Is your LFS good value ?

[Deleted User]

Hi guys

Just wondering if you think your LFS is good value for money ?

Do you think some things could be sold cheaper?

Are some fish cheaper else where but not well looked after so you pay that little bit more for quality ?

[Wiggs]

The only LFS we had was run out of town by a Petsmart the threw down just around the corner. They may have been a little bit more expensive, but its amazing how society will just say "F the little guy" to save $0.50

[fishlover49]

There is a brand new Petsmart that just opened up in the same town as my normal LFS. Now am wondering if maybe that is why he is carrying less stuff than he use to. I am going to have to ask him. :spam:

[korith]

Most of the smaller fish stores here that aren't one of the big chain stores, are a bit higher in price. But I think they make up for it, with having a larger variety of livestock, and usually a lot more knowledgeable as well. Dry goods usually a bit more pricy too in the smaller shops I've noticed here, but they have stuff that you won't find in a petsmart type store.

There is one shop here that has comparable prices on dry goods to the chain stores, but I think he makes up for it with having great variety of livestock.

[Kadina]

I live local to That Fish Place ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.]) and I think they do have some of the best prices. They beat all of the other local stores/chains and are competitive with online vendors as well. It definitely was a better store 15 - 20 years ago, before they carried pet supplies and added "That Pet Place" to their name, but overall I feel lucky to live near a store of that caliber. They do lack the personal mom and pop feel, but I guess that is expected.

[*Sarah*]

This is my lfs
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
I personally think they do charge a lot for some things...and their staff (particularly the manager) could be MUCH more friendly and helpful. I almost dread seeing him when I go in.
On the plus side...they did recently get a pretty hot employee dude ;) hahaha

[hideandseek]

The local fish store in my town recently went out of business after being there for apparently somewhere around 20 years. There is another one about 20 minutes from my house in the next town, but a petsmart just opened up like literally across the street. Things there seemed a little bit more expensive, but I could tell that it was run by people who actually had fish and cared about what their customers did with their livestock. They also had a better selection. I will definitely still shop there unless there is something I need that they don't carry.

In my mind you get what you pay for and most LFSs seem to follow this trend.

[MCHRKiller]

My LFS is stupidly over priced, and I can say that because I manage it. My owner sets the prices and I dust the garb that sits there. Now on tanks we are very competitive, but we'll try to choke the life out of you on filters and heaters. Food, medications, water treatment stuff like that its just a mild flesh wound. Livestock we're also really competative on. But what can I say if it sits there long enough somebody will come along and buy it, and they do that because outside of walmart and another *really* bad LFS thats it unless you want to drive an hour and a half to Petsmart.

[terrapin24h]

I would say livestock wise our private LFS here are 30-50% more expensive than the big box stores. But they do have more knowledge and a better variety. However, they tend to be *really* expensive on filters and such in comparison. A couple had my fluval 205 for near 200 bucks--I got it for 125 and got a free python :) The one exception is "pet supplies plus"; they seem to be a medium sized chain type store, and they have a pathetic livestock selection(and their tanks are scummy) But they have great prices on equipment(they just got done running a sale on fluval 405s--$159) and tanks/stands. I try to spread my money around, with a bias towards the LFS guys and the small stores like ps+. I tend to get my fish at petsmart, as they seem to have what i want and in generally speaking good health.

--chris

[AABatteries]

Mine is wayyyy over priced for equipment. A coralife 220 that you can get for about $150-$200 everywhere else for about $300.

[bluebluecow]

You see Im very lucky here

In the town about 10min drive away we have 4 LFS, 2 of which are fantastic great stock of fish all healthy and well kept but tanks can be pricey. The 3rd is a pets at home, ok fish are better then they have been, brought a few potted plants expensive but nice plants, foods a good price, but I use ebay for my food lol. The 4th well its cheap, BUT I wouldnt touch the fish with a barge poll, the tanks are just grotty the fish look unhappy,

Now 20mins away we have 2 other very good fs, 1 is great for tank prices but fish can be pricey except for neons which are £5 for 7, they are £5 for 5 elsewhere. the fish are healthy looking and the owners do know their stuff, and if they dont like with my new plec they didnt know the size they looked it up on the internet and made sure that I had the latin name written down and the l number and if I didnt want it they would take it back.

The other one was good if you got the right assistant, the stock was healthy very chicilid heavy, but 2 of the people that worked there knew a lot, and
would make sure you didnt buy anything that would outgrow you tank, gave a lot of advise, now 2 wks ago it was taken over (i didnt know as the fish where half price in the last two day, else id of been there) so I shall see what its like when it reopens, there live food was good quality though

Now plants and foods I use 2 ebay shops that I have used for 4yrs now, and with the plants they are good quality and I have never had a hitchhiker.

