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Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 20, 2011 03:49PM

Girlfriend bought me a Fluval Chi fish tank as a birthday present from these scumbags and overpaid retail by about $20, fine. No big deal just return it right? WRONG! Apparently "unopened" (all the packages I've ever seen at that establishment have already been opened with no tape securing the box flaps.) merchandise such as fish tanks can't be returned because the glass could have cracked in my car during transit??? Are they serious?

The damn thing has an inch of cardboard and foam protecting it on all sides and is made of thick tempered glass. I could probably throw it in the back of my car and go off-roading with the tank rolling freely around the back of my hatch and have it narily suffer even a scratch, naturally I openly invited the woman at the register to take the tank out of the box and inspect it herself but of course she declined because it's obviously a bullshit policy and flatly stated they would only accept exchanges. When I questioned why my girlfriend wasn't informed of this ludicrous policy she testily points to a two page return policy flyer next to the register (yeah, like anyone's going to read that entire fucking thing right as they're about to pay) that has text in all different font sizes, colors and styles and it took even me several minutes to locate the clause about fish tanks and animal containers (which was scrunched near the bottom in parenthesis in a super thin font) that no returns were accepted on said merchandise...a little misleading if you ask me considering that at the top of this multi-colored seizure inducing flyer the only readily visible policy states in large bold blue letters that all returns will only be accepted within 7 days and with a receipt for unopened merchandise.

I decided to bite the bullet and exchange my Chi for an Edge which retails for around $100 at other more reasonable establishments but sells at theirs for $150, $140 with their special "discount" which is still 33% over retail. As with all their other tanks the box had no tape securing the contents inside and I had to double check outside via the Fluval website to make sure everything was included because it has become apparent to me that these crooks gives absolutely no shits about their customer after they've gotten their money.

Hats off to you Super Pets, you made a quick $30 off me but lost hundreds in potential fish and accessories sales. I promptly drove down the street to a recently opened "big box" retailer and dropped $80 on accessories and water treatment chemicals.

I'm all for supporting local small businesses but with unethical practices like this going on all the time it's no wonder most of them are being pushed out by larger wholesale retailers.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Johnny Walker ()
Date: June 20, 2011 03:56PM

It's where I got my flying dog though so they're all right with me.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 20, 2011 04:06PM

Johnny Walker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's where I got my flying dog though so they're
> all right with me.


Lolol. Cute.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Fish Police ()
Date: June 20, 2011 04:08PM

Uh oh time to call in the "Fish Police".
Attachments:
police-fish.png

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 20, 2011 11:15PM

Fish Police Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Uh oh time to call in the "Fish Police".


I may just call the health department because the conditions inside that dump are dusty, dismal and dirty.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Atomm ()
Date: June 20, 2011 11:34PM

I have to support Super pets here. I'm in the animal business and I deal with every pet shop in the dc Baltimore area. While Superpetz does have hygiene issues. They are way better, care more and kill less then petsmart/petco. The selection is larger and the prices are generally lower. They can be tough to deal with, but most animal people are misfits. At least their employees kind of know what they are talking about (way more then most stores in this area.) the return policy you stated is an industry standard. Next time check out what's in the open box first.

If you really want to do it right you hire someone who knows what they are doing to consult. Fish, reptiles et al are living creatures and they deserve professional representation.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Spacy ()
Date: June 21, 2011 12:13AM

I drive all the way over there (for food) past two PETCOs just to avoid the chain.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 12:28AM

Atomm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have to support Super pets here. I'm in the
> animal business and I deal with every pet shop in
> the dc Baltimore area. While Superpetz does have
> hygiene issues. They are way better, care more
> and kill less then petsmart/petco. The selection
> is larger and the prices are generally lower.
> They can be tough to deal with, but most animal
> people are misfits. At least their employees kind
> of know what they are talking about (way more then
> most stores in this area.) the return policy you
> stated is an industry standard. Next time check
> out what's in the open box first.
>
> If you really want to do it right you hire someone
> who knows what they are doing to consult. Fish,
> reptiles et al are living creatures and they
> deserve professional representation.


Kill less and care more? I routinely see sick and dying fish left to rot in the bottom of their tanks, not surprising considering there's about two employees covering the entirety of the aquariums, can't speak for the reptile/mammal section. And the employees almost all look like they hate their lives, jobs and the people they have to serve.

The prices are generally lower? Have you ever bothered checking Amazon or Petco or any number of other retailers? This place easily overprices by at least 20% for most items that I've personally looked up, SOME of their fish prices are better than the other retailers but also come with a far shittier return policy and zero customer service. Petco even states they'll accept DEAD animals so long as a water sample is provided.

And about that "industry standard" return policy. I'm looking at the back of my Petco receipt and seeing a 30 day return window with receipt, no special clauses about whether the item's been opened or exclusions for certain types of merchandise.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 12:34AM

Also, if you had bothered reading the first paragraph of my rant. I had stated that my GF unwittingly bought from these sleazebags in the very appreciated but misguided attempt at buying the aquarium I've been eyeing for awhile. I personally am a very experienced fish keeper and have been involved in the hobby for close to 10 years now, I am well aware of what is required of me to keep living animals in capitivity. Even before this debacle I steered way clear of Super Petz due to their shitastic CS and return policy.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: SUMMARY BOT ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:18AM

SUMMARY BOT IS ANALYZING THIS POST...

PLEASE WAIT

ANALYSIS COMPLETED:

POST CONTENTS:
--------------

25% RAMBLING DISCONNECTED NARRATIVE ABOUT A RETAIL NEGOTIATION

10% SOMETHING ABOUT PACKAGING OR CARDBOARD OR TAPE OR SOMETHING

5% FISH

60% UNMEDICATED RAGE

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:48AM

SUMMARY BOT Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SUMMARY BOT IS ANALYZING THIS POST...
>
> PLEASE WAIT
>
> ANALYSIS COMPLETED:
>
> POST CONTENTS:
> --------------
>
> 25% RAMBLING DISCONNECTED NARRATIVE ABOUT A RETAIL
> NEGOTIATION
>
> 10% SOMETHING ABOUT PACKAGING OR CARDBOARD OR TAPE
> OR SOMETHING
>
> 5% FISH
>
> 60% UNMEDICATED RAGE
Attachments:
imnotmad.jpg

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: You know..... ()
Date: June 21, 2011 07:39AM

Sounds to me like your girlfriend needs a deep dicking.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: ProVallone ()
Date: June 21, 2011 07:45AM

Close ALL pet stores and puppy mills. Sterilize all domestic animals unless you have a breeding license.
Otherwise the cruelty will continue.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Eastcounty ()
Date: June 21, 2011 08:01AM

Ain't mad. Funny, because you are sure coming across that way.

1. In your original post it sounds like you wanted to return the item because your GF paid too much for it. Why would you even know what your GF paid, and why would you care? It was a gift. She obviously cared enough about you to get you something that she thought you would like, but she was not well enough informed to get it at the best price. Why is that something that you need to get bothered about?

2. You talk about "retail" as if it is some magical, precise number. What exactly is retail? Are you saying that Super Pets is selling their stuff for more than MSRP, or are you saing that they are simply charging more for their stuff than the discounters?

3. You say that you are all for supporting local small businesses. If that was true I would think you would have noticed that those local small businesses are more likely to have higher prices than the large retailers, and they tend to have more restrictive return policies. The reason for this is that they typically cannot get the same terms from their suppliers than the large chains, both on the prices they pay for items and the terms under which they can return the items. Petco can probably return its customer returned items to its suppliers for a full credit because it has the market clout.

