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View Full Version : Local vs Online...how to support local


greenmoose
09/19/2007, 01:24 AM
I have an interesting query which I suppose most have had at some point starting up.

How do you support your LFS but also ensure that you are receiving a reasonable price point as well. The LFS provides an endless source of immediate person to person knowledge and my particular store has great people, healthy fish and is quite an upstanding shop. That being said, I feel that regardless of how much I have already spent there, there is a very hostile feeling towards at least being an informed shopper of what is out there, in particular after instances when I have decided to buy something online. I feel willing to pay 15-20% more than an online price to support a local shop, but up to what point? This time, my next purchase is going to total a $70 difference, which is >20%.

What are opinions on this subject?

rbursek
09/19/2007, 06:15 AM
I get great tech support on line, my LFS is not great, but I like Serra test kitswhich I have not found on line so I buy those and frozen food from the LFS to support them
Bob

jleichtman
09/19/2007, 07:03 AM
I found a great store in the area where I live. I will pay up to 10% above the online price, but understand no shippping charges so that offsets for the most part. I try and buy local as much as possible.

spellbound
09/19/2007, 09:02 AM
As an independent bookstore owner I agree all should support their local businesses as long as these business' provide quality service, information, etc. Learning as much as possible helps us to make informed decisions about our aquariums and needs. I'd ask your LFS to carry your needs and wants, however, if they are unwilling (or unable to as most chains are limited to what they can order outside their normal inventory) to carry what you need, you are left with the choice to purchase outside the LFS. An independent store should be able to negotiate price to a point. We need independent stores in all local communities to promote and ensure local economies so I don't usually argue price too much. As I purchase each addition to my tank 1 or 2 at a time, I would have to pay shipping anyway.
Supporting your local LFS is each and everyone's own decision. For the above reasons I work with our LFS (two of ours are independent) to the best of my abilities and order outside them only when needed.

Prodd
09/19/2007, 09:38 AM
When i started out with my first tank i asked some real stupid questions ( i probably still do) and i went to the only place i knew, my LFS. As time went on i found other places to get advice and services. Sometimes i found that the advice given at my LFS was dubious however i still bought 80-90% of my equipment there. Now they recognize me and understand the money i have spent at their store and give me a 'special' discount which makes it much more bearable. It comes in handy if i have an emergency and need equipment,chemicals etc immediately as apposed to waiting for the post. My point is don't take everything you hear as gospel and look around but keep going to your LFS as a first port of call, let them realize that your there often. What goes around comes around, yes Ive spent a lot however, it's easier when Ive got no cash and need credit. They know I'll come back.

Reefer07
09/19/2007, 09:42 AM
I love my LFS and all too but I must say I usually just buy fish from them.
Canister filters at my LFS are like $240 and I find them online for $120...I think I know where I would buy it from.....a $100 is pretty significant.

Thinslis
09/19/2007, 09:54 AM
There really is only one quality LFS in my area and it is a LONG drive to get there. I didn't feel like making the drive but I needed some test kits. So I called them up since they were going to have a booth at MACNA and I was also going to be attending MACNA I asked them if I could buy some test kits and if I could just pick them up from their booth at the show. They wanted to charge me a $5 handleing charge to bring them to a show that they were already planning to attend?!?! This was not good customer service in my eyes.

I ended up buying the test kits for less at another booth at MACNA. However had I not found them at the show I probably would have purchased them online and paid about $5 for ground shipping for the simple reason that I felt the $5 was an insult.

Prodd
09/19/2007, 09:58 AM
Too true as a shop owner its great to have someone spending stupid amounts of cash in your store (he can now have an Aston Martin). Although any forward thinking person will realize that there maybe bad times ahead, and to keep bread on the table you need regular customers. Not someone who buys everything in the shop, but someone who buys regularly. That way you can last long enough to see more good times driving high power sports cars.

