A Bad Day in an LFS

[Sorrell]

Sorry! Just me again...I am really ticked about this! It wasn't your fault! Yes, tanks are sometimes stacked in stores, many stores don't have a lot of space and special order tanks have no where else to go.


However!!! If those tanks were not secure and safe for the public, they should not have contained merchandise! This is so wrong!

One more thing. I know with perfecto and all-glass that they have a policy where if a tank breaks for any reason in the store or within ten days of leaving the store, they will replace it for free. This guy took advantage of you, and I'm sure he would have me too if I had been in that situation. I'm sure you were pretty freaked out and looking to rectify the situation. Now that you are calmer (and I'm rilled up!) you should talk to the manager and explain what we have told you. I understand that you don't want to sue, but you do have the option of telling him that if you are made to pay for the tank you will feel you have no other option but to seek legal counsel. He put his customers in danger by displaying an tank with merchandise in it, in a way that was hazardous to the public

 

[Becca]

what if someone doesn't HAVE the money to pay for something like that? that is BS.....what fishstore was this at? i mean, location and all....whats the name, what road is it on.....

Steppy - the store is called Pet Connection, located at 5 Mile and Middlebelt in Livonia.

Everyone else - I will definitely follow up on this. Like I said - I have NO problem paying MFG price for something I broke, but I'll be damned if they're going to make a profit off me because I stepped on the tank. Just so we're clear on what actually happened, here's some details:

1) There are no signs posted around the store that say "If you Break it, You Buy It..." I offered to pay out of the kindness of my heart.

2) The setup, in the area that I broke the tank was like this. They had a stack of 55-Gallons. In the TOP 55-Gallon were a couple pieces of nice rock, and the piece of driftwood that I was extremely interested in. Immediately in front of the column of 55-Gallons was a 75-Gallon that had just been drilled and was waiting for a customer to pick it up. It was laying longways on it's side (so the top was facing my feet). It also had blue backing on the pane of glass that was facing up (which would have been the back.)

Not realizing what it was and being solely intent on getting the driftwood that I couldn't reach, I kneeled on the tank for support so I could reach inside teh 55-Gallon. And next thing I knew - CRASH - the tank broke out from under me.

Now that I'm calmer, I can recall more of the details of what happened afterwards.

The entire staff came running to where I was at. I was just standing there in disbelief of what happened. The first words out of my mouth were "I'm so sorry...What do I owe you?!?" They stationed one guy at the door to make sure I wouldn't leave, another went to the back to check on the price of the tank, and a third started cleaning up. I explained over and over again that I was sorry, that I wasn't paying enough attention - I was just trying to get the driftwood from inside the tank behind this one that was just laying sideways on the floor.

The guy came back and said "That's not one of our tanks, it's one we ordered for a customer and it had some work done to it, so it's $150.". My immediate response was "$150?!? FOR A 75 GALLON?!?" He said "Yeah, it was drilled, see..." And pointed to a broken pane of glass that showed it was clearly drilled.

Now, I know a 75-Gallon with a metal stand from the MFG runs $169 normally because I just priced a 75 from that Brand - but opted out for a Perfecto. (Perfecto has a 20 year warranty, if you buy 60G or bigger and one of their stands.)

The guy took my Debit card and attempted to run it through. I knew it was going to get declined because - quite frankly, I don't have that much cash in my checking account in between paychecks. And as it turns out - it was a good thing, because it sounds like I'm being ripped off here. I asked if it would be ok to come in on Wednesday and pay for it because I didn't have the cash available right now and I got paid on Wednesday. He said yes, but he needed a copy of our licenses (mine AND my husbands) and our car registration. (I'm afraid if I don't pay, he'll put a lein on my car...)

Anyway, like I said above, I'm going to give Great Lakes Aquariums a call tomorrow and find out what their policy is on refunding broken tanks. I'm also going to call around to a couple of shops to find out what they'd have to pay for a new 75-Gallon froM Great Lakes. If GLA says they won't replace broken tanks and the store must buy a new one, I'll offer to pay what other stores would pay for a GLA 75-Gallon tank...and that's it. Not a penny more. If they don't agree with it, they can take me to court.

 

[fishdudein]

Glad to hear you are OK Becca, that sounds like a scary event. I have to agree with everyone else, the retailer can get credit for his merchandise, there is no reason for you to be held responsible for it. Stop payment on that check if nothing else. I have worked retail for many years, unless it's like an antique shop where the items are one of a kinds irreplacable type things, customers are never made to pay for broken or damaged items. That's part of doing business with your suppliers.

