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if u worked at a lfs, where do u draw a line between being a good sales-person and being a responciable fish keeper.

for example: a person comes in and ask for a lets say ID shark or bala. and deep down u can tell they are a noob and really dont have the tank for it. your decision;
a)tell them it isn't for them and lose the sale and maybe lose ur job
b)say nothing and know that the fish is probably going to live a bad life.

The lfs I work for doesn't want me to lie to the costomers. It's bad for business. I tell them that they should trade in the shark and recommend some fish that will fit their setup. In losing the sale of the bala shark you gain trust from the costomer and you bring their business back to the store many many times. Eventually they might buy that 125 setup for those bala sharks they originally wanted.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

When I worked at a pet store for one summer I would always warn people about fish that were too big for their tanks (and ask the size of the tank and what was in it at the time). If they still insisted they wanted the fish (sadly the majority), I would still have to sell it to them.

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I always tell people the correct information. Although I'm a LFS salesperson, first and foremost I am a resposible fishkeeper. I don't sell people equipment they don't need, and I don't push customers to buy the most expensive fish we have. Some customers are just arrogant idiots, however, and for them we have a sign hanging up that says "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone". I have exercised that right more than a few times.

While we initially don't get as much money from not pushing sales on people, the store actually gets even more business from regular, loyal customers that appreciate us. I'd say I know about 75% of the customers that come in by name, and I know what kind of fish/reptiles they have and like.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

I agree, when dealing with the welfare of living things, you always be responsible, no question!!

The customer want the truth and if you explain the reasons for or not buying then they will come back.

If I ever get the wrong advice when buying something I will never go back to that store.

I have also worked in sales as a part time job 10 years selling and demonstrating power tools.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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I can address this issue from 2 sides; as someone who has worked the retail side of business AND as a customer seeking out good advice. For the last 5 years, I have worked as a manufacturer's sales representative where I call on a large retail home improvement chain. I mainly interact with the store personnel but sometimes I end up talking with/helping the retail customers with my products as well. Some people really want to know the best way to do something and be educated and some people have their mind made up when they walk in the door and nothing you say will convince them. These are the same people who you see a month or 6 months later having to re-buy everything because they screwed it up to begin with. I would assume it's the same in the LFS business as well. Personally, I know I still have much to learn BUT if I ever get information from my local LFS that I don't feel comfortable with, I'll delay my purchase and take the time to research the issue more thoroughly before buying anything, be it fish or equipment (let the buyer beware). If the information I received conflicts with my research, I make sure I deal with a different sales person on my next visit to the store. I've had both good and bad advice and good and bad experiences as a customer. The 2 worst things I've seen are when I see a salesperson selling someone a tank kit AND the fish at the same time (although this is usually what the customers wants regardless) or the lady who told a customer "Your Betta will do just fine in a community tank." (I HAD to pull the lady aside and tell her about the Betta I saw rip a molly from fin to fin....an early experience of mine unfortunately.)

I always know what kind of setup a customer has before a net even touches the water. Most of the time, just by explaining information about the adult fish, they will change their mind on their own. ie:

Me: That fish gets about a foot long, your tank is only 20 inchs long and 10 inches wide.

Customer: Oh, well what are some fish that I could have in my tank?

But of course you always have those customers that information goes in one ear and out the other.

yeah... i dont WORK for an lfs, but i have in my day tried to offer some friendly advice to a snot-nosed kid and his plastic surgery-barbie of a mom... and well... needless to say.. the kid didnt give a crap what i, or the salesperson suggested.... EVEN thought he was told the fish would surely die... he and his mother still insisted on putting a school of neon tetras in a glass bowl with no filtration in with a betta..... might i add.. that he bought ALL at once.. in one sitting.. no cycling... anywho.. i try and hold my tongue now.. but as a salesperson i think its your moral holding to at least try and talk someone out of a sale that would jeopordize the animals life.

*Chelle*
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I love the fishes cuz they're SOOO delicious...

i understand that they try to tell you about the fish, but sometimes(as a buyer) and i know it is their job and that they are responcible, but it gets annoying, hearing the same stuff over and over again. i know that their are no other true fishkeepers in my area, so i guess that it is only my problem, but often they dont realize that i know..... and so sometimes as a buyer it gets frustrating hearing the same thing over and over and over again.

but on the other side, i understand why, and that it is helpful, but alot of the times i hear the wrong information, or the buyer just doesn't care, and wants a fish b/c it looks good.

for example i was in my lfs and some guy was bragging that he had a 55 gallon, and got like 20 sliver sharks and you can picture what i was feeling, but i guess once he wanted to buy them all the lfs person didn't bother and just wanted to get the money.

I just don't like it when Sales People make up info so people will buy fish. It drives me crazy! For example, a sign at <a store> says that livebearers would go great with Dragon Fish. Ummmm......

Another case is when people at <same store> ask if they can put things like: African Chichlids, Rope Fish, a JB Parrot, and 2 Puffers in a 55 and the associate says yes.


Ugh....

Inky

Another case is when people at <same store> ask if they can put things like: African Chichlids, Rope Fish, a JB Parrot, and 2 Puffers in a 55 and the associate says yes.

I had a coworker who would go to various LFS' in the area and ask questions like this just to laugh at the salespeople's answers! I think I told him that was evil.

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"For example, a sign at <a store> says that livebearers would go great with Dragon Fish."

Dragon Gobies (if that's what you are talking about and not Asian Arowanas) and livebearers generally do make good tankmates, especially mollies. They are both Central American brackish fish. The only thing is that the Goby will likely eat the fry, but most people consider that a good thing.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

ive never heard a dragon gobie eat anything but brine shrimp though i could be mistaken

i understand that they try to tell you about the fish, but sometimes(as a buyer) and i know it is their job and that they are responcible, but it gets annoying, hearing the same stuff over and over again

Ok, try to imagine yourself as a LFS worker, and you want to make sure that your customers know what they are getting into. How do you know what that customer knows or doesn't know? Yeah, you might be able to memorize certain customers, but I, personally, work with about 50 to 100 customers a day. Thats about 200 to 700 customers a week. You try and memorize what 700 different people know. And thats on a normal week. I hate to even calculate how many people I talk to when we have a big sale!

A good worker will tell you the info about whatever, unless he/she knows that the customer knows.