4. You "drove down the street to a recently opened "big box" retailer". Where pray tell is there a recently opened big box retailer that sells aquarium stuff near Annandale. There are a couple located not too far outside Annandale, but even they could not be described as recently opened.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: TheMeeper ()
Date: June 21, 2011 08:16AM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fish Police Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Uh oh time to call in the "Fish Police".
>
>
> I may just call the health department because the
> conditions inside that dump are dusty, dismal and
> dirty.

It's one of the better stores in the area for freshwater aquariums, but yeah, it's sorta dirty. They used to have a big tank full of brine shrimp that was always really smelly. The aquarium staff are pretty knowledgeable though, way more than the folks you encounter at Petco or PetSmart.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: mikrogeophagusramirezi ()
Date: June 21, 2011 08:17AM

I've been going there for years. Not saying they're the greatest in the world but I've been happy with them. They used to have some very good deals on fish tanks, but I have not bought any tanks in a year or so.

Wally's Aquarium which was down the street was always sub-par to Superpetz in my book. They actually did a big upgrade to their store but they must have spent too much money on the improvements because soon after they went out of business.

There used to be some really nice fish/aquarium stores over in Maryland but the recession killed them all!

There's a new place (forgot the name) in Alexandria not too far from Landmark. It shows some promise.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 12:24PM

Eastcounty Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ain't mad. Funny, because you are sure coming
> across that way.
>
> 1. In your original post it sounds like you
> wanted to return the item because your GF paid too
> much for it. Why would you even know what your GF
> paid, and why would you care? It was a gift. She
> obviously cared enough about you to get you
> something that she thought you would like, but she
> was not well enough informed to get it at the best
> price. Why is that something that you need to get
> bothered about?
>
> 2. You talk about "retail" as if it is some
> magical, precise number. What exactly is retail?
> Are you saying that Super Pets is selling their
> stuff for more than MSRP, or are you saing that
> they are simply charging more for their stuff than
> the discounters?
>
> 3. You say that you are all for supporting local
> small businesses. If that was true I would think
> you would have noticed that those local small
> businesses are more likely to have higher prices
> than the large retailers, and they tend to have
> more restrictive return policies. The reason for
> this is that they typically cannot get the same
> terms from their suppliers than the large chains,
> both on the prices they pay for items and the
> terms under which they can return the items.
> Petco can probably return its customer returned
> items to its suppliers for a full credit because
> it has the market clout.
>
> 4. You "drove down the street to a recently
> opened "big box" retailer". Where pray tell is
> there a recently opened big box retailer that
> sells aquarium stuff near Annandale. There are a
> couple located not too far outside Annandale, but
> even they could not be described as recently
> opened.

I know how much she paid because I was looking at that exact same tank at Super petz and found it online for $20 less and I knew that not only could she have saved quite a bit of money, but I would get better post-purchase support from somewhere else, somewhere that actually cares about staying business.

"Retail" is a general approximation of the average price an item sells for at most establishments.

I'm for supporting local small businesses that deserve to still stay open. I know they must charge higher prices but the prices Super Petz charges for opened and dirty merchandise is far higher than comparable locations. 10-15% above big box is fine with me but when you start actively gouging at 33-40% is something else entirely.

You're obviously a troll because if you haven't been to Annandale recently enough to know which one I'm talking about then you have no place in this discussion. Let me give you a hint, it ends with a CO.

Successful small businesses stay competitive by going the extra mile beyond what larger corporations/retailers are willing to do even if it means hurting their bottom line a little because when it comes down to it, that's the only way a small business can compete with a larger one.

Pic relates to the beginning of your post.
Attachments:
Trollface.png

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 12:36PM

mikrogeophagusramirezi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been going there for years. Not saying
> they're the greatest in the world but I've been
> happy with them. They used to have some very good
> deals on fish tanks, but I have not bought any
> tanks in a year or so.
>
> Wally's Aquarium which was down the street was
> always sub-par to Superpetz in my book. They
> actually did a big upgrade to their store but they
> must have spent too much money on the improvements
> because soon after they went out of business.
>
> There used to be some really nice fish/aquarium
> stores over in Maryland but the recession killed
> them all!
>
> There's a new place (forgot the name) in
> Alexandria not too far from Landmark. It shows
> some promise.


I think I'll just stick to the internet from now on, and god help those people who decided opening a store near Landmark Mall was a good idea. I've grown disillusioned with most of the small businesses around here. They all seem to feel entitled to charge extra money and offer shittier service all on the basis that they're not a big-evil-corporation, big-evil-corporations are most certainly run by people like them tho. I try to go online and buy stuff via Amazon and E-bay (whom supports hundreds of small businesses btw) because if they're intelligent enough to run a website and ship something x-country, then they're smart enough to know how to conduct themselves properly..ain't hard.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: justsayin ()
Date: June 21, 2011 12:46PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Girlfriend bought me a Fluval Chi fish tank as a
> birthday present from these scumbags

...

> Hats off to you Super Pets, you made a quick $30
> off me


I think I'll start shopping there from now on if they are able to deal with someone who points at someone else's money and calls it theirs. That is called THEFT.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 12:59PM

Sorry, I should have clarified. She initially wanted to buy me the Edge but didn't have the money to at the time so she bought the Chi at Super Petz for $20 more than what it's actually selling for. After my GF told me about this (not the price or SUper Petz part, I'm getting to that) when she gave me the present and apologized for not getting the model I wanted, I told her that it was okay and I still loved the present (of course). I then took the tank home and noticed she accidentally left one of the price stickers still attached to the box, a price sticker I recognized. I called her and asked her if she bought the tank at Super Petz, she was surprised I knew and asked me why. It was at that point I told her I was looking at that exact tank and the Edge online for $20 and $40 less than SP was selling it for, of course she immediately insisted I return the tank so she could get me the one I really had wanted (sweet girl, isn't she?) and then I went to SP and well you know the rest from there.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:03PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry, I should have clarified. She initially
> wanted to buy me the Edge but didn't have the
> money to at the time so she bought the Chi at
> Super Petz for $20 more than what it's actually
> selling for. After my GF told me about this (not
> the price or SUper Petz part, I'm getting to that)
> when she gave me the present and apologized for
> not getting the model I wanted, I told her that it
> was okay and I still loved the present (of
> course). I then took the tank home and noticed she
> accidentally left one of the price stickers still
> attached to the box, a price sticker I recognized.
> I called her and asked her if she bought the tank
> at Super Petz, she was surprised I knew and asked
> me why. It was at that point I told her I was
> looking at that exact tank and the Edge online for
> $20 and $40 less than SP was selling it for, of
> course she immediately insisted I return the tank
> so she could get me the one I really had wanted
> (sweet girl, isn't she?) and then I went to SP and
> well you know the rest from there.


Oops and I forgot to add again. After dealing with that shrew of an owner I then just paid the difference between the Chi and the Edge with my own money and had I paid the difference at any other establishment it would have been a roughly $40 discrepancy but that SP it was a $80 gang-rape, so that's why I said they made a quick $40 off me.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:07PM

Anon Wrote:
> I think I'll just stick to the internet from now
> on, and god help those people who decided opening
> a store near Landmark Mall was a good idea. I've
> grown disillusioned with most of the small
> businesses around here. They all seem to feel
> entitled to charge extra money and offer shittier
> service all on the basis that they're not a
> big-evil-corporation, big-evil-corporations are
> most certainly run by people like them tho. I try
> to go online and buy stuff via Amazon and E-bay
> (whom supports hundreds of small businesses btw)
> because if they're intelligent enough to run a
> website and ship something x-country, then they're
> smart enough to know how to conduct themselves
> properly..ain't hard.


