Should Vendors Be Obligated To Post Prices

[Brooklyn83]

Hello, hope all is well. I wanted everyone's opinion, just out of curiosity. legally in ny stores you must have a price per item, this way there isn't a price change from one consumer to another. Ive noticed for many years on Manhattan reefs only the private sellers are obligated to price items, leaving vendors exempt. I'm not trying to stir anything up, let's please be civilized with our opinions.

 

[b-ridge]

Yes I think they should. They don't because there scared of competition and price gouging. Another vendor would just come behind them and post lower price.
Then they will object and leave and there will be no paying vendors therefore no more Manhattan reefs. From what I understand the paying vendors is what runs this

 

[cmantis]

I think you bring up a good point. When I used to have a store it drove me crazy that my partner wouldn't put prices up in the store. It always seemed that prices changed depending on the customer and I just felt that wasn't fair. I don't believe in taking advantage of people. I was also worried as you pointed out that it wasn't legal. As for posting them here I don't think that should be necessary as its easy enough to contact the vendor and ask. Just hope that what they quote you is what it is when you get there because could end up with a totally different worker that day.

 

[265]

Prices should be listed for stores

 

[piranhapat]

How many times are we going to go ask this question. If you want a price on the fish you want. My answer is go online and check the price. You be surprised that LFS are a lot cheaper by far. That's without shipping.

 

[edd]

no price, then move on to next vendor.
i dont bother asking for a price cause no price usually means a high price.

 

[BKreefbaby]

When there's no price I feel there's more space for negotiation...if you pm them for price and they message you with a price you don't like you can either try to haggle with them or move on. I haggle even at big name stores, a lot of people are afraid of negotiation it never hurts to try

 

[nybb1001]

I personally like vendors to post their prices, that way i can compare the prices between different vendors, and I'll know what price to expect before I go there. And you are likely buying stuff that is not on your shopping list if the price is right. Contacting different vendors about the price of something is a big hassle to me.

 

[reefiness]

I dont think they should have to. Although personally I love seeing prices listed, the vendors pay to advertise here and are given their own forum. There is no reason they should need to be required to follow any rules when posting within their own forums.

At the same time, I have never had any problems with being able to get a price on an item from a vendor. Living in Staten Island, I usually need to travel a decent amount of time and have to pay a lot of tolls in order to get to all the vendors here, so I always find out the prices of things before i head out

 

[ourcoralreef]

I agree while prices would be nice so i dont have to ask every time
i dont think they should have to because as others posted they pay for listing there items and i understand that vendors will badmouth each other "there prices are cheap because there fish are sic..." or you will have vendors fighting for price eventually it won't be worth it to sell on here = no money for mr = no more mr
I usually go to liveaquaria and price stuff from there

the stores that i buy from usually give me $5-$10 off on cheap stuff and pricier stuff depending on the item (all depends on the relationship you have with them)

 

[cmantis]

You won't find prices for everything necessarily posted on forums. However if actually for sale to be purchased online need to be priced same goes for in store. I know of customers that one will pay $2 for a snail while another pays $5, or the same shrimp that will go for $20-$70, fish depending who you are $35 or $75 and even a frag of coral that should be no more than $20 max being sold for over $100 as just a few examples. It never hurts to ask for a discount and I often inquire but don't expect it however I certainly don't want to have to pay more just because Im perceived to be able to afford it and/or don't know any better.

 

[ourcoralreef]

You won't find prices for everything necessarily posted on forums. However if actually for sale to be purchased online need to be priced same goes for in store. I know of customers that one will pay $2 for a snail while another pays $5, or the same shrimp that will go for $20-$70, fish depending who you are $35 or $75 and even a frag of coral that should be no more than $20 max being sold for over $100 as just a few examples. It never hurts to ask for a discount and I often inquire but don't expect it however I certainly don't want to have to pay more just because Im perceived to be able to afford it and/or don't know any better.

I don't think its that the person is perceived as being able to afford it i think its more of what type of relationship you have with the store is that person a one time customer (regular price) if the person is a regular and the store would like to keep them shopping by them they usually give them better prices

Even petco if asked would usually give you a $5 discount on fish $35+ (not saying you should buy from them totally different topic)

 

[cmantis]

I think you missed the point this is not people getting discounts it is them being charged more. Its as if you walk into the deli and the cup of coffee is 1.50 for everyone else but because you tell the you don't usually drink coffee or are dressed nice they charge you 3.50 for that same cup. Now I have often gone to my local bodega and they will only charge me a buck or might not even charge me for coffee but that is because I am a good customer and they know this. Two completely different things.

 

[ourcoralreef]

I think you missed the point this is not people getting discounts it is them being charged more. Its as if you walk into the deli and the cup of coffee is 1.50 for everyone else but because you tell the you don't usually drink coffee or are dressed nice they charge you 3.50 for that same cup. Now I have often gone to my local bodega and they will only charge me a buck or might not even charge me for coffee but that is because I am a good customer and they know this. Two completely different things.

I did miss that
(I can only speak of my experiences)
i never went into a store and was overcharged i have asked for prices and some stores are priced higher than others but to everyone not based on what i look like what i can afford
It is a expensive hobby and the regular price for this stuff is high i got used to getting good prices from some stores that sort of turns me away from the higher priced ones that doesn't mean i never go back to that store again i have been in the hobby for a while and we don't have that many stores every once in a while im looking for something so i stop by random stores and if i see something i like (other than what i came in for) i ask price and it doesn't really change much high priced stores stay high i never had a store outright try to rip me off if you compare regular store prices and online prices liveaquaria Saltwaterfish etc they are usually not that much off the regular price online about 5-10$(not comparing a fish that comes from indonesia to a fish from The Red Sea Fiji etc)
Shops that do rip people off (as your saying) should have a reputation of doing just that

 

[vashawn]

Yes ! Price + pic

 

[pmoneyt]

If the law says prices should be listed then they should be listed on everything forsale privite forum or not.

If you want to see this topic in action send two different people to pop coral and have them ask for a price on the same item.

And for those wondering yes I have done it that is why I do not shop there.

 

[BKreefbaby]

Man I don't know what you guys are talking about what do you mean by "who you are"? That's the price you are paying. I don't know any one personally that owns a LFS but any time I go to one and the price says, for exampele 50$, I say what's the best you can do quietly and privately that way they can work with you of course they don't want to be giving everything away for the low. And this guy brought up pop corals yes they don't always have their prices posted but man John is a cool dude and he'all work with you...once again I don't know him personally but when I go to the store I won't buy anything unless he's there because his workers can't cut a break but if you talk to him and obviously are cool he'll cut you a break if he can. I like it when there's no price that's your chance to work one out.

 

[ourcoralreef]

The law is in newyork and in stores not online

And yea i have to agree with BKreefbaby never had a problem in pop corals john is a nice guy the workers there are nice people too i was just in there last week and on the tank it said 90$ for a purple tang yes they don't always have prices posted and they can be expensive on some items but not rip offs

 

[cmantis]

Just to put things into perspective without going into details. I was the one that designed, built and for two years ran the store every single day that you are talking about. Ask yourself why I would walk away from being partners in that store...

 

[ourcoralreef]

Just to put things into perspective without going into details. I was the one that designed, built and for two years ran the store every single day that you are talking about. Ask yourself why I would walk away from being partners in that store...

Im only talking about my personal experiences