LFS Survey

[JimK]

I'm considering opening an aquarium store in my area, specializing in aquatic plants and planted aquariums.

I'm interested in know what makes a good aquarium store.

What do you like about the stores in your area?
What do you dislike?
What kind of store would like to shop in?

[GulfCoastAquarian]

I like stores that are clean, well-organized and have nice display tanks. Rows and rows of tanks are necessary to have a good variety and availability, but gorgeous display tanks are what wow the customers and open their eyes to possibilities.
What I don't like? Unfriendly or under-staffed LFS's. Some stores do have friendly and helpful staff, but they are too busy to help you so I just end up leaving. But the worst is a LFS with staff that are unknowledgeable and uninterested in talking with you about your purchase. Ideally, sales people should be enthusiastic hobbyists.

[^iMp^]

I don't like going to a LFS to find that they have a worse or equal selection than Petsmart (ie, all stem plants and marginals). Since you're specializing in plants, maybe this won't be a problem. Just make sure that potential suppliers in your area will be able to get you what you need.

I also don't like the "oh, this is just a holding tank" mentality that some LFSs have. Plant tanks should have good lighting, CO2, ferts, good substrate, whatever it takes to keep the plants looking healthy.

^iMp^

[Inzeos]

What usually bothers me the most about my LFS are their lack of selection, not because they arn't able to get it but because they arn't stocking it. A good LFS would be able to provide what they can get in inventory on their web site or on charts within the store.

Something like.... "Can't find it in our tanks?" Order it in store or on the web site and will stock it quarntined from the rest of the inventory for your pick up.

One thing you may want to do besides "display" tanks are a series of properly set up tanks, with the right fish population levels etc. Maybe contrast what a planted tank of one size can support fish wise to a non-planted tank of the same size. I often think that the reason people over stock their tanks is because they see 30 or 40 fishes swimming around in this little holding tank tied in to a huge filtration system at the pet store.

Just some thoughts for now.

[oldfarmhouse]

How may I help you......... The most important words IMHO in any bussiness. No matter how much work there is to be done none of the work makes any difference if you do not treat the customers as the single most important piece of the puzzle of any bussiness. Thank-you, Come again!

[JimK]

So far, excellent feedback. Exactly the qualities I look for as well and would put into my store. A beautiful display tank goes a long way in demonstrating what can be done in the hobby. Well stocked tanks, well lit, large variety, and no dead fish, knowledgeable help.

No one has mentioned prices yet. Are prices secondary to quality and variety?

[Ibn]

Prices are important as long as they're fair. To maintain the qualities that have already been stated, it takes a certain amount of overhead. You should be able to recoup that as well as make a fair bit of profit, otherwise, you won't be in the business for long.

[Ngaio]

Prices are secondary. Long ago I used to shop at a big box pet store for fish. If I wanted a school of 5 I'd buy 8 because three would certainly die in a short time. When I found a good LFS and the ALL the fish thrived I never returned to the big box. Even though the dry goods are more expensive at the LFS than the chain store I buy from the LFS because I know the dry goods sales supports the excellent plant and fish selection.

[JimK]

Here is a summary of what I've heard so far:


Store Appearance
· Clean
· Well-organized
· Display tanks
· No wet floors
· Clean glass
· Clean floors
· Dust-free counters
· Good selection of books
· Identify fish, characteristics (size, minimum tank size, grouping, compatibility, water temp, pH, swimming location, price
· Enough aisle space

Customer Service
· Friendly
· Helpful
· Knowledgeable
· Adequate
· Ability and willingness to special order livestock and dry goods
· Guidance and good advice
· Attentive staff – not ignoring customers and talking to each other
· Staff that are not snobby
· Honesty
· Provide basic education
· Personalized service – get to know customers by name
· Hold or reserve a fish for a customer
· Free seminars

Livestock
· Healthy stock tanks
· Variety of fish and plants
· Well-stocked tanks
· No dead fish
· Unusual fish
· Quarantine tanks
· Separate filtration
· Small variety of equipment – not overwhelming.
· Sell only the right fish for the customer’s tank
· Fish guarantee

Dry Goods
· Equipment parts
· Fair prices
· No gimmicky equipment.
· Don’t promote the most expensive equipment
· Maintain list of sources for supplies not carried
· Only display what is stocked

Any other suggestions?

