Does Tropical Isle discount coral w/BRS card
- Thread starter turfgrass
- Start date
synchiropi
Low energy alien reefer
Being in Worcester, TI is a good resource for hard goods when I need something in an urgency or something that I want to see firsthand. I think their saltwater fish selection is acceptable. I got both my purple firefish and solarensis wrasse for an ok price.
I think the guys working by the fish tanks are rather knowledgable and can be helpful. HOWEVER, I do have an issue with the attitude of some of the people while checking out. There is this girl that has been just plain rude. Darn....!
So, its hard for me to get there to pay a lot and not feel well treated. I would rather drive all the way down to Sea Creature and Coral Reef, get good prices, good livestock and friendly people. I also like Beacon, smaller store, but friendly and decent prices. Or AquaDreams if I am coming from the west...
Haha, I was looking for an excuse to post about this on the forums, hehe....
I think the guys working by the fish tanks are rather knowledgable and can be helpful. HOWEVER, I do have an issue with the attitude of some of the people while checking out. There is this girl that has been just plain rude. Darn....!
So, its hard for me to get there to pay a lot and not feel well treated. I would rather drive all the way down to Sea Creature and Coral Reef, get good prices, good livestock and friendly people. I also like Beacon, smaller store, but friendly and decent prices. Or AquaDreams if I am coming from the west...
Haha, I was looking for an excuse to post about this on the forums, hehe....
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TheUltimateNoob
TheUltimateNoob
lol. the owner (i forget his name... mr. london or something?) was very rude to me last time i went too but i will say that a couple of the guys that work there are very knowledgeable and friendly.
JustDavidP
Non-member
Funny thing is, whenever a "TI" thread pops up, and people start dogging on their staff, there is a marked difference in the attitude of their staff towards customers and/or BRS.
Honestly, having been a customer of theirs for some time, I no longer get the "cold shoulder" or negative feelings from anyone in the shop.
I wouldn't blame them though, for having a chip on their shoulder if they read the various negative threads about them on the boards.
I've noticed that their store is ALWAYS busy. Whenever I need a bulkhead, RO fitting or whatever, they have it. They've been operating for many years very successfully. Obviously, they are a good LFS.
Dunno...maybe I just push the "support your LFS" thing too far, but I'd rather have three more stores like TI and fewer "Big Name" "pet-companies" in my area....
Honestly, having been a customer of theirs for some time, I no longer get the "cold shoulder" or negative feelings from anyone in the shop.
I wouldn't blame them though, for having a chip on their shoulder if they read the various negative threads about them on the boards.
I've noticed that their store is ALWAYS busy. Whenever I need a bulkhead, RO fitting or whatever, they have it. They've been operating for many years very successfully. Obviously, they are a good LFS.
Dunno...maybe I just push the "support your LFS" thing too far, but I'd rather have three more stores like TI and fewer "Big Name" "pet-companies" in my area....
Ba19Ma88
Non-member
I can tell you also the floor help those guys are great but I can for 100% agree about the girl at the register.
I would not go ther again when I have AA very close by and on top of that I went to skiptons for the first time and I coudl not feel better and have to say to be treated that well even only spending 100.00 was well worth the drive alone. As far as TI befoe I knew about BRS I went there and bought my tank and stand (46 Oceanic Bow and Oceanic stand so you know the kinda money I dropped that day) Still felt like I treated them bad and walked out of there shaking me head saying why did I shop there. (again this rant is not about the floor help at all! they are some pretty good guys there)
I would not go ther again when I have AA very close by and on top of that I went to skiptons for the first time and I coudl not feel better and have to say to be treated that well even only spending 100.00 was well worth the drive alone. As far as TI befoe I knew about BRS I went there and bought my tank and stand (46 Oceanic Bow and Oceanic stand so you know the kinda money I dropped that day) Still felt like I treated them bad and walked out of there shaking me head saying why did I shop there. (again this rant is not about the floor help at all! they are some pretty good guys there)
Yeah, the older lady at the counter makes me not want to go in there..... I'm always weighing out my options:
(1) go in on a weekday when it's not crowded, but have to see the 'mean lady'.
