A visit to Petco.....more blah, blah, blah

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Posted by cwatbay on June 09, 2000 at 20:51:01:

I needed to get another pet carrier so I decided to get it from Petco so that I could also see what is going on there since they took over all the Premium Pet stores in my area.

For one, almost all the old staff is gone ( Premium Pet was a small large store chain whose only animals sold were fish ). All new management with a lots of new young employees. Remember, these people are working for around 6 to 7 dollars an hour, a studio apartment rents for $1300 mo ( if you can find one that cheap ), the median price of an average house is over $540, 000. So you either have special circumstance employees ( student, stay at home mom ) or people that just aren't too bright or ambitious.

Anyway,
I go in, pick out a carrier and then check out the igs that are selling for $14.99. Now, the good news: two Zoo med UVB Bulbs, temps are good, tall cage with glass sides, about 8 small igs, a decent amount of room. Posted info said: igs get up to 6 ft long, cage should be 1.8 times the size of the lizard. The bad news: dry Zoo Med Ig food, Ice Berg lettuce. Honestly, the igs did not look all that good. The posted recommended diet was: Fruit, cut up vegetables,and crickets( for up to 6 months old )

So, when I got to the register, I asked why the igs had lettuce. The checker didn't know, but her supervisor a twenty something gal, said: "thats what they eat". I said no, thats wrong, she said yes, thats right. Anyway, we argued back and forth, she finally said: "that's what my manager says and she's right, I said, no she is absolutely wrong,so we went at it some more. She finally turned her back on me and that was it. The checker apologized for not knowing anything, because she had only started working there last week.

So I ended up being pissed off for about 2 hours.

However, I did discover some things along the way:
1. I went into Petco with a bad attitude to begin with
2. I was looking for a fight
3. I knew I could find something to complain about
4. I already knew what the outcome of any confrontation would be.

Moreover, I had to consider how the Petco Corporation works:

1. Any meaningful decisions are made by executive management at the corporate level, not by employees, not at the store, not at the region office, and certainly not by anyone who wants to keep their job at any level of management other than corporate.
2. It's hard enough for mom and pop or specialty pet stores to find anyone with a shred of knowledge, much less a large chain store that pays minimum wage and a less than friendly corporate attitude.
3. In reference to above, you are not going to find creative, intelligent, resourceful biology graduates or the like working for 7 bucks an hour ( try paying tuition with that )in a place where it is " shut up and do your job".
4. Consider who has more credibility : (a) a customer who comes in and raises a stink ( as contrary to everyone else who comes in and just buys their stuff), or (b) your company and boss who hands you a paycheck and provides gainfull employment ?
5. People who really care about animals, don't work, or , don't work for long in a chain pet store or almost any pet store ( yes I do know that there are exceptions - though few and far between ). Just like you don't find experienced chefs working at Dennys, reknown photographers doing Sears portraits or honest, moral people running for the presidency.

Another thing is turning to radical organizations for help( forget government or civic organizations, the only job people have there is to keep their job )

As much as would like to threaten Petco with massive Peta rallies and protests, it ain't going to happen. Plus, associating with groups that are on the extreme only alienates you from mainstream society that easily dismisses any radical group or individuals as "wackco" and trouble makers. Once you get that label, it's hard to shake and you have lost any type of credibility with the people that can make or break a store through their purchasing power.

anyway, that's my opinion, and I feel a lot better now.
Cliff

Follow Ups:

Im gonna hit em' where it hurts!! HaHaHAAAAAA RAVEN 06/10/00 (2)
- Sorry for the*outburst*....Sigh... Raven 06/10/00 (1)
  - Re: Sorry for the*outburst*....Sigh... Lexi 06/12/00 (0)
great post Cliff, K~ 06/10/00 (0)
teaching by example.......... cwatbay 06/10/00 (0)
Any Calm People in San Diego? Samcin 06/10/00 (1)
- I think all the calm ones work for the Post Office! LOL! nm Thumper 06/10/00 (0)
Now let's all count to ten real slow............nm cwatbay 06/09/00 (1)
- And did you notice ....... Ally's Mom 06/09/00 (0)
Re: A visit to Petco.....more blah, blah, blah Ally's Mom 06/09/00 (0)
Re: A visit to Petco.....more blah, blah, blah Sue2 06/09/00 (0)

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: I needed to get another pet carrier so I decided to get it from Petco so that I could also see what is going on there since they took over all the Premium Pet stores in my area. : For one, almost all the old staff is gone ( Premium Pet was a small large store chain whose only animals sold were fish ). All new management with a lots of new young employees. Remember, these people are working for around 6 to 7 dollars an hour, a studio apartment rents for $1300 mo ( if you can find one that cheap ), the median price of an average house is over $540, 000. So you either have special circumstance employees ( student, stay at home mom ) or people that just aren't too bright or ambitious. : Anyway, : I go in, pick out a carrier and then check out the igs that are selling for $14.99. Now, the good news: two Zoo med UVB Bulbs, temps are good, tall cage with glass sides, about 8 small igs, a decent amount of room. Posted info said: igs get up to 6 ft long, cage should be 1.8 times the size of the lizard. The bad news: dry Zoo Med Ig food, Ice Berg lettuce. Honestly, the igs did not look all that good. The posted recommended diet was: Fruit, cut up vegetables,and crickets( for up to 6 months old ) : So, when I got to the register, I asked why the igs had lettuce. The checker didn't know, but her supervisor a twenty something gal, said: "thats what they eat". I said no, thats wrong, she said yes, thats right. Anyway, we argued back and forth, she finally said: "that's what my manager says and she's right, I said, no she is absolutely wrong,so we went at it some more. She finally turned her back on me and that was it. The checker apologized for not knowing anything, because she had only started working there last week. : So I ended up being pissed off for about 2 hours. : However, I did discover some things along the way: : 1. I went into Petco with a bad attitude to begin with : 2. I was looking for a fight : 3. I knew I could find something to complain about : 4. I already knew what the outcome of any confrontation would be. : Moreover, I had to consider how the Petco Corporation works: : 1. Any meaningful decisions are made by executive management at the corporate level, not by employees, not at the store, not at the region office, and certainly not by anyone who wants to keep their job at any level of management other than corporate. : 2. It's hard enough for mom and pop or specialty pet stores to find anyone with a shred of knowledge, much less a large chain store that pays minimum wage and a less than friendly corporate attitude. : 3. In reference to above, you are not going to find creative, intelligent, resourceful biology graduates or the like working for 7 bucks an hour ( try paying tuition with that )in a place where it is " shut up and do your job". : 4. Consider who has more credibility : (a) a customer who comes in and raises a stink ( as contrary to everyone else who comes in and just buys their stuff), or (b) your company and boss who hands you a paycheck and provides gainfull employment ? : 5. People who really care about animals, don't work, or , don't work for long in a chain pet store or almost any pet store ( yes I do know that there are exceptions - though few and far between ). Just like you don't find experienced chefs working at Dennys, reknown photographers doing Sears portraits or honest, moral people running for the presidency. : Another thing is turning to radical organizations for help( forget government or civic organizations, the only job people have there is to keep their job ) : As much as would like to threaten Petco with massive Peta rallies and protests, it ain't going to happen. Plus, associating with groups that are on the extreme only alienates you from mainstream society that easily dismisses any radical group or individuals as "wackco" and trouble makers. Once you get that label, it's hard to shake and you have lost any type of credibility with the people that can make or break a store through their purchasing power. : anyway, that's my opinion, and I feel a lot better now. : Cliff

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