[George Willms]

I agree with most of what everyone here says, although I do care a little bit about prices. While I don't expect to pay chain store prices at a good quality LFS, I also don't expect to be paying $3 for a cardinal tetra, or say $9 for a threadfin rainbow.

Good clean tanks, well-lit store and tanks I want to see what I'm buying, and a friendly and knowledgeable staff are very good things to have. Also, on the display tank idea, it would also be nice to show the different kinds of setups you can do, especially for plants. Have a low-tech tank (low-medium light, no co2, minimal ferts), a hi-tech tank (high lighting, co2 injection, ferts needed, etc), and even a tank that mixes plants with cichlids so people can see the possibilities. I like separate filtration on each tank. Or at the very least, only running maybe 3-5 tanks on one sytem. I hate centralized systems, yes they are easier to maintain, but if one fish is sick, they all are.

[oldfarmhouse]

Dont forget the add-ons to a sale...Filter media, nets,test kits, airline supplies etc. all close to the cash register. The main purpose of the bussiness is to make $$$$ not dinner friends. Don't let just anybody be part of the staff. If you can, be there most of the time. Its nice to see the same people everytime.

[pedietz]

the fresh water pet store i dont like to go to has lots of tanks
but a really crappy supply of fish. All they carried were goldfish, guppies, and mollies. Not a single cory.

Plants are nice for the experts, but the casual customer is going to be there for the fish.

Try to get hard to find fish. Petco can supply the common ones.

The petstore I like carries 20+ breeds of cories, to go along with their other great supplies.

One store I know specializes in cories, another in Angels, another in Discus. They get their followings.

[Silent Running]

I like a store that is dark and I'm talking about the walls. Preferably painted black. It really gives you a feel of being in a different environment. The contrast with a well lit tank is great and it gives you a good luck at the colors of the fish. I've always wanted to find, but never have, a well run LFS that has a beautiful display tank in a dark part of the store with a couch in front of it. Invite people to just hang out and take in the beauty of the display.

The "front" or dry goods area of the store should be well lit, but when you go to view the fish, it should feel like you're walking into another realm .

One of the main things I hate about most LFS is the attitude that some employees give you. I don't like being spoken down to and the last thing I need is for a sales clerk, probably with far less aquarium experience than I have, trying to make me feel stupid. I just don't understand that attitude that you see at a lot of specialty shops (not just fish stores).

[amanda huggenkiss]

Originally Posted by Silent Running

I've always wanted to find, but never have, a well run LFS that has a beautiful display tank in a dark part of the store with a couch in front of it. Invite people to just hang out and take in the beauty of the display.

My LFS has a big comfy chair in front of one of their display tanks. People hang out there all the time. I think it's a great idea!

It looks like all the important bits have been discussed already. Obviously, a knowledgeable staff is important, but I'd like to see staff that's not afraid to ask questions. I see it far too often that a person will come in and ask for one neon tetra, or they'll buy a pleco, and the staff will happily get the fish for them without asking about the customer's setup. Why are you only buying *one* tetra? Are you adding to an existing school? Is your tank big enough to accommodate that pleco? What are the other inhabitants?

I know no one wants to be talked down to, but it can be done without it sounding like they don't think you know what you're doing.

Actually, now that I think of it, it'd be nice to see some of these details posted on the tank. It would be simple enough to print out small info cards for all the different fish/plant species you carry, and then post them as you get these species in. Perhaps just quick facts on the front of the card so people can get info at-a-glance (basic info like size, aggressiveness, schooling or no), and then more detailed info on the back for people who are seriously considering a certain fish or plant.

Hmm. I'm going to have to go talk to the folks at my LFS about this...

[Silent Running]

What's the name of the store with the big comfy chair? Next time I'm up your way, I may have to swing by and check it out.