# Metrotown fish store



## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

I was at Pet Habitat in Metrotown yesterday and noticed some nice Denisoni's in the window, i went in to enquire about the price and was told they were not for sale but they could order me some for ....$80!! so natrually my next question was how many do i get. the answer was one as in $80 each!!, i was incredulous and left. How can a pet store be so ignorant about what they really sell for?


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Simple. Because they have their store open in a mall that has high traffic and high rent. You pay for the convenience of having access to a pet store in a mall. Simple economic geographical explanation. Why is a one bedroom apartment more expensive in Yaletown than in Fleetwood? Location.


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## Pamela (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm not a fan of that pet store. I'm pretty sure that their puppies are supplied by the Hunte Corporation, which in my opinion is just a big puppy mill.


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## dino (Aug 29, 2011)

i dislike that store not fond on how the animals are kept. I also was told that a puppy in that location was selling for 8000 dollars. Wow not sure if it pooped out gold nuggets but i doubt it.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

jobber604 said:


> Simple. Because they have their store open in a mall that has high traffic and high rent. You pay for the convenience of having access to a pet store in a mall. Simple economic geographical explanation. Why is a one bedroom apartment more expensive in Yaletown than in Fleetwood? Location.


Great analogy! Very well put.


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## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

About the puppy i would agree, right in the very back they had a puppy all alone in an enclosure and it acted nervous and scared, I was not impressed. I do understand about the economic realities but i have gone to a few Pet Stores that are in high end high traffic locations that still at least try to be competitive or realistic, the other fish this store had while higher priced were not exorbitant.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Hey Roshan someone had a few for sale in the bcaquaria classifieds. Great choice they are a cool looking fish! but indeed pricey.

As for over priced fish stores. It is what it is. I think most of the sponsors on here know what prices are fair for fish thats why I they get my buisness.


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## Nes1983 (Mar 13, 2012)

i dont think that they should be $80 each i work in a petstore in a town in northern bc and we dont charge that i think the most was like 33 or 36 each and we get all of our fish shipped from Vancouver. Thats a little to expencive for me lol.


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

They had some for sale at around $70 dollars...and then they a sale for them...$70...for two! Which is still $15-20 more then what any experienced fish keeper would pay. There is a point where you things are so ridicously expensive that nobody will buy it, which just puts you into a bigger hole in terms of paying for your rent.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

Everything in that place is wayyyyyyy overpriced, evenm the frickin neon tetra's. IPU just had smaller ones on sale last week for $9.99. They have some now that are about 4" for $29.99. Kamfa was the one that had them for sale here, but they are sold now..


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

I've shopped there a few times, and the price has been the biggest reason i left most of the time empty handed. Despite their high rent, they definitely push the envelope. There is a point in which you are not only being more expensive, but you are burning your bridges with your customers who find out down the road that they've more than overpaid, they were ripped off in ignorance. The only reason i think they may think them this expensive is perhaps they have a british pricing guide thats very outdated


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

There are many reason for them to price the way they do. You can complain or you can try to be friend with the owner and show some appreciation of their costs for running a business in Metro town. 15 years ago, the parking surcharge at Metro on top of rent is $3,000 to $5,000 a month for a spot at the food fair.

If you get to know the owner and show some appreciation of how difficult it is to run a business in Metrotown, there is a good chance you would get 50% off those fish when they have them in stock. If you complain, they will not be excited to order that in for you even at $80 a fish. Pet Habitat may be expensive but I know a Pet Habit I can walk in and there is a 20% discount automatically deducted from my bill on dry goods when I pay and 50% off the list price of their demisoni - because I built a friendship with the Owner. That does not mean that I will pay 50% off $80 everytime. But now and then, just to support the business of a friend - why not 

Realistically, you can never expect a Pet Habitat and many other pet stores to have fish priced to be as competitive as LFS. Why try to compare? I won't even try to compare between IPU, Rogers, King Ed, etc. Different business styles, different clientèle. If price is everything, check the price and move on to get it somewhere you know are cheaper - right?

When I go into a store, I buy stuff sometime knowing that I can get it cheaper somewhere else. I won't know the owners as friends if all I care is getting the lowest price.


