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ADA stockists other than TGM?

geoffbark said:
I can't believe that people are having a bad experience with TGM. They are by far the best retailer I have been to in this country. Closely followed by the likes of the abyss

As for discount don't shop for food in M & S if all you can afford is asda.

And don't buy a Rolls Royce if you want a kit car!!!

ADA is no good if you want a custom fit :)
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:text-+1: i agree, for me TGM is a unique and excellent shop. i spend 99% of my money there
 
As someone new to Aquatic planting I have to say TGM's prices were a little intimidating. It is simply a matter of being prepared to premium prices for what is essentially a brand retailer who also stocks top brand goods. I have not seen many items on their site that are not available elsewhere so there is nothing really stopping anyone from shopping around, I personally would only order one-off's from them and go with other sites if I need to buy in bulk. I do not see why you would stop shopping with them just because they did not give your a discount though, they set the prices so why plan on using those products if it is too much. :lol:
 
andyh said:
geoffbark said:
I can't believe that people are having a bad experience with TGM. They are by far the best retailer I have been to in this country. Closely followed by the likes of the abyss

As for discount don't shop for food in M & S if all you can afford is asda.

And don't buy a Rolls Royce if you want a kit car!!!

ADA is no good if you want a custom fit :)
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:text-+1: i agree, for me TGM is a unique and excellent shop. i spend 99% of my money there
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Thats because the prices are extortionate! :lol:
 
What we should also consider is that TGM are an actual shop with overheads etc that need covering. I thoroughly enjoy a trip to see the impressive (and costly to set up and maintain) display tanks and the friendly and knowledgeable staff who are always happy to give advice. The prices may be a little higher but the expertise and dedication to the hobby are second to none and therefore can warrant a little extra to cover costs. Some of the points raised are valid and it's true that we do like to be able to strike a bit of a deal, but we also need to first show a little loyalty and business to retailers before we can "expect" any discounts :) In my experience after a few visits and online purchases TGM help out where they can.
Cheerio
Ady
 
For me feeling I got my moneys worth is far more important than a shop that I can't get to but then I'd say I'm an A-typical consumer. It depends on what you want, I prefer to buy after research and this isn't always possible in a shop and is certainly easier online plus, you pay what you feel the product is actually worth this way as well, this is why I like to buy products from warehouse type operations, zooplus et al because I'm paying for what I feel the product is really worth not the product plus overheads and everything else, I've gone to buy exactly what I want because I know what I want before hand and I want that at what I feel is it's actual worth.

I have to admit I don't really agree with a lot of the advice I've had from tgm in the past, trying to sell me penac and the rest when I was buying substrate and if I hadn't have already known it was crap I'd have bought it then felt cheated, being anti EI, promoting leds that burn more watts than the equivalent t5s etc but what they do well is inspire people when they do manage to find their shop and though some of their advice is bunk they're a good at providing inspiration and a certain element of a safety net to people who would otherwise feel totally bewildered and lost, it depends what you want and as mentioned there are alternatives.
I think Owen has the most sensible point, if you can get it elsewhere cheaper buy it from there, if you can't and it's a one off then TGM is the place to go, this is certainly how I've always thought of them.
 
Same thoughts here, prices are higher, but with that you get a dedicated service and a good product. Like Ady says if you go instore its a setup that not many other places have to offer, plus lets not forget the cups of tea and cake they offer, amongst other things when events are held - even my dog got a warm welcome when in the shop when me and the mrs were on our way to a weekend break.

We all like a bargain and we all like to shop about for that bargain, but sorry, i dont agree with TGM being slated.

Thats my view anyway.
 
Well, i understand all your points, but I believe at double the mark up on ADA products especially compared to AFA in America, TGM is overpriced.

However, understanding who is to blame for price hike is more questionable. For example, Tax rates are different, ( so theres £20 of your hard earned cash on those ADA Tweezers, going to some lout with 14 kids), import duties, price fixing by ADA & then TGM themselves, who obviously have to make money after everything is paid.

So question the system, not necessarily the End Retailer.

That being that, I would try my hardest to buy from AFA and import it. This is why shops are dying a death, because of availability elsewhere.

