Difficult situation

[etu1002]

I saw a couple buying a fish tank for their little boy at Congressional aquarium couple of weeks ago. Judging from the excitement on the little boy's face, it was most likely his first fish tank. It was a 20 gallon complete setup, with light, filter, gravels, air pump, chemical, decors and some other accessories.
The couple were shocked when the staff told them the total was almost $250. I couldn't believe my ears either. The dad was definitely not very happy and wanted to walk out the store. The little boy was so disappointed when the dad said no. In the end, the mom still bought everything.
At that time, I felt really bad for them. I wanted to tell them they could have got a better deal from members in this club or even Craigslist. I didn't say anything because I understood they were also paying for the expertise and advise from the staffs. What would you do if you were in the same situation?

 

[Wet Sleeves]

Ive been in similar situations and often thought that it would be awesome to be able to discreetly hand a business type CCA card to them.

 

[Zepp914]

I guess it depends on what they got. You can get a 20g setup from Petco for $99, but the light, filter, and heater won't last a year. If they went home with something similar, then yes they got hosed. If they acquired a good filter, a good light (my planted+ light was $80 alone), a nice wooden stand, and all of the other works, $250 may not be completely unreasonable.

Nothing can realistically compare to Craigslist. People getting out of the hobby are practically giving stuff away.

 

[etu1002]

The setup didn't come with a stand. All the accessories like filter and light are similar to the ones you would get from the combo deals at Petco and Petsmart. That's why I felt so bad for them.

 

[Zepp914]

I like to support local businesses and don't mind paying 10% to 15% more to get something from them instead of a big box store. I think 150% more is crazy. I don't know if I would say something or not. They should have shopped around a little.

 

[IndianaSam]

I also would prefer to support locals businesses, but the prices at Congressional seem very high to me particularly for pretty common fish and equipment.

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Just remember that Congressional Aquarium is a regular supporter of the club, and needs people shopping to be able to stay open. They are one of a few remaining in the area, but are also located in a very high value/cost retail location, in Rockville. Everything in Rockville costs more than everything in Beltsville for the most part. Congressional can't compete with Petco/Petsmart in terms of prices because they're not ordering 100s or 1000s of items at a time, but they have a lot more to offer than the box stores in terms of knowledge and service.

Let people make their purchase as they made that choice as a consumer. Let them know about the club after they leave the store, then they can learn more about their setup and the fish they keep. Mom and day may not have wanted to show up at someone's door buying a used setup, or piecing together used equipment at an auction. Now if anything breaks, they have recourse with the store, which goes through the supplier.

I think a lot of us likely paid a premium for our first setup, and learned/evolved from there. We might not need the bright blue gravel, or the "No Fishing" sign, or the bubbling shipwreck, but I bet that kid is happy as can be right now. Eventually he might be fine with a tank of sand and wood or rock, with DIY equipment, and fish that aren't brightly colored.

Everyone has to start somewhere, just remember your roots, and the first LFS you visited regularly and saved allowance to buy from. Keep people from buying stuff there, and you'll have no choice but to obtain absolutely everything from the club or online.

 

[chriscoli]

well-said, Mike!

 

[mchambers]

Yes, good point, Mike.

I think a hard choice is when you see a parent with one or more kids buying a small tank (10 or 20 gallons) and also two or more goldfish. I tried once to warn a father (out of range from his kids) that the fish would get too big, but he didn't listen.

 

[JLW]

I shop at Congressional regularly, and while the prices are higher than what you'll pay on Amazon and at PetWhatever box stores, they're generally wildly so. He got decorations, and what not, all of which can quickly add up to the price -- some individual decorations cost $40-50 easily (especially since Disney has started licensing decorations... want a Princess Ilsa castle? That's $832, please).

Yes, you can get used a lot cheaper. You can buy a new car for $40,000 or one on Craigslist for $5000. If you're smart, you can get a used car that'll last you just as long as that new one, too. Some people want new.

One of the biggest problems the Organised Hobby faces is that so many in the Industry see us not only as competitors, but downright enemies, and I definitely think "discretely" slipping that guy a business card and whispering, "We'll hook you up for cheap" would have done nothing to disillusion that. We need the support of the Industry, and we as a Hobby need to do better at supporting them. They're there when you need fish medications today, they're there when you need water testing, they're there with neat new fish you've never seen before, and they're the gateway for new hobbyists. Often times it seems like the only times the clubs give any patronage to the local stores is when you descend like carrion birds to their "going out of business" sale.

Yea, the $250 price of admission for a new tank is more than we're used to paying, but that's because the artificially low prices of auctions jades you. We need to keep stores in business, and shaming them for charging a fair price for items isn't the way to do it. Simple Econ 101 -- if their prices were really too high, if someone could make a go of it down the road with cheaper prices, someone would, and they'd go out of business. Congressional is standing strong after fifty plus years. Aquarium One, just up the road, is gone. Discount Pets, just up the road, is gone. Says all you need to say.