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## Casey8 (Nov 1, 2011)

Richmond pet store facing puppy sale probe


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## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

gklaw said:


> There are many reason for them to price the way they do. You can complain or you can try to be friend with the owner and show some appreciation of their costs for running a business in Metro town. 15 years ago, the parking surcharge at Metro on top of rent is $3,000 to $5,000 a month for a spot at the food fair.
> 
> If you get to know the owner and show some appreciation of how difficult it is to run a business in Metrotown, there is a good chance you would get 50% off those fish when they have them in stock. If you complain, they will not be excited to order that in for you even at $80 a fish. Pet Habitat may be expensive but I know a Pet Habit I can walk in and there is a 20% discount automatically deducted from my bill on dry goods when I pay and 50% off the list price of their demisoni - because I built a friendship with the Owner. That does not mean that I will pay 50% off $80 everytime. But now and then, just to support the business of a friend - why not
> 
> ...


The comment i made was more of an observation, having been in retail and having owned my own stores, i am well aware of the rent and profit sharing that they have to do and i truly feel that in this case, making frreinds with the owner would have matterd much. I mean 50% off $80 is still way overpriced. So while i do understand, the markup it is still a unrealistic estimate to give out to a prospective customer and ask yourself this question, how is it the rest of the fish were only priced about $2 to $3 more when compared with stand alone LFS. I will also buy even if the prices are a LITTLE higher, i did that last week when i was at Petland in Langley.


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## vicdiscus (Mar 19, 2012)

I like the topic !


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## Reptiles&Fish (Apr 22, 2012)

Just get in good with someone that imports or breeds. Who goes to fish/pets stores anymore anyways o.o. I was shown a price list of over 30 pages of fish and amphibians, and man the mark up we pay at these stores is crazy. I understand having to cover a overhead, and making a profit, but as I was always told. It's better to make a little on going then a lot at once. Fish stores are going to be a thing of the past, the only thing keeping them going is new people to the hobby. Like honestly does anyone go to petstores for saltwater products? I stopped when they quoted me 1000-2000 for my set up, and I got it done on my own for 400.

Another reason I never go to them anymore is it's impossible to get help at any of these stores anymore. You either get attitude (Will not mention any store names) or someone that doesn't know anything about the fish they sell! So many times when I was first starting I would go in and ask about fish and how they'd get a long and end up with dead fish that night (Again will not mention the store name...). Which is partly my fault to think a store would actually take the time to care about what they are selling. When we all know it's just about sales.

Okay thats my little rant for the day. Over all, tired of a couple of my LFS's along with the attitude and lack of knowledge they bring to the store. How the hell does someone become a manager by standing around all day giving dirty looks lol. -.-


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## Reptiles&Fish (Apr 22, 2012)

And 5000$ rent for a store front is nothing in a busy mall, that is not a reason for such high prices. Thats the average rent where im from on a main street. And even little sandwich stores with 3$ subs can get by.


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## AWW (Apr 22, 2010)

rent in that store will be more than $5,000 a month... I know that for sure. 

I can tell you a store like that can really struggle to get by for sure. Tom, the owner of Pet habitat in metrotown has closed down 3 of his stores in the past year and a half. 

The reason for high prices likely stems down from poor aquatic suppliers. As for equipment, there is no way they can compete with J&L/King ed, They don't have the space for the volume. 

It would be nice to see a store like J&L or IPU with an outlet in a mall some where. With less smaller stores, there likely wont be as many newbies to the hobby thats for sure!


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## Reptiles&Fish (Apr 22, 2012)

I find it's the larger petstores bringing in the newbies, because they can out do any of the smaller stores pricing. On fish at least. Like I HATE petsmart but lately I prefer it as I dont get the attitude you get from a few of the LFS's. And their prices are good. And hey I rather them tell me they have no idea on a compatibility, then have a know it all tell me what will work then end up with dead fish.

Pet Habitat has always had horrible prices. Even though I got in with the brentwood location and use to get 50% off everything plus 2 for 1 a lot of the times, I would NEVER buy anything from there if I didnt get those deals. Man most of the stuff they get in is all no name stuff from asia. That you're more likely to find at the richmond night market then in a regular fish store.


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## vicdiscus (Mar 19, 2012)

Small pet stores vs larger pet stores are tough business. They make price tag for resale for making some money to pay rent, hydro, animal's food, etc . 

hey Reptile Guy, maybe I should know you. I will pm'd you.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

I dont really want to comment on specific differences between mall store overhead and others but to get back to the Torpedo Barb topic, these are still considered a new fish and wild ones are shipped from India. We now import a lot of tank raised ones which tend to be hardier and a little cheaper. ATM we have TR 2 1/2"- 3" Torpedos for $29.99 HST included. Our margin is not great on these fish and we import them directly from the source. I find there tends to be too much emphasis on what is expensive rather then a good price being just that, a good price. For a mall store to sell bigger Torpedo for $80, yes seems a bit high but are they full grown? Have they been in a show tank for a while? Did they import them directly? Likely not so they likely paid more for them through a wholesaler. There are a lot of variables that affect the price of a fish and overhead is only one of them.


