IMO So Cal is a tough market as most so cal hobbiests (in general) are not accustomed to paying higher prices for livestock as they do in other states. So shops have to run narrower margins. Also, some of these shops may know how to practice good husbandry but many of them don't practice great sales techniques. How many times do you go to a shop and have to help and research yourself on some additive or dry good you're looking to buy. For example if shop A is doing so great at coloring up corals, then why not educate their customers into adopting and purchasing their methods of additives, salt, etc. through them? The internet might have a slightly lower price overall at it's advantage but the LFS has impulse purchasing to theirs which I don't think the ones that fail take advantage of. Just my $.02