Crazy LFS prices ...

I had a budget for a few odds and ends for my setup but how in the heck can a ballast go from R 35 to R145 in two weeks
And an ornament from R40 to R171 in the same time
Does that mean I should up my callout fee from R150 to R500
This is sad seems like only the super rich can do this hobby
I am depro jeez

 

Now if Zoom's retail theory holds we should see a price drop next year? Never seen that happen but it would be nice. I am trying my best to get the bare minimum from my LPS, if anything this hobby is becoming a think outside of the box exercise.

 

You guys are definitely shopping at the wrong stores... Heck. I went LFS cruising today again... The ones in the South of Joburg are pretty good value for money. The problem is driving there uses lots of petrol, so you have to go there and make it totally worth your while. Like buying 25 Microrasbora kubotai.

 

Yeah - think you have a point .. but I have no clue on LFS's in the south. I assume it is ok to post the LFS names but no the contact details or address - that we can find via google.

You able to share some names with us?

 

Yeah, Looliloks. They have Plenty of Microrasbora Kubotai and they are R175 for 20 of them, and they gave me 25 for that price. They are a Koi farm, but they do have some nice tropicals. They have the "peruvian angels" that they have labeled as Altums. They don't look like Altums to me though. I also got some REALLY nice pieces of driftwood roots from them. And they are exceptionally well priced.

Also, as far as equipment goes, Petmasters is pretty good. I would not buy livestock from them, but their gear is very well priced.

Just so everyone knows, I do not supply them with any products, and I am just saying that they have some nice fish and equipment.

 

Cool thanks .. hmm now to find my passport - I might end in DBN and don't stop till I hit Madagascar

 

Well good news a new place opened a while ago and I scored some goodies at a nice price.
And Petstop also accommodated me Nice people feels like family lol
Now just a 20 watt ballast needed

 

Talking about driving out to stores that are a little far from home... What is the best way to bring livestock back? I want to make a turn past the sponsors in the PTA areas, but live in Edenvale JHB. Is that drive too stressful for fish?

 

Yip, Loolilocks and Exotic Aquariums in Boksburg have decent fish at the normal if not better price.

Petmasters is very well priced equipment wise.

How is Dory Pets somming along with their freshwater section?

 

I have been reading some of the statements and comments on this thread and I think it’s time for me to chuck in my 2 cents worth.


The reason why anyone starts a business is to make money. If the percentage profit margins from your business is equal to or less than the return on an investment you are doing it wrong and the money should have been left in the bank. It’s much less drama to invest in a money market account at 10% per annum than to run a business.


As some of you have stated pet shops face massive overheads, especially those located in convenient shopping centers. I know of one pet shop in South Africa with a R50 000 per month rent account, then add staff and various other overheads, losses, theft etc and the overheads balloons.


Some pet shops have higher overheads than others and some are in areas where the market is willing to pay higher prices – supply and demand. If the demand wasn’t there the shop would eventually close down.

A much bigger danger to the end user is the fluctuating Rand. If the Rand would stabilise the prices would also stabilise.


From a wholesalers point of view there’s lots of issues which affects the pricing on good supplied to the pet shops. As mentioned above the Rands volatility doesn’t help at all. The shipping lines charges basically what they want. Here is an example – middle November I received an email from Safmarine stating there will be a “peak season†surcharge. When I saw this I thought “hang on – the world economy is in a recession – there is no peak!†and sure as hell 10 days later another email state the surcharge has been cancelled but those who have paid it won’t get a refund.

So as you guys can see there’s much more to the pricing as what the shopper/end-user thinks about.

 

Well said Henk + 1.... Rediculous pricing at certain stores asside though - without them...the "trusty LFS/LPS" round the corner,we would not have a hobby....

 

true that they are trying to make some $$$$, but when you are asking R130 a Ram, and R30 a very small Rummy, i think they are missing the plot a bit?

But then again, i dont want to pay 50% of the price, and it dies!