I don't know why I'm bothering but......

1. $20 more for a $100 tank via a brick & mortar local small business vs an online "retail price" of $100 isn't price gouging. It's also not 30 or 40% more.

There are additional expenses to running a brick & mortar shop, differences in item costs to the retailers etc. A $20 variation between the cheapest price you can find on the entire internet (and acknowledging the vast number of ways that deal can go horribly wrong) vs walking into a store, holding the item in your hand and taking it home that day is hardly unreasonable.

2. Many online-only "small businesses" are actually people who don't manage any of the logistics behind their "retail" operation, nor even employ anyone other than themselves. They build a website to take orders and then those orders get sent directly to a distributor who handles all of the shipping etc. You put the order in through their web interface, the order goes straight to the distributor, the distributor ships the item directly too you.

It's a good deal for the webmaster if they can figure out a way to get hits on their "storefront" as there is virtually no overhead.

Basically, the "small business" you think you are dealing with is nothing more than a website administrator.

Contrary to what you may believe, returning items like a tank etc are not going to be easy, nor time-effective and you would be hard pressed to find an online small-time retailer willing to return your cash simply because you found it cheaper elsewhere. Besides, once you factor in the man-hours required to go return something via an online retailer, you've wasted FAR more than the original $20.

If you get paid $20 an hour and you spend 2 hours returning that item, you've wasted $40 worth of man-hours to save $20.

Even if they did, you're talking weeks and weeks of time spent with shipping and waiting and the likelyhood of that online "retailer" saying "I got the tank back cracked, you damaged it, I'm not refunding you" and dissapearing.

3. If you are willing to go return a $100 tank that you have in your hands, that you didn't even pay for, for no other reason than you found it somewhere online for $20 less... and you're willing to bash a local small business for abiding by their return policy, which you clearly stated was right there in plain sight...

You're probably a customer a small business owner doesn't want to have anyway.

You end up being more of a pain in the ass than anything else. You take up an inordinate amount of time, you haggle about EVERYTHING, you expect the retailer to make nothing & have absolutely no loyalty to a business today, regardless of how well they may have tried to placate you yesterday. Then when you don't get your way you are the first one to jump and shout from the rooftops disparaging them.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:11PM

Duhhhhh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anon Wrote:
> > I think I'll just stick to the internet from
> now
> > on, and god help those people who decided
> opening
> > a store near Landmark Mall was a good idea.
> I've
> > grown disillusioned with most of the small
> > businesses around here. They all seem to feel
> > entitled to charge extra money and offer
> shittier
> > service all on the basis that they're not a
> > big-evil-corporation, big-evil-corporations are
> > most certainly run by people like them tho. I
> try
> > to go online and buy stuff via Amazon and E-bay
> > (whom supports hundreds of small businesses
> btw)
> > because if they're intelligent enough to run a
> > website and ship something x-country, then
> they're
> > smart enough to know how to conduct themselves
> > properly..ain't hard.
>
>
> I don't know why I'm bothering but......
>
> 1. $20 more for a $100 tank via a brick & mortar
> local small business vs an online "retail price"
> of $100 isn't price gouging. It's also not 30 or
> 40% more.
>
> There are additional expenses to running a brick &
> mortar shop, differences in item costs to the
> retailers etc. A $20 variation between the
> cheapest price you can find on the entire internet
> (and acknowledging the vast number of ways that
> deal can go horribly wrong) vs walking into a
> store, holding the item in your hand and taking it
> home that day is hardly unreasonable.
>
> 2. Many online-only "small businesses" are
> actually people who don't manage any of the
> logistics behind their "retail" operation, nor
> even employ anyone other than themselves. They
> build a website to take orders and then those
> orders get sent directly to a distributor who
> handles all of the shipping etc. You put the order
> in through their web interface, the order goes
> straight to the distributor, the distributor ships
> the item directly too you.
>
> It's a good deal for the webmaster if they can
> figure out a way to get hits on their "storefront"
> as there is virtually no overhead.
>
> Basically, the "small business" you think you are
> dealing with is nothing more than a website
> administrator.
>
> Contrary to what you may believe, returning items
> like a tank etc are not going to be easy, nor
> time-effective and you would be hard pressed to
> find an online small-time retailer willing to
> return your cash simply because you found it
> cheaper elsewhere. Besides, once you factor in the
> man-hours required to go return something via an
> online retailer, you've wasted FAR more than the
> original $20.
>
> If you get paid $20 an hour and you spend 2 hours
> returning that item, you've wasted $40 worth of
> man-hours to save $20.
>
> Even if they did, you're talking weeks and weeks
> of time spent with shipping and waiting and the
> likelyhood of that online "retailer" saying "I got
> the tank back cracked, you damaged it, I'm not
> refunding you" and dissapearing.
>
> 3. If you are willing to go return a $100 tank
> that you have in your hands, that you didn't even
> pay for, for no other reason than you found it
> somewhere online for $20 less... and you're
> willing to bash a local small business for abiding
> by their return policy, which you clearly stated
> was right there in plain sight...
>
> You're probably a customer a small business owner
> doesn't want to have anyway.
>
> You end up being more of a pain in the ass than
> anything else. You take up an inordinate amount of
> time, you haggle about EVERYTHING, you expect the
> retailer to make nothing & have absolutely no
> loyalty to a business today, regardless of how
> well they may have tried to placate you yesterday.
> Then when you don't get your way you are the first
> one to jump and shout from the rooftops
> disparaging them.

I don't know why your reading comprehension sucks but...

It's a $100 tank that they're selling for $150, $140 "discounted". That is most definitely price gouging.

I'm loving the barrage of ad-hominem attacks and baseless assumptions you're making about me tho. You're exactly the type of person who shouldn't be a small business owner.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:12PM

And BTW, I realize some of the online retailers have no B&M locations to support in addition to their online operations but there are equally as many that do have B&M establishments and run the Amazon/E-bay thing on the side to generate additional revenue. It's called working hard for your money.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:28PM

Anon Wrote:
>
> I don't know why your reading comprehension sucks
> but...
>



Your very first line says... and I quote:

"Girlfriend bought me a Fluval Chi fish tank as a birthday present from these scumbags and overpaid retail by about $20, fine"

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:31PM

That was for the Chi, not the tank I later exchanged it for, had you bothered to read anything past the top line you would have known that. and she overpaid $20 on a $60 tank.

2/10

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:35PM

BTW-

http://www.petco.com/product/111569/Hagen-Fluval-Edge-Aquarium-Kit-in-Pewter.aspx

List price is $149.99. Temporary internet sale price is $109.99


So basically you're going to take a big-box retailer's internet only sale price with who knows what kind of conditions, and compare it to this local small business' everyday walk-in price and then accuse the retailer of gouging.

Like I said, they're better off without you.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: justsayin ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:36PM

"Price Gouging" isn't what the store did! Price gouging is defined as retailers increasing prices to take advantage of an event, such as doubling the price of batteries ahead of a hurricane scare. What the store did was price the item expensively compared to others. I can't think of a serious situation where pet fish supplies could be involved in gouging.

You didn't research prices and you went to a non big-box store to buy pet supplies. Of course it is going to be more, but that store has WAY more expertise on pets than a random Wal-Mart worker scooping goldfish out of a diseased tank. Those employees are harder to get and keep if they are worth anything, smaller stores can't buy in Panamax-size containers in volume (I know you have no idea what that means, it means "a lot") so their cost is higher.

