Should people that own fish/coral stores be allowed to buy from members on MR?

I noticed that some members were getting upset when a certain member of MR that owns an aquarium store wanted to purchase very cheap corals from another member.

The argument was that people who own stores (and are MR members) should not be buying anything from MR members (coral, fish, merchandise) because store owners have access to wholesale prices from their distributors. And that they have the potential of bringing the goods back to their stores and upping the price (from a discounted MR member "hook up" price) to "normal" retail prices.

I want to know if it is allowed for store owners (MR vendor or not) to purchase items from MR members with the intention of either reselling it in their stores or for their own personal use.

what is the general attitude about this?

What does everyone feel is morally and legally (by MR standards) the right thing to do for a store owner?

Do MR members feel that they are only selling corals on this site to help out other members with their tanks, not to make a store owner a profit?

p.s. I dont own a store so its not me lol.

i will not sell to store owners they can get it cheaper from the wholesaler and i dont want it resold at a higher price but that just me

i think people are selling their frags to sell their frags. otherwise, they'd give them away. i don't think they care to whom they sell them to.

by the way how are we talking about? seen some thing someware about someone trying to buy some thing and the person would not sell to them becuze they were a store owner i am going to do some shearching now !!!!!!

so you think they buy them from you for 10 bucks and turn around and sell them for 20 bucks if fair? mr x

well i think that the point is, on MR people sell corals to help out other members at a discounted price. So should store owners be allowed to take advantage of this hook up price when its intended for people without discounted prices anywhere else?

i think people should help one other out and try to keep the hobby cheaper then it is now 125 bucks for 1/2 frag is crazy they dont pay that amount for an 6 inch pieace

I think it is absolutely in the poorest taste to buy something here and sell it in a store for more money. That is taking advantage of the members here and violating members trust, especially since the people who are doing this are not up front about it but sneaking behind peoples backs and doing it. How would you feel if you sold someone anything and then saw it for sale for profit just because they took advantage of your good will and they took advantage of your desire to help others in the hobby and turn a profit.

Store owners who are vendors here and who are not vendors here are all welcome, just do the right thing. Don't be a weasel.

I always ask myself the same question, how would I like this to happen to me? Maybe others need to ask the same question of themselves before they act.

A number of on-line vendors have relationships with local "farmers" who also sell on RC or frags.org.

At Boston Reefers, a couple of long time members sell to LFS and also sell in the club. Club prices are much, much less but that's free enterprise.

Don't see any issues - by the way, I don't sell to stores.

This sort of behavior will ultimately cause the prices to go up. Or people will just tend to deal and trade with people they know. Although it is very difficult to police, I think we should call whoever does this out.

If I was looking to sell some frags, chances are tha I am Doing it
A) To Make Money
B) To Free Up Some Space
C) Tired Of Looking @ That Particular Coral.
So I wouldn't care who bought it or if they resold it.
I understand why you are asking this question, I read the spam thread and was wondering the same thing.
This place MR is a little nuts. Right after the frag swap @ Pratt. The vendors were complaining that the members had too much to sell and felt they were being undercut, and now member are complaining that vendors should not be able to buy @ a Cheaper than wholesale price. I guess that there is no way to win for anybody,, while everybod seems to be winning.
DJ this is in NO WAY a Digg at you. You Know We are as COOL AS JELLO PIE

business is business, simple It could be the same as some members buy corals from another member keep it for a short term and then sell it on some other site for more. Same s*** different toilet

Chemchef its all good. I have my own opinions of this, I just wanted to know what other members felt. I also wanted to know if there was an actual "rule" on MR about vendors and store owners re-selling members stuff. I know that non vendors cant sell on MR, but they can buy and resell?

jello pie lol ha ha ha ha ha ha what favor jello pie are you ?
still is not right chef

CaptainAndy said:

A number of on-line vendors have relationships with local "farmers" who also sell on RC or frags.org.

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That is absolutely OK, in fact I like the idea that people are farming and have relationships with brick and mortar stores, it keep the farmers happy and the stores in business.

What is not OK (in my opinion):

• Getting things from a freebie thread and selling them
• Getting things from someone who is getting out of the hobby and then selling them at near retail prices in a store
• Buying up every single listing of a certain type of coral and then selling it in a store

This is just my opinion and I'd like to hear what others think about this.

jerl77 said:

jello pie lol ha ha ha ha ha ha what favor jello pie are you ?
still is not right chef

Click to expand...

LIME, Baby, LIME

i was think sour apple lol you know ryan i love ya

Josh said:

What is not OK (in my opinion):

• Getting things from a freebie thread and selling them
• Getting things from someone who is getting out of the hobby and then selling them at near retail prices in a store
• Buying up every single listing of a certain type of coral and then selling it in a store

Click to expand...

Josh whats the difference between buying and selling from someone who is getting out of hobby as opposed to a person just trying to sell something cheap to hook up fellow members? Isnt it all the same in the end?

josh? tagging along

There is no difference. The point in both cases is that on a hobbyist board those deals should go to other hobbyists not vendors/shops who then turn around and make profit on them.

It is also very different for hobbyists who farm corals and develop relationships with vendors/shops and supply them with corals than for vendors to troll the hobbyist for sale threads and buy stuff for resale thus depriving hobbyists of those same deals.