Where's the ZERO star marking?
I hate writing bad reviews. Let me start with the positive. This store is very clean and has a lot of fish. They have a variety of supplies for all kinds of pets. It's pretty impressive.
Now for what was a BIG disappoint. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE from the manager!!!
Here's what happened.
I went in on Friday to order fish for our school's annual Fun Fair. I spoke to "Worker A" who was very nice. I asked if I could put about 400 comet/feeder fish on hold. She informed me that it's company policy to NOT put animals on hold. She asked when I needed it. I told her I'd come on Tuesday to pick it up. She said that if they did run out they have shipment on Thursdays. I told her that our fair was on Friday. So if they did run out, I could come on Thursday. She repeated the amount I asked. I told her it was for our fair. She said to come back on Tuesday.
Flash forward to Tuesday. I go there and ask "Worker B" for 450 extra small comet/feeder fish. She was shocked at the amount. I asked if that was okay. She said it was fine but that it was going to take a while. I said that was okay with me. She calls on "Worker C" and "Worker D" to help.
A male customer in his early 20s noticed I ordered a lot. He asks "Worker B" if he could have 4 fish. She makes conversation and asks if he was starting a new fish tank. He replies saying he was just gonna feed them to his other fish at home.
In the meantime, "Worker C" is mumbling to "Worker D" about the amount I ordered. I felt uncomfortable...like I was bothering them. So I tried to make light conversation with "Worker C" since she seemed a little irritated with my order. I apologized TO HER about my order. She says over her shoulder without looking at me as she was trying to catch fish, "It's okay" in a "tone." I see that she's still irritated. So I continue, basically trying to butter her up. "I'm so sorry. I don't usually come here, but I wanted to check you guys out. We've been going to this other store for years to get fish for our fair, but I really wanted to come here."
She immediately stops catching fish, turns around and stares at me all shocked, and says, "It's for a fair."
I say, "Yes!" Thinking it wasn't anything. I thought she was going to say something nice about it.
She stands up while "Worker D" continues to bag some fish. "I have to tell my manager you're buying these for a fair. We don't sell it to people if they're using the fish for a fair." She walks quickly away to speak to a manager.
"Worker D" keeps on bagging, and I begin to feel nervous. I tell him, "Oh crap. I shouldn't have said anything, should I? I didn't know. He says, "Yeah, you shouldn't have said anything." He sounded like he felt bad, which was nice.
"Worker C" walks toward me with the manager. She was not smiling. She looked at me as if I had just stolen something from the store. She tells me in a firm voice and without remorse for not being able to sell me fish, "We CAN'T sell the fish to you if you're using them for a fair."
I asked why. She said that they couldn't sell animals to people that would endanger the fish. I explain and tell her that it was for an elementary school to raise money for the kids.
She continued saying, "The kids that win the fish as a prize will be endangering the fish, and they won't know the situation they put themselves in. They may put them in a bowl or something, and the fish will die." I told her that the customer before me said he was feeding them to another fish and asked how that was any different. She just looked at me irritated and repeated that it was policy in a "I really don't care" tone of voice, and she walked away.
The fact that I think that policy is unfair is one issue. Who are they to say that one customer is endangering their animals and another one who says the animal is going to be fed to another animal ISN'T endangering the animal? That's beyond me. What really upset me was the manager's tone of voice and how condescending she was when explaining a policy that I don't think most customers would know. JUST RUDE RUDE RUDE!
Too bad. I thought the store looked amazing. I'll be sticking with my small, family-owned pet stores from now on. This was my first experience at big pet store, and I don't think I will EVER go back because of this bad experience. I walked out of there LIVID, but the manager didn't care...didn't feel bad. It was as if I had just told her, "Hi, I'd like to buy your puppies so I can kill them, make dog adobo, and eat them." She really was downright mean about it. I did NOT appreciate the way she handled it and how she spoke to me...and I sure as heck don't care for that policy. read more