Front Range Aquatics, Alex, and the Hawaii Order debacle

[scouter]

It makes me laugh that Steve is calling you a liar. Honestly what would you have to gain by lying about any of this. Its not like you were making any money by putting together this nightmare of an order. And Steve, has everything to gain by calling you a liar and trying to pin this on you. Thankfully nobody is believing him. I even bought an extra pump from Steve after this order started to make sure I would have enough water flow for the Achilles I was ordering. So he did benefit in a small way by this order being put together. Now, I will not buy anything again from him, pumps, food, fish, or coral. And with how close the store is to my house, I would have bought all of that stuff from him whenever I needed it. Maybe we should get Steve's permission on all group buys from now on. After all, he is going to try and dictate where we spend our money. Or I could call him and get his permission to visit other LFS since they are taking business away from him as well.

[rmougey]

[i]Or I could call him and get his permission to visit other LFS since they are taking business away from him as well. [/B]

That's too funny......

It's unfortunate that this experience has turned sour for so many. There are few stores or on-line sources that I support as I tend to be finicky with who I give my money to. That's the true strength of being a consumer, we vote with our wallets.

IBTL.

-Rob

[aspenimages]

Cheers to Rob, WE VOTE WITH OUR WALLETS! I wonder how much business Steve has lost through this. I would never wish failure on anyone, however kharma is a funny thing.....

[billsreef]

Not the first time Alex has had this same problem with doing group buys for clubs and having a store complain. Same thing happened with my club a couple of years ago, the business doing the complaining wasn't even on Long Island

[NightBreed1369]

We've all said that we need to support our LFS to help keep them from being driven under by the big chains that dont even carry what we look for but when something like this happens its hard to support them even tho many of what we order in group buys is something they dont even carry.

[ReefJerk]

In my own correspondence via email with Alex about a group buy, he told me the same thing about going through Front Range Aquatics. He said Steve was setting up all the group buys from now on. I thought it a little strange and couldn't get an answer on why I needed to coordinate my group buy with a LFS. Now, I know. Steve, you suck dude. You just ****ed off a lot of people and cost a freelancer a wallet full of money. I hope Sanjay reads this thread and backs out of showing up as well.

Cliff

[Zooid]

hmmmm, I'm starting to wonder if it would be more profitable for Alex, or whomever he sold his business to, to sell his goods to group buys from reef clubs rather than to LFS's. Seems like he could sell all the fish he could catch with group buys alone. I could be mistaken though since I don't know his business at all. It would be interesting to find out that info.
I don't want to bash other LFS's that didn't butt in on this deal though so I'm sorry if it sounds like that Personally, I like to support my LFS's when possible. I refuse to support a LFS that resorts to the above mentioned tactics though. I've said this before in a thread, but there is no way that I'm going to pay 5x the wholesale cost of a fish when there is still no guarantee on the fish. So esentially what I'm paying for is a hotel for the fish which in some cases, would be a one night stay. That's one expensive fish hotel.
JMHO

[bmb527]

I wonder if he pulls this same crap in his gun business. It sounds like a spoiled little kid that wants it all, no matter who he hurts. Now, it will be him hurting, from dust collecting on everything in his shop because we won't shop there. I just hope that folks from up north read this and stay away as well. It seems there are plenty of other great shops up there to spend hard earned money at.
Bill

[Zooid]

Originally posted by bmb527
It seems there are plenty of other great shops up there to spend hard earned money at.
Bill

Yeah, those guys are lucky up north. They have a bunch of good options up there. Almost as many as the people living around south Denver.

[bmb527]

Originally posted by billsreef
Not the first time Alex has had this same problem with doing group buys for clubs and having a store complain. Same thing happened with my club a couple of years ago, the business doing the complaining wasn't even on Long Island

The part of this whole debacle that just makes it funny, is that the LFS owner involved in this particular incedent used to organize and participate in most of the group buys in this area. Now he is trying to stop them.
By the way, how's the weather been in NYC, I used to work for JetBlue @ JFK and remember the misery of trying to fix planes out on the ice between terminals 4 and 5.
Bill

[stonkers]

OK, no more FRA. I'm glad I found out who it was so I don't hurt honest businesspersons. His true colors would have shown eventually anyway, they always do.

So, if anyone finds another diver to do direct business with, let's not post any names, just a price list. I know some folks in Hawaii, I'll see if I can find someone. Everyone else do the same and if we can get a relationship established, let's extend it to other clubs (of course never mentioning names so that no one can pee on our parade).

[runningstix]

Well the Bluezoo group buy seemed to be a success (THANKS CHRIS) Steve sure lost a lot of business letting that one slip through. Luckily he missed it for my sake, however 50cent crabs wouldnt anger me as much as a $200+ fish order. I was also on my way to Petco in denver this weekend, should I go through steve so he isnt hurt by not getting my business?

[scouter]

You absolutely have to check with him! Are you crazy? Thats the new rule. Check with Steve before buying anything anywhere. I am skiing at Copper tomorrow. I called Steve to make sure his stock was with Intrawest (owns Copper/Winter Park/Steamboat), and not with Vail Resorts. I want to make sure my money is going to Steve. I haven't heard back from him to find out what grocery store I should go to. He is the God of the Colorado Rocky Mountain Reef Club! Must do as he says!

[emoutz]

Talk about a lawsuit ...

[Huhhhhh]

Well as a board member of SCMAS down in Colorado Springs I can say that many of us were planning on a road trip to go up and see what FRA had going on and talk with Sanjay. I can also say now that we will not be making any such trip to see or support this type of Scummbagg.

Awesome Business Lesson dude. You just taught everyone how not to run a business.

I hope Sanjay also reads this and decides not to visit your place of ummmmm, business. I've met Sanjay once already and he deserves to meet much better than the likes of you.

[geo]

I am closing this thread, this is not the place to form a lynch mob. Please move on to other topics and keep this sort of discussion off of RC.