(2) go in on the weekend when the 'nice girl' with red hair is working, but it's crowded as all hell.
Sheesh, if we're all talking like this, imagine what the employees think. I watched the 'mean lady' totally chew out one of the employeers in front of all the customers over something stupid.
Steve
(1) go in on a weekday when it's not crowded, but have to see the 'mean lady'.
(2) go in on the weekend when the 'nice girl' with red hair is working, but it's crowded as all hell.
Sheesh, if we're all talking like this, imagine what the employees think. I watched the 'mean lady' totally chew out one of the employeers in front of all the customers over something stupid.
Steve
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Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
Folks, let's try and keep this discussion on track as to the store as a whole, and not make personal attacks on people. If you think the store (livestock, availability of dry goods, etc.), or the advice you received was great, or not so great, then let's hear that.
Remember, this is a public forum, and there are plenty of people reading what is said, and it all reflects upon the club as a whole.
Remember, this is a public forum, and there are plenty of people reading what is said, and it all reflects upon the club as a whole.
Piscevore
elsewhere
I love the huge tanks at TI. When I was buying freshwater way back when, I would go in and purchase 50 dollars worth every time, because I would walk out with an extra fish (or 2).
My biggest gripe, about most fish stores, is the prices of dry goods. My solution is simple, I buy all my livestock local, hands down, no exceptions. Whenever I buy dry goods, its online, and i buy backups, of nearly everything, because it is so much cheaper I can buy 2 for the same price....
My biggest gripe, about most fish stores, is the prices of dry goods. My solution is simple, I buy all my livestock local, hands down, no exceptions. Whenever I buy dry goods, its online, and i buy backups, of nearly everything, because it is so much cheaper I can buy 2 for the same price....
Well, if TI is listening...
If you're bored, tired, unhappy and just want to take my money, ring up the sale, and bag it with a faraway look in your eyes and mechanical movements, that's OK. That's par for the course.
If you answer my dry goods questions tersely, while slowly edging away from me, that's OK. That's par for the course.
If you get a little impatient when I don't get it the first time, that's OK. That's par for the course.
As you can tell, I expect little. And while TI is the only place I will buy living things, they consistently fail to meet even these basic standards each time I go. I am consistently treated with thinly disguised hostility.
Why?
The quality of the advice and the friendliness of the service in the "wet" section of the store is superb. Even the youngest kid working there is always on the ball. I have often wondered if they have some kind of thorough training program. That kind of quality and consistency are rare in retail environments.
I also wonder what is fueling the obvious unhappiness of the "dry" crew. Are they poorly treated by their bosses? Are they so worn down by hostile customers that they respond in kind to all customers? I don't know, but this is a serious business problem they have. You hear the same tales on the street as you do online.
The worst thing that's ever happened to me in a retail setting happened at TI. I walked over to the counter with a small fish tank and said, grinning, I'd like to leave this on the counter while I grab one more thing. A very young woman reacted with pure fury. "Can't you read?" she said pointing to some sign about leaving stuff on the counter. Her body was literally shaking as she snarled out directions to me. I was stunned. Too stunned to have a reaction of my own. I got my stuff, paid, and walked out. Sitting in the car the fog cleared from my mind. It was my turn to start shaking--with anger. A 20 year old kid dressing down a friendly, paying 40 year old man for breaking a very unusual store rule? What could possibly make a 20 year old so bitter and angry to act like that over something so trivial?
That was about $3000 dollars ago. Later that week, when I ran out of filters, it occurred to me that there must be an online pet store that worked like Amazon. You can guess the rest of the story.
Because of the "wet" section, I am still a big fan of TI. But the owners need to understand that they have a serious business problem on their hands. I swear their sales would double if they put some emphasis on courtesy. Notice I'm not asking for big smiles and special treatment. Just courtesy.