Prodd
09/19/2007, 10:06 AM
Thinslis: That is a reason i would tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine. My last post was an answer to reefer07 but it applies to your post. What goes around comes around, they'll feel it in the end. Especially if they treat all they're customers like that. Remember I'm a customer not a cash machine, I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine.

old salty
09/19/2007, 10:55 AM
I don't shop on price nearly as much as I shop on quality. This hobby is one of many that are plagued with junk and low end items. It just so happens that every one of the LFS in my area carry these low end items. They have to cater to the low end hobbyists and the impulse shoppers if they want volume sales. Imagine having to explain the cost difference between a $450 Tunze and a $25 Maxijet to every Tom, Dick, and Harry that walked into the store.

I purchase most items online not because I don't want to support a local business. I just can't see supporting businesses that don't have what I want. I won't even walk into a Petco or a Petsmart.

spellbound
09/19/2007, 11:44 AM
I agree with old salty. I have seen too many people given incorrect information at these types of stores. As I stated we are lucky enough to have two independently owned LFS. I do not recommend purchasing blindly on the price either, as I stated earlier we should be knowledgeable and informed. You can usually talk price with most independents. If you are spending $ 120 including shipping on the exact same item they are selling for $ 240 and they are unwilling to lower their price reasonably, I see no reason not to shop elsewhere. However, it is important to discuss this with them as the local economy benefits from local sales whereas the local economy does not benefit at all with out of the area sales. As stated before the place of your purchase is ultimately up to you, however I do recommend attempting to support your local economy if they are willing and able to work with you.
I consider Thinslis' experience as not acceptable and the LFS should be made aware of this. If independent I'd let the owner be aware as I certainly would have taken his needed supplies to the show at no additional cost and if I was offering a discount at the show I would have ensured Thinslis received the discount. Customer service is extremely important and, unfortunately, sometimes they need to be reminded. We all want and need repeat customers. I have some regulars that visit often and purchase much. When they ask, I will give them a reasonable discount. Some purchase a lot and won't ask for a discount. They tell me they want me to still be here in the future. As an independent struggling is often a fact of life and I remember this when negotiating price with the LFS and other independently owned stores.

seapug
09/19/2007, 11:58 AM
There are definitely two sides to this. While it's rude to walk into a store and declare how much cheaper you can find things online, store owners do need to be wise about what they carry and what they don't nowadays. IMO, LFSs need to devote the vast majority of their space to livestock and much less to tanks and equipment. Some realize this, others still haven't caught on to the "internet thing."

There is a huge convenience and pleasure factor in being able to browse and buy fish and corals from a local store. I will happily pay a little more for a fish or coral that I personally pick out and can take home to my tank that day. Most hobbyists would probably agree.

On the other hand, when it comes to equipment, any informed hobbyist can find tanks, skimmers, lights, etc. online for cheaper than any local store can charge for them and not literally lose money on the deal. It's a good idea to keep a few different sized "setups" in stock for walk-ins, but the days of devoting 3/4 of your store to hardware and drygoods are long gone.

brward5
09/19/2007, 12:00 PM
I recently ran into this same dilemma. I sent my list of items out to the 2 local stores I was interested in doing business with and asked for a total purchase price - I was making a significant purchase of about $3k. I was willing to spend a little more to support the local shop, but the store's cost was significantly higher than what I could make the purchase for online. I received a very nice email from the guy at the LFS I usually deal with thanking me for the opportunity, but they just can't compete with the online dealers and look to fill the gaps where it makes most sense - with live and other perishable items, as well as emergency purchases. I appreciated their understanding, they appreciated my desire to support them and all is well.

Thinslis
09/19/2007, 12:09 PM
Spellbound: The employee that took my call at the LFS had to check with the owner before giving me a yes or no on the test kits, it was the owner that said it would cost $5 handeling charge.

I was disapointed.

