Price gouging based on customer
 

I just learned from someone that I am significantly over paying for live stock at a LFS. The owner quotes me $50-$100 more for the same item compared to this other person.

I find that frustrating and wonder why I bother supporting my LFS when they cheat me. I wish Red Coral was still around. At least Kevin was trust worthy and knew how to retain his customers.

Do you find this as well in Calgary?

Where did this occur?

I too have had this issue. If you still have the recept return it. If not a full refund at least store credit. If they refuse to then tell them they just lost a customer.
Personally i go with people or store i trust over pricing.
This goes farther than LFS itself.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

A store across from a popular burger place.

It annoys me because I have been shopping there for a long time. I definitely would not go back there again. Makes me feel like window shopping going forward now, then having someone else call in and asking for the price before I buy.

What item were you looking at?

I can't stand some of the prices out there right now. Best prices for hard goods are definitely online at Reefsupplies.ca. But... I hate waiting! lol.

I do understand that COVID has made the small business owners struggle, and I certainly want to help them out as much as I can. But inflating prices to a ridiculous markup is just not right. And especially if they are doing different prices from one customer to the next. I know that that particular owner definitely does that. I've seen it myself. When someone asks him a price... He looks up in the air and says aaahhhhhhh..... $150! lol. When they have to think about a price before he gives it to you it's probably not the best haha.

And those fish prices though!! So outrageous!! And especially when they are ick ridden sickly looking fish for $150. The worst is... That people in the reefing community are trying to get fish store prices for their private sale fish, which further inflates the prices of everything! That's the most frustrating thing to me. Like... $150 for a yellow tang? Get over yourself! lol. I like the $60 Tang prices of the past. Thank you to some members still offering reasonable prices on their private sales.

Hey Mike. Long time no chat. How’s that crazy dog of yours? I miss seeing your crazy tank builds. New house. Come in man. You used to be up there with Brett on all those new builds. Lol

It was for a magnificent anemone. I buy them regularly usually charged at $130. But got charged $200. And now I found out from someone this past weekend that he quoted them only $150. So because he knows I will buy them, it got marked up.

With JL the prices are posted and are typically consistent. Ah well.

Glad I’m not the only one that thought those prices were nuts! Shipping is hard to justify on small purchases. They got us by the short and curly!

And now I've had the same tank running for longer than any other... complete with two of Mike's tangs... go figure LOL.

LOL

And... I do have another build! Just haven't posted it on here yet. Decided not to sell the house in this market. So I got bored and set up a 100 gallon tank lol.

I can darn near look out my front window and see the ominous blue glow coming from Brett's house!

We need to string some soup cans up so we can chat and giggle about reef things late at night unbeknownst to the wives =)

Also, get that thread going!

are you referring to listed price vs actual price? Or is the type of store that does not list any prices at all?



from what i have encountered, most stores seem to have a buddy price vs regular customer price. If not that, then select clients get to cherry pick pieces from incoming shipments.

Let's do it! lol

Yeah... I should. I'll get it started!

There are no prices listed. So the owner just makes it up.

your bud is either getting the bro price or you getting the F U price.

LOL! Ya that’s not cool, call it for what it is but that seems like a random discount. I usually shop around the market to see what the particular fish or coral retails for. That at least gives me the heads up to when I’m about to be ripped off.

You guys had to know this was coming
It's been a decade of no prices on tanks in those stores. The store across the road is still the best for fish, but there was a reason I ordered from J&L. Better fish for the same price, even after shipping.

Speaking of price gouging... my bucket of Red Sea blue bucket was like $100 I think. I don't recall paying that much for the one I bought previously but I'm not known for my memory...

Last one I bought was $85 for the blue bucket. J&L sells it for $87.........

Also $85 at the LFS in YEG.

We got the same thing happening in Nova Scotia too. Different price for everyone

oh damn brett and mike are back? didn't know you moved to douglas dale brett.

Hey Victor nice to see you back. Now if Kien came back....

I was back. Longest running tank yet at around 2.5 years. I'm actually NOT back (again) though. No blue glow coming from my Douglasdale abode currently haha. Blink and you'll miss me LOL.