There is nothing saying you have to have a functional website to have a presence here.....

Not all business people are tech savvy and do not realize the growing importance of online social media. Whether it is through a forum, a FB page or a standalone website. I know at least one Calgary LFS that took me months to discover because it did not show up when I google searched under various terms for fish/aquarium stores. Not sure if that previous statement was condescending or rude because it is smart to have an online presence. According to a survey I just made up: 40 percent of the population now use the Internet to pre shop before going to stores to pick up their purchase or order online


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Well given the decline of the printed (and used) phone book and its replacement by digital media, the internet, I'm going to go ahead and say that chances are nobody is shopping at some businesses soley because they don't know about them. Mindreading skills are not listed on the form of pre-requisit skills for reefing. Join the 21st century or don't, natural attrition will prevail.

This is not realistic. There are a large number of businesses out there that don't have the resources (human, time, data, money, whatever) to "join the 21st century".

Lumping all of them together under the single umbrella of ignorance is a red herring to the myriad reasons and challenges behind a business's predisposition(or lack-thereof) towards having a website/online presence.

Hey, I'm not fighting ya on the idea. If it was up to me, ALL businesses would have amazing online retail fronts. But many can't, and much of these "websites" are nothing more than glorified business cards. If a business can do without that, then investing the time and effort into maintaining one might not be all that high on their priorities list.

As far as your last line, that's a bit of a throwaway in this particular instance. I mean c'mon, I'm sure those guys are all crying at the thought of all the business they've been losing over the last few years by not having an online presence.... As they drive home in their Porches, Lexus' and BMW's...

and that's just Dave's collection right? lol.

I don't think it's realistic for them or even worth it to take the necessary to steps to have a complete online presence. What I do wish they did was post on the board as a sponsor and have something as simple as a facebook page that they posted mobile pics to which could very easily be done. New inventory arrives and snap some pics. Don't even need to update availability but a little clue about what's going on without driving up there would be really useful and easy to do.

Haha, let's be realistic dude. Let's say this place posts something along the lines of:

"Hey guys, just got in the following:

- Mack Daddy SPS
- Rainbow colored RBTA, amazing!
- Rare and unique wrasses at good prices
- LPS that you'd punch your own birth mother in the face for
- some $5 damsels, good variety"

By the time anyone took note of the ad and drove down there, they'd be purview to whatever was left of any number of humbugs and neon blues...

"Oh, you weren't parked outside waiting for us to open? So sorry..."

I kid, I kid...

#badadvice

I agree, so easy to do now adays. No need for a website, just a facebook page and a smart phone will do. I dont like driving around to the different shops to look at frags. It would be nice to have a website for price comparison on hardware. Went to Big Als to buy a heater, only to stop in at Golds an hour later and find that the heater was $5 cheaper.:cry:

Yeah,

It's like Concepts. As soon as or before they advertise their stock it is usually sold and gone. I don't think Gold's would gain much by posting their livestock list online as they sell out so quickly already. They would have to expand their store to hold even more stock to make the most use out of it and I think they are happy with the store as it is. (Just an assumption there)

I know you're kidding but a serious point to consider along these lines: If that same store posted "Hey, on FRIDAY, we're expecting ... blabbity blabbity WRASSE blabbity PUNCH BIRTH MOTHER LPS blabbity blabbity etc etc" ... maybe some of us might be able to PLAN AHEAD to park outside waiting for them to open. :)

Or not, I dunno ... but point being I'm not sure it's 100% necessary to have a complete online inventory up to date to the minute... but a small online presence probably trumps no online presence at all.

For me, that small online presence does make a small difference. It's like I'm being invited to shop there, versus "We will do OK without your business." Truth is, most businesses will probably do fine without my business anyhow, so I try not to take it too personally, but OTOH when I feel like I'm being invited to come shop ..... I might just. :) Food for thought...

Totally +1 !!

The bottom line is, every single store in the city that sells Saltwater goods is quite aware of Canreef. They know it exists. They have for some time. They have simply made the business decision not to participate. Probably because they just don't see the value in it. I know that many of their customers have from time to time suggested to them that they should participate on canreef, yet they continue to choose not to. We can judge all we want but really, that's their prerogative. They are still in business, and have been for quite some time. In the end, I don't think they are wrong for not wanting an online presence and I don't think we are wrong for suggesting that they would benefit from having more of an online presence.