Tropic Isle aquarium - Framingham, MA

[JohnK]

I say notihing more, I know nothing more............

 

[newfish]

When you say "they" who is "they" and how exaclty were "they" rude?

Generally speaking you can't please everyone all the time.
And some people are just impossible...

But there is what is defined as a "Normal" person (if they in fact do exist lol) that I go by when complaining....Meaning that most other people would agree.

That is why I asked the circumstances, so that people reading this can make thier own judgements on to whether or not the customer is being unreasonable or there was in fact a case of bad customer service...

*takes off managers hat*

i tried asking some questions only to be ignored one person told me he was to busy to help me. I asked second person to help me he walk right past me didn't even say one word i went up front of the store and ask for help waited 20min. for some one to come help then was told zoa rock i want was 49.99. Then someone else was looking at them and the guy said they were 29.99 so i had that guy give me the zoas and i'll never go back there again

 

[stevenp]

In TI's defense, they are wicked busy on the weekends and some weeknights... especially the guys in the fish room. A lot of the times they're already with a customer and are running back and forth for them. You just have to wait your turn sometimes.

I try and go there during weird hours when they're not busy and I'm offered help repeatedly.

For a store of this size, maybe they should have a 'take a number' like at the deli. Just a thought.

Steve

 

[RichConley]

In TI's defense, they are wicked busy on the weekends and some weeknights... especially the guys in the fish room. A lot of the times they're already with a customer and are running back and forth for them. You just have to wait your turn sometimes.

I try and go there during weird hours when they're not busy and I'm offered help repeatedly.

For a store of this size, maybe they should have a 'take a number' like at the deli. Just a thought.

Steve

Strange, I've had the opposite experience. When i show up on a weekend, or whne theres lots of customers in the store, they take a bit, but they get to you. THeres too many people. When you go on a weeknight when theres like 10 people working, and 2 customers in there, they all ignore you. Its like they have the "Someone else will get you, I'm busy" attitude.

 

[sw300galma]

I think they should increase thier SW section 1 more row....They are just so busy and I think the demand is there for more fish. I can only get up there on the weekends....But by then it's slim pickings....

 

[newfish]

i just didn't like how 1 guy tried to sell me the zoas for on price. Then other guy tells me different price.

 

[Andy O]

Unfortunately, pricing mistakes happen in every industry. Items in stores are mislabled all the time.

I agree that I may have been a little bit ubset about the wait and the conflicting prices but ultimately, if the correct price was the more expensive price that is what they should have been sold for and since the person that sold it you for 29.99 bagged it and wrote that on the bag then I guess you got a pretty good deal. If the correct price was 49.99 he apparently made a mistake in your favor. I'm not trying to defend TI, but just trying to look at this from an uninvolved outsiders view point.

 

[clamm]

I would have to cut them some slack here, simple color variation on zoos can mean a difference in a 20.00 frag and a 120.00 frag..

Unfortunately, pricing mistakes happen in every industry. Items in stores are mislabled all the time.

I agree that I may have been a little bit ubset about the wait and the conflicting prices but ultimately, if the correct price was the more expensive price that is what they should have been sold for and since the person that sold it you for 29.99 bagged it and wrote that on the bag then I guess you got a pretty good deal. If the correct price was 49.99 he apparently made a mistake in your favor. I'm not trying to defend TI, but just trying to look at this from an uninvolved outsiders view point.

 

[dz6t]

For one thing, their online coupons on fish are good.

 

[Andy O]

I agree about the coupons. I used to go in there in spend $$$ just so I got the $$$ discounts on future purchases.

 

[sw300galma]

Just went there again Wed, great service as usual.. tons-o-stuff

 

[Triggerfish]

Post deleted. Please read the rules of posting in this forum. Firsthand experiences are okay. Discussion of other folks' experiences is not the purpose of these forums. Insulting the staff is also out of line.
Thank you for your cooperation.

 

[Fitzy]

I am a frequent visitor of TI. I like there selection, and there fish are, for the most part, healthy when you get them. I usually go from anywere 1-3x a week, and a few of the guys in the fish room have come to know me. If i go durring the week, its fine. When/If i go on the weekend, i do expext to wait for an hour or so. Theyre packed. Theres at most 4-5 people working the fishroom.

TI is one of the better LFS in the area. Ive been around, in i always come back

 

[sw300galma]

Back there again...My friend and I spend over $200 again!

J.D. is awsome! (guy with the long beard) Everytime I go there he helps me out even though I am a demanding customer. Like in a school of 40 Yellow Tangs I pick the ONE I want...He actually caught THAT one...Same for a Blue Hippo. My friend wanted only CERTAIN Hermits....So JD without any question grabs the ones he wants.. He also spends as much time with you as needed. I had to wait my turn (about 20mins), but it was well worth it. Even as closing time was fast approaching..he didn't even try to rush us as all. (other people did )

I bought 3 Butterly Henichous that were PERFECT, I've never seen such an awsome Trio! Perfect Fins and all on all 3...They look awsome in my tank.

J.D If you read this...Thanks again for the AWSOME outstanding Service!

 

[shawn]

I've been to TI more times than all the other LFS I've visited together. They aren't the closest, but they are the closest with a very good selection. Don't go if you are inpatient and in a hurry. I don't like that I often spot dead animals in the tanks - but with that many and being that busy, maybe I expect too much. As far as the longevity of the animals after I get them home - about average. They don't seem to know when the animals come in or if they are healthy - there are too many animals and too many employees for them to keep track, I guess. I've had good luck with the corals I've gotten there, and if you are careful, you can pick some good fish. Make sure that you print out the "special coupon" from the web site - $20 off saltwater fish for $100 purchase - much better than the 5% BRS discount.

