# LFS Worker Here looking for Feedback



## lolazers (Feb 27, 2015)

Hi all,

I am currently a worker at [Big box store in Richmond]. For the most part I handle all the livestock fish/reptile orders, so I control the stock and prices of the aquatic section. My goal is to reduce the stigma associated with chain pet stores, and to show that a lot of us chain store workers really do care for our animals. Whether or not you have visited the Richmond store, I am typing in hopes of getting feedback from the local community of Richmond, Vancouver, Surrey, etc. We get many newcomers to the hobby visiting the store, but I want to know what you more advance look for in a store, besides the obvious quality and cleanliness of fish tanks. What kinds of fish do you wish to be stocked or carried more? Or perhaps what prices do you think should be changed? Some of our prices are decent [...] but I'm sure there are other things that could be changed. Since there aren't many LFS in richmond, people are somewhat forced to buy from my location. The least I can do is improve the quality of the fish here so people can be comfortable buying from my location.

Thank you


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Thread amended, thanks for you understanding.

Enjoy BC Aquaria!
- Chris


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

For quick interaction, you can click that "Thread Tools" link and Add a Poll. If you list different categories you'll probably get some quick hits.

I'm a bad person to ask, because I like my community fish and dwarf shrimp. Typically community fish are available everywhere as a go to as it is, and dwarf shrimp aren't as popular because of the "more advanced" (for a lack of terms) water conditions for them to thrive.


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

One thing people here don't necessarily like is central filtration. If your tanks are set up on a main center filter it spreads diseases really quickly and makes people much more unlikely to purchase from there. I know another thing is certain people here have specific "biotopes" so they'll only purchase fish from a certain region. Personally I'm an African cichlids keeper so I only look for mbuna - most big box stores don't carry any of those (or if they do, they only carry yellow labs). I'm sure a lot of people would love to see a greater variety of fish around, but that would require more training from your staff to make sure everyone knows what can mix with what.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

Most box stores the products are ordered for each store from
A central office. No say .
Do you have the power to go through lists an select for that store ? 
Also long hours so different fish section émployees caring and selling 



Sent by tapatalk in north Burnaby


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## shady280 (Oct 17, 2011)

I wish the box stores stopped carrying the common pleco, focus on a selection of smaller varieties that don't outgrow the standard size tanks. Also don't carry Bala sharks, it seems everyone loves them until they grow. Same goes with irredesant sharks too. Just my 2 cents


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## Kolat (Jul 21, 2014)

I happen to be subscribed to your newsletter and I get all the coupon offers and the monthly flyer. What really peeves me is when I actually see an offer worth making a trip for but I get there and it isn't even stocked.
On one occasion I actually needed to buy some other supplies while I was there but since I felt baited into showing up, I didn't end up buying it.


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## Chiumanfu (Oct 30, 2014)

I hate the bettas in little plastic cups. There has got to be a better way.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Nice planted tank setups and good display tanks. Good healthy plants for sale. Knowledgable staff but not know it alls


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

jbyoung00008 said:


> Nice planted tank setups and good display tanks. Good healthy plants for sale. Knowledgable staff but not know it alls


Nice, I'm with you on that Justin.

Having 15-30+ tanks with X amount of stock in bare bottoms isn't inspiring. Keep it simple, but show what you can do with the products, and your expertise as a bonus. Everyone has their own preference\improvements to make beyond that.

Encourage and inspire basically


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## Sidius (Mar 25, 2012)

jbyoung00008 said:


> Nice planted tank setups and good display tanks. Good healthy plants for sale. Knowledgable staff but not know it alls


Agreed Justin... Having nice display tanks that clearly shows care and attention is given, goes a long way.

Cleanliness of tanks and quality of fish are what I look for. I'm an African Cichlid keeper as well and it's pretty common for local stores to have very poor quality fish if they have African Cichlids. There is at least one big box store that orders from a reputable place and the fish are much higher quality stock. Those stores tend to get a lot more business from the people that are interested in Africans. The other thing I'll mention is that most staff in the LFS that I've been to, don't really know what they're talking about and they give really bad information. I understand that not everyone can know everything there is to know about all the different types of livestock. The key here is to encourage people to research the fish they want to keep and the employees should try to learn basics like water parameters and adult/full grown size of the different types that you have in the store. I cringe when I am looking at some African Cichlids in a store and I hear the worker tell a customer that a red empress or a venustus can be kept in a 29g tank.


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

Sidius said:


> . The other thing I'll mention is that most staff in the LFS that I've been to, don't really know what they're talking about and they give really bad information. I understand that not everyone can know everything there is to know about all the different types of livestock. The key here is to encourage people to research the fish they want to keep and the employees should try to learn basics like water parameters and adult/full grown size of the different types that you have in the store. I cringe when I am looking at some African Cichlids in a store and I hear the worker tell a customer that a red empress or a venustus can be kept in a 29g tank.


THIS. There's a lot of employees who give HORRENDOUS information. I've been told I can house a bala shark in a 10g tank before.. Some suggestions to help with this:
1. Tell your employees it's better to not give information than give misinformation "I don't know the answer to that question, but I can try to find out for you."
2. Possibly a good idea to keep a computer with access to google so people (and staff!!!) can read up on species requirements and needs would benefit everyone
3. Consider holding "learning sessions" for your employees on super popular species. Basically take the time to spend X amount of time on a certain species every week or two that are really popular to help your employees learn about them and they can then transfer this knowledge to future customers


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Print up "fact sheets" on the species you most frequently keep, especially those that people ask about all the time. Keep them in a binder in the staff lunch room and encourage your fish section staff members to flip through them when they're on their breaks.

I used to work for a pet shop chain back in the 80s and the owner had a policy of letting us sign out pet books to take home and read. Perhaps keep a couple of fish books in the staff room for them to flip through.

Anthony


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## shady280 (Oct 17, 2011)

Good call on the binder info sheet. I've actually schooled (politely) staff on some of their fish and even gone so far to help the lfs with customers asking questions. My favorite is petsmarts info stickers. They say oscars grow to 8" and Bala sharks grow to 6". Maybe they changed them by now but I just about fell over when I read that.


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## shady280 (Oct 17, 2011)

My other story was my lfs had snails in with crays. They couldn't figure that one out. When I told them why the snails were disappearing they immeadatley made a cray only tank


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

shady280 said:


> I wish the box stores stopped carrying the common pleco, focus on a selection of smaller varieties that don't outgrow the standard size tanks. Also don't carry Bala sharks, it seems everyone loves them until they grow. Same goes with irredesant sharks too. Just my 2 cents


+1 on this. Big box stores should not carry these, they should be special order only. I cringe when I go into a pet store and see a tank full of these types of fish and others that have special requirements or are otherwise unsuitable for the medium-sized mixed community tanks most people have that shop there. My son's friend (10 years old) got a 55 gallon tank for christmas and stocked it with bala Sharks, weather loaches, botia, as well as a mix of regular tropical fish. Hope it doesn't put him off the hobby.


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