LFS vs BRS vs Amazon vs Marine Depot

[jwt1603]

First off, I'm not trying to start a flame war. Just kind of curious about who buys what from where.

This came up because I was buying a back up heater, so it's not a big purchase. I went to the LFS (great guy by the way, Orange Park Aquatics) and they wanted 79.99 for it. I didn't need it immediately and I was wondering what other outlets were getting for it. (Side note, I already bought my RS 525 and all the other equipment from him). BRS and Marine Depot were the same at 79,99 for the same unit. I went to Amazon and the same one was 54.99. Decent dollar difference by percentage.

The question is, where do you draw the line on supporting the LFS / specialty online stores and saving money? Personally, I prefer to support a local small business but at some point dollars come into play.

Thoughts?

 

[mckinleyw]

I use all the above. I too like to support my lfs and the way I work this is by checking prices everywhere and then relaying those to my lfs. depending on your lfs owner and your relationship with the store you can get good deals that way. My LFS has been really good at meeting online prices for me. although sometimes they can only do so much that is when it is best to order those items online. Keep the balance.

 

[jwt1603]

I use all the above. I too like to support my lfs and the way I work this is by checking prices everywhere and then relaying those to my lfs. depending on your lfs owner and your relationship with the store you can get good deals that way. My LFS has been really good at meeting online prices for me. although sometimes they can only do so much that is when it is best to order those items online. Keep the balance.

Yeah, he's pretty good about it. He tells me when he can't get me a good price on things and even tells me where to go to get it cheap. As an example, I'm setting up my quarantine tanks and he flat out told me to wait until Petco has the 1.00 a gallon sale because he can't touch their prices.

 

[mckinleyw]

Right. when it comes to that stuff most good lfs can point you in the right direction if they cant get what your looking for. Thanks for the thread. I see you are in florida as well. Where abouts and What is your go to LFS?

 

[jwt1603]

Right. when it comes to that stuff most good lfs can point you in the right direction if they cant get what your looking for. Thanks for the thread. I see you are in florida as well. Where abouts and What is your go to LFS?

I'm in St Johns and the LFS is in Orange Park. Both just outside Jacksonville. Near NAS JAX.

 

[WWIII]

I like to go to my lfs for livestock, food, and to just look around. If there's something I happen to need, that isn't very expensive I will buy it. If it is something expensive, often times my lfs can match prices and/or beat them.

Having said that, my lfs is over an hour round trip and I order from Premium Aquatics, BRS, or Amazon at least a couple times a month. It's just very convenient to click a button or two and have what I need show up at my door within a day or 2. No shame here as most of these aquarium supply businesses are small(ish) American companies that support this hobby and their employees!

 

[motortrendz]

im a mix as well,amazon for somedry goods or additives like 2 part(esv) but i just spent a ton of money with marine depot after christmas buying a calcium reactor (vertex) i tend to use brs for fittings, carbons and ro stuff.... i used to buy salt through BRS but got a broken bucket and they wanted me to send it back on my cost... marine depot told me to keep it and sent me another free of charge...

 

[mckinleyw]

I see. I am a bit farther south Sarasota area.

 

[motortrendz]

oops forgot the LFS, he gets me all my foods, live stock( fish and most corals) and of course great advice... (ACC, in Ocean NJ)

 

[Kamden Uelton]

Another reefer in the Jacksonville Area! I go to Orange Park Aquatics sometimes but their prices are ridiculous to me! Mandarin Sealife also has crazy prices I like to go to Fins 2 Frags and Coral Logic they have the cheapest prices for coral and equipment.

 

[Xandernfs]

I try to support the LFSs around me. As a small business owner, I feel it is important to keep that going. I will buy certain things on Amazon and BRS but my primary LFS has a deal when you buy dry goods he will give you the tax that you spend in livestock credit. This enables him to compete with online stores. IMO, this is a great idea since it will keep the consumer coming back. I did this with my latest set up and ended up paying nothing for a few fish and a big CUC.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

I try to buy as much from my LFS as I can, but sometimes the cost difference is too great. Especially on big ticket items. One thing not mentioned in the original post is tax savings. Here in Louisiana I have to pay 11% sales tax. So it would be $89 vs $55. So if I needed a $500 item, buying it online automatically saves me 11%/$55 in most cases...