Just don't go to the stores where the experts are, problem solved. Don't bitch on here that the small store with experts in it costs more, no shit sherlock.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2011 01:37PM by justsayin.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: mikrogeophagusramirezi ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:37PM

Can't agree with you on the "price gouging" accusation here Anon. Superpetz isn't doing anything that I haven't seen at every single B&M pet store, everywhere, including the big box stores.

Online prices for EVERYTHING fish related are 30%-40% cheaper on the Internet. That's why I typically buy all my equipment online. The only things I get from the B&M stores are live stock, or stuff that's too expensive to ship, like big fricking fish tanks.

Heck I used to get the Aquaclear 110 filters for like $40 onsale at petsmart.com, you go into their B&M store and the same filter is like $90! And it's not just $90 at Petsmart it's $90 at Superpetz, Wally's, Congressional, Petsmart, everywhere.

It's not just fish stuff either, if you go buy an HDMI cable for your TV set you'll pay $50 for it at Best Buy, but if you go online you can get the same cable, shipped, for like $4.50.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:40PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That was for the Chi, not the tank I later
> exchanged it for, had you bothered to read
> anything past the top line you would have known
> that. and she overpaid $20 on a $60 tank.
>
> 2/10



http://www.petco.com/product/113185/Hagen-Fluval-Chi-Aquarium.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

Regular Internet Price: $69.99 Internet Sale: $55.99

So again, you want to take a big box retailer's internet only sale price & use that as the basis for what your GF should have paid and then accuse the small business owner of gouging because they do not have the margins or distributor leverage to provide the same sale prices as the big-box nationwide distributor.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:51PM

^
Gouging has also come to mean pricing ridiculously out of proportion to the norm. Asperger's much?

And say what you will about the "everyday walk-in" price but if you're charging $50 more than your competition you won't be moving much product. I could pay for next day air shipping and still come out on top compared to these fools.


Also, I didn't go in there, my unwitting GF did.

"Just don't go to the stores where the experts are"
The same experts that leave sick,dead and rotting fish on the bottom of tanks? The same experts that are still in high school or sport sleeve tattoos?
The same experts that leave expired consumables on the sales floor?
The same experts that act can't be bothered with your questions or concerns and force you to buy a "package deal" everytime you want to buy an animal?
The same experts that can't be assed to clean up the environment that the animals they care oh-so-much for live in?
The same experts that just want you out of the store and don't ever care if you come back after you've given them your money?

They are many things, but don't ever call them experts.

Sup Super Petz? You mad I wrote about you on FFXUG?

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: mikrogeophagus ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:52PM

You're going to get price gouged on any niche hobby product, period. Otherwise the stores would never turn a profit.

Heck when I was a kid I used to pay $8 a pound (more or less) for aquarium gravel. Then I figured out that you can just go to the hardware store where $8 will buy you 50 pounds of the stuff. The difference is the expensive gravel at the pet store has all the mud washed out of it already. So you take the hardware store gravel and put it under a garden hose for 15 minutes and you just saved yourself $392.

A more recent example.. I wanted black sand for my 75 gallon tank. You'll pay about $30 for 20 pounds of black Tahitian Moon Sand at any pet store. Or you can go to a pool supply store and get a 50 bag of black 3M Color Quartz, this is the colored sand they use for the lines on the bottom of swimming pools. Usually the 3M stuff is only sold to contractors but you sweet talk a local supplier and they'll sell you a couple of bags. A few phone calls and I got 100 pounds of it from a supplier in Springfield for $32.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:56PM

Duhhhh you seem visibly upset that I suggested small business owners try to stay competitive in the market through superior service and care. You accuse me of comparing prices to what I see on the internet and adverts and expecting the identical price. When in reality I've already stated I have no problem paying 10-15% above big box retail, just not 40-50% above BB retail. What pray-tell am I supposed to compare prices to then? Is there possibly a "Small Retail Business Blue Book" that you could lend me? So far all you've said is..."OMG HE USED PETCO AS A BASIS FOR COMPARISON".

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 01:59PM

FWIW,

You can not expect a local B&M retailer to match an internet only sale price from a national chain.

Now, this isn't to say people can't/shouldn't shop around and get the best deal they can, that's your prerogative. You should just do so understanding the landscape and you shouldn't go out defaming a local small business owner under false pretenses.

I don't know anything about SuperPetz, don't own pets, have no interest in them but what I do know is that far too often, people think a business owner is obviously loaded and/or set simply by virtue of them owning a business. They see sales coming in but have no idea of the bills going out.

Small business owners feed their families based on their business. Defaming them online like this can directly impact their ability to do that and it's foul to make this whole big shabang up about how they're terrible people because they are gouging on prices when the reality is that their in-store prices are pretty comparable to in-store national chain retailers.

You are lobbing false accusations based off skewed information and those false accusations can directly impact someone's ability to put food on their table.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:06PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Duhhhh you seem visibly upset that I suggested
> small business owners try to stay competitive in
> the market through superior service and care. You
> accuse me of comparing prices to what I see on the
> internet and adverts and expecting the identical
> price. When in reality I've already stated I have
> no problem paying 10-15% above big box retail,
> just not 40-50% above BB retail. What pray-tell am
> I supposed to compare prices to then? Is there
> possibly a "Small Retail Business Blue Book" that
> you could lend me? So far all you've said
> is..."OMG HE USED PETCO AS A BASIS FOR
> COMPARISON".



My point is you are using a national chain's temporary internet special sale price as your starting point for making up this gouging claim and then using that as a launching point for just lambasting this place.

That's ridiculous.

When something costs $200 everywhere, and you happen to find it on sale somewhere by sheer luck for $125, the base price for that item doesn't then become $125 and everyone else is gouging. You happened to get lucky and get one hell of a deal on a $200 item.

Quite frankly, it's so ridiculous that my first assumption would be that you are either a competitor or a disgruntled ex-employee that got fired.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:16PM

Duhhhhh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FWIW,
>
> You can not expect a local B&M retailer to match
> an internet only sale price from a national chain.
>
>
> Now, this isn't to say people can't/shouldn't shop
> around and get the best deal they can, that's your
> prerogative. You should just do so understanding
> the landscape and you shouldn't go out defaming a
> local small business owner under false pretenses.
>
> I don't know anything about SuperPetz, don't own
> pets, have no interest in them but what I do know
> is that far too often, people think a business
> owner is obviously loaded and/or set simply by
> virtue of them owning a business. They see sales
> coming in but have no idea of the bills going out.
>
>
> Small business owners feed their families based on
> their business. Defaming them online like this can
> directly impact their ability to do that and it's
> foul to make this whole big shabang up about how
> they're terrible people because they are gouging
> on prices when the reality is that their in-store
> prices are pretty comparable to in-store national
> chain retailers.
>
> You are lobbing false accusations based off skewed
> information and those false accusations can
> directly impact someone's ability to put food on
> their table.

Again. I have stated I do not expect price-matching, just stay COMPETITIVELY priced. I could buy 20 tanks from Petco and resell them at Super Petz prices and turn an extremely healthy profit and since SP is paying wholesale for their tanks (just like Petco is) they're making an unholy killing off these things, which let's put it in perspective here, once you've re-cooped the R&D and marketing costs for these things they're literally just 6 pieces of laminated glass glued together, the margin on them is probably insane. Also you talk to me as if I've never worked for (or helped run for that matter) a small business before. This establishments only saving grace is that they stock a larger selection than the other people in this area and that's the only thing barely keeping them afloat because otherwise it's a stinking cess-pool of unfriendly staff and shitty prices/policies.

Also, the price-aspect is just one of many that I had addressed in my original beef with these people and I even added some new ones along the way. You can't have a shittier price, customer service and retail environment than your largest competitor and not expect a stink to be raised about it. Especially when their entire target consumer base seems to be people who vehemently (and irrationally) hate big boxes and would rather take a big throbbing one up the ass than pay a "corporation".

