# Quality of business



## Twilight (Sep 9, 2012)

I was not going to post this but it has been itching at me so I want to know what you guys think about my situation.

Well a couple of weeks ago I drove up to Port Erie to pick up some fish I found on kijiji. I did not have a tank set up for them or filter so I need to buy all of hat in the same day. Well I get the fish and on our way home there is a pet shop(won't mention names but you could say it's Small Al's) it is located in hamilton. So I go in, look around and they had a 40 gallon tank for $109. I wanted a 55 because in my opinion they look nicer. Also, the fluval 406 was $10 more in the store then it was on there website. I asked about the filter and the cashier told me "only is always cheaper"... So after that I walked out. I still needed a tank and a filter, so me and my mom drove up to the mississauga location and they had a 55 for the exact same price $109...... And next door (literaly 50 feet away) the competitor store had a fluval 406 for only $239. Thats the same price as the other guys website. 

Why is it that the exact same store have a difference in price when it comes to aquariums? And in store the price was 249, they wouldn't drop it 10 bucks for me :S If it was under my managment, all stores would be the same and I would try to keep customers. Tell me what you think.

On a side note, pet smart now has fluval 406 filters for $191 and after that I found some on ebay, brand new for under $150 and shipping is only $15 for me. Just in case anyone else is shopping for one.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Look, I think people here even do not know how to replay....

"If it was under my managment, all stores would be the same and I would try to keep customers." 
how old are you? 
I am not planning to offend you, but this statement is a joke...

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## Twilight (Sep 9, 2012)

sig said:


> Look, I think people here even do not know how to replay....
> 
> "If it was under my managment, all stores would be the same and I would try to keep customers."
> how old are you?
> I am not planning to offend you, but this statement is a joke...


I work for one of the largest retailers in the world and customer service is my number one priority. I'm sorry you don't feel the same way.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Often online stores are operated as separate businesses from brick and mortar places - and thus have different prices. Also brick and mortar places have additional overhead so their prices tend to be a tad higher. 

Also, with the chain you're referring to in particular, some of the stores are corporately owned and others are franchisee owned. Hence a disparity in pricing occurs from store to store as the owners aren't the same.


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

also, lot of the stuff at big al's are more expensive than any other chain stores. For instance, API fresh water master kit is $32 at petsmart but big als sells them for $40. 

Always good idea to shop around before buying anything from any store. 

I personally found that pets mart has good pricing on dry goods.


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## darryl_v (Aug 26, 2011)

I had the mississuaga store price check for me... That was good.


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## Twilight (Sep 9, 2012)

GAT said:


> also, lot of the stuff at big al's are more expensive than any other chain stores. For instance, API fresh water master kit is $32 at petsmart but big als sells them for $40.
> 
> Always good idea to shop around before buying anything from any store.
> 
> I personally found that pets mart has good pricing on dry goods.





ameekplec. said:


> Often online stores are operated as separate businesses from brick and mortar places - and thus have different prices. Also brick and mortar places have additional overhead so their prices tend to be a tad higher.
> 
> Also, with the chain you're referring to in particular, some of the stores are corporately owned and others are franchisee owned. Hence a disparity in pricing occurs from store to store as the owners aren't the same.


Thanks guys I did not know some of this. I always figured they would be the cheapest because of there size. I'll keep my eyes open. Thanks eh.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

For what it's worth, retailers like to get the maximum price they can for their goods. Size doesn't really matter, other than you may be able to buy cheaper in volume. That of course means you can make more money if you don't lower the price. 
I have to concur with Twilight since I work for the largest retailer in the world in their category, and my priority (and theirs) is customer service.


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## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

Largest in the world, vs big als. Watermelons to raisins.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Hamilton BAs is privately owned and can therefore price items as they see fit.

Online BAs ads are often misleading, and there is a definite difference in price if you are looking at the order on line site as opposed to the store flyers.