At the end of the day, loyalty doesn't pay the Rent.

Cheers,
 
And people in the US deride AFA for being more expensive than the Senske brothers' ADG...! I've been reliably informed ADA is actually cheaper in the US than it is in Japan, which I find very hard to believe.

I have to agree, it's hard to see where the additional cost is coming from but when AE were the only people bringing in ADA the prices weren't that much cheaper.

The thing is we have a Government that just allowed the biggest 4 tax avoiders get away without paying what they owe, who if they paid it all back we would as a nation be out of debt, that's how much they owe... things like that put paying more than we feel we should into perspective a bit more.
 
i happen to work for a very large Japanese company, so I have some basic understanding of import/export etc and the one thing your all forgetting is currency. Pound to Yen has been terrible for years, and i mean dire. Most Japanese manufactured products have suffered terribly prices have increased year on year. So this will not help.

Plus lets not forget ADA is a premium product, just like Eheim, just like Audi, Rolex etc.................. They still manage to do very well as demand is there, it just doesn't suit everybody's budget for their hobbies.

I am happy to pay more at TGM for excellent service and shop with setups like no other in the UK.
 
Why do people always expect a "deal" these days...

The price is the price.

This isn't a market in Morroco & you can't barter for everything.
 
Because money is harder to come by than it ever has been?

The whole issue here stems from knowing you can get it cheaper from abroad, blaming tgm isn't going to change that but perhaps understanding why the price difference is so large will finally put a death-knell in a topic that's been around for as long as I can remember. As an aside, ADA tanks are made in germany, you could probably find the manufacturer of it them with some digging.
 
andyh said:
i happen to work for a very large Japanese company, so I have some basic understanding of import/export etc and the one thing your all forgetting is currency. Pound to Yen has been terrible for years, and i mean dire. Most Japanese manufactured products have suffered terribly prices have increased year on year. So this will not help.

Plus lets not forget ADA is a premium product, just like Eheim, just like Audi, Rolex etc.................. They still manage to do very well as demand is there, it just doesn't suit everybody's budget for their hobbies.

I am happy to pay more at TGM for excellent service and shop with setups like no other in the UK.
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To someone who hasn't seen the benefits of the shop, or understand TGM's impact on UK aquascaping, its just another online store though.

Im sure as hell I wouldnt go and buy a brand new Audi at at shop £2000 more expensive than another because of who the shop were.

Obviously this doesn't directly compare to 'audi from an Audi garage' or a 'run of the mill standard garage' as the product aftercare could possibly be different. As cars need maintaining.

Tweezers are tweezers. You buy a product. If faulty goes directly back to
ADA anyway.

Its a hard one, as I would love to see a lot more shops like TGM over the country, but everything is pound, shilling and pence at the moment.
 
Whitey89 said:
Im sure as hell I wouldnt go and buy a brand new Audi at at shop £2000 more expensive than another because of who the shop were.

Obviously this doesn't directly compare to 'audi from an Audi garage' or a 'run of the mill standard garage' as the product aftercare could possibly be different. As cars need maintaining.

Tweezers are tweezers. You buy a product. If faulty goes directly back to
ADA anyway.

.
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Whitey

Thats not my point nobody would pay more for the same product, i am saying ada like audi is a premium brand and whether you buy it here, there or in the USA, Europe etc its still going to by at the higher end of the market it terms of price.

All this speculation of being able to buy cheaper elsewhere forgets a couple of major points yes you can save a couple of % on the upfront price however the taxes and postage quite often counter act that. Plus when it goes wrong you have a right headache.

:D anyway i am going to withdraw from this thread as its all getting a little to political now......... And i don't do political
 
As whitey wrote " a set of tweezers is just a set of tweezers " and a Audi is just a Audi.

I own both. I paid for my tweezers at TGM and I paid for my Audi at Audi used car sales.

I paid over the odds for my car and my tweezers for the aftercare service.

Stop slating a great British company TGM are all about our hobby and survive in a country with ever increasing prices.
 
