as well as, of course, the matter of price. Customers with incorrect preconceived notions about pet care, for example, were unlikely to do right by their pets unless properly educated, especially if the right choice was an expensive one. An excellent example of this phenomenon is the commonly held belief that large fi sh will only grow to the size of the tank they are in. While this belief is rooted in truth, the reality is much more unfortunate, with tanks that are too small for large fi sh stunting their growth, impeding their quality of life, and dramatically shortening their lifespans. A customer that holds this belief, however, is unlikely to commit to the expensive thirty to forty gallon tank their goldfi sh needs to live a long happy life. Associates interviewed across various stores expressed grievances too with how diffi cult it could be to set customers up with the savings and deals on pet supplies that they craved. In many instances, price was the deciding factor in whether or not a pet would go home with the supplies necessary to fl ourish. PetSmart and Petco both operate on a membership-based sale system, and while membership is free and pet parents receive points for their purchases, sales rotate monthly and are not always running on the big-ticket items that customers are uncertain about committing to. This results in general frustration for customers and associates alike, customers because they are not saving money, and associates because it is more diffi cult to convince customers to buy the appropriate supplies for their pets. 2211
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