my lfs's do not play that game and not charging sales tax is illegal. I do wish they were more flexible. if a fish is damaged or something, they would be willing to discount, but not otherwise.
Do You Try to Bargain at the LFS?
- Thread starter johnnycoolxx
- Start date
SimonL;3712347; said:
Grocery stores are different because you usually deal with people who just work there. If the LFS is a mom and pop store, it is okay to bargain. If you go to the LFS a lot, a person would know which ones to bargain with. I usually get to know the owners and managers at the LFS so they are cool about bargaining.
I'm known by name at an lfs near my college campus and if I'm buying multiple fish, the owner and his employees will more often than not intentionally leave a fish or two off of the bill.
They also give me a call whenever they get in something out of the norm just so I can come check it out
They also give me a call whenever they get in something out of the norm just so I can come check it out
Go to a mom and pop grocery store and see if they'll drop 15% off your bill when you make a big purchase lol.
I don't think I ever try to haggle with them. Generally when I check out the prices are lower than expected but I believe that is just their way of thanking me for giving them my business for the past nine years or so.
I'm just happy to have a quality local fish store in my area so I am happy to pay what they are asking, their prices are usually very reasonable.
I'm just happy to have a quality local fish store in my area so I am happy to pay what they are asking, their prices are usually very reasonable.
I agree with what is being said above, but I do think there is a diffrence between haggling and the owner hooking you up. I personally dont haggle, if a fish is say $10 and I'm gona buy 5, I'd say will you give me 5 for 45. Although I usually dont say anything because he does it anyway. Plus I buy from there so much if a fish was say $140, the owner has no problem giving it to me for 130 or 120. I think it all comes down to if you know the owner and the staff. I wouldnt walk into a LFS I've never been to and try to barter the price down, thats just a little rediculous and I would equate that to walking into like a Best Buy and saying I'll give you 5 bucks for that 10 cd lol, thats just something you dont do.
I get bargains from the 2 lfs i visit the most just for being a good frequent customer without having to haggle (yes, please buy these 2' Pacu that we've had for years for £10 each and we'll throw in a free 18" pangasius! (I really should get around to taking them up on that)) although i have asked in them past when i started. A lot of the juvie potential monsters at one of them are highly marked up so that not just anyone will buy them without realising what they're getting into, but the price has been more than halved on some of them when i've bought them because they know they're going to a good and suitable home.
I once had £40 knocked off a £150 fish because of a nipped fin from a different store but that's the only time other than the normal 2 i visit that i've ever asked for a little discount.
I once had £40 knocked off a £150 fish because of a nipped fin from a different store but that's the only time other than the normal 2 i visit that i've ever asked for a little discount.
good stuff. If I have a customer that is nothing but a pain/cheap I show him the door. Its not worth it! You can not please everyone. Someone that is so cheap & you give in to them, then it is expected all the time then your lfs is no longer there because it was not making enough money to pay the bills etc. It is tough for a lot of the mom & pop shops & certain customers will leave a bad taste in their mouths & you will lose good customer service that sometimes is hard to come by!
How you approach asking for a little break can make a difference. Ask nicely & be respectable & a lot of mom & pop shops will try to help customers out.
I have many times let pay the balance next week because they did not have enough money on them. That is a rare thing in this day of age but I think most ever want to do business with us again they will want to pay us back. I have had a couple stiff me already. Actually thinking of it I have relative that owes me $25 about 3 months now! damn family is sometime the worse. ugh.
anyway
common sense & respect. you do not need a college degree!
me Dave
How you approach asking for a little break can make a difference. Ask nicely & be respectable & a lot of mom & pop shops will try to help customers out.
I have many times let pay the balance next week because they did not have enough money on them. That is a rare thing in this day of age but I think most ever want to do business with us again they will want to pay us back. I have had a couple stiff me already. Actually thinking of it I have relative that owes me $25 about 3 months now! damn family is sometime the worse. ugh.
anyway
common sense & respect. you do not need a college degree!
me Dave
i agree with the poster who mentioned the grocery store. you can't go in a haggle a grocer. i don't think it's fair to try to do that to a small business such as an lfs. they are also struggling in this tough economy. i just expect good service and healthy fish and if something goes wrong, i expect them to treat me fairly, but i do not haggle. my lfs's know who i am. i don't have to be on a first name basis with them. they know that i have a certain appreciation for fish and they consider me to be a good customer.
its always good to bargain when you can. why pay more when you can pay less right? but at LFS's i normally only bargain when the price is kinda high. but if its already lower than other places i dont bother bargaining cuz its already cheap. but if its the fish i been looking for and no other places dont have it and they wont lower the price id still buy it. and like someone stated you can only bargain at small shops and not big chain stores.
