Houston Aquarium Warehouse - a different view!

[finfan]

i know this is not going to be a popular topic here because many of you are blindly in love with this place, i was not thinking about posting but decided against my better judgment to do it anyway, i know i many of you will get mad and post hate replies.. that is fine

i think its only fair that the bad is expressed with the good, because of the consistent low prices (good thing about this place), i've been here several times and taken rude customer service/verbal abuse thinking who cares since the prices are low, but i started thinking and there is no reason for me to get treated like crap and then pay money for a $2 discount on something, so i don't care if i never get anything from here, yes the prices are low, but i'm unwilling to give up dignity to get a good price on fish, also i won't get into details but i was scammed out of $100 here and will never return

[imagirlgeek]

Before this thread gets going, I want to ask that everyone keep in mind that this is a 'Retailer's Feedback' forum and everyone is entitled to post their experiences - both good and bad. So please do not post any 'hate replies'. Rebuttals are welcome, as are common experiences, but keep personal attacks out of it please.

I'll be watching....:lupe:

[Rico]

i still haven't been here but does this place have any CA cichlids?

[eklikewhoa]

finfan, could you elaborate on how you were treated that made you feel this way as well as how you were scammed out of your money?

[FrontosaurusRex]

The first time i went to HAW i felt like i was being "talked down to" but the more i went and the more i got to know Dan, the more i realized that he was just trying to help me. Dan is just a very blunt person, but i've never known him to be out right MEAN. And I think EK is right, we need a little more elaboration. I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but i really think you should give him another chance.

[finfan]

ek... the treatment part is mostly having to hear lectures about how most people are stupid and don't know how to do anything with fish and also an overall attitude of looking down on customers, the money part... like i said rather not get into details... but the store did not keep their end of the bargain despite promising, i know this place has good prices and mostly good livestock and many have had great experiences, i did not and so i thought i would share

as some of you may know from my posting pattern, i'm not the kind to post negative things and usually avoid any confrontation whenever possible, this was just simply my experience and i realize others have had great experience there

[eklikewhoa]

Feedback is feedback.

Just because a place has outstanding feedback it doesn't mean they won't also have negative feedback.

Now in the first post you stated that you were scammed out of $100... now my understanding is that "scam" would mean that you were cheated out of your money in an unethical way so surely this needs to be brought to attention.

[jeebus]

i've been here several times and taken rude customer service/verbal abuse thinking who cares since the prices are low, but i started thinking and there is no reason for me to get treated like crap

Wow. I hate to hear this. Perhaps this is just an extreme misunderstanding of both parties? I'll be the first to admit that before I considered Dan a friend and understood him, I thought he talked WAY too much, was condescending, and a know-it-all! lol.. In fact, I honestly considered never going back after the first few times, for possibly the very same reasons as you.

But my wife dragged me back again and again and told me to stop being hard-headed and over time found that Dan is just very passionate about fish - and that can very easily be misunderstood.

I'm in no way saying I don't believe you, but Dan is the one LFS owner I would encourage you to find a resolution with. I know it sounds sappy and not very "line in the sand", but I can almost guarantee that after a firm handshake, good introduction of names, and the airing of your concerns, that he'll do everything that he can (financially) to make the issue right.

Of course remember that all these LFS guys are just trying to make a buck too. I sometimes forget that when I'm trying to convince them to not only give me free fish, but to actually pay me for taking them off their hands!

[Darbex]

Its hard to have feedback that isn't constructive saying that you had a bad experience without details is lacking. We need details of what happened for others to be on the watch out or for the owner to be able to change or fix what happened and this goes for any store not just because its HAW.

[manifresh006]

Sorry to hear finfan

And i have been tru that too BUT not from HAW

I myself don't like to make an opinion coming from some1 else, like to see it for myself but thank you for sharing bro will definitely keep it in mind

[HoustonAquariumWarehouse]

I wish i can rectify any unhappiness you may have towards me. If i offended you in anyway..i truly appologize.
If i scammed you in anyway bring back the things that you purchased and i will give you back your money.

respectfully,
Daniel

[Delock]

i know this is not going to be a popular topic here because many of you are blindly in love with this place, i was not thinking about posting but decided against my better judgment to do it anyway, i know i many of you will get mad and post hate replies.. that is fine

i think its only fair that the bad is expressed with the good, because of the consistent low prices (good thing about this place), i've been here several times and taken rude customer service/verbal abuse thinking who cares since the prices are low, but i started thinking and there is no reason for me to get treated like crap and then pay money for a $2 discount on something, so i don't care if i never get anything from here, yes the prices are low, but i'm unwilling to give up dignity to get a good price on fish, also i won't get into details but i was scammed out of $100 here and will never return

Not to get off topic...but I had the same dealing and felt the same way with Microcenter this week.

[mikeb144]

I have only recently got to know Dan. But when Dan talks, I can tell he knows what he is talking about. Dan may seem to be a little arrogrant, but people that really know what they are talking about sometimes come arcoss that away, espocially when talking to someone that has a much lower knowledge for fishkeeping. The time I have bought anything form HAW I have gotten healthy fish. No one can get alone with everyone. IMO to post something on this site without explaining the details is dead wrong. If you are a man you will go back, face Dan, and get the problem resolved. Mike Brown-Beaumont, Texas 77705 mikepubman@att.net P.S. Dan has frogotten my about fishkeeping than most of us know

[imagirlgeek]

IMO to post something on this site without explaining the details is dead wrong. If you are a man you will go back, face Dan, and get the problem resolved.

As I stated in the beginning of the thread, no need to get aggressive. He is entitled to his opinion about the store. If he prefers not to go into details, that's his right as well. Dan can handle this.

[BEdward]

I hate to hear about this. You should talk to Dan about it - I believe he'd make it right. He's always been very fair.. and generous in my dealings with him.