LFS or Online?

Its crazy how the trend is moving towards on line sale of extremely perishable goods. With the mix of selection and prices I don't see how many LFS can keep up.

Plain Brown SPS frags by me go for around $70-90, and you see people at rock n reef and such doing beautiful frags for $25-40. I feel bad but the coral trade is gonna be interesting in a few years for LFS

 

I get my corals and fish at the LFS. I only buy equipment online.

 

I get almost all of my stuff at LFS. My two local fish stores I frequent aren't much more than the online vendors for the stuff I buy. I mostly just buy stuff when it is on sale. I bought a huge favia for $40 at my local fish store. It would cost at least $40 to ship the thing.

 

I've never been comfortable buying fish out of the bag. I buy everything at LFS.

 

If there is a killer deal, I will buy it online. But I know my LFS owners, and I like to help keep them in business, So almost everything is bought through them. Even if it is a little more (usally my LFs is the same price or less once you add shipping into the online buy) I just got lucky cause they are really good at what they do, and I get deals cause I see them at least once a week. They were hurting when I got out of the game for some time...But they are reducing their saltwater stock, so they can hold freshwater!! boo, but heck they need to make green too!! (good business move)

 

I buy most of my coral online, because the selection is waaaaaay better. I do a mixture with my fish. I'd say half are from the LFS and the other half are from online. Again, the selection online is usually better.

 

Coral online and LFS. Fish I buy from my LFS. However, I am looking for a specific fish on DD.

 

I'd agree in saying that LFS just do not have the selection for either corals or fish. Online you search for the species that you want and pull the trigger when you are ready and comforable. Also, I find its way easier to impulse buy at the LFS so now I only buy food, sweet choice rocks and an occasional prime frag but usually not.

In reality, LFS' need to become online vendors if they desire to grow at all.

 

Online seems to be a growing trend.

 

bump