Insert catchy title here.

ok, som' of you may know that I manage a specialty Reptile store...


so about seven or so years ago, a woman began coming in several times a week...she became a very good customer...she was like a sponge listening and learning everything she could from us.

she wanted to open a wholesale bussiness and we helped her...the idea being she was a friend and the wholesale customers where not the same as the retail customers and there would be no competition.


so a few years go by and she decided to open a retail store after swearing to us she'd never compete with us.

a BLOCK from our store.



people keep coming in and asking where the "new" store is...WTF??? Do you go into Target and grab an employee and say "hey, wheres walmart? Can you call them for me? Can you jot down dirrections?"

I've tried telling people Iam not allowed to tell them

I've tried flat out telling people that I will not tell them how to get there.

I've tried explaining to people that they are our competition and I have nothing to gain by giving them directions.

I've tried playing dumb and saying I don't know what they are talking about

I've tried telling people that Iam insulted they would ask such a thing (politely)


People still get upity and pissed off....the best answer I think is to play dumb...but Iam a really bad liar LOL


Iam at a loss, this is a frustrating situation, I guess Iam just venting...I just had a guy leave all pissed off that I wouldn't draw up dirrections for him, even after I explained why.


aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I get that all the time since the evil pet store opened up ACROSS THE STREET from us. Like literally across the street. They sell puppies and kittens and ever animal you could probably think of.

People call all the time "are you that new pet store? no? What's their phone number?" or "do you know where that new pet store is?" etc etc. I just play dumb too.

omg so Iam not alone.... seriously who opens a pet store that close to another pet store??? Except to steal bussiness!

Just have a re grand opening so you are the new store

meh!! if people come in and start saying, "Well I'll just go down the road" I'll be a smart ass and ask them if they want me to call them for them...

:rofl1:

I would try my best to play dumb, flat out refusing to give the info shows customers that you are intimidated and worried about losing business.

More importantly, though, I would be trying to develop a business plan to stay ahead of the competition. How will you plan on competing with this other store? What can you offer to customers to keep them coming to your store rather than the "new" one?

LOL....we have gotten a few jerks that come in and want us to price match...they are ANIMALS not dry goods...there can and IS a quality difference...people don't care...they see cheaper and think cheaper is better...well with reptiles that is NOT the case.

our main thing is knowlege...theres like 50 years combined expertise here, as far as prices go, we can't compete...our rent is much much higher.


we are not suffering by any means...they are more annoying than any real threat LOL

Oh geez I am so sorry. Don't really know how I would handle that. Would make sure I had something she didn't. You need a spy. (joke).

While it is a good thing that they have not yet cut significantly into your local market, to ignore them as an annoyance may prove disastrous in the long run. I'm not sure if this is something that typically encompasses your duties as manager, but I would do some research and come up with a plan. Use your strengths, exploit their weaknesses. It can't be good to have two specialty niche stores within one block of each other. Ultimately, this could become a "kill" or "be killed" situation.

To me, it appears this person has made it their goal to undercut your prices to steal your business. And even though it may be an annoyance now, the fact that you are seeing customers on a regular basis that are looking for price matches and directions to the other store is a telling sign.

we have lots of LOYAL customers that went in there once or twice and the stories are interesting to say the least. I wont talk poorly of their store, we have enough patrons that do that for us


unrealated but on a pet store note

Oh and I have been getting calls lately asking if we will buy "sssshiwawa" puppies

oh yes, the store owners are very much on top of it. They are my mentors and two of the smartest people I know (save the mistake of being too free with knowledge with this woman, never again tho)

we always have been very friendly with the customers, personally I've uped it to borderline ass kissing and being very proffesional and detailed with explaining care and whatnot...many new customers appreciate our in depth knowledge. We have cut prices to try and stay more competitive, we've cut staff as well to save money.


here in ca, there is a shop like this every 5 miles...so we already were surviving amidst significant competition...