Small businesses and bulk reef supply.

[Notsolostfish]

I am not going to mention names, but i wanted to seee everyones opinion about this. I decided to support a small online business a guy i bought corals from. He also sell gear for reefing. So i bought from him a radion xr30, brs carbon, radion mount, carbon reactor his total was 1279$ he promised me that prices are going up by 500$ and i need tk place order now. Now considering his price was lower by brs by 100$ or so. I decided to support him. So i did Wednesday 10:00 pm placed my order.

Now i go to the brs website and everything is 20% off and my total shipped 1100$ so i pretty much lost 180$ + since im financing whatever interest is added on 1279$..

he cant refund me. He said its too late. 2 days after placing my order. Do i have the right to be mad? Or not? Thats why im asking to see everyone opiniom

 

[Boehmtown]

You're looking around too much. Find someone you trust. Seems to be brs and just by from them from now on. Part of supporting a small business is paying higher prices. The manufacturer is probably clearing stock and gave everyone a deal, brs undoubtedly got a better deal and can discount a little more

 

[Notsolostfish]

You're looking around too much. Find someone you trust. Seems to be brs and just by from them from now on. Part of supporting a small business is paying higher prices. The manufacturer is probably clearing stock and gave everyone a deal, brs undoubtedly got a better deal and can discount a little more

The only reason i bought from him instead brs is supporting small buisness is for me to save money. If i was rich sure. I am not rich. As a consumer yes its my right to save money.

 

[exnisstech]

Sounds like he is a good sales person lol. I'd be mad too. The owner of my go to lfs is a stand up guy. He'll beat online prices as well as wave sales tax when cash is used. I don't carry any debt so cash is king.

 

[galantra]

Nothing wrong with trying to save, you tried it, it didn’t workout. Lesson learned . It’s hard when it comes to LFS vs online vendors. I can support when it’s certain things but the prices sometimes can be shocking!!!!

From my town I wanted a 75gpd membrane for a RODI units and the price he quoted me was $150…. I couldn’t help but say out loud how crazy that price was.

In your case, would I be mad? Yes you would hope that they would try to make things right in some type of way at least

 

[Reef Jedi]

After 25 years in this hobby I’ve personally found prices to be all over the board. BRS is my absolute go to place for everything. Every year they constantly increase their product line and have a very good business model changing with the hobby. Not something I can say about the LFS literally one block from my house. In comparison the LFS is 50% higher on everything and never has anything. As a business owner my self, I understand why that is and that’s why I make the personal choice to always buy from BRS. Big purchases I always wait for holiday deals since you really can save money. The normal consumables are very well priced and with free shipping I’ll always happily wait the 2 days. BRS can out compete all others due to their connections with vendors to then pass on the savings to the consumer.

 

[me & my baby]

I understand supporting you LFS store but even the one that you trust are still out to make money . Years ago there was a great place in Atlanta called cappuccino bay . They had the largest coral selection in pretty much all of Georgia . Well one Saturday are club was having a meeting there and they where a sponsor and offer the paid members of the club a discount . Me and my old friend Alvin got there way early since traffic was normally heavy and it was almost a 2 hour drive for us . We get there start looking around and saw the staff being directed my the manager to change all the prices . Well we sat back and watched and they were raising the prices up 30% our club discount was 20%. Mind you over the year I personally spent several thousand with them in fish and coral and other stuff . When I walked up to the guy I normally worked with I said hey what’s going on . He told
Me they were having a big club meeting and the boss told them to raise up the prices . Well about an hour later all the members starting showing up and when we all got in there and he saw me is face turned blood red , he knew they had just been busted . Needless to say I me and my buddy didn’t buy anything and neither did any of the members . I am all for supporting the local guys but sometimes even the ones you trust get greedy.

 

[spsick]

Supporting LFS costs more. Sounds a little scummy to not let you return an unused light but idk their policies.

If lowest price is all that matters we’ll be left with just online purchasing from billionaires and investment groups

 

[Notsolostfish]

Supporting LFS costs more. Sounds a little scummy to not let you return an unused light but idk their policies.