Shouldn't products with special return policies that differ from the norm have notifications on them or readily visible near them (like what most people do) and isn't it the seller's ethical obligation to inform the consumer of such policies?

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:27PM

Duhhhhh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Duhhhh you seem visibly upset that I suggested
> > small business owners try to stay competitive
> in
> > the market through superior service and care.
> You
> > accuse me of comparing prices to what I see on
> the
> > internet and adverts and expecting the
> identical
> > price. When in reality I've already stated I
> have
> > no problem paying 10-15% above big box retail,
> > just not 40-50% above BB retail. What pray-tell
> am
> > I supposed to compare prices to then? Is there
> > possibly a "Small Retail Business Blue Book"
> that
> > you could lend me? So far all you've said
> > is..."OMG HE USED PETCO AS A BASIS FOR
> > COMPARISON".
>
>
>
> My point is you are using a national chain's
> temporary internet special sale price as your
> starting point for making up this gouging claim
> and then using that as a launching point for just
> lambasting this place.
>
> That's ridiculous.
>
> When something costs $200 everywhere, and you
> happen to find it on sale somewhere by sheer luck
> for $125, the base price for that item doesn't
> then become $125 and everyone else is gouging. You
> happened to get lucky and get one hell of a deal
> on a $200 item.
>
> Quite frankly, it's so ridiculous that my first
> assumption would be that you are either a
> competitor or a disgruntled ex-employee that got
> fired.


It's a national chain that gets checked regularly by millions and has advertisements up everywhere, luck had nothing to do with it.

Since I'm fairly certain Petco isn't willing to actively lose money on every unit sold logic would dictate that the invoice price of said tank is even further below $110 meaning that Super Petz is making a a 30-40% profit margin on these things regularly... so basically they're not exactly starving on the street.

Small businesses don't deserve to stay open just because they're a small business. Everyone has bills to pay and food to put on the table, if they're going to try to achieve that goal through unscrupulous means and practices they deserve to get called on it.

Preying off suckers who refuse to go retail and unwitting individuals who can't be bothered to read a two page return disclaimer written in illegible font next to the register isn't just "making a living".

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: justsayin ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:31PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Also, I didn't go in there, my unwitting GF did.

So now your girlfriend acts without wit. I'm glad we finally got around to the conclusion this is all her friggin fault. She put you in this situation and obviously isn't making you happy. Time to let her go so you can find some girl who is smart enough to be worthy of you.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: mikrogeophagusramirezi ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:33PM

Any small business that isn't turning a 30% profit margin is going to go under. Period.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:34PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Again. I have stated I do not expect
> price-matching, just stay COMPETITIVELY priced. I
> could buy 20 tanks from Petco and resell them at
> Super Petz prices and turn an extremely healthy
> profit and since SP is paying wholesale for their
> tanks (just like Petco is) they're making an
> unholy killing off these things, which let's put
> it in perspective here, once you've re-cooped the
> R&D and marketing costs for these things they're
> literally just 6 pieces of laminated glass glued
> together, the margin on them is probably insane.
> Also you talk to me as if I've never worked for
> (or helped run for that matter) a small business
> before. This establishments only saving grace is
> that they stock a larger selection than the other
> people in this area and that's the only thing
> barely keeping them afloat because otherwise it's
> a stinking cess-pool of unfriendly staff and
> shitty prices/policies.
>
> Also, the price-aspect is just one of many that I
> had addressed in my original beef with these
> people and I even added some new ones along the
> way. You can't have a shittier price, customer
> service and retail environment than your largest
> competitor and not expect a stink to be raised
> about it. Especially when their entire target
> consumer base seems to be people who vehemently
> (and irrationally) hate big boxes and would rather
> take a big throbbing one up the ass than pay a
> "corporation".
>
> Shouldn't products with special return policies
> that differ from the norm have notifications on
> them or readily visible near them (like what most
> people do) and isn't it the seller's ethical
> obligation to inform the consumer of such
> policies?


1. Staying competitively priced doesn't mean every retailer has to drop their price if someone else runs a sale. Last week Rao's was on sale @ Safeway for $7.99, it doesn't mean Giant was price gouging because they didn't lower their price too. You are quoting internet only sale prices for items and using that as a baseline for what something should cost anywhere/everywhere.

2. As for margins, a local single-shop retailer is absolutely, positively NOT paying the same price for their merchandise as a national retailer. National retailers deal directly with the manufacturers whereas independant retailers have to deal with distributors.

Manufacturer's charge distributors extra for their products to cover the additional costs of logistics they incur dealing with the distributors. Distributors also add their own mark-ups to the items to cover their costs and provide their own margins so they stay profitable. Independant retailers then buy from those distributors at prices that have been marked up twice from what a national chain paid for the exact same item.

You would be amazed at how many independant business owners buy certain items out on the open market, and then re-sell them at their own stores because it's actually cheaper than buying the same item from a distributor.

3. As far as return policies... the return policy was posted, clearly in view, it was just ignored. Can't be bothered with reading the policy, that's too much expectation on the purchaser. It should be the retailer's responsibility to either directly implant complete understanding of the return policy into the customer's brain via a download or to simply have a return policy that says "do whatever you want, we'll give you your money back" so that it's easy enough to understand for everything.

It's not a retailer's "ethical" responsibility to make every customer read. Unethical behavior would be knowingly altering the return policy, refusing returns from specific ethnic groups, knowingly selling broken merchandise and refusing to accept returns etc etc etc.

All of this expectation and misunderstanding of what's expected of the retailer and not acknowledging the simple fact that comparing a national retailer internet-only sale price to a local independant in-store price is comparing apples to baboon knees is precisely why I said they are probably better off without you as a customer.

Let Petco deal with your incessant complaining and returns, they have big enough margins they can handle it.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:35PM

justsayin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Also, I didn't go in there, my unwitting GF
> did.
>
> So now your girlfriend acts without wit. I'm glad
> we finally got around to the conclusion this is
> all her friggin fault. She put you in this
> situation and obviously isn't making you happy.
> Time to let her go so you can find some girl who
> is smart enough to be worthy of you.

Adv. 1. unwittingly - without knowledge or intention; "he unwittingly deleted the references"

