dweakl01 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Hello all. I am writing to express my disappointment with TFP's refusal to honor their price match policy. After 9 years of shopping with TFP (7 years via mail order and 2 years locally in-store), I have decided not to patronize this vendor anymore. I sent an e-mail to TFP on 02-02-2006 asking if they would honor their price match guarantee for a Coral Life 150w HQI HOT light. TFP's price for this item is $279, while Drs. Foster and Smith carry the same item for $249. I never heard a response to my e-mail. This morning, I called customer service to inquire about the price match. I explained the situation to the customer service representative and she checked with the manager on duty and informed me the price match guarantee is valid for "locally advertised competitors only." This caught me a bit off-guard, as TFP's price match policy mentions nothing of the sort. Their policy, taken from their website, can be seen below: MEET OR BEAT If you happen to find the same product by the same manufacturer somewhere else for less, we will match that price at the time of purchase. The price must be advertised in print for verification purposes, and the competing company must have the product in stock. At That Fish Place, That Pet Place, you’ll get the lowest price on pet supplies, period! (Meet or Beat policy does not apply to livestock.) So, after nine years of patronage with this vendor, I infomred them I would not be returning as a customer. All of this over $30, for a loyal customer. Its really a shame. I enjoyed taking my son to TFP each week, for the past two years, and letting him look at all the animals, etc. He enjoyed our visits and I did too, but I will not patronize a vendor who does not honor their policies. I hope any of you who shop with TFP are careful with their price match guarantee and do not encounter the same experince as I did. Link to comment
Newbie527 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Damn it...I was going to go there too! we are becoming very limited in the stores we can go to around here. I was going to say that maybe becuase Dr Foster is on the web- it is hard for them to price match...but TFP is online too. eh. looks like it is back to meeting Dr. Mac at the airport. Link to comment
dweakl01 Posted February 4, 2006 Author Share Posted February 4, 2006 Yup. I'll be making my first Dr. Mac's visit the 25th of this month with Reef N Ale. I've never been there, but I've only heard great things about the place. Link to comment
reef n ale Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 Wow... After reading their pricing policy, I don't see any reason this should have happened. When comparing prices, website to website, this most certainly should have applied without question. Very weird... Rob Link to comment
dweakl01 Posted February 5, 2006 Author Share Posted February 5, 2006 Wow... After reading their pricing policy, I don't see any reason this should have happened. When comparing prices, website to website, this most certainly should have applied without question. Very weird... Rob Thanks, Barney. Link to comment
reef n ale Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Thanks, Barney. Nice... Rob Link to comment
reffer9391 Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Tell them to pull of ur file show them all the busniuss you've done with them I'm sure over 30 buck they would change. I like my LFS a little more money cause its not a big store but he knows most customers by name. Link to comment
dweakl01 Posted February 5, 2006 Author Share Posted February 5, 2006 Too late for file pulling. I ordered the light from the Drs. I am just waiting to see if TFP has anything to say in response. Link to comment
reffer9391 Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Ok I just meant show them your a return customer. Link to comment
johnyblackheart Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Too bad for them, I was going to head up there this week and check them out. but if that's the way they are going to treat people I'll keep going to The Aquarium Center, and Exotic Aquatics. If you get a chance let them know they are losing potential customers $$$$$ over 30 bucks!!!! That’s just bad business. Link to comment
dweakl01 Posted February 5, 2006 Author Share Posted February 5, 2006 Don't let my experince stop you, Johnny. Just be aware. Link to comment
johnyblackheart Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Don't let my experince stop you, Johnny. Just be aware. Its ok I needed something to be militant over. Link to comment
Nuhtty Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I can understand both sides of the story here. Their policy does say IN PRINT which generally means advertised in the newspaper or flier. However they too sell online just like DFS. Did you try talking to a manager rather than just the rep on the phone? Maybe if you went up a bit higher and explained the situation they would have made an exception. Personally I dont think this should be a reason to cut off all ties with them. If I cut all ties to a business just because of one person I have dealt with in that organization I wouldnt have electricity, phone service or cable. Link to comment