Prodd
09/19/2007, 12:24 PM
To a certain extent this is what i say, award those that are active for you custom. An LFS with good stock good advice and a reasonable price without added cons like handling should be rewarded. Good luck to them, others with bad service reluctance for understanding customer needs and demands deserve everything they get.
Is this not on what we all seem to agree?

prolx
09/19/2007, 12:54 PM
i have had bad luck with my LFS. I refuse to buy anything in there. The people in the store are very rude and talk to you as if you were stupid. They hire people that cant tell the difference between a snail and a crab. I get in the car and drive 30 miles or farther for fish and order snails and equipment online.

greenmoose
09/21/2007, 01:08 AM
These are all very constructive views and I must say that I'm still undecided. In the end, the price point is something of a concern, although that being said, price is not really a concern. For me, it is the attitude that either I buy everything there, or don't necessarily bother shopper there, which is the attitude I feel now at this shop. Like I said, I am quite willing to pay more to support the local shop given that the guys there are very good and they have very healthy clean fish. Where do people draw the line on what would be considered a decent mark-up to support the local economy and that which is unreasonable to purchase just to support the LFS. Clearly the example of the 240/120 difference is just clearly unreasonable....

uscharalph
09/21/2007, 01:27 AM
I probably buy 1/2 of my stuff @ the LFS and 1/2 online. The owner @ the LFS is very informative and just wants to help me get it right. I can't allways say the same about all of his employees or some other stores.

Dr Begalke
09/21/2007, 01:30 AM
buy from who ever gives you the best service and advice, for some, that will be the LFS, for others it will be quality online retailers...

from your statement about the LFS's attitude towards their customers, I personally wouldn't shop there.

rbtwo4
09/21/2007, 06:02 AM
Here's a good story. One day I went to the LFS literally 5 minutes walking distance from where I live and they have about 10 SW tanks and about 20+ FW and other animals in the store. I asked if they had Cyclopeeze and the owner had no clue what it was. Another time I went in and asked my fiance to get me a couple of Scarlet hermits and she comes back with the wrong ones so I go back and tell the guy and he has no clue what he gave me. But here's the best one I was shopping for a return pump and ask the guy for a mag 5 and he says "why do you want a mag 5? The quietone 3000 is better" so I listen to him ramble about it and ask how much is it? He says $129.99 I said ok I will continue looking around the store. So as I am looking at all the fish I pop open my cell phone and goto dr.fosters (I can surf the web on my cell =) hehehe) and punch up the quietone 3000 and sure enuff they have it on sale for $39.99 after shipping maybe what? $55.00??? How do u justify that??? You're marking up an item that is clearly cheaper on the internet and try to jack me? Not right at all the only things I buy at the LFS is food & fish. That's it.

crumbletop
09/21/2007, 07:24 AM
How about joining a local reef club? Our club gets a 10% discount at all the LFSs, and when we have meetings at each LFS we generally get 25% off. The 10% makes things competitive. The 25% beats the internet...

vader88
09/21/2007, 09:56 AM
I have a LFS which has employees that I don't really care for, but the owner is super nice. I go in and never, ever ask for a discount and he still continues to give me something off. He's pretty knowledgeable and when he doesn't know something, he'll tell you.

My biggest surprise was I was in there looking at pumps, a Mag 9.5 and he was helping me. He told me, before you buy it, check the price online and see what the going rate is with shipping and I'll match it.

I never bought it since I've decided on OceanRunner pumps, but that response floored me. I do try to buy my little odds and ends and livestock from him when he has it.

I make sure to stop buy on delivery day.

an411
09/21/2007, 10:23 AM
The only thing that I buy at the LFS is Fish everything else is bought online. Why pay more when I can sit on the couch and get my items and not have to spend gas time and extra money. The only way that I would buy product from LFS is if I needed it in an emergency or they did a price match. My money is hard earned money I am not going to give it to someone else when I can get it for cheaper.

MegsB
09/21/2007, 10:29 AM
well we are nickle and dimed on the island (vancouver island) everything is SO expensive, hence i went to vancouver to j & l and saved a TON of $$ than buying local, i probably spend half of what i would have on everything (some things more than half). i order from them if i need a few things as well, save a lot of $

occasionally i buy from the lfs, if they have something i must have, but i pay out the *** for it