What do you wish your LFS had told you?

i just wish the first one i went to was honest. i didn't do my research before hand which was my own fault, but i was told to buy fresh water lights filters and such when i didn't need it. i was also told i didn't need power heads because that was old technology and live rock was useless. there's a lot to be said about an honest salesman and that store has lost well over 1000$ of my business alone never mind the people i tell not to go there because of their shady practices. its sad that i drive an hour away to go fish shopping when that store is 10 minutes away

 

Greybeard, I would urge you to tell every customer to do their own research. I would let them know what your methods are, but also there are alot of other ways to do it. Its important to foster in new hobbyists a propensity of self education in order for them to be successful.

 

yeah too bad the fish store more local to you didn't understand the long term benefits to happy customers rather than just looking at the immediate sale.
Thanks for sharing!
Greybeard

 

i wish they had told me they were going to empty my wallet and keep it empty. lol

 

LOL pink4miss!

LFS is like a box full of addictive drugs isn't it? It isn't much better for the lfs owner as far as I can tell LOL

Before I started setting up adn stocking up for SW I was actually taking home a (small) paycheck... not any more! LOL

Thanks!

 

yes it is. and i feel i have to hit the LFS on their delivery day each week and leaving empty handed is rare. why is that? lol

 

Have an awesome looking place that's nice and clean with well kept tanks.... that will say alot.

Lemme upload a pic from my iPhone of a place I went last weekend. I couldn't believe I was seeing it....

 

I read page 1 and skipped to reply.

What I wish they would've told me:

"I am a liar after your money"

A little heads up on that would've been useful ;D A little honesty goes a long way

 

Just now reading through your post and understanding why you posted your question (admittedly, I only read the title of the post) and reading a few other posts...

I have been to a few "honest" stores and I have seen one of them close in the past year. even though the owner was kind of a d@&che, I never felt he was in it to take all my money... He just didn't manage the business very well...

I don't think there's anything wrong with offering good advice, and many times customers will come to your store seeking it, I'm sure... I know I did when I was a noob and didn't know any better... but I know better now, and there are only a few LFS employees that I will actually listen to... they happen to be the same ones who seem to be interested in listening to me as well, so we have a mutual understanding... Though I have seen this same person who is very smart give bad advice to a guy who was buying their first set up by telling them that they "could" go without a skimmer... now, maybe so, but not without doing some research into WHY you could go skimmerless... but he didn't take it that far... he also told a newb that a duncan was an easy beginner coral to keep...ugg. I know this guy and I know he wasn't being malevolent, but he didn't give them the best advice.

anyway, I think you should tell folks who are just getting into the hobby exactly what they need to know to get started, and that it's going to cost some money depending on what they want to keep.

Don't lead them down paths to "save" them money knowing that they will just spend what it takes to get by and then come back later when they find out it really costs more to keep a reef...

I think there is a delicate balance between winning a customer and losing one because of initial cost. If someone told me that a reef tank was going to cost me 2K+ to really get it where I want it, I'd have been scared away.

At the same time, if someone told me that I could do it for $500 and I spent $500 and lost a bunch of animals because I didn't have the proper set up, I'd be unhappy when I found out I really needed to spend more to get there, too, and I wouldn't trust the LFS who told me that...

So, really, just be honest, and let a customer make up their mind about things... maybe steer them towards adding a little at a time, and work with them over the long run, instead of spending all their money today, get them to come back when it's time to add the next piece. Honesty is the best policy, and when you don't know the answer, don't be afraid to admit it... just say, "that's a good question, and I'll be glad to find out for you!".