Tales from the LFS: Part 2

ryebread

Active Member
Well, I didn't think we would have a new TFTLFS so soon but you know how things go sometimes. :)
Rye: Hello there, can I help ya?
Man: Yeah......I was wondering if you had any True Perculas in stock?
Rye: Nope. I have a whole bunch of False ones in, but I am all out of the True Percs. The True Percs are a little bit more expensive.
Man: So. Don't you think it's worth the difference?
Rye:........Well, it's up to you I guess. I have False Perculas in my tank at home and I love em.
Man: I can't believe that people want those genetically engineered ones like that! I guess that they will just pay less for lower quality.
Rye: ........
Man: How much are the fake ones?
Rye: The False Percs are $12 each or 2 for $20. The True Percs run about $15 a piece.
Man: Okay.......you talked me into them. Give me 10 of them.
Rye:.........:eek: How large of a tank do you have?
Man: Oh, I don't have a tank. They are for my Nephew. He is starting up a tank and he wants to have some colorful, active fish.......I researched these ones and I think they will do good for him.
Rye: You say he is starting up a tank? Is it already running? Do you know what size the tank is? I don't even think that I have 10 of those in stock and if I did, we wouldn't want to sell all of them to you........they would probably fight each other.......they can be pretty territorial.
Man: I thought that you said that you had plenty of the fake ones in stock.
Rye: Well, I think that we have 8 of them......usually that is plenty for a day.
Man: I'll take the 8 that you have and can you call me when you get 2 more of them in?
Rye: We can, but we would feel more comfortable if we knew what type of system they were going into.
Man: Trust me.......it's a big one like this. ( Pointing to a 29 gallon tank. )
Rye: I can't reccommend that you put all of those clowns in a tank that size. Even if the clowns didn't pick on each other......that many fish in a smaller tank would be hard to keep your levels in line.
Man: How long have you been doing this?
Rye: Doing what? Keeping fish? Several years now.
Man: I doubt that.
Rye: .......:confused: :mad:
Man: I am going back to ***** in Indianapolis.....that's where i've always got my stuff and they really
know thier stuff. See ya. :)
Rye: Have a good day sir.
 
Oh my goodness.
What's the matter with people?!
Out of curiosity, how does management / owner feel about your honesty with the customers, considering stubborn dummies like that one could've given the store a lot in sales?
I'm with you, but some business people are somethin else.
 

cincyreefer

Active Member
Knowing the store he works at, I don't think they are all that worried about one $80 sale... Maybe its just this area, but I have yet to be at a LFS, (about 6 or 7 of them) that would give bad advise just for a sale... well maybe one but we wont go there.
 

Originally posted by cincyreefer
Knowing the store he works at, I don't think they are all that worried about one $80 sale... Maybe its just this area, but I have yet to be at a LFS, (about 6 or 7 of them) that would give bad advise just for a sale... well maybe one but we wont go there.

that's good... lfs are vultures around here....
 

nm reef

Active Member
I don't know that I could control myself in a LFS if I was on your side of the fence. I understand that the business needs to turn a profit but folks like that would get a boot to the door and to heck with profits!!!
Last time I was in Lubbock at my favorite LFS I over heard a customer considering a humahuma to CYCLE his new 29...his rational was "if those clowns can survive I don't see why this guy can't...he looks tougher than the clowns!"
I was very pleased to hear one of the sales staff refuse to sell the trigger to that customer...instead he attempted to sell a couple of damsels which the customer refused.
Sometimes I think entry level hobbyists need to get some sort of basic certification in maintaining a marine system before they could legally own a marine system!
But that will never happen and all folks can do is TRY to prevent reckless actions by folks that want what they don't understand.
:cool:
 

karajay

Active Member
Unfortunately for the fish, he probably won't get the point until everything is dead. And even then, would probably blame it on something else rather than admit you were right.
I'd be interested in finding out where this guy did his supposed "research" on true percs.
I can't wait for Part 3! :D
(genetically engineered? :rolleyes: )
 
Rye : I had the same thing happen to me, but she wanted to add a yellow tang and a flame hawk. To a 29 that already had a bat fish, purple tang and 3 damsels. She told me about the same thing you got told, some people .... what can ya do :confused:
 

ryebread

Active Member

Originally posted by cincyreefer
Knowing the store he works at, I don't think they are all that worried about one $80 sale... Maybe its just this area, but I have yet to be at a LFS, (about 6 or 7 of them) that would give bad advise just for a sale... well maybe one but we wont go there.

It's true. I think that we are actually pretty darn lucky in this area. Cincyreefer works at a very reputable establishment as well and I must say that in all the time I have been a customer there....I haven't ever been steered in the wrong direction just for a sale.
We are kind of lucky at my place since our bread and butter is actually running an aquarium maintenance and service business........our accounts are who we have to suck up to. :D If the customers are being rediculous.......we try to steer them in the right direction, but if they are downright goofy we would rather lose them. We don't need thier $10. :)
BTW- Cincyreefer, you need to stop down our way if you haven't lately. We are turning that store around. I have been working on plumbing for the past three weeks getting it into a lot better shape and we are getting all of the systems cleaned up nicely.
 

ryebread

Active Member

Originally posted by karajay
(genetically engineered? :rolleyes: )

I didn't even want to go there......I was too confused. :confused:
 

j-cal

Member
I dunno about the genetic engineering, but i really wanted true percs over false....they look cooler. :p
 

smoothounds

Member
I almost fell out of my chair laughing! I have only been doing this stuff for about a year now, but I know enough to know that ***** isnt were the experts are. That's funny!
 

overanalyzer

Active Member

Originally posted by a_fender69
***** is where the pets go:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I thought that was the pet cemetery - wait isn't that in the scary movie post??
 

Originally posted by ThankGod4Fish
that's good... lfs are vultures around here....

Ditto on that. The stores around here try to push you out the door with everything and anything. It is ridiculous.
 
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