If lowest price is all that matters we’ll be left with just online purchasing from billionaires and investment groups

He didnt even ship yet he only ordered them from brs not like i received the product

 

[spsick]

He didnt even ship yet he only ordered them from brs not like i received the product

Yeah then what the heck? And telling you price was going up to make the sale also pretty sus.

 

[EliMelly]

Just cancel it on the credit card, doesn’t seem like he dealt with you in good faith.

 

[Reefer Matt]

The problem is that BRS is owned by Aperture Pet and Life. They are both a retailer and a wholesaler. Smaller retailers cannot compete with them when sales come out, because the wholesale price usually doesn’t change. So you as a customer can get better deals from BRS at this time of the year. It’s your choice to give extra money to a small business, or just buy from BRS and Amazon.

 

[ninjamyst]

Sales happen all the time. Let say you bought from BRS and a few days later, they have a sale. They not gonna refund you the difference.

 

[mfinn]

I am not going to mention names, but i wanted to seee everyones opinion about this. I decided to support a small online business a guy i bought corals from. He also sell gear for reefing. So i bought from him a radion xr30, brs carbon, radion mount, carbon reactor his total was 1279$ he promised me that prices are going up by 500$ and i need tk place order now. Now considering his price was lower by brs by 100$ or so. I decided to support him. So i did Wednesday 10:00 pm placed my order.

Now i go to the brs website and everything is 20% off and my total shipped 1100$ so i pretty much lost 180$ + since im financing whatever interest is added on 1279$..

he cant refund me. He said its too late. 2 days after placing my order. Do i have the right to be mad? Or not? Thats why im asking to see everyone opiniom

Two things I see here.
First you said you wanted to support a small business.
That's great, small businesses need support.
We need lots of small business's. We don't want just 1 mega store that can control all the prices.
Then you said the small business was cheaper. So your desire to support a small business was driven by greed. Yours.
Now the big business has a sale going on. They can do that much easier than the small business.
You shopped around and made a choice. Live with it.

 

[rtparty]

Sales happen all the time. Let say you bought from BRS and a few days later, they have a sale. They not gonna refund you the difference.

Yes, they absolutely will. It will likely be in points but they will certainly credit you the difference

 

[rtparty]

The problem is that BRS is owned by Aperture Pet and Life. They are both a retailer and a wholesaler. Smaller retailers cannot compete with them when sales come out, because the wholesale price usually doesn’t change. So you as a customer can get better deals from BRS at this time of the year. It’s your choice to give extra money to a small business, or just buy from BRS and Amazon.

When a MAP item goes on sale like this, the wholesaler/vendor will usually discount the wholesale price or compensate in some other way for the "lost" profit

 

[Notsolostfish]

Two things I see here.
First you said you wanted to support a small business.
That's great, small businesses need support.
We need lots of small business's. We don't want just 1 mega store that can control all the prices.
Then you said the small business was cheaper. So your desire to support a small business was driven by greed. Yours.
Now the big business has a sale going on. They can do that much easier than the small business.
You shopped around and made a choice. Live with it.

Of course. I want the best for me if you’re advertising you can get the best prices and discounts im coming for you. Im not running a charity

 

[Notsolostfish]

When a MAP item goes on sale like this, the wholesaler/vendor will usually discount the wholesale price or compensate in some other way for the "lost" profit

Heres the crazy party i said okay did the product get shipped he said yes brs shipped it to me, and im going to quality test it. I said what do you mean by quality test? He said opening the radion light tampering the seal, and plugging it in. To make sure it works. That guy is driving me absolutely nuts.

 

[mfinn]

Of course. I want the best for me if you’re advertising you can get the best prices and discounts im coming for you. Im not running a charity

Either is the store.

 

[Notsolostfish]

Of course. I want the best for me if you’re advertising you can get the best prices and discounts im coming for you. Im not running a charity

Either is the store.

Well he said im beating brs prices. He didnt.