 

[steppy104]

you go!

 

[Sorrell]

Do do do...guess who? You need to call the owner of the store, as it may be different from the manager, explain the situation, how they had created a dangerous situation by displaying merchandise inside a tank, and that you sustained injuries (not cuts and scratches, a little rhetoric here) The word injuries alone may be enough to scare them. You should not have to pay more than cost for the tank. Also, if it turns out that the owner was not present in the store at the time you should explain to him how you were treated like a criminal and you "fear you will have to take your business elsewhere from now on.

 

[cometcattle]

I can't believe they put someone on the door, like a bouncer.
That's just wrong.

What did your husband say during this?

 

[Liz05]

I'm SO glad to hear that your rights will be asserted here! Please let us know how this all turns out

 

[Becca]

I can't believe they put someone on the door, like a bouncer.
That's just wrong.

What did your husband say during this?

At the time, we were both just in a complete state of disbelief and shock. What happened hadn't even sunk in, but now that we're calmed down and our thoughts are collected, we're both pretty pissed off about that.

I mean, regardless of anything else - we were the ones offering to pay for it, why the HELL would they have to station someone at the door? I felt bad enough as it was, I didn't want someone following me around the store keeping an "eye" on me. That's plain rude.

 

[Yano]

There is a store called Pet Connection over here too.

 

[Becca]

There is a store called Pet Connection over here too.

I wonder if they're a chain...and if so what the official policy is for broken items. I know with PetSmart (I have a friend who used to work at one) they didn't charge customers for broken items, they just cleaned up the mess and wrote it off.

 

[TracyRee]

Looking forward to your update today!!!

 

[semper fi]

i know this store well. it is right down the corner from me. i do not go into it either. it is not a chain store. the employees are rude. manager? you were probably talking to one of the owners. there are three of them. each takes a turn managing the store. let me tell you a story about them.

i went in there a few years ago. was looking around at their very tiny fish. noticed some of the tanks were mismarked. really mismarked. the auratus was marked as a labidochromis auratus. got the brine shrimp i went in for and as i was paying, mentioned it to the owner. he told me to go and brush up on my fish. what?! yeah the auratus was reclassified as a lab quite awhile ago. pointed to the reference manuals and asked him to find one that classifies it as a lab. brushed me off and said that he did not need to prove anything to me, he has been in the business for 20 years. was mad when i left. swore i would never go back again.

needless to say i did. this time i had my kids with me. they were 2 and 5 at the time. was just going to look at the fish with the kids and another guy said "he lady, leave them outside." did not think he was talking to me and ignored him. even louder says "can't you hear? you got to leave the kids outside on the sidewalk!" turned around and saw he was talking to me and asked him if he was insane? "well then lock them in the car" told him i would just leave. he made the comment "yeah, best that way probably can't afford fish with them anyways". stopped and asked if the manager was around. he told me he was the owner. told him that it was okay. if it was any indication of the way they treat their fish the way they treat their customers i would not be back anyways. asked me what i meant by that smart remark. said nothing just that the word crap comes to my mind. now i have not been in that store about 3 years.

so don't feel bad, they are overpriced. if i was you i would make a complaint to the county attorney's office. forget the owners. rather nasty lot they are.

 

[Becca]

semper fi - Oh thank goodness you posted - you're now the second person who's been able to side with me about this store. (check out the other post I have going on michiganreefers.com: http/michiganreefers.com/forums/showthre...64685#post64685)

I do have quite a bit to update with, but i'm swamped with work, so I'll add it when I have a few free minutes.

 

[semper fi]

if you need be i got a great lawyer who will let you know what your next step would be.

 

[Eve]

Im suprised and impressed you offered to pay. I was in a locak ma and pa shop once and knocked over a stack of 3 10g. They were literally stacks one on top of the other and I stepped back into it. The aisle was one of those walk sideways because there is so much crap on the floor kinda places. Needless to say all 3 broke. When the lady ( extremely) rude asked if I was going to pay for them Im afraid I laughed. Told her I would help cleanup, but would not pay for something that wasn't my fault.
I also have worked in the past for chain stores, and they really are taking you for a ride Im afraid to say. All breakedge like that is covered. There is a good chance they intend to charge you and claim it for a margin write off.

Sometimes I wonder if places like this don't do it on purpose....