Devils in disguise ?

[ratboy]

Been talking to a few people who run/own shops recently about the customers they have in as I am writing an article about a possible future of our hobby.

Why do shops always get the short straw ?

We bang on about how every piece of heating equipment must be thermostated. But if a shop tries to sell one, they are seen as money grabbing and trying to sell you stuff you don't need.

We bang on about prices of animals... We know that shops have to sell at a certain price to cover their overheads. But we moan when they can't compete with fred bloggs selling normal corn snakes for £10 each.

We all know there are bad reptile shops. But rather than have a word with the manager about why they are doing XYZ we come on here, slag them off and try to create a lynch mob.

Why ?

Let us not forget that there are some damn good shops out there too with knowledgeable and experienced owners, managers and staff who are every bit as passionate about their animals as we are. From what I have seen on forums like these lately... many of them are much MORE passionate about it than we are.

* Gets off soap box *

[powderpuff_girl]

Originally Posted by ratboy

Been talking to a few people who run/own shops recently about the customers they have in as I am writing an article about a possible future of our hobby.

Why do shops always get the short straw ?

We bang on about how every piece of heating equipment must be thermostated. But if a shop tries to sell one, they are seen as money grabbing and trying to sell you stuff you don't need.

We bang on about prices of animals... We know that shops have to sell at a certain price to cover their overheads. But we moan when they can't compete with fred bloggs selling normal corn snakes for £10 each.

We all know there are bad reptile shops. But rather than have a word with the manager about why they are doing XYZ we come on here, slag them off and try to create a lynch mob.

Why ?

Let us not forget that there are some damn good shops out there too with knowledgeable and experienced owners, managers and staff who are every bit as passionate about their animals as we are. From what I have seen on forums like these lately... many of them are much MORE passionate about it than we are.

* Gets off soap box *

i c where u r coming from but i bet a lot of people on here buy most of their stuff from pet shops even if they dont buy the reptiles themselves! i personally buy a hell of a lot from shops but get the reps from people on here

[ratboy]

It doesn't really matter what you buy. The vast majority of shops do not make profit out of selling reptiles. When you consider that a well looked after snake is going to live for 20 years... they don't get an awful lot of repeat custom when it comes to animals. They make their money out of food and decor.

Many I have spoken to do not even sell animals as it's not worth doing....

• They have to be sold at a reasonable price to cover their overheads.

• They have to deal with Arthur Smith who bought a corn snake with no heating and has brought it back because it's now broken.

• They have to deal with Arthur Smith who bought a corn snake with no heating and has brought it back because it's now broken and has plastered his opinions about how it was dodgy to start with all over the internet.

[Moshpitviper]

there are some bloody awful shops in luton, slightly further afield there are some fantastic ones. i am happy to take the drive to the other side of hemel hempstead to buy equipment and quality CB animals.

looking at the state of play in our hobby then it may not be long before shows are abolished, joe bloggs will no longer be able to sell corns for £10 on the net etc.

i suggest we all go to our favourite shop and hug the staff. soon they will be our only point of contact. but even that may 1 day be outlawed.
my other suggestion is that people spend more time on the hobby issues section. we need to pay attention

[ratboy]

We also need to spend more time talking about animal husbandry than favorite sexual positions.

[Tops]

Originally Posted by ratboy

We also need to spend more time talking about animal husbandry than favorite sexual positions.

huh are you mad?

I think even if they abolish internet trading and shows you will still be able to get hold of reasonably priced animals.
Classified ads are always a winner besides forums will still be around even if people arent allowed to legally sell on them.

[Andy]

if it wasn't for shops i dont think the hobby would still be around. If people didnt buy from shops then the shops wouldn't be buying bulk orders of livefoods, frozen foods and all the dry goods. If they weren't buying them in regularly then the wholesalers would stop supplying them then we wouldn't be buying anything. Or if we still could they would be very very expensive.

forgot to say too, i would much rather spend an extra 10-20% on a reptile from a shop i know and trust than for cheaper off the internet where i know nothing of the seller. Also a petshop with a licence has a legal responsibility to sell you a healthy animal at the time of purchase no private breeders have this legal responsibility.

[ratboy]

So what do people think about good and well run shops being given a hard time ?

[Tops]

only if they are bundled into the 'all reptile shops' category.
But then that goes to say for most things.

[DeanThorpe]

Originally Posted by ratboy

So what do people think about good and well run shops being given a hard time ?

I think thats terrible... but I have never dissed a shop that wasnt bad [and ive only ever dissed one lol and it is bad]
and i didnt know ppl here do. [good ones i mean ,i see plenty of praise for certain ones ive never been to that i know the name of cos ppl talk about them]

Rep shops do.. in many cases make a fair bit on the reps though, I know they tripple what it cost usually so aslong as its sold within a month or so they are still on a good mark up.. i know the bad shop here loses A LOT of stock due to them dying..as they dont take care of them.. and i also know they buy in at a tenner..sell for £30 and have me and trese coem in and buy it in a few dasy just so it doesnt have to stay there too long and get ill and die.
Like today they just got 2 super hypo tangerine leos.. lovely little things.. prolly gona buy THEM simply so they dont end up liek the other 14 leos in the shop.
the Sudan plated lizard which they gor sent from repteck...with scale rot... prolyl gona end up taking it on as it needs treatment that they will not give it.. although the wholesaler shouldnt have sold it to them in that state of course.

Bad shop bad shop, bad shop.

lol.

EDIT-
always up for talking about reptile husbandry here, 100% I love it.