An Interesting And Positive Observation

[fawnmodel]

So, as it is, I often shop at the infamous big department store. And, I do often buy some of the basic fishy supplies there due to the low cost compared to many other locations (off topic, but I did just find frozen foods for fish there, for about 1/4 what I usualy pay at the LFS).

Sooo...being the curious type I am I often check out their fishies. About two weeks ago, they had a ton )say 25) of bettas in 6 oz cups, looking sickly and lifeless, it was really sad. The rest of their tanks had many dead and overcrowded fish....which is not too uncommon.

So I stop in again a few days later, and MOST tanks are totally empty, and ALL the bettas are gone. Impossible they sold them all in such a short period of time...and worried since I have heard of stores that are told to 'flush' bettas if they sit around for too long....

Long story short, I stop in again a few days later. They have a whole LOT of new bettas, that all look beautiful and healthy Of course, this was a new shipment....but! Also, the tanks looked spotlessly clean, they even had a quarrantine sign on a tank with loaches with white spot! I was amazed!

Not only that, while we were looking my daughter wanted a few new danios for her little school (and they are about a dollar each there, I know,I should know better)...and we are talking about the new bettas and tanks etc.

So the woman who sells us the danios, tells us ALL about them and how many they like to be in, talks about the importance of aclimating and how to intro them without the bag water. I let her tell me everything that I already know, just because I was soooo impressed!

Anyway I just thought it would be nice to share this story - we do ALWAYS complain loudly when we see something bad so hopefully others do too and it is being noticed!

 

[IovaykInD]

Guess they just hired someone who wanted to clean up W%@Mart's act

Always nice to hear good stories about stores that are usually put down.

 

[Austin_09]

Yeah, she must have been a new hirey good in the fish department!

 

[mandy82]

Geez, I think your wmart should talk to my wmart. The one in the area doesn't even have anyone working in the pet section. I feel so sorry for the fish there. It's sickening how the fish are treated.

 

[Lexie3787]

The wmart near me takes care of their fish. Infact the fish that have lasted me the longest and I still have are from Walmart.

 

[mandy82]

I can't believe that, Lexie! That's cool though, because their fish, of course, are cheaper than most other places. I wouldn't dare buy any fish from the wmart here unless they cleaned up their act big time!

 

[penguinpimp1990]

a walmart near me was hiring for their fish department, and they wanted only people that had previously worked at an aquarium for 6 months or longer....

 

[catxx]

that is good to hear!

my local LFS (a proper lfs not a chain store) have started groaning every time i walk in now, they know i'm going to complain about SOMETHING. hehehe.

 

[soritan]

I used to work at an unrelated chain store... at our 'service meeting', our manager would often say, "One dissatisfied customer often tells at least five other people, but one out of five satisfied customers often only tells one other person." This is a truism, honestly. While I'll never claim that all box-stores are grand but for a few meanies... I'll say that the existing box-stores normally don't get the credit they deserve.

A little praise goes a long way.

 

[Elise]

Wow, that's awesome! The wally-worlds around me have cleaned up a lot too! And I just got back from Reno, we had to talk to a manager about the condition of their bettas.....the next day the cups were sparkling clean and their tummies full. The co-manager we talked to was shocked at the gross-ness because she doesn't have territory over that side of the store, so after we talked to her, she told the head manager and the fish dep manager got in a wee bit of trouble. But at least the bettas were clean and happy.

People do care, it's just that sometimes you have to find them first. I just love to see any kind of store taking care of even the little guys--it speaks volumes about how they really feel.

 

[Lexie3787]

Yea I actually like buying from my Walmart. They are taken care of-cheaper-and I never lost a walmart fish yet *knocks on wood*

 

[Animation]

Is wall-mart just the equivilent as co-op in england?

 

[liz2]

We have just got an asda in our town, and they are wall-mart. Cheap and cheerful is how my hubby describes them! Mind you as we have to watch the pennies it is just as well!

 

[Durbkat]

Well when I turn 16 I may just try to get a job at the fish department of wal mart to clean their tanks up. Or I may just try to get a job at a local chain pet store because its closer. But that is good to finally actually hear a good story about wal mart.

 

[mandy82]

I checked out the fish dept at wmart today. Well, they've definately cleaned up the tanks and all the fish were alive. They've also put new bulbs in the tanks so you can actually see the fish. I did see white spot on all the fish in one tank and fin rot on some of the fish in another tank. It does look like they're trying to do better.