I was asked to LEAVE PET***** (local chain store)

[Jnam]

So this might just be a rant for me but here goes. I was at my local chain pet store (i will leaved it un named). I was picking up some flourish, they are the cheapest local place to purchase it, I dedided to take a look at what they had as for as stock goes. There was a young lady there also looking at the fish. She asked me what I thought about the kissing gouramis that were on sale, I told her I didnt have any experience with them but i had heard they were sensitive to water quality. She asked me what i ment. I explained water quality and what the nitrogen cylce was. Pet***** actually had a pamphlet on it (go figure). She was just getting into aquaria. I saw she had a nice 16 bowfront set up in her cart and she said she was thinking of setting it all up and throwing in her new fishes. I explained (briefly) what a fishless cycle was and how it would benefit her fish. I told her she should wait on getting the new fish and let the tank establish itself. I left it at that she thanked me and i told her about a cool website she could go to and learn all about the best way to set up her new tank (of course it was AA!!! vote for AA by the way). She thanked me and I left it at that. A couple minutes later the manager of the store came up to me and asked that I not tell HIS customers NOT to buy fish. That it was her choice. Now I work in sales and i told him I understood where he was comming from but I also voiced that selling her the fish would almost gaurantee that they would die, and I figured explaining this to her would help them create a repeat customer and not just a one time sale. I guess this peaved him and he asked me to LEAVE!!! It was terrible. I did wait to see if the girl left with any fish, and thankfully she waited. Before he asked me to leave though I did ask him "so if the fish die what is your return policy?" his answer "we have a 14 day return policy if her fish die we will replace them, all she needs to do is bring them back." I asked "just the dead fish or the dead fish and a water sample?" He said "both" I think what angered him was this last statement. Me talking " so if her water tests for high amonia because she put her fish into an uncycled tank will you refund the purchase?" his answer was "NO, but we would show her what product would get the amonia down to a safe level" LOL

kk the rant is over but is this common? If it is how sad. I gues no more trips to Pet*****.

[DallasFish]

That isn't normal for them. You should call Petsmart corporate and complain.

[HoCkEyGmC]

kinda common in chain pet stores, theyre in it for the cash and they dont really care about that kind of stuff. this isnt all chains but in some where they dont really train people or if they dont have expirence this is very possible.

EDIT: if it's the place mentioned above (not gunna say) than i wouldnt expect that, they are usually fairly reliable.

[mgamer20o0]

did you give him this site too? lol

[SpeedEuphoria]

I agree, they do have a good return policy except if you have bad water conditions like an uncycled tank even unknowingly(everyone was a noob once).

Funny though that I doubt that you would ever be asked to leave at any other store, where you said hey they have "this item" onsale at ---

I could see if you were loud and demanding attention from all of the customers in the fish department, even though your correct.

The thing is that that lady IS prob going to buy fish from that store in the near future

[Jnam]

I agree I have never had trouble at this store before. Its one of the few chains I go to frquently. And no I wasnt loud at all. And on the managers behalf, this store has recently had new stores built directly infront of it. And I believe it has caused a problem with thier foot traffic and probably thier sales. He was not rude in the way he handled the situation nor was I rude with my comments, just matter of fact.

Its is just sad to me thats all. Large discount retailers have put all but one LFS out of business and even he says that hes barely turning a profit. Luckily he makes a reef cleaner package that he sells online that makes him a lot of money.

Maybe he was having a bad day, or maybe I was. I usually go to a different location than this one. And more than likely ill still go there and tell my good friends there about thier sister store...

Like I said maybe just a rant on my part. Happy TUESDAY!

And yes I told her about AA and gave her the address... This site is AWESOME!!

*edit*
I did tell the customer durring our conversation to come back to "this store" after her tank was established to buy her fish, and that as long as I put my fish from "this store" into and established tank that they have all survived.
*edit*

[rob28]

thats what you get from the "big box" stores. i was a manager at home depot for 4 years and although they dont sell fish, the same type of, sell the product and get them in the fine print, attitude is used.

sorry to hear

[morningman]

You DID THE RIGHT THING! You may have irritated Mr. Bottom Line, but so what? And Remember....
It's not just that particular chain....believe me! I've been in many a Aquarium/fish shop in my life. I've been at this hobby now for 37 years (since I was 10) There are a few things you can count on:

1- Better than half the time...the person working in the shop doesn't know his you know what from a whole in the ground (when it comes to fish and their needs)

2- Many people (when they DO get good advice from a knowledgable person) don't follow the advice anyway.

The good /successful people in this hobby pay attention to detail, do some research, and always ask questions of someone they trust. Look at your fish for a few minutes every day and they will teach you something! Even after 37 years....I still learn something every week!

[MichaelsLilGray]

the petsmart down here in tyler, they recommend you cycle the tank prior to putting fish in. the managers dont mind it, **** they even do it. Its just as everyone said. return business.. i buy my feeders, just got an oscar not to long ago.. bala's you name it.. they have a lot of business from me, mainly because of how knoledgeable the staff is. and half of them are my friends. lol. but still. they know there stuff.