 

[motortrendz]

I try to support the LFSs around me. As a small business owner, I feel it is important to keep that going. I will buy certain things on Amazon and BRS but my primary LFS has a deal when you buy dry goods he will give you the tax that you spend in livestock credit. This enables him to compete with online stores. IMO, this is a great idea since it will keep the consumer coming back. I did this with my latest set up and ended up paying nothing for a few fish and a big CUC.

thats actually an awesome idea

 

[Fritzhamer]

For me, Amazon is the clear winner here and this should probably go in the "what should change in the hobby" thread. I will almost always buy from amazon vs going to the store's site directly. Often I'm buying from the aquarium store anyway, just using their storefront on Amazon, even if I pay more.

The reason is two fold: the great return policy of Amazon and quick shipping. Two or three times I've purchased something from the big retailers in our hobby only to find it clearly damaged or not functioning. I notify the retailer and ask to return it only to be told "Sorry, it is used. We don't accept returns on used items. Please contact the manufacturer." This is about the only space I can think of where this kind of policy flies. If you purchased a TV from Best Buy, plugged it in and half the screen was black you'd return it. They of course wouldn't say "Woah, you plugged it in. This is used! You need to reach out to the manufacturer. We can't accept a return on this." It's insane and infuriating. I think there is potential for one of the bigger retailers to step in and fill this void in our hobby. Perhaps have something worked out with the manufacturers. In my business this is common place. I e-mail the manufacturer "hey we got a dud", and they send me another. Sometimes it isn't worth sending one so we work it out in other ways, credit, refund, etc. @Bulk Reef Supply @MarineDepot @AquariumSpecialty

Second, amazon having 3PLs all over the place I can usually get stuff quicker than having to order from the other side of the Country, unless the retailer is on my coast. Even when they are due to the return policy of Amazon I usually go amazon for the safety and security of knowing that they will stand behind a product functioning as new upon delivery.

 

[jwt1603]

I see. I am a bit farther south Sarasota area.

Cool. We used to live out on Siesta Key. Wish we were still there!!

 

[jwt1603]

Another reefer in the Jacksonville Area! I go to Orange Park Aquatics sometimes but their prices are ridiculous to me! Mandarin Sealife also has crazy prices I like to go to Fins 2 Frags and Coral Logic they have the cheapest prices for coral and equipment.

Mandarin Sea Life treated me pretty bad after I spent a lot of money there. Coral Logic is OK but that area is so congested on the weekends. Jason at Orange Park Aquatics is pretty cool. And he's ten minutes from my office so I can run over there mid-afternoon during the week and avoid the traffic on 295. Haven't been to Fins 2 Frags yet.

 

[dutch27]

The good LFS around me mostly deals in livestock, doesn't keep much in the way of dry goods stocked, and his livestock prices are completely fair. TBH, I just go to Petco for most things like heaters and salt, I'd buy my bulbs there too if they carried quality T5s. I prefer local stores, even if it's a few percent more, as I can have it in my hands in 15 minutes, instead of 3-5 days, and support local business owners and their employees. It's also a good excuse to go pet the dogs at the perpetual weekend adoption events at Petco, lol. Bulbs and RODI supplies I usually use BRS or amazon, whichever is cheaper, as I can't get that stuff locally.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Any LFS is an hour or hour and a half from me both south and north. I use Amazon for the majority as there is normally no shipping, and it's cheaper than gas to drive. Sometimes I get things the same day or the next without pay more! Lot less hassle than driving60-80+ miles one way! When we go to the LFS for livestock, I'll stock up on frozen foods or some small things like epoxy or glue or other "impulse" buys because hey, it's there and looks intriquing. I've bought one p;owerhead--they matched Amazon. the guy was showing me what they had and I said I'd have to check as Amazon was probably cheaper. They looked it up and matched the price.

Always prefer to buy livestock "live" so I can view them. But may try some corals online so I can get what I want, not what is available.

 

[Daltrey]

I buy from whomever has the lowest price on what I'm looking to buy and the only person's bills I'm concerned with paying are my own.

Also alot of times you can go straight thru the manufacturer. For instance I just placed three 1 inch double union ball valves in my cart at Marine Depot and they were $60. I called the manufacturer and they sold them to me for $30 shipped. Sometimes it pays to cut out the middle man.

 

[O'l Salty]

I buy a lot from my LFS but it's 50 miles away. I buy the smaller stuff from Amazon it's just so convenient. My LFS offers a 10% discount for reef club members and that more than offsets the sales tax savings from online vendors.