In this business it pays to window shop before you go to get a big purchase item like a cannister filter or big tank. 

Dragon Aquarium which is right next door to BA in Mississauga has a lot of the same products but give you at least 10% discount on these items, whereas BAs will not, they are very happy to have your custom in their shop!  

I often buy all my accessories from Dragon only because they have constantly given me good and friendly service, always saying Hello and chatting with me about my Bettas and Shrimps. Can't say the same about BAs where its give me your money, I don't care what you have, and half the time they don't even know anything about what they are selling, and give you the wrong information.

I also was in the Customer Service business and you can say I still AM as I often supply items to hobbyists here and elsewhere, so I know the benefit of 
giving a discount where its needed, but big supply chains have such a large turnover of stock that they just don't care about you, if your not happy with their prices you can go elsewhere....just the nature of the business unfortunately.


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## loonie (Mar 29, 2008)

As far as I know where BA is concerned, if one outlet has a lower price, the outlet you went to has a higher price. You can tell them, they will call the other outlet to confirm what you say is true and they will match the price.

But lets be frank about it, all stores around the world have different prices for the same object. Its up to you to shop around and get the best.

Lets say a LFS in Mississauga has a item for 10bucks, so happens my location is in Mississauga and a LFS in Markham has the same item for 5bucks. I will pay the 10bucks to safe on gas and time.

My two cents reasoning.......


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

I buy almost all my Hardware at BA Hamilton. There are a couple of guy's there I have a very good rapport with and I know they know what they are talking about. They carry just about everything so the one stop shopping is convenient.

I find Petsmart inventory is limited to the smaller volume customers, kind of like a convenience store vs department store. Most of what they sell is made by Hagen and everyone sells that.

Also, I won't buy online because I just plain don't trust money on the internet. (Yea, I'm THAT generation).

Lee


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## Symplicity (Oct 14, 2011)

BA and Petsmart does not come close to the prices as Angelfins.


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

Symplicity said:


> BA and Petsmart does not come close to the prices as Angelfins.


and these guys seems to visit GTA once a month.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Symplicity said:


> BA and Petsmart does not come close to the prices as Angelfins.


what is the point? Angelfins does not come close to the online stores in China

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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

You have to wait a whole month if you want to return something to Angel fins?

Stand in a parking lot waiting for a van to show up?

I've got better things to do with my time.

There is always someone that will sell something cheaper. I thought this thread was abou service?

Lee


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Lee_D said:


> There is always someone that will sell something cheaper. I thought this thread was abou service?
> 
> Lee


it depends what do you mean by service. the original complain was the store did not sell stuff for the online price. 
This is not part of the service, but part of the business.

the homedepot never honors lower prices which is available online only in the store

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## Symplicity (Oct 14, 2011)

Lee_D said:


> You have to wait a whole month if you want to return something to Angel fins?
> 
> Stand in a parking lot waiting for a van to show up?
> 
> ...


Your right. Off-topic. I just felt that their are alternatives to chain stores the OP could go to in situations like this. All the smaller companies Ive dealt with offer cheaper prices and much better service.


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## Twilight (Sep 9, 2012)

In case anyone is wondering, I have been reading all posts. I normally am better with my shopping but this all needed to be done in a day.

Thank you for everyone's input on this topic, however I really don`t see it going any further.


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## CRJ (Sep 7, 2012)

Twilight said:


> "so me and my mom drove up to the mississauga location"


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## Twilight (Sep 9, 2012)

crj said:


>


lololololololol!


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## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

I know this is off topic but just out of curiosity...

Was the fish that you picked up going directly into your the tank that you bought or did you have a cycled tank to hold them for the time being? 

I'm just worried that your fish might not survive for very long if the tank is completely new and uncycled. Ideally, livestock should be introduced after a tank has been cycled/stable/matured.