I other thing that everyone seems to be forgetting is that TGM is a sponsor on this site, their contribution goes towards ukaps's ability to be present at events such as aquatics live and to even keep this site running.

I dont understand why no discount was offered, on the face of it it makes good business sense to do so, however none of us work there or have anything but guesses as to why they trade as they do.

You have free will , buy or dont buy!! Negative opinions of sponsors should not be posted on a thread like this.
I believe the OP should have PM'd TGM to give his opinion in situations such as this.
Most other forums i use would close the thread down and i believe rightly so.
 
andyh said:
Whitey89 said:
Im sure as hell I wouldnt go and buy a brand new Audi at at shop £2000 more expensive than another because of who the shop were.

Obviously this doesn't directly compare to 'audi from an Audi garage' or a 'run of the mill standard garage' as the product aftercare could possibly be different. As cars need maintaining.

Tweezers are tweezers. You buy a product. If faulty goes directly back to
ADA anyway.

.
Click to expand...
Whitey

Thats not my point nobody would pay more for the same product, i am saying ada like audi is a premium brand and whether you buy it here, there or in the USA, Europe etc its still going to by at the higher end of the market it terms of price.

All this speculation of being able to buy cheaper elsewhere forgets a couple of major points yes you can save a couple of % on the upfront price however the taxes and postage quite often counter act that. Plus when it goes wrong you have a right headache.

:D anyway i am going to withdraw from this thread as its all getting a little to political now......... And i don't do political
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I know what you mean mate, I am in fact putting both sides across.

I suppose its up to personal preference, If I had just a little more money i would go with TGM, just I don't, but still desire that top end product.

I would rob a bank, but when asked what I spent the money on, I'd be embarrassed to say
'2 pairs of scissors and some pinsettes' .

'I'm off to rob a couple more to get me the tank and light unit !!' :lol:
 
easerthegeezer said:
I other thing that everyone seems to be forgetting is that TGM is a sponsor on this site, their contribution goes towards ukaps's ability to be present at events such as aquatics live and to even keep this site running.

I dont understand why no discount was offered, on the face of it it makes good business sense to do so, however none of us work there or have anything but guesses as to why they trade as they do.

You have free will , buy or dont buy!! Negative opinions of sponsors should not be posted on a thread like this.
I believe the OP should have PM'd TGM to give his opinion in situations such as this.
Most other forums i use would close the thread down and i believe rightly so.
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Iain, are you saying that just because TGM are sponsors of UKAPS that someone should not be able to air a grievance they feel they have ? Or just this particular issue that has been raised ?

I think the thing that is wrong is the rule that sponsors may not comment on general threads. Normally I would support this rule, but I think it needs to be defined better. I personally think that where a member posts a thread that indicates an issue such as this, then the sponsor should have the right to respond, but under 'normal' circumstances they should remain mute (IE to prevent biased sales based comments, lol). But I don't think that just because TGM, (or any other sponsor), donates money to the running of UKAPS, that they assume the right not to have anything negative said about them as that smacks of censorship to me (regardless of what other forums may/may not do). Everyone is accountable and forum operators owe it to their members to allow the negative along with the positive.

It is a shame that TGM cannot reply though, so maybe if a member has a grievance about a sponsor then a different rule should apply, whereby such grievances can only be aired on the sponsor's forum. But then the sponsor would delete any threads they don't like (as has happened when I believed I had a grievance about a different sponsor). And thats something I don't agree with either.

Tough call at the end of the day but one thing I cannot abide is censorship.
 
Yeah, True Dat Chris.

I have had some fantastic service from TGM in the past, In no way am I questioning them on that front.

I'm stating I cannot afford the prices they charge for some items.
I cannot wait to go down and see the place.

I'm out, :thumbup:
 
Whitey89 said:
Yeah, True Dat Chris.

I have had some fantastic service from TGM in the past, In no way am I questioning them on that front.

I'm stating I cannot afford the prices they charge for some items.
I cannot wait to go down and see the place.

I'm out, :thumbup:
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I cannot fault their service either. I wish they were closer as I suspect I'd be in there all the time. Thats me gone now too. Think alls been said that needs to be :thumbup:
 
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