Petco Issues

[saltyfish]

You guys must have some crazy Petco's. I heard a guy ask for "feeder mice" and the employee said "how many?". There is a guy working in the aquatic department of the Petco I go to that works at the aquarium at our zoo, which is the #1 zoo in the world right now. It is isn't a Petco problem that I see, it is who is working at your local Petco. If your Petco can't find good help, then the store suffers.

 

[mrcoffee2]

I have never been to a petco. After this post I don't think I ever will

 

[ISR Jimmy]

I have never been to a petco. After this post I don't think I ever will

Mrcoffee2,
I wouldn't write off Petco or any other chain pet store based on this blog. This is simply a case of expectation management from the customer. Managers use earnings management and expectation management complementarily when managers' ability to use earnings management is less restricted. If the store manager could hire salary based employees with a BA in marine biology, they would and we would see an improvement in customer satisfaction and healthier aquatic systems sold. However, as the constraints on earnings management increase, managers substitute earnings management with expectation management. They try to hire and position employees based on experience. If a young kid is hired (keep in mind min wages) and he has any experience with an aquarium, he will likely be put in that section of the store. This is not to say he has any formal education in the field, he may have had a beta in a bowl. If Petco had some nice incentives, like support with college tuition for degrees in marine biology, they may have different results. But that then may impact sales prices unless it's a tax break.
I would not get upset with any of the employees WRT the sale of a star as food. I would just simply ask to speak for a manager to discuss the Petco policy. Somehow I'm sure not every employee on the sales floor is intimately familiar with the chains policies and may be injecting personal views into the discussion. Unless the manager had personal experience with the situation, he/she may not know either. This topic is clearly one of passion and I ask those that refuse to sell animals as food where they draw the line? Do they eat eggs for breakfast and steak for dinner?

Just my 2 cents

James

 

[mainereefer]

most petco's here are great! but there are a few that ruin it for the rest . the closest one to me has tanks full of flatworms but the 2 stores that are 1/2hr away from me, have marine biologists working at them. it makes a difference. healthy fish healthy corals...

I thought every petco had a tank full of feeder goldfish, they cost something like 10 for $1

 

[that Reef Guy]

You guys must have some crazy Petco's. I heard a guy ask for "feeder mice" and the employee said "how many?". There is a guy working in the aquatic department of the Petco I go to that works at the aquarium at our zoo, which is the #1 zoo in the world right now. It is isn't a Petco problem that I see, it is who is working at your local Petco. If your Petco can't find good help, then the store suffers.

I am sure that is their Policy (It is at PetSmart).

The Employees may or may not know that policy depending on how strict management is.

Also, they may or may not care too.

I know if it was me I would sell you the Feeders even though I knew the Policy.

 

[J Rog]

Its just a lucky thing I guess.. You may get lucky with some employees knowing there stuff and you may not.. I have never bought stuff from Petco but I do buy my dog's food there every now and then. I do stroll over to the fish section when Im there and have seen some pretty nice designer clowns and nems. Also, small tangs with no ich to been seen.. My buddy was there the other day and said one of the dog groomers came over to try to help another costumer. They were asking questions she couldn't answer about lighting and she told them to go home and do research, which I thought was pretty good of her not to just try to sell them anything.. For me I have no reason to shop there for my tank stuff.. I have 4 or 5 great LFS within 30mins drive time from my house so I see no reason to buy there..

 

[juggalogentry]

i went to my local petco yesterday just for giggles, and they had NO saltwater display at all whatsoever, like they had taken it down or something and only had freshwater stuff, they still sold frozen food and calcium and stuff, just no livestock, maybe they seen this thread and backed down LOL

 

[paintballer1]

All petcos/petsmart near me have no problem selling feeders or anything else used for food as long as you have money they will sell it.

 

[reeffirstaid]

I wouldn't say Petco's issues have anything to do with the individual intelligence of their employees. I have a personal friend who is the aquatics manager for a Petco nearby, and he has an M.S. degree in biology and is an avid marine aquarist. From what he tells me, it's Petco's corporate policies that are the cause for many of the issues. They value the $ sign, far above the health and well being of the animals they sell. This includes purchasing livestock from vendors, known to use chemical capture techniques, all to get the cheapest wholesale price and highest retail price. Petco's corporate policies have been called on the carpet, multiple times, by those concerned about the health of animals in the reef aquarium trade.

 

[Kworker]

Honestly I dislike most stores that sell any kind of pet. Generally its little care for the animals and more emphasis on the money. There is also a lot of bad information given for all pets at a lot of stores regardless of the store name. By default Petco and Petsmart top the list on my dislike list. Can there be good Petco and Petsmarts? Sure, but I wouldn't know. There are also "reef shops" that are far worse than a Petco/Petsmart could ever be.

I stand by reputable shops near me and will pay a premium on supplies with them if they are doing the right thing by the livestock they are selling.

To clear up my mentality as well, if a store says "puppies" in bubble letters on the front window I won't even give it a shot never mind look at it twice.