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:38PM

Duhhhhh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Again. I have stated I do not expect
> > price-matching, just stay COMPETITIVELY priced.
> I
> > could buy 20 tanks from Petco and resell them
> at
> > Super Petz prices and turn an extremely healthy
> > profit and since SP is paying wholesale for
> their
> > tanks (just like Petco is) they're making an
> > unholy killing off these things, which let's
> put
> > it in perspective here, once you've re-cooped
> the
> > R&D and marketing costs for these things
> they're
> > literally just 6 pieces of laminated glass
> glued
> > together, the margin on them is probably
> insane.
> > Also you talk to me as if I've never worked for
> > (or helped run for that matter) a small
> business
> > before. This establishments only saving grace
> is
> > that they stock a larger selection than the
> other
> > people in this area and that's the only thing
> > barely keeping them afloat because otherwise
> it's
> > a stinking cess-pool of unfriendly staff and
> > shitty prices/policies.
> >
> > Also, the price-aspect is just one of many that
> I
> > had addressed in my original beef with these
> > people and I even added some new ones along the
> > way. You can't have a shittier price, customer
> > service and retail environment than your
> largest
> > competitor and not expect a stink to be raised
> > about it. Especially when their entire target
> > consumer base seems to be people who vehemently
> > (and irrationally) hate big boxes and would
> rather
> > take a big throbbing one up the ass than pay a
> > "corporation".
> >
> > Shouldn't products with special return policies
> > that differ from the norm have notifications on
> > them or readily visible near them (like what
> most
> > people do) and isn't it the seller's ethical
> > obligation to inform the consumer of such
> > policies?
>
>
> 1. Staying competitively priced doesn't mean every
> retailer has to drop their price if someone else
> runs a sale. Last week Rao's was on sale @ Safeway
> for $7.99, it doesn't mean Giant was price gouging
> because they didn't lower their price too. You are
> quoting internet only sale prices for items and
> using that as a baseline for what something should
> cost anywhere/everywhere.
>
> 2. As for margins, a local single-shop retailer is
> absolutely, positively NOT paying the same price
> for their merchandise as a national retailer.
> National retailers deal directly with the
> manufacturers whereas independant retailers have
> to deal with distributors.
>
> Manufacturer's charge distributors extra for their
> products to cover the additional costs of
> logistics they incur dealing with the
> distributors. Distributors also add their own
> mark-ups to the items to cover their costs and
> provide their own margins so they stay profitable.
> Independant retailers then buy from those
> distributors at prices that have been marked up
> twice from what a national chain paid for the
> exact same item.
>
> You would be amazed at how many independant
> business owners buy certain items out on the open
> market, and then re-sell them at their own stores
> because it's actually cheaper than buying the same
> item from a distributor.
>
> 3. As far as return policies... the return policy
> was posted, clearly in view, it was just ignored.
> Can't be bothered with reading the policy, that's
> too much expectation on the purchaser. It should
> be the retailer's responsibility to either
> directly implant complete understanding of the
> return policy into the customer's brain via a
> download or to simply have a return policy that
> says "do whatever you want, we'll give you your
> money back" so that it's easy enough to understand
> for everything.
>
> It's not a retailer's "ethical" responsibility to
> make every customer read. Unethical behavior would
> be knowingly altering the return policy, refusing
> returns from specific ethnic groups, knowingly
> selling broken merchandise and refusing to accept
> returns etc etc etc.
>
> All of this expectation and misunderstanding of
> what's expected of the retailer and not
> acknowledging the simple fact that comparing a
> national retailer internet-only sale price to a
> local independant in-store price is comparing
> apples to baboon knees is precisely why I said
> they are probably better off without you as a
> customer.
>
> Let Petco deal with your incessant complaining and
> returns, they have big enough margins they can
> handle it.


Again you pick and choose the parts of my post to nitpick about. The return policy was typed out in illegible (multiple font sizes, colors, scrunched together etc) right next to the register. Are you suggesting that it's okay for retailers to make a quick buck off of sleight of hand but then suddenly when the tables are turned it's "BAWWWW OMG THEY R SMALL THEY DESERVE MONEY".

You can't have it both ways.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:41PM

Anon Wrote:
> Since I'm fairly certain Petco isn't willing to
> actively lose money on every unit sold logic would
> dictate that the invoice price of said tank is
> even further below $110 meaning that Super Petz is
> making a a 30-40% profit margin on these things
> regularly... so basically they're not exactly
> starving on the street.

Not factoring in differences in business models, loss-leader strategies etc that differ between a national big-box retailer & a local independant B&M shop...

You are an idiot if you truly believe a local, independant single-store shop is buying ANY of their merchandise at the same wholesale price as a national chain retailer.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:41PM

That's like me running over a pedestrian and then leaning out my window to tell him "You should have ran faster".

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:44PM

Meh, maybe not at the exact same prices but still close enough. Anyway we're digressing from the main meat of my post and you seem to have this unhealthy obsession about me comparing about prices with larger retailers when It's already been stated that my stance isn't an unreasonable one.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:49PM

Anon Wrote:
Are you
> suggesting that it's okay for retailers to make a
> quick buck off of sleight of hand but then
> suddenly when the tables are turned it's "BAWWWW
> OMG THEY R SMALL THEY DESERVE MONEY".

Actually, I'm suggesting that they are better off without you, your arguments are just helping me prove it.

I'm still not even convinced you're a customer. I'm still leaning towards competitor and/or disgruntled former employee.

A normal, sane human being would take the issue up with store, not come flailing wildly and incorrectly on FFXU.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: mikrogeophagusramirezi ()
Date: June 21, 2011 02:53PM

Dude, I've been trying to point out to you, in a non-snarky way, that you ARE being unreasonable.

All this stink over a measly $30?? really????

In all seriousness, if you can't write off $30 then fish keeping is not the hobby for you. As hobbies go it's expensive as hell. Any experienced fish keeper will tell you this.

And IIRC correctly their return policy is posted all over the tank section of the store as well.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:00PM

Duhhhhh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anon Wrote:
> Are you
> > suggesting that it's okay for retailers to make
> a
> > quick buck off of sleight of hand but then
> > suddenly when the tables are turned it's
> "BAWWWW
> > OMG THEY R SMALL THEY DESERVE MONEY".
>
> Actually, I'm suggesting that they are better off
> without you, your arguments are just helping me
> prove it.
>
> I'm still not even convinced you're a customer.
> I'm still leaning towards competitor and/or
> disgruntled former employee.
>
> A normal, sane human being would take the issue up
> with store, not come flailing wildly and
> incorrectly on FFXU.

Competitor? What competitors? There aren't any other small business fish stores in town that I am aware of and the only others are large chains that don't need to disparage a small fry because the small fry does a good enough job turning customers away on it's own. In fact that may be the reason why SP conducts itself the way that it does, no local competition so they're the only "small business" alternative people can go to. That and the selection as has been mentioned before.

All the current employees there are plenty disgruntled enough. I did take issue with the store owner whom came out front after the register boy went back to get her as I asked to have the return processed (pre-indicent). I guess she already knew her shitty policy would cause a stink and came out preemptively and I want to say the kid at the register was glaring at me after I asked for a return to be processed but he was looking pissed off at life in general before I even came near the register.

I politely, with no hint of entitlement or demand asked that despite the policy could they make an exception for this because my girlfriend obviously wasn't aware of the policy, wasn't informed of the policy and the policy is poorly written and the clause about exceptions for fish tanks was barely visible. No dice. I questioned why she was refusing and she stated the tank could have suffered damage, I openly invited her to inspect it herself and the register boy did in fact do that before going out back to summon her but she refused.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:03PM

I goto big boxes to get stonewalled by management and glared at by the help. I goto small businesses to have a friendlier environment and better customer service. Sorry. I guess I expected too much...how selfish and annoying of me.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:03PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Meh, maybe not at the exact same prices but still
> close enough. Anyway we're digressing from the
> main meat of my post and you seem to have this
> unhealthy obsession about me comparing about
> prices with larger retailers when It's already
> been stated that my stance isn't an unreasonable
> one.


No, not even close enough.

You really don't get how vastly different these business models are, and how much of a difference there is in both cost & expected margins.

Independant business owners end up paying SIGNIFICANTLY higher amounts for their inventory.

Not only that but the profits for chain retailers aren't in single big items, they are in the come-back. They are in the accessories, the things you need to buy repeatedly, the extras. Someone buys a tank once. They buy crap to go in the tank weekly.

Couple that with the fact that people are extremely habitual by nature AND that national retailers employ consumer psychologists specifically to manage ever aspect of your visit to their store with the intention of getting you on the come back and you'll see where this is heading.

Chain retailers use loss-leaders to draw people into their stores. They take single-item purchases (in this case the tank) and charge very little over wholesale for that item, hoping to get you in the store so you will buy that, plus the much much higher margin items to go with it.

