do LFS get guarantees from their supplier?

[geaux xman]

I was at my LFS and asked him about the achilles I saw 2 days ago. He told me it had died. So I am wondering if LFS get guarantees from their supplier such as DOA or 7 day live guarantees. I know they get fish much cheaper.

The guy's business is kinda slow, so I feel bad for him if he has to eat the cost of that achilles, even if it it is $50 or however much. He has it priced at $190.

[epicfish]

Usually, from wholesalers, it's a DOA guarantee. 10% is the usual acceptable DOA. Anything above that and you get credit for it. But again, it's DOA, not once the fish/coral/etc has been introduced to your system.

[Bretts05jeep]

This is something that I have wondered myself. Going to tag along to see replys.

[geaux xman]

I know he use to sell the 3-4" Achilles for $150(about 6 months ago), but now its at $190. He did have one there that is already sold, but the lady havent picked it up yet.

I had a $47 500w titanium heater(6 months old) that died. I bought another one and brought the dead one back. He was going to give me credit for it, but I exchanged it for an equal value pump and some flex hose. That is Walmart like return service there.

[snorvich]

LFS do not get guarantees from wholesalers. LFS normally do not offer guarantees.

[hvacman250]

Originally Posted by geaux xman

I was at my LFS and asked him about the achilles I saw 2 days ago. He told me it had died. So I am wondering if LFS get guarantees from their supplier such as DOA or 7 day live guarantees. I know they get fish much cheaper.

The guy's business is kinda slow, so I feel bad for him if he has to eat the cost of that achilles, even if it it is $50 or however much. He has it priced at $190.

He has the price of the dead fish figured into the price of the alive fish you will buy. Fish death is figured into theoverall profit margin/mark-up.

Originally Posted by epicfish

Usually, from wholesalers, it's a DOA guarantee. 10% is the usual acceptable DOA. Anything above that and you get credit for it. But again, it's DOA, not once the fish/coral/etc has been introduced to your system.

This is right by all the wholesalers Ive ever known.

[tebstan]

Live arrival is a standard guarantee. If a business has been working with a particular supplier for a long time and develops a good relationship, they can make occasional exceptions in extreme circumstances.

LFS don't usually offer guarantees. I've seen 14 day half credit at one place. And one place offered full guarantee on purchase of fish that had been quarantined, if you brought a water sample. Then there's always the unwritten good-customer-drops-lotsa-$$$-rarely-returns policy.

[seapug]

It depends on the wholesaler. In general, if you're an lfs that is a regular customer,have an account that's in good standing, and don't have constant issues with losses in your system, a wholesaler will credit periodic losses. But they don't/won't immediately send a replacement if a fish dies or send a cash refund. They will usually apply a credit to the next order the store places from them.

[lokii_37]

A little off topic but do most LFS not have a guarantee on fish? The LFS by me has a 7 day policy, as long as you bring in a water sample, that tests within the stated parameters, they will give back 100% credit.

[syrinx]

Depends on situation- if you order from some of the really big wholesalers- they will have a doa policy- because no one would order from them if they had to eat the loss. Most places do not have any guarantee though.

I guaranteed my saltwater fish I sold for one week- as long as water tested good and there was no visible sign of damage I would replace for up to a week.

[nonstopfishies]

Originally Posted by syrinx

Depends on situation- if you order from some of the really big wholesalers- they will have a doa policy- because no one would order from them if they had to eat the loss. Most places do not have any guarantee though.

I guaranteed my saltwater fish I sold for one week- as long as water tested good and there was no visible sign of damage I would replace for up to a week.

Wish there was an LFS in my area that had any sort of guarantee. That is a luxury in my eyes and surprises me because I don't know how an LFS can make any money if they do offer guarantees unless they jack up their prices.

Also, to me I don't think many LFS's make money on Achilles when everything is considered. Stores need to offer all sorts of fish and sometimes display them to keep customers and Achilles is something that draws attention and then customers will buy other fish and stuff that they do make money on.

[psteeleb]

I frequent several LFS in our area and have had this discussion with at least 3 of the store owners that either do not get a guarantee form the wholesale supllier or it's so trivial that it's not worth it. Most of them expect some losses and if they get a shipment that was bad (other then due to shipping) they may argue with the supplier to try and get some discount on a future order etc. If a problem persists and goes unresolved they willjust change suppliers. In the long run, considering loss, maintenance and care LFS's usually don't make money on live stock. Loss alone probably wipes out any protential profit.

[fanandy8]

The LFS I have worked at offered guarantee on FW fish for a week but you need to bring a water sample and it has to test ok before getting new fish or store credit. The stores I've been to don't have any guarantee for saltwater, although the one where I just got a mandarin last week told me if it didn't eat for me within a couple days i can bring it back.
The store I worked at I do know would get a credit on next order for any fish that came in DOA.

[Reefing Newbie]

I agree that wholesales don't have anything more than a DOA guarantee unless the store is a good customer. There is one LFS in my area that will give people a 14 day guarantee if you pay $7 more dollars and they are still cheaper than the rest of my LFSs who don't have any guarantee. Worth it in my eyes!

[lokii_37]

Wow I feel lucky now with my LFS. They also have a program for $30 a year if you are a regular costumer they will give a 30 day guarantee on fish. Pretty sure it includes SW fish too. But the prices for fish do tend to be pretty high

[Khemul]

Originally Posted by lokii_37

A little off topic but do most LFS not have a guarantee on fish? The LFS by me has a 7 day policy, as long as you bring in a water sample, that tests within the stated parameters, they will give back 100% credit.

Only on freshwater. I haven't been to a single store around here that offers a return policy on saltwater fish.

I'm surprised any store would offer a guarantee on saltwater. Just too many variables for even water tests to show (and some variables even water tests won't show).