Has anyone been to............. lately?

[OBTEPPER]

lfs

what a shame. i was just there on friday, and i bought some nice livestock. the tanks were not as clean as they used to be. while i was there, it started to pour and a little girl lent me her umbrella so i could get my car. she was very sweet and wanted to buy a fish for her new aquarium. needless to say, i bought the fish for her. the point behind this story is that a local fish store is the introduction for many new reefers. it is important to support local fish stores. i'm sure we can all remember that amazing feeling and excitement of being in a nice fish store-someting the internet cannot replace.

 

[Sean]

i'm sure we can all remember that amazing feeling and excitement of being in a nice fish store-something the internet cannot replace.

nicely stated.
Unfortunately some people don't appreciate the services a good lfs can provide. All most people seem to want is the cheapest price.

 

[ellebelle]

I still don't believe that the internet can fully replace a store. I like to see my livestock swimming around and eating before I buy. I like to look at what the coral look under lights - as opposed to the optimum lighting conditions that most coral websites take photos under. Plus, at the good, repubutable LFS, there are people to answer questions and give advice and all of that. Too bad about SeaVision.

 

[kenske]

what a shame. i was just there on friday, and i bought some nice livestock. the tanks were not as clean as they used to be. while i was there, it started to pour and a little girl lent me her umbrella so i could get my car. she was very sweet and wanted to buy a fish for her new aquarium. needless to say, i bought the fish for her. the point behind this story is that a local fish store is the introduction for many new reefers. it is important to support local fish stores. i'm sure we can all remember that amazing feeling and excitement of being in a nice fish store-someting the internet cannot replace.

I agree 100%. I have always kept aquariums growing up. Keeping a reef aquarium has always been thought of as extremely expensive and very hard to be successful. In other words, out of reach for me.

About 2 years ago, H20 opened up and I decide to check'em out. Lots of corals, nice displays, great people. Before I know it, I am setting up my first 10 gal. nano reef tank. They were very helpful and patient. Without them, i probably missed out on this wonderful and addictive hobby. That's priceless.

Even though some livestock and equipment could be had for less than your LFS is selling it for, they have much more overhead b/c of the brick and mortar operation. They NEED to mark-up to stay in business. That is just obvious. If LFS do not mark up the "goods" to cover their expense, then they will go out of business. We will not have a place to hangout or get things in a hurry to save our tanks when there's a problem. New aquarist would have been robbed of the opportunity to see all the different set ups available. How many will get into reef aquariums by just looking at great pics online? All the reef keeping articles available are tremendously helpful, but if people are just starting out, they are not going to understand it. We do not want to have Petland or Petco as the only option. It makes me sick, when people complain about the price publicly. Bad business ethics, i can understand, and should warn other consumers. But *****'in about mark up?!?

Although I do get things online and through other reefers, I still spend money at the lfs regulary. I get corals from other reefers b/c the store don't carry it.

They are doing what they have to to stay in business and make a living. Support your LFS!!!!!!!!!

 

[kenske]

nicely stated.
Unfortunately some people don't appreciate the services a good lfs can provide. All most people seem to want is the cheapest price.

Dido!

 

[Awibrandy]

If not publicly, then where should one speak up on the 400% - 500% mark up? I am not naive about mark ups to handle the cost of rent, electricity, insurance, salaries, stock, and so on. The thing is 400 to 500 percent bothered me. Perhaps there is a business person here that can explain why it needs to be that much.
Speaking of mark up, do you honestly think that the online stores don't mark up? Of course they do! Every single business has to do some mark up, or none would be in business.
The invaluable information that we get in the LFS. It all depends on the person, not all who work in LFS are knowledgeable. I have gotten great, and horrible advice in the LFS. The most important service they provide is the emergency item that is needed right then and there.
Second is the ability to see the animal before we purchase. I also prefer this over shopping on the net.
I also shopped at Sea Vision, and will say I truly enjoyed the experience. My tank is stocked to the hilt, therefore no need to shop any where. Many days I would have gone just for the comradery unfortunately it is pretty far, and last I heard the knowledgeable personnel had left for better pasture.
Oh, and by the way I for one never complained about their prices. I thought their pricing were very good compared to many other lfs around, and even with many who are selling out of their homes with little overhead.

 

[kenske]

Awibrandy,

My my last post was not directed at you, and did not intend to. I should have conveyed what I feel on the subject differently. I apologize for no doing so.

 

[Awibrandy]

Kenske, no need to apologize we are all entitled to our opinions.:hug:

 

[ming]

If not publicly, then where should one speak up on the 400% - 500% mark up? I am not naive about mark ups to handle the cost of rent, electricity, insurance, salaries, stock, and so on. The thing is 400 to 500 percent bothered me. Perhaps there is a business person here that can explain why it needs to be that much.
Speaking of mark up, do you honestly think that the online stores don't mark up? Of course they do! Every single business has to do some mark up, or none would be in business.
The invaluable information that we get in the LFS. It all depends on the person, not all who work in LFS are knowledgeable. I have gotten great, and horrible advice in the LFS. The most important service they provide is the emergency item that is needed right then and there.
Second is the ability to see the animal before we purchase. I also prefer this over shopping on the net.
I also shopped at Sea Vision, and will say I truly enjoyed the experience. My tank is stocked to the hilt, therefore no need to shop any where. Many days I would have gone just for the comradery unfortunately it is pretty far, and last I heard the knowledgeable personnel had left for better pasture.
Oh, and by the way I for one never complained about their prices. I thought their pricing were very good compared to many other lfs around, and even with many who are selling out of their homes with little overhead.