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## hlee72ca (Jun 29, 2010)

I saw some huge denisoni barbs at Rogers Aquatic in a display tank, these fish are usually brought in at 2-3 inches. Now if the specimens that you saw were 5-6 inches which are full grown ones, then $80 may not be that bad a price, as denisoni are rarely availabe at that size, the market price is hard to determine. It all comes down to, are you willing to pay the price or not.


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## pisces (Apr 22, 2010)

i went there few weeks ago! only.... 3 mins after i left! nothing make me interesting! also not much Livestock sale right now!
high $ is second problem!


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## noodles11114 (May 21, 2010)

try to under stand this
my rent a brighouse pets in sunwood square was
22,000 a month plus the gst

we had to do 75,000 a month to break even
thank goodness we had midnite madness sales


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## waterbox (Nov 26, 2011)

Wow. Very interesting, Blindman. Trolling through these fish stores--frequently as the only customer there--I have often wondered how these merchants can make a living at what they're doing. It can't be easy! I imagine that pet stores in general have a much higher percentage of lookie lous than other businesses.

Just out of curiosity, can you tell me what is the average dollar split between livestock and equipment? In other words, what percentage of that $75,000 in a break-even month is alive, and what percentage leaves your store in a box or a blister pack?


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## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

HI there
everyone has made some good points. Still in shock over the price but i will get over it.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

roshan said:


> HI there
> everyone has made some good points. Still in shock over the price but i will get over it.


 Thanks for the post that generate a lot of good dialogue.

While thinking about some examples of prices that I like to get over, I thought of Windsor plywood.

I have shopped there since 1991 and know the owner's son who started working their as an employee of their previous owner. It is a family business, his mom and sister also work there. Their wood prices could be a touch over HomeDepot but service is waaaaay better especially after they have seen me around for 20 years. Often I just go in there to see what are new and say hi and have a friendly chat.

The tools prices are much higher than tool outlets - prices I should get over. I even teased them about that. Some of them just seem to be there collect dust. They rather not having to carry them but they have to keep some there for the home owners and tradesmen who want to grab them while they are there.

I am not sure how valid this is: KE had told me they rather not carry SW livestock if they don't have to. They have to in order to bring in customers to buy their dry goods. Pretty sure that small Pet Habitats rather move cats, dogs, birds pet food, and cheap neons and gold fish rather than torpedo barbs - unless they are serious fish keepers as well.

The examples go on and on .... KMS selling $20,000 pressure washer when their sale prices on smaller tools are more expensive than HomeDepot's regular price ... Staples battery price almost double Wal-Mart and HomeDepot (don't forget about their paper plates) ...


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## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

Its a shame whne retail stores are forced to increase the prices due to overpriced rent, min wage increases and the taxes that they have to pay on goods. That was one of the main reasons i got out of retail especially with having to deal with the US competition. These days its the bottom line that almost always wins out over quality of service and goods most of us dont have the wallets to be paying for quality over price. Personally i shop around and will pay a BIT more for quality but i am always budget conscious and as much as i would like to support the independents or LFS i am all about what i can get for my dollar,i use a simple premise when it comes to fish..if it acts and looks healthy and i can justify the cost i will buy it.

The local government looks great when they legislate min wage increases but then offer no help to the employers. If they would reduce or eliminate some of those taxes and find ways to put a cap on these ridiculously inflated property values most of the smaller retailers would have a chance. I have yet to hear of a decent explanation in regard to why our prices are so much higher than in the US, especially with the canadian dollar at par or better! until something is done we will the honest Canadian retailer will continue to bleed and most consumers will continue to go where they deals are.


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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

They have had that price for the Barbs for almost 3 years now. I have a good laugh when I was pass the tank.


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## Nicole (Nov 21, 2011)

Saw one of the employees telling a newbie to purchase a no-name submersible filter with the capacity of one filter sponge for $69.99..I wanted to whisper to the lady so badly to take a 5min drive down to KE and get a real filter for $20 but in the end didn't have the guts to..poor woman, she was hesitant in her purchase too. I couldn't care less if Pet Habitat sells an AC20 for $1000, but they're selling products that suck, that's where the rip-off is. I gave them a chance and got a newly brought in air pump..returned the next day and spent the store credit on 15 Greenies for my dog instead. The cable was so cheaply made it had to be held at a certain angle to keep running and it reaked of rubber. I'm not even going to start on their dogs. It just makes me face-palm every time I see a newbie pay $15 for a few stems of hornwort and a jungle val..