Well, unless said fish were originally planned to be used to cycle the tank then nvm everything I said.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

WiyRay said:


> I know this is off topic but just out of curiosity...
> 
> Was the fish that you picked up going directly into your the tank that you bought or did you have a cycled tank to hold them for the time being?
> 
> ...


you did not get it. It is not about fish, it is about quality of service

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## Twilight (Sep 9, 2012)

WiyRay said:


> I know this is off topic but just out of curiosity...
> 
> Was the fish that you picked up going directly into your the tank that you bought or did you have a cycled tank to hold them for the time being?
> 
> ...


hey, good question and good advice. Let me answer that. Now normaly I have everything set up and running for at least a month with my filter seeded with old media before any fish enters the tank. Because I had no tank set up and that this was a next day thing, I set the tank up when I got home and added fish emediately. I dechlorinated the water and took some media from my hob filter from my other tank and added it to the new canister I purchased that day. I know most normal fish would not survive this, but these are walking catfish, they will survive anything.


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

I live in Hamilton and have never had much of a problem with the BA's here. Just because they are a chain, it doesn't mean everything is exactly the same. I can't go to a McDonald's in Hamilton and demand a McLobster, just because McDonalds in Quebec has them, not can I demand Ohio prices at a McDonald's in Toronto. 

As Sig pointed out, even places like Home Depot don't have the same prices for some items online as in store, online is cheaper but they get you for shipping and you have to wait.

I'm not sure what the purpose of this thread was, you went somewhere, saw a price you didn't like and went elsewhere and found a price you did, after spending more money on gas, and time driving to different stores, so how much further ahead you were, I'm not sure. 

Certainly should have waited like the boxing day sale and you could have got a 55gal for $70 and all Eheim canister filters at least 10% off, some were 25% off on sales and saved yourself lots of money.

And I certainly hope that A, you plan on getting a bigger tank for keeping a fish that gets to be 1 foot in size as a 55gal isn't a proper home for even 1 of these fish, and B, you never let them loose because you don't have a big enough tank as they are an invasive species in Ontario.


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## manmadecorals (Jan 17, 2012)

getochkn said:


> I can't go to a McDonald's in Hamilton and demand a McLobster, just because McDonalds in Quebec has them, not can I demand Ohio prices at a McDonald's in Toronto.


Just wanted to point out...McLobster is in Nova Scotia not Quebec. Quebec has Poutine...that's all


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## rickcasa (Dec 7, 2011)

BA price matches folks! 

Well, I should say they try anyways. A recent personal experience was positive on a $500 product. I approached Whitby BA first but after an hour of calls and cross checking the much lower online price (~$100 difference) bailed out because it was below their cost. Kinda perturbed because this was contrary to their policy, I tried NorthYork BA anyways...and after a 2 min online price check...success!! 

BA gets razzed often, but North York BA is an exception.


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## hoody123 (Oct 24, 2012)

rickcasa said:


> BA price matches folks!
> 
> Well, I should say they try anyways. A recent personal experience was positive on a $500 product. I approached Whitby BA first but after an hour of calls and cross checking the much lower online price (~$100 difference) bailed out because it was below their cost. Kinda perturbed because this was contrary to their policy, I tried NorthYork BA anyways...and after a 2 min online price check...success!!
> 
> BA gets razzed often, but North York BA is an exception.


I had price matching done today (well, technically I suppose yesterday given the current time) at Big Als Vaughan. I brought in print outs of prices on a filter and a heater and the chap behind the desk checked them out online and saw that shipping was free and said, "Yep, done." Paid the lower price on both items (and SUBSTANTIALLY lower might I add) and was done.


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## LTPGuy (Aug 8, 2012)

I love McLobster! Ummmmmm.

BA Mis'ga price match their online items. Called them several weeks ago.

Now service is whole different thing. Some day you get some friendly and knowledge guy, some day you get A...hole giving you half dead fish if you don't check. There's an Indian chick at the front who is a constant pms.

Did I say I love McLobster?!


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