Prices from Amazon:
20-Gallon Versa Top -- $35
LED (low range) -- $40
Powerfilter -- $30 (MRL Penguin)
Gravel -- $25ish (depending on amount and colour)
Air Pump -- $12 (Tetra Whisper)
Stone -- $3
Airline -- $5
Check Valve -- $3
Heater -- $32 (Aqueon 150)
Dechlorinator -- $8 (Prime)
Total -- $193
With Tax -- $205

Plus, Decorations -- $50-100 easy (and whatever accessories they get)
That doesn't include the tank, btw, since its not available on Amazon and shipping would kill you on a small tank.

So, looks to me like they got a set-up at Congressional you couldn't have gotten better on Amazon.

 

[Beanie Seagus]

i think we, who are so deep into this hobby, have access to fish, equipment, and knowledge, for free or at prices that no actual Pet store can keep up with.

In other words, i've been spoiled rotten by our club and others like it, and I can never go back to buying from a pet store.

That said, my sympathy does go out to the Pet stores, and I can't blame them for charging an absolute arm and leg for what they are selling. Just think about it, even if a fish costs double what it should in a store... they store owner is making maybe $3-$5 on the fish...

That sounds like a lot but, how many fish a day does that mean they need to sell a day to keep the lights on, let alone, pay an employee, or feed a family.

As a purveyor of fish and used equipment myself though... yea sometimes its hard to watch folks pay big time prices for pretty meh gear

 

[Digital]

I remember when stores used to encourage clubs to post flyers for their meetings. The more fish enthusiasts the better for them. They know clubs trade and have auctions, and they know craiglist and Amazon exist.

I'd given them the info on cca and say we can help them learn more about the hobby. Not everyone likes to buy fish from strangers, but cca does help people stay in the hobby, and people still buy from the stores when they have to.

 

[chriscoli]

Also, I don't like to compare prices the stores with the club auctions.

I think the prices on items in our club are ridiculously low. We've lost a lot of sellers at our auctions over the years because of it. We used to have club members who would bring in really nice fish but they don't anymore because they only get a few dollars for a bag of fish that should cost a lot more than that. In the short term, we're spoiled, but over the long term, we're hurting ourselves because we've come to expect cheap fish and dry goods and that expectation seeps into what we expect from the stores as well.

 

[JLW]

I wish I could like that post 47 times.

 

[Becca]

There are some things I will probably always buy from a store where they've settled in and look good, given the opportunity. I'd much rather choose my own Dicrossus maculatus than order a half dozen online and pray (House of Tropicals hands me a net and a cup and tells me to give them the final count).

Lemon Tetras and Cardinal Tetras ship terribly. If you want a school of either, find a nice looking one at your LFS, buy them fast, and GO STRAIGHT HOME.

If you want a 10 or 20 gallon setup, sure, you're probably going to do better at a big box. But, if you need a new impellar for your filter, a medication that actually works, new back stripping or hinges for a glass lid, etc., you'd better get your butt to a LFS. Ever try finding an Eheim impellar in a pinch? Yeah, good luck with that. Petco and PetSmart refuse to meet the standards required to carry real medications, so you can only get a few useless ones at either store. They don't have parts at all.

If you think Congressional is overpriced, drive the extra distance to Tropical Lagoon, House of Tropicals, Go Fish, or Aquatic Creations, you know, if they're worth the mileage.

 

[IndianaSam]

I guess I’m spoiled because my old LFS was Eric Bodrock’s “All Oddball Aquatics” in the South Hills of Pittsburgh back when he was still running a retail store. My kids and I would make a trip there nearly every weekend to see what cool fish he had in stock. You’d always see a great mix of common and rare fish at extremely reasonable prices. And each month I’d attend the planted aquarium club (PAPAS), which he’d allow us to have upstairs in his breeding room. Really good times. The very first time I ever visited his store he game a whole tour of the place and helped me with “the lay of the land” of being a hobbyist in Pittsburgh. I think Eric understands the relationship and dynamic between the hobbyist and LFS better than anyone. Maybe that’s why he sold Oddball in the end.

I was definitely not comparing Congessional to the CCA or PVAS auctions, which are pretty awesome and rife with great deals for us hobbyists. Nothing can compare to club meetings. I suppose I was comparing them to my experience with a top notch LFS, though, also having worked at a mom and pop LFS as a teenager.

 

[chriscoli]

Fair enough. There is a lot of variability between LFS's, and finding one that's hobbyist-forward is pretty rare.

 

[Btwcp]

I don't mind a little inflated prices. Hope that kid enjoys his tank.