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## noodles11114 (May 21, 2010)

i am sick and tiried of all the pet stores only giving a store credit for their qualality fish
they are your customers and they support you 
why then should they have to spend 1200 on a credit note
that is why there are no quality african cichlids a round
jarek from barrieir bc supplied over 50 types and when he had a 1200 credit note 
for his fish he was told to spent it
i am going to the casico tonight can i get 100 they said no
he shut down his fish room


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

PSpades said:


> Saw one of the employees telling a newbie to purchase a no-name submersible filter with the capacity of one filter sponge for $69.99..I wanted to whisper to the lady so badly to take a 5min drive down to KE and get a real filter for $20 but in the end didn't have the guts to..poor woman, she was hesitant in her purchase too. I couldn't care less if Pet Habitat sells an AC20 for $1000, but they're selling products that suck, that's where the rip-off is. I gave them a chance and got a newly brought in air pump..returned the next day and spent the store credit on 15 Greenies for my dog instead. The cable was so cheaply made it had to be held at a certain angle to keep running and it reaked of rubber. I'm not even going to start on their dogs. It just makes me face-palm every time I see a newbie pay $15 for a few stems of hornwort and a jungle val..


Employee:"Oh yeah, the betta will be fine in the jar...yeah he'll just eat the plant if he's hungry...yeah the plant will keep the water clean"

Me: *in my head* RIP little betta...

(They are not the only store that does this but maybe one of the few stores where the employees actually don't know any better)


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

i digress from the topic here, but im going to bite. Minimum wage increases were long over due here and should have been expected by business owners. Yes it sucks for them, but guess what, being a person who's forced to work two part time jobs at minimum wage (sometimes 3), just to pay bills to live is just wrong. I even believe they should go further and force full time employment to part time ratios just so people can even have access to necessities like extended health care and pensions and stable income. if an employer is unable to make money due to minimum wage increases they really need to re-evaluate their business plan if they are that close to the edge. I know many small business owners who make money, and its not easy, they put A LOT of work in to their businesses, these people also don't pay minimum wage either. I also know other business owners who lament about no money being made, yet they have their lovely homes, luxury cars and expensive clothes.

Corner markets, ethnic restuarants and deli's are often businesses where there is little return for the work put in, but they are also run differently. They tend to be family operations, where there is no real pay roll, just stability and food on the table for the families. Their problem is big box stores choking them out slowly from areas, not minimum wage. As for owning franchises, their models are often based on the owners being full time employed and working, many only work part time though so they end up squeezing their employees (illegally often) to make up for it, so i could see these owners hating the minimum wage increase.

People have a right to a living, one that is not forced poverty and one where they have the ability to put enough aside to get the schooling necessary to better themselves. Unfortunately though, the people here have reaped the seeds they sowed. They bought into conservative based capitalism and their businesses have suffered thanks to the shift of the tax burden to themselves and their employees, while the corporations above them enjoy the benefits. But heh, people here think socialism means giving welfare people more money, taxing the crap out of small business and worshiping the devil so they buy into all the rhetoric against the ideals. Just think about all those programs cut to reduce their federal and provincial taxes (as promised) have only caused the municipal levels to scrounge up more money from its land owners and businesses to maintain its infrastructure. \

But heh, its about a fish store here, not minimum wage or politics. i can safely say i purchased fish many times for more than i could have found them elsewhere, i made the choice of ensuring i have dye free quality stock from stores that know how to handle the fish in their care. With that comes an added cost premium. I've also picked up dry goods out of convenience over bargain hunting many times from these shops.


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## Nicole (Nov 21, 2011)

Momobobo said:


> Employee:"Oh yeah, the betta will be fine in the jar...yeah he'll just eat the plant if he's hungry...yeah the plant will keep the water clean"
> 
> Me: *in my head* RIP little betta...
> 
> (They are not the only store that does this but maybe one of the few stores where the employees actually don't know any better)


I think most of the employees do know, they just don't want to lose their job. I had a friend who worked at the Metrotown Pet Habitat location but eventually quit.


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## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

PSpades said:


> Saw one of the employees telling a newbie to purchase a no-name submersible filter with the capacity of one filter sponge for $69.99..I wanted to whisper to the lady so badly to take a 5min drive down to KE and get a real filter for $20 but in the end didn't have the guts to..poor woman, she was hesitant in her purchase too. I couldn't care less if Pet Habitat sells an AC20 for $1000, but they're selling products that suck, that's where the rip-off is. I gave them a chance and got a newly brought in air pump..returned the next day and spent the store credit on 15 Greenies for my dog instead. The cable was so cheaply made it had to be held at a certain angle to keep running and it reaked of rubber. I'm not even going to start on their dogs. It just makes me face-palm every time I see a newbie pay $15 for a few stems of hornwort and a jungle val..


