Hello all! This post is in regard to a few personal experiences and wondering if any of you have experienced similar situations. I am currently employed at a local Petco as an animal specialist (specifically birds, reptiles and aquatics) but I've had some concerning events come up as i've become more emersed in the hobby. I find that large corporate controlled companies (i.e. Petco and Petsmart) don't really care about educating new hobbyists in aquatics. Basically what I've seen is a "who cares" attitude. When I started anew in this hobby i was quite inexperienced and went to a Petsmart to stock my 55 Gal tank. I bought an Oscar and 20 neon tetras, asking the AQUATICS SPECIALIST if they would get along. Well as you all know, they didn't! This just angers me (now more so than at that time). It's this kind of disregard to informing a consumer that results in how many tanks for sale in garage sales and unnecesary fish death! That isnt my only complaint however, in my area here i find most dedicated "hole in the wall" fish stores have employees who happen to be quite arrogant and almost demeaning! I dont know if you all experience similar issues but i just wanted to vent to some that understand my position! As i said im currently employed by Petco and my boss gets mad at me for talking as much as a i do with my aquatic and bird customers. IMO id rather annoy and give too much info than to give too little info!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean i used the incorrect water conditioner with a gourami and he died and the guy told me "it was your water quality" when i tested it it was perfect! That same guy sold me a water conditioner that contained a slime coating and he didn't warn me whatsoever!!!!!!!!! I'm trying to better our name but its a lond mountain to climb LOL!!!!!!!!! Have any of you experienced any of this?
Negative LFS feedback
- Thread starter Footballref50
- Start date
that is pretty common. big corporations just want to make the money and people who think they know everything try to make you feel dumb when you ask a question. Keep doing what you know is right when someone needs info. When I go to the LFS i do as little talking as possible even when they ask ME questions haha. Quite often they try to give info anyways and i just think 'geez you are way off'. We all deal with it.
Yes this happens alot to lots of poeple everywhere. I think your boss getting mad has to do with you maybe having someone reconsider a purchase because you told them the reality of the situation. This isnt good for the store because then they dont get a sale, when you happen to inform a clueless buyer.
joworth;2321143; said:
So based on this should the OP keep trying to give advice or just shutup because people will just ignore him anyway. You tell him to keep doing what he's doing but you yourself ignore employee's because you are positive they don't know what they are talking about. This is why you never find any knowledgable people in the chain stores. They have to deal with so many self-righteous know-it-alls that most eventually stop trying and just bag up whatever you want because you're not going to listen anyway.
you can tell the knowledgable ones from the get go. in which case it is nice to talk to them. just like we all do on here. you do see a lot of people trying to mix wrong fish and big fish in small tanks and i think that it is nice that he steers them in another direction. i guess my post was a little unclear. hell if i was a know it all i wouldnt even bother getting on here! i thought i was pretty smart til i saw what everyone else always has to say.
In other words what we are seeing here is the classical get the customer to make a purchase and it ends badly tough ! the store attitude is one of they have your cash 
. It is strange as by bothering to inform customers with reliable info that it would create customer loyalty thereby ensuring repeat customers and not a one off purchases. 
. It is strange as by bothering to inform customers with reliable info that it would create customer loyalty thereby ensuring repeat customers and not a one off purchases.
what it comes down to it the LFS needs to hire more knowledgable people instead of just sticking people back there or providing a better training program to familiarize all of the employees with the fish needs and thier specific requirements
Thank you for your responses! Personally i feel unless we teach the consumer we will never fix a problem! I see too many 10 gallon tanks for sale at garage sales coz of misunderstandings! I defenitley dont know everything but i know enough to help these first time fish keepers! I just want them to get as much info as possible before jumping into the hobby! As far as my boss getting mad bout my extra info i talk with customers about SHE'S NUTZ!!!!!! LOL!!!!!
The petcos that I have worked at have been more than happy to deny a sale to anybody that they felt was unfit. But that is based on mangagment, judge each individual store on it's own merits.