LFS Drama

O

orchidsnfish

I recently broke down my 75 gallon "reef" which had about 70 lbs of LR, several small corals, and a few fish. I had the stuff sold but the LFS wanted to give me store credit for it and I did it thinking it would be easier and that they could get the stuff I wanted to replace it with. So I supposedly have $250 store credit. I ordered $150 worth of live plants 3 weeks ago and they still don't have any of them. I saw the suppliers list and picked the plants from there which means they are suppost to have them in stock (at least some of them). Everytime I call they just say they don't know what the deal is. Today I said "Well what if you can't get them" and she said "Can you just order them offline?" I said "Yes, but you have all the stuff I was going to use to finance it." She said "Well it would be cheaper here anyway."

Im not really sure what to do. I feel like they are just going to try to keep my stuff for free. I'm not a very confrontational person but this is really making me mad. Should I just go get all my stuff back? Or try to? They have already sold some of it. What would you do?

Angela
 
I would talk to the manager or owner first. If they refuse to help you out you can always name names on a public forum :shock: Then they will either resolve the issue or get blasted by the online community. Is this a sponser?
 
Ask exactly when your plants will be in and get that date, and your store credit, in writing and signed by an employee.

Then give them an ultimatum. They're the store, they obviously sell the stuff online if you can order it online from the dealer. There shouldn't be much issue for them to get it in the store. Tell them it needs to be there by the end of next week or you'll return with your lawyer.

I don't let anybody mess around with MY money. Don't wait for things to happen, be active and make them happen. (Also, get everything in writing, take photos etc. You might need it in the future.)

Oh. and one more thing, the words "Better Business Bureau" always make things happen really fast.
-Cat
 
Well here's the deal. I have been dealing personally with the owner since day 1. It's not a sponsor. It's a hole in the wall store in the sticks. She has been saying she's going to call the supplier for 2 weeks and still hasn't or if she has she didn't get anywhere. She tells me she will call and call me back and never does. I have a feeling this is going to get ugly which is a shame.

Angela
 
Get things in writing, take names, take photographs.
Like of your system in the store and what it looked like in your house so you can prove it was yours. All of the pieces.
Then you can go in and talk to the owner and say, "it's been 3 weeks. i'll wait right here while you make that phone call."
 
That's true. But some people don't know that :D

Be very thorough in your documentation. She's likely pulling your chain because you have store credit and not the almighty green dollar bill.
 
I'm about to go up there now. I'm just going to say I want either 1)my money 2) my stuff back 3) my plants and if you are going to get the plants I want to know when they are going to be here and I want my store credit in writing...It really sucks because before I started helping them they had one lousy saltwater tank with NOTHING in it except blue gravel and a shipwreck. Now they have a beautiful reef that I put together for free with my own stuff and they want to rip me off.

Well wish me luck

Angela
 
I would give it a day or so to contemplate about the best way to handle the situation and let things cool off. :)

and then you can decide if you want to burn it down or not.... :lol:
 
Save your credit for things down the road, join the DFW Aquatic plant club, and get clippings for free or trade from club members while learning to take care of your tank.

http://www.aquatic-plants.org

I'm the former VP of the club. Needless to say the reef bug bit hard.
 
Too late I already went. I didn't go off on her though. She was really upset about the whole deal and did call while I was there and wholesale place was giving her the run around. Said the order got "overlooked" and that the plants were there. She gave them the whole order over the phone so now they don't have an excuse. I also got a receipt that says how much she owes me.

Thanks for the feedback. I really thought I was being rude and impatient but it's good to see that you guys think 3 weeks is a little extreme too.

We'll see what happens. I may have to go load up on her stuff eventually.



and then you can decide if you want to burn it down or not.... said:
LOL. I am going to start saving my bail money up.

About that planted tank board. I'm just not seeing a whole lot there. Do they even have a message board?

Angela
Click to expand...
 
Well if you don't wanna be rude there are quite a few people here that wouldn't mind being rude for you.
Glad things are working out for the better, hooray!
-Cat
 
Angela - you've done really well! Keep that receipt in a safe place.

And I'm especially glad to see that everyone has given you such sage advice, rather than "go burn down the store" - LOL.

Keep up on it, don't let a whole week go by without checking in at the store. I'd still write down every time you go in - time, date, etc. And if you know what plants you wanted, wrrite down that list, too, so there is no mistake later.
 
I have ordered plants and fw fish online with much success. I got 4 SAE's 3 years ago and still have 2, one jumped :(

I would go ask to see thier distributors info, and if she asks why say so you can call them to place your order....then do it if she lets you lol
 
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