Location would probably be the biggest difference between an online store and a LFS. If you have your setup in the middle of no where, your rent is dirt cheap whereas in NYC, its going to be very expensive. With modern sytems, some online companies, notably amazon.com doesn't stock anything and orders it as it gets bought so they don't stock anything unless you've already ordered it. This reduces their rent drastically and allows them to have such a large amount of choices of things to buy. At a LFS, they can't do that

 

[Noodus]

the main guy running sea vision was a #@$@! all the good help left cause they knew better. he lied to me on a deal we made and never contacted me after i hounded him for a few weeks. in the end i just said screw it. i'm not surprised the place is in trouble. beware.

not saying the store itself wasn't nice or anything i've never been there. it was setup by good people. pictures look nice. just throwing in my cheated on 2 cents.

 

[alfani]

every one is out to make a living, i don't blame for marking up prices but there is a point where you have to draw the line no matter how 'nice' a lfs is?

by marking the price too high your turn over rate on your inventory is slow, you began to mark up the price higher to cover to cost but in reality you are hurting your business. you loose more customer this way. bad management!!

 

[Sean]

If not publicly, then where should one speak up on the 400% - 500% mark up? I am not naive about mark ups to handle the cost of rent, electricity, insurance, salaries, stock, and so on. The thing is 400 to 500 percent bothered me. Perhaps there is a business person here that can explain why it needs to be that much.

I was at the store and I saw their prices. They are not marking it up that high. Maybee 400-500% of the fish price before shipping.

importers give you a list lets say you can get a fish for $1
then there's the shipping cost from Fiji is another $1
then you have to pick it up from he airport and aclimate them

so this $1 fish you could say is marked up 500% to $5 but how much does it really cost $1-$2 or $3
you do have to take a lot of things into consideration when pricing a fish it's not like dry good that you buy for x and sell for y.

 

[e.muehlbauer]

Another thing to consider is that while some things may have been marked up 500%, others may have been sold as loss-leaders- remember the "our price is your price" sales on ESV and Salifert? It certainly brought people into the store...I spent $20 on B-ionic, and $70 on livestock (and as I've said, they are still alive...). I'm sure there was plenty of stuff sold in that store at way less of a profit...stuff that simply wouldn't sell at all at a higher markup. Also, half the store was FW....no longer being into FW, I didn't check out the prices...that may very well have been where most of the major markups were. Keep in mind...the guy is trying to sell his business...and if he can make a 500% profit on anything, he'll stress that over items that are sold at lesser profit, or none. Face it...an LFS is an expensive proposition. I'll agree that an overall "pet" store...selling small animals along with fish will bring in a lot of customers, but the overall quality suffers...fewer of any type, and less expertise in some areas. The healthiest aquatic livestock I have seen is in aquatic-only stores. I honestly can't conceive of how an SW only store can survive, especially in an expensive area like NYC, but a total aquatic store has the potential to survive and do reasonably well....although I can't imagine anyone getting rich. I myself only buy livestock from stores...I want to see what I get, and I don't want to add $35-40 extra in shipping costs. The exception is clean-up animals, like snails and hermits...they are so cheap, from Etropicals, and with shipping included. Besides, a snail looks like a snail...and they give credit for dead livestock, no questions asked. I also undertand that a bald-faced boast about 500% profit is distasteful..can't disagree with that...but if those profits were real and consistant this thread wouldn't exist. At least there is still H20 around, and its more practical to me than Sea Vision...I can even walk there...but I will really miss SV...Take care, Eric

 

[reefman]

needless to say, disappointed but not surprised.
running any business is hard to say the least. but running a LFS is harder for the merchandise is delicate live aquatic creatures.
and even harder is having partners (ie arguements, management differences, etc...)

 

[grisha]

that store had lowest prices in NYC except fishtown and livestock was much healthier .

 

[nsiegel5]

The store is still open and I saw the owner there the other day so I guess he is trying the best he can while most his good employees left him to go work elsewhere. He still has a few nice things and is a good guy all and all just trying to make a living and feed his family

 

[crox99]

If not publicly, then where should one speak up on the 400% - 500% mark up? I am not naive about mark ups to handle the cost of rent, electricity, insurance, salaries, stock, and so on. The thing is 400 to 500 percent bothered me. Perhaps there is a business person here that can explain why it needs to be that much.
Speaking of mark up, do you honestly think that the online stores don't mark up? Of course they do! Every single business has to do some mark up, or none would be in business.
The invaluable information that we get in the LFS. It all depends on the person, not all who work in LFS are knowledgeable. I have gotten great, and horrible advice in the LFS. The most important service they provide is the emergency item that is needed right then and there.
Second is the ability to see the animal before we purchase. I also prefer this over shopping on the net.
I also shopped at Sea Vision, and will say I truly enjoyed the experience. My tank is stocked to the hilt, therefore no need to shop any where. Many days I would have gone just for the comradery unfortunately it is pretty far, and last I heard the knowledgeable personnel had left for better pasture.
Oh, and by the way I for one never complained about their prices. I thought their pricing were very good compared to many other lfs around, and even with many who are selling out of their homes with little overhead.

I believe that mark up is before shipping. If you start adding all DOA, rent, employees, utilities, taxes etc. 400-500% isn't that bad. JMO

 

[qckwzrd]

I went to Sea Vision on tues for the 1st time and if its a 400%-500% mark up then that's great! The prices are the lowest I've seen and a nice looking store. The guys don't know much but they are really friendly and atleast they say they don't know rather then lie. I purchased a branching suncoral for $19.99 (opened up the day it entered the tank) a coco work for $7.99 and they had cleaner shrimp for $11.99! I wish the owner all the best not too many stores with a healthy selection and low prices.

 

[reefman]

i believe your "coco work" is a feather duster. pls show pics.

 

[qckwzrd]

i believe your "coco work" is a feather duster. pls show pics.

Sorry, I ment coco worm lol