Economic Side of Our Hobby

[JohnK]

"Business isn't fair. We all know the LFS can't compete on price. We're not asking them to. We're asking them to give us something back in response to us paying more. A lot of the LFS aren't doing that."

I agree, but I also feel that some of the LFS's do a pretty good job of giving us something novel and or worthwhile. It's up to each of us to decide where we spend our $, economic darwinsim so to speak. IMO, leave the $ at the good stores and don't buy the mag5 for $100 from the not so good stores.

jk

 

[origreefer]

Business isn't fair. We all know the LFS can't compete on price. We're not asking them to. We're asking them to give us something back in response to us paying more. A lot of the LFS aren't doing that.

You're asking too much. Why does the LFS need to "give" you something more because their price to deliver the product to market is more? That's just not a fair request. What do they get from paying more, nothing. If you want cheap prices and no service, buy online. If you want service and are willing to pay for it. (and service also means being able to look and feel the product before you buy it) then use the LFS.

 

[Bobbofin]

You're asking too much. Why does the LFS need to "give" you something more because their price to deliver the product to market is more? That's just not a fair request. What do they get from paying more, nothing. If you want cheap prices and no service, buy online. If you want service and are willing to pay for it. (and service also means being able to look and feel the product before you buy it) then use the LFS.

Thank you, my point exactly. I'm in the food equipment field. Sure the business owner can whip open a catalog and have a $4000 meat slicer delivered to him via Yellow Transport for $3500. But he is not going have that slicer tweaked at my shop to cut meat paper thin through the whole slice, machines get banged around in transport. I do warranty calls all the time on mail order machines that are banged around in shipping. Sure the manufactor pays me for the warranty call but I am none to happy that my company got stiffed on the sale. The attitude of some of these customers is horrible. I repair the machine so it operates correctly but I am less likely to take the time to tweak it because I am being paid a reduced warranty rate and the customers attitude sucks.

 

[TomD]

You're asking too much. Why does the LFS need to "give" you something more because their price to deliver the product to market is more? That's just not a fair request. What do they get from paying more, nothing. If you want cheap prices and no service, buy online. If you want service and are willing to pay for it. (and service also means being able to look and feel the product before you buy it) then use the LFS.

I don't think he means, "give" literally. He means give us something worth spending more than an online store. A better product line, nice livestock at reasonable prices etc. At least that is my interpertation.

 

[smithcreek]

One point missed here is that most of the sponsor stores ARE the stores that will survive the changing business paradigm. Our sponsors ARE the ones that give that SOMETHING extra, whether it's great advice, hard to find corals, exceptional fish, etc. I'm sure everyone here can think of some crappy store with sick fish and high priced dry goods and they won't cry if it goes away.

 

[zemuron114]

Why should the mom and pop stores go online? Just because everyone else is?

The thing you need is SPACE. Find a warehouse in Boston to be able to ship large quantities out of comparable to the hanger they are renting in Wisconsin...
Its impossible. The average store does not have the resources to go online or grow for that matter. I think a good LFS is worth the extra money, within reason. I wouldn't pay 3-4x the amount online, but if it was a little higher why not? I hate buying fish blind anyway. Ive had bad experiences with almost every known online vendor with getting fish with ich or beat up or something.

You dont really know i guess until you own a LFS and see it first hand. The stores that only double the cost of the fish/coral will not be in business that long unless they do a tremendous amount of sales (which is possible). Online stores, especially in LA, will walk in or have the fish delivered to their store not paying freight which makes a drastic change in prices...

 

[origreefer]

oh, I know what he meant. What LFS's "give" us already is the ability to look, touch and feel an item before we buy it. That's worth it IMO. As a bonus, in some cases, the store employee may be well versed in the item and we may learn something before we buy it, and we may even change our mind and buy something else, or not waste our money. That's the kind of service you don't get online. A good example is my store, I can't tell you how many customers come in looking for a new helmet for their kid because the current one was too small. Rather than just sell them a helmet, we's point out to them that there was nothing wrong with their current helmet, it just needs to be adjusted. We unscrew two screws, enlarge the helmet, and off they go saving an unnecessary $100 purchase. Sure we don't get that sale, but that's our job and why people come to our store. Imagine that same person, thinking they needed a helmet and purchasing one online. Sometimes you don't know what you're missing.

I don't think he means, "give" literally. He means give us something worth spending more than an online store. A better product line, nice livestock at reasonable prices etc. At least that is my interpertation.