So you come in and buy your tank & they make $2.00 profit off the tank, but now even by your own admittance, you spent $80 more dollars on items that were probably marked up 200% (or more).

This method of retailing depends on extremely high volume sales & the manufacturing leverage needed to not only get the loss-leaders at a reasonable price, but to get the accessories at extremely low prices, to have luxury return policies with the manufacturers & to have favorable credit card processing terms with their processing company.

Those options typically aren't available to a local independant B&M.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:07PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I goto big boxes to get stonewalled by management
> and glared at by the help. I goto small businesses
> to have a friendlier environment and better
> customer service. Sorry. I guess I expected too
> much...how selfish and annoying of me.


So you want better customer service, more knowledgeable staff, more lenient return policies, better selection, immediate access to products in hand & lower prices.

Like I said, they're better off without you. You'll NEVER be happy.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:09PM

$2.00 profit off the tank? I think not. You're not the only one who ran a small business before, friend. Regardless your speculations as to their margins (unless you're the owner of Super Petz which I'm beginning to suspect that you are) is just that. Speculation. What I. The customer sees is a highly overpriced product that is selling for less elsewhere. We could go back and forth all day debating margins and the finances and economics of running a small business.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:11PM

Duhhhhh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I goto big boxes to get stonewalled by
> management
> > and glared at by the help. I goto small
> businesses
> > to have a friendlier environment and better
> > customer service. Sorry. I guess I expected too
> > much...how selfish and annoying of me.
>
>
> So you want better customer service, more
> knowledgeable staff, more lenient return policies,
> better selection, immediate access to products in
> hand & lower prices.
>
> Like I said, they're better off without you.
> You'll NEVER be happy.


It's like you're one of the goldfish that I keep in my overpriced tank. I've already stated multiple times that I have no problem paying extra at a "small" business (if you can call a giant warehouse small but whatever that's semantics) and that that the price was over the top which is why I mentioned it at all.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: JBass ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:11PM

Why dont you order shit off the GD internet, cheaper, saves having to deal with idiots face to face and it saves time and gas.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:12PM

And I just want a return policy that I can easily find, not some multi-colored abortion that I mistook for an advert stuck right next to the register and nowhere else inside the store.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:27PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $2.00 profit off the tank? I think not. You're not
> the only one who ran a small business before,
> friend. Regardless your speculations as to their
> margins (unless you're the owner of Super Petz
> which I'm beginning to suspect that you are) is
> just that. Speculation. What I. The customer sees
> is a highly overpriced product that is selling for
> less elsewhere. We could go back and forth all day
> debating margins and the finances and economics of
> running a small business.

The $2.00 part was clearly hypothetical.

I obviously don't know what Petco or SuperPetz pays for any of their crap. I'm also most certainly not the owner of SuperPetz. I don't even think I know where SuperPetz is located.

I just happen to think your entire premise is ridiculous.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Duhhhhh ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:33PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And I just want a return policy that I can easily
> find, not some multi-colored abortion that I
> mistook for an advert stuck right next to the
> register and nowhere else inside the store.


That you mistook for an advert?

I thought your girlfriend bought the tank.

How could you have mistaken it for an advert and not read the return policy if your girlfriend was the one who bought it ? How could they have made you aware of the return policy if you weren't even there?

So we've got proof that your basis for determining market price for these items was completely off-base and grossly inflated.

We've got someone else on here saying they remember the tank return policy being pasted all over the place.

Now there's a discrepancy in who should have been initially reading or aware of the return policy.

I'm definitely thinking you are just disgruntled with the ownership for some other reason and disparaging them via this site trying to get back at them.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:34PM

Your hypothetical was clearly ridiculous as well. Way to quite literally pull uneducated guesses right out your ass.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Ut videam ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:35PM

Get a room, you two!

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: JBass ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:38PM

Anon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Your hypothetical was clearly ridiculous as well.
> Way to quite literally pull uneducated guesses
> right out your ass.


For clarification, we ARE talking about a fish tank, aren't we?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:38PM

Duhhhhh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > And I just want a return policy that I can
> easily
> > find, not some multi-colored abortion that I
> > mistook for an advert stuck right next to the
> > register and nowhere else inside the store.
>
>
> That you mistook for an advert?
>
> I thought your girlfriend bought the tank.
>
> How could you have mistaken it for an advert and
> not read the return policy if your girlfriend was
> the one who bought it ? How could they have made
> you aware of the return policy if you weren't even
> there?
>
> So we've got proof that your basis for determining
> market price for these items was completely
> off-base and grossly inflated.
>
> We've got someone else on here saying they
> remember the tank return policy being pasted all
> over the place.
>
> Now there's a discrepancy in who should have been
> initially reading or aware of the return policy.
>
> I'm definitely thinking you are just disgruntled
> with the ownership for some other reason and
> disparaging them via this site trying to get back
> at them.

Obviously when I went back to the store with my GF to ask for a return they pointed to the return policy papers (as I wrote in my OP) and just by casually looking at it it looks just like a cheap advert. My God. Reading comprehension is most certainly is not your strong suite is it? And where did anyone say the return policy is pasted all over the place?

And according to your HYPOTHETICAL ANALYSIS my reasoning that prices there are ridiculous has been bunked.

I'm definitely thinking you're either the disgruntled register boy I had to speak to or the owner I had to deal with.

See what I did there?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 03:41PM

And if I was truly a former employee just looking for revenge I would have just flat told everyone the margins they're making on their crap and not speculating on it.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: klepto ()
Date: June 21, 2011 04:23PM

Hey OP... did it ever occur to you to just shut the fuck up and enjoy your fish tank and stop whining like a little bitch?

Seems like your GF paid too much for merchandise and didn't get you the one you really wanted and didn't read the posted return policy. If you had a problem with your gf getting you a gift in that manner, then you should have just sucked it up and paid whatever it cost to exchange it for the one you really wanted... which is what you did.

So, we are all still trying to understand why you didn't just stop there and go home and enjoy your fish tank. Why did you have to go on the Internet and start whining like a little bitch and posting negative remarks about a local business when it is you and your gf who are at fault for not making the most informed purchasing decision?

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Gordon Blvd ()
Date: June 21, 2011 04:35PM

@klepto: +1 LoLz

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: JBass ()
Date: June 21, 2011 04:39PM

I bought a house from this guy like 4 years ago... *sniff sniff* and he like, told me it was worth more than it really was, *Sniffles* and now he wont gimme my money back. Boo Hoo.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 05:26PM

klepto Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey OP... did it ever occur to you to just shut
> the fuck up and enjoy your fish tank and stop
> whining like a little bitch?
>
> Seems like your GF paid too much for merchandise
> and didn't get you the one you really wanted and
> didn't read the posted return policy. If you had
> a problem with your gf getting you a gift in that
> manner, then you should have just sucked it up and
> paid whatever it cost to exchange it for the one
> you really wanted... which is what you did.
>
> So, we are all still trying to understand why you
> didn't just stop there and go home and enjoy your
> fish tank. Why did you have to go on the Internet
> and start whining like a little bitch and posting
> negative remarks about a local business when it is
> you and your gf who are at fault for not making
> the most informed purchasing decision?

Of course I sucked it up and am currently enjoying the fish tank, it's sitting on my desk while I'm studying as we speak. I wrote this post to warn others away from SP and their unfriendly staff, management and their unjustifiably high prices.

Oh and...

SOOO EDGEY u r 2 hXc for meH! Tellin Anon to shut the fuck up, you must not afraid of nothings.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: justsayin ()
Date: June 21, 2011 06:11PM

This thread delivers. Rarely does one person pose an opinion so wrong that literally no one on FairfaxUnderground agrees. And yet this poster won't budge. Awesome!