Yes i saw those filters, they looked very cheap and sketchy like it was a cheap knockoff .


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## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

neven said:


> i digress from the topic here, but im going to bite. Minimum wage increases were long over due here and should have been expected by business owners. Yes it sucks for them, but guess what, being a person who's forced to work two part time jobs at minimum wage (sometimes 3), just to pay bills to live is just wrong. I even believe they should go further and force full time employment to part time ratios just so people can even have access to necessities like extended health care and pensions and stable income. if an employer is unable to make money due to minimum wage increases they really need to re-evaluate their business plan if they are that close to the edge. I know many small business owners who make money, and its not easy, they put A LOT of work in to their businesses, these people also don't pay minimum wage either. I also know other business owners who lament about no money being made, yet they have their lovely homes, luxury cars and expensive clothes.
> 
> Corner markets, ethnic restuarants and deli's are often businesses where there is little return for the work put in, but they are also run differently. They tend to be family operations, where there is no real pay roll, just stability and food on the table for the families. Their problem is big box stores choking them out slowly from areas, not minimum wage. As for owning franchises, their models are often based on the owners being full time employed and working, many only work part time though so they end up squeezing their employees (illegally often) to make up for it, so i could see these owners hating the minimum wage increase.
> 
> ...


True enough, i am often accused of going off topic so let me just say that price was beyond ridiculous and i simply dont understand why they would even mention it to a prospective client. If there was a surefire way to lose business that would be it. His answer to my query should have been we dont stock them. The day i was there, the store was filled with people so i am not sure if he is suffering financially.


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## gsneufeld (Jan 28, 2012)

I live right by Metro mall, Ive bought fish and supplies there a few times. Yes, many items are overpriced... When I was looking for my C. pygmaeus he offered to order me some, only 11 dollars each!lol But some things are reasonable, I got some nice albolineatus danios fairly cheap, Corydoras paleatus juvies $3.99 that I've paid 3 dollars for a few times at real fish stores which are having lots of healthy fry now. And if you ask the staff, you can buy just a single strand of whatever plant cheap and just grow it yourself. Lots of fish for sale that aren't suitable for a typical community aquarium, and all of the foods/supplies are way overpriced but like I said, some of the fish like Lemon tetras for 2 something and Kribensis for ten bucks, not that bad of prices. 

I'm a little disturbed to hear that someone who works there was telling people that the Bettas can live in those jars without waterchanges... I actually was glad to see those guys keep their Bettas in proper 1ltr jars with some plants for them to blow bubbles in instead of tiny cups like some places... But I sure hope they're not all that ignorant and that someone is doing WC for those poor fish...


George


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

> Employee:"Oh yeah, the betta will be fine in the jar...yeah he'll just eat the plant if he's hungry...yeah the plant will keep the water clean"


This kind of crap is where I'll say something to the customer and let the chips fall wherever. Why would you let them take bad advice? I've told people flat out that the employee is giving poor advice, and that they need to either do further research or take their business elsewhere. I don't give a rip if it pisses off the employee or the store owner - if you're selling an animal and giving advice that will make it suffer, you deserve to be outed and to lose business. This is why Petsmart doesn't get my $. I had this kind of conversation when I was last in there...some idiot was telling a lady that the baby oscar would stay exactly the same size and would be fine in a 10 gallon coldwater tank. I gently said to the customer that no, this was not true, and that it and told her to google it on her phone. She did, and didn't buy (lucky oscar). I had some words with the manager about their training as well. Cruelty and neglect through ignorance is NO excuse, not when 2 minutes of research can give you the correct information.

I'll happily pay more $$ for fish and livestock that have been properly cared for and where the staff is well treated and knowledgeable, but it sounds like the store described by the OP is simply jacking prices and providing crappy information to boot, and based on this post, I wouldn't shop there.

A pet store that doesn't treat their livestock properly will never get my business. I don't know about this particular store, never having been in there, but the one that used to be in Park Royal sold what had every appearance of being poorly cared for puppy mill pups. I'm talking crusty eyes, diarrhea, poor cage hygiene, just disgusting. I called the SPCA, who naturally "couldn't do anything". *@&@(@1. If this store has pets in poor condition, why would you even give them a penny??? Is saving a few bucks really worth it?


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

I've gotten some good deals from them before haha, I guess they messed up on the price but I got 6 delhizi bichirs for 11$ea


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