[galland]

Oh man,
I must admit that I keep freshies now that my back is trashed and I do my water changes with a python. Well here goes. I come home and my giant gourami is floating near the top of the tank. I'm wondering. . .what the hell the Aquatic garbage dump is lethargic! Turns out that my sweet Jalli Titanium 800w cook your dinner heater has crapped out in about 4 months. Oh, the power module said everything was fine but the element was stone cold. And. .it's never hit air. So I go into oh poo mode. 730 at night. Got a half hour to save the poor chap. Leroy says come on up. Got a 300 Visitherm for 35.99. I look in the Dr Foster/Smith and Petsolutions catalog and whoa. 18.99 for the exact same thing. So I shoot up there and he's givin the spiel on how he cannot be undersold. So I whip out the catalog and he says oh Sh*& man, you can't pull that crap here. Leroy's box is marked 45.99 and then has the hero sticker for 35.99. He says oh I gotta make a profit. All while he's talkin about using a copper banded butterfly to start a new salt setup. Oh well. Just my 2 cents. I know we have to keep the local's in business, but c'mon.
Mike

 

[skylergirl]

Most stores have a higher markup than what you'd find in the catalogs/online. You pay for the opportunity to purchase something that you want right away and get it right away.

 

[sean]

Well put sunny! Every single lfs you go to you will see price differences like that. Ive never seen a lfs that has better prices than a online store. But, at a lfs you get someone upfront to talk to, you get to see you what your buying in person, and you dont have to pay shipping.

 

[PaintGuru]

A 100% markup is a bit high. I would expect 50-75% at the most. Thats why I rarely buy drygood at LFS.

 

[galland]

Oh I agree. You get to talk to someone about what you are buying. But some of the online stores offer free shipping and they have technical advice as well. I'm definitely not promoting these places but man Leroy will tell you that what he has is THE BEST and you won't get a better deal. The educated consumer is what stores fear most.

 

[Guest]

i work at an lfs store as some of you might know. 18 dollars is cheaper than what a wholesaler in this region is selling that exact heater for. i think our cost is 24.69 or in that area. and we see it for less than 35. unfortunatly lfs stores cannot buy as many items as a large scale internet seller can so therefore we don't usually buy direct from the manufacturer, so instead we have to buy from a wholesaler and pay their price on an item. where they probably get that item for 18 dollars. the downside of middlemen i guess

 

[tszetela]

From many years of experience w/ him I can say is an ass!
I once saw him tear down a for-sale sign I had posted in a local Danny's Super Market BB for a tank I was selling!

 

[shermlock]

I have always heard that LFS can't buy drygoods from their wholesalers for what people pay on-line. My question is why don't LFS just buy from the on-line stores? I understand that they are still not going to be able to beat the on-line stores but at least they will be able to offer the product at a better price.
Scott

 

[PaintGuru]

Probably because then NO wholesaler would deal with the LFS on anything and you can't run a LFS off of mailorder alone, IMO.

 

[shermlock]

O.K., it is like a blackball thing. I understand that.
Scott

 

[galland]

NOW READ THIS)
I just got off the phone with Petsolutions. They told me that the Visitherm 300 W heater is on sale for 16.91. Not bad. I then asked if they would sell to local fish stores. They said, and I quote, "We will sell to anyone and everyone." Oh. . and shipping is free over $275.00. I just think that some of the LFS's are getting it cheaper and just telling the consumer that they can't. If in doubt call Paula at Petsolutions. What a scam. I ordered one. Oh, I also called Jalli heaters and talked to a guy named CHI. He is going to send another heater out ASAP. Sounds like good people. Will confirm when it arrives.
Shake it easy,
Mike

 

[wingsfan]

I don't really see no reason for the online stores not selling to LFS. It isn't like the locals would be competeing with the online.The online could sell the product to the LFS for their regular price, or even give a deal like they do for group buys. Then the LFS could sell for a profit and probably still be cheaper than they were originally and still make a profit.Everyone sells their product and the consumer doesn't have to pay an arm and a leg.Glad to here you got taken care of galland.

 

[galland]

AMEN BROTHER

 

[novi tony]

Until people have run their own small business, you should lay off of the badgering of lfs prices. Internet sites incur half of the costs as a store. The store must have hourly help, higher maintenance costs, higher electrical costs, insurance, building rent, health care, and savings plans for owners and management. This is where the cost comes from. They also do not sell as many items as internet wholesalers so their buying prices for equipment are higher because of less quantity. I urge you to all take it easy on critisizing the local stores, they have many more bills that they have to pay for while selling less livestock and dry goods. Property tax on a good size chunck of land is 10,000 or more a year. Do you know how many fish you must sell, just to break even on that number or a rent of 3-4000 per month for most mini-mall spaces?

 

[Russ K]

Your correct about the overhead they incur Tony, but come on. If they say they can't get something as cheap as we can online then they are fools and ignorant business owners who do not do their homework and shop around or they are just plain lieing. We all know the price they charge will be more than online due to all the things you state but come on they don't pay more than online prices at least not much. Heck some of these online stores are probably the same wholesaler the LFS get their stuff from just under another name to protect their identity from the LFS.

 

[galland]

I agree with the overhead. But I pay taxes, mortgage, health insurance, retirement, medicare, state tax. etc etc. That's the beauty of the American way. We work hard for our money and the competition between stores should stay that way to prevent gouging or taking control of the local market. Dirty sales tactics like Leroy uses, putting 45.99 price tags and then below 35.99 just to mislead the consumer are underhanded and cheap. Poor young kid that comes in and sets up his first tank. Finds it too expensive to keep going.
Mike

 

[novi tony]

I agree, but some people think all the local fs's are out to screw them, but they have to make a living too, it is not a charity event, it is business and if you are not going to make any money then why bother wasting your time.

 

[fishboy420]

i agree with tony & galland, on the overhead things. they are still making money on people so if their tactics bother you then do not shop there. i got a magnum 350 pro external from him for $ 62 & to quote Drs. Foster & Smith its "$99.99" in the most recent catalog. So some things are too high priced & others you can find a deal. So its the shopping around that makes this hobby the way it is. Also Leroy has the best all glass aquarium prices. His livestock is beat down so i dont purchase fish unless there feeders, then i still put them in quarintine for about a month. He isnt ever a jerk in my eyes but whoever said he ripped down a tank sale sign then that is crappy. His dry good price is better than pet stations but pet station has a better selection.

 

[huggydoo]

There is no way a lfs can come close to competing with a online service. I'm a Lfs and it's impossible to stock goods at a price anywhere near online prices. The sheer volume of sales makes it easy for them. The lfs won't be around for long selling dry goods as their main income! The only way to make a profit is livestock, because the consumer can see what he's getting. It's true that some items online are cheaper then what we pay for them. How silly would it be for me to order online and then try to sell to you guys. Small lfs are going to start dropping like flies if they depend on dry goods.