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Gordon Blvd ()
Date: June 21, 2011 06:24PM

@justsayin
LoLz
Attachments:
anon delivers.jpg

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: 496 ()
Date: June 21, 2011 06:31PM

The way I see it is:

The store did what small businesses do.
Your girlfriend is a stupid bitch.
You are whiny crybaby who needs an ass whooping.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Your Name ()
Date: June 21, 2011 06:38PM

Anon, are you Jewish?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 07:01PM

Small businesses treat their customers like shit and post unreadable return policies and cop an attitude when questioned about them? 496 sounds like a stupid bitch and needs to get his ass beat.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: 496 ()
Date: June 21, 2011 09:39PM

That's it. Anon, you meet me under the plasma at the Clyde's in Tysons.I am going to throw a lit cigerette at you, menace you and call you pussy as fuck.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Gordon Blvd ()
Date: June 21, 2011 09:55PM

@496
Attachments:
You Win an Internet.jpg

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Anon ()
Date: June 21, 2011 11:51PM

Mad levels are reading off the charts!
Attachments:
verymad.png

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: everyone shut the fuck up ()
Date: June 22, 2011 02:59AM

Ufy4R.gif

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Warhawk ()
Date: June 22, 2011 04:53AM

justsayin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This thread delivers. Rarely does one person pose
> an opinion so wrong that literally no one on
> FairfaxUnderground agrees. And yet this poster
> won't budge. Awesome!


+1. I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread thus far.

__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Gurdon Gord ()
Date: June 22, 2011 12:44PM

Bought two goldfish from Superpets. Nice place. Nice people. Friendly. They try to touch junk. Two goldfish nice. Names are Kano and Mopsie. Teach goldfish tricks. Smart fish. Take them for walks. They roll over. They fetch stick. They bite meeper's rear end. This means where chili dog comes from. This is nice.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Spacy ()
Date: June 24, 2011 12:22AM

Warhawk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> +1. I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread thus far.

I thought the best part was SUMMARY_BOT.
(Don't overdo it, though.)

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: ImJapanese ()
Date: June 24, 2011 12:36AM

I moved into a place with a fish pond but no fish - someone recommended Super Pets to me. The staff there could tell I didn't really knowing about pond care and went out of their way to assist me. I would highly recommend them to others.

Just because your slut girlfriend payed more because she didn't do any research on pricing is no reason to slam their business. And as for the dead fish in the tanks - they emitted the smell that drove that lesbian into the store in the first place.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: neolamwtf ()
Date: April 22, 2014 05:18PM

The whole place is questionable .they always have been . The staff can be great and helpful and on occasion know what they are talking about . Mostly however one of owners Tracy a uneducated redneck women who is miserable and sad and over worked and sort of a zombie , her boyfriend is a asshole who only improved after a bout with cancer ........ the whole energy of the place reeks of oppression the staff is over worked and underpaid just ask them they are all willing to share their opinions the animals are maintained by these people ...........maybe Tracy and her brothers and family should stop navigating this world and their clientele and live stock through profit based measuring sticks and try a different approach ......... pay your staff well they will work harder and longer and be loyal . treat your clients/customers with value and respect ..cling to the old expression the customers is always right even when they aren't .... so you loose a few bucks on a cpl of scammers but in the end your clients will love you for backing your livestock and goods and putting them first . If you are not in a good mood fake it put on a happy face stop acting like your job is a living hell stop nickle and diming everyone ...and for god's sake can one of you take a business management class and leave your arrogance and misery at the door ....maybe your profits and return business will improve !

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: neolamwtf ()
Date: April 22, 2014 05:25PM

I should have pointed out in my last post ........ I use to be a customer there and after the move just felt they could care less about my business they didn't even bother to notify me of the move after spending money there for over 3 yrs . In spite of the place and owners it use to be the only place to get certain fish and products so regardless of the bullshit I normally made the effort .
Once I stopped going to them and found other resources for the things I needed I felt relief not to be supporting them with my hard earned money .

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: e46ed ()
Date: April 22, 2014 07:37PM

yea shopping malls and stores are incurring huge costs making sure fucking democrats aren't stealing

ALLOT of extra staff to watch (some from behind security cameras) but on floor too

-----------------------
you can guess some of it is really CEOs bilking funds for any excuse so after all the "ckick back" purchases of foreign survelance equip. they can bail out in a golden parachute shortly before the business goes bankrupts

-------------------------
that is not how brick and mortars used to be run, however

nothing fucking like it. an employee could liklely leave the store un-attended without a theft 30 years ago, here in fairfax, and sometimes they did

---------------------------
i said fuck off democrats

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: memeeemeeeeeeee ()
Date: April 23, 2014 01:40AM

I bought a rabbit from them a few months back... complete with $100 cage, hay, food, accessories and lining for the cage... rabbit died within 24 hours of pirchasing it... never even had a chance to have a vey look at it. Talked to the lady who owns the place who had the nerve to say "yeah, sometimes they don't live long!" Seriously?! So now I spent $45 on a rabbit that is dead, $100 on a cage I have nothing to put in, and who knows how much on supplies. I've had better luck and customer service from the dang pound!! I was blown away by her comment!

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Ludwig ()
Date: April 23, 2014 01:49AM

Monty Python - Dead Parrot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuW6tQ0218

So there..........

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Uneed Help ()
Date: April 23, 2014 06:40AM

e46ed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> yea shopping malls and stores are incurring huge
> costs making sure fucking democrats aren't
> stealing
>
> ALLOT of extra staff to watch (some from behind
> security cameras) but on floor too
>
> -----------------------
> you can guess some of it is really CEOs bilking
> funds for any excuse so after all the "ckick back"
> purchases of foreign survelance equip. they can
> bail out in a golden parachute shortly before the
> business goes bankrupts
>
> -------------------------
> that is not how brick and mortars used to be run,
> however
>
> nothing fucking like it. an employee could
> liklely leave the store un-attended without a
> theft 30 years ago, here in fairfax, and sometimes
> they did
>
> ---------------------------
> i said fuck off democrats


Are you retarded or just bat-shit crazy? A little of both I suspect

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Ilikethem ()
Date: April 23, 2014 07:21AM

I like super pets - a local non-chain, faimily run store. I have never had trouble returning stuff there (and I have returned stuff there). They care about their animals.

That said I know that they have not moved their aquarium stock there yet (they were thinking of opening another small location with all the fish stuff). They dont even sell fish beyone betas. They do know fish though. Once I had a very sick beta that I was going to euthanize but they encouraged me to treat it an amazingly it survived after two months of treatment. The fish lives today thanks to them.

They do have space issues and sometimes block their middle isle with stock (violation) but Im glad we have a local pet store and its right next to the Dairy Queen so we visit their cool birds all the time!

Stop being so cheap or shutup and go to Walmart.

PS I call BS on their being 30% over retail - that is false.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: Elihu Root ()
Date: October 25, 2017 03:43AM

Glad they're gone. They had shit overpriced rabbits, they supported bunny mills, their guinea pigs were not looked after, their birds were grumpy and stressed. They should have stuck to selling fish.

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Re: Super Pets? More like Super Fucked. STAY AWAY! (Annandale)
Posted by: OP is a whiny BITCH ()
Date: October 25, 2017 05:33AM

Shoulda asked their return policy.
Should used a charge back on your credit card.
Did u read reviews of this place?
U r an ignorant fuk and DESERVE to lose out.
Stay the fuk home and troll this forum, like I do, and make $11,342/week from your home!

Options: ReplyQuote


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