Qattarra Posted November 6, 2007 Report Share Posted November 6, 2007 (edited) This is my opinion , but I want everyone who uses this site to pony-up. Large chain stores have budgets for advertising , they send you flyers and cattalogues. They take out ads in our papers. We come out here and vent on how the stock we bought was sick and we lose fish to the diseases we've introduced. We complain how the staff has too small a knowledge base and too much bad advice. How we can't get good service or even speak to us . And yet for some reason beyond my understanding , it's the first places recommended. Why? When we have sponsors on here that support US why are they not the first place you think of? Only after checking out our sponsors first should we be going out to purchase our goods. We get great discounts from certain sponsors, they go out of their way to stock fish WE want. They allow us group orders from which they don't make sqat for profit, yet the first words out of recommendation is not them?! In my opinion , in order to have the PRIVILEGE of having your store name mentioned on this site , I think you HAVE to be a sponsor . Otherwise the term local fish or pet store is the only thing allowed. This is my rant and my opinion , I just hope a lot more people come onboard with this. Our independents can't stay in business without our support too. When we lose them just think of what we're left with. Edited November 6, 2007 by Qattarra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 I agree! In fact, when telling people about where to get fish, I usually recommend that they stay away from the chains. There are only a couple stores in town that I'll recommend people check out for fish; unless, I know that what someone is looking for isn't in stock there. And, usually only one other place to check out equipment. However, I always tell people about the potential pitfalls of purchasing from a place that has centralized filtration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 Well said Sue, and for the most part I agree with what you said, but let's not forget that one of the sponsors of this site also falls under the chain store category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishGeek Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 I too get most of my stuff from an independent ( rated number 1 in alberta) and ocasionaly from one other independent that is not to far from the fore mentioned one. However for certain items it makes more economical sense to buy from a chain as the independents do not carry that particular item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murminator Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 I too get most of my stuff from an independent ( rated number 1 in alberta) and ocasionaly from one other independent that is not to far from the fore mentioned one. However for certain items it makes more economical sense to buy from a chain as the independents do not carry that particular item. I do "try" to get my livestock from the non chain stores but I never need anything and if I do my favorite places don't carry what I need at the time, same goes for drygoods the chemicals and the test kits I need I order out of J&L and ship them here. And for anything else I work 9-5,6 sometimes till 7 the chain is there and open. I do go to the chains to "look" because they do have a larger selection but as for buy not usually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaggle Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 I try to pay a visit to the independents stores when I am traveling, but since I am so far out of a descent town and I am coming in at odd hours some time I have to go the chain stores. I have always found that the littles guys can help you more and have better live stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted November 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 I would not try to tell anyone where to shop. I am saying that here , on AA, we need to give our sponsors our support, including our PL in Rd. It simply bothers me that when someone asks "does anyone know where...." that the first and sometimes , only , recommendations are other than our sponsors. It would be my suggestion to PM any of the sponsors first to find out if they can help out. Cost is nothing. The cost of having a store , holding products and stock we well know is getting more expensive all the time. If chain stores chose to help us out on here and in our pocket books , great. It's my understanding that some can not get wholesale discount like others can. In order to be competitive the profit margin is even smaller. I can't even get into all the logistics as I've never owned a store or run a business. I simply understand that I need to help where I can , that's to support the businesses most at risk that I want to keep going to. Lets give our loyalty to our independents and sponsors first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 It simply bothers me that when someone asks "does anyone know where...." that the first and sometimes , only , recommendations are other than our sponsors. It would be my suggestion to PM any of the sponsors first to find out if they can help out. Oh, I agree 100%. I was simply pointing out that it's not fair to be lumping all of the "chain" stores together, and that one of the large chains here in western Canada is also a sponsor of this site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 It simply bothers me that when someone asks "does anyone know where...." that the first and sometimes , only , recommendations are other than our sponsors. It would be my suggestion to PM any of the sponsors first to find out if they can help out. Cost is nothing. I personaly do pm the sponsors or ask on this forum if I am looking for something unusual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 This is my opinion , but I want everyone who uses this site to pony-up. Large chain stores have budgets for advertising , they send you flyers and cattalogues. They take out ads in our papers. We come out here and vent on how the stock we bought was sick and we lose fish to the diseases we've introduced. We complain how the staff has too small a knowledge base and too much bad advice. How we can't get good service or even speak to us . And yet for some reason beyond my understanding , it's the first places recommended.Why? When we have sponsors on here that support US why are they not the first place you think of? Only after checking out our sponsors first should we be going out to purchase our goods. We get great discounts from certain sponsors, they go out of their way to stock fish WE want. They allow us group orders from which they don't make sqat for profit, yet the first words out of recommendation is not them?! In my opinion , in order to have the PRIVILEGE of having your store name mentioned on this site , I think you HAVE to be a sponsor . Otherwise the term local fish or pet store is the only thing allowed. This is my rant and my opinion , I just hope a lot more people come onboard with this. Our independents can't stay in business without our support too. When we lose them just think of what we're left with. Perhaps I have not seen as many instances of a chain store being promoted over an independant store, but I think this site, just by virtue of being a LOCAL site, has done more to promote local, independant stores than any other non-local fish forum could ever do. Many of us have met other members, through this forum, or through our local aquarium societies. (which also get promoted here in a way that would not be available to Albertans without this forum.) We talk, become friends, and of course, exchange information. I think we have a strong community of aquarists here in Alberta, which is reinforced by this forum. That in turn, is good for all of the GOOD fish stores that sell to us, be they independant or chain. The good ones will get talked about, so will the bad...(although not on the open forum :tongue: ) I do agree with you about how important it is to support independant stores. The chains will still be around no matter where we shop, some of the independant ones, not so much. It's a personal mission of mine to visit ALL of the independant fish stores in Calgary........ and thanks to this forum's handy 'fish store in Alberta' list, I see I still have a few more to go!..... ..... there's also a few stores in Edmonton I'd like to get to, thanks to what I've read on this forum. :smokey: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosshog Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 I enjoy going to the smaller indy stores. The only bad part is they often don't have what I need or want, then I have to go to the chain store. Oh well get to look at more stuff. I was looking for a tank a couple months ago and posted what I was looking for. The only response I got was from an independent, I called up the next day and made the order. Have bought stock over the phone from them and on Friday I'll be going into the store to meet in person, can't wait. Will be buying again. I hope to visit a few of the independent stores in Cowtown while there Thurs/Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Lee Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 I agree Sue. It is because of the best fish store (in my opinion) that I am here and I always shop there and endorse them. I think others should too. Hurrah for the proper treatment of fish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooUrns! Posted November 7, 2007 Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 Over the past year I've gradually reduced my visits to large LFS chains. I grew increasingly frustrated with poor livestock quality that constantly needed long periods of quarantine due to the centralized water filter systems they employed. I grew tired of the uninformed, disinterested or just plain rude staff (my favourite was the 15yr old kid who told me I couldn't keep goldfish with koi and then proceeded to sell me two rare veil-tailed comets (should have been $25.00ea.) as sarrassa comets $5.99 on a 2for1 deal ~sometimes I like ignorant people ). When I found an independent LFS that isolated their tanks and quarantined their stock prior to sale, I was finished with the big box stores. I won't mention any names (cough:Nature's Corner:cough) though. I've sought out other independents here in Edmonton and Calgary and was pleased with their offerings aswell. I will still wander in to the large chain stores to window shop or purchase food for my gf's feline fiends, but it has been a long time since I've made a live goods purchase from any of them. It's nice to see that the independents are making an effort to deliver savings to the consumers. I make an effort to give them my business. I feel good about buying premium products from these vendors because I feel that I'm getting a fair price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted November 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2007 Here here!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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