costs more to ship depending on weight. Also where the shipment comes from (indo shipments are usually cheeper then anywhere else) will effect the price. Sometimes a supplier has a special on certain fish making that fish cheeper then normal and then there are certain times of the year were certain fish are less available then other times driving up the price of that fish. Also weather effects prices, if there is a storm somewhere, they charge more for shipping or sometimes delay shipping all together.

So needless to say there are many factors to take into consideration that will change the price of the same fish from store to store.

Well put Laurie. There are brazillion variables that go into the pricing of livestock in this hobby.

[asylumdown]

Prices vary depending on how much shipping was charged on the whole order: for example, sometimes if you do a larger order the supplier will give you a break on shipping, but sometimes the larger order costs more to ship depending on weight. Also where the shipment comes from (indo shipments are usually cheeper then anywhere else) will effect the price. Sometimes a supplier has a special on certain fish making that fish cheeper then normal and then there are certain times of the year were certain fish are less available then other times driving up the price of that fish. Also weather effects prices, if there is a storm somewhere, they charge more for shipping or sometimes delay shipping all together.

So needless to say there are many factors to take into consideration that will change the price of the same fish from store to store.

+1 It would be nice if prices were a little more consistent and reliable, but unlike pencils or hard drives, our fish don't come from centralized factories that can ramp production up and down purely depending on demand (nor should they). Each fish order is a unique transaction in which the LFS will pay a specific price that may or may not reflect what the same guy down the street had to pay for the same fish the week before. I remember just a few short months ago, purple tangs were around 80 bucks a piece, and now you can't find them in town for less than 200.

That being said, I do wish there was a little more transparency, though to be fair to the LFS in Calgary, even the ones where I don't see prices listed have been remarkably consistent to me, as in, the prices on a single species never seems to swing too wildly year over year unless there is a bigger economic reason for it to have done so (throttled supply of Hawaiian or Red Sea endemics, for example). The LFS owner would need to have a fantastic memory to remember what he quoted me on that species of fish a year ago and give it to me again last week if he was changing the price based on the customer.

What gets me worse than the un-listed prices is the amount of loss the fish stores in town seem to experience. I'd be way happier with high prices if I knew the premium I was paying was because a rigorous, behind the scenes quarantine and acclimation protocol had been followed before showing up in the display tanks, and not because the markup needs to be high enough to offset the number of fish who starve to death or die of treatable disease before someone buys them. To the best of my knowledge, none of the stores in Calgary do that - fish go from the bags they come in right to the sale tanks, when they should at least get one of the major 3 recognized ich treatments in the back for a few weeks while they're carefully acclimated to captive foods before being sold. It makes me want to open my own store.

[Aquattro]

I sat down with my LFS and we tried to figure out the cost of a proper QT system to cover a new shipment of fish every other week. Roughly, we calculated a yellow tang would cost about $400 to offset the costs required to QT all new fish (for a 6 week period).
Uh, no thanks, I'll do my own QT :)

[SoloSK71]

Picking one specific but nameless store, if you can't or won't treat your livestock properly and that causes loss and increased prices, then I will refuse to buy from you. Prices at some stores are high because they appear to be the cause of their own losses.

During a recent trip that came after a couple of orders arrived at the store I observed the following:

1) 3 times i saw staff open shipping bags and dump stock into tanks with no acclimitization at all
2) 3 tanks with companion fish/coral pairings where the coral was not secured and was being washed around the tank and being stung by other corals as well as hitting rock
3) 2 tanks of snail species that are not able to turn themselves over packed so tight that there were towers of snails 5 high and multiple snails upside down and dead
4) Multiple tanks with non-reef safe species in with incompatible species, or aggressive species mixed together

Charles

[Chief Hill]

Its no worse than our LFS that posts prices about 75% higher than their worth. Then they say Ill sell it for this much instead like your getting some kind of a "deal".

Then the new price IS STILL higher than you can find elsewhere on the net. :shocked!:
I find the majority here are a Bunch of BS'in fools that will tell you whatever you need to sell somthing.

[fishoholic]

I sat down with my LFS and we tried to figure out the cost of a proper QT system to cover a new shipment of fish every other week. Roughly, we calculated a yellow tang would cost about $400 to offset the costs required to QT all new fish (for a 6 week period).
Uh, no thanks, I'll do my own QT :)

Aquarium illusions has a proper QT system in the back of the store (5 rows of tanks on 3 different systems if I am remembering right) were they QT new fish for 2 weeks and do treatments in if/when needed. Now I know 6 weeks would be better but 2 weeks usually catches most illness and if there are fish that need special treatments those fish stay in QT until the required treatment is done.

[Aquattro]

Aquarium illusions has a proper QT system in the back of the store (5 rows of tanks on 3 different systems if I am remembering right) were they QT new fish for 2 weeks and do treatments in if/when needed. Now I know 6 weeks would be better but 2 weeks usually catches most illness and if there are fish that need special treatments those fish stay in QT until the required treatment is done.
I wouldn't pay anymore for a fish with 2 weeks QT. I also wouldn't consider it quarantined and would have to do the 6 weeks myself. So while it's a nice gesture, that's all it really is, IMO