Wow. LFS has HUGE markup on seachem stuff.

[johnnycoolxx]

No, that is not my point. The point is that everyone knows that LFS sell stuff for more than the internet does. So what is the big deal. You want to tell everyone that? Go right ahead like the OP is doing.

Like I said, I like to see small businesses survive and I know they have a lot of competition.

I want all the small fish stores to survive too, but the markup on many of the dry goods is ridiculous. $25 vs. $150 for the same product? I see bichirs at the LFS for sale all the time @ $30-$35 when I can get them on MFK for $20-$25 but I'll still buy the one at the LFS. It's more expensive, but it's not unreasonable. Many of those stores that are struggling refuse to lower their prices or markdown items that take a really long time to sell and they're hurting because of it. I've bought some veggie flakes from my LFS that had dust on the bottle from sitting on the shelf so long.


I think now that most people compare store prices vs. online prices, smaller fish stores need to be more price-competitive to stay in the game. Most everyone wants to help small businesses like fish stores, but when the price markups are unreasonable compared to the online price, people will choose their cash over their sympathy for the owners.

 

[mshill90]

The petsmart in my area sells Hikari Cichlid pellets that run $8.99 for $29.99!

All other stores sell them for $8.99

 

[Akabir47]

The big fish bought out all the small fish, tossing out the ones that were no good and raising the price on the good ones.

 

[Joe M]

are you trying to tell me youd pay $150 for something you could easily get for $25???

negative ghost rider.

This -"negative ghost rider"- made that post awesome. Just awesome

 

[Red_Belly_Pacu]

I want all the small fish stores to survive too, but the markup on many of the dry goods is ridiculous. $25 vs. $150 for the same product? I see bichirs at the LFS for sale all the time @ $30-$35 when I can get them on MFK for $20-$25 but I'll still buy the one at the LFS. It's more expensive, but it's not unreasonable. Many of those stores that are struggling refuse to lower their prices or markdown items that take a really long time to sell and they're hurting because of it. I've bought some veggie flakes from my LFS that had dust on the bottle from sitting on the shelf so long.


I think now that most people compare store prices vs. online prices, smaller fish stores need to be more price-competitive to stay in the game. Most everyone wants to help small businesses like fish stores, but when the price markups are unreasonable compared to the online price, people will choose their cash over their sympathy for the owners.

Yea, I am just seeing all my LFS in my area being closed down. Believe it or not, the closet LFS in my area are now big box stores. It used to be small business LFS close to me. But when someone comes here complaining about a mark up from an LFS, it gets to me. Some people don't mind shopping at a big box store or in the internet, but to me, I like to see small businesses survive. In my opinion, LFS carries better selection of fishes, Also in the LFS, the customer service is better and the owners of LFS are more knowledgable in my opinion. That is just from my experience since I know some of the owners/managers from the LFS in my area.

Yea, but you guys can flame on saying how expensive the LFS is and how the internet is better for you. You guys win.

 

[CClump]

Wow, I would not be putting a LFS down because of their mark ups. Internet places do not have that much overhead. In short, I kind of feel sorry for LFS now since they have to deal with competition from the internet and the big box stores which sale stuff for a cheaper price.

3 LFS in my area, within a 25 mile radius from where I live is having an out of business sale right now. 7 to 8 LFS in my area within a 50 mile radius from where I live has closed down within the past 3-4 years. I always like to see small local businesses survive.

i tend to buy about 90% or more (actually come to think of it, ive only bought seachem products online..purigen and pond matrix) at my local stores where they know who i am and ask about my family and life in general etc. However those two stores also sell things at fairly reasonable prices, Ill pay 29.99 for massivore instead of 22 online.

However it seems Seachem in general and Matrix products especially arent easy to find commodities. Now after several requists local is starting to bring that stuff in but certainly not at 1000% mark up. 50% is fair 40% is a good deal and 30% is awesome.
Places that are going to charge that much more for something they bought for 15 dollars or less deserve to be put out of business, thats greed that isnt going to get them anywhere or any kind of customer base that returns.

Having seen the MAP prices for ski/snowboard stuff vs MSRP and with the suggested slightly less than MSRP it still leaves a 50% margin of profit. You dont deserve flaming because what you are saying is right. Its just some places are out of control and as such wont ever get the chance to start moving products to make money and put themselves into a successful business.

 

[knifegill]

My LFS sells Prime for 3x what anyone else charges. They also have the coolest and weirdest fish around. Do I want to support the Petco that offers nothing but guppies and Oscars or do I want to pump life into the place that found me a short-body goby, a platysilurus malarmo, a gold dust bichir, an acanthicus adonis, etc.? The choice is clear. If you don't want the product, fine. Then you can just send the LFS folks money at random whenever you have it. Keep the oddball pet store alive!

 

[NCStateFisher]

i think this went a bit out of hand... i dont think anybody is debating whether or not it's better to support the LFS, just the sheer magnitude of that markup is outrageous. 50-60 bucks for something that costs 25? yeah, i could see that being better to support the store, but 6x the price of online? yeeeeeah nevermind that

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Not that uncommon

Store prices are usually more expensive than online prices for almost all items (not just aquarium goods)

Blame the inventor of the word "Profit" if you must

 

[Domesticsage]

I think people are missing the fact that online stores generally order a lot more units of a product than most LFS can even handle. When you order 1,000 boxes of Prime you're going to get a way better price than the LFS who orders 2-3 boxes.

But yes some LFS still over-price their stock anyways.