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affan
09/07/2006, 10:53 PM
OK. I go to the LFS I've been frequenting for a very long time. Four + years. Owner and I on a first name basis and over-all a very good relationship. I've literally spent tens of thousands of dollars at this place in the process of setting up several tanks not only for myself but for friends, and have brought him even more business by word of mouth and referrals etc.

Anyway, I went in yesterday, looking for some silicone and some more Caulerpa for my fuge. The little silicone tube is about two dollars and some change and the bag of Caulerpa $4.99. My total is 8 bucks and change. I pay, take my silicone and tell him that I will return in an hour or so to pick up the algae as I had some errands to run and didn't want to carry around a bag of green algae to places like Lowe's and Walmart, and the mall etc. Leaving it in the car wasn't an option as it normally gets scorching hot here during the day. So, while I am running errands, I change my mind and decide that I would just get some Phytoplex and some Kalkwasser instead as I am running pretty low on both. I go back to the LFS, tell him that I would like to exchange the silicone and the Caulerpa, that I never picked up, he hadn't bagged it or anything, for a bottle of Phyto and some Kalkwasser mix and pay the difference. Sure, no problem, he says. I go pick up my bottle of Phyto and get the Kalkwasser and see that the 3.5 oz jar of Kalk mix is priced at $7.99. Fine, I am cool with paying a little extra in the name of good service and to support a local business. So, I go back to the counter, pay the difference, thank him and leave the store. While driving home, I reached for my cigarettes in my pocket and pull out the store receipt along with the cigarettes. A fleeting glance reveals an item on the reciept for 8.99. Hmm, I say to myself. I look again, and sure enough the Kalkwasser mix is 8.99 on the reciept but it was 7.99 on the shelf. An honest mistake, I tell myself. Besides, it's only a dollar, so what the heck. But against my better judgement, I decided to call the store and asked whether the price for the Kalkwasser mix had gone up. To which the response was "No, it's 8.99." I say okay, but on the shelf it's 7.99, to which again the response is a very flat "No, it's 8.99." At this point, I am like okay, whatever, so I thank him and hang up. But then the more I thought about it, the more upset I got because I didn't want my stinkin' dollar back, I thought it should be a matter of principle ... so since yesterday, I've been trying to figure out what to do in this situation. Should I just start buying all things online as there isn't a decent LFS within a 100 mile radius? What would you guys do? Am I over reacting?

Thanks for reading this book of a post :p

TKByrnes
09/07/2006, 10:59 PM
Hey a dollar is a dollar!!!

Sk8r
09/07/2006, 11:12 PM
Y'know, I think I'd go back in a good mood and tell the guy it's not the dollar, and you want to go on trading there, but if you've still got the sticker on your bottle and the receipt, I think you should have a discussion about it. I wouldn't TAKE the dollar even if he offers, but I'd make my point that there was a discrepancy there and that other customers may have run into the same thing.

pufferpoison
09/07/2006, 11:30 PM
well if there isn't another fish store within 100 miles, i'd say man it's a dollar oh well and forget it and move on.

mg426
09/07/2006, 11:59 PM
Gas Prices suck worse than the Lost dollar. With no LFS within 100 miles Kind of hard to Burn that bridge.

McCrary
09/08/2006, 01:42 AM
Was the owner the one on the phone or was an employee? I couldn't imagine the owner being so insistent about a dollar. I would think he would just eat the dollar or whatever to have your business. But you gotta remember that everyone has bad days and thinks their right even if they're wrong.

GreshamH
09/08/2006, 03:55 AM
FWIW, they have to stick buy the posted price, if not, it's against the law (bait and switch). Every retail place I've worked at (LFS included) has been very carefull with things like that. If a customer points out a mistake, you eat the difference, and make the customer happy, and you don't break the law at the same time.

GreshamH
09/08/2006, 03:56 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8101763#post8101763 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TurboSnail8898
Was the owner the one on the phone or was an employee? I couldn't imagine the owner being so insistent about a dollar. I would think he would just eat the dollar or whatever to have your business. But you gotta remember that everyone has bad days and thinks their right even if they're wrong.

In sales, you don't get many second chances, nor can you ever afford to have bad days. A customer lost, is a lost sale.

jdm0012
09/08/2006, 04:42 AM
you dont say in your post if they checked the shelf and it was 8.99, is it possible that you looked at the wrong sticker? Were they rude on the phone or just verifing the price?

Hop
09/08/2006, 06:06 AM
Sometimes you just have to be happy having a LFS that can screw you out of a dollar. Up until recently the closest SW store was over three hours away and I had to do all my ordering on line. We got a SW store about six months ago, but it's still 45 minutes away:rolleyes:

Amphiprion
09/08/2006, 06:23 AM
Sorry to hear that. The right thing would have been for the store to give up the dollar and give you the advertised price. That is what I try to do whenever these things happen.

pufferpoison
09/08/2006, 06:25 AM
.