 

[GaryP1007]

I know the posts have been mostly negative for this vendor, but I must say that my recent experience with TI has been a good one. I ordered my 120 Oceanic from them, they arranged for local delivery for me (no charge) and also spent considerable time talking to me about lighting even though I was not ready to buy.

 

[stang8s]

I have been going to this store since before I could walk. When I got my first tank (10 gallon freshwater about 30 years ago), I got all my fish there. They have a great selection of fish and prices on fish are not too bad usually especially if using the coupons. They have the best selection of FW plants I have seen anyplace local. The drygoods as others have said are priced way too high, not 2x the price of others but often as high as 4x!

I have never bought any corals or inverts there either, prices seem high as well.

 

[Andy O]

Well, for starters, I am very dissappointed at the majority of the reactions posted here about Tropic Isle. I have printed out this entire thread and will pass in on to Leo this Sunday (the next day I see Leo). I am happy to say I was the "nice guy" in amallapaty's post. I wish he had said something to me at the time, I would have been happy to take him through the entire process with the mandarin as well as any other questions he may have had.

As for some of the comments, I won't try to defend something I was not privey to directly. However, I will state that we (the collective fishroom crew) have a great undertaking to try and maintain the over 20 seperate systems at Tropic Isle. It is a constant project in order to try and maintain a healthy livestock. We get anywhere from 2 to 5 fish/plant/invert/live food shipments per week besides. We can easily be putting fish away from the time we get in 'til long after closing. Not complaining, it is part of the job, just stating facts. Besides this we have assigned tasks for inventory and maintanance that have to be completed within out work day or week. All this and I know I try to help a customer the best I can. It can be very difficult during the shipment when the lives or health of dozens and sometimes hundreds of fish and critters can be jeopodized by a customer wanting to know "why they can't keep a Nemo with their guppies if they add a little extra salt?!?!" True story !! Now, don't think for one minute I am stupid enough NOT to know that the customer must be taken care of as best as possible and as quickly and courteously as possible !! However try as I do I still have not mastered the ability to read someones mind. I've been in retail for over 35 years and it's no secret, a little courtesy from a customer will get you alot farther than a pompous attitude. Again, absolutely no finger pointing, just facts.

As for the pricing of the frags, I personally don't know what was paid for them but you can't expect them to be sold at the prices you may be used to at swap meets. A store of Tropic Isle size does have a large overhead and that cost does have to be passed on to the consumer, just like a gas stations gasoline prices. Fuel costs happen to be one the main reasons fish prices in particular have skyrocketed. The initial cost of fish has not risen so much as the frieght costs have more than tripled in recent years.

Sometimes a shipment just comes in bad and the animals die or breakdown and unfortuntely can take down some animals that were there long before them. It's the nature of the business.

I would also like to state that, in my opinion, it is very unfair and un-ethical for an employee or owner of another aquarium/pet shop to post negative comments about another rival shop on this forum. There is no way it can come across as unbiased now is there?

Well, I'm getting off the soap box now. I will indeed pass this thread onto Leo and I'm sure he will address this with the crew.

Dan

First off let me say that I have not had any bad experiences with TI although I can relate to the coldness vibe that is given off in the store.

I know that you should never assume, but I would have assumed that we would have seen some type of response from TI in regard to this (if there is one I may have missed it) -- perharps indicating that the issues that have been posted are considered by TI to be valid or not or if they have been addressed, especially since it was said that this was being made to Leo's attention back in late January.

They will continue to do a big business whehter or not they address BRS member's issues, but it just makes you wonder whehter they care about the valid opinions/concerns raised by BRS members.

Just my $.02.

 

[whatevva]

I've spent close to $8000 there this year. The only reason is because I met Leo first. He's a great guy, and once he's with you, he'll help you until your done. However, I chose to purchase my entire system from a single LFS to build a repor with someone. My card was charged about $750 more than what I was quoted for the system. When I brought it to Ellis's attention, he revised the bill to match the quote, and I told him that he could apply the money to store credit if I could get decent prices when it came time for fish and corals. Ellis told me that they don't discount these things but he'd make an exception. It never happened. I've had to pay full price for everything except dry goods, and I'd have to beg to get the 10%. When I went back to purchase items to hook up a chiller that I purchased online, I was given the cold shoulder, and when I asked questions, twice the answer was " why don't you ask the guy that you bought the chiller from". Maybe he was joking, maybe he wasn't, but I don't feel that I have any more clout in that store than if i was walking in there for the first time. Because of this, I feel that I paid an outrageous price for a system for nothing. Again, I have nothing bad to say about Leo. He has to deal with where he works, and Roger is a SUPER guy and has gone out of his way to help me out. The cash register women just tick me off! I feel like I'm in their way. I'm not sure if I'll ever go back there again. I'm certainly looking for a better place, and they're out there!

 

[CaseyH]

Another bad experience

I went in there twice to look at seahorses. The first time, I was in awe at the size of the store and I asked the older woman at the counter where they were. She was so rude. Without looking at me, she pointed off somewhere and said "in the saltwater section." I said "I've never been here before. Where exactly in the saltwater section?" She told me to "find one of the guys in the blue shirts."

So I did, and he was nice, but there were only two horses and he said there would be more in a week. I was surprised to see them crammed in a shallow tank with many other creatures, they usually like some height. The guy told me it would be fine to put them in a 10 gallon tank (which I know is not the case) and he had no idea what species they were.

I asked the woman at the counter another question on my way out the door, only to be ignored, and nearly fainted when I saw a frag of zoas for $90.

So between the wild prices, misinformed staff, and rude cashiers...I have never purchased anything at Tropic Isle, and I never will