Aquarium Specialty Bad Customer Service...

[drunkenclam]

I inquired with two different local stores and both times the response was kind of lukewarm. That's why I figured on those specialty items it must not be worth their time. No prob for me.

what "specialty item" was it i must ask?

[Europhyllia]

60" ATI T5 bulbs. The LFS tend to carry the 48".
It's really no big deal. My point was that the majority of the time I shop the sponsor stores even though I know I could get some things cheaper online. Brick and Mortar stores have more overhead, etc. and so they got to charge a few bucks more.

But I don't feel guilty if I buy something from a reputable online source (non sponsor) if I had a good experience with that vendor in the past and/or what I want is not easily available locally and/or it is significantly less costly to get online (like Vortech MP40ws - saving 100 bucks is a pretty good chunk)

[drunkenclam]

60" ATI T5 bulbs. The LFS tend to carry the 48".
It's really no big deal. My point was that the majority of the time I shop the sponsor stores even though I know I could get some things cheaper online. Brick and Mortar stores have more overhead, etc. and so they got to charge a few bucks more.

But I don't feel guilty if I buy something from a reputable online source (non sponsor) if I had a good experience with that vendor in the past and/or what I want is not easily available locally and/or it is significantly less costly to get online (like Vortech MP40ws - saving 100 bucks is a pretty good chunk)

absolutely. online will be the best buy every time. i would do so myself. but when things go wrong i can tell the local sponsor "it's wrong" fix it! and they can without cost to me or them.

my case in point.