Liz

[cocoa_pleco]

the reef store i go to jacks up everything about 15%-20%. i have dozens of stores within a 10 minute drive and at least 100 within a half hour drive, but they quarantine all livestock for 2 weeks and i rarely see a dead or sick fish in their tanks. the workers know alot too.

to be honest, i wouldnt buy new equipment from them. since theyre a small store it gets jacked up alot. when they have used equipment sales theres good prices though, scored a $400 light for $80, $400 skimmer for $40, and i almost bought the 182g cube with stand for $500, it wouldnt fit through the doorway so i had to get my standard 125g.

funny thing is they still have the cube all these months later, all the employees themselve were going to buy it but it wont fit through their doors either

[bushwhacker]

bust the wall out and get some french doors

[Demi ^_^]

Mine is HORRIBLY over-priced, however, they have TERRIFIC stock and definately care about them..

[fraggle]

The LFS's round me al vary, some are good value on some fish but ridiculous on others and good value on some equipment but ridiculous on others too.

I had to get a new heater yesterday, got a 300W Aquaone. Prices in the 5 LFS in town, varied from $32.95 to $48.70 for the same thing!!!

And 1" silver dollars ranged from $5 to $15.75. I nearly always do a scout around all of them to see what price they all have on things, but the little just LFS that I got the heater at yestrday is where I usually go. They are more friendly and nothing is ever too much trouble.

[Gemini]

I have a LOT of LFS within a 30KM radius to me that I visit fairly often. Some of them are great for stock prices, others good for filters etc prices. It is sad though the mark up on some products. Tanks for example are just wow! Tanks and stands I think in most places are the most expensive. When you know where to go here you can save yourself a LOT of money. If not there are places that just gouge you.
I watched a lady and her daughter spend $70 on a bowl with a desk lamp for a light and a tiny sponge filter. I really wanted to let her know the number of places she could go and get at least a 2ft tank on a pine stand for that much.

[ZCciVic22]

I live right down the road from a store called Wetpets. They aren't usually the cheapest, but the people working there have helped us so much over the years and are practically like family. When we walk in there they are sure to say hi. We always try to purchase anything we need from them, even if we are spending a couple bucks more.

[Mvjnz]

The local one is pretty cheap when it comes to fish, but then it is called 'pet supersavers' so you wouldn't expect any less. I bought a betta from there for $7, anywhere else they are between $10-20. The other fish are cheaper too, I bought a couple bristlenoses for $5.50 each, which is the cheapest I've ever seen them, but they caused ich and internal parasites or some similar nastiness and it killed both of the baby bristlenoses, my big beautiful bristlenose I'd had for a year, and a killi pair, so I'm never buying fish from there ever again. I will buy bettas from there tho, because they are on a seperate filtration system and should be safe.

And I also like to support them because they don't get puppies and kittens from farms, they get them all from a pet rescue organisation, which I think is really good.

And it's just down the road, so it's good for cat food and fish food etc.

[mac]

I find that the large chain malls, which has pet mart type shops in them, fail in the South island. The small shops tend to get all the business.

For me my 2 LFS are great value for money. And IMO they have gone as low as they can on what they sell.

mac

[cocoa_pleco]

bust the wall out and get some french doors

i honestly wanted to do that, just get out the sledge and go nuts

[Shadowisper]

Its really hard to find the perfect lfs. There is one in my area that I really like. The owner is friendly and very knowledgable and the prices are semi-reasonable. I'd have to say the quality of fish seem to be higher here because of the attention given to water conditions and superior knowledge on the entire subject of fish. However you can't beat the prices on dry supplies/ filters/ food at the big chain stores. I feel GUILTY about milking the lfs owner for information, walking out of his store and into the petsmart and buying the advised product. It's downright shameful! I do my best to honor the fls and buy anything reasonably competetive in price there, but for the expensive things... my wallet just isn't that thick. What can I say!?

[Mvjnz]

Why don't you ask them to match the price? A lot of stores would rather match it and make the sale than watch you walk out and get it from the competitor.

Always works here:)

[mac]

I agree I find it dose. See if they have room to move on the items fish you want to buy.

But I have found why not join a club and get it the stuff you want on whole-sale, with club discounts!!!. Plus I find you can get more things through a club than normal. So you win more than normally being a customer.

mac

[sid101]

I have 6 stores in my city that do SW but a lot of FS stores, the Sw business is incredibly overpriced i check the prices on the internet in U.S stores and things here cost as much as 5 times more than over there, fish are the same story a lionfish cost almost double of the minimal wage here and skimmers are almost impossible to buy. actually a regular skimmer cost as much as a complete 30gal tank with lights, filter and good bulbs. you can find cheap tanks and even cheap custom tanks form people whp fabricate them in here but if you want to buy anything thats not built here you are gonna pay A LOT.

I guess is just how the cookie crumbles, aquaria here was much bigger and prices were not as ridiculous but economic crysis is really tearing people's pockets here, not just in aquaria but in everything. is sad how such a rich world is filled with so many poor people.