johnyblackheart Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 OK, OK, maybe my earlier statement was too harsh. But all kidding aside one of the reasons I go LFS is to get a higher level of “customer service”. I like to talk to the employees and the other patrons who are in the store. And for that privilege on most occasions I gladly paid the higher prices on items I could find online a lot cheaper. (I’m also impatient and hate waiting for things to ship) Also I have the expectation that if I have a problem it will be fairly worked out. If a business can’t / won’t overlook $30 to keep a long time customer (9 years) happy, why should I give them any business? Lack of competition in my opinion is the reason we get such crappy CS from electric, phone and cable companies. It would be hard not to have electricity, but easy not to shop at TFP. Link to comment
travoose Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I say let bygons be bygons. It wouldn't break them, nor I doubt it would break you. I'd just order from the cheaper place. Never be loyal just one place. Always go the cheaper route. I'd have gotten it from the cheapest place. I personally hate trying to get stores to honor crap like that, it becomes too dificult IMO. Link to comment
Dave61 Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 dweak, I'm not a big fan of TFP either, sometimes their customer service leaves something to be desired. Have you ever tried 'Tony's Tropicals'? Link to comment
ODOG Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 The in print thing is somewhat of a misnomer too. I took in a catalogue from big al's and they wouldn't match because they weren't local. No where in the ad does it say local. Darin, you should sed a letter to the BBB with a copy of the wording from their policy, thats what I should have done as well. Link to comment
reef n ale Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I just happened to find the current TFP catalog in my mailbox this morning. Yes, I was too lazy to get the mail yesterday! I quote: "Guaranteed Lowest Price! At That Fish Place/That Pet Place you can be sure you are getting the best for less. We will Meet or Beat any mail order competitors' valid in-stock advertised price on identical items at the time of purchase." Interesting... Rob Link to comment
ODOG Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I think it's bunk, I guess there way around the whole thing is that if you order from the catralogue then they will beat others catalogue prices, but if you are in the store it's only local competitors. The problem for me is no where on the sign right in the store does it say local stores only. Link to comment
aqua_aaron Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 i wouldn't make it such a big deal- after all, they do have great prices, and if i lived near them, i'd buy a lot more from them you just have to talk to the right person to get the price match Link to comment
ODOG Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 aaron, I've been shopping there 15 years....when I tried to get the price match I asked one of the owners...so who should i have spoke with? Link to comment
aqua_aaron Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 well, i don't know then-i haven't had a problem with price matches, but maybe that's becasue i'm a kid Link to comment
dweakl01 Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 I'm backing Chad on this. Between the two of us, we've been shopping there almost a quarter of a century. He talked to the owner and I talked to a very nice customer service rep who asked the store manager. Who else would you recommend we speak with.? If they're not willing to honor their policy, they need to remove it or revise it accordingly. Link to comment
steelhealr Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Sometimes, I'm confused at how some people run a business. There is nothing better for a company or business than to have a dedicated loyal customer. Why? Not for just the customer but the other TEN people he refers to them. I think the company made a mistake and you should send them a copy of this thread. You can go to a pretty good restaurant have a great meal, but, get served a lousy cup of coffee at the end and you may not see the patron again. I've been with Liveaquaria now since starting with the aquarium stuff. They have ALWAYS honored their guarantees with me. In fact, one time they gave me an additional $25 off because they had credited me for a death and I told them that the fish survived. Last week I ordered a calcium supplement. I emailed them that it arrived precipitated and said I wouldn't purchase this particular product again. Dang...two days later a package shows up on my doorstep...a replacement free of charge. I'm a loyalist for now. SH Link to comment
aqua_aaron Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 i guess you might as well let them go and try another place, however, that sort of sucks as they do have good prices... oh well! Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.