LFS downsizing in Durban?

Hi all

I'm in between Durban and Grahamstown for most of the year, so I tend to notice changes around town quite drastically.

One concerning trend that I've seen recently are the closure or downsizing of many stores around Durban. On a drive around recently, I had found that two of the smaller pet stores that I frequented had closed their doors. Another has recently moved to a much, much smaller premises. And another has decreased it's capacity to hold/stock fish. Is there just too little support for these smaller, less established stores in this town?

Is this a trend that is occurring in other towns too?

It has made things tricky in terms of finding good prices between stores, and there is a noted lack of variety now.

Regards

[PS: while I'm here: does anyone in the Durban area have some vallis available? I just need a plant or two or three, any size. thanks.]

 

Yes it is occurring everywhere I believe. One of the shops in EL has halved it's size but that was from having a useless manager who charges INSANE prices.
Regards Vallis, I can send you some or you can collect if you willing to make a detour to EL to get. Just lemme know

 

Just came from Durban.With the insane prices your LFS in Durbs charge it is no wonder.Found them to be selling Rainbow Ciclids as Malawis.The margin on livestock,food and hardware is over 400% with some fish going as high as 800%.

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Yeah there is a serious lack of variety down in Durbs. Gotta search hard if you looking for something out of the ordinary. In the last few weeks my cousin and I happened to buy a couple fish species that were the same. I'm in DBN and he is in JHB. I noticed I paid on average R100-R200 more per fish, for the exact same species, as what he had paid. I thought maybe the fish are landing in JHB and then getting redistributed down to DBN which makes them more expensive down here? Kinda like the opposite of fuel where it is cheaper down here than up in JHB due to transporting it up there?

 

I was in the hobby for many years and I'm just starting up again after a 6 year break and the two shops I used to frequent, the one is expanding and the other exploded in size. A few have closed but others opened. The one mentioned in a previous post stocks fish that others don't from time to time but I would not buy any equipment or food from them but their price when it come to fish is not bad. In Durbs you must just keep your eyes open and get to know who gets what when that's all. I must add I have never shopped in JHB before so maybe I just don't know any better...

 

The pet shops are way overpriced, with limited variety. One owner told me that he dont waste time ordering variety. only what sells. So mostly live bearers and tetras. In his words" money out of his pocket " with all the other stuff.

There are many independent operators in Durban , selling from their houses etc. Prices are much more reasonable compared to the Pet Shops.

 

hey SA,just gave away in excess of 100 pieces,,,,,,let u know if can retreive some from new owner and will let u know

 

So it's just in Durban, hm?

From what I understand, a lot of the stuff that you see in Durban LFS are landed elsewhere and transported here, thereby increasing the prices (relative to other areas). I haven't shopped in other towns and therefore can't compare our prices to others - to me these have always been the prices and I'm okay with that.

As for decreasing variety, in some cases its true, other times less so. In general, I do see a trend of the shops bringing in what sells - your bread and butter guppies, tetras, angelfish etc. - and skimping on the other stuff. However, in at least one or two shops I'm happy to have found fish I haven't seen available in years. Better yet, that I'm seeing labels on the tanks of fish that are also quite rarely seen, but are sold out. Its these shops, I think, that will hold strong in Durban.

For the most part I am talking about the freshwater sections though. I'm not 100% clued up on the marine side, but from what I've seen it looks pretty well stocked and people seem satisfied.

Do you guys think what is happening in Durban is due to online store availability? If Durban is, in fact, more expensive than other towns, are people looking more toward ordering online such as via websites or here via sponsors?

[PS: I've found some plants. Thank you everyone here and via PM who have offered; your gratitude is appreciated.]

 

If you want a new good shop in the Durban area, you should check out South Coast Exotics in Toti. Very cool bunch of guys. I know they were talking about getting microrasboras and stuff like that.

New store, with very passionate staff.