[CatatonicBug]

It's actually very suprising how few professional fish sellers have never heard of the concept of cycling a tank. I have read posts on here where LFS owners told people that if they ever added ammonia to a tank, they wouldn't sell them any more fish - ever! It's amazing how some people think that just adding some kind of bottled junk will actually make a tank ready for fish.

[dbase]

Which one was it, the one on Federal or Milwaukee? I can't stand the guys on federal (they have steered me wrong a few times already). Have you tried Boise Freshwater Aquariums on Overland/Five Mile? The two brothers that own it are really sharp and helpful. Very reasonable prices too.

Fellow Boisean.

[Door]

It's so depressing that the manager justified his position with the store's replacement policy. Aside from the unfeeling attitude toward the fish, it's a cruel thing to do to a aquarium novice. There's nothing like the feeling of netting dead fish out of water to make a person develop a depressed, cynical, and avoidant attitude toward their aquarium... you know, that corner of your apartment you try not to linger in, like the water damage spot on the ceiling of a Japanese horror movie.

[krap101]

From the viewpoint of the pet stores like this, I believe they don't have to pay for dead fish, but they just tally up the dead fish and the distributor replaces them (free i think).

Kinda defending him (in a way) the general American outlook is basically "I want it now" so, asking them to wait a month for the tank to cycle is a lot. Also, I don't believe that they screen the workers at petsmart that well, and I usually hear the basic spewed out nonsense.

[Door]

Bah, I guess you're right in a way. Some things people have to learn from experience b/c they're too stubborn or careless to take even the most conscientious petstore clerk's advice on. Like so many other things, you don't really get it until you live it.

[buddha_red]

i think the main problem is the retail chains dont care who they put where. As long as they can catch a fish, thats usually good enough. Information moves quickly these days but unless your lucky enough to find a site like this, your going to hear dated information.

When i started in freshwater, "I was told run the aquarium for three days then add hardy fish and wait a month." at the time, that was all we knew to do.

But times have changed. the hobby has taken a more scientific approach. We use new methods of cycling a tank and they do work. As Krap101 said, in america its really hard to sell someone everything for an aquarium and tell them to stare at a empty tank for a month. It drove me nuts but im happy to have cycled without fish.

[krap101]

Funny thing is that by them (most likely) killing their first fish, quite a few of them will look for a way to prevent future deaths, which would lead them to forums like this. Ironic eh? Sacrifice the few to save the many kind of approach I guess.. Others will just keep listening to the kids who work at the petstore, and after they kill enough fish, their tank will eventually be cycled..

[GhostKnife]

O think it depends on where you go. The petsmart nearest my house is somewhat savvy. However the petsmart on the other side of town does not care. For instance some young kid doing it because his parents made him get a job. He cant wait for his four hours to be up. He bagged my clown loaches in a single bag. Got to the car not thinking about it and the barbs on their lips had punctured the bag. I took the bag back in and he then took a second bag and put it around the first. I said "Wow thats it" he said yep here ya go. I said gee thanks I appreciate it...and stood there. He then said what. I have a temper/anger management problem that I have been working on haha so I said nothing and hurried home and have not returned since. So it does vary!

[GhostKnife]

Originally Posted by krap101

Funny thing is that by them (most likely) killing their first fish, quite a few of them will look for a way to prevent future deaths, which would lead them to forums like this. Ironic eh? Sacrifice the few to save the many kind of approach I guess.. Others will just keep listening to the kids who work at the petstore, and after they kill enough fish, their tank will eventually be cycled..

Very true as this is what I did I needed to find someone/somewhere that I could gather useful information. Now some that I talk to I explain to them and end up saving them time and money etc.(fish) so... thanks to all of you

[dmoney87]

Ever since remembering that there was a local Big Al's in my city, I have never stepped foot inside of a pets mart. (thankfully I don't own any other pets) My big Al's goes above and beyond. They QT all of there new arrivals for 3 weeks, and ask every customer who plans on buying stock.. water parameters (and if they go huh ? whats a para-meter) they show them the test kits or ask them to bring in a water sample and explain how important it is. Next they ask for tank size, temperature and current stock.. and believe it or not if they feel you cant provide the right conditions they will refuse to make a sale. Although sometimes this can lead to longer than desired wait time to get some assistance, I find it quite admirable. Ive met every employee of the store including the manager & owner. All are themselves participate in the hobby and are quite knowledgeable.. even the "younger kids" as you old people like to call us =p .. sorry I kind of got off topic here but I really just dislike pets mart and the practices they keep.

-davE

[Brad.Sedore]

Ive been asked not to return to my local petsmart. theres a string of events that started with me telling a 10 year old kid that a pixie frog isnt the pet for him. the second time there was a younger guy. i would think 15 or 16 wanting to buy a black and white tegu. when i told him that the species wont fit in that 30 gallon tank when it grows older he told me that i was wrong... the employee had told him the animal will only get to 11-13 inchs... so when i corrected him i was asked not to return

-Brad