 

@Vez - they have the calculate the potential as well as actual (at date of landing) losses in and average it out on the rest of the fish. What most users dont know is that a shop has a standard markup for the various product lines. They sit with the invoice and a calculator and work out a price, its not a thumb suck thing. If the fish gets brought in at a higher price, it will retail for a higher price. Once again it goes back to the ROE.

 

I buy my livestock from one place only. All my other hardware I shop aroud for at the best price.

I once paid R115 a ballast only to find the exact same ballast for R54 around the corner at another shop.

 

100% @HeinrichvH ... if you big time into this hobby then LPS crawling is part of it and it means you need to 1) have done your research be fore you walk into the shop 2) know what you are willing to pay. I hear the story about rent and all that - even noticed a LFS (actually they just do fish and KOI) in Sandton - a converted house.

I am keen to see if those xmas specials ever drop in prices ..

So we are then at interesting junction in this thread:

So assuming you are will to pay Crazy LFS prices - what are the characteristics that defines a trusted LFS?

1) Skilled Staff
2) Quality Product
3) ....

 

A range of products for different levels of aquarist, both in terms of experience and income
Caring staff - a staff member can be as skilled as he wants, but ultimately he must do what is right for the fish, putting it's needs above a quick sale

Those two are important to me off the bat, and IMO quite rare too.

However, every time a new LFS pops up, it seems that they can only choose one or two good qualities, or none whatsoever. I don't think we will ever see the 'perfect' pet store with all these qualities.

 

@f-fish. I personaly think that most of the staff at some lfs don't have any product knowledge, wich to me is also an important aspect. Product knowledge That would be nr 3 to me
4)...

 

I Don’t blame the LFS they learned it from the LPS. I walked in the other day with my friend and asked them how much they would buy rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and ect to their reply was we get every thing for free so we don’t need buy and said they were not interested. They were selling rabbits at R90, guinea pigs at R60 and rats at R25. Sometime it makes you think that you could give way better prices.

 

Ok so how does one place charge R40 plus for a java fern with three short leaves and another also in PTA R21 for a full size decent java fern? It just doesn't compute very well.

 

Hi all, Have been reading this with great interest. Pet shop owner and have already had some say into the pricing. Let us look quickly at the Java fern, the one could be bought in with the other having grown them himself! Most of us would buy our fish from the same suppliers so pricing should be similar. The one funny thing is people talk of the higher salaries earned in Gauteng therefore people are prepared to pay more for things! Think about that for a moment. As an owner if I can cut out the mifddle man I can reduce my pricing. Not always possible though. To be very honest with you all I don't believe stores make too much money from any live stock unless they bring in and it is sold out within a week or two max. I carry up to 300 of a specie at a time and sometimes the losses are quite high. Unfortunately we cannot see what the fish are like before they are landed in SA. Last neons bought, 300, and have not lost one, two weeks ago. The next shipment I could loose 80% of them. That is a costing that must be accounted for otherwise we cannot exist. Looking at rabbits etc. Gauteng are prepared to pay more therefore the much higher prices. Wgen it comes to birds, well the export market greatly determines the selling price. The big exporters are all up on the Highveld so your prices are rather stupidly high. Had a lady offer me A/greys at R1500 to sell at R3000. Just can't do that where I am in George. If one has to airfreight stock in it is a huge price that has climbed over the past two years
What I would suggest is you need to shop around and see who is prepared to offer the best price. By the way R30 for a Rummy nose is not to bad. They tend to cost quite a bit more and the quality tends to not be so good. A ballast at R54 is way below cost so it must have been old, very old, stock that was suddenly brought out and the price not changed.
If I had the feet going thru my shop and the fish I hold moving at a good rate I would most definitely drop my pricing of them. Remember the longer something stays in the shop the more rental it has to pay. Each and evrything has to pay rental for the space it takes up, the food it is fed and the power it helps to consume.
I also thought things were badly priced until I opened up a shop myself. Different point of view now. But at the end oif it all it should not be about the price only but also about the type of service you get at the shop. People don't mind paying a bit more if they get good service.