It may be hard for the owners to distinguish an objective appeal from the kind of hyperbolic ranting the net seems to breed, but hopefully they will. Too many people off and on the net are saying exactly the same thing. Two or three times in the last few weeks I've picked up the phone with the intention of calling TI for a price quote on a 90g Oceanic system. But, I can't go through with it. I can't take another rude experience.
If you're bored, tired, unhappy and just want to take my money, ring up the sale, and bag it with a faraway look in your eyes and mechanical movements, that's OK. That's par for the course.
If you answer my dry goods questions tersely, while slowly edging away from me, that's OK. That's par for the course.
If you get a little impatient when I don't get it the first time, that's OK. That's par for the course.
As you can tell, I expect little. And while TI is the only place I will buy living things, they consistently fail to meet even these basic standards each time I go. I am consistently treated with thinly disguised hostility.
Why?
The quality of the advice and the friendliness of the service in the "wet" section of the store is superb. Even the youngest kid working there is always on the ball. I have often wondered if they have some kind of thorough training program. That kind of quality and consistency are rare in retail environments.
I also wonder what is fueling the obvious unhappiness of the "dry" crew. Are they poorly treated by their bosses? Are they so worn down by hostile customers that they respond in kind to all customers? I don't know, but this is a serious business problem they have. You hear the same tales on the street as you do online.
The worst thing that's ever happened to me in a retail setting happened at TI. I walked over to the counter with a small fish tank and said, grinning, I'd like to leave this on the counter while I grab one more thing. A very young woman reacted with pure fury. "Can't you read?" she said pointing to some sign about leaving stuff on the counter. Her body was literally shaking as she snarled out directions to me. I was stunned. Too stunned to have a reaction of my own. I got my stuff, paid, and walked out. Sitting in the car the fog cleared from my mind. It was my turn to start shaking--with anger. A 20 year old kid dressing down a friendly, paying 40 year old man for breaking a very unusual store rule? What could possibly make a 20 year old so bitter and angry to act like that over something so trivial?
That was about $3000 dollars ago. Later that week, when I ran out of filters, it occurred to me that there must be an online pet store that worked like Amazon. You can guess the rest of the story.
Because of the "wet" section, I am still a big fan of TI. But the owners need to understand that they have a serious business problem on their hands. I swear their sales would double if they put some emphasis on courtesy. Notice I'm not asking for big smiles and special treatment. Just courtesy.
It may be hard for the owners to distinguish an objective appeal from the kind of hyperbolic ranting the net seems to breed, but hopefully they will. Too many people off and on the net are saying exactly the same thing. Two or three times in the last few weeks I've picked up the phone with the intention of calling TI for a price quote on a 90g Oceanic system. But, I can't go through with it. I can't take another rude experience.
Ti
I hate to just be a me too voice...but you're all exactly correct.
The folks working the tanks are phenomenal....
I have been going there for years and I still feel like I'm going to see the .......... I've learned how to deal with the opionions of the "wet side" (I just tell them I've got a 180 gallon with a billion watts of MH and they let me buy what i want). On the cashing out side...it's a whole diff. story.
I'm assuming the young girl with the tatoo is the owners daughter....
I do also concur that they've had absolutley everything I ever wanted to buy....
I hate to just be a me too voice...but you're all exactly correct.
The folks working the tanks are phenomenal....
I have been going there for years and I still feel like I'm going to see the .......... I've learned how to deal with the opionions of the "wet side" (I just tell them I've got a 180 gallon with a billion watts of MH and they let me buy what i want
). On the cashing out side...it's a whole diff. story.I'm assuming the young girl with the tatoo is the owners daughter....
I do also concur that they've had absolutley everything I ever wanted to buy....
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Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
After just watching another documentary on the Holocaust (60th anniversary of the liberation of the camps) I wish people would be more careful about throwing around these kinds of words.
Maybe some of you care to vent your frustrations without besmirching the BRS name . . .
http://www.fishstorereview.com/reviews/reviews_ma.html
Maybe have some of your favorite stores added to let everyone know who the competition is and how they do things.
http://www.fishstorereview.com/reviews/reviews_ma.html
Maybe have some of your favorite stores added to let everyone know who the competition is and how they do things.
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